Severus Snape

ALWAYS

Snape Collection

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How well do you remember Snape's Philosopher's Stone speech?

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‘I can tell you how to bottle fame, brew ______ and even put a stopper in death’ 

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‘Mr Potter, our new ______’ 

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‘Tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to ______?’ 

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‘Where, Mr Potter, would you look if I asked you to find me ______?’  

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‘And what is the difference between ______ and wolfsbane?’ 

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‘Pity, clearly ______ isn’t everything – is it, Mr Potter?’ 

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‘There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly ______ in this class’ 

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The speech that Snape gave in Harry’s first Potions lesson was certainly memorable. But can you recall exactly what he said in the Philosopher’s Stone film? 

Severus Snape's funniest moments

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

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and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1

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## Showing Lockhart up at Duelling Club: 
Snape was clearly having so much fun here – from the way he made a fool out of the pompous Gilderoy Lockhart, to managing to get a dig in at Ron, to the innocent little shrug he gave when suggesting Malfoy as Harry’s duelling companion…

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## Snape’s excellent comeback to Harry’s rather silly answer
The Head of Slytherin was rather talented when it came to sarcasm and biting comments – he certainly proved that it is far from the lowest form of wit. And while we know that Snape was unfairly targeting Harry, his response was still pretty funny. 

>‘Let us ask Potter how we would tell the difference between an Inferius and a ghost.’
>The whole class looked round at Harry, who hastily tried to recall what Dumbledore had told him the night that they had gone to visit Slughorn. ‘Er – well – ghosts are transparent –’ he said.
>
>‘Oh, very good,’ interrupted Snape, his lip curling. ‘Yes, it is easy to see that nearly six years of magical education have not been wasted on you, Potter. Ghosts are transparent.’
><br> *Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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and the Order of the Phoenix

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## When Snape told everyone to turn to page 394 
Okay, so you might see this as more of an iconic scene as opposed to an outright hilarious one, but we still had to include it. Alan Rickman’s pointed delivery of the line ‘Turn to page 394’, never fails to make us smile…

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## The way he had the utmost sympathy for anyone wanting to poison Harry Potter 
Snape and Harry were never going to be best friends. But Snape revealing that he would understand anyone’s desire to poison young Harry was dark humour at its very best. 

>‘I wish to interrogate him!’ shouted Umbridge angrily, and Snape looked away from Harry back into her furiously quivering face. ‘I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!’
>
>‘I have already told you,’ said Snape smoothly, ‘that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter – and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did – I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling.’
><br> *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

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## When he had enough of Harry and Ron’s chatting
While we definitely don’t condone violence, the comic timing of this scene was something else. Harry and Ron may have wanted to use their homework time to discuss the Yule Ball, but the Potions professor clearly had other ideas – Snape rolling up his sleeves before making his move was perfect.

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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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and the Goblet of Fire

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## The way he says obviously
Nobody can say the word obviously quite like Professor Snape. The way he managed to undermine Umbridge – not to mention his deadpan delivery – makes this one of the surly Potions Master’s funniest moments. 

>‘Now ... how long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?’ she asked, her quill poised over her clipboard.
>
>‘Fourteen years,’ Snape replied. His expression was unfathomable. His eyes on Snape, Harry added a few drops to his potion; it hissed menacingly and turned from turquoise to orange.
>
>‘You applied first for the Defence Against the Dark Arts post, I believe?’ Professor Umbridge asked Snape.
>
>‘Yes,’ said Snape quietly.
>
>‘But you were unsuccessful?’
>
>Snape’s lip curled.
>
>‘Obviously.’
>
>Professor Umbridge scribbled on her clipboard.
><br>*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

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If you want to see Alan Rickman deliver that memorable line or just want to enjoy many other Snape moments – here’s an excellent compilation of Snape just being Snape.

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Always. Why the Prince’s Tale is such an emotive chapter

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## The beauty of friendship

In Snape’s memories, Harry – and so the reader – has the opportunity to understand the entire timeline of Severus and Lily’s friendship. They’re both outsiders in their own way. Snape reveals what a tough home life he leads, and as a Muggleborn Lily has been experiencing magic without any reference point for what it is. Until they meet each other. We watch their fledgling friendship blooming, hear Snape’s tiny groan as Lily is sorted into Gryffindor and not Slytherin as he’d hoped, and then watch the difficulties their friendship faces as Snape becomes more involved in the Dark Arts and Lily struggles to understand it. We root for their friendship in spite of it all because their whole pasts are laid in front of us over only a few pages, a few strands of memory.

We can still see – even though Severus and Lily may forget it in their teenage years – that young witch and wizard lying on the leafy ground with a canopy of leaves above their heads. It’s hard not to wish that things had turned out differently for them. That they could have held onto that friendship all the way through their school years instead of drifting apart. And think that perhaps it might have stopped Snape drifting into circles that would only bring him misery and regret. Though, of course, in later life Lily’s doe protects him from that darkness with its silvery light of hope. 

## The power of enduring love

By Chapter Thirty-Three we already know what Lord Voldemort is capable of. We’ve already seen him use the Killing Curse without remorse on countless innocents – on Snape himself – and we’ve even seen him directing an attack on Hogwarts, the only place he ever really had a home. In the context of this and as Snape’s story unravels, we understand the pure depth of the love he has for Lily. A love that had him spying on one of the most dangerous and deadly Dark wizards that ever lived. From the moment we see him going to Dumbledore ¬– ‘Don’t kill me!’ – we understand better the high stakes Snape has been gambling with. We understand that from the moment he goes to Dumbledore until the moment of his death he has been living in fear for his life. And it’s all for love. All for Lily. Snape shows us that love is stronger than fear, and that is something overwhelmingly beautiful. 

## The devastation of unrequited love

‘After all this time?’ Dumbledore asks as Snape casts his doe Patronus. ‘Always,’ Snape answers. And queue the sobbing and broking hearts! This is, perhaps, the most memorable exchange across the whole Harry Potter series. But why? Perhaps in the doe Patronus we truly understand the depth of Snape’s love for Lily, a love that was never returned in the way he would have hoped. Perhaps it’s because many of us have experienced that pain of loving, and wanting and not being wanted in return (perhaps in a romantic way, perhaps by friends, an estranged parent). Perhaps it is also because throughout the Harry Potter series, Patronuses have always been a symbol of hope. Did Snape still hope that Lily would return his love one day? Or was it just enough for him to hold on to a piece of her, her doe, even though he couldn’t bring her back? Whatever it is, the fact that Lily’s doe protects Snape from the depressive darkness of Dementors is something that simultaneously warms and breaks your heart. 

## The complexity of human character 

Snape’s memories reveal him as a very complicated person. And it is emotive and somewhat reassuring to see this complexity of character in another human being. People are complicated because they’re made up of so many different experiences. Snape was a lonely, friendless child. He was a victim of bullying. He was a bully himself. He found hope and friendship in Lily Evans. He called her names. He joined Lord Voldemort. He betrayed him. He loved the Dark Arts. He taught Potions. He accidentally betrayed the person he loved most. He saved Harry’s life on a number of occasions. He protected Hogwarts. All these facets of Snape are laid bare for us, and in them we understand how he became what he was, but also in general how people become who they are. They are made up of the lived parts of their lives. As Sirius once put it, ‘the world isn’t split into good people and Death Eaters’ and Snape is a Death Eater but he has also done good. Perhaps there’s hope in this. Just like in his Patronus. 

The truth about the Boy Who Lived at last 
Away from Snape, this chapter gives the truth about Harry at last. It shows a shrewdness and calculative side of Dumbledore that has stayed hidden until this point, and that in itself is disarming. We get answers to questions Harry has asked over and over. About Malfoy, about Snape, about Voldemort, about Dumbledore, and of course, about himself. There is a catharsis in all the revelations. A catharsis that Harry feels too. To have the truth at last. To finally know how to go on. Perhaps even, how to succeed. Even if that comes to making the ultimate sacrifice for the wizarding world. 

Potions

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Snape teaching potions from the Philosopher's Stone 

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There is always some element of wandwork necessary to make a potion (merely adding dead flies and asphodel to a pot hanging over a fire will give you nothing but nasty-tasting, not to mention poisonous, soup).

Some potions duplicate the effects of spells and charms, but a few (for instance, the Polyjuice Potion, and Felix Felicis) have effects impossible to achieve any other way. Generally speaking, witches and wizards favour whichever method they find easiest, or most satisfying, to produce their chosen end.

Potions are not for the impatient, but their effects are usually difficult to undo by any but another skilled potioneer. This branch of magic carries a certain mystique and therefore status. There is also the dark cachet of handling substances that are highly dangerous. The popular idea of a Potions expert within the wizarding community is of a brooding, slow-burning personality: Snape, in fact, conforms perfectly to the stereotype.

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## Author’s note

Chemistry was my least favourite subject at school, and I gave it up as soon as I could. Naturally, when I was trying to decide which subject Harry’s arch-enemy, Severus Snape, should teach, it had to be the wizarding equivalent. This makes it all the stranger that I found Snape’s introduction to his subject quite compelling (‘I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death...’), apparently part of me found Potions quite as interesting as Snape did; and indeed I always enjoyed creating potions in the books, and researching ingredients for them. Many of the components of the various draughts and libations that Harry creates for Snape exist (or were once believed to exist) and have (or were believed to have) the properties I gave them. Dittany, for instance, really does have healing properties (it is an anti-inflammatory, although I would not advise Splinching yourself to test it); a bezoar really is a mass taken from the stomach of an animal, and it really was once believed that drinking water in which a bezoar was placed could cure you of poisoning.

It is often asked whether a Muggle could create a magic potion, given a Potions book and the right ingredients. The answer, unfortunately, is no.

What if Snape had never been in love with Lily Potter?

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Before we dive into what could have happened, let’s take a look at why Snape’s infatuation with Lily was so important to the story…

Severus Snape spent the majority of his life in love with Lily Potter. It is easy to understand why Snape, who had an unhappy homelife as a child, fell hard for the first person to show him love and kindness. His feelings for Lily seemed to be the motivation behind many of his decisions and it often seemed as though their friendship was the thing that he held most dear.

If it wasn’t for Snape’s love for Lily, it could be suggested that the story of Harry Potter would have looked completely different. Snape’s actions helped Harry to overthrow Voldemort. It was Snape that persuaded Voldemort to give Lily a chance to save herself. He also protected Harry during his time at school (however reluctantly). He risked his life constantly as a double agent. He was the one who was in on Dumbledore’s plan for Harry. He was the one to ensure Harry had the sword of Gryffindor when he needed it. Finally, Snape gave Harry his memories, so that he knew exactly what to do to end Voldemort’s reign of terror. 

If Snape hadn’t loved Lily, then it is hard to see where his motivation to do good would have come from. Even though it must have been incredibly painful for him to love someone who didn’t love him back, that relationship was critical. Without it we wonder how things might have changed. Would Snape and Lily still have been friends? Would he have been a Death Eater? Would Voldemort’s Horcruxes have been destroyed? And possibly the most important question, would Harry have survived as an infant and would there ever have been The Boy Who Lived?

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A young Lily and Snape in the corridors of Hogwarts. Lily is carrying a pile of books.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

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and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

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## Would Snape and Lily still have been friends?
We think that Snape and Lily may have still been friends in the beginning – even if Snape had not fallen in love with her. Lily brought light and warmth into Snape’s life from the moment they met. He was an isolated, lonely child whose magic would have only made him more of an outsider in his hometown of Cokeworth. The happiness that he must have felt upon discovering that there was another kid that lived close by who was just like him, can’t be underestimated. We can imagine that Snape would still have been drawn to Lily in the beginning – even platonically. 

Likewise, as Lily was such a warm and empathetic person, she would probably have recognised that Snape didn’t have much exposure to kindness and would have tried to be his friend before they headed to Hogwarts anyway. Also, as a Muggle-born, Lily probably felt different to the rest of her family, and Snape would still have been Lily’s first exposure to the magical world. You could say that he was the person who introduced her to who she really was. So, we are pretty confident that they would still have been friends initially.

However, without Snape falling for Lily, we doubt their friendship would have survived for as long as it did. Snape had been obsessed with the Dark Arts from a young age and the friends he made in Slytherin (such as Avery and Mulciber) were partial to them too. In fact, the majority (if not all) went on to become Death Eaters. We can believe that if Snape hadn’t developed any romantic feelings for Lily, a wedge would have been driven between them once they were sorted into their respective houses. Snape would have finally been around people that were more like him, and we think that he would have allowed himself to fall in with the wrong crowd more quickly. Keeping Lily on side wouldn’t have mattered as much to him – and she wouldn’t have been there as the conscience to keep him on track. 

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## Would Snape have supported Voldemort? 
As we mentioned before, Snape kept some decidedly dodgy company at school and ended up part of Voldemort’s inner circle. That all happened even though he loved Lily who detested Dark magic and those who practiced it. If Snape’s desire for Lily hadn’t existed, there would have been even less reason for him to not support Voldemort – and we can actually imagine him being an even more fanatical and devoted follower.

We also think Snape’s fascination with the Dark Arts would have made Voldemort irresistible. By supporting Voldemort, he could fully immerse himself in that world. He was also not above the arrogance that afflicted many witches and wizards, despite being a half-blood rather than a pure-blood. He sneered at Petunia for being a Muggle, hesitated when Lily asked if it mattered that she was a Muggle-born and even called her a Mudblood. Snape was clearly sympathetic to Voldemort’s abhorrent ideology and enjoyed feeling superior. We reckon that without his feelings for Lily, Snape would not have been tempted to come into the light and probably would have gone down an even darker and more twisted road.

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## Would he have ever worked for Dumbledore? 
Snape did eventually turn away from Voldemort – but it wasn’t for any noble reason. As soon as he found out that Voldemort was planning to kill Harry and his parents, he met with Dumbledore and begged him to save Lily. He couldn’t have cared less if James and Harry had ended up dead but couldn’t stand the thought of Lily dying. While Dumbledore said he would protect the Potters, it was on the condition that Snape now worked for him as a double agent. Snape’s love for Lily ran so deep that he agreed. When she was still murdered, he reluctantly decided that her death would not be in vain, and that he would protect her son. 

If Snape had regarded Lily as merely a friend, acquaintance, or just someone he had once known, we don’t think he would have accepted Dumbledore’s conditions or worked as a spy. Snape was put in an incredibly dangerous position the moment he turned away from Voldemort. We can’t believe that he would have been willing to do that for just anyone and we highly doubt he would have done it to do the right thing. After all, when he found out that Harry needed to die at the hand of Voldemort, he was furious – but not because he had grown to care for Harry or even the cause. Snape had worked tirelessly to protect Lily’s son for her and felt it had all been in vain. His love for Lily trumped everything – after all those years and always. 

However, that is not to say that Dumbledore wouldn’t have found another way to recruit Snape – he could be very persuasive. Once Snape was working for Dumbledore, you could see that he did have some influence on him. When Dumbledore was injured by Marvolo Gaunt’s ring, Snape’s anger at him seemed to come from a place of concern and care. He also seemed to respect Dumbledore – even if he didn’t always see eye to eye with him. We also found out that as an adult he didn’t tolerate the use of the word Mudblood, though that was probably more to do with the painful memory of calling Lily one. 

Either way, Snape did demonstrate growth, which suggests that while Voldemort’s philosophy was incredibly enticing, there was something in Snape that was good. And an incredible and intelligent wizard like Dumbledore may have been able to use that small sliver of light and turn him. Though we don’t doubt it would have been an almost impossible task. 

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Dumbledore and Snape in the Great Hall looking down. The enchanted ceiling is showing a galaxy pattern.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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and the Prisoner of Azkaban

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## Would he have been a Professor at Hogwarts?
Snape wasn’t a natural teacher. He despised so many of his students and seemed to take great pleasure in torturing them (unless they were Slytherins). If he hadn’t ended up being Dumbledore’s spy, we reckon there is a good chance that this surly Potions Master would never have lurked in the Hogwarts dungeons as a teacher. 

Instead, we can imagine Snape would have lost himself in studying and practicing Dark magic. He could have spent all his time working for Voldemort as a Death Eater and it is possible that he would never have considered returning to the school where he was bullied.

However, if we consider the idea that Harry never had survived as an infant, and Voldemort had been able to rise to power, he might have found his way back to Hogwarts. Voldemort had always seen Hogwarts as valuable. For example, in *Cursed Child*, in an alternate reality where Voldemort succeeded, Hogwarts was one place that he clearly had control over – there was even a Voldemort Day. And even in the *Deathly Hallows*, we see that Voldemort had installed the Carrows to try and keep a grip on the school as his power grew.

So, we think it would be highly like that Voldemort would have installed his best and brightest followers at the castle to indoctrinate the students. As Snape was intelligent, we could easily see him being someone Voldemort thought suited for a role there. And if he was allowed to teach the Dark Arts, we can actually see him being pretty happy.

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## Would Harry have died as a baby?
When Snape heard the prophecy and pleaded with Voldemort to spare Lily’s life, he may have inadvertently caused his downfall. While we know Voldemort killed Lily, he did give her a choice. If she stepped aside and allowed him to murder Harry, he would spare her. Lily refused and sacrificed herself to save her son. That action (and Lily’s love) was what gave Harry protection from Voldemort’s Killing Curse. Arguably, if Voldemort hadn’t given her a choice, then Harry wouldn’t have been protected, probably would have died and the curse wouldn’t have rebounded. Consequently, if it wasn’t for Snape’s intervention the story could have looked very different. 

So, we think it is safe to assume that without Snape loving Lily, there would have been a strong possibility that Harry would have died as a baby. We doubt he would have fought so hard to try and save her life. We also think that Voldemort would not have given her a choice and would have killed her on sight. Without the opportunity to put herself between Harry and Voldemort, Lily’s love may not have protected Harry and he would have been left vulnerable. 

Even though Snape’s goal was to protect Lily, he ultimately saved Harry and set off the chain of events that would eventually lead to Voldemort’s end. It is possible that his unrequited love ended up saving the wizarding world from Voldemort’s tyranny.

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## Would Harry have been able to complete the Horcrux hunt? 
When Harry discovers the sword of Gryffindor in a frozen pool in the Forest of Dean – his Horcrux hunting prayers had been answered. Having been impregnated with Basilisk venom, the sword was the perfect tool for destroying the pieces of Voldemort’s soul. Though, if it wasn’t for Snape, the sword may have remained out of Harry’s reach. It was Snape who placed the sword there for Harry to discover – and ensured that it was under the conditions of need and valour. He followed Dumbledore’s plan, even though he didn’t know why Harry needed the sword, because he still felt as though he had a duty to protect him. 

Now if he had never loved Lily, he would probably have never felt compelled to look out for Harry. He would probably not have been the person to give Harry the tool he needed to destroy Voldemort – especially if was still a Death Eater. Now that is not to say that Harry wouldn’t have ended up with the sword at all. It is supposed to appear to those true Gryffindors that are worthy of it – and we know that Harry had met that criterion before, when he pulled it out of the Sorting Hat in his second year. So, with that in mind, we think that Harry’s Horcrux hunt may have been delayed but he would still have been able to eventually gather what he needed to ensure Voldemort’s death. 

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What are your thoughts? Do you agree with what we think about Snape and if he never had feelings for Lily?

If this has made you wonder about more ‘what if’ scenarios – then take a look at some of our previous musings:

[What if Ginny Weasley had never possessed Tom Riddle's diary?](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/what-if-ginny-had-never-possessed-tom-riddles-diary)

[What if Remus Lupin had never become a werewolf?](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/what-if-remus-lupin-was-never-werewolf)

[What if Snape was never sorted into Slytherin?](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/what-if-snape-was-never-sorted-into-slytherin)

10 things Severus Snape actually likes 

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Perhaps he needed a hobby, like [Gobstones](/writing-by-jk-rowling/gobstones "Gobstones by J.K. Rowling") (his mother was president of the Hogwarts club, after all) or maybe Dumbledore could have taken him ten-pin bowling. Still, there are a few activities out there that never failed to put a smirk on that solemn face of his. 

## Giving Harry a hard time 

Mister Potter wasn’t universally loved in the wizarding world – just ask Filch or the Slytherins – yet Snape took anti-Potter sentiment to a whole new level. He constantly berated the ‘Famous Harry Potter’ and never missed an opportunity to put the Chosen One firmly in his place. It all came down to some bad blood: everyone told Harry he was just like his father, but only Snape meant that as an insult.

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## Anything to do with Slytherin 

Snape was quick to pick his favourite pupils and they all had one thing in common – they looked good in green. Though each Head of House enjoyed seeing their own students succeed, Snape tended to overlook most of his pupils’ bad behaviour. It didn’t matter if a Slytherin started the fight; whoever else was involved would be the ones losing house points.

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Snape headshot from the Order of the Pheonix 

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## Potion-making, obviously 

> ‘I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses.’<br>
> *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*

The poetic, almost romantic way he described the art of [potion-making](/writing-by-jk-rowling/potions "Potions by J.K. Rowling") to his first-year class expressed a genuine love for the craft. Understandably so, as his old Potions book revealed an unsurpassed talent for the subject – it’s not every student who can correct the textbook.

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## Casual Dark Arts usage 

Potions tips weren’t the only things scribbled in the Half-Blood Prince’s old school books. Snape had been dabbling in the [Dark Arts](/collection/the-dark-arts "The Dark Arts") since his school days and came up with many choice curses, including the vicious [Sectumsempra](/features/sectumsempra "Sectumsempra"). According to [Sirius](/features/sirius-black "Sirius Black"), Snape knew more hexes when he arrived at Hogwarts than most students learned by seventh year, so it’s no wonder he fell in with a bad crowd.

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## Taking points from Gryffindor 

Snape loved punishing [Gryffindor](/collection/all-about-gryffindor "Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor") students so much he’d use almost any excuse. [Hermione](/features/hermione-granger "Hermione Granger") knew this unfairness all too well. She got points deducted for such crimes as helping her classmates (usually [Neville](/features/neville-longbottom "Neville Longbottom")) and for answering questions correctly, or in Snape’s words ‘for being an insufferable know-it-all’.

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## Avoiding shampoo 

You’d think that a talented potion-maker such as Severus would be able to brew up a batch of magical ointments to treat oily complexions. Or how about a shampoo charm to sort out those greasy black locks? Oh well, he must have been happy enough.

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Snape telling Harry to be quiet at the Tallest Tower 

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## Legilimency

Every teacher knows when a pupil is up to no good, but there are one or two at Hogwarts [who had an extra special gift](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/a-guide-to-legilimency). Snape’s talent for sniffing out troublemakers worked on more than just a hunch – it was a formidable magic skill that allowed him to read and interpret people’s memories. Any student foolish enough to tell fibs had better not look this Professor in the eye.

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Snape in his potions class room from the Order of the Pheonix 

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## Embarrassing Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers 

Snape relished those moments when someone he disliked got their comeuppance, especially when that person had taken his dream job. He gave the buffoonish Gilderoy Lockhart a right showing-up at the duelling demonstration but let’s be honest, who didn’t enjoy that? Snape also thwarted Dolores Umbridge’s  plan to interrogate Harry with Veritaserum. This might have looked slightly more heroic had he not offered to poison Potter as a compromise.

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## Being sarcastic 

> ‘Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We’ll be sending what’s left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox.’<br>
> *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets*

Forget hexes – Snape’s sarcasm was the real Dark Art you’ll wish you could defend against. Cold, condescending and sharp as a tack, Snape’s subtle but dread-inducing tone was brilliantly delivered by Alan Rickman in the film adaptations. Anyone who considers sarcasm the lowest form of wit had better not mention this during Potions.

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## Lily 

There were many things Snape actually liked, but probably only one he ever truly loved. Look no further than his Patronus, which remained a doe even after all those years. Though she left this world, Lily Evans never left Snape’s heart. For many, it was proof that he had one to begin with.

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What if Snape was never sorted into Slytherin? 

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The Slytherin Common Room with Draco from the Chamber of Secrets 

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Albus Dumbledore once said that 'the consequences of our actions are always so complicated, so diverse, that predicting the future is a very difficult business indeed', and he was right. The fickle nature of fate and prophecies comes up time and time again throughout the Harry Potter series. While Harry Potter became the Chosen One, there were so many different roads that the story could have taken; if Voldemort had gone after Neville instead of Harry, for instance, or if Albus hadn't invited Tom Riddle to Hogwarts.

With all of this in mind, I still reckon that the wizarding world's fate was sealed the moment the Sorting Hat yelled 'Slytherin!' after being placed on an 11-year-old Severus' head. Here's how things might have been different if Snape was never sorted into Slytherin. 

Firstly, a quick disclaimer for the proud snakes out there. We know that Slytherin is a great house. It is for the smart, the ambitious and the quick-thinking, and it deserves to be respected. However, back in the day when Voldemort was growing in power and gaining followers, Slytherin's reputation became murky. Salazar Slytherin's influence on the house also encouraged certain students to carry the thoughts that 'pure bloods' were somehow better than others, from Tom Riddle - all the way up to Malfoy 50 years later.

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When Snape first met Lily, the pair instantly hit it off and became very close, with Severus sharing everything with her: from what she needed to know about magic, to his own unhappy home life. But when they went to Hogwarts, everything changed. The pair were parted when the Sorting Hat placed Severus in Slytherin and Lily in Gryffindor, and while Lily thrived in her new, magical life, Snape was essentially placed in close quarters with the likes of Lucius Malfoy, Avery and Mulciber. Mulciber! 

If he had been sorted into Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Gryffindor, perhaps Snape stood a chance at making a much safer choice of pals. And it has to be said, he was relentlessly bullied by James and Sirius, since the pair had an innate dislike of Slytherin before they even got to know Snape at all, causing him to be angry, bitter, and make up spells like 'Sectumsempra' in his spare time...  

While Lily thrived at Potions and bickered with James, Severus was getting into some seriously heavy stuff. Surrounded by friends fascinated by the Dark Arts, he became more and more involved in the wrong side of magic and fascinated by Voldemort's teachings, so much so that he called the one good influence in his life a 'Mudblood'.

Yes, he had been humiliated by James Potter and wasn't thinking, and yes he was suspicious that Lily liked James, but this unforgivable slur forced Lily to end their friendship once and for all. And thus, Lily and James started going out, and the rest is history.

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Should Snape have never been sorted into Slytherin, he wouldn't have spent nearly as much time with the wrong sort of people, he wouldn't have received James and Sirius' disdain, and his friendship with Lily wouldn't have abruptly ended. Lily's good influence on Snape was now lost. Maybe Lily and James wouldn't have got together. Think, if Harry had been sorted into Slytherin, he most likely wouldn't have been friends with Ron and Hermione. What then? Well, [we pondered that scenario here, actually.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/what-if-harry-ron-and-hermione-had-never-made-friends-in-philosophers-stone)

But the domino effect of Snape's placement doesn't change everything. If Snape hadn't been in Slytherin, Voldemort would have still risen to power, yes. But Snape might well have been on the good side from the start, and wouldn't have betrayed Trelawney's prediction to Lord Voldemort. Maybe the first wizarding war would have ended differently.

But for Severus, it was just the beginning of his heartbreaking story arc which saw him badly bullied, make a decision which caused him to lose his one true love, then die while redeeming himself and bringing Voldemort down once and for all.

Who knows what could have been, had the Sorting Hat chosen a different road - or if Snape would have still made too many wrong decisions.

The chapter that made us fall in love with Professor Severus Snape

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Revealing him as a hero, J.K. Rowling completely changed our opinion of Severus Snape in just a single chapter of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

The chapter that made us fall in love with Severus Snape | Wizarding World

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A walk inside Snape’s memories transformed him in Harry's mind from sniping [Potions master](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/potions) to ‘the bravest man he ever knew’. We take a closer look at the chapter from *Deathly Hallows* that changed everything.

## ‘The Prince’s Tale’

Professor Snape is dead on Voldemort’s orders, and Harry saw it all. In his dying moments, he told Harry to take his memories and look at him one last time. Voldemort’s voice then sounded through the corridors, challenging Harry to meet him in the Forbidden Forest in an hour. This is the end. 

Harry then goes to the headmaster’s office and finds the Pensieve.

> [The stone Pensieve](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/pensieve) lay in the cabinet where it had always been: Harry heaved it on to the desk and poured Snape’s memories into the wide basin with its runic markings around the edge. To escape into someone else’s head would be a blessed relief...nothing that even Snape had left him could be worse than his own thoughts.<br>
> *Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows*

As children, Harry, Ron and Hermione had looked at the sarcastic and strict Professor Snape as something of a pantomime villain – the bitter Potions master, stewing in the dungeons. As adults, they [learn Snape is far more complex](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/key-moments-when-severus-snapes-actions-were-misunderstood). 

In *Deathly Hallows*, when Harry approached the Pensieve, he was grief-stricken and broken by battle. He practically fell into Snape’s memories, and discovered a little thin-faced boy who once knew a girl called Lily  Harry’s mother and Snape were childhood friends. Growing up in their tiny Muggle town of Cokeworth, they bonded over their magical powers like other kids do over toys. 

Once at Hogwarts the two friends were sorted into different houses, and later Snape fell in with the wrong crowd. Not just the usual teenage reprobates, but future supporters of the most powerful Dark wizard of all time. 

In these memories Harry saw Snape’s frantic conferences with Dumbledore about the prophecy and how he begged for some way to keep Lily safe from Voldemort; and later, when her death made him wish for his own. Imagine squeezing out of the grasp of a murderer, and then working directly against him. What a tightrope to walk along.

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## Why this chapter is important
‘The Prince’s Tale’ is quite the story. We see Snape’s life as a young, neglected boy with (heavily implied) warring parents, his unrequited love for someone who married his school bully, and his stressful life as a double agent. 

This pattern is woven through each book – Snape is bad; Snape is good; Snape’s a total git; Snape saved your life over and over. When Snape was tasked with the awful burden of killing Professor Dumbledore, he fulfilled everyone’s narrative perfectly: here was the final proof that Snape was untrustworthy, yet we learn that he *had* to kill Dumbledore for noble reasons that barely anyone knew about. 

Snape’s bravery was staggering. He was always viewed as the cartoon bad guy, yet what he furtively did for Harry along the way was his tragic secret – one nobody would be likely to figure out. Of course, Snape being who he is, he made no habit of being cheery, which didn’t help matters. 

It’s almost like Snape created a kind of butterfly effect across all the books. It was Snape who overheard the prophecy that would go on to define Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter’s lives for years afterwards. The prophecy can be seen as the catalyst for everything; it led to the death of [Lily, his great love](https://www.wizardingworld.com/features/unsung-heroes-of-harry-potter-stories-lily-potter), and Snape spent the entire course of Harry’s (and his own) life trying to make amends. If you think about it, Snape could be seen as the greatest instigator of the story’s events. 

## Windows to the soul

Snape died looking into Harry’s eyes: the eyes of the boy who survived because the woman he loved died. The eyes of the boy who looked like the spitting image of his father; the man who bullied him, then married the love of his life. Imagine having to look into those eyes in that moment; the eyes that both pained you intensely and yet made you feel love more than anything in the world. Snape’s final moments are perhaps the bravest we saw of any character.

Within *Deathly Hallows’* lingering final chapters we understood that Snape lived his life as a tortured double-agent, constantly flickering from the good side to the bad like a broken light, and all in the name of an undying love that cemented his loyalty to Harry and Dumbledore.

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Right from the start in *Philosopher’s Stone*, three naïve children thought that the big meanie Potions professor was the antagonist trying to steal the stone. It is only at the end that we understood that he was the one trying to stop it all: always the silent hero behind the shadows. In ‘The Prince’s Tale’ we unfurl the layers of quite a remarkable man. One whose name would be given, very deservedly, to one of Harry’s future children.

Snape taught us that there are no good men and bad men: that we are born full of foibles and complexities painted in thousands of different shades. Whether we choose to see Snape as that mean professor calling Harry ‘our new celebrity’, or as the chivalrous hero casting a meaningful Patronus, is up to you. But as Dumbledore often likes to say: ‘It is our choices that show who we truly are.’ Snape made some bad choices, and sometimes he was hard on Harry for no good reason. But he did spend much of his life making choices that would go some way to repair the one, truly terrible one.

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Snape is bitten by Nagini in the Shrieking Shack.

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*Pottermore looks back at the moments that made our favourite characters so memorable. Read about the chapter that made us fall in love with... [Draco Malfoy.](/features/chapter-that-made-us-fall-in-love-with-draco-malfoy "The chapter that made us fall in love with Draco Malfoy")*

The chapter that made us fall in love with… Severus Snape 

The Harry Potter books from Severus Snape’s perspective 

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Severus Snape was often the villain to Harry and his friends, but what if the Hogwarts professor was actually the real hero all along?

The Harry Potter Books from Severus Snape's Perspective | Wizarding World

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## Prologue 

Once there was a wizard called Severus Snape. He was tall and lanky, and his black greasy hair hung like curtains around his face. He grew up as a half-blood wizard in an unhappy family, but found solace in a witch called Lily Evans, a childhood friend. Snape loved Lily deeply: through their years at Hogwarts; through her marriage to another wizard, [James Potter](https://www.wizardingworld.com/writing-by-jk-rowling/the-potter-family); through his time as a Death Eater; and long after her murder at the wand of Lord Voldemort. After her death, a heartbroken Snape took up a position at Hogwarts as Potions master (under Dumbledore’s protection), and began his secret mission to keep safe the only thing that he had left of her: her son, a boy with his mother’s eyes.  

## Severus Snape and the Philosopher’s Stone 

Still, that didn’t mean that he had to like the guy, who looked annoyingly like his father (and Snape’s school bully) James Potter. 

Nonetheless, Snape had a job to do. During Harry’s first year, Dumbledore and Snape suspected a fellow teacher, Defence Against the Dark Arts’ Professor Quirrell, of trying to steal a precious magical object hidden within Hogwarts grounds: The Philosopher’s Stone. Because he was clever, Snape saw through Quirrell’s plans pretty quickly, which involved setting trolls loose in the dungeon, and trying to jinx Harry Potter’s broom during a Quidditch match. 

Snape, of course, gallantly confronted Quirrell, but in the end, Harry and his two friends got all the credit, with Snape getting set on fire in the process. Charming.

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## Severus Snape and the Chamber of Secrets 

Although this was a quiet year for Snape, his excellent teaching subtly led Hermione and Harry to discover two things that would prove paramount in their later years: Polyjuice Potion, and Expelliarmus. Unlike some wizards, he didn’t spend every year of Hogwarts trying to make himself the centre of attention.

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Polyjuice ready to drink fro the  Chamber of Secrets 

Severus Snape was the Professor of Potions and the Head of Slytherin house when Harry Potter got to Hogwarts, and the pair instantly disliked each other. But beneath his surly exterior lay a man of many secrets and a mysterious history. Seek more on Severus Snape here.

Severus Snape

Severus Snape was the Professor of Potions and the Head of Slytherin house when Harry Potter got to Hogwarts, and the pair instantly disliked each other. But beneath his surly exterior lay a man of many secrets and a mysterious history. Seek more on Severus Snape here.

The Severus Snape mega quiz

Several more Severus items

Just a few sensational Severus Snape moments

Which is better: spells or potions?

All the times Professor Snape made a damn good point

The light and shade of Severus Snape

8 times the Half-Blood Prince reveals the real Snape

What if Snape was never sorted into Slytherin?

Ranked: The best and worst choices of the wizarding world