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Dudley was attacked by a dementor in Chapter Two - A Peck of Owls in the story, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Yet he seems fine in later books.

How did he recover?

The Dursley's can't bring him to a muggle hospital and expect a muggle doctor to cure him of a mind assault by invisible magical creatures.

This was a magical attack and most (all?) other magical attacks and maladies require magical intervention. The dementor attack is unique because AFAIK it is the only magical attack where a person can recover with a muggle substance, chocolate. If there is a canon source that says wizards need other intervention besides chocolate, then that would indicate Dudley needed something else such as a visit by a magical nurse or doctor.

Did somebody from the magical world visit the Dursley's and cure him?

Please provide answers from canon sources. (e.g. - books, movies, interviews with author, etc...)

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    He was in a state of petrified shock when the story left him at the start of the book. Shock gradually wears off. We don't see him again for months. He probably had nightmares for a while, but eventually he'd go back to normal, except for this being the turning point where he realises that Harry isn't actually a complete waste of space. I don't think there's any need for him to be ‘cured’ as such, any more than there would be if it had been any other kind of severe shock. Perhaps a few sessions with a psychologist would help, but that would perhaps have been awkward.
    – Janus Bahs Jacquet
    Aug 27, 2017 at 19:21
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    Was Dudley ever even kissed?
    – Edlothiad
    Aug 27, 2017 at 19:46
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    Chocolate solves dementor attacks (not kisses, which didn't happen to Dudley), and Dudley probably isn't one to not eat chocolate for however long until we next see him.
    – marcellothearcane
    Aug 27, 2017 at 20:57
  • @Janus Bahs Jacquet: Turn the comment into an answer?
    – chirlu
    Aug 27, 2017 at 21:14
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    @RichS: There is no canon source telling exactly what Dudley experienced and did after his encounter with the Dementors. If you don’t accept real-world knowledge about people recovering from shock, I’m afraid you won’t get an answer.
    – chirlu
    Aug 27, 2017 at 21:48

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Chocolate (and maybe some therapy) would be about all Dudley needs.

The mood-enhancing properties of chocolate are well known in both the Muggle and wizard worlds. Chocolate is the perfect antidote for anyone who has been overcome in the presence of Dementors, which suck hope and happiness out of their surroundings.

Chocolate can only be a short-term remedy, however. Finding ways to fight off Dementors – or depression – are essential if one is to become permanently happier. Excessive chocolate consumption cannot benefit either Muggle or wizard.

Dementors and Chocolate By J.K. Rowling

I would put the emphasis on anyone in the above writing. As long as Dudley had some chocolate he would fine in the short term. Since Dementors have been known to affect Muggles worse than Wizards, he may need a bit of therapy/counseling to overcome the long-term effects.

No Magical intervention or healing required.

As an aside Dudley also had another magical malady that was taken care of by Muggle methods... his pig tail.

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Dementors affect muggles more than wizards but I'm sure he recovered normally like Harry eventually did, it just took slightly longer. However, (extra information alert) it did change him a bit. As we can see in the later books, Dudley was less bullying and nasty to Harry and other people in general after the attack. The thoughts/memories the dementors forced him to see was all the times Dudley bullied other people and every time he threw tantrums, was horrible, acted like a spoilt brat etc. Though it is not mentioned what he saw in the book:

"What would spoiled, pampered, bullying Dudley have been forced to hear?"

In an interview J.K. Rowling stated, "He saw himself." He realised what kind of person he was and how ridiculous and childish he acted and tried to change, albeit gradually.

But anyway, this was an answer to a completely different question. Dudley recovered fine enough, it probably took a little longer because, as I said, dementors affect muggles more than wizards and witches, but only slightly. He was probably quiet and mopey and feeling a little under the weather for a few days to a week. Long term wise medical attention, muggle or otherwise, was not needed.

Quote from this interview by J.K. Rowling when asked about Dudleys worst memory:

"I think that when Dudley was attacked by the Dementors he saw himself, for the first time, as he really was. This was an extremely painful, but ultimately salutory lesson, and began the transformation in him."

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  • That's a good and insightful answer. Can you modify it to show links to canon sources (e.g. - Rowling interview) or quotes from the books? And also show how Dudley recovered short term as well as long term? Thanks!
    – RichS
    Aug 29, 2017 at 20:02
  • I like your answer, if you can provide some canon sources to back up your statements I'll give you a +1 on it.
    – Forral
    Aug 29, 2017 at 20:27
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    Edited it a bit. Hope it's better. Thanks for suggestions:)
    – ThePerksofbeingaPotterPhan
    Aug 29, 2017 at 22:03
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Dementors don't kill. They suck out pretty much of his happiness, but since they didn't kiss him, he kept his soul. Maybe he was a bit depressive and didn't feel all too well, but all it took was time. It's represented wrong in the movies. Dementors do not attack the bodies of their victims. They attack their feelings. So there was no need to take him to hospital in the first place.

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