Quirrell

[justcarol67]

No: HPFGUIDX 117660


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Feng Zengkun <nightmasque at y...>
wrote:
> 
> khinterberg:
> 
> >It has always bothered me that in the last chapter of PS/SS Quirrell
> >says Voldemort's name.
> >
> >"Tried to frighten me--as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort
> >on my side..."   p290 U.S. pb
> >
> >And then again on the next page:
> >
> >"A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good
> >and evil.  Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was."
> >
> >Why, when Death Eaters won't even say his name, can a young professor
> >with Vapormort on the back of his head say it without any sign of fear
> >whatsoever?  There is no "Dark Lord" business, no trace of a cringe or
> >sign on pain...what, frankly, is the deal?
> 
> 
> zk: 
> 
> It struck me that it's Voldemort speaking through Quirrell, and not 
> actually Quirrell speaking. The tone of what Quirrell says is
exactly the 
> tone Voldemort uses when the latter speaks, and (although I could be
wrong) doesn't Voldemort refer to himself in the third person in other
instances? I don't have the book with me at the moment, but I think
Voldemort says (paraphrasing) 'Lord Voldemort is kind/generous, he
will forgive' or something like that. I think it was the graveyard
scene in GoF? Damn it. Can someone supply the quote (if there is one)?


Carol responds:
But note that Quirrell refers to himself here as "I" and to Lord
Voldemort in the third person, which is the normal pattern. I think
Quirrell remains a distinct entity (he can still be ordered around and
punished by Voldemort) even though his personality here is more
assertive and Dark Lordish than it is earlier, when Harry hears him
whimpering and thinks he's talking to Snape. (No pretense of timidity
in that situation; he's plainly terrified.) Here, however, he has
drunk unicorn blood and is altogether converted to Voldemort's side,
his loyal servant (cf. Barty Jr.). Saying Voldemort's name aloud
(twice) may be part of that bravado posture. Also I think that his
attitude toward Snape, whom he calls Severus, is his own, not
Voldemort's: "Yes, he is, rather the type, swooping around like an
overgrown bat" (quoting from memory here). Quirrell seems proud of
himself for throwing Harry and perhaps others off the track, as if he
deserved the credit for making Harry suspect Snape. At any rate, this
is probably not Voldemort's attitude--he may well be beginning to
suspect Snape's loyalty, and with good cause.

As for the reluctance of the Death Eaters to speak Voldemort's name,
iusing "the Dark Lord" may be a sign of respect for their "master"
(Bellatrix thinks Harry is unworthy to speak his name), but note that
Barty Jr. speaks the name at least once under the influence of
Veritaserum. I don't think it's fear that prevents them from using it,
except maybe in the case of Karkaroff. 

We don't see anyone but Snape grabbing their arms convulsively when
the name is spoken or the Dark Mark is referred to. Note that the DEs
in the graveyard have no such reaction when Voldemort speaks his own
name. My theory is that it's *only* Snape whose Dark Mark burns when
he hears the name (or a reference to Death Eaters who walked free)
because *only* Snape is an *ex* DE disloyal to Voldemort and loyal to
Voldemort's enemy Dumbledore. I think that the Dark Mark, being
sentient, is aware of this disloyalty and punishes him for it. It's
another clue, like the fact that Snape shows up in the Foe Glass with
Dumbledore and McGonagall, that Snape really is now "no more a Death
Eater than [Dumbledore]." If Quirrell were still the DADA instructor,
turban and all, and were pretending to assist Dumbledore against
Crouch!Moody, he would not have shown up in the Foe Glass.

Carol