In the fictional world of the
Harry Potter series, the
Death Eaters constitute a group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard
Lord Voldemort, the chief antagonist of the series, who seek to purify the Wizarding community by eliminating the
Muggle-borns (wizards or witches born to non-magical parents). They also try to create a new order through the
Ministry of Magic and cause fear among 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.
According to author J. K. Rowling, the original working title for the Death Eaters was "The Knights of Walpurgis."
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
Pre-Harry Potter
The Death Eaters first existed some twenty years before the events of the books, torturing and murdering anyone who was a Muggle (non-magical), 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. Around ten years after the Death Eaters first surfaced, a Seer named
Sybill Trelawney made a prophecy about one 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 Azkaban, the Wizarding prison, 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. Note that Rabastan, Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange are the only three Death Eaters known to have willingly sacrificed their freedom for Voldemort, something that does not go unnoticed by him as he claims, when he returns, that they will be recompensed for their loyalty.
Re-emergence
Lord 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 those dead, imprisoned, or afraid to return, the majority returned to his service as Lord Voldemort began his second attempt to claim power.
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, whom 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 breakout of several imprisoned Death Eaters.
' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1.]]
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 in order 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 Lestrange 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, killed Muggles, and in general spread terror and chaos through the Wizarding world.
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
While the Death Eaters practice "dark magic", illegal and dangerous spells, their ideology, such as it is, is a version of racial supremacy. They believe wizards are, as a fictional book within the story phrases it, "Nature's Nobility"; other beings and races are inferior and should be subjugated. Within the wizarding community, so they believe, 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 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Rowling depicts the Gaunts as a family who are obsessed with their ancestry and driven to inbreeding to preserve its integrity. J. K. 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 or 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.
Notable 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 water and drink (it was infested by inferi that would drown any drinker)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 bring him to the cave. While there, Regulus, instead of forcing Kreacher to, 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 dropping various hints about having made them, in his arrogance believing that nobody would hunt them down and destroy them.
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 is a Death Eater who is captured with the
Lestranges, who are responsible for torturing Frank and Alice Longbottom, parents of
Neville Longbottom.
His father, who headed the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the time, sentenced him to life imprisonment in
Azkaban. However, Crouch Sr 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.
To prevent him from returning to Voldemort's service, Crouch Sr controls him with the Imperius Curse and keeps him hidden under an invisibility cloak. Crouch Jr is nursed back to health by Winky, the family's house-elf. When Bertha Jorkins discovers the truth, it reaches Voldemort, who rescues Crouch Jr and puts Crouch Sr under the Imperius Curse. Crouch Jr then kidnaps Mad-Eye Moody and, using Polyjuice Potion, assumes Moody's appearance and position as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher to infiltrate Hogwarts. Despite being an imposter, Crouch does a fair job of teaching the students; even student Dean Thomas says that "Moody" is not entirely sane, but the class still learns vast amounts from him. Crouch Sr escapes and reaches Hogwarts to tell Dumbledore about Voldemort's return, but he is exhausted and delirious from escaping the Imperius Curse. His son murders him on Hogwarts grounds.
The revived Triwizard Tournament is held at Hogwarts, and Crouch Jr is tasked with making sure Harry wins. In doing so, he bewitches Victor Krum to attack Cedric Diggory in the maze. He also stunned Fleur Delacour. When Harry, along with Cedric Diggory, touches the Triwizard Cup, it transports them to a graveyard, via portkey. There, Harry's blood is used in a ritual to bring Voldemort back to power. The plan succeeds, but Harry escapes. When Harry returns to Hogwarts, the still-disguised Crouch hopes to succeed where his master failed, but he also is unable to kill Harry, his plot foiled by Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall. Under the effect of Veritaserum, a powerful truth potion, he recounts his plan to them. Although he is closely guarded so he can later repeat his testimony, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge has Crouch's soul sucked out by a Dementor before he can be brought to trial, which prevents him from confirming Voldemort's return. He lives, but few would dare to identify his present condition as "alive" as he has no memories or sense of self.
David Tennant appears as Barty Crouch, Jr in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Antonin Dolohov
Antonin Dolohov has a long, pale, and twisted face. 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 breakout.
He participates in the battle of the Department of Mysteries, where he causes damage 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 a 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, 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, future teacher to Harry Potter and member of the Order of the Phoenix, 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. Fenrir is the name of a powerful wolf in Norse mythology.
In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Greyback first appears on the night of Albus 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 agree 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 part 1 of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and will do so again for part 2.
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. 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.
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, and one of the most faithful members of Voldemort's inner circle. She is described as being highly attractive yet gaunt due to her time in Azkaban and described as having long, straight black hair and dark heavily lidded eyes. Bellatrix is portrayed as paranoid, mentally unstable and fanatically devoted to Voldemort. She takes an obvious pleasure in acts of torture and cruelty. Despite her apparent mental instability, she is a witch of prodigious ability, as demonstrated by all her victories in duels against other characters, and as noted by Harry in the final book.
Bellatrix was born Bellatrix Black to Cygnus Black and Druella Rosier in the year 1951 and has two sisters, Andromeda 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, Rowling stated in an interview that Bellatrix's true love was Voldemort. 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 is raised, he says the Lestranges will be deeply rewarded when Azkaban is broken open.
Fourteen years after Voldemort's fall, Bellatrix is one of the many Death Eaters who escaped Azkaban and rejoined 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 let Bellatrix prove her magical powers 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. 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. Before she can do any more, Bellatrix is subdued by Dumbledore in the Ministry of Magic's Atrium while Harry duels Voldemort. Voldemort intercedes on Bellatrix's behalf, grabbing her and taking her with him as he Disapparates, though not before being glimpsed by Ministry officials.
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. 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 her with arguments and by agreeing to create an Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa to assist Draco in his mission to kill 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.
The first chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows implies that Voldemort is still angry with Bellatrix, as evidenced when he makes fun of 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 which Bellatrix unsuccessfully tries to kill Tonks. In this book, Rowling reveals that Bellatrix is the guardian of Helga Hufflepuff's cup (though she is unaware of its true nature), which Voldemort has entrusted the Lestranges to keep in their Gringotts vault. Bellatrix and the Malfoys detain Harry, Ron, and Hermione at Malfoy Manor, and Hermione is tortured by Bellatrix when she suspects the trio has broken into her vault, 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, in order to gain access to the Lestrange's Gringotts vault. Though Voldemort apparently punishes Bellatrix and the Malfoys severely for interrupting his Elder Wand side quest 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.
In the film adaptations of Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows, Bellatrix is played by Helena Bonham Carter.
IGN listed Bellatrix Lestrange as their eighteenth 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.
Draco Malfoy
Lucius Malfoy
Lucius Malfoy is a Death Eater and head 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.
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 contained 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 maintains 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 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. Voldemort treats him with great contempt, has hijacked 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.
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 nineteenth top Harry Potter character, praising Jason Isaac's portrayal of him. IGN's Joe Utichi also listed him as his 10th top Harry Potter character.
Severus Snape
Yaxley
Yaxley (first name unknown) is the brutal-faced Death Eater that 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 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.
References
External links
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.
Category:Harry Potter characters
Category:Fictional henchmen
Category:Fictional mass murderers
Category:Fictional organized crime groups
Category:Lists of fictional villains
Category:Terrorism in fiction
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