So we see that Dementors freeze the sleet on speeding train windows, glasses of water, various flora and the surface of the Hogwarts lake.

So the question is: What exactly do they feed the prisoners of Azkaban?


Sure you could explain it away with a heating charm, but you'd think the Hogwarts Express at least, would be spelled against freezing up, given it's trip north every year, more then you'd think the High security prisoners would be looked after.

 

Is the freezing really in the books? If it was only in the movies you could just explain it away by saying that the director didn't know better and made a mistake.

 

To the OP, it goes north at the start of September, Scotland isn't that cold right at the end of summer.

Sophie, if I remember correctly the books mention the freezing cold, but not anything actually freezing.

 

Train also goes for christmas holidays, and as there is snow in Hogwarts, I'd say it's cold enough to warrant warming charms.

I don't remember book 3 really well, but I think Dementors affect only minds, not inanimate objects like windows.

 

"The very presence of a Dementor makes the surrounding atmosphere grow cold and dark, and the effects are cumulative with the number of Dementors present."

Source: Wikipedia

It's possible that the frost riming the train's window and the ice slick Dudley fell on in the movies might not actually be an effect of the Dementors, but the movies had to do something to show what Dementors can do to the atmosphere.

 

Ice water, popsicles, and chocolate -___-

This is a stupid question because (a) it truly does not matter and (b) it's fairly easy to answer, if you think about it. IIRC, the Dementors patrol around Azkaban, which is made out to be a fairly large place. That makes it sound like there are periods when the Dementors are distant enough to not affect prisoners' food.

Or there could be a mess hall, guarded by wizards while the prisoners eat.

 

We know it were Dementors who brought food to Sirius (he slipped through when they were putting food in his cell), so if they affected it at all, it would be affected.

 

My guess is that everything snaps back to what it was once the Dementors are out of range.; there was nothing about left over frost on the train compartment. Nor was there any residual frost when Harry managed to banish the Dementors in Little Whining - everything just snapped back to normal: lights, no cold, etc.

 

Remember that Dementors were apparently positioned outside Sirius' cell all day everyday as a security precaution. Whether that was a one off thing because it was thought Sirius was Voldemorts right hand man, or whether that was the norm for the high security lifers I don't know, but its possible.

 

Yes. So because of this, and because Dementors freeze everything within their sphere of influence, and because Rowling didn't specifically state whether or not wizards can survive without food, Sirius survived despite being unable to eat anything.

Rowling must've messed up again.

 

I always took the cold in the books as a sort of 'spiritual' cold, for lack of a better word. Not necessarily a physical cold, but something that just affects your mind.

 

Exactly. I think the reason that they put the freezing things in the movie was simply because watching the actors complaining about how they feel all sad and cold inside isn't as dramatic or cool looking as things freezing over.

 

I feel dumber after reading this thread.

How about this: we know dementors can choose to administer the Kiss or not. Maybe it's a conscious choice as to whether to freeze the air and area around or not? I mean if we're just making up shit to keep our sad little discussions going, then I think dementors can exhibit their aura in levels of restraint or degrees of strength. Kinda like Veela.

 

That's not possible, because JKR didn't say so. Making our own inferences about nonessential details isn't allowed.

/sarcasm