Narcissa's son Draco has been given a difficult task by Voldemort, and Narcissa swears Snape to an Unbreakable Vow that he will protect Draco, help him complete Voldemort's task, and finish the task himself if Draco fails. This mission, as had been implied in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and revealed in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was to rejoin the Death Eaters and spy on Voldemort as a re-doubled agent, while pretending to spy on Dumbledore on behalf of Voldemort. In talking with Scorpius, Snape had learned that Harry would name his son "Albus Severus" and would regard Snape as "probably the bravest man I ever knew" and is deeply moved. Malfoy and some of the other 3 Answers Sorted by: 17 Yes, he did The whole purpose of Snape's actions throughout the series is to protect Potter. I am not saying this is from canon or is canon. Even with his efforts to protect her, Snape felt responsible for Lily's death at Voldemort's hands. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Being an Occlumens, Snape is able to keep his betrayal from Voldemort, who is himself described as being "the greatest Legilimens" in history. [4] The film is the second of two cinematic parts based on the 2007 novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling. [23] As the final book reveals, this is not the full story. . He quickly becomes the primary antagonist of the book, as Harry suspects him of plotting to steal the Philosopher's Stone, and of attempting to kill him. Snape was born to Eileen Prince, a witch, and Tobias Snape, a Muggle, making him a half-blood (hence the name, "Half-Blood Prince"). 7 Answers Sorted by: 30 Snape as a person was not very friendly or social, for that matter. [41] Snape's fierce devotion to and love of his childhood friend Lily, Harry's mother, is the foundation of that loyalty. Dont be shocked, Severus. Snape's family was a poor one and he is described as wearing ill-fitting clothes "that were so mis-matched that it looked deliberate". "[51] Director David Yates said Snape is a character with gravitas, authority and power. He remains rather cruel, a bully, riddled with bitterness and insecurityand yet he loved, and showed loyalty to that love and, ultimately, laid down his life because of it. Snape then carries Harry's cryptic warning about Sirius' capture to the other Order members, allowing them to come to the rescue in the Department of Mysteries. No Unforgivable Curses from you, Potter! he shouted over The memories also show that as a Death Eater, Snape had revealed to Voldemort a prophecy made by Sybill Trelawney, causing Voldemort to attempt to prevent it by killing Harry and his parents. He allowed people to be killed while he sat by and did nothing. Snape loved Harry's mother Lily, so that is why he figures himself as. Opening weekend: $125.02 million. Since the events of the Harry Potter series take place between 1991 and 1998, Snape was in his early to mid 30s during that time. Snape passes through the school gates and Disapparates with Draco in tow at the book's end. [41] Snape agreed to do as the Headmaster requested. "[39], In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Voldemort and his Death Eaters have tightened their grip on the wizarding world. Skilful in the arts of Legilimency and especially Occlumency, Snape is able to both access the minds of others and protect his own thoughtsindeed, though Snape does not care for the term himself, Harry forms the uncomfortable impression early in the series that the Potions Master is able to "read minds." Very unlikely that Voldemort would have left such an asset at home when he and his death eaters left on missions to terrorise London. Snape first appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, shortly after Harry arrives at Hogwarts. Only the climax of the book reveals that Professor Quirrell, in league with Lord Voldemort, is the real enemy; Snape, suspicious of Quirrell, had been looking out for Harry throughout the book. [42] Voldemort summons Snape to the Shrieking Shack. "[52] Rickman was nominated for several awards for his portrayal of Snape, and in 2011, was elected the best character portrayal in all the Harry Potter films series. [84] In Team Starkid's A Very Potter Musical, Snape is played by actor Joe Moses.[85]. $2.0 billion: Even though DVDs went out of style way before the "Harry Potter" movies did, the franchise has still generated at least $2.0 billion in DVD sales. As punishment for the attack and knowing Harry is lying about the textbook, Snape assigns Harry detention during the final Quidditch match of the year. [64], Snape's true loyalty was one of the most significant questions in the series up until the end of the final instalment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. [52] Rowling further described the young Snape as insecure and vulnerable: "Given his time over again [Snape] would not have become a Death Eater, but like many insecure, vulnerable people he craved membership of something big and powerful, something impressive.[] Snape is famously menacing and strict, and Hogwarts students know better than to talk back to him or try to argue with him. "[18] Rowling further said in an interview that she wanted Snape to find redemption and forgiveness: "Snape is a complicated manhe was a flawed human being, like all of us. This was the proper way to pay him tribute in forgiveness and gratitude. Im not here to teach you how to do it. In an interview,[3] Rowling described Snape's character as an "antihero". [28], Snape's role in the fourth novel, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, is not substantially different from that of the previous three books. Harry Potter franchise has made many changes from book to movie, but one specific difference made an integral character's storyline way worse. It is an ancient need to be told stories. Snape was mean to Remus because he was directly related to his childhood trauma. A limit involving the quotient of two sums. In. I'll rephrase the question to make that clear. They can die, as long as you have what you want? [43] The dying Snape releases a cloud of memories and tells Harry, who has watched the entire scene from a hidden spot, to take and view them. He specialises in potion making and has talent and passion for the Dark Arts. Snape informs Dumbledore of this circumstance, and when Harry and Lupin are not punished, Snape retaliates by revealing to the entire school that Lupin is a werewolf, forcing the latter to resign his post. Also as a student, Snape shows a rare gift for discovering new spells. father would never attack me unless it was four on one, what would you [33] Harry still holds Snape partly responsible for Sirius' death, believing Snape's goading spurred Sirius into joining the battle. It only takes a minute to sign up. They remained friends for the next few years until they were driven apart by Snape's interest in the Dark Arts; the friendship finally ended following the bullying episode that Harry had briefly seen in the fifth book, in which Snape calls Lily "Mudblood". [37] Rowling maintains this impression through the early chapters of the seventh novel. 1981 versus 1997-98: If she means so much to you, said Dumbledore, surely Lord Voldemort will spare her? and slid down it to sprawl on the floor. Heres the lowdown. He takes an instant dislike to Harry, which Quirrell later reveals is due to the fact that Snape and Harry's father, James, hated each other when they attended . Snape hated Harry's father but loved his mother, and because of Lily, he didn't want Harry to die. [82][83] In the Harry Bladder sketches in All That, Snape appears as Professor Chafe (portrayed by Jeremy Rowley), whose legs were badly chafed, causing him to be unnecessarily mean. Professor Snape is the Potions teacher at Hogwarts and Head of Slytherin House. Could you not ask for mercy for the mother, in exchange for the son? Did Snape know that Quirrell was possessed in The Philosopher's Stone? So, in either of these periods, did Snape commit murder as part of his job as Death Eater? [2] Actor Alan Rickman portrayed Snape in all eight Harry Potter films, released between 2001 and 2011. Snape has never liked any Gryffindor students and hates Harry in particular, as he still holds a grudge against Harry's father, James, for a joke James played on him when they were at school together. James realised the danger and stopped Snape, saving his life; this is the incident Dumbledore referred to at the end of the first book. The notes greatly bolster Harry's performance in Potions, so much so that he impresses Slughorn. Snape spent his early childhood living with his parents in a small house in Spinner's End. Sirius claimed that Snape knew more hexes and curses as a first-year student at Hogwarts than most seventh-years knew. There are two possible scenarios (in which Snape is still on the dark side) where everything can go wrong: It was all a ruse. Expert Answers: Snape is not Harry Porter's father but to make it clear, James Potter is his father. Entertainment Weekly listed Rickman as one of the most popular movie stars in 2007 for his performance as Snape, saying: "As the icy, humourless magic instructor Severus Snape, Rickman may not be on screen longbut he owns every minute. Science Fiction & Fantasy Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts. "Is Snape Good or Evil?" "" Onetwothree Both of them swung their wands above their He grew up in Spinner's End to a Muggle father and a witch mother. Dumbledore, aware that Voldemort had ordered Draco to kill him, had asked Snape to kill him instead as a way of sparing the boy's soul and of preventing his own otherwise slow, painful death. Snape, however, believes James' actions were self-serving, to avoid being expelled. Second, it makes any participant in such a felony criminally liable for any deaths that occur during or in furtherance of that felony. ", "The Great Snape Debate Borders Exclusive", "Daniel Radcliffe Talks 'Deathly Hallows', "The 25 Greatest Harry Potter Characters", "Snape wins favourite Harry Potter character", "Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan", "French and Saunders: Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan", "Australian television: The Wedge episode guide", Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide, Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists, Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies, Lego Creator: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Fantastic Beasts: Cases From the Wizarding World, Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, Warner Bros. But he is also fascinating. hermionesparks, rosemina and 1 other like this . As the series progresses, Snape's character becomes more layered and enigmatic. But when Scorpius shows that he knows of Snape having been in love with Lily, Harry's mother Snape's most closely guarded secret Snape becomes convinced that he does indeed come from a different timeline where Harry and his friends won. [48] "He knew very early on that he'd been in love with Lily," said Rowling. Snape was Dumbledore's man from the moment Lily was murdered. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Voldemort lured Harry to the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic so that Harry could retrieve a prophecy. Hogwarts' infamous potions professor Severus Snape is 31 years old in the books but had an age difference of nearly 20 years from his eventual actor Alan Rickman. Severus Snape appears in all eight Harry Potter films and fluctuates widely between hero and villain. [32] The sessions are made difficult by their mutual hostility and end prematurely when Harry uses Dumbledore's Pensieve to view one of Snape's worst childhood memories without the latter's permission. From the first movie (where he tries to neutralise Quirrell's spell during the Quidditch game) to the agonised conversation he has with Dumbledore about Potter's fate confirm this. Erroneously believing Snape is the master of the Elder Wand and that Snape's death will make him the master of the Wand, Voldemort kills Snape by having his pet snake Nagini bite him through the neck. second time, aiming for the figure ahead illuminated in the dancing It's well known that Severus Snape was, in one way or another, a Death Eater since he was at Hogwarts. [73] Shortly after the release of the final film, MTV held a public poll for fans to vote for the best character in the series, and Snape was voted #1. running as fast as he could in the opposite direction. Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman (21 February 1946 - 14 January 2016) was an English actor who portrayed Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films. [26] Near the climax of the book, Snape attempts to apprehend Sirius, but Sirius escapes with Harry's aid. Replacing broken pins/legs on a DIP IC package. Votes: 559,688 | Gross: $295.98M. He is subsequently sent on a secret mission by Dumbledore. NEXT: This Harry Potter Star Had A Very Uncomfortable Encounter With Warren Beatty. Snape's knowledge of the Dark Arts enabled him to slow the spread of the curse from Dumbledore's hand through his body, but he would have died within a year. In the chapter illustrations by Mary GrandPr in the American editions of The Prisoner of Azkaban, The Order of the Phoenix, and The Half-Blood Prince, Snape is depicted with a moustache and goatee, long black hair, and a receding hairline. Comic Relief released a story called Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan, in which Snape is played by Jeremy Irons. @commando -- It's totally fine to want a different kind of explanation than mine :). In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, when a dying Snape gives his memories to Harry, why does he trust Snape, of all people, and go to the Pensieve to see them? ", "Director 'denies' Potter audience just a little", "Scholastic asks "Is Snape Good or Evil? Harry finds marginalia, including a variety of hexes and jinxes seemingly invented by an unknown student, and substantial improvements to the book's standard potion-making instructions. A central mystery is unravelled concerning his loyalties. It could be accidental or premeditated, or perhaps even assisted suicide might technically qualify, but clinically, murder is simply the act of taking another's life. @phantom42 I'm asking if he ever did. [55], In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifteen-year-old Snape (portrayed by Alec Hopkins) makes a brief appearance in a flashback to Snape's youth. [76], The character of Severus Snape has appeared in various animated parodies of Harry Potter. Although for most of the series Harry looks to him as a beacon of solidity and safety, the events of the story are told from Harry's perspective, making him an unreliable narrator. [42], Snape's family background is mostly shown in flashbacks during the course of the last three novels. Snape's memories then reveal that Dumbledore had impetuously tried to use the Gaunt ring, which had been cursed by Voldemort, and had been suffering from a powerful curse. It is while attending the Duelling Club that Harry learns the Expelliarmus spell, which plays a significant role in later books, by seeing Snape use it. Mad-Eye Moody (Barty Crouch Jr) suggests that Avada Kedavra is not a curse that is easily performed on the first try. He was a magnificent actor & a wonderful man, Rowling shared in a tweet following Rickmans death. Was Snape romantically attracted to Mulciber? As Harry, Ron and Hermione race against time and evil to destroy the Horcruxes, they uncover the existence of the three most powerful objects in the wizarding world: the Deathly Hallows. In the movie, this was. "He needed to understand [] where this bitterness towards this boy who's the living example of her preference for another man came from. Not to mention promptly dealing with poor Lockhart to who never stood a chance: Snapes upper lip was curling. She has said that she drew inspiration for Snape's character from a disliked teacher from her own childhood,[4] and described Snape as a horrible teacher,[5] saying the "worst, shabbiest thing you can do" as a teacher is to bully students. I'm not counting a certain death at the end of book 6 for reasons which are obvious if you've read book 7. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. The former may be answerable, while the latter may call for too much speculation. ~Harry Potter and the . Learn how and when to remove this template message, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, "Harry's Final Fantasy: Last Time's the Charm", "Web Chat with J.K. Rowling 30 July 2007 on Bloomsbury.com", "Barnes and Noble and Yahoo! ~Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets- Chapter 11 : The Dueling Club. He is an exceptionally skilled wizard whose extremely cold and resentful exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. If we agree with Ms. Rowling as well as why Harry's son wasn't named after . Then after Voldemort came back in book 4, Snape would have been a Death Eater again for around 3 years. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. The Wizarding World has always been vast and complex, given J.K. Rowling's detailed notes and histories for every character in the franchise. After the release of the book and movie, Snape passed away in June . Its follow-up with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002 pulled in another $880 million, so it was evidently clear that Warner Bros. Pictures had an enormous hit on their hands and they were only two movies into the seven-part novel (which consisted of 8 movies as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was split into two parts). Snape has a minor role in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, where he helps Gilderoy Lockhart oversee Hogwarts' short-lived Duelling Club,[24] but he has little interaction with the main plot. That's a total of around 6 years of Death Eaterhood with Voldemort. He is the school's Potions Master, though he is widely rumoured to covet the Defence Against the Dark Arts post. So how exactly did Rowling convince Rickman not to quit the franchise and ultimately stick with Snape until the very end? Its follow-up with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in 2002 pulled in another $880 million, so it was evidently clear that Warner Bros. Pictures had an enormous hit on their hands and they were only two movies into the seven-part novel (which consisted of 8 movies as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was split into two parts). [8] Joyce Millman suggests in her essay "To Sir with Love" in the book Mapping the World of Harry Potter, that Snape is derived from a tradition of Byronic heroes such as Wuthering Heights' Heathcliff. Harry tells his son, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. [36], Before leaving Hogwarts to accompany Dumbledore in locating another horcrux part of Voldemort's soul Harry discovers from Professor Trelawney that it was Snape who overheard the prophecy and told it to Voldemort, resulting in Voldemort hunting down Harry and his parents. Voldemort has marked Harry as his equal, but he has a power that Voldemort knows not: the Sacrificial Protection. [71] Elizabeth Hand from The Washington Post wrote, "The much-maligned loner Snape does not come onstage until the latter part of "Deathly Hallows," but when he does the book becomes his: Snape's fate, more than Voldemort's, perhaps more even than Harry's, is the most heartbreaking, surprising and satisfying of all of Rowling's achievements. [62] Snape is shown using this spell as a teenager against Harry's father James[26] and in the aerial battle in the last novel when he accidentally hits George Weasley (acting as a Potter decoy) with it while actually aiming for a Death Eater who was trying to attack Lupin, permanently severing George's right ear. When it was all said and done the films collectively made an astonishing $7.73 billion worldwide. The first movie came out in 2001, while the last book, where the true nature of Snape's character is revealed, didn't end up on store shelves until 2007. Snape probably participated in fights and most likely had a few victims under his belt. Studio Tour London The Making of Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, Hermione Granger and the Quarter Life Crisis, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Severus_Snape&oldid=1133116524, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Articles lacking reliable references from August 2022, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles using Infobox character with multiple unlabeled fields, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 12 January 2023, at 09:30. Harry also revealed that Snape was never the true master of. his arm. Clearly it's much more likely he killed before Voldemort fell since that roughly correlated with the period when he pledged allegiance only to Voldemort, before he became a teacher at Hogwarts. If killing splits one's soul, why does Slughorn say Voldemort was the first person to split his soul more than once? [41], After Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Snape's loyalty was a matter of intense debate among the fans. He's not a ranking ministry official. Snape seemed to shrink a little. In an interview, Rowling adds that Snape is immensely brave,[20] and when asked if she considers Snape a hero, replied: "Yes, I do; though a very flawed hero. Dumbledore agreed and kept the secret throughout his life, although questioning Snape's request to "never reveal the best of you". Snape delivered the partial prophecy to Voldemort in 1980, anxious to curry favor. Also, the video The Mysterious Ticking Noise with the chorus "Snape, Snape, Severus Snape" was the winner for "Best Comedy" of the year 2007 at YouTube; it currently has over 170 million views. As the series progresses, Snape's character becomes more layered and enigmatic. [70] She claimed that Snape is the only protagonist who genuinely has a choice to make and who struggles to do the right thing, hence the only one to face a "compelling inner crisis". Borders Group published a separate book on the topic, The Great Snape Debate, containing essays and arguments from both sides of the debate. She was clearly worried about the thought of the late actor departing, prompting her to tell him a secret about Snape that had changed everything. Enraged, he pursues Snape, Draco, and the Death Eaters as they flee the castle. I couldn't believe that Dumbledore would trust him blindly without reason, even if we couldn't know that reason. You havent got the nerve or the ability Incarc [50] When the directors of the films would ask him why he was doing a scene a certain way or delivering a line in a specific manner, Rickman would simply reply that he knew something they didn't. However, in his time as a Death Eater did he ever kill anyone? Throughout most of the series, I did believe Snape was a good guy. [47] He had conversations with Rowling about his character and is one of the few Harry Potter actors that she spoke to prior to the completion of the book series about the future direction of the character. I'd say it's a certainty. If a law is new but its interpretation is vague, can the courts directly ask the drafters the intent and official interpretation of their law? And does not address the sole legitimate criticism of that answer either. Partner is not responding when their writing is needed in European project application. Snape, who had not realised until too late that Voldemort had interpreted the prophecy to be referring to Lily and her family (as it could've also referred to Frank and Alice Longbottom and their son Neville Longbottom), asked Voldemort to spare Lily. His anger had a lot to do with his troubled childhood. Please help this article by looking for better, more reliable sources. Dumbledore chided him for thinking only of himself and not of Lily's husband and child, but agreed and ensured that they were placed under the Fidelius Charm. 6 Dec. 1911 in Pontypridd, Glamorganshire, Walesd. and yes he was on Voldemort side in the first wizard war but there is other ways to win a duel than killing.