Top Seven Memorable Voldemort Moments

Believe it or not, the main antagonist is some fans’ favorite character. Surprising? Well, when you think about it, not really. While his ideology and actions are twisted, there’s no denying that Lord Voldemort is one of the most intriguing, frightening, and ruthless villains in fictional history. We decided to look back at the top seven memorable Voldemort moments:

Moment 7: Voldemort’s Fury (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2)

Though this moment is only in the movie, that doesn’t make it any less gripping. Having learned that Harry has once again escaped death, and with the Elder Wand failing to properly carry out his bidding, Voldemort delivers a series of kicks and slaps to Harry. This display of violence is reminiscent of Hermione slapping Draco in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, showing that magic is once again put aside to deliver a more personal form of physical assault fueled by rage.

Voldemort and Harry face off in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

Moment 6: Voldemort Kills the Potters (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone)

Perhaps one of the most memorable moments in the Harry Potter series is that fateful Halloween night. The killing of James and Lily Potter and the attempted murder of Harry not only set in motion the story that follows but also had a significant impact on both Harry and Voldemort. Voldemort’s defeat that night shocked and delighted the entire wizarding world, who couldn’t believe that an infant had thwarted him, as McGonagall states: “After all he’s done… all the people he’s killed… he couldn’t kill a little boy? It’s just astounding… of all the things to stop him… but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?” (SS 15).

The Potters’ house the night that Voldemort attacked on October 31, 1981.

Moment 5: Dumbledore Meets Young Tom Riddle (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)

On both page and screen, this moment is undoubtedly chilling as Albus Dumbledore travels to Wool’s Orphanage in a memory shown in Half-Blood Prince. Here he intends to reveal to a young Tom Riddle that he is a wizard, though Tom is not surprised in the slightest, claiming that he always knew he was “special” (HBP 225). This, his trophy collecting, and the incidents involving the other children and animals only foreshadow the terror he evokes later in life.

Dumbledore meets young Tom Riddle at Wool’s Orphanage

Moment 4: Horcruxes (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)

We know from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets that Tom Riddle could charm those he needed, persuading them to do and say what he wanted, and further examples of this are shown in Half-Blood Prince. Through Slughorn’s memory, we see Tom Riddle use his charm to convince Professor Slughorn to reveal vital information that allows Riddle to create the Horcruxes required to make him more invincible.

Tom Riddle asks Professor Slughorn about Horcruxes

Moment 3: Voldemort vs. Dumbledore (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)

This scene is another movie moment and perhaps one of the most epic throughout the entire series. As Dumbledore and Voldemort duel in the Ministry of Magic, we are given a glimpse at the might of both wizards’ power. From shattering glass to conjuring a giant, fiery snake and possessing Harry to torture him and taunt Dumbledore, Voldemort proves once again that he’s a force to be reckoned with.

Voldemort duels with Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Moment 2: I AM LORD VOLDEMORT (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)

As though finding out that Tom Riddle was not as innocent as he originally seemed wasn’t enough of a twist, we are provided with this jaw-dropping moment in which we learn that the memory of Tom Riddle is actually the memory of Lord Voldemort’s younger self. “I fashioned myself a new name, a name I knew wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!” (CoS 331)

Tom Riddle (Christian Coulson) in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Moment 1: Voldemort’s Return (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire)

Following the death of Cedric Diggory at the hands of Peter Pettigrew, Harry is forced to watch and unwillingly contribute to the return of his greatest enemy. After a lack of Voldemort’s presence in Prisoner of Azkaban, his return had Potterheads holding their breaths and on the edge of their seats, fearful for what lay ahead as Voldemort’s return shifted the entire atmosphere of the remaining books and films.

Voldemort returns in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

What do you think of our top seven memorable Voldemort moments? Let us know, and don’t be afraid to add to the list down in the comments below.