In the fictional world of the Harry Potter series, the Death Eaters constitute a group of wizards and witches, led by the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, the chief antagonist of the series, who seek to purify the Wizarding community by eliminating the Muggle-borns. They also try to create a new order through the Ministry of Magic and cause fear among the Wizarding community by terrorising and killing important officials and other enemies of the Death Eaters, chiefly the members of the Order of the Phoenix. Death Eaters recognise one another by the Dark Mark on their left forearm, a sign created by Voldemort to summon them instantly to him.

Their typical work attire includes black, hooded robes and masks, as seen in the film version of Goblet of Fire (skull masks and black robes with pointed hats) and Order of the Phoenix (metal masks and more elaborate purple robes). According to author J. K. Rowling, the original working title for the Death Eaters was "The Knights of Walpurgis".

The Death Eaters existed some twenty years before the events of the series proper, torturing and murdering anyone who was a Muggle, opposed them, or was believed to have information which could aid in or harm their rise to power. Ten years after the beginning, two boys who fit the prophecy of Sybill Trelawney were born in July. The prophecy predicted that "The Dark Lord will mark him as his equal" and "neither can live while the other survives," so Voldemort went hunting for the boy who he believed of the two to be his eventual downfall, Harry Potter.

Acting on information from James and Lily Potter's Secret-Keeper Peter Pettigrew, Voldemort attempted to complete the prophecy and kill his infant rival. Due to Harry's mother's sacrifice to save her son, Voldemort's deadly curse rebounded off Harry and disembodied Voldemort.

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