Inspired by the Super Carlin Brothers and their top 10, I decided to share my own ranking. I had a harder time narrowing people down so I have a top 15 list. I’m also doing a video this week sharing this list as well. (Spoilers for the whole series, Fantastic Beasts, and mention of the Cursed Child even though I don’t consider it Canon because it’s stupid)
15- Uncle Vernon- So, Vernon Dursley isn’t a villain per say like the others on this list but he’s still pretty awful. I’m sure a lot of people would agree he is guilty of some top level child abuse, making Harry sleep in a cupboard for nearly 10 years, locking and putting bars on his bedroom window, minimal food, constantly treating him like filth while spoiling his own son rotten. I was actually shocked when Dudley and Harry had their reconciliation moment in the last book. Awkward but touching.
14- Quirrel- Yeah, he’s pretty low on this list, too. But, he was pretty easily beaten by an 11 year old. It was a matter of time before anyone would have found him out, really. He returns to school wearing a turban to hide the fact that Voldemort is living on the back of his head… ew. It smells, so he was probably already dying. I also imagine him practically bathing in cologne to try and mask it but the combo just making it worse. He tried to put on some bravado but it just didn’t work.
13- Barty Crouch Jr.- Fiercely loyal to Voldemort, one of the ones who tortured Neville’s parents, killed his father. But, why is he so low on this list? Because he inadvertently helps Harry by teaching him how to throw off the Imperius curse, saving Harry in his faceoff in the cemetery when Voldemort returns to a body. He is also one of the ones Dobby overhears talking about Gillyweed to help Harry in the lake challenge.
12- The Carrow Siblings- Dark arts teachers when Voldemort took over the school, in charge of “discipline,” which was actually torture. Forced the DA to reform and go into hiding. And, just an all around nasty pair.
11 Augustus Rookwood- Ministry Spy in the Department of Mysteries and he was the one who killed Fred Weasley in the Battle of Hogwarts!
10 Wormtail/Peter Petigrew- While mostly being a bumbling moron, he is still a pretty powerful wizard. He betrayed James and Lily who were supposed to be his best friends. He framed Sirius for their deaths by also killing 13 other people. He killed Cedric Digory. And, he brought Voldemort back to having a body and full power by sacrificing part of himself.
9- Antonin Dolohov- Another minimal page time character but still horrible and deserving to be on this list. Notorious for torturing Muggles as well as witches and wizards who opposed Voldemort’s rule. He killed Molly Weasley’s brothers- Fabian and Gideon Prewett. He was one of the snatchers who tried to capture the trio… (can’t remember where. In the movie, it’s a café. Is it the same in the book? Not there yet on my reread) but had his memory wiped. And, at the Battle of Hogwarts, he was the one who killed Remus!
8- Bellatrix Lestrange- She’s insane, first of all. The Carlin Brothers had her as 8, too, but only out of 10. And, despite her fanatical devotion to Voldemort, I refuse to believe the nonsense in the Cursed Child that she had a child with him! EW! She tortured Hermione, killed her cousins, Sirius Black and Nymphadora Tonks, tortured Neville’s parents to the point of insanity, tried to kill Ginny Weasley, and she was the one who threw the knife that killed Dobby in one of the most gut wrenching scenes I ever read in my life!
7- Nagini- Horcrux. Killed Frank Bryce, tried to kill Arthur Weasley, her venom was used to restore Voldemort, ate the Muggle Studies teacher, Charity Burbage, wore the skin of Bethilda Bagshot (ew), killed Snape before finally being taken down by Neville. There is a theory that she is at least connected to the Maladictus woman in “FB- Crimes of Grindelwald” but we’ll have to see in November.
6- Grindelwald- Gelert Grindelwald was the most terrifying wizard of all time until Voldemort came along. He believed in abolishing the Statute of Secrecy in order for the Wizarding world to rise and suppress Muggles “for the greater good.” Obsessed with the search for the Deathly Hallows, or at least the Elder Wand for its power and the Resurrection Stone to create an Infiri Army. He almost had Dumbledore on board with this plan until a 3-way duel between he and the Dumbledore brothers resulted in the death of Ariana Dumbledore, thus severing the bond he had with Albus. As more Fantastic Beasts movies come out, I’m sure there will be more information that could move him up but let’s move on.
5- Fudge: He hired Umbridge! He only wanted the title of Minister for Magic. He never actually wanted to do anything in the position. He hired Umbridge. He feared opposition to the point of paranoia, wrongfully believing Dumbledore wanted to take over. He denied the return of Voldemort, adopting an “if I don’t see it, I don’t believe it” mentality. He hired Umbridge. He called for the Dementor’s Kiss on Crouch Jr. before he could give any evidence on what was going on. AND DID I MENTION HE FREAKING HIRED UMBRIDGE?!
4- Snape: Yeah, sure. Unpopular opinion and everyone’s going to bring up the “Always” and his whole thing with Lily. But, let me clarify something here. He was still interested in dark magic- creating the Sectumsempra curse for one. He was not in love with Lily. It was obsession, to the point where he hated her son because he looked like his rival for her affection. He bullied his students so severely he literally became poor Neville’s worst fear. He was constantly looking for reasons to expel Harry, for reasons mentioned previously. He has NO redeeming qualities! And, we’ve all had a Snape in school at least once.
3- Fenrir Grayback: He was not on the SCB top 10 but he should have been. He didn’t get a lot of page time and even less screen time but he is pretty horrible nonetheless. He tortured and turned children for the fun of it. One of those victims being Remus Lupin, who is one of my favorite people in the whole series. It’s up in the air whether he actually killed Lavender Brown. He attacked Bill Weasley, thankfully not turning him but still leaving him with lasting scars.
2- Umbridge: Oh my God, I hate this bitch! Insane hatred for anyone not a Pureblood, which makes no sense as she’s halfblood. Then again, so is Voldemort and look what he did. She halts defensive magic learning, is the only person other than Voldemort to leave a lasting scar on Harry’s body. And, I’m pretty sure she used that horrible quill on other students but I’m not that far in my reread. He tried to kick Trelawny out of the school. Discriminated against anyone not 100% human like Hagrid and the Centaurs. Instituted the Inquisitorial Squad, which was really legalized bullying if you think about it. She forced students to drink truth potion. She takes part in the Muggleborn discrimination and anti-Muggle propaganda when Voldemort takes over the Ministry. She is just pure evil!
1- Voldemort- This was hard. I really think Voldemort and Umbridge could be interchangeable if not for the fact that his deathtoll is so much higher. He was the child of a love potion and, basically, rape. Split his soul 7 times to create horcruxes, unleashing a basilisk to eliminate muggleborns TWICE on the school, framed Hagrid for this, cursed the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching post, massive body count including but not limited to: Quirrel, Lily and James Potter, his father, uncle, and grandparents, Moaning Myrtle, Hepzibah Smith. All the times he tried to kill Harry. I should also add Peter Petigrew, too. The hand that he gave Petigrew as a reward was enchanted and strangled him when he hesitated to kill Harry as they were escaping Malfoy Manor. No compassion. No capacity for love (again why I refuse to believe he and Bellatrix had a child. Also EW!) Only out for as much power and control as he can gain, by whatever means possible including reducing his humanity Unbelievably dark powers. He is a terrifying villain.
So, that’s my list. If I missed anything about these characters, let me know. If you disagree with where someone is ranked, let me know what your list would be. I’d love to hear and discuss. I’m also doing a video version this week.