Unicorns and the blood curse
Unicorns were sacred magical creatures that had a horn and a white-silver body like a horse. The foal of a unicorn had a distinctive gold color while they turn silver-white when they become about two years old.
While unicorns resided in Europe, there were unicorns also occupying the Forbidden Forest next to Hogwarts.
Body parts from the unicorn were important ingredients for crafting magical tools and potions. The hair was one of the cores that Garrick Ollivander utilized for wands while the horns were used for potions and crafting different artefacts.
However, the unicorn blood was one of the most pure but dangerous substance in the magic world. The Ministry of Magic would control distribution of unicorn blood because as powerful magic it has, unicorn blood also carries a deadly curse.
Unicorn blood increases the life span of those who drink it. However, as a curse for intaking such a pure and innocent creature, those who even touch their lips with unicorn blood would have their half of the lifespan cut off.
The creature who was Lord Voldemort stuck on Professor Quirrell would suck on the unicorn blood and scarred off by Firenze the centaur when Harry Potter was at the Forbidden Forest.
Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell
Harry Potter mistakes Severus Snape hurting his lightening scar while it was actually Lord Voldemort hidden under Professur Qurinius Quirrell's turban.
Professor Severus Snape was injured during the troll incident because he witnessed Professor Quirrell trying to sneak into the third-floor corridor. Professor Snape was bitten by Fluffy the three-headed dog when he followed Professor Quirrell.
Harry misunderstood Professor Snape was trying to sneak on the sorcerer’s stone. The troll itself was supposed to be a security measure to protect the sorcerer’s stone by Professor Quirrell.
During the Quidditch match of Harry’s debut against Slytherin, Professor Quirrell was jinxing Harry’s broomstick while Professor Snape figured that Harry was being jinxed and trying to counter the jinx.
Hermione and Ron suspected Snape was responsible for Harry’s broom, so they’ve set Snape’s robe on fire but during the fumble Quirrell was knocked over which forced him to snap out from his jinx cast.
While Harry was sneaking into the forbidden area of the library, he witnesses Snape threatening Quirrell which Harry misunderstood as Snape trying to force Quirrell to cooperate with him to snatch the sorcerer’s stone. But Snape was actually warning Quirrell for his recent suspicious actions.
Why was the sorcerer’s stone(philosopher’s stone) relocated to Hogwarts
The sorcerer’s stone (philosopher’s stone) was protected in Hogwarts as Nicholas Flamel and Albus Dumbledore thought threats to steal the sorcerer’s stone were imminent.
They were proven right as right after Hagrid brings the sorcerer’s stone from Vault 713 from Gringotts bank, something attempted to break in vault 713 which stored the sorcerer’s stone.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry faculty members were one of the most powerful witches and wizards and the school itself was one of the most heavily guarded places of the wizarding world. Headmaster Dumbledore asked each professor to cast a security spell to protect the sorcerer’s stone.
Security measures of the sorcerer’s stone
While the movie only features a few of the protective spells, there were a total of seven enchantments and obstacles that guarded the sorcerer’s stone.
Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper of Hogwarts provided Fluffy, the three-headed dog as a guard-dog on the third-floor corridor.
Professor Pomona Sprout has planted the Devil’s Snare as a security measure. The Devil’s Snare would constrict on anything that it grips and would constrict even harder if the object resisted. Devil’s Snare was extremely weak to heat and bright light.
Professor Fillius Flitwick placed a charm on winged keys to conceal the right key to get through the passage to the sorcerer’s stone.
Professor Minerva McGonagall casted a Wizard’s Chess by transfiguration and giving life to the pieces. Professor Quirinus Quirrell originally placed a mountain troll as a guard, but the troll was nullified during Quirrell’s attempt to sneak in.
Professor Quirrell used the troll by releasing it in the dungeon as a diversion, but Harry and Ron knocked it out.
Professor Severus Snape placed a riddle with three life-threatening potions, two wine containing bottles, two bottles as clue to solve the riddle and one actual potion to get to the sorcerer’s stone.
The last obstacle was prepared by Professor Albus Dumbledore himself the Mirror of Erised which Harry saw his parents with previously. Professor Albus Dumbledore casted a spell on the Mirror of Erised hiding the sorcerer’s stone.
Why was the sorcerer’s stone in Harry Potter’s pocket
Professor Quirinus Quirrell with Lord Voldemort could resolve the other obstacles and riddles but couldn’t find the sorcerer’s stone in front of the Mirror of Erised.
The spell that Professor Dumbledore casted on the Mirror of Erised was to give the sorcerer’s stone to who wants to seek the sorcerer’s stone but would never use it.
Harry Potter desperately wanted to find the sorcerer’s stone, but he had no intentions to use it as he wanted only to prevent Snape from stealing it.
Harry wasn’t aware that Snape was innocent until then. Thus, Harry Potter held the sorcerer’s stone in his pocket by the spell cast on the Mirror of Erised that gave a person who would never use the sorcerer’s stone but was desperately finding it.
Why did Professor Quirinius Quirrell melt by Harry Potter’s hands
Professor Albus Dumbledore mentions the most powerful magic of all, Love. Professor Dumbledore’s words were both symbolic and practical. Harry Potter was protected by an ancient magic involving love that was a critical anti-thesis for Lord Voldemort that is to be revealed throughout the story.
Harry Potter’s protective charm driven by love eventually severely burned Quirinius Quirrell and Lord Voldemort that tried to kill him. Quirinius Quirrell died from these severe burns and blisters and Lord Voldemort disposed Quirrell’s body.
How did Lord Voldemort end up in Quirinius Quirrell’s head
Professor Quirinius Quirrell was originally the professor of the studies of muggles. He was a bright wizard during his school year at Hogwarts which Quirinius Quirrell was a Ravenclaw House student.
However, he was timid and stuttered a lot and he was made of fun several times. Professor Quirinius Quirrell developed a great complex of himself being timid, stuttering and being picked up by others but even when he became a professor, he couldn’t get through his self-abasement.
This led to his desire of power and Professor Quirrell eventually left on a sabbatical to Albania in search of Lord Voldemort.
Lord Voldemort figured that Quirinius Quirrell would be handy while Quirrell was willing to gain power and serve the dark lord.
Lord Voldemort wanted to snatch the sorcerer’s stone so he could extract the Elixir of Life to restore his strength and power. He ordered Quirrell this task. After Quirrell failed to intercept the sorcerer’s stone from vault 713 at Gringotts Bank,
Lord Voldemort would attach to Quirrell’s body himself. Harry Potter suffered from his lightening scar because Lord Voldemort was attached on the back of Quirrell’s head.
Quirrell and Lord Voldemort both were weakened by their parasitic relationship so they had to feed on unicorn blood although it would lead to an even vicious curse.
Quirrell attempted several times to intercept the sorcerer’s stone and injure Harry Potter by Lord Voldemort’s desire. He released the troll to the dungeon and jinxed Harry’s broom, but he eventually failed.
Quirrell figures out how to nullify Fluffy by giving a dragon egg that would hatch to Norberta, Norwegian Ridgeback dragon.
However, Lord Voldemort and Quirrell failed to steal the sorcerer’s stone and Lord Voldemort disposes Quirrell’s body while he died from the blisters and burns by the protective charms casted on Harry Potter.
Why did Professor Albus Dumbledore give points to Neville.Longbottom
Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley showed teamwork and skills by getting through the protective enchantments that the professors of Hogwarts themselves casted to protect the sorcerer’s stone.
They’ve also helped protect the sorcerer’s stone, so Professor Albus Dumbledore granted so many house points to Gryffindor House.
While many of the other professors would have agreed for their contribution, Professor Dumbledor gives an additional 10 points to Neville Longbottom who tried to stop the trio from getting into trouble.
“There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom”
-Albus Dumbledore -
This may be a spoiler but Professor Albus Dumbledore himself miserably failed to standup to his best friend that he had regretted for the rest of his life. These 10 points came from his secret past experience which is reveled throughout the series.
