Quirinus Quirrell

Jul 17, 2017
2 min read

A young wizard with a “brilliant mind,” Quirrell was a professor of Muggle Studies, and later of Defence Against the Dark Arts, at Hogwarts (PS5, BLC).

In between holding these two posts he took a year off to gain experience dealing with Dark Arts (PS5); unfortunately during this time he met Voldemort in Albania, and by the time he returned to Hogwarts, he was possessed by the Dark Lord. To mask his newfound allegiance he faked a stutter and an eye twitch, hoping nobody would suspect him (PS17), though he certainly made Dumbledore suspicious (DH33).

Quirrell spent the 1991-1992 school year – Harry’s first at Hogwarts – working on an attempt to steal the Philosopher’s Stone, and thus bring Voldemort back to life. His first attempt to steal it, from Gringotts, was thwarted when Hagrid took it from the vault first (PS8) and it was after this that Voldemort decided to possess him (PS17). As Voldemort’s face was sticking out the back of his head, Quirrell had to wear a purple turban the entire school year to hide him (PS7).

Quirrell disguised himself as a "dragon dealer" and bought Hagrid some drinks in Hogsmeade to find out how to get past Fluffy, the three-headed hound in the third-floor corridor. Hagrid let it slip that music would make Fluffy go to sleep, which was all Quirrell needed to know -- and Hagrid got a dragon egg in return. Though he made it through the other barriers, Quirrell-mort was thwarted by the Mirror of Erised. When Harry followed and was able to get the stone, Quirrell tried to attack him – but blistered terribly upon touching Harry’s skin. Dumbledore later explained to Harry that he was protected by his mother’s sacrifice (PS17), and that Quirrell, abandoned by Voldemort's soul, died (GF33).