Every great book series has a group of people who follow the compelling villain. Some are adept and skillful, while others just follow along because they believe things are better for them under the villain's rule. In Harry Potter, these followers of evil are known as Death Eaters.
The Death Eaters attack those who are not of pureblood in the wizarding world. But not every Death Eater in Harry Potter is created equal. The strongest of the Death Eaters were strong enough to take on multiple members of the Order of the Phoenix at once, and others were even able to pull the wool over Dumbledore's eyes.
Updated October 5, 2023, by Jeremy Brown: There were more than just ten strong Death Eaters who served under the command of Lord Voldemort. While some might get less recognition than other, more famous or infamous Death Eaters, these other strong servants of the Dark Lord would rise to the occasion whenever He Who Must Not Be Named asked. As evil as they come, these Death Eaters stood up and served their master in some of the most successful ways. No one will ever claim these characters are good people, but they are important characters who helped bring a sense of fear to the Harry Potter series.
14 Fenrir Greyback
While not officially a Death Eater, Fenrir Greyback was a werewolf who served with the Death Eaters because of the freedoms Voldemort allowed him. He was known for targeting the children of people who crossed him. He turned Remus Lupin into a werewolf as a child, and severely scarred Bill Weasley.
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Greyback also worked with a group of snatchers, bringing in muggle-born witches and wizards after Voldemort took over the ministry. He was part of the team that capture Harry, Ron and Hermione during their horcrux hunt.
13 Rodolphus Lestrange
- First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Golbet of Fire
For proof of how evil Rodolphus Lestrange is, he married Bellatrix Lestrange. There's no way she would marry someone who couldn't keep up with her on the evil spectrum. Rodolphus took part in the torture of the Longbottoms along with Bellatrix, his brother Rabastan, and Barty Crouch Jr.
Rodolphus was skilled at duels and was able to take on both Kingsley Shacklebolt and Nymphadora Tonks. While his personality traits aren't well known, it's safe to say he was as competent as he was evil.
12 Corban Yaxley
- First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Corban Yaxley was often one of Voldemort's top choices for secret missions, including the effort to convert Horace Slughorn to their side. Yaxley proved himself to be proficient with many tools, especially manipulation and the Imperius Curse. He even managed to put Pius Thicknesse under the Curse throughout the entire war, allowing Thicknesse to rise to Minister of Magic.
He also was very skilled at dueling, even battling Professor Flitwick to a stalemate. He was finally defeated by the combined efforts of Lee Jordan and George Weasley.
11 Igor Karkaroff
- First Appearance:Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
While Karkaraoff may have reformed from his Death Eater ways to become the Headmaster at Durmstrang Institute, he was still one of the most capable Death Eaters during his time in their ranks. He was skilled with the Unforgivable Curses and managed to evade Aurors for six years.
He was also able to sway the courts to release him after he gave up some of his fellow Death Eaters. He also managed to evade the returned Lord Voldemort for a year before finally being killed by the Death Eaters.
10 Augustus Rookwood
- First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Taken down by Igor Karkaroff, Augustus Rookwood worked in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic while serving Voldemort during the First Wizarding War. He was a brilliant spy who passed along information for years, and looked to have escaped punishment until Karkaroff turned him in.
Rookwood was one of the many Death Eaters to escape Azkaban when the dementors abandoned their posts during Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He fought alongside the Death Eaters in the Second Wizarding War.
9 Lucius Malfoy
- First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Lucius Malfoy was a capable Death Eater who often fell victim to his own arrogance. He placed several Ministry of Magic officials under the Imperius Curse during the events of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Malfoy also successfully passed Tom Riddle's diary to Ginny setting up the events of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
His downfall was almost always himself. He was tricked by Harry into freeing Dobby the House-Elf. He was captured in the battle at the Ministry of Magic and spent time in Azkaban. He spent most of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows trying to get back in Voldemort's good graces before abandoning everything in an effort to save his son.
8 Amycus & Alecto Carrow
- First Appearance:Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Carrow siblings served as assassins for the Death Eaters. They were known for their love of the Cruciatus Curse, showing how cruel they could be. During Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, they took part in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower.
Following Dumbledore's death, the Carrows both took up positions as professors at Hogwarts where they delighted in torturing the children of those who might stand up against Voldemort. Both held their own in the final battle, but both also brought out some of the strongest magic from Harry Potter.
7 Thorfinn Rowle
- First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Thorfinn Rowle is one of Voldemort's most trusted Death Eaters when it comes to the battles in the books. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, he takes part in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower. He's present when Snape kills Dumbledore and battles multiple people at once. He's only stopped by Harry under the Invisibility Cloak.
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During the Battle of Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, he's one of the few Death Eaters to successfully cast a spell against Hagrid. Hagrid's half-giant blood repels most spells, but Rowle was able to cast a silencing charm on him.
6 Walden MacNair
- First Appearance:Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
First introduced as an executioner of dangerous creatures, Walden MacNair was quickly identified as an old friend of Lucius Malfoy's. He showed a sadistic side when he was sent to execute Buckbeak, before the hippogriff escaped with Sirius Black and the help of a time-turner.
McNair had served Voldemort during the First Wizarding War but escaped punishment by claiming to have been under the Imperius Curse. He immediately joined a resurrected Voldemort and helped the Death Eaters in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.
5 Antonin Dolohov
- First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Antonin Dolohov is one of the most skilled duelists among the Death Eaters. He was able to defeat Mad Eye Moody in the duel at the Department of Mysteries in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. It took the combined efforts of Harry Potter and Sirius Black to defeat him.
Two years later at the Battle of Hogwarts, he killed Remus Lupin and battled three people at once showing an improvement in his dueling skills. He was finally defeated for good by Filius Flitwick who had been the Hogwarts dueling champion.
4 Regulus Black
- First Mentioned: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The younger Black brother was excellent at Potions in school making him a favorite student for Professor Horace Slughorn. His agility as a Quidditch player and his ability to think on his feet made him appealing to Voldemort who welcomed him into the Death Eaters.
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But Regulus showed his true strength after he became disillusioned with what he saw. He learned of Voldemort's horcruxes and was able to get past their defenses. He gave his life to find a horcrux and allow others to defeat the Dark Lord without Voldemort finding out.
3 Barty Crouch Jr.
- First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
At first glance, Barty Crouch Jr. seems like one of the weaker Death Eaters. He was captured with the Lestranges and sentenced to Azkaban where it's believed that he died fairly quickly. However, he was able to change that perception by his actions in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
After his father freed him, he was able to break free of the Imperius Curse and link back up with Voldemort. He overpowered Mad Eye Moody and impersonated him for a year, successfully convincing Dumbledore that he was Moody until the events in the maze. That shows a strength many other Death Eaters don't have.
2 Bellatrix Lestrange
- First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
One of the most talented Death Eaters, Bellatrix Lestrange's support of Voldemort and his cause was unwavering, making her even more dangerous than most. She put her life on the line for Voldemort multiple times before finally being killed by Molly Weasley. She was one of several Death Eaters to be seen fighting multiple people at once during the Battle of Hogwarts.
Bellatrix was also a skilled occlumens who helped train Draco to keep Snape out of his mind in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. She may be the most talented Death Eater, but one is a little stronger than her.
1 Severus Snape
- First Appearance: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Snape holds the distinction of being one of only two wizards to serve both the Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix, but he was the polar opposite of Peter Pettigrew. Snape is one of the best potion makers in the wizarding, world which led ot him being named Potions Professor at Hogwarts.
Using legilimency and occlumency in his work with both the Death Eaters and the Order, he was able to fool Voldemort for years and convince the Dark Lord he was still a Death Eater all while being a double agent working for Dumbledore.