Summary
No witch or wizard could ever deny how powerful Lord Voldemort is. Many in the Wizarding World shudder at the mere whisper of his name and the memory of the terrible crimes he committed.Lord Voldemort is more than just a Dark wizard– he’s a master of the Dark Arts, able to perform some of the most powerful spells known to wizardkind.
In fact, Voldemort performed such advanced magic that most in the Wizarding World could never dream of matching his achievements. He achieved such a mastery over magic that he performed spells without an incantation, made use of ancient magic, and even discovered magic long thought to be impossible.
1Silver Shield Spell
Conjures A Physical Silver Shield To Protect The Caster
One of the most well-remembered duels in the entireHarry Potterseries takes place between Albus Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort in the Ministry Atrium at the climax ofHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. In the film, fans watch Dumbledore use a Transfiguration spell as a shield to protect both Harry and himself from a barrage of glass flung at them by Voldemort. However, this battle is different in the book and shows Voldemort using an immensely powerful defensive spell instead.
In the book, Dumbledore unleashes a spell at Voldemort so powerful that Harry feels his hair stand on end. Presumably knowing that Protego wouldn’t be strong enough, Voldemort conjured a solid silver shield to protect himself, in some illustrations depicted with a snake on the front. Conjuration is an advanced form of Transfiguration and one of the most complex schools of magic in the Wizarding World. To conjure a shield and ensure it’s strong enough to withstand Dumbledore’s spell shows an impressive mastery of magic.
2Flying Without A Broom
A Magical Feat Discovered By Voldemort Himself
There are many means of transportation in the Wizarding World: many teleport with the help of floopowder or a portkey, others apparate, and some fly on broomsticks – and, on one occasion, in a Ford Anglia.Most witches and wizards aren’t able to fly by themselves, though. They’re able to cast a spell to levitate themselves and some become animagi so they can transform into a bird, but flying in human form is impossible for most.
Voldemort, however, discovered a way to fly, both in human form and without the help of a broomstick. This alone shows his sheer power and mastery over magic since no other wizard has been able to achieve this, even after centuries of experimentation. It’s unknown which spell or method he used to achieve this, but was apparently able to teach it to some of his trusted followers, such as Snape and Quirrell.
3Legilimency (Legilimens)
Legilimency is theability to delve into a victim’s mind to read their thoughts, witness their memories, and even tap into their emotions. Many witches and wizards throughout the Wizarding World can perform Legilimency: Queenie Goldstein was born with a natural gift, while all four Hogwarts founders were such expert practitioners that they enchanted the Sorting Hat to possess the same ability. However, Voldemort proved himself to be particularly adept at Legilimency.
Voldemort mastered this practice during his time at Hogwarts and went on to use it to interrogate people. This allowed him to know what people were thinking and when they were lying, like when Harry lies about what he sees in the Mirror of Erised inHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. In fact, Voldemort is so skilled at Legilimency that he can conjure visions in his victims' minds, using this at one point to lure Harry to the Department of Mysteries. Fortunately, wizards like Snape and Dumbledore were able to counter this spell with Occlumency, but others were left completely vulnerable.
4Creating Inferi
Reanimates A Corpse
Although technically different from a zombie, inferi are very similar. They are created when a Dark wizard casts a necromancy curse that reanimates a dead body. This is a hugely complex spell and only able to be performed by the most powerful wizards.
Voldemort created a small army of inferiusing the corpses of those he murdered during the First Wizarding War and used them to defend Salazar Slytherin’s locket after he turned it into a Horcrux. These terrifying creatures killed Sirius Black’s younger brother Regulus and nearly killed Harry and Dumbledore too.
5Possession
Seize Control Of A Victim’s Mind And Body
Possession is a form of Dark Magic in which a wizard takes control of another’s mind and body. Similar to the Imperius Curse, a wizard can obtain complete control over their victim, able to make them do and say whatever they want. This is a particularly dangerous Dark Art since not all victims survive the process and many can’t even remember what they did while possessed.
After Voldemort’s Killing Curse backfired in Godric’s Hollow, Voldemort hid in Albania, sustaining his soul by possessing snakes until he happened upon Quirinus Quirrell. Although he isn’t able to perfectly possess Quirrell and relies on him obeying his every command, he is able to completely possess Ginny when opening the Chamber of Secrets and even Harry himself briefly in the Ministry Atrium. While there have most likely been other Dark wizards who have perfected the art of possession, Voldemort is the only known practitioner to have been confirmed.
6The Imperius Curse (Imperio)
Gives Complete Control Over A Victim’s Actions
The Imperius Curse isone of the three Unforgivable Cursesand puts a victim under complete control of the caster. The victim obeys any command given to them by the caster, entering a sort of trance in which they’re devoid of any sense of worry and feel only calm. Any wizard guilty of casting this curse may face a life sentence in Azkaban, but fortunately, it can be resisted by some.
Many wizards claimed they were only Death Eaters during the First Wizarding War because they were under the control of the Imperius curse cast by Voldemort himself. Although fans don’t see Voldemort use this curse frequently in theHarry Potterseries, he does use it shortly after coming back to life, casting it to humiliate Harry and force him to bow before their duel in the graveyard.
7Fiendfyre (Pestis Incendium)
Conjures Dangerous and Incredibly Destructive Flames
WhileIncendiois a well-known spell that creates fire,Pestis Incendiumis a far more lethal spell that creates Fiendfyre. This curse unleashes a torrent of enchanted flames that take the shape of various animals and magical beasts, such as a serpent, chimera, or dragon. Fiendfyre is particularly deadly, growing to enormous heights and so powerful that it destroys everything it touches – even Horcruxes. Fiendfyre is rarely able to be extinguished by water alone and is exceptionally difficult to control, making it even more dangerous.
Fiendfyre isn’t used widely in theHarry Potterseries, although its most famous use is in the Room of Requirement during the Battle of Hogwarts, cast byVincent Crabbe in the book and Gregory Goyle in the film. Fans can see it elsewhere in the film series during Voldemort’s duel with Dumbledore in the Ministry Atrium where his Fiendfyre spell takes the form of a giant serpent.
8The Cruciatus Curse (Crucio)
Causes Excruciating Pain For The Victim
Also called the Torture Curse by many,Cruciois perhaps the worst of all three Unforgivable Curses simply because of the sheer amount of pain and potential long-term effects it causes. Casting the Cruciatus Curse will torture a victim, causing intense physical pain that’s described inHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallowsbook to be worse than “one thousand white-hot knives boring into the skin.” In fact, anyone exposed to the Cruciatus Curse for too long may even develop insanity and spend the rest of their lives in St. Mungo’s Hospital.
Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Jr. famously used the Cruciatus Curse to torture Neville Longbottom’s parents, but Voldemort used this curse widely as well. He used it on Bertha Jorkins to find out about Barty Crouch Jr. and the Triwizard tournament and also on Ollivander when he interrogated him about wand lore. He even used it to punish followers like Peter Pettigrew and Avery II, as well as to torture Harry in the graveyard inHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
9The Killing Curse (Avada Kedavra)
Kills A Victim Immediately
Avada Kedavrais the Unforgivable Curse that Voldemort is most famous for using. Most fans assume it’s simply a fun reference to “abracadabra,” but J.K. Rowling actually took it from an Aramaic phrase that translates to “let the thing be destroyed.” Once the incantation is made and the green bolt of light hits a victim, they are killed immediately, their soul ripped from their body. As evil as it is, the Killing Curse nevertheless results in an instant death without any pain, but can only be cast by a powerful wizard with great skill.
There are no known shield charms that can protect against the Killing Curse, but a sacrifice can create a counter-spell, as Voldemort found out himself in Godric’s Hollow when he killed Lily and James Potter but failed to kill Harry. Voldemort castAvada Kedavrawidely before his death and continued to do so when he was resurrected, murdering all those who opposed him and any muggle-borns he felt were unworthy of wielding magic.
10Creating Horcruxes
Dark Magic That Can Grant Immortality
Horcruxes are rare in the Wizarding World. In fact, before Voldemort, Herpo the Foul from Ancient Greece was the only wizard to have ever made one. Horcruxes are made when a wizard splits their soul and hides a fragment within an object, meaning their soul will live on even after their body is destroyed. However, a soul can only be split by committing murder, after which a wizard must cast an unknown Dark spell to create the Horcrux.
Creating a Horcrux is considered to be the darkest of all magic since wizards not only have to take a life but fracture their very soul. What’s worse is that it can only be performed by powerful Dark wizards andVoldemort did it seven times, although one was admittedly an accident. Horcruxes don’t guarantee immortality since they can be destroyed, although this is incredibly difficult to do. On top of this, they hold additional powers, such as the ability to possess people, like Riddle’s Diary, and affect others’ thoughts and feelings, such as Slytherin’s locket.
