The Harry Potter film series is top-rated around the world for its magical and intriguing plot along with its fascinating characters. The film series is filled with some exceptionally powerful wizards, who have some unique abilities. However, the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter franchise represent both, good as well as evil. So, in this article, we will discuss and rank every powerful wizard of the Harry Potter film franchise, who has left their mark on the wizarding world and caught the attention of the fans.
Albus Dumbledore
The only man in the Harry Potter film franchise who the Dark Lord ever feared was Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. He was one of the most powerful wizards of Harry Potter who in the beginning, appeared to be a kind old man who always wanted good for everyone. He was the headmaster of Hogwarts and the founder of the Order of the Phoenix, whose power and true skills are revealed as the film series proceeds further. Though the killing blow is given by Harry Potter to Lord Voldemort but it was Dumbledore’s planning that actually put an end to his life. In the Harry Potter film series, Richard Harris and Michael Gambon played the role.
Lord Voldemort
The next powerful wizard in the Harry Potter film series is Lord Voldemort. He was the dark and dangerous wizards of all time who believed that his magical powers and abilities were unparalleled until he met Harry Potter. Before becoming famous as Lord Voldemort, he was known as Tom Riddle. Through his evil magical powers, he was able to form a large group, in which there were people who could do anything for him. Also, to make himself immortal, he divided his soul into 7 Horcruxes. However, he was ultimately killed when his Killing Curse backfired on him after Harry and Dumbledore were able to destroy all his Horcruxes.
Gellert Grindelwald
He is one of the most powerful and notorious wizards of the Harry Potter film series, though his dark wizarding powers weren’t as terrifying as Lord Voldemort. He was a student of the Drumstrang Institute and was rusticated from there because he did dark and life-threatening spells on the students. Grindelwald was such a powerful wizard that he was able to gather many followers and due to this, Dumbledore had to fight him personally. Also, his ambitions and goals were very different from Lord Voldemort but were equally dangerous. In the end, he was killed by Voldemort when he refused to reveal the location of Elder Wand.
Merlin
Merlin is the next wizard who doesn’t explicitly appear in the Harry Potter film series but is considered one of the most powerful. He is most probably the most famous fictional wizard who belongs to the medieval period. The character of Merlin is known for being incredibly powerful as well as respected in the wizarding world. He attended the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was a member of King Arthur’s Court. Hence, he is considered the most powerful because, in the magical school, he was a student of Salazar Slytherin.
Nicolas Flamel
He was a legendary wizard in the Harry Potter film series who is almost immortal. Flamel is known for being able to live for a very long time by using his powerful magical skills to increase his life. Also, he was a French wizard and an alchemist who was popular in the film franchise because he was the only known maker of the Philosopher’s Stone, an object with incredible powers in the wizarding world. Though it is not revealed as to how he makes the Elixir of Life, but it can be understood that he was very skilled at making potions. This potion was taken by him and his wife regularly. Because of the Elixir of Life, he was the oldest wizard who was over 600 years old.
Salazar Slytherin
Noted for his cunning and powerful skills, Salazar Slytherin was one of the most powerful pure-blood wizards in the Harry Potter film series, perhaps more powerful than Godric. He was the greatest wizard of his time because he had the ability to speak to snakes called Parselmouth and had the skills to read people’s minds called Legilimens. Apart from this, he affected the magical world with his beliefs about keeping pure magic and his negative opinions about muggle people. Along with Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Helga Hufflepuff, he was one of the founders of Hogwarts. Salazar was so powerful that he was able to build the Chamber of Secrets, hid a dangerous creature named Basilisk in it, and kept all of this a secret from the other founders.
Godric Gryffindor
The English wizard, Godric Gryffindor was one of the 4 founders of the magical, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is amongst the powerful founders of the school who have entire academic houses named after them. Gryffindor was a great friend of Salazar Slytherin but was against his opinions when he mentioned that muggle-born students should not be admitted to the magical school of Hogwarts. Though he doesn’t explicitly appear in the series, but he is known for his strength, compassion, and courage. Also, he was very good at doing magical spells that matched the traits of his own house.
Credence Barebone
The half-blood wizard was actually Aurelius Dumbledore but through adoption, he became known as Credence Barebone. He was the son of Aberforth Dumbledore and an unnamed woman and was adopted by Mary Lau Barebone five years later. In the beginning, Credence was first introduced as a muggle person who had a hard time accepting that he couldn’t do magic like wizards. But as the film series moves further, his magical power grows as an Obscurus (a dark parasitic force) and he becomes one of the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter universe. Also, Gellert Grindelwald wanted to find him because he thought his powers could help him kill Albus Dumbledore.
Severus Snape
Though Severus Snape is one of the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter film franchise, but he is also a controversial character. He was a half-blood wizard who served as the head of the Slytherin House, Potions Master, and professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Also, he was a Death Eater and a powerful member of the Order of the Phoenix. Further, he was so incredibly powerful that he invented spells like Levicorpus and Sectumsempra. Further, he was also an Occlumens who had the skills and abilities to hide his feelings from others. Due to this, he was able to trick Lord Voldemort into believing that he was loyal to him.
Aberforth Dumbledore
Though Aberforth Dumbledore was not as popular as his brother Albus Dumbledore, but he was one of the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter film series. He was a half-blood wizard who was great at duelling and challenging anyone at the school to test his powerful skills. Also, during the Horcrux hunt, he was the key member who indirectly helped Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger escape the Malfoy Manor by sending Dobby to their rescue. Further, he helped Harry in defeating Lord Voldemort and was an integral part of the Battle of Hogwarts.
Harry Potter
Throughout the whole Harry Potter film series, the title character of Harry Potter shows his powers in more than one way. He was a half-blood wizard and the only child of James Potter and Lily Evans. The birth of Harry Potter was very important because he was born with the prophecy that either he or Neville Longbottom would have the power to defeat the dark wizard, Lord Voldemort. Also, he was a talented wizard who became an Auror and fought for justice along with succeeding in school and magic. Before this, he survived two deadly attacks from Voldemort proving that he was exceptionally powerful. Further, he created Dumbledore’s army and killed Voldemort in the end.
Remus Lupin
Because Remus Lupin was powerful in the wizarding world as well as in his personal life, he was considered one of the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter universe. He was a half-blood wizard who was introduced in the film franchise as a new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Also, when he was a child, he was bitten by a werewolf named Fenrir Greyback and since then, he became infected with lycanthropy. When Lupin was in Hogwarts as a student, he was a close friend of Sirius Black and James Potter and all three of them were a part of the Order of the Phoenix. The powers of Lupin can be seen when he fights in wizard wars and makes efforts to stop Lord Voldemort. Also, he taught Harry to cast the Patronus Charm which protects him from magical creatures.
Kingsley Shacklebolt
The pure-blood wizard was one of the most powerful in the Harry Potter film series because he was an Auror of the Ministry of Magic. Also, he was an important member of the Order of the Phoenix and was highly skilled at doing powerful spells and charms such as he caused a Death Eater to fly out of a window by casting a strong spell. Also, he was secretly helping Sirius Black though the Ministry of Magic wanted to catch him. He tricked the other members there and made it look like he was working to capture him. But in reality, he was protecting him. Apart from this, he was skilled in potions and herbology.
Sirius Black
The godfather of Harry Potter, Sirius Black is amongst the most powerful wizards in the film series. When he was a student at Hogwarts, he was a close friend of James Potter and Remus Lupin and was sent to the Gryffindor House. However, later on in the series, he was imprisoned in the prison of Azkaban because he was falsely accused of betraying Harry’s parents to Voldemort and killing 12 muggles. Apart from this, Black was an Animagus which means he had the ability to turn into a dog, as big as the size of a bear. He was a talented duelist who fought with the Order of the Phoenix in the 1st Wizarding War. Further, Black was an important enemy of the Death Eaters.
Newt Scamander
Another wizard who has made its place in the list of Harry Potter’s most powerful wizards is Newt Scamander. He was an English wizard who was only mentioned in the film series as the author of the book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. This book was used by Harry Potter and other students for the Care of Magical Creatures. The talent of Newt lies in the magical creatures department and though, he was not like other wizards but still, he was amongst the most powerful. He had a strong connection with animals that no other wizard or witch had. Also, he showed his powers by way of Herbology, doing tracking spells, and storing creatures in his magical suitcase.
Bartemius Crouch Sr.
Bartemius Crouch Sr. was a pure-blood wizard who later became the father of Barty Crouch Jr. He was in a very high position in the Ministry of Magic and was one of the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter film series. Also, he was the next in line to become the Minister for Magic until his son was caught with some Death Eaters who were helping Lord Voldemort rise to power. Further, Bartemius Crouch Sr. was the wizard who sent Sirius Black to the prison of Azkaban without holding a trial. In the Ministry of Magic, he was known for his brutality and cruelty towards criminals.
Alastor Moody
Though Alastor Moody or Mad-Eye Moody died in the last part of the film franchise, but when he was at his best, he was considered one of the most powerful wizards. He was an old friend of Albus Dumbledore, a pure-blood wizard and an Auror who was hired to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Also, he was a fearless dark wizard catcher and because of him, half of the cells of the Prison of Azkaban were full. He was an important member of the Order of the Phoenix and helped lead the battle against Lord Voldemort. He had a magical eye through which he was able to see invisibility cloaks which gave him more power.
Hermione Granger
At the beginning of the film series, Hermione Granger starts as a student but it did not take her too long to become one of the most powerful witches or wizards. When she joined Hogwarts, she immediately became friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Since then, both the guys were amazed by how skilled she was. Though she always had struggles with the Patronus Charm, but she always managed to defeat anyone who came in her way. Also, she was a natural spellcaster who was often seen in the film series to master new spells and charms. After completing her 7th year in Hogwarts, she went to work in the Ministry of Magic.
James Potter
The father of Harry Potter who was married to Lily Evans is the next powerful wizard in the film franchise. Though his and his wife’s life was abruptly ended by Lord Voldemort, he has achieved several things when he was alive. When he was a student at the magical school of Hogwarts, he often got into trouble with his friends Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. He excelled in his magical abilities and was able to create a stag corporeal Patronus. Also, James was so powerful that Lord Voldemort tried to take him on his team on 3 three separate occasions, before murdering him. Due to his magical powers, James was an integral part of the original Order of the Phoenix.
Theseus Scamander
Theseus Scamander was the older brother of Newt Scamander and was one of the most powerful English wizards. At the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he was an academically and magically gifted wizard who was sorted into the Hufflepuff House. Also, because of his powerful ability to cast spells and charms, he was later made the Head Auror for the Ministry of Magic. During his time in the Ministry, he was one of the few people who helped in tracking down the powerful, Gellert Grindelwald.
Neville Longbottom
At the beginning of the Harry Potter film series, Neville Longbottom is a clumsy and childish classmate of Harry Potter. But as the series moved ahead, he showed on several occasions that he was an incredibly skilled and powerful wizard. He started off as a shy and quiet student, but his intelligence, especially in Herbology, helped Harry Potter many times in his adventures. Also, Longbottom completely transformed when he joined Dumbledore’s Army and the Order of the Phoenix. Further, he did hard work to fight against Voldemort, rejected Voldemort’s proposal to join his team, and even killed his 7th Horcrux, Nagini. Later, he became an Auror at the Ministry of Magic.
Minerva McGonagall
Apart from being the deputy headmistress under Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall was a professor and the head of the Gryffindor House at the magical school of Hogwarts. She was an accomplished spellcaster who was considered one of the most powerful witches or wizards in the Harry Potter universe. She was an Animagus who had the ability to transform herself into a cat at her own will and was an expert at transfiguration. In the Battle of Hogwarts, she took down the Death Eaters and fought till the very end to protect the students. In addition to this, McGonagall was a skilled wizard who was an expert in casting wandless spells.
Lucius Malfoy
He was a pure-blood wizard who later became the father of Draco Malfoy. In addition to this, he was also a Death Eater who served the dark wizard, Lord Voldermort during the First Wizarding War. Also, he came from a wealthy and pure-blood family who had close ties in the Ministry of Magic with Dolores Umbridge and Cornelius Fudge. When he joined the magical school of Hogwarts as a student, he was sent to the Slytherin House where he was influenced by dark magic and believed that pure-blood wizards were superior to the others. Also, he was a smart wizard who was able to escape both of the Azkaban sentences because he gave testimony against other Death Eaters.
Barty Crouch Jr.
Another wizard who is considered the most powerful is Barty Crouch Jr. He was the son of Bartemius Crouch Sr. and in his teenage years, he was an ardent supporter of Lord Voldemort. It was so because he wanted to become a powerful Death Eater and a Dark Wizard. Despite this, he proved that he was a powerful wizard when he was able to take down Alastor Moody or Mad-Eye Moody. Barty was able to capture and imprison him when he was about the take the position of a new professor for Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Barty disguised himself as Moody and deceived everyone with his powers. Also, while teaching, he used some unforgivable curses which were very dangerous.
Rufus Scrimgeour
Known for his magical powers and abilities, Rufus Scrimgeour is one of the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter universe. He was the head of the Auror Department at the Ministry of Magic and later during the Second Wizarding War, he became the Minister of Magic. He was skilled and proficient in potions, spells, charms, transfiguration, herbology, and defense against the dark arts. Also, he had the power of doing non-verbal magic which means that he could cast spells without saying the incantations aloud.
Filius Flitwick
Filius Flitwick is another skilled and intelligent wizard who is considered one of the most powerful in the Harry Potter film franchise. He was a part-goblin wizard who attended the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was sent to the Ravenclaw House by the Sorting Hat. In the magical school of Hogwarts, he was known as the Charms Master and was the best student alongside Dumbledore. Also, he holds the title of being the most knowledgeable Charms Master in the universe. Further, Flitwick was a dueling champion and was a key opponent of Lord Voldemort. He proved his powers by fighting in the Battle of Hogwarts and defeating many Death Eaters.
Draco Malfoy
Draco Malfoy belonged to a wealthy and pure-blood family and was the son of Lucius Malfoy. He was a young wizard who joined the magical school of Hogwarts in the same year as Harry Potter. He was a clever and cunning user of magic who was sent to the Slytherin House by the Sorting Hart. Also, he used to bully and trick people to get what he wanted. In the film franchise, he was often seen with his two followers, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe. Apart from this, Draco was a powerful wizard who was able to learn the Cruciatus Curse and the Imperius Curse in his 6th year at Hogwarts. Also, he was skilled at Occlumeny, non-verbal magic, and magical repair. Further, as a Death Eater, he learned Dark Magic and mastered spells like Polyjuice Potion and Protean Charm.
Frank Longbottom
During Lord Voldemort’s first rise to power, Frank Longbottom was a pure-blood wizard and an Auror for the Ministry of Magic. He was one of the most powerful wizards alongside his wife Alice Longbottom. When he was a student at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Frank was sent to the Gryffindor House by the Sorting Hat. Later, when he joined the Ministry of Magic, he was responsible for bringing in Death Eaters. Due to this, he became the prime target of Bellatrix Lestrange. She tortured him and his wife with the Cruciatus Curse and due to this, they both ended up in St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Also, Frank and his wife fought against Voldemort three times which made their son, Neville, a potential candidate for Trelawney’s prophecy.
George and Fred Weasley
The identical twins, Fred and George Weasley are the brothers of Ron and Ginny Weasley. When they joined the magical school of Hogwarts, they immediately became good friends with Harry Potter. The identical twins were one of the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter universe because they were highly skilled in casting spells. Also, they were the founders of Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes, a joke shop located in Diagon Alley. At their shop, they used to sell the devices and toys created by them for young pranksters. They were also integral members of Dumbledore’s Army and Order of the Phoenix. In the Battle of Hogwarts, they both show their powerful wizarding skills by fighting Voldemort’s Death Eaters. But, in the battle, Fred Weasley tragically dies.
Viktor Krum
Apart from being a great Quidditch player, Viktor Krum was also a powerful Bulgarian wizard. He was known for catching the golden snitch in the final round of an International Quidditch Tournament. Viktor Krum was a great wizard who was skilled in human transfigurations, one of the most difficult branches of magic. In the 2nd task of the Triwizard Tournament, he showed this by half turning himself into a shark. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the skilled wizard makes his very first appearance.
Cedric Diggory
The great wizard was an outstanding academic student as well as a Quidditch player, who would surely be the winner in the Triwizard Tournament if Lord Voldemort’s plan did not come in the way. He was the son of Amos Diggory, who was also a powerful wizard at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In Hogwarts, he belonged to the Hufflepuff House and was the captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch Team. By turning a stone into a Labrador in order to distract a dragon and using a Bubble-Head Charm to breathe underwater, Cedric Diggory showed that he was a powerful wizard.
Horace Slughorn
Horace Slughorn was a powerful and intelligent wizard who unknowingly told the secret of Horcruxes to Tom Riddle aka Lord Voldemort when he was young. He was the head of the Slytherin House who retires from teaching after telling the dark secret to Tom Riddle. However, after many years, he returns to the magical school of Hogwarts as a Potions Master at the request of Albus Dumbledore. In the Battle of Hogwarts, Slughorn uses his powerful charms to protect the magical school. Further, he was skilled in Occlumency, memory modification, transfiguration, and dueling.
Bill Weasley
Bill Weasley was the eldest Weasley sibling and because of his exceptional skills and abilities, he was considered one of the most powerful wizards. Before becoming an integral part of the Order of the Phoenix, he went on to become a professional curse-breaker for Gringotts Bank. Bill’s powerful skills as a wizard are showcased clearly when he fights in the Battle of Hogwarts and the Battle of the Seven Potters. Also, he has survived attacks from several Death Eaters and Fenrir Greyback.
Rubeus Hagrid
He was a half-giant wizard who served as the gamekeeper and groundskeeper at the magical school of Hogwarts. Later in the film franchise, Hagrid becomes the professor of Care of Magical Creatures. He is one of the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter universe because he has superhuman strength. Because he has giant blood in his veins, he is less vulnerable to powerful spells and charms than others. Also, he is skilled at transfiguration and non-verbal magic, which he mostly does with his umbrella.
Amos Diggory
The pure-blood wizard was the father of Cedric Diggory. Also, he was the head of the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures in the Ministry of Magic. He was a powerful wizard in the Harry Potter universe because he had a high level of knowledge about magical creatures and all the laws that governed them. Further, he was a master of many charms and spells including the Non-corporeal Patronus Charm, Eradication Spell, and Stunning Spell. Just like his son, Amos was also a Hufflepuff Quidditch player and played the game as a seeker.
