Top 10 Most Evil Characters in "Harry Potter"

Evil is defined in many ways throughout the Harry Potter series. Evil for some is not the same as evil for others. Not every villian is evil like Voldemort and not every villian is quite as obvious as a Voldemort. Torture and murder make a villian, but so do lies, deception, slander, and verbal abuse. There is no cookie cutter villian in this seven book saga so lets take a look at the wide range of evil we witness.

10. Lucius Malfoy

Honestly? I debated even putting ole Lucius on this list. Sure, he did some shady stuff. Yes, he's kind of a terrible person. But he cared more about the protection of his wife and his son than anything else, including Voldemort. This shows his love, his care, and his ability to feel remorse, which is not something you can say for a lot of people on this list.

9. Cornelius Fudge

The "evil" in Fudge is defined by his fear. His fear controls him and permits him to unknowingly side with Voldemort due to his refusal to believe in Voldemort's existence. He doesn't just refuse to believe, but he refuses to allow anyone else to believe. His actions burned bridges and endangered lives, which proved to be almost as destructive as physically endangering his people.

8. The Dursleys

I have one example for this choice and you don't even have to know any of the millions of other terrible acts committed to Harry by the Dursley's. In Order of the Phoenix, when Harry is trying to explain the dementor attack to the Dursley's, Vernon says something inexcusable. He legitimately did not care whether Harry lived or died.

"'What now? Have they sentenced you to anything? Do your lot have the death penalty?' he added as a hopeful afterthought.

'I've got to go to a hearing,' said Harry.

'And they'll sentence you there?'

'I suppose so.'

'I won't give up hope, then,' said Uncle Vernon nastily."

- OotP, Chapter 2, Page 33

7. Rita Skeeter

Evil? Maybe. Destructive? Absolutely. Skeeter creates chaos where chaos does not exist. Rumors are a dangerous tool - and she plots her rumors carefully. If Hermione had not roped Skeeter into agreeing to take a year off of reporting at the end of Goblet of Fire, her writing would have been an enemy of both Fudge and Dumbledore in Order of the Phoenix.

6. Barty Crouch Jr.

What gets me about Crouch is the fact that he held a man hostage for almost an entire year. He took Moody's eye, his leg, and a ton of his hair. He kept Moody locked in the bottom of a trunk. I can only assume Moody was given bare minimum food and water. It takes a special kind of evil to do this to a person and still walk around everyday like everything is normal.

5. Peter Pettigrew

Cowardice creates this evil. Peter was set up for success - he had friends on the side of good. Flawless friends? No, of course not. But they were on the right side, nonetheless. Peter was just scared and Voldemort appeared to offer security. As soon as he took Voldemort's side, however, there was no turning back. Unfortunately for poor Peter, this was his demise.

4. The Carrow's

It takes a special person to not only feel comfortable torturing children, but to teach children to torture other children. There is definitely a theme of "insanity" running through many of the Death Eaters' personas.

3. Fenrir Greyback

I don't really feel like I have to explain this one. He... eats children. He eats children.

He eats children.

2. Bellatrix Lestrange

Unhinged and driven insane, Bellatrix is an actual tornado. She has no concern for human life and is literally willing to kill anyone to get what she wants. She played with her victims, delighting in their pain. Much like Voldemort, she doesn't seem to experience any remorse.

1. Dolores Jane Umbridge

Again with the torturing of children. Honestly, reading Order of the Phoenix is so difficult because of Umbridge. Every move she makes is infuriating and it is all in pursuit of total control. She is a classic dictator type and had to be completely overthrown to be conquered. Also creepy? She does everything she does... with a smile.

Any thoughts? Disagreements? Additions to the list? Let me know!