[HPforGrownups] Re: Quirrell's Tenure (WAS: Quirrell)

[eloiseherisson at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 43895

Constance Vigilance  (I still love that name!) : 

> As was pointed out by another poster, Quirrelmort with the bee in his 
> bonnet didn't happen until after the episode at Gringotts. But I do 
> think that V-mort was nearby at Hogwarts previous, and that Quirrel 
> taught at least one year in that condition, because neither Hagrid 
> nor Percy call him "the new DADA teacher" or "just returned", which I 
> think it would be typical to mention if he were.  And furthermore, 
> Dumbledore makes it a habit to recognize new staff at the opening feast 
> speech. 


Eloise:
That is a logical conclusion.
*But*... as Mysmacek noted,
In the graveyard, that is in the summer of Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts, 
Voldemort says,

'Then...*four years ago* [my emphasis]...the means for my return seemed 
assured. A wizard - *young* [my emphasis again], foolish and gullible - 
wandered across my path in the forest I had made my home <snip> he brought me 
back to this country, and after a while. I took posession of his body....'

That seems pretty unequivocal. Voldemort only came back to Britain with 
Quirrell during the summer before Harry started at Hogwarts.

I presume that Quirrell *didn't* take a whole sabbatical year, but just went 
off for the summer. If we want to be picky about the exact use of 'four 
years', then we could argue he left a bit before the end of term. That would 
explain why there was no welcome back and Percy didn't comment that he'd been 
away.
Voldemort *does* imply, in the same speeech, though, that Quirrell is already 
in post.

> Also, how would Hagrid know that Q was afraid of his 
> students if there weren't at least one term where he had students? I 
> think we can conclude that Harry's first year is not Q's first year 
> post-sabbatical.
> 

Eloise:
And that is also a logical conclusion, which is why the issue is thorny. How 
would Hagrid know? 

I am going to draw the opposite conclusion, based on Voldemort's speech, that 
it *is* Quirrell's first year post his 'practical experience'. But there's no 
two ways about it, the evidence is conflicting.

Eloise



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