Jinx on the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher

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"You see, we have not been able to keep a Defence Against the Dark Arts professor for more than a year since I refused the post to Lord Voldemort."

— Albus Dumbledore^[src]

This jinx was cast by Tom Marvolo Riddle, who was by the time known exclusively as Lord Voldemort, to curse the Hogwarts school's Defence Against the Dark Arts class to ensure that none of its applicants could hold their post for more than one year. It is unknown what the requirements and incantation of this jinx are, or if it could be used for other school subjects or other establishments and careers. The jinx will be lifted once the caster is dead.

History

Upon his graduation from Hogwarts, Tom Riddle asked the then Headmaster, Armando Dippet, for the post as Professor of the Defence Against the Dark Arts class, due to his love for Hogwarts and passion for the Dark Arts. Professor Dippet rejected Riddle's application, because he was too young at eighteen years old, but offered him to reapply after a few years.

Over a decade later, when Riddle resurfaced as the mysterious Lord Voldemort, he returned to Hogwarts to ask for the job once again. By this time, Albus Dumbledore had taken over as Headmaster and knowing of Voldemort's ill-intentions, rejected his application. Although Voldemort was merely using the application as an excuse to return to Hogwarts to do his own dark researches, recruit more followers and to hide his diadem Horcrux, he was still infuriated to be denied his chance to return to the school: he only managed to do the third act with the brief moment of time he was given inside the school. In revenge, Voldemort employed this jinx to ensure that no applicant of the Defence Against the Dark Arts post could keep their position for more than one year.^[1]

A secondary and more strategic reason for jinxing the post could be Voldemort's wish to reduce the quality of the subject, as its purpose was directly opposed to his personal goals. To disrupt the teaching by an annual change of staff would certainly have a long time effect in his plans, as future students would be less capable of self-defence.

Known victims of the jinx

Once Voldemort placed his jinx on the post, around the end of each school year, the teachers of the class are forced to leave due to one reason or another, from the effects of the jinx.

Quirinus Quirrell: 1991–1992 school year, died when he suffered excruciating pain from Harry Potter's love-protection and when Voldemort's fragmented soul left his body.
Gilderoy Lockhart: 1992–1993 school year, lost his memory due to a backfiring Memory Charm with a broken wand, sent to St Mungo's Hospital for recuperation, never fully recovered.
Remus Lupin: 1993–1994 school year, revealed by rival teacher Severus Snape to be a werewolf, forced to resign due to parents' protests and safety of the school.
Barty Crouch Jr.: 1994–1995 school year, Alastor Moody claimed to be only teaching a year before retiring: turned out to be Barty Crouch Jr. in disguise, Barty received the Dementor's Kiss, Moody was imprisoned in his own magical trunk for almost one year and did not teach at all, hinting that the fact he was appointed made him a victim too.
Dolores Umbridge: 1995–1996 school year, removed when Cornelius Fudge was forced to accept that Voldemort had indeed returned, leading to the abolishing of all of Umbridge's Educational Decrees.
Severus Snape: 1996–1997 school year, escaped when he murdered Albus Dumbledore, which was secretly planned with the Headmaster to spare him the pain of a curse, abandoning the post in the process.
Amycus Carrow: 1997–1998 school year, arrested after Voldemort's demise for membership in the Death Eaters organisation.

The jinx lifted

After Voldemort's downfall, the jinx was broken and Hogwarts was able to keep a permanent Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.^[2] At the very earliest it would have been lifted once he gained control of the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts.

Behind the scenes

In the films, several of these teachers suffer a slightly different fate.

Quirinus Quirrell, instead of being burnt raw and red by Lily's protection, was burned completely to ash upon being in contact with Harry and crumbled to death.
Barty Crouch Jr. was not noted to receive the Dementor's Kiss, but he certainly fell into the custody of the authorities.
Dolores Umbridge was suspended for suspicions on her activities in school, with an impending investigation (but then apparently removed later).

It is uncertain if Amycus Carrow ever would have been affected by this jinx, since the subject was replaced with the Dark Arts, treated as a new subject.
- However, it's also possible the magic could change its nature to jinx any teacher working with either of those branches of magic.
  - However since Voldemort was effectively in control of Hogwarts during the 1997-1998 school year and intended to remain so, it would have been a hindrance to his goals to still have the jinx in place.
Tom Riddle put the jinx on the post to ensure no one would keep the place of D.A.D.A teacher. Coincidentally, three of his followers suffered the jinx which prevented him from getting his plans into action.
The concept of having the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher suffer a horrible fate every year was inspired by the semi-fictional metal band Spinal Tap, which has a quantity of fictional past drummers who all died in various ridiculous ways.^[3] Incidentally, one of the drummers died by being eaten by their pet python, mirroring Snape's eventual fate of being killed by Nagini.

Appearances

Notes and references

↑ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Chapter 20 (Lord Voldemort's Request)
↑ Vieira, Meredith. "JK Rowling One-On-One: Part One." Today Show (NBC) , 26 July 2007
↑ J.K. Rowling answers questions at the White House Easter Egg Roll, 5 April 2010. Archived on Accio Quote!

[Cursed-1] Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Chapter 20 (Lord Voldemort's Request)

[Curselift-2] Vieira, Meredith. "JK Rowling One-On-One: Part One." Today Show (NBC) , 26 July 2007

[3] J.K. Rowling answers questions at the White House Easter Egg Roll, 5 April 2010. Archived on Accio Quote!

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