Harry Potter Wiki
Register
Harry Potter Wiki
Line 7: Line 7:
 
[[File:Voldemort drinking blood.jpg|thumb|right|192px|Quirrell drinking unicorn blood on Voldemort's behalf.]]
 
[[File:Voldemort drinking blood.jpg|thumb|right|192px|Quirrell drinking unicorn blood on Voldemort's behalf.]]
 
===1992===
 
===1992===
In [[1992]], [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]] used unicorn blood to sustain his life until he could steal the [[Philosopher's Stone]] to regain his true body. As he was possessing [[Quirinus Quirrell]] at the time, Quirrell drank the blood on Voldemort's behalf. When [[Harry Potter]] got detention, because he was caught sneaking out to release [[Norbert]] to [[Charlie Weasley's friends]], he had to go into the [[Forbidden Forest]] and search for the dying unicorn. Later in the forest, [[Fang]], [[Draco]], and Harry found the dead unicorn but before they couls send up sparks a hooded figure, which later turned out to be [[Voldemort]] in the body of [[Quirinus Quirrell|Quirrell]], bent over the body of the unicorn and drank its blood causing all but Harry to flee. The figure turned towards Harry, causing Harry's scar to burn, but before the hooded figure could get close enough to harm Harry, the [[centaur]], [[Firenze]] appeared, and scared the hooded figure away.
+
In [[1992]], [[Tom Riddle|Lord Voldemort]] used unicorn blood to sustain his life until he could steal the [[Philosopher's Stone]] to regain his true body. As he was possessing [[Quirinus Quirrell]] at the time, Quirrell drank the blood on Voldemort's behalf. When [[Harry Potter]] got detention, because he was caught sneaking out to release [[Norbert]] to [[Charlie Weasley's friends]], he had to go into the [[Forbidden Forest]] and search for the dying unicorn. Later in the forest, [[Fang]], [[Draco]], and Harry found the dead unicorn but before they could send up sparks a hooded figure, which later turned out to be [[Voldemort]] in the body of [[Quirinus Quirrell|Quirrell]], bent over the body of the unicorn and drank its blood causing all but Harry to flee. The figure turned towards Harry, causing Harry's scar to burn, but before the hooded figure could get close enough to harm Harry, the [[centaur]], [[Firenze]] appeared, and scared the hooded figure away.
   
 
===1994===
 
===1994===

Revision as of 02:17, 27 August 2010

Unicorn blood 1

Unicorn blood

"...it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn. Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."
Firenze explains to Harry Potter why the slaying of a unicorn is a crime.[src]

Unicorn blood is a thick, silvery substance that runs within a Unicorn's veins. The blood of a unicorn can be drunk in order to keep a person alive. However, the act of slaying an unicorn will cause the drinker to suffer a cursed life.[1] It is probably a Non-Tradeable Item, since the sale of this substance is controlled by the Ministry of Magic, making it strictly forbidden.

History

Voldemort drinking blood

Quirrell drinking unicorn blood on Voldemort's behalf.

1992

In 1992, Lord Voldemort used unicorn blood to sustain his life until he could steal the Philosopher's Stone to regain his true body. As he was possessing Quirinus Quirrell at the time, Quirrell drank the blood on Voldemort's behalf. When Harry Potter got detention, because he was caught sneaking out to release Norbert to Charlie Weasley's friends, he had to go into the Forbidden Forest and search for the dying unicorn. Later in the forest, Fang, Draco, and Harry found the dead unicorn but before they could send up sparks a hooded figure, which later turned out to be Voldemort in the body of Quirrell, bent over the body of the unicorn and drank its blood causing all but Harry to flee. The figure turned towards Harry, causing Harry's scar to burn, but before the hooded figure could get close enough to harm Harry, the centaur, Firenze appeared, and scared the hooded figure away.

1994

In 1994, Peter Pettigrew used unicorn blood along with Nagini's venom to concoct a potion to create a Rudemintary Body Potion which would create a temporary body for Voldemort, until he could regain his true body. It is unknown if producing such a potion and proceeding to use it (orally or otherwise) creates a similar curse upon the user's life. In Voldemort's case, his re-usage of unicorn blood (having indirectly consumed some two years prior) may have a cumulative effect on the curse's potency.

Behind the scenes

  • As Quirrell had been drinking the unicorn blood on Voldemort's behalf, it is uncertain if he or Voldemort would have been the one afflicted with the "cursed life" mentioned by Firenze, if not both of them. It is also possible this curse may have played a part in Quirrell's death after his abandonment by Voldemort at the end of the school year.
  • It is unknown if or how Voldemort was affected by his use of unicorn blood through Quirrell in the 1991–1992 school year and again in his Rudimentary Body Potion in 1994. It is even possible it may have played some part in leading to his eventual downfall in 1998.

Appearances

Notes and references

This article or section is a stub. You can help by expanding it.