Harry Potter understandably focuses on its titular character, but the series is full of other witches and wizards who are amazing fighters.

As much as Harry Potter is a series about love and friendship, it's also a story full of adrenaline-fueled action and determined characters fighting for their ideals. The magical disputes in the books and movies are more than just exciting and gasp-inducing — they have also become some of the most iconic scenes in the entire franchise.

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While Harry is certainly a great fighter in the making, there are several characters who have a much bigger arsenal of spells and experience hidden in plain sight. Whether they're on Voldemort's side or actively fighting against him, they have a skillset that makes them the best fighters in the series.

A highly controversial character, Snape was instrumental in bringing down Voldemort from behind enemy lines and allowing Harry to win against the Dark Lord. Though he wasn't an aggressive fighter, his mastery of the Dark Arts (and the defensive charms against them) made him one of the most formidable opponents in the series.

Despite having the necessary skill level, Snape often chose self-preservation over engaging in unnecessary battles, fleeing a duel before it escalated past his comfort zone. Though effective, this tactic led many of his adversaries to label him a coward for not defending himself in full.

Unlike most of his fellow Death Eaters who valued power over technique, Lucius had a much more elegant dueling style that made him stand out as one of Voldemort's best. During both Wizarding wars, he held his own against some of the strongest Aurors and members of the Order of the Phoenix, showing his skill in martial magic.

During the riot at the Quidditch World Cup, Lucius dueled several Ministry of Magic officials at the event and successfully evaded being outed as a Death Eater. After rejoining Voldemort, he was present during most high-priority missions, including obtaining the prophecy from the Department of Mysteries.

Before becoming Hogwarts' Charms Master and Head of Ravenclaw House, Flitwick was an award-winning magical duelist, having won the title of Dueling Champion several times during his youth. In the Wizards Unite mobile game, it was also revealed that he helped train new Auror recruits with his vast experience in martial magic.

Flitwick demonstrated his abilities during the Battle of Hogwarts when he battled two of the most powerful Death Eaters in Voldemort's arsenal, Yaxley and Dolohov. He even managed to defeat Dolohov, who had murdered Remus Lupin only moments before, completely on his own.

Bellatrix was easily the most aggressive and bloodthirsty fighter in the series. Not only was she excellent and precise in her use of combative magic, but she also enjoyed watching her enemies suffer at her hand. After all, Bellatrix is responsible for murdering and torturing many powerful sorcerers, including Neville's parents and her own cousin, Sirius Black.

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Since escaping Azkaban, Bellatrix battled and defeated members of the Order of the Phoenix on various occasions. She was skilled enough that she could duel several opponents at once, easily overwhelming them with her quick reflexes and powerful curses despite their numbers.

One of the best Aurors in the force, Kingsley was an accomplished wizard with a particular talent for charms and dueling. Not only was he able to produce a corporeal lynx Patronus that he used to communicate with other members of the Order of the Phoenix, but he was also able to cast quick and effective Memory Charms on the spot.

Kingsley was often regarded as a key protector during every Order mission. He battled several Death Eaters, including Bellatrix Lestrange and Rookwood, and even dueled Voldemort himself alongside McGonagall and Slughorn. His reliability and strength led him to succeed Fudge as Minister of Magic after the Battle of Hogwarts.

Despite her severe and often stoic attitude, McGonagall was a fierce Gryffindor who would never go down without a proper fight. Whenever Hogwarts or its student body was threatened, she was always the first to jump to their defense, showing off her dueling skills to the surprise of her own students.

In Deathly Hallows, McGonagall forced Snape to make a hasty escape, easily knocked out one of the Carrows, and dueled Voldemort in a three-way effort with Slughorn and Kingsley. Though many skilled sorcerers died in the Battle of Hogwarts, she was relatively unscathed and lived to become the school's Headmistress.

An excellent and ruthless duelist, Moody was considered a legendary Auror for his work during the First Wizarding War. He battled and apprehended more Dark wizards than anyone else in the Ministry of Magic, losing an eye and a leg to some of his most brutal encounters over the years.

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Moody's reputation as a relentless combatant was widespread enough to intimidate even Voldemort himself, who considered him a major threat and wanted him eliminated. This led Moody to duel some of the strongest Death Eaters while working undercover as a member of the Order of the Phoenix.

Alongside Macnair, Dolohov was one of Voldemort's most sadistic, powerful, and evil Death Eaters. He was extremely skilled in the use of the Dark Arts and martial magic. He usually took a leading position in every battle, taking on the strongest opponents to give the other Death Eaters an advantage.

In the early 1980s, Dolohov was sent to Azkaban for murdering the Prewett twins, two prominent members of the Order of the Phoenix. Over a decade later, he escaped and worked under Voldemort once again, dueling Harry and his friends on multiple occasions. He killed Lupin in the Battle of Hogwarts before ultimately being defeated by Flitwick.

Voldemort was an exceptionally powerful and unpredictable fighter who was able to switch between tactics quickly and effortlessly. His vast knowledge of all branches of magic, particularly the obscure ones like Necromancy and Legilimency, made him a superior duelist with many aces up his sleeve.

Throughout the series, Voldemort showed that he was capable of battling several adversaries at once. He even killed one of the most gifted of wizards and performed some of the most complex magic in history. Even though Dumbledore seemed to be his only equal in terms of skill, Voldemort was still defeated by the only type of magic he refused to believe in: love.

Championed by many as the single best fighter in the franchise, Dumbledore was an energetic and ferocious duelist despite his calm and collected personality. He single-handedly beat his former friend and lover, Grindelwald, despite the latter being in possession of the Elder Wand at the time. With Grindelwald defeated, the Wand switched loyalties and served Dumbledore from then on.

Dumbledore was powerful enough to hit multiple targets with a single spell and experienced enough to adjust his fighting style depending on his opponent's weaknesses. His encounter with Voldemort in Order of the Phoenix, where he finally showed off his magical mastery, remains one of the best battles in the entire series.

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Gabriela Delgado is a writer based in Lima, Peru. A Film Studies and Creative Writing graduate from the University of Alberta, she now writes for Comic Book Resources. She's a fan of all things film and television, ranging from the latest superhero entries to the classic reality tv of the early 2000s.

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