======Garlic======
=====Object Information=====
  * **Type:** Protective Substance, Magical Plant
  * **Owners:** [[Professor Quirrell]] (prominently used)
  * **Maker:** Natural plant
=====Description and Appearance=====
Garlic is a mundane plant known in both the [[Muggle]] and [[Wizarding World]]. It has a pungent, distinctive smell and is composed of a bulb made up of multiple cloves. In the wizarding context, it is most noted for its use as a protective agent, particularly against [[Dark Creatures]].
=====Magical Properties and Usage=====
The primary magical property attributed to garlic is its ability to ward off [[vampire]]s. This belief is widely held in the [[Wizarding World]], making it a common-knowledge defensive measure.
It can be employed in several ways:
  * **Worn on one's person:** [[Professor Quirrell]] famously stuffed his [[turban]] full of garlic.
  * **Used to scent an area:** The [[Defence Against the Dark Arts]] classroom smelled strongly of garlic during Quirrell's tenure, presumably to create a protective environment.
While its effectiveness is never directly demonstrated in the novels, the fact that its use as a repellent was considered a plausible, if eccentric, explanation by the [[Hogwarts]] community suggests that it is genuinely believed to work.
=====History=====
Garlic's only significant appearance in the series is during //[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]//. When [[Harry Potter]] first attends [[Defence Against the Dark Arts]], he notes that the classroom smells strongly of garlic. The teacher, [[Professor Quirrell]], explains that this is a precaution against a [[vampire]] he met in Romania and was afraid might return to finish him off. He also claims his large, purple [[turban]] is packed with garlic for the same reason.
This story, however, was a complete fabrication. At the climax of the book, Quirrell reveals to Harry that the tale was a misdirection. His stuttering, fearful persona and the garlic-filled [[turban]] were all part of a ruse to hide the fact that he was possessed by the disembodied spirit of [[Lord Voldemort]], who resided on the back of his head. Quirrell admitted he had met a [[vampire]], but that he was in no danger, as no creature would dare attack someone with [[Lord Voldemort]] as a protector.
=====Role in the Story=====
Garlic's role in the story is primarily that of a red herring. It is a key element of [[Professor Quirrell]]'s deception, helping him project an image of a timid, paranoid wizard who fears traditional [[Dark Creatures]]. This disguise effectively conceals his true, sinister nature and his allegiance to [[Lord Voldemort]].
Furthermore, the casual acceptance of garlic as a [[vampire]]-repellent serves as world-building, confirming the existence of [[vampire]]s and establishing a piece of common magical folklore within the [[Harry Potter]] universe that mirrors real-world mythology.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
The use of garlic to repel [[vampire]]s is a well-established trope in European folklore, most famously popularized in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel //Dracula//. J.K. Rowling's inclusion of this detail grounds the [[Wizarding World]] in familiar mythological traditions.