Harry Potter sure hit us with some of the most gut-wrenching deaths in fiction - be it the loss of Fred Weasley, Dobby’s sacrifice, or Hedwig’s untimely death. We were devastated when Remus and Tonks died, especially just after they’d become a couple and had a son together, and Sirius’ death at the end of Order of the Phoenix hit many fans like a bolt from the blue.
But at the same time, some of the character deaths were downright satisfying. Certain characters in the book were so villainous, their ends were long-awaited and seemingly well-deserved.
Read on to find out which ones we’re talking about!
Nagini
Right, so before Fantastic Beasts provided a sudden backstory for Voldemort’s familiar, Nagini was known as the Horcrux-disguised-as-an-evil snake that went about doing his master’s bidding. When Harry sacrificed himself knowing full well that the last Horcrux of Voldemort was still up and about, fans were worried sick as to what would happen and if the Boy Who Lived would indeed make it out alive.
Therefore, when Neville Longbottom sliced off Nagini’s head with the sword of Godric Gryffindor, we couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief.
Vincent Crabbe
Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were Draco Malfoy’s cronies who never missed out on a chance to bully Muggle-borns or Harry. As a son of a Death Eater, Crabbe reveled in Dark Magic and took pleasure in punishing other students with the Cruciatus Curse, as was revealed in the last book.
In fact, Crabbe tried to ambush Harry and his friends in the Room of Requirement by casting the deadly Fiendfyre. However, the plan backfired as he was unable to stop it and while the others narrowly survived (Harry even went back to save Malfoy), Crabbe perished in the flames.
What made it even more satisfying was the fact that being on the Dark side, Crabbe had unwittingly destroyed one of Voldemort’s own Horcruxes in the process, making the job slightly easier for the trio.
Salazar Slytherin’s Basilisk
The Basilisk was an ancient serpentine creature that lurked within the secret bowels of Hogwarts and whose very gaze could kill people. Several characters in The Chamber of Secrets, including Hermione Granger, nearly died as a result.
It was Harry and Ron who finally discovered the entrance to the secret chamber. And it was Harry who faced the monster and single-handedly managed to kill it using the sword of Gryffindor.
Later on, Percy Jackson made the slaying of strange beasts look pretty cool, but in those early days, it was exhilarating to watch a twelve-year-old orphan take on a monster and survive.
Severus Snape
Hear us out on this one, please?
One of the best plot-twists that we never saw coming was the change in Snape’s allegiance. Especially after the death of Dumbledore, most of us were sure that he was on the Dark side and working with Voldemort. When Nagini finally killed him, we felt glad that Dumbledore’s murder was finally avenged.
Then came Snape’s memories and the revelation that he loved Lily Potter and was Dumbledore’s man right up till the end. His death was satisfying as it brought his redemption arc to a close.
Barty Crouch Jr.
Probably one of the most ingenious characters Rowling ever created, Barty Crouch Jr put his father under the Imperius Curse, sought out the Dark Lord, killed his father and turned his body into a bone, helped return Voldemort to power, impersonated Alastor Moody so well that even Dumbledore was fooled, and delivered Harry Potter right up to Voldemort’s arms.
Clearly, Barty was the most efficient Death Eater in the series and if a Dementor hadn’t kissed his soul away, we shudder to think of all the other wicked things he may have done.
Professor Quirrell
This Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher was literally and figuratively two-faced. We’d been led all along to believe that Snape was the bad guy, only to realize that it was Quirrell who carried Voldemort at the back of his head and was planning to steal the Philosopher’s Stone to restore the Dark Lord to his power.
It was brave eleven-year-old Harry Potter who defied Quirrell. His mother’s sacrificial protection was so strong that Harry’s very touch burned Quirrell into ashes.
Teenage Tom Riddle
In the Chamber of Secrets, innocent Ginny Weasley pours her heart into a diary that happened to have Tom Riddle’s soul present in it, who took full advantage of it. He manipulated Ginny into opening the Chamber of Secrets that set loose a Basilisk upon the school. Furthermore, Tom used her as bait to lure Harry into the Chamber.
When Harry defeated the Basilisk and used one of its fangs to stab and destroy the diary, we were immensely relieved.
Lord Voldemort
Nope, we haven’t ranked him at the top, but that doesn’t mean that the final demise of He Who Must Not Be Named wasn’t satisfying.
Rowling carefully built up the tension throughout the seven books and when Harry willingly sacrificed himself, it was hard to not feel utterly devastated. Later on, when the final showdown happens and Harry literally returns from the limbo after a pep talk with Dumbledore and takes down Voldemort with his signature spell “Expelliarmus,” we couldn’t help but cheer him on.
It was pure catharsis.
Bellatrix Lestrange
One of Voldemort’s most loyal Death Eaters, Bellatrix Lestrange sure takes the cake as one of the cruelest and most wicked women in fiction. Her love for Voldemort could only be matched by her love for killing, and she took particular pleasure in murdering Sirius and torturing Hermione.
It was Molly Weasley who fought her in the end, even as Bellatrix kept mocking her until a spell hit her squarely in the chest. Molly’s lines “Not my daughter, you b*tch” became instantly iconic.
Peter Pettigrew
Peter Pettigrew was the Marauder-turned-Death-Eater whose betrayal resulted in the death of Harry’s parents, the wrongful imprisonment of Sirius Black, and Voldemort’s eventual restoration to power.
When Remus Lupin and Sirius Black were ready to kill him, it was Harry who suggested they spare Peter’s life. It was this decision that led to a wizard’s debt between the duo. When Harry reminded Pettigrew of this at Malfoy Manor, he hesitated for a split second.
That moment of hesitation and mercy was all it took for his silver hand, given to him by Voldemort, to betray him and strangle him to death.
Poetic justice, indeed!
