When Harry Potter the series first hit the scene in the late 90s, our knowledge of the wizarding world was limited to the protagonist’s gaze at 11 years old. Since Potter the universe exploded beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. It would be difficult to pinpoint the most powerful characters in the richly detailed wizarding universe, but here we rank the most powerful wizards according to the films, books, and plays of the franchise (including fantastic beasts). Some may seem obvious, but others may come as a surprise. So, sticks are ready!
13. Bellatrix Lestrange
First presented in Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixBellatrix (Helena Bonham Carter) was a pureblood zealot, best known for wielding the Cruciatus Unforgivable Curse, which caused her victims to experience a sense of physical torture; at the end of the first war, she was sent to Azkaban as part of a group that tortured Frank and Alice Longbottom into insanity. She was Voldemort’s favoriteRalph Fiennes) for her fierce devotion to him and his cause, and boasted that she had learned the Dark Arts from the master himself. The Wicked Witch took on a large number of victims, including her cousin Sirius, in the latter part of the series, but was ultimately defeated during the Battle of Hogwarts by our next tough guy on this list.
12. Molly Weasley
If we are going to recognize Bellatrix, we must also recognize the witch who has surpassed her: Molly Weasley (Julie Walters). Throughout the series, we’ve mostly seen Molly’s magical abilities through household spells. (To be honest, it’s no small feat to support a family of nine on an apparently meager budget.) However, when her children were threatened at the Battle of Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, she proved to be a skilled duelist and defeated Bellatrix after an intense battle. Not surprisingly, the loving and sometimes goofy Mrs. Weasley proved to be a formidable adversary: Harry Potter Universe, there is no greater power than a mother’s love.
11. Mad Eye Moody
Harry meets the (real) Alastor Moody (Brendan Gleeson), a rude, paranoid elderly wizard, member of the second Order of the Phoenix. Despite being kidnapped by Barty Crouch Jr.David Tennant) a year earlier, Moody was still extremely adept - and his paranoia was not only justified, but probably came in handy many times during the Second Wizarding War. As a young man, he was a famous Auror, famous for filling “half of Azkaban’s cells” with dark wizards. He was a powerful ally of Dumbledore until his death, protecting Harry during his departure from the Dursleys.
10 Harry Potter
Some may dismiss HarryDaniel Radcliffe) strength as an integral part of the prophecy that made him the “Chosen One”, but do not consider him a powerful wizard in his own right. He was a strong student and received good grades (including seven SOBs), despite being subjected to extreme pressure almost every school year. Not only could he use advanced magic like the Patronus spell, but he also managed to teach it to classmates in Dumbledore’s Army. He became the Triwizard Champion and defeated many dark wizards and creatures even before he was 18 years old. Dumbledore himself considered Harry to be a rare wizard whose ability to love and a “pure” heart made him capable of defeating Voldemort. After the Battle of Hogwarts, he became an Auror, supposedly having a thriving career beyond his “Boy-Who-Lived” reputation.
9. Hermione Granger
One third of the “Golden Trio” nicknamed by fans, Hermione (Emma Watson) was often called the best student of her year or “the smartest witch of her age”. In addition to being diligent, she could use extremely complex magic, such as brewing a Polyjuice Potion in her second year, or the Prothean charm/evil eye combination on Dumbledore’s Army coins, which permanently disfigured classmate Marietta Edgecombe. She was a strong duelist and almost single-handedly protected the Trio from detection when they were on the run from Voldemort during the war. Deathly Hallows Part 1. Moving beyond the canon of the original series, Hermione has apparently become a powerful politician and has been seen as Minister for Magic in damn child play.
8. Sirius Black
During their time at Hogwarts, the Marauders not only managed to successfully brew an Animagus potion as students, but they also managed to map all of the Hogwarts grounds and create the Marauder’s Map. While they managed to become something of a patron saint for the Weasley twins, they also acted as members of the Order of the Phoenix when the Wizarding War began. Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) was successfully able to become a black dog, which helped him when his traitorous friend Peter Pettigrew accused him of killing his friends James and Lily. During his time in Azkaban, Sirius was able to ward off the utter madness of the Dementors that feed on him while remaining in his dog form. An experienced duelist and an overall talented wizard, Sirius has earned his place on this list. — Teresa Lakson
7. Remus Lupine
As a member of the Marauders, Remus (David Thewlis) has all the skills that made the group of friends so infamous during their time at Hogwarts. Remus stands out from the other Marauders as a werewolf in the crowd, but his skills as a wizard led him to become the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in Harry’s third year. Loved by his students and with a penchant for education, I think we can all agree that it was a great loss when Remus stepped down after being exposed as a werewolf. He continued to fight in the Second Wizarding War, however he eventually met his end during the Battle of Hogwarts along with his wife Nymphadora Tonks (Natalia Tena).
6. James and Lily Potter
It takes a lot of effort to challenge Voldemort not once, but three times, and James Potter and Lily Evans did just that. Not only did Lily’s love lead to Voldemort’s first defeat, but their son also defeated the Dark Lord forever. By the time of their death, they were hailed as heroes of the Wizarding World. But before all this, Lily and James were both talented mages in their own right. Both were members of the Order of the Phoenix and played active roles during the first Wizarding War. In her youth, Lily was a very talented witch, she made such a strong impression on Professor Slughorn that he declared her one of his favorite students. Of course, despite the fact that James was a bully, there is no doubt that he was talented and eventually managed to see the error in his path after he started dating Lily. — Teresa Lakson
5 Minerva McGonagall
Besides the fact that McGonagall was one of the best heads of the house (Maggie Smith) not only acted as the Transfiguration Professor at Hogwarts, but also worked in the Ministry and became Deputy Headmistress and eventually Headmaster of Hogwarts. Not only is McGonagall a skilled witch, she has survived two Wizarding Wars, battled Death Eaters, and endured having to train apprentices aged 11 to 18! With a natural talent for magic, she is also a wise leader and acted as a surrogate parent figure for Harry in his early days at Hogwarts. Although she is strict and serious, she is also understanding and stands up for her students, especially in the face of terrible people like Dolores Umbridge. — Teresa Lakson
4. Gellert Grindelwald
Although Grindelwald (Colin Farrell/Johnny Depp/Mads Mikkelsen) appears more prominently in fantastic beasts we learn enough about him from the original series to be at the top of the list. A peer (and love interest) of Dumbledore, the pair have been described as almost equally brilliant and talented wizards. After a quarrel with Dumbledore, he became the owner of the most powerful Elder Wand and led a years-long crusade against the wizarding world. He was said to be the most powerful Dark Wizard, predating Voldemort, and was only defeated in a duel with Dumbledore, described by Elphias Doge as unsurpassed in the history of wizardry.
3. Founders
While we don’t know much about them individually, Godric Gryffindor, Salazar Slytherin, Helena Hufflepuff, and Rowena Ravenclaw deserve a spot on the list for what we know and the legacy they left behind. The legendary founders of Hogwarts (in Hermione’s study “the best school of witchcraft”) have been described as “four of the most brilliant witches and wizards of the day”. They created many enduring magical items, such as the Sorting Hat, as well as Hogwarts Castle itself, which was imbued with powerful magic and mystery of its own, and founded four Hogwarts houses named after them. (In the case of Slytherin, he also created the Chamber of Secrets and left the basilisk to wreak havoc in his place almost a thousand years later.) Of course, they also set the standard for wizarding education all over the world.
2 Voldemort
Lord Voldemort (English)Ralph Fiennes), aka Tom Riddle, was described by Dumbledore as one of the best students ever to graduate from Hogwarts, as well as “the most dangerous dark wizard of all time”. Even before he knew of the wizarding world’s existence, he had terrorized his fellow orphans with impressive but disturbing acts of magic. He excelled in school, but became obsessed with his Slytherin heritage and dark magic. Upon graduation, he became the first and only wizard to create multiple Horcruxes in pursuit of immortality. He instigated the First and Second Wizarding Wars and gathered many followers of Dark wizards and beings, becoming nearly unstoppable were it not for the events that fulfilled the prophecy of his defeat at the hands of Harry Potter (spurred on by Voldemort’s own arrogance and inability to love).
1 Albus Dumbledore
Dumbledore (Richard Harris as well as Michael Gambon) may not have been the one who ultimately defeated Voldemort, but he was often said to be the only person Voldemort ever feared, meaning that he was the archrival of both of the most infamous dark wizards in modern history. According to Elphias Dodge, by the end of his first year, he was already considered “the most brilliant student ever seen” at Hogwarts. In his youth, he received many awards, but his adult life was overshadowed by a family tragedy. Feeling responsible for the death of his sister Ariana (during a youthful duel with Grindelwald), he abandoned his quest for power and began a career at Hogwarts instead.
Dedicated to his role as a teacher, Dumbledore nevertheless made many important academic discoveries for the Faerie. After defeating Grindelwald in a legendary duel, he became the master of the Elder Wand and was awarded the Order of Merlin (First Class). He chose to become Headmaster of Hogwarts rather than Minister for Magic, but remained involved in politics as the High Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. He was also instrumental in defeating Voldemort by leading the Order of the Phoenix resistance group and destroying several Horcruxes before his death.
Source: Collider
