Severus Snape

Template:HP character Severus Snape is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J. K. Rowling. His first appearance was in the book Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, published in 1997, and he has continued to appear in all the books and film adaptations published to date.

Snape is said to be Rowling's most complex and intriguing character, both adored and loathed by fans of the series. Snape has gone through extreme development over the course of the series, evolving from a snide, unfair teacher who issues detentions or insults to pupils he least likes into a pivotal character - and murderer. Rowling in an interview described him as "a gift of a character".

In the Harry Potter films, Snape is portrayed by British actor Alan Rickman.

Character origins

Rowling says that she borrowed his surname from the village of Snape in the English county of Suffolk. Severus is Latin for "strict", "harsh" or "severe", and the name may also have origins in the name of the Imperial Roman emperor (Lucius) Septimius Severus, who was known for ruling with both vigour and a calculated cruelty. Rowling has stated that the Snape character himself was inspired by a hated teacher of science in her childhood.

In several foreign-language translations of Harry Potter, Snape's name is altered. In French, he is "Severus Rogue," in Italian "Severus Piton," in Romanian "Severus Plesneală," in Norwegian "Severus Slur," in Hungarian "Perselus Piton," in Finnish "Severus Kalkaros" (kalkkaro, rattlesnake), in Dutch "Severus Sneep", in the Brazilian Portuguese version "Severo Snape", and in Russian "Северус Снегг" ("Severus Snegg", "снегг" being an alternation of "снег" - "snow").

Character description

Snape's physical appearance resembles that of the classic villain- and unpleasant teacher- of Western literature: "hook-nosed", pale skin and black eyes. He is also known for his greasy, shoulder-length black hair. Snape is described as tall, thin, and black-robed; appearing "like an overgrown bat".Template:HP1 In the drawings presented throughout the Harry Potter books by Mary GrandPré, Snape is also depicted with a goatee.

Snape is generally depicted as thoroughly unpleasant and bitter. His temper is sometimes short, but he is usually calm and collected. Snape displays a particularly strong dislike of Harry Potter, and often taunts Harry by insulting Harry's father, James Potter. It is suggested that his treatment of Harry stems from Snape's bitter rivalry with James when they were in school together.

Snape is shown to be a very powerful wizard, and to have been talented even while a student. He specialises in potion-making and has a talent and passion for the Dark Arts. As Head of Slytherin house, he is an icon for his own students; the rest of the school, however, strongly dislike him. He is rarely caught off guard by any comment or insult, and often leaves his verbal combatants with little to say. Skillful in the arts of Occlumency and Legilimency, Snape is able to both access the minds of others, and protect his own thoughts- indeed, though he does not care for the term himself, Harry forms the uncomfortable impression quite early on in the series that he is able to 'read minds'. He is also gifted in nonverbal spell casting and spell invention, and in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, he is shown to be a talented duelist.

Background

According to timeline information from the author and from within the books, Snape was born January 9, 1958, and attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from c. 1969 to c. 1976. In c. 1981, he began teaching in Hogwarts as Professor of Potions and became Head of Slytherin House before the events of the first book, set in 1991. In 1996, Snape was appointed Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Severus Snape was born to Tobias Snape, a Muggle, and Eileen Prince, a witch, making him a half-blood wizard. The youthful Snape is described as having a "stringy, pallid look", being "round-shouldered yet angular", having a "twitchy" walk "like a spider" and "long oily hair that jumped about his face". According to Sirius Black, as a first-year student at Hogwarts, Snape knew more hexes and curses than most seventh-years, although his bookish demeanour and unattractive appearance made him an outsider and object of scorn. He also had a fascination with the Dark Arts. Snape's classmates included James Potter and Lily Evans (Harry's parents), Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.

Harry glimpses three memories in Snape's mind during a botched Occlumency lesson, and sees that Snape witnessed his parents arguing and was deeply upset by this: "He was sure he had just broken into Snape's memories, that he had just seen scenes from Snape's childhood, and it was unnerving to think that the crying little boy who had watched his parents shouting was actually standing in front of him with such loathing in his eyes...."

Snape and the Marauders

Snape suffered relentless teasing and bullying from James Potter and Sirius Black, much as Dudley Dursley and Draco Malfoy bully Harry. Discovering this causes Harry to question his positive view of his father and feel sympathy for Snape. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry learns that Sirius tricked Snape into going to the Shrieking Shack, where Lupin was confined during his transformations into a werewolf. Snape could have been killed had James not intervened, although Severus believed that James only warned him to avoid expulsion from Hogwarts, not from any attack of conscience. Nevertheless, Albus Dumbledore suggests that Snape is still influenced by the power of this debt to James. Sirius tries to explain James's thuggish behaviour by claiming that Snape's interest in the Dark Arts naturally offended James, and although James acted idiotically at age 15, he grew out of his bullying ways. Remus concedes that although James may have stopped bullying others, he continued to bully Snape during his final year at Hogwarts while dating Lily, even though she disapproved. However he does justify this by saying that Snape would retaliate ("he never lost an opportunity to curse James, so you couldn't expect James to take that lying down, could you?").

File:Severus-snape-protecting.jpg

Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Snape invented a number of spells, one or more of which James learned and used against him in public during their fifth year. Snape was hung upside down in mid-air from a Levicorpus spell and humiliated while students watched. Lily defended Snape while James was tormenting him, professing her detest of James, whom she would later marry. Despite Lily's help, an angry and humiliated Snape insulted her, calling her a "filthy little mudblood". Harry discovers this information by sneaking a look at some of Snape's own memories placed in the Pensieve during Occlumency lessons.

Snape and Slytherin

Sirius tells Harry that Snape belonged to a gang of Slytherins, including Bellatrix Black, Rodolphus Lestrange, Avery, Wilkes, and Evan Rosier, who involved themselves in the Dark Arts and became Death Eaters. However, Bellatrix for one was only at school with Snape for a very short time, so the accuracy of this claim is dubious.Template:GF Snape joined them, but at some point before Voldemort's first defeat he also became a member of the Order of the Phoenix, working inside Hogwarts as a supposed triple agent for Dumbledore. Barty Crouch Sr apparently wanted Snape in Azkaban for being a Death Eater, but Dumbledore's testimony on Snape switching sides protected Snape from the authorities.

Interviews with Rowling

In an interview, J. K. Rowling stated that Snape had been loved, but did not specify by whom, or the nature of the love. Rowling has also denounced the rumour that Luna Lovegood is Snape's daughter, saying that Snape does not have a daughter.

Role in the series

There is mutual enmity between Snape and Harry almost from their first meeting. During Harry's first Potions class in his first year, Snape throws questions at him that most novices would be unable to answer, and mocks the "famous" Harry Potter for being unable to answer them. During a Quidditch game, Snape appears to be muttering a curse that wildly shakes Harry on his broom. It was actually Professor Quirrell (in league with Voldemort) working the curse on Harry, while Snape was attempting to protect him. Although Harry mistakenly suspected that Snape was trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone, he retains lingering feelings of suspicion even after Quirrell is revealed as the real culprit, and their relationship remains tense.

Snape relentlessly antagonises Harry, at one point calling him "a nasty little boy who considers rules to be beneath him".Template:HP4 He taunts Harry during lessons, ridiculing his work and giving him frequent and (from Harry's perspective) often unjustified detentions and other penalties. Snape's harsh treatment is often extended to Harry's friends, while Slytherin students are treated more favourably. Although Snape has repeatedly tried to have Harry expelled, he has also saved Harry's life on several occasions.

Snape's expert skills are used in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to brew Wolfsbane Potion for Remus Lupin, the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher in the third book. Snape attempts to apprehend Sirius Black, who he believes responsible for James, Lily and Pettigrew's deaths, and acts to defend Harry from the dangerous fugitive. When Black escapes, Snape rightly accuses Harry of aiding him- although still mistakingly believes that Black is a mass murderer.

At the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Dumbledore attempts to convince a disbelieving Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, that Voldemort has returned. As proof, Snape willingly shows Fudge the renewed Dark Mark on his arm. Dumbledore subsequently sends Snape on a secret mission. By the time of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Snape has rejoined the Death Eaters to spy on Voldemort.

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore has Snape teach Harry Occlumency, the protection of one's mind from outside intrusion or influence. Snape is extremely skilled in both Occlumency and reasonably so in its companion art of Legilimency, the discerning of thoughts and feelings from another's mind; both proficiencies undoubtedly useful in his work as a spy. The sessions are made difficult by their mutual hostility and end permanently when an outraged Snape discovers Harry watching Snape's memories in the Pensieve.

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Bellatrix Lestrange and Draco's mother, Narcissa Malfoy, visit Snape at his ramshackle house on Spinner's End street, located in a nearly deserted Muggle slum. Snape swears an Unbreakable Vow to Narcissa that he will protect Draco, help him complete Voldemort's task, and finish the task himself if Draco fails. At Hogwarts, Snape is finally appointed to his coveted teaching post, Defence Against the Dark Arts. Replacing him as Potions instructor is Horace Slughorn. One day, Hagrid overhears Snape arguing with Dumbledore, saying that Dumbledore took "too much for granted", and that there was something that he was no longer willing to do. Dumbledore insists that it was agreed and must be done.

Returning to Hogwarts after a search for one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, Harry and Dumbledore see the Dark Mark in the sky over the astronomy tower. Dumbledore asks Harry to fetch Snape, when Draco Malfoy suddenly arrives. Harry is already concealed under his Invisibility Cloak, but Dumbledore immediately acts to prevent him taking any action, by paralysing him with a spell. Draco intends to carry out Voldemort's orders to kill Dumbledore, but Dumbledore manages to persuade him not to. They are interrupted again by the arrival of some Death Eaters and Snape. When it is clear that Malfoy will not kill Dumbledore, Snape uses the Avada Kedavra curse, killing Dumbledore and causing his body to fall from the tower. (Contrary to considerable fan speculation, Rowling has confirmed that Dumbledore is definitely 'dead'.) Snape, Malfoy, and the Death Eaters rush from the castle, pursued by Harry (released from his magical paralysis after Dumbledore's death). Harry's attempts to attack Snape are ineffective; Snape easily blocks every spell and even taunts Harry by pointing out the mistakes he makes when fighting with magic. However, he becomes enraged after Harry calls him a coward and attacks with spells Snape had created (just as Harry's father once did). Snape is injured by Buckbeak before disapparating into the night with Draco and the Death Eaters.

The Half-Blood Prince

In the sixth book in the series, Snape becomes the new Defence Against the Dark Arts instructor. His vacant Potions position is filled by Horace Slughorn, a retired Hogwarts teacher who previously taught the subject. Slughorn lends Harry an old Potions textbook that is filled with the jottings of a highly talented former student. The notes include a variety of hexes and jinxes seemingly invented by the student, as well as substantial improvements to the book's standard potion-making instructions. It is signed, "Property of the Half-Blood Prince". The notes greatly bolster Harry's performance and impresses Slughorn, who declares he has inherited his mother Lily's outstanding Potions ability. Whoever the Prince might be, Harry believes he is a better teacher than either Snape or Slughorn.

Outraged by Harry's easy (yet fraudulent) success in the subject, Hermione investigates the possible identity of the Half-Blood Prince and suspects it may be former Hogwarts student Eileen Prince. Harry is ambivalent about the Prince's identity, although he is convinced that the student is male- albeit whilst accepting that he or she has a somewhat dark sense of humour. In a fight with Draco Malfoy, he uses the Prince's spell marked "For Enemies" and is horrified that it causes vicious slashing wounds. Snape arrives and heals Draco's wounds and then interrogates Harry about the source of the Sectumsempra spell (from Latin; meaning literally, "always cut").

Harry knows that at least two of the spells were used by Snape and his father during their fifth year, which is confirmed by Remus Lupin. Because the handwritten spells have numerous corrections, Harry is convinced the writer invented them. During his flight from Hogwarts, Snape confirms to Harry that he is the "Half-Blood Prince".

As Hermione later surmises, the nickname was derived from Snape's mother's maiden name of "Prince" and from his father having been a Muggle, making Snape a "half-blood". Some in the wizarding world, especially those among Voldemort's followers and in Snape's own Slytherin House, consider this to be a defect or inferiority. Harry suggests Snape chose this title to "play up the pure-blood side".

When questioned by Harry, Remus Lupin, Snape's classmate, says he knows nothing about the name, and it seems that it, like Tom Riddle's diary, was his own private joke.

Loyalty

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Snape performing a counter-jinx on Harry's broom while Quirrell jinxes it in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Snape's true loyalty is one of the most significant unresolved issues in the Harry Potter series, even after the events of the Half-Blood Prince. Snape is trusted by Voldemort and Narcissa Malfoy within the Death Eaters, but not by Bellatrix Lestrange, and although he does not hesitate at any point, he endures a thorough interrogation by her at the beginning of the sixth book as to why he has spared Harry for so long and is still accused of "slithering out of action" even after he has answered her sufficiently. She is described as "astounded" when he agrees to take the Unbreakable Vow apparently to kill Dumbledore and his enthusiasm to do so is complicated by an "unreadable" expression and an ambiguous "twitch" of his fingers as he holds Narcissa's hand- implying that he does not want to do it. At the same time, he is a respected member of the Order of the Phoenix, trusted by everyone from Dumbledore downwards, with the exception of Harry and Sirius. By constantly saving Harry's life or otherwise helping him, Snape keeps giving Harry a reason to trust him. Even Sirius, though the effort on Dumbledore's part to make them put their respective differences in the past clearly fail, quite clearly gets angry on hearing that Snape has stopped helping Harry with Occlumency and wants him to continue. None of this alters the fact that in Half-Blood Prince Snape kills Dumbledore with Avada Kedavra, the Killing Curse, but it is still not clear to what extent this was his choice, as his actions were obviously constrained by his Unbreakable Vow to Narcissa.

It also remains unclear whether Snape's murder of Dumbledore was a component in an elaborate plan by Dumbledore, or whether he did it out of necessity. To further complicate matters, both the Order of the Phoenix and Lord Voldemort believe that Snape is working as a double agent on their side, the reason being that Snape's mastery of Occlumency allows him to lie undetectably. Dumbledore had stated numerous times that he trusted Snape completely, while Voldemort trusts him enough to include him in most of his important plots. Both Dumbledore and Voldemort are powerful Legilimens and should therefore be especially adept at knowing when people are lying to them. As shown in the second chapter of book six, Snape's actions towards Harry (and towards the wizarding world in general) may be those of a dedicated enemy, but could also be interpreted as those of an ally. His ambiguous expression of "revulsion and hatred" on looking at Dumbledore before he kills him is notable, as well as contradictory, on having already referred to him as "a great wizard" in front of Bellatrix. Equally suspicious is his contempt at hearing Voldemort's name (although this is common among wizards) and referring to him as "the Dark Lord" as the Death Eaters do, even when in front of Harry. Fans dispute the meaning of his statement that as a teacher at Hogwarts he has passed "sixteen years worth of information on Dumbledore" to Voldemort, and whether a true ally to the Order of the Phoenix would do this. Since he was spared, however, the assertion that he became a Hogwarts teacher so that he could spy on Dumbledore in the first place must have been plausible to Voldemort himself.

In the chapter "Flight of the Prince", Snape rushes Draco and the Death Eaters out of Hogwarts, but he is confronted by Harry. Snape easily blocks every spell Harry sends at him, and although he taunts Harry over his lack of skills, he also tells him what he does wrong. He prevents Death Eaters from harming Harry by blocking a Cruciatus Curse and tells them that, "Potter belongs to the Dark Lord". Though his actions could be those of an enemy acting under orders, and while he does finally lose his temper and magically slap Harry in the face, they could also be interpreted as those of an ally.

According to Trelawney, it was Snape who eavesdropped at the Hog's Head while Sybill Trelawney was interviewed for Divination professor at Hogwarts. During the interview, she fell into a trance, delivering a prophecy regarding Voldemort and a foe that had "the power to vanquish him." Dumbledore says only the first half of the prophecy was heard by Snape before he was caught and thrown from the building and reported to Voldemort. Although the prophecy could have been about either Harry or Neville Longbottom, Voldemort identified Harry as the subject and, seeking to kill him, murdered Lily and James Potter. Harry now blames Snape for his parents' deaths, amplifying his hatred and colouring his view of Snape's loyalties. Much of the reader's information about Snape comes through Harry's reactions, and is in turn shaped by Harry's interpretation of events.

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, in the chapter "The Lost Prophecy," Dumbledore explains that Snape coordinated the rescue of Harry and his friends from the Ministry of Magic. This rescue was crucial to saving their lives during the fight there, where they were outnumbered by Death Eaters; although Sirius Black was killed, this orchestration confirmed Snape's loyalty in the eyes of the Order. However, Snape's delayed warning allowed the Death Eaters enough time to enter the Ministry and almost capture Harry before Order members arrived. Snape explained this delay by saying that he first searched for Harry at Hogwarts before realising where he had gone.

In the chapter of Half-Blood Prince entitled "Spinner's End," Snape states to Bellatrix Lestrange, "I have done my utmost to have him thrown out of Hogwarts." In the chapter "The Rogue Bludger" in Chamber of Secrets, Hermione Granger needs a diversion in order to steal the necessary ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion from Snape's cupboard. When Harry tosses a firework into a cauldron, Snape is furious and threatens to expel the guilty person. Harry later tells his friends that he felt Snape somehow knew it was him, and yet apparently takes no measures to find the perpetrator. Furthermore, when Harry almost kills Draco Malfoy with Sectumsempra, Snape merely cures Draco and assigns detentions as punishment, when Professor McGonagall tells Harry he deserved expulsion.

Dumbledore repeatedly makes it clear that Snape has his full confidence. At Igor Karkaroff's trial, Dumbledore testified that Snape spied on the Death Eaters "at great personal risk,"Template:HP4 while Karkaroff insisted this was untrue and he was still working for Voldemort. In Half-Blood Prince, Remus Lupin tells Harry that though he and the Marauders (Lupin, James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew) had a childhood rivalry with Snape, he trusted that Snape was on the right side. He later explains that this was because of Dumbledore's own belief. Minerva McGonagall also reveals that she had often "wondered" about Snape, although she adds that Dumbledore always implied he had good reason to trust him. Horace Slughorn also showed surprise that Snape acted as he did.

Snape had also said that he had given information that led to the death of Emmeline Vance. If he had indeed passed such information, it would have been highly unlikely that he did so on Dumbledore's orders. However, some believe that this claim was only one of the lies he told Narcissa and Bellatrix to strengthen his case, or that it was a rather drastic attempt on his part to make him seem more like a Death Eater, and therefore on Voldemort's side.

Throughout the series, Snape's sinister personality and antagonism towards Harry are in stark contrast with his apparently heroic actions in Harry's defence. Yet in Half-Blood Prince, Snape says, to Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy, that his loyalty to Voldemort has never wavered. It is unclear whether his constant attempts at trying to have Harry expelled are personal or a desire to make his nemesis more vulnerable outside of school, and easier prey for Voldemort, or an attempt (at least in the earlier books) to protect him from the yearly plots to kill him there.

This history of divided allegiance to both the Death Eaters and the Order of the Phoenix, and his actions in apparent support of both sides, make him one of the most ambiguous and morally complex characters in the series, and, arguably, its only anti-hero, assuming that he is a double agent for the Order.

Portrayal in the films

Severus Snape is portrayed by British actor Alan Rickman in all the Harry Potter films. Alan Rickman is one of the few actors that J.K. Rowling has spoken to about the future direction of his character, perhaps reflecting the importance of Snape's role in the series.

In the film Snape is shown clean-shaven, although he is shown having a greasy beard and a moustache in the original chapter illustrations. The chapter illustrations in the American book editions drawn by Mary GrandPré also show a goatee-like beard. The descriptions of his character in the books make no mention of facial hair.

Other Media

Professor Snape appears in the Robot Chicken episode "Password: Swordfish" voiced by Seth Green. When Hermione goes to him and asks him about the threat of the puberty creature Pubertis, Professor Snape tries to entice Hermione to his hot tub to discuss more about it.

External links

• Snape Character profile from the Harry Potter Lexicon
• Interviews in which Rowling has given information about Snape from accio-quote.org
• Dumbledore's part in his own death Dumbledore Is Not Dead Website
• Snape and the events surrounding Trelawney's prophecy editorial by MuggleNet
• Snape’s loyalties and Dumbledore's death from red hen
• The Lazy Man's Guide to Defending Snape from I trust Snape
• Snape and the Dark Arts from Slytherin Serpent
• Collected information about Snape Half-Blood Prince.org
• Severus Snape Fan Page Lots of theories about Snape, background information and interactive threads
• Dumbledore's Man Through and Through from Mugglenet