Dementor facts for kids

A Dementor model from the Harry Potter films.

A Dementor is a scary creature from the Harry Potter books. They are tall, dark, and wear hooded cloaks. Dementors are known for making people feel very sad and hopeless. They feed on happy memories and good feelings.

What are Dementors?

What do Dementors look like?

Dementors are human-sized creatures. They are usually described as being covered in dark, tattered cloaks. These cloaks hide their faces. Their hands are grey, slimy, and decaying. They do not seem to have eyes. Instead, they breathe with a rattling sound. Dementors bring a cold, dark feeling wherever they go. This coldness makes flowers wilt and lights dim.

Where do Dementors live?

Dementors are often found in dark, miserable places. They were once the guards of Azkaban, the wizard prison. Their presence made the prison a terrible place. Prisoners often lost their minds and hope because of the Dementors.

What do Dementors do?

Dementors feed on human happiness. When they are near, people feel very cold and sad. All happy memories seem to disappear. The worst thing a Dementor can do is called the Dementor's Kiss.

The Dementor's Kiss

The Dementor's Kiss is a terrible punishment. A Dementor lifts its hood to perform this act. It then sucks out a person's soul. This leaves the person alive but empty. They become like an empty shell with no thoughts or feelings. It is considered worse than death.

How to fight Dementors

The Patronus Charm

The only way to make Dementors go away is with the Patronus Charm. This is a very advanced and powerful spell. It creates a shield of pure happiness. The spell is cast by saying Expecto Patronum!.

How to cast a Patronus

To cast a Patronus, you must think of your happiest memory. This memory needs to be very strong and powerful. The happier the memory, the stronger your Patronus will be. A strong Patronus can chase Dementors away. It can even protect you from their effects.

What does a Patronus look like?

A Patronus can take two forms. A non-corporeal Patronus is like a shield of light. It can push Dementors away. A corporeal Patronus takes the shape of an animal. This animal is unique to the caster. For example, Harry Potter's Patronus is a stag.

Dementors in the Harry Potter books

Dementors first appear in the third book, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. They are sent to guard Hogwarts. This is because Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban. Harry learns to cast the Patronus Charm in this book. He needs it to protect himself and his friends.

Images for kids

• 

  A model Ukrainian Ironbelly at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park

• 

  Griffin Stairwell

• 

  Female merperson (Mermaid)

• 

  A Dementor

• 

  Two thestrals

• 

  A werewolf

• 

  A model of the phoenix Fawkes

• 

  Hedwig

• 

  Kreacher the house-elf of the House of Black

• 

  Mary GrandPré's illustration of Peeves

• 

  Buckbeak, a hippogriff