Based on the events described, Dolohov was the individual who came closest to killing Hermione Granger.
The Attack on Hermione
During a confrontation, Antony Dolohov targeted Hermione with a powerful curse. The provided reference highlights this near-fatal moment:
- Dolohov launched an attack that "might have killed Hermione."
However, Hermione's quick thinking saved her. Earlier in the same battle, she had cast a Silencing Charm (Silencio) on Dolohov, robbing him of his voice.
This earlier charm had a critical impact:
- Because his voice was taken by Hermione's Silencing Charm, Dolohov was unable to utter the incantation for the curse.
- He was forced to attempt a nonverbal cast of the spell.
- The nonverbal version of Dolohov's curse was significantly less potent than it would have been had he been able to speak the incantation aloud.
Therefore, while the intent and the curse were lethal, the nonverbal casting, a direct result of Hermione's earlier defensive magic, reduced its power just enough to prevent it from being fatal.
This encounter demonstrates both the danger posed by skilled Death Eaters like Dolohov and the effectiveness of Hermione's tactical magical abilities under pressure.
