Despite these impressive feats, Lord Voldemort is not the ultimate wizard. While his strength and air of invincibility are undeniable, several witches and wizards surpass him in power and could potentially defeat him in a duel. For some, their advantage lies in experience, while others benefit from a deeper comprehension of magic itself. Although Voldemort can cast complex spells, he often lacks a true understanding of magic’s intricacies, as seen in his misjudgment of the Elder Wand’s succession. Frequently, he depends on others or magical creatures to achieve his goals, showcasing his prowess, but not invincibility. Here are those who could challenge him.

Hermione Granger, portrayed by Emma Watson, might appear an unexpected contender, yet her skills arguably exceed those of Voldemort. Her quick thinking and superior theoretical knowledge of magic enhance her spellcasting, making her a formidable opponent.

Although Voldemort has cast similar spells, including memory charms at a young age, Hermione’s intrinsic grasp of magic grants her an edge. Her ability to refine and expand her magical repertoire stands in contrast to Voldemort’s reliance on a more potent wand—a tool he never fully commands.

Professor Minerva McGonagall, played by Maggie Smith, is another formidable figure, celebrated as one of Hogwarts’ most accomplished spellcasters. Her mastery of transfiguration, one of the most challenging branches of magic, is unparalleled. While Voldemort is capable of transfiguration, McGonagall’s proficiency would outshine his in any competition.

While the argument can be made that because Lord Voldemort cast similar spells (particularly the memory charm she used on her parents at the same age), they are similarly equal in power, Hermione’s innate understanding of magic makes her stronger. That understanding gives her the ability to further refine her magic, pushing the limits and adding more and more spells to her arsenal, whereas Voldemort instead relies on a stronger wand to improve his chances — a tool he never actually masters.

Professor Minerva McGonagall (Maggie Smith) is one of the most powerful spellcasters at Hogwarts, and likely in the entire wizarding world. She makes one of the hardest branches of magic, transfiguration, look easy. While Lord Voldemort can transfigure things, if it were a contest, McGonagall would win.

When the two duel during the Battle of Hogwarts in the final book, the only reason Voldemort gets the upper hand is because he loses control of his magic, likely due to his use of the unmastered Elder Wand. At that point, the professor has been dueling Death Eaters for hours, showing not just how strong her magic is, but her endurance as well.

The two have also used silencing charms over large groups, but only one casts it successfully. It isn’t Voldemort. Though he tries to forcefully quiet the crowd of students and fighters around him during the Battle of Hogwarts, his challengers break through the enchantment, showing that his spell ultimately isn’t as strong as it could be. McGonagall’s, on the other hand, holds true during “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets,” despite protest from students. It was a smaller group, but it is the first look at how, when executing similar tasks, McGonagall’s spells are reliably more effective.

Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody (Brendan Gleeson) is one of the best Aurors of all time. He’s an incredibly skilled wizard, well-versed in charms, dueling, and transfiguration. Plus, his magic eye can see through anything, even the Invisibility Cloak. Is he a bit paranoid? Yes, but that’s made him quick to draw his wand and handle dangerous situations with ease.

Lord Voldemort himself recognizes how powerful Moody is, believing him to be both the strongest of the Aurors and the one who would guard Harry Potter during his move from the Dursleys to the Weasleys, even if he is proven wrong on the latter point. Moody can do magic without a wand, something very few wizards accomplish, and might be the only person in the wizarding world more intimidating than the Dark Lord.

That said, Moody’s magical prowess, combined with his raw tenacity, makes him stronger than Lord Voldemort. He’s spent his entire career tracking down evil wizards, and at the end of the day, Voldemort isn’t the strongest evil wizard ever — he’s simply the most successful of his time. He has some theatrics, but that’s no match for Moody’s skill and experience.

Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen, shown above, is the foremost of many actors to portray the role) may have laid the foundation for what would become Lord Voldemort’s agenda, but he is stronger than his successor. The former’s expulsion from Durmstrang shows that power — he nearly killed other students with his spellwork and experiments, and he didn’t need to use a basilisk to do it for him.

Though it isn’t always on display in the “Fantastic Beasts” trilogy, Grindelwald is the only wizard who could even come close to dueling Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law, during the “Beasts” films), meaning he could win in a duel against Voldemort. Grindelwald and Dumbledore were friends as teens, and part of that is rooted in the power and intellect they shared. What they chose to do with it diverged greatly as they aged, but, as younger men, they recognized each other’s power.

Grindelwald’s special abilities also allow him to be more powerful than Voldemort. While the latter was a Parselmouth, and speaking to snakes became a part of his image, Grindelwald was a Seer, giving him natural intuition. While it’s that gift that puts him on his path toward self-destruction, it adds to his strength when compared to Voldemort.

It should come as no surprise that Albus Dumbledore (portrayed as a senior wizard by Michael Gambon, pictured, and Richard Harris) is on this list. Not only is he the only wizard Lord Voldemort seems truly terrified of, but he is widely considered the most powerful person in the wizarding world. Their duel in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” shows that, though seemingly evenly matched, Dumbledore edges Voldemort out every time.

Dumbledore knew things Voldemort had done before Voldemort himself even did, most notably with making Harry a Horcrux when he tried to kill him on Halloween night, 1981. While it’s unlikely that Dumbledore knew right away what had happened, he worked it out, understanding that Voldemort’s soul was so fractured it had become unstable, unintentionally dividing itself. That knowledge informed how Harry and his allies would win the Second Wizarding War.

Albus Dumbledore is a strong wizard, creating spells that are impossible to breach. Some of that is linked to his own natural ability, but it’s also rooted in his intelligence. Dumbledore has an understanding of magic that’s relatively unmatched. He sees connections that others don’t, and has made a remarkable impact on the wizarding world. Notable moments include his role in the fights against Gellert Grindelwald and Lord Voldemort, and also for discoveries like the 12 uses for dragon blood. With all of that in mind, he’s easily stronger than Voldemort. In the end, that evil wizard never had a chance.