Top 10 Worst Harry Potter Characters

The Top Ten

Dolores Umbridge

Dolores Umbridge is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. She first appears in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix as a Ministry of Magic official who becomes the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. Umbridge is widely regarded as one of the... read more

She made The Order of the Phoenix the most painful read I've ever experienced. As a fourth grader, I happily completed the first book, fell off in the second, and finished the third one rather well. The fourth one took some time, but I enjoyed those days during lunch, reading The Goblet of Fire. Then came The Order of the Phoenix, which was beyond mediocre.
Later, in fifth grade, I read The Deathly Hallows after watching the sixth movie (after the fallout that was the fifth book, I couldn't bear reading the series for a while) and The Chamber of Secrets. Just recently, I finished The Half-Blood Prince. The only book I haven't read is The Order of the Phoenix, due to this character being just god-awful.
Vernon Dursley

Umbridge and Bellatrix I can understand, but how is Draco Malfoy worse than Uncle Vernon?! Draco has redeeming qualities. It's entirely possible to defend him without pulling complete nonsense out of your as.
But Vernon is completely irredeemable. There is absolutely NO excusing the things he did. Literally the only good thing Vernon has going for him is the fact that he turned Harry, front and center of the biggest literary phenomenon in recorded history, into a relatable character for victims of child abuse.

He didn't punish Dudley and egged on his bullying. When Dudley went on a diet, he called fruit and vegetables rabbit food. Harry was forced to go on Dudley's diet and forced to eat less than the Dursleys.
He got bars put on Harry's window and didn't want Hedwig flying outside. He forced Harry to drink a little bowl of cold soup. He yelled at Harry really loud for saying magic, saying, "You forgot the magic word." Who knows what Vernon and Marge's parents were like.
Draco Malfoy

Draco Lucius Malfoy is a character in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is a student in the same year as Harry Potter and belongs to Slytherin House. Draco comes from a wealthy pure-blood family and is often portrayed as Harry's rival throughout the series.

I honestly don't get why people call Harry a whiny brat. He's a teenager in the books, for the gods' and Merlin's sake! Teenagers are generally very angsty and love-oriented. He could have ended up worse!
Besides, he literally had all these secrets and truths thrust at him without much warning! I admit, the only thing I found annoying was that he thought magic homework was "hard." No, I'm a literal Hermione on that subject!
That being said, I found Draco slightly annoying. Guys, he called Hermione a "beep beep" Mudblood "beep beep" about three times! And he jinxed her! I'm just glad he didn't turn his fire on Luna, or he'd find his head dangerously close to his bottom.
Rita Skeeter

Well, if I were suspicious of lies, I'd put a jinx onto the Quick-Quotes Quill and make it say the true things. And maybe use a Time-Turner to change past-time ones. And when it says, "writes Rita Skeeter, attractive blonde," it should say, "lies Rita Skeeter, dumb idiot."

I don't like her because she turns around everything Harry says in the interview. No matter how many times he said he was 14 instead of 12, she wouldn't listen. Then again, it's funny to see the reference to most of today's journalists.

Skeeter is just a more tame version of Umbridge, and she does get a fairer fate. Her Animagus status is exposed by Hermione, and thus she indirectly helps Harry to gain the trust of the wizarding world by writing that article for The Quibbler.
Dudley Dursley

This guy was pretty much the poster child for parental favoritism in pop culture. Harry was treated as the black sheep in Vernon and Petunia's eyes, while this spoiled brat got all the attention and love, and he rarely got punished. And in the beginning of Order of the Phoenix, he went from a spoiled brat to a teenage school bully type, at least until the Dementor attack happened and he became traumatized for life.
As awful as Dudley's character was, Harry Melling did give his all into playing the role. Plus, he's a very underrated actor nowadays, as he was good in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. The first time I watched that movie, I thought, "Hey, look! It's Dudley with no arms or legs!"
Bellatrix Lestrange

Bellatrix Lestrange is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series. She is a psychotic Death Eater who escaped from Azkaban and is fiercely loyal to Lord Voldemort. She murdered Sirius Black and tortured Frank and Alice Longbottom into insanity.

Bellatrix Lestrange is a psychotic maniac that is so loyal to Voldemort that you could imagine her and Voldemort having a baby. Bellatrix killed Sirius (one of my favorite characters), Dobby (also one of my favorite characters), and Tonks, and she tortured the Longbottoms!

She is a psychopathic maniac that loves to just scream and laugh out loud while she tortures and kills. Helena Bonham Carter did a fantastic job with this character, making her extremely psychotic and evil.

She's a psychotic, horrible, awful person, and I hate her more than I hate Voldemort. Plus, she killed Sirius, who was my second favorite character. Yep, she definitely wins the worst character award.
Peter Pettigrew

Wait, how is this rat so low? He betrayed his friends, he's the reason Harry's parents are dead, he got Sirius imprisoned for a crime he never committed, and he revived Voldemort.
I agree with Umbridge being #1, but I cannot stand Pettigrew. He's a spineless coward, and he got what he deserved in Deathly Hallows (the only thing I absolutely hate about the movies is that they never killed him like in the book, but I understand why. It's a little much for a fantasy film).

He framed Sirius for murder and let Sirius sit in Azkaban in his place for 12 years. He betrayed the only people who were ever kind to him and who would have died for him. He's not only the reason Harry has no parents, but he also eliminated any possibility of Harry and Sirius having a somewhat normal life together. Because of him, Sirius had to spend the end of his life alone as a prisoner in his old home. How is he not higher up on this list?
Lord Voldemort

Lord Voldemort is a fictional character and the primary antagonist in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter book series. He first appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, published in 1997. Born as Tom Marvolo Riddle, he becomes the dark wizard known as Voldemort and is characterized by his obsession... read more

How are Neville, Hermione, Harry, and Ron higher than Voldemort? Ron might be a jerk, but he doesn't kill people for no reason. I can understand why people might dislike Harry and Hermione, but what they did is nothing compared to Voldemort. And Neville is higher than Voldemort. Neville Longbottom. What has life come to?

What's going on here! I mean the most evil wizard is in 17th place, and the guys who sacrificed everything to fight him are higher up! This is completely crazy. I don't think anybody here read Harry Potter properly.
Petunia Dursley

Instead of having a heart, she had jealousy.
But really, the jealousy is a sad story because she wanted to be a witch when she was a child but couldn't. She even sent a letter to Dumbledore. Imagine Harry Potter was real, and finding out that one of your siblings was going to Hogwarts and you were a Muggle.
But she should've had a heart and let the jealousy go when she grew up. Remember what she said about Lily in the hut on the rock? She still had the jealousy. That's why she was so horrible.

Hermione above Petunia?! After Bellatrix, this list is just starting to get confusing (well, Draco being at second is confusing too, but still).
Harry Potter

Harry James Potter is the title character of the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. The series chronicles his life from age eleven as he discovers his identity as a wizard and attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Over seven years, Harry confronts numerous challenges and... read more

He never accomplishes anything on his own (he always needs help), and he never applies himself despite the fact Voldemort was trying to hunt him down. Isn't it his dream to become an Auror? He didn't work hard to achieve it, and often Hermione does his work for him. He's whiny and self-centered, especially in book 5. Like, dude, you would be dead without your friends. Be more grateful, jackass. He uses the my-parents-are-dead excuse to say anything he wants about anyone. Like, he calls out Malfoy's parents for being losers. Harry, your dad was the biggest loser ever. Stop talking. Also, he's generic (selfless, loyal, brave). Yeah, what main character doesn't already have those traits? Thousands of characters are selfless, loyal, and brave. Harry is not special after all. Therefore, he's completely boring.

The Newcomers

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Igor Karkaroff
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Skender

The Contenders

Ron Weasley

Ronald Bilius "Ron" Weasley is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling. He first appears in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" as the best friend of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. Ron is a member of the Weasley family and a loyal supporter throughout the series.

Ron actually is an awful character and an awful friend. Sure, he hides that under his 'amazing loyalty,' but really his loyalty is a joke. He totally ditches Harry in the Goblet of Fire for something Harry didn't even do.
Yes, if he had been correct, Harry would have been a total jerk, but he could at least give his friend the benefit of the doubt. Yes, he does eventually make up with Harry, but three books later, he ditches Harry again. Also, he is cruel and mean to Hermione throughout the first few books in the series.

He abandons Harry twice when Harry needs his friendship and support the most. Twice! He behaves horribly towards Hermione (his putting her down as a know-it-all and his comments during the Yule Ball are some examples) and is just as bad as Malfoy in terms of his prejudice against Slytherins.
He slacks off at school and ignores his studies in general, unlike his more ambitious siblings. If he really wanted to stand out and make a name for himself, he should do something about it on his own instead of whining all the time and relying on Harry's fame and Hermione's brains for help.
Lavender Brown

Useless. Useless. She serves no purpose to the story other than being a cheap romantic opponent to Hermione over Ron. Come on! This is coming from the same series that gave us Harry, Cho, and Cedric, one of the best love triangles ever! Being a romantic opponent was not Cedric's defining characteristic, but it certainly is Lavender's. Even Jar Jar Binks was more relevant to Star Wars than Lavender Brown ever was to Harry Potter.
Vincent Crabbe
Marjorie Dursley

She is only this low because she only has three minutes of screen time. She is so unbearable, ugly, and annoying. I am glad she only appears in one movie for a few minutes.

She only appeared in the beginning of "Prisoner of Azkaban", but she was so rude to Harry Potter and his parents. She got what she deserved.

She is worse than Vernon by a long shot. In comparison, he would be Voldemort while Marge is Umbridge.
Severus Snape

Severus Snape is a fictional character in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. He is portrayed as a complex figure whose cold and sarcastic demeanor hides deep emotions and a troubled past. Snape plays a pivotal role in the series, ultimately being revealed as a tragic hero.

He was a beautifully written and interesting character. All of this is true. HOWEVER, this does not stop him from being a jerk to people for pretty much no reason. Oh wait, get this, he hated Harry because he is James' son! WOW, what an amazing reason to hate someone and get a false image of who they are!
He insulted and occasionally abused his students. Why? Because they were Gryffindors, of course! For example, in Goblet of Fire when Draco CURSED Hermione, Snape simply insulted her, and Draco got no punishment.
His love for Lily is very sweet, however. But he had no respect for her opinions. Snape hurt her sister. He hated her friends. He hated anyone who talked to her. It was something. But he was loyal and important to Dumbledore, and I appreciate that, and he certainly is not the worst. I just wanted to talk about him. But I still think the character is okay.
Percy Weasley

Ok, let me get this straight. Percy was great and all in the first book and the movie. It was fun to watch Percy guide Harry through his sudden entrance into the wizarding world.
You don't see him too much in the books or movies until the fifth book and movie where you see him with slicked-back hair and his stern expression. It's just too much to bear. How can such a likable character transform into such a villain!?

I just think that Percy is really stuck-up and only does things that will benefit him and not his family or friends. He did have a change of heart, though.
Kreacher
Barty Crouch Jr.

He should be number one because he pretty much led Cedric Diggory to his death! So evil!
Hermione Granger

Hermione Jean Granger is a fictional character in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. She is one of the main characters and best friends of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Hermione is known for her intelligence, strong work ethic, and loyalty.

Not the worst character by a long shot, but I definitely can't stand her. She's an insufferable know-it-all, by which I do not mean she's actually intelligent. She states her opinions as fact and is overly self-righteous. Not to mention she's every bit a bully. Luna Lovegood has unique views and opinions, and Hermione is very quick to put her down for it, just because Luna's views and opinions don't fit her worldview. Many others are the same, true, but Hermione's self-righteousness makes it stand out as particularly bad coming from her. Especially seeing as she herself was bullied in her Muggle school years.
I also don't like that they allowed her to look pretty in the movies. One of the few redeeming qualities Hermione had, in my opinion, is that she was a rather unpleasant-looking girl, with her huge bushy hair and, before fourth year anyway, her large overbite. Female heroines are almost always pretty girls, and Hermione, in the books at least, is not, by any means, pretty. Some might point at the Yule Ball as counter-evidence, but Hermione admitted, in the books, that she had used so much of the potion Harry's grandfather created to make the Potter fortune, Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, that it would cost her too much time, and likely money considering she's just a student, to use it regularly.
I could go on about other things I don't like about her, but, in the end, this is just my opinion, and I just don't have the time to list everything I dislike about Hermione. Needless to say, she's my most hated character from this series, bar none.
Corban Yaxley
Pansy Parkinson

She reminds me of my first girlfriend I had in my freshman year of high school. I didn't date for two years because of her. Now, when I read her, it's all I can think about.

I hate her! And she actually does have a face like a pug. Pugs are way cuter, and I love pugs, though!
Ginny Weasley

Ginny Weasley is a central 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 evolves into a strong, independent young woman.... read more

No duh she's the worst character. Both in the books and the films. I'm tired of her constant rudeness, and how Mary Sue-ish she is. I'm tired of how she thinks she's all that just because she's good at Quidditch.
And in the movies, she's lovesick and creepy. Every scene she looks like she's ready to have sex. Ewww. Great character example for kids (not!). Hermione is 10 times better. But I like Bonnie Wright.

She's a wonderful character in the books, but the directors and writers made her boring and perfect in the movies, so she becomes extremely uninteresting. However, despite Ginny being written incorrectly, Bonnie Wright is perfect as Ginny.
Gilderoy Lockhart

I hate, hate, hate Lockhart. He was actually tolerable in the movie, but in the book, he irritated the life out of me.
He was so arrogant, only talked about himself, and didn't care about Harry, Ginny, or anyone apart from himself. God, I wish Harry would've thrown him into the basilisk's mouth or something. I would've been relieved!

I thought he was cool at first. Then, towards the climax, all my respect went out of the window.

He's such a show-off and thinks he's a know-it-all, but really, he's an idiot.
Bill Weasley
Dean Thomas