After everything Severus Snape did in the Harry Potter series, many fans admire both his magical prowess and his bravery. By working as a double spy and tricking Lord Voldemort for years, Severus Snape proved he is a powerful wizard and a hero on his own. But was he the best among his peers?
Snape was an expert at Occlumency, a potions master, and had great knowledge of the dark arts, even going as far as creating his own nefarious spells. All these superior skills turned him into the perfect double spy and a formidable sorcerer. However, as talented as Snape was, there were more powerful wizards than him in Harry Potter.
“Mad-Eye” Moody Was an Excellent Auror
While not as iconic a character as Severus Snape, Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody is one of the most powerful wizards in the Harry Potter series. An outstanding auror and a member of the Order of the Phoenix, Moody was responsible for diminishing a great deal of Voldemort’s followers during the First Wizarding War, either killing them or putting them in Azkaban. In the end, Voldemort killed Mad-Eye in the Battle of the Seven Potters. However, Voldemort likely faced Alastor because he expected Harry to travel with the most formidable wizard.
Alastor Moody survived the First Wizarding War, facing several deadly encounters. Yet, dozens of great wizards died in this war, including Harry’s parents. The fact that Moody not only survived but also managed to defeat numerous Death Eaters says a lot about his outstanding power, especially in battle. His experience in the art of dueling and catching dark wizards makes him a more formidable opponent in battle than Professor Snape.
Hermione Granger Was the Brightest Witch of Her Generation
Hermione Granger is mostly known for being academically smart, but she’s generally a powerful and very rounded witch. She fought against Death Eaters on several occasions as a teenager and lived to tell the story. At a very young age, she already performed non-verbal magic and highly complex spells. Not only could Hermione conjure a corporeal Patronus, but she could also modify memories with Obliviate (using it on her parents and Death Eaters), create complex charms to transport objects, and perform advanced protective spells. When she was 12 years old, she was already making one of the most difficult potions to make, the Polyjuice Potion.
Hermione and Snape both shared a passion for learning, and both of them stood among their peers. However, when Hermione was a teenager, she chose to become a hero, while Snape succumbed to his own hubris. Eventually, she becomes the thirty-sixth Minister for Magic, effectively turning into the most influential witch of her generation thanks to her skills, courage, and good heart.
Harry Potter Defeated the Most Powerful Dark Wizard in History
A lot of people believe Harry Potter was simply lucky, but much like Voldemort, fans tend to underestimate what made Harry so powerful: the ability to love deeply. In the Wizarding World, love is the mightiest force. One that Dumbledore respected, Voldemort underestimated, and Harry naturally wielded. Of course, Harry is also a formidable wizard. He mastered challenging spells way before most wizards and always showcased a natural dueling talent.
However, Harry’s true strength lay in the fact that he continued to be kind and generous in the face of adversity. Both Harry and Snape had difficult childhoods and were bullied at school. This led Snape to find refuge in the Dark Arts, but it only made Harry more determined to protect his community. In fact, when Harry decides to sacrifice himself to defeat Voldemort in the Battle of Hogwarts, he creates a powerful magic that protects all of his allies from Voldemort and saves the Wizarding World.
Lord Voldemort’s Power Was Terrifying
It’s easy to believe that Severus Snape was more powerful than Lord Voldemort simply because the former outsmarted the latter. But that is a big mistake. The mere fact that Snape needed to use many tricks to gain the Dark Lord’s trust is proof enough of Voldemort’s greater power. Snape was a great Legilimens, but if his skill had faltered even once, Voldemort’s legendary magical expertise would have soon overcome Severus’s, and the Potions Professor was very aware of this fact.
Lord Voldemort was an almost impossible-to-defeat wizard, bested almost only by Albus Dumbledore. He faced many of the most powerful wizards alive, and most of them either died or barely survived. In fact, he murdered Snape in cold blood by simply instructing Nagini to take care of him. Killing Voldemort took great strategic planning, as Harry had to destroy the Horcruxes, survive the Killing Curse a second time, and become the master of the Elder Wand.
Albus Dumbledore Defied the Laws of Magic
As Severus Snape’s mentor, it’s hard to disagree that Albus Dumbledore is a much more powerful wizard than the Potions Professor. In fact, Dumbledore is highly regarded as an unrivaled sorcerer, even if many things about him don’t make much sense. He is the only person Lord Voldemort truly feared, and he managed to defeat Gellert Grindelwald, another masterful dark wizard. Dumbledore is also known for several achievements in the Wizarding World: the discovery of the uses of dragon’s blood, his work in alchemy with Nicholas Flamel, and his use of unique magical items.
Throughout the books, Dumbledore displays impressive use of magic, such as his clever and unique charm to hide the Philosopher’s Stone inside the Mirror of Erised, or the spell he uses to seal the Resurrection Stone inside Harry’s snitch. However, his most prominent magic happened during duels against Voldemort. He could transfigure, animate, and command objects with non-verbal magic, using spells that the books never even mentioned. His magic was on a whole other level. Maybe Snape would have eventually mastered magic in this way, but he unfortunately died too young.