Lord Voldemort terrorized the wizarding world for decades, but here’s the thing: his ultimate defeat came from a teenage boy with messy hair and broken glasses. Pretty wild, right? Throughout the Harry Potter saga, we met some potent witches and wizards who could’ve taken down the Dark Lord if circumstances had been different.
Some chose other paths, others got caught up in complicated situations, and a few never got their shot. Let’s count down the ten most formidable magic users who had what it took to end Voldemort’s reign but never actually did it.
10. Horace Slughorn
Here’s someone people constantly underestimate: Horace Slughorn, brilliantly brought to life by Jim Broadbent. This guy spent an entire year successfully hiding from Voldemort, which tells you something right there about his magical chops.
But the real proof came during the Battle of Hogwarts when Slughorn actually dueled Voldemort directly alongside McGonagall and Kingsley Shacklebolt. Yeah, you read that right, he went toe-to-toe with the Dark Lord himself.
A post shared by Roberto 👨🏻🎨 (@rio.de.roberto)
Slughorn’s potion-making expertise was literally unmatched in the wizarding world, and his knowledge of rare magic was encyclopedic. The man taught Tom Riddle about Horcruxes, for crying out loud. His biggest problem? He was kind of a coward who valued his own comfort over taking risks.
If Slughorn had possessed even half of Dumbledore’s courage or moral conviction earlier on, his vast magical knowledge could’ve been weaponized against Voldemort years before Harry came into the picture. Still, when push came to shove at Hogwarts, he showed up and fought, proving he always had it in him.
9. Barty Crouch Jr.
David Tennant gave us one of the creepiest performances in the franchise as Barty Crouch Jr., and the character’s magical abilities matched that intensity. This prodigy scored twelve O.W.L.s (basically straight A’s on steroids) and was considered brilliant even before Azkaban.
His ability to maintain Polyjuice Potion transformations for nearly an entire school year while perfectly imitating Mad-Eye Moody’s personality and magical style? That’s master-level magic, folks.
Crouch Jr. successfully manipulated the Goblet of Fire, fooled Dumbledore himself for months, and could cast the Dark Mark despite being weakened from years in Azkaban. He even fought off Ministry Aurors. The real kicker is his strategic thinking. He had the patience and intelligence for long-term planning that most Death Eaters lacked.
Imagine if this genius had turned his talents against Voldemort instead of serving him. With his inside knowledge of Ministry operations through his father and his proven magical prowess, he could’ve been devastating. But fanatical loyalty blinded him to his own potential for greatness, or in this case, taking down the Dark Lord.
8. Filius Flitwick
Warwick Davis brought charm to Professor Flitwick, but don’t let the kindly professor’s persona fool you. Before teaching Charms at Hogwarts, Flitwick was a dueling champion, and those skills didn’t just disappear.
During the Battle of Hogwarts, he defeated Antonin Dolohov in single combat. For context, Dolohov was one of Voldemort’s absolute most dangerous Death Eaters, the guy who cast an unnamed curse, which, despite being weaker than usual, because it was cast non-verbally, severely injured Hermione.
Head of Ravenclaw house, Professor Flitwick. #harrypotter #harrypotterfanart #harrypotterart #potterhead #illustrator #childrensillustrator #fanart #hogwarts #wingardiumleviosa #professorflitwick #flitwick #filiusflitwick #ravenclaw #warwickdavies #victoriabarronart #vbarronART pic.twitter.com/KZabmFX4bo
Flitwick’s mastery of Charms meant he could manipulate magical energy with precision that most wizards couldn’t dream of achieving. Dueling is not always about raw power; it’s about timing, accuracy, and tactical thinking, and Flitwick had those qualities in spades.
His magical precision was surgical. Could he have taken Voldemort in a straight-up duel? Maybe, maybe not. But he definitely had the technical skill to make it enjoyable. The fact that he spent time teaching rather than actively hunting dark wizards speaks to his character, not his capability. Sometimes the most dangerous wizards are the ones who choose peace.
7. Mad-Eye Moody
Brendan Gleeson absolutely owned the role of Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody, even though (plot twist) we barely saw the real Moody in action during Voldemort’s second rise. This legendary Auror filled half the cells in Azkaban single-handedly.
His paranoia wasn’t just a personality quirk; it was a survival instinct honed from decades of hunting the darkest wizards alive. That magical eye of his provided tactical advantages no other wizard possessed, basically giving him 360-degree vision and the ability to see through invisibility cloaks.
Moody survived countless assassination attempts and fought in both wizarding wars. Even Death Eaters feared his reputation. The tragedy is that by the time Voldemort returned to power, Moody was captured and spent months imprisoned in his own trunk. He died during the Battle of the Seven Potters without ever getting his rematch with the Dark Lord.
In his prime, Moody’s combination of experience, raw power, and constant vigilance made him uniquely equipped to anticipate and counter Voldemort’s tactics. His encyclopedic knowledge of dark magic and those who practiced it was unmatched. We were robbed of seeing what prime Moody could’ve done.
6. Bellatrix Lestrange
Helena Bonham Carter gave us a Bellatrix who was absolutely unhinged, and that actually made her more dangerous. Here’s a controversial pick, but hear us out: Bellatrix was Voldemort’s most powerful Death Eater by a mile.
She could cast Unforgivable Curses with genuine malice and skill that most wizards couldn’t match. She killed Sirius Black, tortured the Longbottoms into permanent insanity, and defeated multiple Order members in combat. Even Voldemort valued her above all other followers, which says something.
Now, could she beat Voldemort in a fair duel? Probably not. But that’s not really the question here. The real scenario is this: what if Bellatrix had ever turned on him?
Her fanatical devotion made her blind to opportunities for betrayal, but she had everything needed to be uniquely dangerous to the Dark Lord. She knew his habits intimately, understood his magical signature, could predict his movements, and possessed both the skill in dark magic and the ruthlessness to strike without hesitation.
With the element of surprise, Bellatrix could’ve done severe damage. Of course, her absolute worship of Voldemort meant this remained pure fantasy. Love (or obsession) was her weakness.
5. Kingsley Shacklebolt
George Harris brought quiet strength to Kingsley Shacklebolt, and the character’s magical abilities backed it up. This guy represented the absolute best of what the Auror corps could produce. During the Battle of Hogwarts, Kingsley dueled Voldemort directly alongside McGonagall and Slughorn, immediately putting him in elite company. Not many wizards can say they went toe-to-toe with the Dark Lord and lived to tell about it.
Kingsley’s skills in defensive magic and combat spells were honed through years of fighting dark wizards professionally. He could send a corporeal Patronus while under extreme pressure, which demonstrates serious magical fortitude.
A post shared by MuggleNet (@mugglenet)
Plus, he successfully maintained deep cover within the Ministry while secretly working for the Order of the Phoenix, which takes skill and nerves of steel. As an Auror, he was specifically trained to combat dark wizards, meaning he knew all their tricks and tactics.
While we never saw him face Voldemort one-on-one, his performance in group combat and his eventual rise to Minister for Magic suggest he had both the magical power and strategic thinking to pose a genuine threat. Sometimes the quiet ones are the most dangerous.
4. Minerva McGonagall
Dame Maggie Smith made Professor McGonagall iconic, and the character’s magical prowess often gets overlooked because of her teaching role. Big mistake. McGonagall fought in both wizarding wars, held her own against multiple Death Eaters simultaneously, and led the entire defense of Hogwarts during the final battle. When she animated the castle’s suits of armor with
I’ve always wanted to use that spell!
she wasn’t just being whimsical, she was demonstrating extraordinary magical power and control. As a registered Animagus and Transfiguration master, McGonagall had advanced magical abilities that few could match.
Her dueling skills were sharp enough to battle Snape without being immediately destroyed, and remember, Snape was no slouch. During the Battle of Hogwarts, she dueled Voldemort himself alongside Kingsley and Slughorn.
Portrait of Madame M
Professor Minerva McGonagall-FanArt3https://t.co/X5W5aeRrqnhttps://t.co/5I2kmr4tyu#HarryPotter #McGonagall #Gryffindor #Hogwarts pic.twitter.com/SYm609rs1X
Could she have taken him solo? Maybe not in raw power, but McGonagall’s tactical intelligence, defensive expertise, and unshakeable courage made her a legitimate threat that Voldemort wisely avoided engaging directly. She combined Dumbledore’s strategic mind with a warrior’s heart.
Never underestimate the stern Scottish witch in tartan robes, she’ll transfigure you into a pocket watch before you finish your incantation.
3. Severus Snape
Alan Rickman’s portrayal of Severus Snape gave us one of cinema’s most complex characters, and his magical abilities matched that complexity. Snape spent nearly two decades in Voldemort’s inner circle while secretly working against him. Think about the skill that is required.
As a master of Occlumency, Legilimency, and non-verbal magic, Snape operated on a level that maybe five wizards could match. He invented his own spells as a teenager, for crying out loud.
Snape successfully deceived the most accomplished Legilimens in history repeatedly. During his escape from Hogwarts, he deflected McGonagall’s attacks while simultaneously disarming her and the Carrows without breaking a sweat.
His knowledge of the Dark Arts was encyclopedic because he’d spent years studying them, and his defensive magic was so advanced that even Dumbledore trusted him implicitly. Snape had countless opportunities to strike at Voldemort but chose the long game instead, serving as Dumbledore’s spy and Harry’s secret protector.
If Snape had ever chosen direct confrontation, his intimate knowledge of dark magic combined with his strategic brilliance and sheer skill could have been absolutely devastating. He was always the most dangerous person in any room, Voldemort just never realized it.
2. Gellert Grindelwald
Jamie Campbell Bower, Michael Byrne, Johnny Depp, and Mads Mikkelsen have all tackled Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter films, showing us the wizard who terrorized the world before Voldemort was even born.
Grindelwald was considered the most dangerous dark wizard of his era, and that’s not hyperbole. It took Dumbledore himself to stop him in 1945. He possessed the Elder Wand during his reign and commanded dark magic on a scale that rivaled anything Voldemort achieved.
Here’s what’s fascinating: when Voldemort came looking for information about the Elder Wand, Grindelwald refused to give it up even under torture. That shows he held no fear of the Dark Lord whatsoever.
A post shared by Jeremyth vargas (@jeremyth_vm)
Grindelwald’s vision for wizard supremacy was more sophisticated than Voldemort’s pure-blood mania. He wanted to rule over Muggles, not exterminate them. Had these two dark wizards met in their primes, the magical confrontation would’ve been catastrophic! We’re talking potential extinction-level event.
Grindelwald ultimately showed a capacity for remorse that Voldemort never possessed, and in the magical world, that’s not just philosophical, it’s a genuine power advantage. The previous Dark Lord could’ve ended the next one, but fate and prison bars got in the way.
1. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
Michael Gambon, Richard Harris, and Jude Law all embodied the greatest wizard of the age, and Albus Dumbledore absolutely deserves the top spot on this list. He was explicitly stated to be the only wizard Voldemort truly feared, and that legendary duel in the Ministry of Magic proved why.
Dumbledore simultaneously battled Voldemort, protected Harry, and restrained himself from using lethal magic (basically fighting with one hand tied behind his back), and he still dominated the encounter. Voldemort fled.
As Headmaster of Hogwarts and possessor of the Elder Wand for decades, Dumbledore had both the power and opportunity to end Voldemort multiple times. So why didn’t he? Strategy.
Albus Dumbledore like you've never seen it before: using Twitter.
Illustration by @Fausto_Giurescu for The Rowling Library Magazine. pic.twitter.com/MiUa8BbTzJ
Dumbledore understood that the Horcruxes made Voldemort functionally immortal, so killing him would be temporary at best. More importantly, he recognized that Harry needed to be the one to face Voldemort because of the prophecy and their unique connection. Dumbledore’s greatest strength was his wisdom in knowing when not to act.
He orchestrated events like a chess master, ensuring that it would be permanent and complete when Voldemort finally fell. Could Dumbledore have killed Voldemort? Absolutely. But he was playing a longer, more complex game that required sacrifice, planning, and faith in a teenage boy with his mother’s eyes.
The wizarding world was packed with magical powerhouses who, through circumstances, choices, or just plain bad luck, never dealt Lord Voldemort the killing blow. Some lacked courage, others lacked opportunity, and a few understood that beating Voldemort required more than magical muscle; it needed sacrifice, love, and destiny. Ultimately, it took Harry Potter, a seventeen-year-old willing to die, to finally end the Dark Lord’s reign of terror.
What do you think? Did we miss any powerful wizards who could’ve taken down Voldemort? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!
And if you’re ready to revisit the magic, all eight Harry Potter films are currently streaming on Max (HBO Max). In contrast, the Fantastic Beasts films are available on various platforms, including Peacock and Amazon Prime Video. Time for a rewatch?
