Voldemort was undeniably pure evil, but he may not be the greatest threat to the magical world. While Gellert Grindelwald was indeed a formidable dark wizard, he hasn’t claimed the title of the most dangerous. That distinction likely goes to a lesser-known figure named Ecrigis.
Ecrigis lived in the 15th century and was the first inhabitant of Azkaban, as revealed by JK Rowling on Pottermore. At that time, Azkaban was simply an island and not a prison. Ecrigis would lure the crew to him, subjecting them to horrific magical experiments that were grotesquely torturous, justified in his mind as a means of protection.
Eventually, Ecrigis lost his will to live and perished, which caused the island’s hidden horrors to become exposed. The Ministry of Magic then discovered the island was teeming with dark forces and made the decision to turn it into Azkaban Prison. They kept silent about the terrifying remnants of Ecrigis’s experiments that they encountered there.
Will this story be explored in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series? The Dementors noted that the Ministry of Magic encountered the most disturbing things on the island, destroying many findings as they uncovered just how horrifying they were.
One commenter compared Ecrigis to Joseph Mengele, suggesting he conducted experiments without regard for the suffering of his victims. This unsettling notion is indeed true. It may explain why Ecrigis hasn’t received much attention, as his backstory might be too grim for a franchise aimed at families. When considering Voldemort’s struggles to gain control over Hogwarts, it becomes clear why some see Ecrigis as the most terrifying dark wizard of all.
