All 4 Marauders from Harry Potter, ranked from worst to best

3. Padfoot (Sirius Black)

• Animagus form: Black dog 
• Also known as Snuffles
• Played by Gary Oldman 
• Groups: Marauders and Order of the Phoenix

Sirius Black, also known to the Marauders as Padfoot and Snuffles, is my pick for the third-best of the bunch. It’s a tough choice between James Potter, Remus Lupin and Sirius, but we have to go with someone.

Born into one of the oldest pureblood wizarding families, Sirius ran away from home to stay with the Potters during his fifth year at Hogwarts after being selected as a Gryffindor and falling in with James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. Fiercely loyal and lovable to his found family, Sirius’ animagus form is, of course, a shaggy black dog.

Sirius kept his animagus form a secret. Only a few outside of the Marauders knew he had the ability to transform into an animal, which came in very handy when trying to escape from the wizard prison of Azkaban.

Sirius was accused of betraying his friends and aiding Lord Voldemort in the killing of James and Lily Potter. He was charged and convicted for killing former friend, Peter Pettigrew, and 12 muggles after Lord Voldemort killed the Potters. He served 12 years in Azkaban before escaping in his animagus form. We all know the story from there. Sirius tracks down Pettigrew, who was hiding as Ron’s rat Scabbers. Harry and Hermione help Sirius escape on Buckbeak the hippogriff, and he becomes Harry’s guardian after inheriting 12 Grimauld Place, his family’s home.

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Bellatrix Lestrange, Sirius’s cousin, kills him in the fight for the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic.

While few characters from Harry Potter had to persevere in the face of adversity more than Sirius, his reckless nature and quick temper are not the most admirable of qualities, which is why he’s No. 3 on the list.