We never thought of that…
One of the recurring moments throughout the third book/movie is the appearance of Dementors and the particularly chilling effect that they have on Harry Potter himself.
Every time Harry is confronted with a Dementor, he hears the screams of his mother as she is murdered by Lord Voldemort. A horrific memory to hear…
He hears this moment because Dementors feed upon happiness and cause depression and despair in anyone near them. They make people relive their worst memories.
But there’s always been a lingering question over this – would a 15-month-old child remember such an incident so vividly? There’s also the question of why it causes him to faint when no one else does?
One Redditor named Starzajo believes he has the answer to the questions:
“It was Voldemort’s. Hear me out.
“Harry was 15 months old when it happened. I find it difficult to believe Harry could remember this event, no matter how traumatic. However, as Dumbledore says, to speak of minds and souls, regarding Harry, is to speak of the same thing. This is why Voldemort can see into Harry’s mind and vice-versa. A fragment of Voldemort’s soul remains inside Harry. I propose that the memory primarily comes from Voldemort. This was the event where he was ripped from his body and came closest to death, a prime candidate for worst memory.
“The reason Harry blacked out during dementor attacks is because this act of selfless love by Lily causes Voldemort unendurable pain whenever he experiences it. Like when he tried to possess Harry or touch him via Quirrel. Harry blacks out because one part of his soul is in agony while the other is not. The dementors bring up the memory of this act of love, which Voldemort cannot stand.
“Thoughts?”
Basically, the memory that’s coming forward is not actually Harry’s, it belongs to Voldemort (and the fragment of his soul which lived in Harry at the time). It’s the moment Voldemort was pulled from his body and became less than the meanest ghost, he remembers it so vividly.
In terms of why he passes out, when Harry experiences the memory which brings to mind the love his mother felt for him and vice versa, the piece of Voldemort’s soul can’t stand such an emotion and causes Harry to pass out.
It’s certainly an interesting theory.
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