Why did Voldemort choose Quirrell as his vessel? Was Quirrell a Death Eater?

Professor Quirrell was the very first villain to appear in the Harry Potter series. He was revealed as the man who housed Voldemort’s weakened state at the very end of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. However, little was showcased in the films about how Professor Quirrell became a vessel for Voldemort in the first place.

As a viewer, I had questions such as:

Why did Voldemort choose Professor Quirrell as his vessel?

Was Quirrell a Death Eater?

After going down this rabbit hole, I did find a few answers. Let’s get to them.

Professor Quirrell was not a Death Eater. He went in search of Voldemort after his first defeat to track down the Dark Lord or learn a few things from him. He hoped that this would lead him to gain glory and respect from his peers and students.

Professor Quirinius Quirrell was pretty shy and wasn’t as regarded as he would have wanted. In fact, the man stuttered from a young age, and this led to his deep-rooted insecurities.

Several years after Voldemort disappeared after his very first encounter with Harry, Quirrell went looking for him on his own. He aimed to find him and attain some form of glory. He wasn’t sure what he would accomplish if he actually did find the Dark Lord.

His mind wavered between tracking him down, finding his whereabouts, and learning a thing or two from him. In any of these cases, fame and glory would be his. At least, that’s what he thought.

When Quirrell met with Voldemort, he couldn’t overpower the Dark Lord, even when the latter was in a withered state. Voldemort then learned that Quirrell was a professor at Hogwarts, and he saw an opportunity.

So, the Dark Wizard bent Quirrell to his will, chose him as his vessel, and attached himself to him. This way, Voldemort could instruct Quirrell on what to do at all times and keep an eye on him.

This incident occurred when Quirrell took a sabbatical from work and went on the hunt before Harry’s first year at Hogwarts began. Prior to this sabbatical, Quirrell didn’t wear a turban at all. Only after Voldemort took over the man did he start wearing a turban, and lied that it was gifted to him by an African Prince.

Why did Professor Quirrell burn when Harry touched his face?

Harry Potter was protected by a strong magic cast by his mother Lily when she sacrificed herself for him. Since Voldemort and Quirrell shared a body, the protection still applied to Harry all these years later. So, when Quirrell tried to get a hold of him, Harry’s hands burned Quirrell. Later on, when Harry wakes up in the Infirmary, Dumbledore tells him how his mother’s love protected him that night.

About Harry Potter

Harry Potter is a film series based on the eponymous novel series by J. K. Rowling. The series is distributed by Warner Bros. and consists of eight fantasy films, beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and culminating with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.

The film series follows Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, and his journey to take down the evil wizard Lord Voldemort and save Hogwarts, the Wizarding School he attended, with his best friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

The series was mainly produced by David Heyman, and stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson as the three leading characters: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.