Hey readers, today we’re going to discuss why didn’t Quirrell lose his arm when he shook Harry’s hand.
So, Quirinus Quirrell was an English half-blood wizard born in the 1960s. When he was of age he began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, at which point he was sorted into Ravenclaw house. Quirrell was a very unusual and delicate, but talented student, and was teased profusely at school- making the anxious Quirrell even more anxious.
Not long after graduating himself, Quirrell was able to secure a job as the muggle studies professor at Hogwarts.
In 1990, Quirrell took a year-long sabbatical. He told his peers that the sabbatical was an opportunity for him to gain ‘first-hand’ experience in the field- wherein reality his objective was to find Lord Voldemort, exceedingly curious about what had happened to the dark lord who tyrannized the wizarding world for years on end.
But, this trip changed Quirinius, it destroyed him. He desired Voldemort to earn the respect of others, but in the process, he became just another one of Voldemort’s pawns.
When Quirrell began teaching again at Hogwarts, he didn’t reprise his role as Muggle Studies professor. Rather, he began his new role as a defense against the dark arts professor. The year that Quirrell became a DADA professor was the same year that Harry had his foundational year at Hogwarts. At one point, after Hagrid picks Harry up and brings him to Diagon Alley, the two find themselves in the Leaky Cauldron where Harry had his first interaction with Quirrell. Hagrid told Harry that Professor Quirrell will be one of his teachers at Hogwarts. Professor Quirrell stammered and grasps Harry’s hand.
So, now we know that how Quirrell and Harry’s hands made contact. But the main question is how? We know that towards the end of Philosopher’s Stone, Harry’s touch is enough to kill Quirrell. So, the answer is that Quirrell (though following Voldemort’s orders) was not yet entirely possessed by Voldemort when he shook Harry’s hand in the Leaky Cauldron. Now, I hope your confusion is clear that why Quirrell didn’t lose his arm when he shook Harry’s hand.