Professor Severus Snape



Severus Snape was born to Eileen Prince, a witch, and Tobias Snape, a Muggle. Growing up in a Muggle village, Severus was friendless and suffered from his father's tyrannical nature. Like the older Severus, the younger Severus was not the most becoming of persons. An awkward child, he wore over-sized hand-me-downs and sported his signature greasy hair; his character revealed great bitterness at a young age, and an angry, vengeful disposition. However, he was not without hope and optimism as he saw Hogwarts as a means of rising above his situation; an attitude which would ultimately lead him astray.

It was not until he was around the age of nine that he first came into contact with Lily Evans, a girl his age from the village who he witnessed performing uncontrolled magic on a playground one day. Knowing she would be sent a letter from Hogwarts when she turned eleven, just as he would be, he forged a friendship with the young witch, though with some difficulty. Severus introduced Lily Evans to much about the wizarding world, though her sister, Petunia, did not approve of the boy.

Two years later, Severus and Lily traveled to Hogwarts together and there on the train encountered James Potter and Sirius Black, who each took a disliking to Severus, and the disliking would intensify mutually. Eventually, Severus would become known amongst James' crowd as "Snivellus" as Severus apparently gained a reputation for being an outcast who always went whining to the teachers to tell on James or Sirius; compared to the older Snape, the young Snape was more pathetic and did in fact wear his heart on his sleeve.

Severus was sorted into Slytherin, the house of his mother and the one he believed to be the best at Hogwarts. Lily, James, and Sirius were each sorted into Gryffindor, which was the first disruption to Severus' friendship with Lily.

Both Severus and Lily were brilliant students with Severus developing extraordinary abilities with time. He and Lily were the top Potions students, though it becomes clear in Harry's sixth year that Prof. Slughorn, Severus and Lily's former Potions teacher, highly favored Lily and Severus was left as a mere afterthought for praise. However, we learn that Severus corrected his 6th year Potions textbook (which Harry receives by mistake in his sixth year, only to find the previous owner's, Severus', corrections, and becomes quite attached to the book, thinking of it almost as a friend) as it was full of mistakes he recognized, but Slughorn did not. Therefore, it is proved that Severus may have been a better student than Lily, but was overshadowed by her popularity; another dent in their friendship.

Severus was also highly advanced in wandwork, having, at some point in his Hogwarts years prior to the end of his 5th year, developed a way of inventing his own spells, which were also printed in his 6th year's potions textbook. Severus's extraordinary magical talents were seen fit for Voldemort and Severus fell in with a crowd of Slytherins who would all go on to become members of Voldemort's Death Eater group; Severus would later become a member himself. Though we learn that Severus reasons for joining Voldemort were to gain power and presence and a sense of worth which he thought would impress Lily, and he was greatly disgruntled to learn that Voldemort and the Death Eaters did not at all impress her.

Lily and Severus remained friends for several years at Hogwarts, until around the time of their fifth year when a growing divide was burst open. Lily was frustrated by Severus spending time with Slytherins who she did not like, and Severus was growing more frustrated by James Potter's advancing interest in Lily. On the day of the students' OWL testing for DADA, James and Sirius attacked Severus, unprovoked, with a spell of Severus' own invention, a dart in Severus' ego. Severus was lifted from his feet and hung upside down by his ankle, which caused his over-sized robes to fall around him and his underwear to be seen. Embarrassed in front of a dozen students, and also by the fact that Lily tried getting Sirius and James to stop. Also causing James to say "You're lucky Evans was here to save you." Resulting in Severus to call her a Mudblood. From that day forward, Lily and Severus were no longer friends. As much as Severus tried later that night, it failed. To add salt to the wound, she would return to Hogwarts in her sixth year and begin dating James, whom she would later marry.

A few short years after leaving Hogwarts, Severus, a member of Voldemort's Death Eater group by this time, was on a mission as a spy, tailing Prof. Dumbledore, when he overheard a prophecy delivered to Dumbledore which suggested a baby would be born in the coming months who would have the power to bring down the Dark Lord. Doing as any loyal servant would do, he blindly returned to Voldemort and told the parts of the prophecy he was able to hear; this would be a grievous error for Voldemort as Voldemort quickly chose to act on the prophecy, targeting Harry Potter, the son of James Potter and Lily Potter (Evans) for death as he was to be born, according to the Prophecy's details, at the close of the seventh month.

With Voldemort selecting Harry for death, Severus asked Voldemort to spare Lily. Of course, the self-interested Severus did not care for the boy or the father, he only worried for Lily's safety. Even so, he still goes to Dumbledore to ask that he hide Lily from Voldemort, and eventually concedes to include James and Harry in the plan. Because of Severus's request, Voldemort gives Lily the choice of stepping aside, but being a good person and mother, she refused to stand down from protecting her son and, having been murdered by Voldemort, allowed for Old Magic to put a protection on baby Harry, which would cause Voldemort's Killing Curse to backfire on himself.

Ten years later, Harry would arrive at Hogwarts where Severus was installed the past ten years as the Potions Master. With the reputation of being a horrible, malicious, spiteful, and cruel teacher, Severus quickly became Harry's rival as both mutually disliked each other: Harry, because Severus gave Harry no reason to like him, and Severus, because Harry was glaring proof of James and Lily's memory and also Severus' great mistakes in life.

Severus would protect Harry over the years at Hogwarts despite hating him and his friends. During Harry's third year, the wounds surrounding James and Sirius and their history with Severus would sting again, and much of Severus' school years is hinted at to Harry. In Harry's fourth year when the Dark Lord rises again, Severus returns to his spying position for Dumbledore, immersing himself once again in Voldemort's world. Severus would play a huge role, however quiet it was, in the Second Wizard War.

In Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts, Severus is asked to teach Harry Occlumency, a magical ability Severus is highly advanced in. The method of Occlumency allows a wizard to block an intrusion into his own mind by another wizard. The other wizard performs Legillimency which allows him to see another wizard's thoughts as they flash by, and also gives advanced Legillimens the license to call up thoughts. An Occlumens blocks the intruder by closing his mind off, which is a vague description of how an Occlumens uses the ability. It is a very intuitive skill, one that some can master and others never will. It becomes apparent that Severus' spy duties fall greatly on his ability to practice Occlumency against Voldemort, said to be the greatest Legillimens ever. At the end of Severus' life, we learn that he is perhaps the greatest Occlumens that ever lived as he fooled Voldemort.

Prior to the start of Harry's sixth year, Severus made an Unbreakable Vow to Narcissa Malfoy, mother of Draco Malfoy, with Bellatrix Lestrange in attendance. Severus promised to help Draco fufill Voldemort's command to kill Dumbledore, or do the deed himself if necessary. It is later revealed that Dumbledore had already requested that Severus perform such an act because Dumbledore was slowly dying from a curse which gave him only a year to live. Aggrieved at such a request, but obedient nonetheless to his mentor, Severus kept his promise and his vow. At the close of that school year, Draco Malfoy attacked and disarmed a weakened Dumbledore but when Draco hesitated to kill Dumbledore Severus cast the killing curse. Harry was witness to the act, as were other Death Eaters, and the story was spread to the entire school, cementing Severus' place at Voldemort's side as a mole. As his sixth year comes to a close, Harry also learned that Snape is, in fact, the titular Half-Blood Prince, as he was the son of Eileen Prince and was a Half-Blood wizard.

Also of note in the 1996-1997 school year is Severus finally became Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher after 16+ years as Hogwarts' Potions Master. However, Dumbledore was fully aware of the curse on the position which never allows for a professor to return for a second year in the post when he allowed Severus to take it up: both knew that Voldemort was planning for the school to fall into his own hands after Dumbledore's death, and it was Dumbledore's wish that Severus be placed in the prime position to protect the school and the students. In what would have been Harry's seventh year at Hogwarts, the office of Headmaster is given over to Severus as Voldemort has gained control over the school. Despite being hated for Dumbledore's murder and having to continue his guise as Voldemort's ally, Severus does his best to run Hogwarts and protect the students and teachers while two of the worst Death Eaters are on staff at the school keeping watch.

Severus' role as spy comes in handy as he has access to Dumbledore's portrait now, as well as the Pensieve and Gryffindor's sword. With Dumbledore whispering instructions to him, Severus is able to anonymously deliver Gryffindor's sword to Harry by using Severus' Patronus (a doe, like Lily's). He is also entrusted with the task of explaining to Harry the only way for Voldemort to die.

Voldemort has been searching the world for the Elder Wand, one third of the legendary Deathly Hallows. In the hands of a wizard that has won its loyalty, the Elder Wand can defeat any other wand. Voldemort knows he can defeat Harry with the Elder Wand at full power. The loyalty of the Elder Wand is won by defeating its previous owner. Severus' unfortunate downfall is Voldemort's discovery that Dumbledore had possessed the Elder Wand. Voldemort believes Severus won the Elder Wand's loyalty when he killed Dumbledore. Voldemort has no compunction about killing the man he believes has loyally served him for these many years. In the Shrieking Shack, Harry witnesses Voldemort attack Severus with Nagini, hurling the giant snake in its cage at Severus. Severus is bitten in the neck by the snake and slowly bleeds to death. In his dying moments, Harry comes forward and sits with him. Severus gives up his final thoughts. As they flood out of the eyes, ears, and mouth of Severus, Harry puts them in a flask so Harry can later look at them in the Pensieve and learn Severus' final secrets. Thinking of Lily, Severus makes a request of Harry: "Look...at...me". Harry grants his wish. Severus passes on while gazing into Lily's eyes.

Voldemort gains nothing from slaying Severus. Severus never defeated Dumbledore since they had colluded in Dumbledore's death. Draco Malfoy had won the loyalty of the Elder Wand when he disarmed (defeated) Dumbledore. Since Harry later defeated Malfoy, Harry has the loyalty of the Elder Wand when the final duel with Voldemort begins.

Initially, Hogwarts does not add Severus' portrait to the other past Headmasters' portraits on the walls of the Headmaster's office because of his disgraceful acts. But Harry reveals the truth about Severus so that that Severus Snape would live on in memory as a hero rather than a villain. Harry sees to it that a portrait of Severus was put up in the Headmaster's office.

Harry and Ginny name their second son "Albus Severus Potter" as a tribute to two men who quite literally gave their lives to protect Harry and rid the wizarding world of Lord Voldemort.

Born:1960

Died:1998

Special Talents: Occlumency, Legillemens, exceptional Potions and wand abilities; extreme loyalty to those who deserved it ; The bravest man Harry ever knew.

Alan Rickman's portrayal of Snape is often considered to be the best in the films by fans, due to his uncanny ability to channel the mystery the character possesses in the novels, as well as bringing a whole new dimension to the character.