Quirinus Quirrell

""I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. My master showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil... there is only power, and those too weak to understand it... Since then, I serve him faithfully, although I have let him down many times.""

- - Professor Quirinus Quirrel on Lord Voldemort.

Professor Quirinus Quirrel was a dark wizard and a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher during Harry Potter's first year at Hogwarts, who served as the main antagonist in Philosophers' Stone.

Quirrel was once an insecure and stuttering man. When was a student at Hogwarts, he was sorted into Ravenclaw house. JK Rowling stated that he was teaching Muggle Studdies before taking over Defence Against the Dark Arts. He travelled around the world to get subject for his lessons and during one of these travels, he met the desincarnate Lord Voldemort, who gained him to his cause. From then on, the shy, young teacher would become much more confident and ruthless, though he kept acting like his old self as a facade.

Quirrel broke into Gringotts the Wizards Bank and failed to steal the Philosophers Stone, getting possessed by Voldemort as a punishment. He then started to wear a turban to conceal Voldemort's face in the back of his head. During the first book, Quirrel tried to steal The Philosopher's Stone, wich was hiden in the third floor corridor of the school of Hogwarts. He kept failing due to the magical protection and Severus Snape's constant watching. Near the end of the school year, Harry discovered Quirrel who was about to steal the Stone. Upon Voldemort's orders, Quirrel attempted to kill Harry, but he could not bear the touch of the young wizard, who was protected by the magic of his mother's sacrifice, and ultimately died when Voldemort left his body.

Quirrel was portrayed by Ian Hart in the film adaption of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Hart did also the voice of Voldemort in this movie.

Archieve footage of Quirrell sitting next to Snape in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was used in ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: part 2. ''This footage continued with Quirrell turning into black smoke and disappearing to create the effects that this scene is a memory of Snape.

Trivia

 * J.K. Rowling stated that Quirrell was partly an Horcrux, because he was holding a piece of Voldemort's soul inside him. So, it can be said that Quirrell was the first Horcrux that Harry destroyed instead of Tom Riddle's Diary.
 * The name "Quirinus" is possibly derived from the Sabine word quiris meaning "spear". Quirinus was a Sabine and Roman god who was later identified with Mars. The name was also borne by several early saints.