10 Most Disturbing Harry Potter Movie Moments

Fantasy is a genre that's filled to the brim with terrifying creations. Some of the freakiest include The Nazgul from Lord of the Rings, White Walkers in Game of Thrones and, of course, the Dementors from Harry Potter. These demonic creatures were a sudden burst of horror in the series and became a huge staple for the franchise's darker elements.

The sequence shows Harry, Ron, and Hermione discuss the recent escape of Sirius Black from Azkaban, when they are interrupted by a sudden train stoppage. Afterwards, they have their first ever encounter with one of the wraiths, as it appears and begins to suck the soul from Harry until Remus Lupin saves him.

This scene works so well because of how it builds tension. The arrival of the Dementor is preceded by a distinct change in the warm atmosphere, as the scene becomes colder in a literal sense as ice manifests on the glass and a figurative sense as the feeling of safety dissipates.

It's all paid-off well by the truly haunting image of the creature. The design here is so simple, as it appears humanoid, but the flowing cape and lack of human features make it thoroughly uncanny. While other Dementor scenes are equally disturbing, this one gets points for doing it first.