Severus Snape

Severus Snape was the Potions Master, Head of Slytherin house, Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, and eventual Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. One of the most complex and pivotal characters in the series, Snape lived a double life as both a Death Eater loyal to Lord Voldemort and a member of the Order of the Phoenix secretly working for Albus Dumbledore. His actions were driven by a lifelong, unrequited love for Lily Evans, Harry Potter's mother. This profound motivation led him to play a crucial, albeit often cruel and misunderstood, role in protecting Harry and ensuring Voldemort's ultimate defeat.

Severus Snape was born to a witch, Eileen Prince, and a Muggle, Tobias Snape. He grew up in a neglectful household on Spinner's End, a shabby, derelict street. As a child, he met and befriended Lily Evans after recognizing that she, too, was magical. He fell deeply in love with her and was the first to explain the wizarding world to her.

At Hogwarts, Snape was sorted into Slytherin house. He proved to be a gifted student, particularly in Potions and the Dark Arts. He frequently experimented with and created his own spells, such as `Sectumsempra` and `Muffliato`, annotating his copy of Advanced Potion-Making with his discoveries under the moniker “The Half-Blood Prince”. Throughout his time at school, he was the target of relentless bullying by James Potter and Sirius Black. His friendship with Lily became strained due to his fascination with the Dark Arts and his friendship with aspiring Death Eaters. The friendship ended permanently after Snape called Lily a “Mudblood” in a moment of humiliation after being tormented by James Potter.

After graduating from Hogwarts, Snape joined the Death Eaters. While in their service, he overheard a portion of the Prophecy made by Sybill Trelawney regarding the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord. He relayed this information to Lord Voldemort, who interpreted it as referring to the son of Lily and James Potter. Horrified that he had endangered the woman he loved, Snape defected and went to Albus Dumbledore, begging him to protect the Potters. In exchange, Snape swore his allegiance to Dumbledore, becoming a double agent for the Order of the Phoenix. Following the Potters' deaths, a grief-stricken Snape was persuaded by Dumbledore to dedicate his life to protecting Harry Potter as a way to honor Lily's memory and sacrifice.

Dumbledore secured Snape a position as the Potions Master at Hogwarts, a role which protected him from being sent to Azkaban. For years, he coveted the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor but was consistently denied it. During Harry Potter's time at school, Snape was a harsh and biased teacher, showing clear favoritism towards Slytherin and a deep-seated animosity towards Harry, whom he saw as a living embodiment of his rival, James. Despite his personal disdain, he covertly protected Harry on numerous occasions, such as when he performed a counter-curse against Quirinus Quirrell's jinx during a Quidditch match in Harry's first year.

Upon Lord Voldemort's return, Snape resumed his role as a double agent on Dumbledore's orders, successfully convincing the Dark Lord of his continued loyalty. He made an Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa Malfoy to protect her son, Draco Malfoy, and to carry out the task Voldemort had assigned him—killing Albus Dumbledore—should Draco fail. This task was part of a secret pact between Snape and Dumbledore, who was already dying from a curse. Snape killed Dumbledore atop the Astronomy Tower, an act that solidified his standing within the Death Eaters' inner circle and allowed him to become Headmaster of Hogwarts. As Headmaster, he secretly worked to protect the students and aid Harry's quest, most notably by guiding Harry to the Sword of Gryffindor using his Patronus.

During the Battle of Hogwarts, Snape was summoned to the Shrieking Shack by Lord Voldemort. Mistakenly believing Snape to be the master of the Elder Wand, Voldemort ordered his snake, Nagini, to kill him, hoping to claim the wand's allegiance. As he lay dying, Snape gave his memories to Harry Potter. These memories revealed the entirety of his story: his love for Lily, his true allegiance to Dumbledore, and his role as a secret protector of Harry. In his final act, Snape ensured that Harry knew the truth about his destiny. Years later, Harry honored his memory by naming his second son Albus Severus Potter and describing Snape as one of the bravest men he ever knew.

Snape is described as a thin man with sallow skin, a large, hooked nose, and greasy, shoulder-length black hair. His eyes are black, cold, and “empty like dark tunnels.” He typically wore sweeping black robes, which made him resemble an “overgrown bat.” His personality was acerbic, sarcastic, and cruel, particularly towards students he disliked, such as Harry and Neville Longbottom. He was a man of immense self-control and profound bravery, capable of deceiving the most accomplished Legilimens in history for years. Beneath his bitter and resentful exterior lay a deep capacity for love, though it was focused entirely on the memory of Lily Evans. This duality made him one of the most morally ambiguous and tragic figures of the wizarding world.

• Potions: Snape was a potions genius. He could expertly brew highly complex potions and was innovative enough to improve upon published recipes, as seen in his copy of Advanced Potion-Making.
• Dark Arts: He possessed a profound knowledge of the Dark Arts and was a formidable practitioner. He invented several dark spells as a student, including the dangerous curse `Sectumsempra`.
• Occlumency and Legilimency: Snape was a master Occlumens, able to completely shield his thoughts from Lord Voldemort. He was also a skilled Legilimens, able to penetrate the minds of others.
• Spell Creation: As the Half-Blood Prince, he invented numerous spells, including `Sectumsempra`, `Levicorpus` (nonverbal), `Liberacorpus`, and the `Muffliato` Charm.
• Dueling: Snape was a highly skilled and efficient duelist, capable of defending himself against powerful opponents like Minerva McGonagall and fleeing from her, Filius Flitwick, and Pomona Sprout simultaneously.
• Patronus: His Patronus took the form of a doe, the same as Lily Evans's, symbolizing his undying love for her. He used it to guide Harry to the Sword of Gryffindor.

• Advanced Potion-Making Textbook: Snape's personal copy of the Hogwarts textbook, filled with his own handwritten notes, improved potion instructions, and invented spells. It was used by Harry Potter in his sixth year.
• Portrait: Following his death and the revelation of his true allegiance, Harry Potter insisted that a portrait of Severus Snape be hung in the Headmaster's office at Hogwarts.

• Lily Evans: The central figure of Snape's life. His unrequited love for her motivated every significant action he took after her death.
• Albus Dumbledore: Snape's secret master and confidant. Their relationship was one of mutual, albeit difficult, trust. Snape resented Dumbledore for the painful role he had to play but remained loyal to his plan until the very end.
• Harry Potter: Snape's relationship with Harry was defined by conflict. He detested Harry for his resemblance to James Potter but was bound by his promise to Dumbledore and his love for Lily to protect him.
• Lord Voldemort: The master Snape served and deceived for over a decade. Voldemort saw Snape as a valuable servant but killed him without hesitation for his own gain.
• The Marauders: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew were Snape's chief tormentors at Hogwarts, creating a lifelong animosity that fueled his bitterness, especially towards James and Sirius.

• Severus: A Latin name meaning “stern,” “severe,” or “harsh,” which accurately reflects his demeanor. It was also the name of a Roman Emperor, Lucius Septimius Severus.
• Snape: J.K. Rowling has stated she took the surname from the village of Snape in Suffolk, England. (J.K. Rowling interview).

• J.K. Rowling planned Snape's complex character arc and ultimate redemption from the very beginning of writing the series. She shared key secrets about his character with actor Alan Rickman to help him inform his performance long before they were revealed in the books. (J.K. Rowling interview).
• In the film adaptations, Severus Snape was portrayed by the late Alan Rickman. His performance is considered iconic and perfectly captured the character's nuance and gravitas.
• The location of Snape's death differs between the book and the film. In the novel, he is killed in the Shrieking Shack, whereas in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, he dies in the Boathouse. (film).
• J.K. Rowling confirmed that Snape is the only Death Eater who could produce a corporeal Patronus, as it requires a pure, happy memory or emotion, which for Snape was his love for Lily. (J.K. Rowling interview).
• It was confirmed on Pottermore that Snape was Draco Malfoy's godfather. (Pottermore).