At its core, Harry Potter is a classic fairy tale, with an archetypal hero who undergoes growth and a model villain who is defeated in the end. What sets it apart from similar stories is its masterful execution and numerous well-connected subplots.
Among the characters, we see all kinds of different personalities on the scale from the most honorable people we know to the most depraved sociopaths imaginable. At the dark end of the scale, a few characters deserve special mention.
While Voldemort is a textbook villain and monster (he doesn't even look human), there were a few other characters who at times exuded such evil vibes that for a moment we forgot who the real big bad was.
Here are five despicable Harry Potter characters, ranked by fans on Reddit according to their immoral qualities. Let's see if you agree with this list.
Fifth Place: Gilderoy Lockhart
Hidden Evil
He may be a surprising addition to the ranking, but Lockhart is certainly an underrated villain. As you get older, you realize that the worst kind of evil is the kind that pretends to be a hero.
When you take a closer look at the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, you see that underneath the mask of a foppish loudmouth, he is actually a serial killer who has stolen other people's lives and erased their minds in order to build up his own celebrity status. Good thing Ron's wand was broken and Lockhart got a taste of his own medicine.
Fourth Place: Dolores Umbridge
Evil Under The Mask Of Lawfulness
Fans didn't mention big names like Grindelwald or Lestrange because they're probably too obvious. But they couldn't ignore Umbridge. Again, the older you get, the more you realize that evil hiding under the mask of lawfulness is one of the worst kinds.
Shielded by the bureaucracy of the Ministry of Magic, Umbridge instituted a true tyranny at Hogwarts. She took pleasure in the pain and destruction she caused, citing the rules. At least Voldemort was coldly indifferent to the suffering of his victims.
Third Place: The Carrows
Extremist Evil
Who are the Carrows, you ask? Well, they are really easy to forget, but when you think about it, they are one of the most wicked wizarding families that were at the center of vicious pure-blood supremacism.
Part of the so-called Sacred Twenty-Eight, the Carrows practiced the Dark Arts and produced several notable villains. One of their witches was close to Grindelwald. And Amycus and Alecto Carrow served Voldemort as his loyal Death Eaters.
While the Dark Lord was in charge, they were the teachers at Hogwarts and spread anti-Muggle propaganda. They also punished students with the Cruciatus Curse.
Second Place: Ekrizdis
Maniacal Evil
It is hard to call many Death Eaters (especially those who were in Azkaban) sane. But the worst type of this kind is not a Death Eater. It is the dark sorcerer who created Azkaban in the 15th century. His story is pure nightmare fuel.
A powerful wizard, he retreated to the island of Azkaban and practiced the darkest magic there. Gradually losing his mind, he lured Muggle sailors to be killed and tortured for twisted magical experiments.
It was only when he died that the wizarding community discovered the island, and when they got there, the Dementors were the least of the fearsome things around. The rest has not been revealed, and it certainly sends shivers down your spine.
First Place: Fenrir Greyback
Chaotic Evil
Finally, the most diabolical character in the Potterverse, according to fans, is the werewolf Fenrir Greyback. In theory, his goal was to build a vast army of werewolves and take over the wizarding world. But in reality, it was just a facade for his bloodlust. The two words 'specializes in children' tell you all you need to know about the level of Greyback’s depravity.
On top of that, he hurt many of the major Harry Potter characters and fatally wounded Lavender Brown. Our biggest regret is that Remus Lupin didn't get to kill him. That would be poetic justice, since Greyback is the one who infected Lupin. It's a shame that Greyback survived in the movies and Lupin didn't.
Source: Reddit.