Quirinus Quirrell

Professor Quirinus Quirrell was the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher during the 1991-1992 Hogwarts school year. Publicly presenting as a timid, stuttering academic, he was secretly a servant of Lord Voldemort, whose disembodied spirit had possessed him and was living on the back of his head, concealed by a large turban. Quirrell served as the primary antagonist of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, attempting to steal the Philosopher's Stone for his master and making multiple attempts on Harry Potter's life. He was ultimately defeated by the ancient protective magic left in Harry's skin by his mother, Lily Potter.

Little is known of Quirrell's early life from the novels. It is known that he took a “grand tour” around the world before taking up the Defence Against the Dark Arts post, during which he was said to have encountered vampires and a hag. According to supplemental information from J.K. Rowling, Quirrell was a gifted but delicate boy who was likely bullied for his timidity during his own Hogwarts years as a member of Ravenclaw house. He developed a theoretical interest in the Dark Arts, convincing himself that he could gain respect and power. Before teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts, he was the Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts. (Pottermore)

During his travels, Quirrell journeyed to the forests of Albania, actively seeking out what remained of Lord Voldemort. While his initial intention may have been to learn from the Dark Lord and gain importance, Quirrell was no match for Voldemort's power, even in his weakened state. Voldemort subjugated and possessed Quirrell's body, using him as a temporary host to sustain his spirit. From that point on, Quirrell's will was almost entirely subsumed by Voldemort's.

Quirrell returned to Britain to assume the role of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. He adopted an exaggerated stutter and nervous disposition to appear harmless. He wore a large, purple turban at all times, which he claimed was a gift from an African prince as a reward for dealing with a troublesome zombie. In reality, the turban concealed Voldemort's face, which had sprouted from the back of Quirrell's skull. The turban was also said to smell strongly of garlic to ward off a vampire he met in Romania. His mission for the year was to acquire the Philosopher's Stone, which had been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts for safekeeping.

• Gringotts Break-In: On 31 July 1991, Quirrell broke into Gringotts Vault 713 to steal the Philosopher's Stone, but found that Rubeus Hagrid had emptied it earlier that same day on Albus Dumbledore's orders.
• Hallowe'en Diversion: On 31 October, Quirrell let a Mountain Troll into the dungeons as a diversion, hoping to reach the Stone while the staff was distracted. This attempt was thwarted by Severus Snape, who headed directly to the third-floor corridor to stop him.
• Quidditch Match: During Harry Potter's first Quidditch match, Quirrell attempted to murder him by jinxing his Nimbus 2000. He performed the curse non-verbally, but was thwarted by Snape's counter-curse and a fire set to his robes by Hermione Granger.
• Unicorn Slaying: To keep Voldemort's host body alive, Quirrell began slaying unicorns in the Forbidden Forest and drinking their blood, a monstrous act that provides a cursed, half-life.
• Final Confrontation: Quirrell managed to bypass the various magical protections guarding the Stone, including Fluffy the three-headed dog and Snape's potions riddle. He was confronted by Harry Potter in the final chamber before the Mirror of Erised. There, he revealed his allegiance to Voldemort, who spoke to Harry through the back of Quirrell's head. When Quirrell attempted to seize Harry to get the Stone from him, he discovered that he could not touch Harry's skin without being burned. The love-based protection Lily Potter conferred on Harry proved fatal to Quirrell, whose body was being shared by the supremely evil Voldemort. Quirrell's body blistered and burned, and he was killed when Voldemort's spirit fled from him to save itself.

Professor Quirrell was described as a pale young man who twitched constantly. His most defining feature was his large, purple turban. Beneath the turban, he was bald, and on the back of his scalp was the terrifying, chalk-white and red-eyed face of Lord Voldemort. His public persona was one of extreme nervousness and a pronounced stutter, making him seem perpetually frightened and incompetent. This was largely an act to deflect suspicion. His true personality, though subservient to Voldemort, was one of misplaced ambition and a fundamental weakness of character. He was intelligent enough to be a professor but lacked the strength and malice required to truly embrace the Dark Arts, making him an ideal pawn for a more powerful master.

• Defence Against the Dark Arts: As a professor of the subject, he possessed considerable theoretical knowledge, though his practical application was primarily directed by Voldemort.
• Dark Arts: He was capable of performing powerful dark magic, such as the curse he used on Harry's broomstick and the killing of unicorns. It is likely Voldemort was channelling his own power through Quirrell for these acts.
• Non-Verbal Magic: He attempted to bewitch Harry's broom without an incantation, indicating a degree of skill in non-verbal spell casting.
• Intrusion and Deception: He successfully broke into Gringotts and navigated most of the enchantments protecting the Philosopher's Stone, demonstrating proficiency in bypassing magical security.

• Turban: A large, purple turban used to conceal Voldemort's face and, according to Quirrell, ward off vampires with its garlic smell.
• Wand: Quirrell owned a wand, but its wood, core, and length are unknown.

• Lord Voldemort: Quirrell was Voldemort's unwilling host and servant. Voldemort held him in contempt, referring to him as a “foolish and greedy” wizard and treating his body as a disposable vessel. The relationship was one of complete domination.
• Harry Potter: Quirrell was Harry's first direct adversary from the wizarding world. Under Voldemort's orders, he tried to murder Harry and steal the Philosopher's Stone. He was ultimately destroyed by Harry's protective enchantment.
• Severus Snape: Snape was deeply suspicious of Quirrell all year. He correctly identified Quirrell as a threat and worked to counteract his actions, notably during the Quidditch match and by confronting him in the Forbidden Forest. Snape believed Quirrell was acting for his own personal gain.
• Albus Dumbledore: Dumbledore was aware of the danger Quirrell posed and likely allowed him to teach at Hogwarts as a means of luring Voldemort into a trap where he could be confronted. He ensured the ultimate protections around the Stone were tailored for Harry Potter to face Quirrell.

• Quirinus: This name is likely derived from the Roman god of war, Quirinus, who was often associated with Romulus, the founder of Rome. This could allude to Quirrell's “two-faced” nature (sharing a head with Voldemort) or his hidden, warlike purpose.
• Quirrell: The surname sounds like “quiver” and “squirrel,” reflecting his feigned nervous, trembling demeanor.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Quirrell is portrayed by actor Ian Hart. His death is depicted more graphically; upon touching Harry Potter, his hands crumble to ash, and his entire body rapidly disintegrates.
• In the film, Quirrell's stutter disappears when he is alone with Harry Potter in the final chamber, making the reveal of his deception more dramatic.
• J.K. Rowling revealed on Pottermore that Quirrell's stutter was initially genuine but that he later exaggerated it to appear non-threatening after his possession by Voldemort. (Pottermore)
• The video game adaptation of Philosopher's Stone expands on Quirrell's role, featuring several boss battles where the player must duel him. (video game)