10 Most Evil Harry Potter Characters

J.K. Rowling has a rare gift when it comes to writing characters. Whereas most authors struggle to create a decent protagonist, her stories are stuffed with distinctive personalities. As excellent as her worldbuilding is, it’s her prowess in character creation that keeps fans coming back again and again both to her books and the movies.

Though the earlier Harry Potter books were undoubtedly written more for children, with each instalment the series became progressively darker in tone, and with this evolution, there came an ever-expanding list of memorable antagonists.

Crucially, the villains in Harry Potter are far from uniform. Whilst there are plenty whose wickedness is immediately apparent, there are others whose malice lies somewhat deeper.

Far from feeling sympathy for Harry after the loss of his parents, Vernon and Petunia Dursley neglected their nephew from the moment he arrived on their doorstep.

Harry was forced to live in a cupboard under the stairs, wear second-hand clothes, and even go without food whenever he misbehaved. The Dursleys also refused to tell him the truth about his parents, both in terms of who they were, and the tragic way in which they died.

Dudley fared little better. Following in the footsteps of his mother and father, he and his gang bullied Harry throughout his childhood, viewing him as little more than a free punchbag. As fans of the book will know, however, Dudley redeems himself in the final novel, ultimately departing with his cousin on good terms.