At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter series, students are divided into four houses based on their personality types and ambitions. House names have become household names in the years the franchise has become popular, with fans picking their favorite characters and also ranking themselves based on which house they most identify with.
Slytherin house is the place for those who are cunning and ambitious. The personalities belonging to this house are likely to be leaders and politicians, which also makes Slytherin the largest producer of dark witches and wizards. While many of the Slytherins in the series are the ones fans love to hate, their affinity for the dark makes them fun characters to cosplay. Between the intricate makeup, creative clothing, and artistic photo editing, these cosplayers really mastered the character they were trying to portray.
Draco Malfoy
Draco is Harry’s pureblood-loving rival throughout the series. He comes from an ancient wizarding family that has long had an affinity with the dark arts, and he is no exception. His wealth and his connections within the magical government have made him primitive and snobbish, looking down on anyone who feels that he does not meet his status.
User @Demonic_bee has done a phenomenal job impersonating Draco Malfoy. They nailed the spoiled Slytherin with not only the light blonde hair, impeccable uniform, and true-to-movie wand, but also the perfect Malfoy-like facial expression.
severus snape
Snape is the dark and sinister professor who has sparked much debate among fans of the franchise. While he was not purely evil, he did have an affinity for the dark arts, contradicted only by his undying love for Harry’s mother, Lily. Whether a fan loves or hates Snape, he remains one of the world’s greatest heroes. Harry Potter Serie.
User @Tigrisness perfectly captures the essence of Snape in his cosplay. They used makeup to contour his face, making him appear to have the deep features that actor Alan Rickman brought to the role. At first glance, someone might think it was Professor Snape himself.
lucius malfoy
Lucius Malfoy is the great head of the Malfoy family and the father of Draco. His strong influence at school and within the Ministry of Magic is especially concerning considering he was one of Voldemort’s closest followers. However, when it comes down to it, Lucius Malfoy is only loyal to himself and his reputation.
@Pookaboocosplays is the handle to an Instagram page dedicated to cosplaying a couple who refer to themselves as Mr. & Mrs. Pookaboo. Lucius’s cosplay was perfectly done by Mr. Pookaboo, which would surely include very Slytherin-like jewelry and the characteristic snake staff.
Dolores Umbridge
Dolores Umbridge may not look like it, but she is one of the most ruthless characters in the Harry Potter Serie. She is a high-ranking Ministry official who stepped in as a DADA teacher in Harry’s fifth year. Her downright evil methods of punishing her so strongly contradict her prissy and proper exterior that fans are repulsed by her affinity with kittens and the color pink.
Instagram user _queenfran_ puts a different spin on Hogwarts’ worst teacher, giving a depiction of what she may have been like when she was young. Despite the age difference between the on-screen characters viewers are familiar with and @_queenfran_’s version, her cosplay is still perfectly recognizable.
horus slughorn
Horus Slughorn is a Slytherin who tends to hang on the fence of morality. He is not tempted by the Dark Arts that tend to ensnare others outside of his household so easily, however, his need for powerful friends and luxurious comforts can sometimes lead him to questionable decisions.
Jeremi Carey, who goes by the handle @Justjaremi on Instagram, has taken on the old potions professor with flying colors. He captures the grandeur of Slughorn with the expensive looking robes and intricate jewelery and very convincingly captures his aged and jovial visage with the use of impressive special effects make-up.
narcissa malfoy
Narcissa Malfoy was born into the Black family and later married into the equally pure-blood loving Malfoy family. She has been raised, like many Slytherins, to value power and status, believing that her blood gives her more value than others. However, Narcissa is not motivated by evil. Her love for her son ultimately wins out over her education.
Jeremi Carey (@Justjaremi) once again fantastically captured the essence of Narcissa in her cosplay. Jeremi’s face completely transforms into that of Helen McCrory, who plays Narcissa in the movies.
Bellatrix Lestrange
Bellatrix is Narcissa’s sister and is married to another pure-blood family, the Lestranges. However, unlike Narcissa, her Bellatrix is really bad to the core. She has the highest reverence for Voldemort of all her Death Eaters, and her years locked up in Azkaban did nothing to improve her bloodlust.
Fernanda Andrade, known as @F_lovett on Instagram, is the cosplayer who took on the Bellatrix Lestrange challenge, with flying colors. Her black dress and her voluminous wavy hair perfectly resemble Bellatrix’s in the movies, but the perfect crazed look in her deep-set eyes is really what makes this cosplay perfect.
riddle
Lord Voldemort didn’t always seem to be anything more than human like when Harry first met him. When he was in school and called himself Tom Riddle, he was described as handsome and charismatic, which made it easy for him to win favor with his teachers and classmates.
Tom Riddle cosplays are far and few in between, but Twitter user @Yippee_Ki_Yay_ didn’t shy away from trying. The result is a Tom Riddle that is as classic as the books make him out to be, with the promise of something sinister within.
Salazar Slytherin
Salazar Slytherin was one of the four founders of Hogwarts and a fundamental part of the history of the Wizarding World. He was one of the first recorded wizards to prefer magical blood to keep himself separate from less worthy Muggle blood. While he is not known to be evil, it was his ideologies that divided the founders of Hogwarts.
Slytherin is never depicted in the movie or described in the books, so Instagram user @mir_Fantastic was able to use his imagination when creating his cosplay. With little guidance, they managed to bring to mind the original Parselmouth, with long dark hair, similar to Snape’s, and green robes adorned with snakes.
Voldemort
When Tom Riddle began creating Horcruxes and calling himself Lord Voldemort, his appearance began to distort, along with his soul, until what was left could barely be described as human. The actions that caused him to change his appearance were some of Voldemort’s biggest mistakes that cost him victory, but the result was a truly terrifying look.
Alessio Morando, a special effects makeup artist who goes by the handle @Alemoravoice on Instagram, was able to use his amazing makeup skills to perfectly replicate Voldemort’s look from the movies. They flattened his nose and made his skin look thin and translucent, resulting in a Voldemort that is, if anything, even more intimidating than the original.
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