Question about your DADA curse theory

[Sydney]

No: HPFGUIDX 162230


> Potioncat:
> 
> Does DD mention the curse at all? Is it in HBP that he brings it up? 
> I don't think (but I could be wrong) that he mentions it in 
> connection with Quirrell.

Sydney:


"'Oh, he definitely wanted the Defence Against the Dark Arts job,'
said Dumbledore.  'The aftermath of our little meeting proved that. 
You see, we have never been able to keep a Defence Against the Dark
Arts teacher for longer than a year since I refused the post to Lord
Voldemort.'" (HBP, brit. paperback, pg.529)

Pippin:

>In fact, the wording in SS/PS makes it sound as if Quirrell 
> has been teaching a while. Percy says that Snape has been after his 
> (Quirrell's) job for years.

Sydney:

There was a lot of speculation about how long Quirrel taught DADA
before HBP came out, but Dumbledore's statement seems pretty
definitive.  I would say what makes most sense is that Quirrel was
teaching some other subject, took a year off to get field experience,
then came back to teach DADA the year Harry started. Percy's statement
could read as, Snape's been after Quirrel's job-- that is, the DADA
post-- for years.  That's what JKR might have meant... or, of course,
it is just a case of her (I'm afraid) habitual carelessness with pesky
details!

-- Sydney