Smartest Harry Potter Characters

The Top Ten
1 Albus Dumbledore Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.

Albus Dumbledore was, indeed, a clever, clever man, not unlike Mr. Snape himself. Although my personal opinion of Professor Snape is divided, one may say that he was loyal to Dumbledore in the end.

Well, of course! Albus Dumbledore planned his own death, aided the Trio in many ways, and served as an aid even in death. He may have made huge mistakes, but that just proves how amazing and wholesome he is.

I do think that Dumbledore is much smarter than Hermione. Don't get me wrong - Hermione is one of my favorite characters and is definitely the most intelligent out of her year - but Dumbledore has a deeper understanding of a wider range of subjects not found in library books and therefore should be at the top.

2 Hermione Granger

Hermione is a bit of an atheist witch, even if atheists don't believe in magic. She solved Snape's logic potion puzzle. No offense to the Luna Lovegood fan club, but she was irritated with Luna in the fifth book, talking about the imaginary creatures, and called the Quibbler rubbish. The only time it's read is when it's about Harry, the Wizarding War, and Ginny doing a quiz in it at the end of the fifth book on the train.

HERMIONE GRANGER is definitely the smartest. She is top of the class at everything and always tries her best. Later on in the books and movies, she starts to like breaking the rules like Harry and Ron. In the beginning, she is totally bossy and against it. Dumbledore is smarter, but after all, he is like a hundred and fifty years older than her, so what can you say?

3 Severus Snape Severus Snape is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is characterised as a person of great complexity, whose coldly sarcastic and controlled exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish.

Severus is smarter than Hermione. Both emotionally smart and book smart. When Snape first entered Hogwarts, he knew more spells than half the kids in their seventh year, and even modified a textbook to make it better. Not only that, but Snape spent his whole life as Harry's protector and kept it all to himself, which proves how mentally strong this character is. Dumbledore is still better though. At least Dumbledore's kind.

Hermione and Albus might be smart, but Snape wins the award because he's book smart and also completely life smart. He can be manipulative and he lied to the Dark Lord for years without most people noticing it.

4 Luna Lovegood Luna Lovegood was a witch from the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. She was the only child of Xenophilius and Pandora Lovegood. Her mother accidentally died while experimenting with spells when Luna was nine and Luna was raised by her father, who was the editor of the magazine The Quibbler, in a... read more

People seem to focus more on the movie Luna. Luna in the books was more dotty, with her beliefs in imaginary creatures like the Crumple-Horned Snorkack.

Her lion hat was really like a head of a lion that roared like a lion. But they changed it in the movies. The nargles she believed in were actually what she thought infested mistletoe.

No, Luna isn't dumb, or she wouldn't be a Ravenclaw. She can answer the questions to enter the common room, and she made a hat with a lion's head that roared like one. Her mother used to experiment, and the experiment probably just exploded - maybe a dangerous potion, I don't know.

5 Voldemort Lord Voldemort is a fictional character and the central main antagonist in J. K. Rowling's series of Harry Potter novels. Voldemort first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, which was released in 1997.

Tom Riddle, aka Voldemort, was known as the smartest student of his time at Hogwarts, and everybody knew it.

He was, though. Even if he is a villain, he was the smartest of his time.

He is cruel and manipulative, but is right a lot of the time.

6 Remus Lupin

Being smart doesn't necessarily mean Ravenclaw-worthy. He was indeed smart, but there is more to Ravenclaw. Does he love learning? Does he value knowledge above all? Does he think outside the box? If so, maybe he just values bravery more.

He was the brains of the Marauders. He was the brains of the Order of the Phoenix. He belonged in Ravenclaw but was put in Gryffindor for plot reasons.

He was the smartest of the Marauders and sort of acted like the Hermione Granger of the Marauders.

7 Lily Potter

As per the Pensieve memories and Horace Slughorn, Lily was a brilliant student with a knack for potions and apparently charms as well. Plus, she was cheeky and had a smart answer at the tip of her tongue. She earned the Slug Club spot without any familial connection. This must mean something.

She was a full-time fighter in the Order as well. She thrice defied Voldemort along with James. She was definitely smart and kind.

Of course she's smart! From what I've heard, she's a master at Potions.

8 Gellert Grindelwald

He was also a seer. Dumbledore and Grindelwald's knowledge was equal. He was also the only man ever to manipulate Dumbledore.

He was the strongest villain when there was no Voldemort. He must have had lots of plans in his head.

Dumbledore is on his level. He was helped by Dumbledore and was smart enough to outsmart him.

9 Minerva McGonagall

McGonagall should be 2nd or 3rd! She is so wise and is Dumbledore's right hand. Hermione is just book smart. McGonagall is book smart and wise.

She gives lessons in the toughest subject at Hogwarts. That makes you smart, hands down.

She was talented in every subject, including Defense Against the Dark Arts.

10 Harry Potter Harry James Potter is the title character of J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. The majority of the books' plot covers seven years in the life of the orphan Potter, who, on his eleventh birthday, learns he is a wizard.

Should be higher than 8! Sure, he can be a little thick sometimes but... He still deserves 4! (1. Rowena Ravenclaw 2. Hermione Granger 3. Albus Dumbledore 4. Harry Potter)

He is not book smart but has quick-thinking and is always capable of keeping his cool and taking advantage of a dangerous situation.

Only haters of the Harry Potter books think he is an idiot.

The Contenders
11 Sirius Black

You should be smart to escape Azkaban without any help. He was even an Animagus in just his 5th year. McGonagall described him as one of the cleverest students (along with James). He even had a bit of detective skill in him.

He always had the smartest quotes. He would've shown more of that if J.K. Rowling hadn't killed him.

Yep, agreed. But why isn't he in the top 10?

12 Rowena Ravenclaw

She doesn't get enough credit. Founder of Ravenclaw - you have to be pretty clever for that.

How is Hermione smarter than Rowena, literally the founder of Ravenclaw? Wisdom and intelligence? Just-

She was the wisest person ever. We just didn't see her enough in the books.

13 Professor Horace Slughorn
14 Ginny Weasley Ginny Weasley is a prominent character in the "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling. She is the youngest child and only daughter of the Weasley family. Initially introduced as a shy girl with a crush on Harry Potter, Ginny develops into a strong, independent young woman. Skilled in magic and Quidditch,... read more

She is smarter than Hermione! It is said in the books that Hermione can't produce a Patronus.

Ginny is smarter than Ron. Hands down.

15 Ron Weasley Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. His first appearance was in the first book of the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger.

It's like people want to ignore everything that happened in Deathly Hallows. During the battle, he figured out things that most people could not even understand (including Hermione Granger, who is the brightest witch of her age). It is obvious that he is extremely clever but only when it comes to the things he is interested in, like chess. He is not great at studies because he doesn't care enough. If he did, he'd be one of the best in his year.

If it wasn't for Ron, the Hufflepuff cup wouldn't have even been destroyed because he is the one who came up with the idea to use the basilisk's fang in the first place.

16 Scorpius Malfoy

Why is he all the way down here? Scorpius is SMART!

I don't really know him, but I can tell he's smart by the way everyone voted for him.

17 Alastor Moody

He is one of Dumbledore's most trusted Aurors, which means that he was smart enough to become an Auror.

18 Barty Crouch Jr.

And what have you done today?

Oh, just disguised myself as a teacher and tried to murder a student, taught some Unforgivable Curses, not to mention how I escaped Azkaban and murdered my father. I also visited the Dark Lord and did a few deeds for him. So, nothing much. You?

Well, he was the impostor of Alastor Moody in the 4th book (and movie). So, it was actually him who knew everything for the three tasks.

19 Filius Flitwick

He is the Charms master and also the head of Ravenclaw, where only the wise ones can get in.

The Charms professor knew how to teach a class properly.

Head of Ravenclaw house. Knows a million helpful charms. Enough said.

20 James Potter
21 Kingsley Shacklebolt

He later became the Minister of Magic and was also an Auror. No more explanation needed.

22 Draco Malfoy Draco Lucius Malfoy is a character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is a student in Harry Potter's year belonging in the Slytherin house.

Why is he all the way down here? He must have been smart to figure out the Vanishing Cabinets, and he was able to figure out that Harry was spying on him. Hermione is still the smartest though.

Draco was always smart. He was just afraid of showing his true colors.

23 Cedric Diggory

Little was known about him, but he is not stupid. If it had been the three champions, we would've seen more of Cedric's intelligence.

24 Regulus Black

He discovered Voldemort's horcruxes when he was 18 and stole one. He deserves a place on the list.

Yes... he was the first person to ever discover Voldemort's secret and he was smart enough to find the locket... although he didn't live to see it destroyed.

25 Fred Weasley

Fred and George are two characters that show success isn't purely down to academic achievement. They were considered disappointments for not getting many O.W.L.s and wanting to run a joke shop. However, their keen knowledge and passion for their goals, as well as a great sense for business, meant they ended up making more money than any of the other Weasleys. If that isn't smart, I don't know what is.

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