Death Eater

Death Eaters

Lord Voldemort (centre) with Bellatrix Lestrange (left), Lucius Malfoy (right) and several masked Death Eaters (back) in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Universe	Harry Potter
Founded	Term first used in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, members of organisation appeared in first three series entries.
Location	Riddle House [HP4] Malfoy Manor [HP7] Forbidden Forest [HP7]
Leader	Lord Voldemort
Key people	Bellatrix Lestrange Lucius Malfoy Severus Snape
Purpose	Preservation of blood purity, control of wizarding world, dominance of magical people over Muggles
Powers	Dark magic
Affiliations	Werewolves Inferi Giants Ministry of Magic [HP7]
Enemies	Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix Dumbledore's Army Ministry of Magic Auror Office

Death Eaters are fictional characters in the Harry Potter series of novels and films. They are a group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who seek to purify the Wizarding community by eliminating the Muggle-borns (wizards or witches born to non-magical parents) and half-bloods, which are created when a muggle and wizard or witch mate. They also try to create a new order through the Ministry of Magic and spread fear throughout the Wizarding community by terrorising and killing important officials and other enemies of the Death Eaters, chiefly the members of the Order of the Phoenix.

Death Eaters recognise one another by the Dark Mark on their left forearm, a sign created by Voldemort to summon him instantly to them or vice versa. Their typical attire includes black hooded robes and masks. The Death Eaters, as a group, first appeared in the novel Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, although individual members of the group, such as Lucius Malfoy, Peter Pettigrew, and Severus Snape, had appeared in earlier books in the series.

Synopsis

Death Eaters are wizards and witches who are led by Lord Voldemort. Some, like Bellatrix Lestrange, are the kind of Death Eaters that Voldemort is most close to. Death Eaters have a Dark Mark on their forearm, that Voldemort can use to summon all of the Death Eaters. When Voldemort failed to kill Harry Potter, he lost his powers and was upset when he returned because no Death Eater had come looking for him.

Pre-Harry Potter

The Death Eaters first existed 11 years before the events of the books, torturing and murdering Muggles (non-magical humans) as well as anyone who opposed them or was believed to have information which could aid in or harm their rise to power. They also did this to people who were blood traitors (wizards and witches who favoured the Muggles and Muggle-born). Around 10 years after the Death Eaters first surfaced, a Seer named Sybill Trelawney made a prophecy about a boy who would have the power to defeat Voldemort forever. The prophecy could have referred to two different boys, Harry Potter or Neville Longbottom; however, Voldemort chose Harry as said in the prophecy, that "the Dark Lord would mark him as his equal". As Voldemort was a half-blood, he chose his "equal", Harry, whose mother was a Muggle-born witch, instead of Neville, who came from a long line of pure-blooded wizards. Acting on information from James and Lily Potter's Secret-Keeper Peter Pettigrew, Voldemort attempted to complete the prophecy and kill his infant rival. Due to Harry's mother's sacrifice to save her son, Voldemort's deadly curse rebounded off Harry and disembodied Voldemort.

With Voldemort vanquished after failing to kill Harry, the Death Eaters largely disbanded. The Ministry rounded many of them up and imprisoned them in the Wizarding prison Azkaban, but some eluded justice by claiming they were bewitched by the Imperius Curse (it is implied that Lucius Malfoy did so) or by turning in other Death Eaters, as Igor Karkaroff did; Harry witnesses Karkaroff's testimony against former Death Eaters in Albus Dumbledore's Pensieve during the course of the series. It appears that very few Death Eaters stood for their fallen master and proudly went to Azkaban for him (like Bellatrix Lestrange), since, in the sixth book, Snape states that if Voldemort had refused to welcome back all those who turned their backs on him when he fell, then he would have very few followers. The Lestranges are the only three Death Eaters known to have willingly sacrificed their freedom for Voldemort. This is something that does not go unnoticed by him, as he claims, when he returns, that they will be recompensed for their loyalty.

Re-emergence

Early in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire a group of Death Eaters rallies after the Quidditch World Cup. They gather to form a large spectacle and disturbance which spreads instant chaos and fear amongst the wizarding community. Their appearance alone creates hysteria, and their numbers grow while they torture muggles and muggle borns on site. It virtually concludes when the Dark Mark is produced in the sky by Barty Crouch Jr.

Voldemort, having regained his full strength at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, summoned his followers to him by touching Peter Pettigrew's Dark Mark. Except for Severus Snape (staying at Hogwarts to "maintain his cover"), those dead, imprisoned, or afraid to return, the majority returned to his service as Voldemort began his second attempt to claim power.

Voldemort states on page 441 of the US edition of "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" at his rebirth, "And here we have six missing Death Eaters...three dead in my service. One, too cowardly to return...he will pay. One, who I believe has left me forever...he will be killed, of course...and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already reentered my service." Based on later happenings in the books, it can be deduced that the one "too cowardly to return" is Igor Karkaroff. The one "who I believe has left me forever" is Severus Snape, who returns 2 hours later to explain his absence and convince Voldemort that he is a spy for him. The "most faithful servant" is Barty Crouch Jr., who has already been in place at Hogwarts working for Voldemort. The 3 dead include: Evan Rosier and Wilkes. It is rumoured that Regulus Black could be the third, since Voldemort did not yet know of his defection.

The Minister for Magic (Cornelius Fudge) deluded himself into believing that Voldemort could not have come back and that it was all a lie cooked up by Dumbledore, who Fudge believed had designs on his political office. The Death Eaters use this tactical advantage throughout Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to maintain their secrecy. Because of the Ministry's refusal to remove the Dementors from Azkaban, which Dumbledore advised immediately following Voldemort's return, the Death Eaters recruited the Dementors to their cause and made similar progress with the giants; the Dementors' revolt against the Ministry of Magic also allowed the Death Eaters to bolster their ranks with the mass break-out of several imprisoned Death Eaters, including Bellatrix.

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort sent a group of twelve Death Eaters, led by Lucius Malfoy, into the Department of Mysteries, where he expected them to secure a Prophecy of vital importance to him: having originally attacked Harry based upon a partial recounting of it, he now wanted to hear the full version to better, or even fully, understand the connection between Harry and himself. The raid on the Department failed, however; Harry and his friends delayed the Death Eaters and kept the Prophecy out of their hands, finally destroying it, and were eventually aided by Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. Dumbledore captured eleven of the twelve Death Eaters, sending Voldemort and Bellatrix fleeing after a fierce duel with the former, and ending the Death Eaters' enjoyed secrecy. Lucius, who had been important both to the Death Eaters and within the Ministry, was captured and imprisoned. However, the Death Eaters regrouped, assassinating and kidnapping important wizards, killing Muggles, and in general spreading terror and chaos through the Wizarding world. Soon after Lucius' capture, his son Draco is made a Death Eater, and given the task of killing Dumbledore, although this task is eventually performed by Snape.

Towards the end of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the Death Eaters attacked Hogwarts for the first time, leading to the death of Dumbledore and injuries to several of the school's defenders. A second, more deadly attack near the conclusion of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows resulted in over 50 deaths, including Voldemort, who died when the Killing Curse he threw at Harry rebounded on him. Voldemort's death signalled the end of the Death Eaters.

Ideology

The Death Eaters practice illegal and dangerous spells known as dark magic. Their ideology is of racial supremacy. They believe wizards are, as a genealogy book within the story phrases it, "Nature's Nobility"; other magical creatures and the non-magical are inferior and should be subjugated. Within the wizarding community, only those who are born to wizard parents are worthy of magical power, despite the fact that parentage does not in fact determine who possess such powers. They categorise wizards according to blood purity; "pure bloods", or wizard borns, out-rank "half-bloods" (mixed parentage) and "mudbloods", a derogatory name for those born to non-magical parents (muggles); though mostly they seek complete power and control over the entire Wizarding world, wishing to restrict leadership to a small band of pure-bloods. The Death Eaters not only seek the restoration of pure-blood rule over the Wizarding community, but also the eventual subjugation of the Muggle community under Wizarding rule.

In reality, the idea of blood purity is a misnomer – Voldemort himself is a half-blood – and it is unlikely that all of them could be pure-bloods, as very few, if any, such people could exist given the small gene pool. (In the second movie, Hagrid observes in the course of explaining the term "mudblood" to Harry, Ron, and Hermione that the very concept of pure-bloods is " ... codswallop, to boot. 'Dirty blood!' Why, there isn't a wizard alive today that's not half-blood or less.") In Half-Blood Prince, Rowling depicts the Gaunts as a family who are obsessed with their ancestry and driven to inbreeding to preserve its integrity. Rowling has stated on her website that there are no true pure-blood families left but that those who call themselves such simply strike Muggles, Squibs, and half-bloods from their family records.

The Death Eaters have also attacked pure-bloods who oppose them. Examples of this are pure-blooded members of the Order of the Phoenix such as Sirius Black, the Prewett brothers who were murdered because of their loyalties or the entire Weasley family. Such people are often called "blood traitors" by those who subscribe to Death Eater ideologies. On the other hand, Rowling has said that a Muggle-born wizard can become a Death Eater "in rare circumstances". They are also not above recruiting creatures they deem inferior, as proven by werewolf Fenrir Greyback and the giant clan from continental Europe, as long as they help further the larger Death Eater agenda.

Death Eaters and their crimes

The following characters are Death Eaters identified by name during the series, and the crimes they committed.

Character	Background and known crimes
Avery	Claimed to have been under the Imperius Curse to avoid prison. Voldemort tortured him during his rebirth ritual. Participated in the break-in at the Department of Mysteries, and later escaped Azkaban. He also wrongly told Voldemort that anyone could take the prophecy from the Department of Mysteries contrary to the fact that those concerned could do it. This once again causes him to be punished by Voldemort.
Regulus Black	Defected when he discovered that Voldemort was creating horcruxes and testing the defences surrounding one of the horcruxes on his house elf, Kreacher. Later killed by Inferi while removing the Horcrux Kreacher had helped Voldemort hide.
Alecto and Amycus Carrow	Assaulted people within Hogwarts. Tortured students while teaching at Hogwarts. Also were on the top of the tower when Dumbledore was killed. Defeated before the Battle of Hogwarts by Harry Potter and Minerva McGonagall.
Crabbe Sr	Vincent Crabbe's father. Present at Voldemort's rebirth. Participated in the break-in at the Department of Mysteries, and later escaped Azkaban.
Barty Crouch Jr	Participated in the torture and the permanent incapacitation of Frank and Alice Longbottom using the Cruciatus Curse. Escaped Azkaban after the latter crime. Delivered Harry Potter to Voldemort. Impersonated Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody using Polyjuice Potion. Murdered his father, Barty Crouch Senior. Stunned Fleur Delacour and performed the Imperius Curse on Viktor Krum. Was hidden by his father and house elf. Later received the Dementor's Kiss.
Antonin Dolohov	One of Voldemort's earliest supporters. Helped murder Gideon and Fabian Prewett. Tortured countless Muggles and non-supporters of Voldemort. Escaped prison fourteen years later to rejoin Voldemort. Seriously injured Hermione Granger and Alastor Moody with unknown curses in the break-in at the Department of Mysteries, and later escaped Azkaban. Attacked Harry, Ron, and Hermione in Tottenham Court Road with Thorfinn Rowle, but failed to harm them. Killed Remus Lupin during the Battle of Hogwarts. Later defeated by Flitwick.
Gibbon	Assaulted people within Hogwarts. He fired the dark mark into the sky the night Dumbledore is killed. Accidentally killed by fellow Death Eater Thorfinn Rowle.
Goyle Sr	Gregory Goyle's father. Present at Voldemort's rebirth.
Fenrir Greyback	Known as the most savage werewolf, favoured hunting and attacking young children. Seriously maimed Bill Weasley and Lavender Brown. Part of the Snatcher Gang that captured Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Participated in the Battle of Hogwarts where he is knocked down by Professor Trelawney who drops a crystal ball on his head from the top of a tower. Later he is brought down by Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom. Was responsible for turning Remus Lupin into a werewolf.
Jugson	Participated at the battle in the Department of Mysteries and later escaped Azkaban.
Igor Karkaroff	Captured and imprisoned in Azkaban. Later released for providing information on fellow Death Eaters, including Barty Crouch, Jr. Became Headmaster of Durmstrang. After Voldemort's rebirth went into hiding but was later found murdered.
Bellatrix Lestrange	Voldemort's most fanatically devoted servant. Participated in the torture and the permanent incapacitation of Frank and Alice Longbottom using the Cruciatus Curse. Escaped prison fourteen years later to rejoin Voldemort. Tortured Neville Longbottom, seriously injured Nymphadora Tonks, and murdered Sirius Black in the break-in at the Department of Mysteries. Tortured Hermione Granger and Griphook, and murdered Dobby at Malfoy Manor. Murdered Tonks and attempted to murder Ginny Weasley while duelling her, Hermione and Luna during the Battle of Hogwarts. Subsequently killed by Molly Weasley.
Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange	Participated in the torture and the permanent incapacitation of Frank and Alice Longbottom using the Cruciatus Curse. Escaped prison fourteen years later to rejoin Voldemort. Participated in the break-in at the Department of Mysteries, and again escaped from Azkaban. Rodolphus Lestrange is the husband of Bellatrix Lestrange.
Walden Macnair	Employed as an executioner for the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures; attempted to execute Buckbeak but failed as the hippogriff was freed. Present at Voldemort's rebirth. Persuaded the giants to join forces with the Death Eaters. Participated at the break-in at the Department of Mysteries, and later escaped Azkaban after the latter crime. Also participated at the Battle of Hogwarts. He was thrown across the room by Hagrid, leaving him unconscious.
Draco Malfoy	Carried out two failed assassination attempts on Albus Dumbledore; unintentionally poisoning Ron Weasley with mead and gravely injuring Katie Bell with a cursed necklace. Provided the means for Death Eaters to enter Hogwarts. Imperioused Madam Rosmerta. Tortured fellow Death Eater Thorfinn Rowle on Voldemort's orders. Participated at the Battle of Hogwarts. He is played by Tom Felton in the Harry Potter movies. In the epilogue he is shown to have married Astoria Greengrass, with one son, Scorpius Malfoy.
Lucius Malfoy	For some time, one of the most influential Death Eaters. Gave Voldemort's school diary to Ginny Weasley. Threatened school governors. Attempted to attack Harry Potter after losing his house-elf, Dobby. Tortured a Muggle family and participated in a violent rampage at the Quidditch World Cup. Present for Voldemort's rebirth. Placed Order of the Phoenix member Sturgis Podmore and Department of Mysteries employee Broderick Bode under the Imperius Curse to attempt to capture the prophecy for his master. Headed the operation in the Department of Mysteries, and later escaped Azkaban after the latter crime. Numerous counts of bribery. Father of Draco Malfoy. Husband of Narcissa Malfoy.
Mulciber	Specialised in the Imperius Curse. Escaped Azkaban fourteen years later to rejoin Voldemort. Participated in the break-in at the Department of Mysteries, and again escaped from Azkaban. Also performed a dangerous hex on Mary McDonald while at Hogwarts.
Nott Sr	Theodore Nott's father. Rowling mentions on her website that he is an elderly widower. Present at Voldemort's rebirth. Participated in the break-in at the Department of Mysteries, and later escaped Azkaban.
Peter Pettigrew	He is an unregistered Animagus and can turn into a rat. This rat was Ron's pet (named Scabbers), until Prisoner of Azkaban, when his true identity was revealed. Spied on the Order of the Phoenix for Voldemort. Betrayed the Potters as their Secret-Keeper. Framed Sirius Black for the betrayal and death of James and Lily Potter. Murdered twelve Muggles in the process of faking his own death and cutting off of his finger. Murdered Cedric Diggory. Assisted Voldemort in creating a new body, voluntarily amputating his right hand in the process; and was gifted a magical silver hand in return by Voldemort. Was killed by said magically crafted hand when he acknowledged a life debt to Harry by hesitating to murder him in Deathly Hallows.
Augustus Rookwood	A former Unspeakable that acted as though he was aiding the anti-Voldemort cause, but was revealed as a double agent, gaining information from Ludo Bagman and other unwitting agents throughout the Ministry. Escaped prison fourteen years later to rejoin Voldemort. Informed his master that Avery's information about Bode being able to steal the prophecy is incorrect. Participated in the break-in at the Department of Mysteries, and later escaped from Azkaban. Participated in the Battle of Hogwarts, his explosion was what killed Fred Weasley and is finally stunned by Aberforth Dumbledore.
Evan Rosier	Destroyed part of Alastor Moody's nose during a fight with Aurors. Killed in the fight.
Thorfinn Rowle	Assaulted people within Hogwarts and accidentally killed the Death Eater Gibbon. Attacked Harry, Ron and Hermione in Tottenham Court Road, with Antonin Dolohov. Participated at the Battle of Hogwarts.
Scabior	At some point in his life Scabior was imprisoned in Azkaban for undisclosed crimes, but was released sometime prior or following Voldemort's infiltration of the Ministry of Magic. Part of the Snatcher gang that caught and returned Hermione, Harry, and Ron to Malfoy Mansion. Was a Slytherin.
Selwyn	Attacked Rubeus Hagrid and Harry Potter over the Dursleys' house. Tortured Xenophilius Lovegood.
Severus Snape	Gave Voldemort information about Sybill Trelawney's prophecy, which led to the deaths of James and Lily Potter. Killed Dumbledore on the astronomy tower in Half Blood Prince, although it is later revealed that Dumbledore was dying and had asked Snape to kill him. Was killed by Nagini, Voldemort's pet snake and a Horcrux. He and Lily Evans were childhood friends until they grew apart as teenagers. Despite having Voldemort's favour and trust, his unrequited and unconditional love for Lily was such that it caused him to betray Voldemort and become a double agent after Voldemort killed her. Even after her death, he always loved Lily.
Travers	Helped murder the McKinnons. Escaped prison fourteen years later to rejoin Voldemort. Tortured Xenophilius Lovegood. Accompanied Hermione, who was disguised as Bellatrix, to Gringotts. Also participated at the Battle of Hogwarts. Presumably one of those who assaulted persons within Hogwarts, as he was arrested again sometime after the break-out of Azkaban
Wilkes	Killed by Aurors during the first Wizarding War.
Yaxley	Assaulted people within Hogwarts. Placed Imperius Curse on Pius Thicknesse. Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Also participated at the Battle of Hogwarts. Later defeated by Lee Jordan and George Weasley.

Death Eaters

Regulus Black

Regulus Arcturus Black is the younger brother of Sirius Black. According to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, he died "some fifteen years previously" as seen from the perspective of August 1995. As it is common in the Black family, Regulus is named after a bright star, in this case the brightest star in the constellation Leo. Before publication of the final volume of the series, Rowling stated that Regulus was dead, but did not comment on the nature of his demise. She also remarked in an interview: "Regulus got in a little too deep. Like Draco. He was attracted to it, but the reality of what it meant was way too much to handle." Sirius described him as his parents' favourite son because he accepted their ideas about blood purity. Regulus is sorted into the Slytherin House and played Seeker on its Quidditch team. He joins the Death Eaters at the age of sixteen but later has a change of heart.

The Blacks' house-elf, Kreacher, reveals to Harry and his friends in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that he was ordered by Regulus to assist Voldemort in hiding a locket. Kreacher was forced to drink the potion protecting the locket to test its effectiveness. The potion (the same one that Dumbledore drank in that same cave) causes horrible memories or thoughts to be relived, intense stomach pain and dehydration. Kreacher was forced to go to the Inferi-infested water and drink and was saved only by the fact that house-elf Apparition works differently from wizard Apparition. When Kreacher tells Regulus what has transpired, Regulus forces the elf to take him to the cave. While there, Regulus, instead of forcing Kreacher to drink, drinks the entire potion himself and switches the locket for a fake one. Before being dragged underwater and killed by Inferi, Regulus tells Kreacher to destroy the original locket. Regulus deduced that the locket was a Horcrux due to Voldemort's dropping various hints about having made them, in his arrogance believing that nobody would hunt them down and destroy them. Many years after his sacrifice, Kreacher revealed that he was still loyal to Regulus's memory, even leading the House-Elves of Hogwarts in the Battle of Hogwarts in Regulus's name.

Regulus appears in a photograph owned by Horace Slughorn in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, played by Thomas Moorcroft.

Alecto and Amycus Carrow

Alecto and Amycus Carrow are siblings who participate in the assault on Hogwarts at the end of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Amycus is described as being squat and lumpy, with a lopsided leer and a wheezy giggle; Alecto is described as a "stocky little woman" and shares her brother's squatness and laugh. It is said that after Voldemort's first downfall, they believed that he was gone forever.

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Alecto and Amycus become "teachers" at Hogwarts, severely disciplining students who oppose Voldemort. Amycus teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts, but as Neville Longbottom puts it, it becomes just "The Dark Arts" in which students are forced to perform the Cruciatus Curse against students who have been assigned to detention. Alecto teaches Muggle Studies, which becomes a compulsory subject, and teaches students that Muggles are like animals. Right before the Battle of Hogwarts, Alecto waits in Ravenclaw Tower on Voldemort's orders, preparing to capture Harry, but is stunned by Luna Lovegood after touching her Dark Mark to summon Voldemort. Amycus, after seeing what happened, tries to conspire with Minerva McGonagall who helped him into the room to offer some Ravenclaw students as sacrifices to Voldemort while planning to use the lie that Ravenclaws had ambushed Alecto and forced her to press her Dark Mark. McGonagall refuses and argues with Amycus, who spits in her face. Enraged at this, Harry casts the Cruciatus Curse, with such power that Amycus passes out. Later, McGonagall places the Imperius Curse on him, then binds him with his sister and places him inside a net.

Ralph Ineson plays Amycus, and Suzie Toase appears as Alecto.

Barty Crouch, Jr

Bartemius "Barty" Crouch, Junior was captured with the Lestranges, who tortured Frank and Alice Longbottom, parents of Neville Longbottom, into insanity. His father, Barty Crouch, Sr., who headed the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the time, sentenced him to life imprisonment in Azkaban. However, he later rescues his son as a favour to his dying wife. When they visit him in Azkaban, Mrs. Crouch used Polyjuice Potion to switch appearances with her son, enabling him to escape while she remains in his place. When she dies, she is buried under his identity. Crouch Jr. is nursed back to health by Winky, the family's house-elf.

To prevent him from returning to Voldemort's service, Crouch Sr. controls his son with the Imperius Curse and keeps him hidden under an invisibility cloak. When Bertha Jorkins discovers the truth, the news reaches Voldemort, who rescues Crouch Jr. and puts Crouch Sr. under the Imperius Curse. Crouch Jr. then imprisons Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, a famous auror, and using Polyjuice Potion assumes Moody's appearance and position to infiltrate Hogwarts as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Despite not being a real teacher, Crouch Jr. does a fair job and the class learns vast amounts from him. Crouch Sr. escapes and, exhausted and delirious from the Imperius Curse, reaches Hogwarts to tell Dumbledore about Voldemort's return; but his loyal Death-Eater son murders him on the castle grounds, Transfigures the body into a bone, and buries the bone in freshly turned earth in front of Hagrid's cabin.

The revived Triwizard Tournament is held at Hogwarts, and Voldemort tasks Crouch Jr. with making sure Harry wins. To do so, he bewitches Viktor Krum to attack Cedric Diggory in the maze and stunned Fleur Delacour. When Harry and Cedric simultaneously touch the Triwizard Cup, which is a portkey, it transports them to the graveyard in Little Hangleton, home of the Riddle family. There, after killing Cedric Death Eater Peter Pettigrew uses Harry's blood in a ritual that re-embodies Voldemort. The Dark Lord attempts to kill Harry, but with the help of the ghost-echoes from Voldemort's wand, Harry escapes via the Portkey.

When Harry reappears at Hogwarts, the still-disguised Crouch Jr. hopes to succeed where his master failed; but Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall foil his plot. Under the effects of Veritaserum, he recounts his plan to them. Although he is closely guarded so he can later repeat his testimony, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge has a Dementor suck out Crouch's soul to silence him before he can be brought to trial and confirm Voldemort's return. He lives bereft of his memories or sense of self.

He is played by David Tennant in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire .

Antonin Dolohov

Antonin Dolohov has a long, pale, and twisted face, with a name that suggests he is of a Slavic nationality. He is confirmed in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince to be one of Voldemort's first Death Eaters, being present at the Hog's Head when Voldemort comes to Hogwarts to request a teaching position and hide the diadem Horcrux, c. 1956. This makes him at least sixty years old at the time of the battle in the Department of Mysteries. Dolohov is one of the five Death Eaters who murder Gideon and Fabian Prewett (Molly Weasley's brothers). He also tortures many Muggles and opponents of Voldemort during the first war. Dolohov is imprisoned in Azkaban but escapes during the mass break-out.

He participates in the battle of the Department of Mysteries, where he causes injury to Hermione, but is imprisoned again, and returns to Azkaban prison. He escapes once more some time before the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. He tracks Harry, Ron, and Hermione to a Muggle cafe after they use Voldemort's name (which had recently been made taboo). He and his companion Rowle are stunned, and have their memories erased by Hermione and then are punished by Voldemort. Dolohov participates in the Battle of Hogwarts, killing Remus Lupin, whom Aberforth Dumbledore last sees fighting with him. He is also seen dueling with Dean Thomas until Parvati Patil uses the Body-bind Curse on him. Dolohov and Yaxley are later sent to look for Harry, and they mistakenly thought the boy would not give himself up. When the battle recommences, Professor Flitwick finally defeats him.

He is portrayed by Arben Bajraktaraj in the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.

Fenrir Greyback

Fenrir Greyback is a werewolf who is involved with the Death Eaters. He works alongside Lord Voldemort because Lord Voldemort promises fairness to werewolves around the country. He does not carry the Dark Mark as he is not a Death Eater. He is known as the most savage werewolf ever to live and is greatly feared throughout the wizarding world. He positions himself close to his victims when the moon is almost full. To fulfil his agenda of creating as many werewolves as possible, Greyback has infected scores of people including the young Remus Lupin, when Lupin's father had angered Greyback. Greyback is known for targeting young children. Unlike most werewolves, Greyback thirsts for blood even in his human form. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Greyback first appears on the night of Dumbledore's death, when he attacks Harry and badly scars Bill Weasley. Although Greyback does not transmit his lycanthropy because he was in human form at the time, Bill is subsequently shown to display a preference for very rare meat.

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Greyback leads a Snatcher gang – Dark wizards looking for Muggle-borns and "Undesirables" in exchange for gold. When Harry accidentally uses Voldemort's name after it has been made taboo, Greyback is alerted and his gang attacks their camp. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are kidnapped by the Snatchers and are taken to Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix Lestrange promises Hermione to Greyback in return for his services, but the prisoners fight their way out and escape, Greyback being hit by a triple Stunning Spell. Greyback is the main werewolf within the pack that agrees to aid Voldemort in the Battle of Hogwarts. During the battle, Hermione, using a blasting curse, prevents Greyback from attacking injured Lavender Brown, and a crystal ball thrown by Professor Trelawney stuns him. He rejoins the battle in time for the Death Eaters' last stand, when Ron Weasley and Neville Longbottom combine forces to take him down by magic.

Dave Legeno portrayed Greyback in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. He reprised the role in both parts of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Fenrir is the name of a powerful wolf in Norse mythology.

Igor Karkaroff

Igor Karkaroff (Cyrillic: Игорь Каркаров) is the Headmaster at Durmstrang Institute, one of the three schools (together with Hogwarts and Beauxbatons Academy) that enter the Triwizard Tournament. As Headmaster, Karkaroff is also one of the judges. He is described as a neat, fussy-looking man with an oily voice and manner who sports a small grey goatee. While unctuously pleasant most of the time, he is capable of violent rage. He is also described as a man with yellowish teeth whose smile does not reach his cold stare. Karkaroff is angered and threatens to withdraw from the tournament when Harry is selected as a fourth champion and second representative for Hogwarts. Although he is talked down and agrees to stay, he nevertheless shows evident favouritism towards the Durmstrang champion, Bulgarian Quidditch player Viktor Krum. Sirius Black later identifies Karkaroff as a former Death Eater. Karkaroff was captured by Auror Alastor Moody and imprisoned in Azkaban. Karkaroff later told the Ministry of Magic that he had seen the error of his ways, and "named names", putting many people in Azkaban in exchange for his freedom. Karkaroff is thus also hated by the Death Eaters. Karkaroff's history gives him a connection with Snape, also a former Death Eater. Karkaroff interrupts a Potions lesson demanding to talk to Snape, and shows him his Dark Mark reappearing. Igor also apparently has an unpleasant history with Alastor Moody, and tries to avoid him unsuccessfully for the entirety of the tournament, not knowing that it is Barty Crouch Jr in disguise. At the end of the novel, following Voldemort's return, Karkaroff goes into hiding, leaving behind his student charges at Durmstrang. In the sixth novel, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Remus Lupin states that Karkaroff was found dead in a shack with the Dark Mark hovering over it, an indication that he was killed by other Death Eaters. Lupin also expresses surprise that Karkaroff managed to live even a year after deserting Voldemort which no one else known to avoid capture quite as long.

Predrag Bjelac appeared as Karkaroff in the film adaptation of Goblet of Fire.

Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix Lestrange is the first female Death Eater introduced in the books. She was introduced in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. She is the most faithful member of Voldemort's inner circle. She is described as being highly attractive yet emaciated due to her time in Azkaban. Bellatrix is portrayed as paranoid and fanatically devoted to Voldemort, seeing service to him as the noblest duty for any true wizard or witch. She takes an obvious pleasure in acts of torture and cruelty, as demonstrated when she kills her cousin, Sirius Black. She is a witch of prodigious ability, as demonstrated by her many victories in duels against other characters, and as noted by Harry in the final book. Her wand is walnut, 12 3/4 inches, dragon heartstring, unyielding and according to Ollivander should be treated carefully.

Bellatrix was born Bellatrix Black to Cygnus Black and Druella Rosier in the year 1951 and has two sisters, Andromeda (who was disowned by the family for marrying Muggle-born Ted Tonks, and was consequently blasted off the Family Tree) and Narcissa. She is also a first cousin to Sirius and Regulus Black, and an aunt to Draco Malfoy and Nymphadora Tonks. Bellatrix married Rodolphus Lestrange after leaving Hogwarts because it was "expected of her to marry a pure-blood". However, the marriage was loveless, and Rowling stated in an interview that Bellatrix's true love was Voldemort. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Rowling uses Dumbledore's Pensieve as a plot device to reveal that Bellatrix, rather than deserting Voldemort after his downfall like many other Death Eaters, was part of the group – along with Barty Crouch Jr, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange – that tortured the respected Aurors Frank and Alice Longbottom (Neville Longbottom's parents) in an attempt to gain information about Voldemort's location. For using the Unforgivable Cruciatus Curse to torture the Longbottoms to insanity, Bellatrix and her three associates were sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban. During the trial, she said Voldemort would rise again and reward them. When Voldemort has his body renewed, he reflects that the Lestranges went to Azkaban rather than renounce him and that they will be deeply rewarded when Azkaban is broken open.

Several months after her master's resurrection, Bellatrix is one of the many Death Eaters who escapes Azkaban and rejoins him. She is present at the battle of the Department of Mysteries in the climax of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, in which a group of Death Eaters attempt to steal Sybill Trelawney's prophecy pertaining to Voldemort's downfall. Rowling demonstrates Bellatrix's ability during the mission when she overpowers her niece Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt in one-on-one duels, kills her cousin Sirius by blasting him through the veil in the Death Chamber, and deflects one of Dumbledore's spells as she makes her escape; this demonstrates her prodigious ability. Harry attempts to use the Cruciatus Curse on her in revenge for killing Sirius, but the curse is ineffective due to the lack of real cruelty behind it. Voldemort suddenly appears but moments later, Bellatrix is subdued by Dumbledore in the Ministry of Magic's Atrium as he prepares to duel Voldemort. Unable to overcome Dumbledore, Voldemort rescues Bellatrix by disapparating with her.

At the beginning of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Bellatrix attempts to keep Narcissa from confiding Draco's secret mission to Snape at Spinner's End, and she is furious to learn that Snape already knows about the plan. Rowling used the conversation between Snape and Bellatrix to imply that Voldemort is still furious at Bellatrix's failure in the previous book. That conversation also suggests that Bellatrix mistrusts Snape not only because of his low birth, but also for many valid questions about his loyalty to the Dark Lord. Snape surprises Bellatrix by replying to each of her arguments and by agreeing to create an Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa to assist Draco in his mission to assassinate Dumbledore. Later in the book, it is mentioned by Snape that Bellatrix had been teaching Occlumency to Draco, in an effort to aid him with his mission. In the film, she and Fenrir Greyback arrive at the Burrow (the Weasley house) and burn it down. Harry and Ginny chase after them, with Bellatrix taunting "I killed Sirius Black!". In the film, she is one of several Death Eaters smuggled into Hogwarts using a pair of Vanishing Cabinets to assassinate Dumbledore, though she does not take part in this mission in the book.

The first chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows implies that Voldemort has to forgive Bellatrix for her failure, as he mocks her with the fact that her niece Tonks married werewolf Remus Lupin. However, Voldemort gives Bellatrix a chance to "prune" her family tree during the Death Eaters' attempt to capture Harry as the boy departs from the Dursleys' home; during the attack, Bellatrix devotes much of her energies in efforts to kill Tonks, but is unsuccessful. In this book, Bellatrix inadvertently reveals she is the guardian of Helga Hufflepuff's cup, when the captured Harry, Ron, and Hermione are brought to Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix then tortures Hermione with the Cruciatus Curse, believing them to have sneaked into her vault at Gringotts due to their possession of Godric Gryffindor's Sword, but Dobby appears and saves the prisoners, though not before being hit by a knife thrown by Bellatrix as they disapparate to safety. Later in the book, Harry, Ron, and Hermione use a stray hair of Bellatrix's to disguise Hermione as Bellatrix using Polyjuice Potion, to gain access to the Lestranges' Gringotts vault. Though Voldemort apparently punishes Bellatrix and the Malfoys severely for interrupting his hunt for Elder Wand only to have Potter escape and steal the cup, she nevertheless fights for her master in the Battle of Hogwarts towards the end of the novel. Rowling stated in an interview that, during the battle, it was Bellatrix who killed Tonks. When the battle resumes inside the Great Hall after Harry's supposed death, Bellatrix simultaneously duels with Hermione, Ginny, and Luna, proving more than a match for all three, and nearly hits Ginny with a Killing Curse. An enraged Molly Weasley engages Bellatrix and fires a curse that hits Bellatrix right over the heart, killing her. Rowling has stated that she had Molly kill Bellatrix to show Molly's great powers as a witch and to confront Molly's consumption with "maternal love" and Bellatrix's obsession with Voldemort.

In the film series, Bellatrix is played by Helena Bonham Carter.

IGN listed Bellatrix Lestrange as their tenth top Harry Potter character, and IGN's Joe Utichi listed Bellatrix as his fourth favourite Harry Potter character, calling her the "most pitiable" of Voldemort's servants. In NextMovie.com's Harry Potter Mega Poll, Bellatrix was voted as the No. 1 villain in the series. Novelist Stephen King notes that Bellatrix being called a "bitch" by Molly after she tries to kill Ginny was "the most shocking bitch in recent fiction", and that it shows how adult the books had become.

Draco Malfoy

Main article: Draco Malfoy

Draco Lucius Malfoy is a character and antagonist in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is a Slytherin student in Harry Potter's year. He is frequently accompanied by his two accomplices, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle, who act as henchmen. Draco is characterised as a cowardly bully who manipulates and hurts people to get what he wants; nevertheless, he is a cunning user of magic. He was played by Tom Felton in the Harry Potter film series.

Lucius Malfoy

Lucius Malfoy is a senior Death Eater and patriarch of a pure-blood Wizarding family; he lives with his wife Narcissa Malfoy (née Black) and their son Draco at the Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire. Lucius is a school governor of Hogwarts before he is sacked, and has very close connections at the Ministry of Magic. To maintain his reputation and influence, he makes donations to the Ministry, to charity, and to St Mungo's Hospital. He was educated at Hogwarts, where he was a prefect in Slytherin House.

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, just before Draco and Harry's second year at Hogwarts, Lucius plants Tom Riddle's diary in Ginny Weasley's potions cauldron while she is shopping for school supplies at Flourish & Blotts, in a plot to use her to reopen the Chamber of Secrets, which would lead to attacks on Muggle-born students. Lucius knows the diary is cleverly enchanted, but is not aware that it is a horcrux containing a part of Voldemort's soul. Lucius intends to use the opening of the Chamber of Secrets by Ginny to discredit her father, Arthur Weasley, and Dumbledore. Lucius' plans are ultimately thwarted with the help of the Malfoys' house-elf Dobby, and Harry, but not before the Chamber is opened and Lucius uses the ensuing terror (and threats to attack their families) to influence the school's Board of Governors to discredit and dismiss Dumbledore as Headmaster. Subsequently, Harry tricks Lucius into setting Dobby free. Upon this, Lucius attempts to attack Harry with his wand but Dobby disarms him before he can do any harm. Lucius is ultimately stripped of his title as a Hogwarts school governor. Despite his sacking, he still maintains strong ties with the Ministry of Magic.

Lucius next appears in the beginning of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire during the Quidditch World Cup, sharing prime seats in the Top Box with Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge. Later in that book, when Voldemort rises again and summons his Death Eaters, Malfoy rejoins him, claiming that he had done everything he could all along to find Voldemort and help him rise again (though Voldemort knows he is lying). Harry, who witnesses Malfoy's declaration of loyalty to Voldemort, tells Minister Fudge, who refuses to believe him, and the wealthy Malfoy continues to maintain strong ties with the Ministry. During the climax of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Malfoy is the leader of the Death Eaters who are sent to retrieve the prophecy from Harry in the Hall of Prophecy. Lucius tries several ways to get the prophecy from Harry without breaking it, but the boy and his friends manage to escape from the Hall. Malfoy finally meets him in the Death Chamber, where Harry is about to give it to Malfoy when the Order of the Phoenix breaks into the Ministry and begins to duel with the Death Eaters. Dumbledore himself arrives at the end of the battle and Malfoy is captured and sent to Azkaban.

By the final book, Voldemort has given Malfoy his freedom, though he looks significantly the worse for wear, having lost Voldemort's favour. Voldemort treats him with great contempt by hijacking his house for Headquarters, and is forcing his son to do dark deeds against his nature, sparking sympathy for the notorious family for the first time in the series. Voldemort also borrows Lucius's wand which is accidentally destroyed by Harry Potter. Later in the book, Lucius, along with his wife and sister-in-law, accidentally allow Harry and his friends to escape from Malfoy Manor. Voldemort punishes them severely, eventually putting them under house arrest. Despite his long-standing position as a Death Eater and Voldemort's advocate of pure-blood supremacy, Lucius has decided his love for his family is more important than his involvement in the war. During the Battle of Hogwarts, he pleads with Voldemort to let him onto the battlefield to locate his son. He and the rest of his family are reunited at the end of the book. Following Voldemort's death, Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco all manage to "weasel their way out" of being sent to Azkaban due to Narcissa's aiding Harry in the Forbidden Forest.

According to Forbes magazine, in 2006, Lucius Malfoy was number 12 on their Forbes Fictional 15 list.

In the film series, Lucius is portrayed by Jason Isaacs as an adult. Scenes with Tony Coburn as a teenage Lucius were cut from the final movie.

IGN listed Lucius as their fifteenth top Harry Potter character, praising Jason Isaacs's portrayal of him.

Peter Pettigrew

Peter Pettigrew, nicknamed Wormtail, is the only Death Eater known to have been in a House other than Slytherin (Gryffindor) while at Hogwarts. There, he was a close friend of Sirius Black, James Potter, and Remus Lupin, although he was the least intelligent and least talented of the group. With Sirius and James' help, Pettigrew becomes an Animagus, with the ability to transform at will into a rat. After leaving Hogwarts, Pettigrew joins forces with Voldemort, and in exchange for his own life becomes Voldemort's spy within the Order of the Phoenix, of which Pettigrew is a member. When the Potters know that their son, Harry, is Voldemort's target, Sirius suggests to them to use Pettigrew as Secret-Keeper because he does not believe Voldemort would ever suspect a "weak, talentless thing" like Pettigrew. Pettigrew betrays the secret to Voldemort, an act that leads to James and Lily's death (and ironically, Voldemort's near-destruction). Sirius seeks revenge on Pettigrew, but during the confrontation, Pettigrew publicly accuses Sirius of the Potters' deaths, murders twelve Muggles, and cuts off his own index finger before transforming into a rat, thereby framing Sirius for the betrayal of the Potters, as well as for his own murder and that of the bystanders. Pettigrew is "posthumously" awarded the Order of Merlin, and hides during the next twelve years. Wanting to keep an eye on the wizarding world, he masquerades as a rat, first as Percy Weasley's pet, and then as Ron Weasley's. In this form (named "Scabbers" by the family), he is missing a toe from one paw due to the finger he cut off.

Although Pettigrew appears in the first two books in the form of Scabbers, his identity is not revealed until Prisoner of Azkaban. When a photograph of the Weasley family appears in the Daily Prophet newspaper, Sirius recognises Pettigrew's Animagus form and escapes from Azkaban to track him down. The two confront each other in the Shrieking Shack, where Lupin and Black compel "Scabbers" to resume his human form. Pettigrew confesses his treachery, claiming to have committed it only to save his own life. With Sirius and Lupin about to take their revenge, Harry begs Sirius to turn Pettigrew over to the Ministry of Magic instead, to prove Sirius' innocence. Pettigrew escapes while being led out of the Shack when Lupin transforms into a werewolf. Harry's actions result in Pettigrew owing him a life debt.

Pettigrew returns to the service of Voldemort, seeking him out in the forests of Albania and helping him to return to a feeble baby's body. He abducts a Ministry of Magic employee named Bertha Jorkins, who is able to provide Voldemort with valuable information. Pettigrew (almost always referred to as "Wormtail" hereafter) assists Barty Crouch Jr in overpowering Mad-Eye Moody, setting up the events in the fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In the climactic confrontation in that book, Wormtail murders Cedric Diggory on Voldemort's orders, and brews the complex potion to regenerate Voldemort, severing his hand as one of the ingredients. Upon his return to corporeal form, Voldemort replaces Wormtail's missing hand with a silver one that possesses five intact fingers and great strength. Despite his actions, Wormtail's fortunes remain low; in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Snape treats him as a servant, and in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows he is tasked with keeping watch over prisoners in the cellar of Malfoy Manor. While Harry and Ron are being kept there, Wormtail checks on the prisoners and is attacked. Wormtail begins strangling Harry with the silver hand, but when reminded by Harry that he once saved his life, Wormtail hesitates for a moment. The silver hand turns against him and strangles him to death as punishment for his moment of pity.

Pettigrew is portrayed by Timothy Spall as an adult, and by Charles Hughes as a teenager in the films. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, Pettigrew is not strangled to death by his own silver hand in Malfoy Manor as in the book; he is instead struck by Dobby and collapses and is presumably killed. He only appears in a flashback in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.

Rowling has said in an interview that his peers let Pettigrew be their friend in a "slightly patronising way that he turned out to be a much better wizard and much better at hiding secrets than they ever thought he would be."

IGN's Joe Utichi also listed him as his 10th top Harry Potter character.

Severus Snape

Main article: Severus Snape

Severus Snape is, as revealed in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, actually a spy in Voldemort's ranks for Dumbledore. He is characterized as a person of considerable complexity, whose coldly sarcastic and controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. In the first novel of the series, Snape is a teacher who is hostile from the start toward Harry and is built up to be the primary antagonist until the final chapters. As the series progresses, Snape's character becomes more layered and complex. Rowling does not fully reveal the details of his true loyalties until the end of the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Over the course of the series, Snape's portrayal evolves from that of a malicious and partisan teacher to that of a pivotal character of considerable complexity and moral ambiguity.

Yaxley

Yaxley (first name unknown) is the brutal-faced Death Eater who is present in the battle in which Snape killed Dumbledore. He is one of the more prominent Death Eaters, and one of Voldemort's spies in the Ministry of Magic. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Yaxley is invited to Malfoy Manor to witness the murder of Charity Burbage, and argues with Snape about the correct date of Harry's departure from the Dursley's, but John Dawlish, an Auror who is tricked by an Order member, gives him incorrect information. Yaxley announces to an impressed assemblage of Death Eaters that he has placed the Imperius Curse upon Pius Thicknesse, the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He uses Thicknesse to Imperius the other major department heads and they allow Voldemort to murder Rufus Scrimgeour; thus Thicknesse becomes Minister for Magic.

When Harry, Ron, and Hermione, disguised as ministry officials, enter the Ministry to find Slytherin's locket, it is revealed that Yaxley has become Head of Magical Law Enforcement. He also assists Dolores Umbridge in leading the Muggle-Born Registration Commission, and the two seem to have a good relationship, together humiliating the Muggle-borns. Both are immobilised by Harry, but Yaxley recovers and grabs Hermione while she is Apparating her friends to safety. Yaxley arrives with them at Grimmauld Place, allowing him to reveal their headquarters to the Death Eaters, but not to the location that the trio subsequently Apparate to.

He participates in the Battle of Hogwarts, where he duels with Professor Flitwick and is later seen among those who wait with Voldemort for Harry Potter to come to him, mistakenly believing that Harry would not come within the allotted time. When the battle resumes, he is defeated by George Weasley and Lee Jordan.

Peter Mullan plays Yaxley in the film adaptation of Deathly Hallows.

External links

• Death Eaters on Harry Potter Wiki, an external wiki
• The Harry Potter Lexicon item on Death Eaters
• How to pronounce Bellatrix's name at the official Scholastic website
• PotterCast #40: Bag of 'trix – A podcast debating Bellatrix's role in the series
• When Harry Met Osama. Terrorism comes to Hogwarts.