At the beginning of the Harry Potter series, Hogwarts appears to be an amazing school. The teachers genuinely love what they teach, and there are tons of activities, like the exciting sport of Quidditch. Most of the student houses – Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor – feel like a true home, with students dedicated to both learning and competing for the House Cup. Slytherin House is the exception, initially seeming like a group of unpleasant, envious students. However, as the story unfolds, a much darker side to Slytherin is revealed.
Slytherin House has a close connection to Voldemort, the Dark Lord responsible for the deaths of Harry Potter’s parents and countless other tragedies during the First Wizarding War. When Voldemort returns and starts a new conflict, his followers, called Death Eaters, emerge and begin causing chaos throughout the wizarding world. Here’s a ranking of every Death Eater, based on their power.
14) Stan Shunpike
In the beginning of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry has a wild ride on the Knight Bus and meets Stanley Shunpike, one of the drivers. Though the films don’t reveal this, Stan later becomes a Death Eater after being imprisoned in Azkaban for talking too much. He’s not a particularly powerful or important one, making him a minor figure among them.
13) Crabbe
During the first wizarding war, Voldemort had many devoted followers, but many of them disappeared when he was defeated. When Voldemort returns in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Crabbe is seen at the graveyard, but isn’t well-received. Voldemort’s dismissive treatment of Crabbe suggests he wasn’t a particularly powerful Death Eater. Crabbe’s main legacy is his son, Vincent, who doesn’t prove to be very strong either.
12) Goyle
Like Crabbe, Goyle didn’t search for Voldemort after he visited the Potters. Both villains also led their sons towards trouble. Goyle’s son, Gregory, mostly followed Draco Malfoy’s orders at Hogwarts and even tried to attack Harry and his friends before the Battle of Hogwarts.
11) Draco Malfoy
Draco achieves a high rank within Slytherin due to his family’s reputation, rather than his own abilities. He consistently struggles in confrontations, either losing or freezing up. Recognizing this weakness, Voldemort assigns Draco the dangerous task of killing Dumbledore. Although Dumbledore would have allowed Draco to complete the deed, Draco’s lack of self-assurance leads another Death Eater to intervene.
10) Lucius Malfoy
From the moment Draco arrives at Hogwarts, he begins to follow in his father, Lucius Malfoy’s, footsteps, using his family’s wealth and influence to get what he desires. It’s clear Lucius is afraid of Voldemort and would prefer to avoid his duties as a Death Eater rather than complete them. Ultimately, Lucius lacks the strength and resolve to be considered one of the Dark Lord’s most devoted followers.
9) Wormtail
Despite the presence of Voldemort, Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail, could be considered the most treacherous character in the Harry Potter universe. He repeatedly betrays those closest to him, starting with his Hogwarts friends, and his actions directly lead to the deaths of James and Lily Potter. Even after spending years in hiding as a rat, Wormtail remains utterly ruthless, readily killing anyone who opposes Voldemort, even innocent students like Cedric Diggory.
8) Thorfinn Rowle
After Voldemort’s return is revealed in the Harry Potter films, Harry and his friends are constantly in danger. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, they are attacked by two Death Eaters while at a cafe. Once Harry and his friends subdue the attackers, Harry recognizes one of them as Thorfinn Rowle, a villain who was present during Dumbledore’s death. Because Voldemort only entrusted important tasks to reliable followers, Rowle is a significant and dangerous enemy.
7) Barty Crouch Jr.
To bring their leader back, the Death Eaters will stop at nothing, even going so far as to sneak into Hogwarts. In The Goblet of Fire, Barty Crouch Jr. cleverly disguises himself as the auror Mad-Eye Moody, and no one suspects his true identity because he’s a powerful dark wizard skilled in the most dangerous curses. He’s only caught because he has to reveal his full plan to ensure Harry completes the Triwizard Tournament.
6) Corban Yaxley
Even though Corban Yaxley didn’t actively seek out Voldemort – much like Crabbe and Goyle’s inaction – Voldemort still accepted him and gave him a powerful position during the Second Wizarding War. Yaxley became the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, using his skills to help seize control of the Ministry of Magic. Despite some errors in judgment after his promotion, he remained a key player in Voldemort’s plans leading up to the Battle of Hogwarts.
5) Igor Karkaroff
Igor Karkaroff stands out from the other Death Eaters in the Harry Potter series. While he initially fought with Voldemort during the First Wizarding War, he later changed course and became headmaster of Durmstrang Institute – a position that requires a powerful wizard. However, he doesn’t demonstrate his abilities much, as he flees when Voldemort rises to power again.
4) Travers
Not all Death Eaters have complex stories; some simply serve as enforcers. After breaking out of Azkaban prison, Travers fights in most of the major battles of the Second Wizarding War and is a significant threat, even capturing Ginny Weasley. While the films don’t show what happens to him, it’s likely he took enemies down with him if he died.
3) Antonin Dolohov
As a huge Harry Potter fan, I always found Antonin Dolohov particularly chilling. He’s one of the Death Eaters who hangs out with Rowle, and he definitely gives Harry, Ron, and Hermione a tough time. There’s one fight with him that’s memorable, but not quite top-tier, which made me think about everything else he’s done. And then it hit me – in the books, he’s the one who kills Remus Lupin! The movies never show who did it, so I always figured that carried over to the films too. Taking down Lupin isn’t easy, so Dolohov clearly has some serious skills.
2) Bellatrix Lestrange
Bellatrix Lestrange is the most dangerous Death Eater to the Order of the Phoenix. She seems less interested in Voldemort’s plans and more focused on simply killing, and she’s proven incredibly deadly, notably killing Sirius Black and many others. Luckily, Molly Weasley managed to defeat her during the Battle of Hogwarts, which was crucial because if Bellatrix had continued unchecked, Voldemort might have won the war.
1) Severus Snape
Throughout Harry’s time at Hogwarts, Severus Snape causes him more trouble than Draco does. From the beginning, Snape seems to dislike Harry, and Harry eventually discovers this is because of Snape’s connection to the Death Eaters. Actually, Snape is secretly working against Voldemort, pretending to be loyal while trying to protect Harry. Even while appearing to serve the Dark Lord, Snape is a powerful and skilled wizard – arguably the most powerful – and creates several dangerous spells that ultimately help Harry in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
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2025-12-17 21:16