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The Dark Lord was one of the most powerful wizards of all time, and the first to make multiple Horcruxes. So, how did he not realize that he’d made Harry into one?

Horcruxes are, of course, one of the darkest bits of magic known to the wider wizarding world. In fact, they are considered to be so dark and dangerous that teaching on the subject has been banned at Hogwarts for years, with even the Restricted Section of the Library barely acknowledging their existence.

What’s a Horcrux and How Is It Made?

From what we know, a Horcrux is made by murdering an innocent victim without regret. This horrendous act allows the killer to rip a piece of their soul from their body and place it into an inanimate object or living host.

The theory is that if the killer were to die themselves, the Horcrux would survive, rendering that person immortal.

The actual ritual of creating a Horcrux is rather unknown.

Top 3 Reasons Voldemort Didn’t Realize Harry Was a Horcrux

1. Voldemort Didn’t Perform a Ritual

There are many theories abounding on the internet as to what the ritual of creating a Horcrux involves. But, regardless of exactly what takes place, the fact remains that there is a ritual. This is likely one of the main reasons that Voldemort never realized Harry was a Horcrux, since he never intentionally performed one.

2. There Was a Lack of Intent

When Voldemort inadvertently made Harry into a Horcrux he was simply intending to murder him. He was definitely NOT trying to make a Horcrux.

So, without the intention of creating a Horcrux and in the absence of the required ritual, why would Voldemort even consider that Harry had been made into a one?

3. Voldemort Was Blinded by Rage

In addition to the reasons above, Voldemort was also so driven by rage towards Harry that he was likely blinded to the idea. The fact that a baby and his mother’s self-sacrifice were able to defeat him was probably more than he could handle. So, perhaps, he refused to think about it.

Plus, how much more enraged would he have been if he’d realized that, in an attempt to kill Harry, he’d accidentally stored a piece of himself inside of the boy.

If Voldemort Didn’t Mean to Make a Horcrux, How’d It Happen?

There are a few different possible answers here. One theory regarding the ritual of making a Horcrux is that the killer must give up a piece of their own mortal body. Since Voldemort’s Killing Curse bounced back at him after Lily Potter sacrificed her own life for her son’s, it’s possible that the Dark Lord did lose a body part—or several—upon impact of the curse.

After all, what remained of Voldemort was only a shadow version of himself. Which stands to reason that his body was destroyed—giving up not just a part of himself, but his entire self. 

If we also consider that Voldemort murdered Lily without remorse, the result very well could’ve been—and, in actual fact, WAS—the accidental making of a Horcrux. 

Quirinus Quirrell was no Death Eater, so why did this timid and rather innocent-looking professor join Voldemort and attempt to kill a young Harry Potter?

During the latter half of the 20th century, the Defence Against the Dark Arts (DADA) teaching position at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was somewhat cursed. And, indeed, as Harry made his way through school, he had a new professor for this particular subject each and every year.

Harry met his first-ever DADA Professor, Quirinus Quirrell, in The Philosopher’s Stone during his initial journey to Diagon Alley. During this little expedition, Hagrid and Harry stopped in at the popular wizarding pub known as The Leaky Cauldron. It was here that a timid man introduced himself to Harry as Professor Quirrell.

Described as a wizard full of nerves, with an incredibly pronounced stammer, Quirrell did not appear to be someone who was out to harm children. Nor did he look like a wizard who had been recruited by the Dark Lord.

So, how exactly did Quirrell come to do Voldemort’s bidding? Read on to find out!

How Quirrell Came to Join Lord Voldemort

From what we know, Quirrell was quite a shy person throughout his entire life, including his time as a student at Hogwarts. It’s even believed that he was targeted and mistreated by his peers for his nervousness.

And so, as a young man, Quirrell set out to prove to those around him that he mattered. In this manner, he began a “Grand Tour” of the world.

A Grand Tour Focused on the Dark Arts

It’s rumoured that Quirrell’s tour of the world had a particular interest. A theoretical curiosity in how the Dark Arts worked. Evidently, he believed a pursuit of knowledge in this area would allow him to become an accomplished and more confident wizard.

During Quirrell’s travels, as he searched for answers about the Dark Arts, many people think that he was specifically looking to uncover what had become of Lord Voldemort. Apparently, he believed that this would really show those who doubted him that he could do extraordinary things.

In fact, according to wizardingworld.com:

“Quirrell set out deliberately to find whatever remained of the Dark wizard, partly out of curiosity, partly out of that unacknowledged desire for importance. At the very least, Quirrell fantasised that he could be the man who tracked Voldemort down, but at best, might learn skills from Voldemort that would ensure he was never laughed at again.”

A Complete Underestimation of Voldemort’s Remaining Power

Sadly for Quirrell, he greatly underestimated how powerful Voldemort would be, even in his shadow state. So, when Quirrell at last came upon what remained of the Dark Lord in the forests of Albania, the young professor was overtaken—and rather easily at that.

The rumour goes that Voldemort, in realizing that Quirrell would be returning to Hogwarts as a teacher, possessed Quirrell’s body.

Puppeted and Possessed by the Dark Lord

From there, Quirrell’s actions were largely determined by Voldemort, whose evil soul was much stronger than the feeble—albeit talented—mind of the Professor.

So, as it happens, Quirrell never actually “joined” Voldemort. Rather, the professor was subjugated by Voldemort against his will. And, in the end, Quirrell’s search for greatness resulted in his untimely death.

The first time the evil wizard who murdered Harry’s family was introduced in the series, it was not as “Voldemort”—or even the “Dark Lord”—but as “You Know Who” and “He Who Must Not Be Named”.

In discovering that he was a wizard, Harry began to untangle the truth behind what had happened to his parents. They had not died in a car crash, as he aunt and uncle had told him. But, instead, had been murdered by one of the darkest wizards to have ever lived.

Voldemort.

But in the conversations that followed regarding this particular wizard, Harry quickly learned that no one referred to this most evil of wizards by his actual name.

As one of—if not THE—darkest and most evil wizard of all time, being afraid of Voldemort made plenty of sense. The man was absolutely terrifying. Even before his appearance began to resemble that of a snake. He murdered A LOT of people—Muggles and magical folks alike. Sometimes he killed in his attempt to become immortal. Other times he took lives because he just seemed to enjoy it.

So, to be afraid of the Dark Lord was, of course, completely understandable. But why in Merlin’s beard were people so afraid of his NAME? Read on to find out.

Why Witches and Wizards Wouldn’t Say “Voldemort”

Reason #1: Historical superstition supported this practice

It’s possible that people were afraid to say Voldemort’s name because of certain European folklore. In stories of old, not just in Britain, there are many fairy tales and accounts of vengeful or evil spirits who are said to appear at the mention of their name.

One popular tale that you’ve likely heard of is that of Bloody Mary. As the legend goes, this spirit will appear if a person repeats her name over and over again in front of a mirror.

And so, it’s rather likely that it was in this tradition that witches and wizards were wary about saying Voldemort’s name out loud. Perhaps they believed him to be so powerful that if they were to say his name, he would be conjured right before their very eyes.

Reason #2: He eventually put a Taboo curse on his name

Later in the Harry Potterseries, the wizarding world began to embrace the use of Voldemort’s name again. This gave rise to witches and wizards taking the power back that the Dark Lord had once held over them. And as Voldemort began his second rise to power, he became aware this.

He clearly did not appreciate it.

In response, the Dark Lord gave people a REAL reason to be afraid of saying his name out loud, putting a Taboo Curse on “Voldemort”. This enabled his army of Death Eaters to locate any witch or wizard who uttered the name “Voldemort” aloud.

So, in conclusion, it would appear that a combination of superstition and real danger seem to be what contributed to the wizarding world being so afraid of saying the Dark Lord’s name!

Over a decade passed between the end of Voldemort’s first rise to power and the beginning of his second reign of terror. Here’s everything the Dark Lord did during those many years in between.

As a young wizard, Tom Riddle did many dark and horrifying things—many of which are well documented. Then, as Voldemort, his actions became absolutely infamous within the wizarding world. Everyone knew his name—and feared speaking it aloud.

But after the Dark Lord disappeared in 1981, and before he officially returned in 1995, there is much mystery surrounding where he was and what he was doing.

Keep reading to find out what exactly happened to Voldemort in the decade that took place between his fall in the early ’80s and his triumphant return in the mid-90s.

A Timeline of Voldemort’s “Missing” Decade

Lord Voldemort from 1981 to 1989

After he disappeared on the night of October 31, 1981, in the wake of his failed attempt to murder a baby Harry Potter, not much is known about where he was or what he did. But what we do know is that Voldemort developed a close bond and relationship with Nagini, the serpent Maledictus.

Since Nagini was living in the forests of Albania during that time, it’s believed that there too resided the Dark Lord throughout the majority of the ’80s. Here he remained for years without a body, only able to survive due to the multiple Horcruxes that he had created during the 1970s.

Existing as neither a living creature nor a ghost, it’s rumoured that Voldemort would experiment on the local animals, trying to inhabit their bodies. Sadly, these hosts were unable to survive the experience of being possessed by the Dark Lord for very long and would quickly die.

Some believe, however, that since Nagini had the mind of a witch, she was able to withstand Voldemort’s presence within her body. This may actually account for the pair’s incredible bond.

Perhaps, the two were able to communicate with one another whenever Voldemort possessed her body—a theory made even more plausible by the fact that he could speak Parseltongue, the language of snakes.

The Dark Lord from 1990 to 1995

In 1990, a tragically optimistic Professor Quirrell came to the forests of Albania in search of first-hand experience with the Dark Arts.

The rumour goes that he was trying to find out what had happened to Voldemort, which he did. Sadly, this discovery is what eventually led to the Professor’s demise.

Upon finding Voldemort’s shadowy form in the jungle, Quirrell was quickly possessed by the Dark Lord. Voldemort then forced Quirrell to bring him back to the UK.

Right before Harry’s first year at Hogwarts in 1991, Voldemort had Quirrell attempt to steal the Philosopher’s Stone from Gringotts—but he failed. Quirrell was then defeated by Harry at Hogwarts later that school year.

Over the next few years, Voldemort committed more murders, including Bertha Jorkins, and began to rally his most trusted Death Eaters behind him. His murder of Bertha Jorkins enabled him to create another Horcrux of Nagini.

Voldemort then finally regained his body and officially began his second rise to power in 1995, at the end of the rigged Triwizard Tournament.

Did I miss any important milestones that took place between Voldemort’s two ascents to power? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!