
~ Neville Longbottom about Alecto.

Alecto Carrow is a Death Eater and sister of Amycus Carrow. The siblings are a pair of villains in the service of Voldemort. Introduced in book six of the series, they became teachers and Deputy Headmasters at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry by book seven and were known for their singularly cruel punishments and strong anti-muggle prejudice by students.

In the movies, she is portrayed by Suzie Toase.


Early Years

The Carrows were born sometime before 1981 into a Pure or Halfblood family in Britain, most likely having attended Hogwarts in their youth. They became Death Eaters during the First Wizarding War, yet were among the majority of Death Eaters who did not search for Voldemort after his downfall, believing him dead. However, they managed to avoid being imprisoned in Azkaban in the time before his return, and were presumed to have been present during Voldemort's comeback in Little Hangleton cemetery, as their absences were not noted. 

The Second Wizarding War

Amycus and Alecto became more prominent characters when they were introduced as Death Eaters in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, cornering Albus Dumbledore at the top of the observatory along with Yaxley, Fenrir Greyback, Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape. Both were excited at the prospect of Dumbledore's death, jeering at the headmaster and hooting wildly as they witnessed Snape deliver the curse that ended his life. Their excitement ended rather quickly, as they were faced with members of the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore's Army who dueled them ferociously and sent them running for their lives. Harry Potter managed to trip them up as they made for the school gates, but intervention on behalf of Snape allowed them to escape Hogwarts' grounds. 

Some weeks later, they, along with the rest of the core members of the Death Eaters' inner circle, attended a meeting concerning plans to take over Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic at Malfoy Manor. They contributed little to the meeting, other than to join in Voldemort's mocking of the Malfoys and voicing their scorn at Charity Burbage, the Muggle Studies teacher at Hogwarts who preached acceptance and love towards Muggle-borns (she eventually became Nagini's dinner).

Teaching at Hogwarts

Following the Death Eater's takeover of the Ministry and Snape's assumption of the title of Headmaster of Hogwarts, the Carrows were appointed Deputy Headmasters. While her brother took the post of Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, Alecto became the teacher of Muggle Studies, taking the place of the recently murdered Charity Burbage. The subject curricula were changed drastically under her guidance: Alecto now began to preach to her students about the supposed stupidity and impurity of Muggle and Muggle-borns, the threat they presented to the Wizarding world, and the need to restore the "natural order" instead of covering aspects of Muggle culture and science in class.

Both Carrow siblings faced severe resistance by the remnants of the Order of the Phoenix, especially Ginny Weasly, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood. At one occasion, Neville spoke up to her in class, asking her how much muggle blood she and her brother had. He was punished by her so hard that the curse she used left a scar.

When Lord Voldemort found out that Harry Potter had found out about his Horcruxes and was likely to return to Hogwarts, he told the Carrows to look out for him. As the Horcrux Voldemort hid at Hogwarts was the diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw, he told Alecto that Potter might try to enter the Ravenclaw common room. As she was unable to answer the question that would allow her to enter the room, she had Professor McGonagall answer instead. When Harry, accompanied by Luna Lovegood, arrived at the common room, she hid. When Harry was occupied watching a statue of Ravenclaw, Alecto revealed her presence and pressed the Dark Mark on her arm, thereby letting Voldemort know that Harry was at Hogwarts. She was however stunned by Luna.

Moments later her brother Amycus entered the common room, having been alerted by his Dark Mark. As his sister, Amycus was let in by McGonagall. When he found his sister unconscious and Harry nowhere to be seen, he intended to blame everything on the Ravenclaw's as Voldemort would punish Alecto had he found out that she let Potter escape. When McGonagall forbade that he spat in her face, causing Harry to remove his Invisibility Cloak and attack him with the Cruciatus Curse. Alecto and Amycus were then tied up by Professor McGonagall.

When Amycus and Alecto teach at Hogwarts when Snape is headmaster and Voldemort in power, Amycus teaches Dark Arts and has students practice the Cruciatus Curse on first years, and punished Neville when he refused. Amycus and Alecto stand silently at the front of the Great Hall when Snape makes his announcement, and are presumably killed or at least subdued, when Snape deflects McGonagall's Confringo at them.


           HarryPotter Villains

Death Eaters

Death Eater Supporters

Muggle-Born Registration Commission
Dolores Umbridge | Corban Yaxley | Albert Runcorn | Mafalda Hopkirk

Gellert Grindelwald's Alliance

Other Dark Wizards & Witches

New Salem Philanthropic Society
Mary Lou Barebone | Credence Barebone


Tales of Beedle the Bard
Charlatan | Death | Warlock
