#Severus snape meta

[danadiadea]

The fact that within that theory Snape's language about Levicorpus is similar to Ron's and Harry's (even though they've seen Muggles tormented with it and Harry saw Snape tormented with it) is a neat observation.

Basically I think this is a solid theory, but then Lily's objections towards it being dark magic are even weirder, because this is... not true? Levicorpus isn't more of a dark magic than Wingardium Leviosa or Scourgify. It can be used to assault and hurt people, but... no-one ever thinks it's dark on it's own? Not Harry, not Ron, not Hermione, even if she rightfully points out it can be used to do harm, and evidently not James, who "hated dark magic" (but didn't hate illegal, so this is to be taken with a grain of salt), not Sirius or Lupin.

Lily's main (and kinda only) complain to what Mulcibier tried to do is that it was "dark magic". It's unfunny, according to her, specifically because it's dark magic, this is where she puts the empathis – and Severus doesn't disagree, preferring to change the topic. Now I already think that separating spells to abstract categories like this is dumb, and Severus clearly thinks so too, but why would Lily concentrate on a levitation jinx being "dark" when it's not, instead of bringing up that Mary had been hurt or forcefully undressed (I'm pretty sure Mulcibier tried to do something to her, not did, but maybe Lily meant he didn't take it as far as he wanted to) if she was? why wouldn't Severus disagree with her unjust classification? even if there are no acknowledged, clear borders between something recognised as "dark" or "light", not one other character who supposedly hates dark arts classifies Levicorpus as "dark".

Mulciber, Mary Macdonald and why Lily almost smiled in Snape’s Worst Memory

Note:  I appreciate that this is very long, but hopefully the theory is worthwhile:

Lily’s twitch in Snape’s Worst Memory has always bothered me.  

Lily, whose furious expression had twitched for an instant as though she was going to smile, said, “Let him down!”

Lily’s half reaction didn’t sit well with me when I merely thought she was the best bystander of a bad lot.

It deeply troubled me when The Prince’s Tale revealed that she was supposedly Snape’s best friend at the time.

Ever since The Prince’s Tale gave us some more context, I have not been satisfied by any explanation of Snape’s apparent loyalty to Mulciber.  His best friend tells him that his housemate is a creep, and Snape completely dismisses her.  

I was always confused by both of these reactions between two supposed best friends. 

We’re repeatedly told that Lily is a kind and caring person - so why would she be amused at witnessing her best friend’s humiliation at the hands of his hated enemies?

We also know that Snape cherished his relationship with Lily above all others - so why would he choose this moment to seemingly side with Avery and Mulciber over something so trivial?  As a consequence, it’s occasionally suggested that Avery and Mulciber had a Marauder-esque friendship with Snape, but canon doesn’t support this position.

However, there is one explanation that makes sense:

The Dark Magic that Lily Evans accused Mulciber of using was Snape’s created jinx of Levicorpus. 

The Half Blood Prince’s Potions Textbook 

Snape’s Worst Memory takes place during his OWLs.  During that scene, we see the use of three spells that later show up in the Half Blood Prince’s NEWT level Potions textbook as scribbled amendments. Snape was the creator of these spells:

the imaginative little jinxes and hexes scribbled in the margins, which Harry was sure, judging by the crossings-out and revisions, that the Prince had invented himself.

…so Snape must’ve been using the NEWT textbook in his OWL year.  This fits with Snape’s studious nature (as evidenced by him studying his exam paper), and given his apparently natural flair for Potions, it is logical that he would be challenging himself with wider reading.

It also means that his spells probably didn’t get into the public domain by accident; nobody would be borrowing his textbook to work from, as it was for a higher level.

So how did Levicorpus get out?

Harry and the Half Blood Prince’s Potions Textbook

When Harry discovers Levicorpus, he realises that it was a much struggled over spell:

Harry turned the book sideways so as to examine more closely the scribbled instructions for a spell that seemed to have caused the Prince some trouble. There were many crossings-out and alterations…

Look at what happens when Harry first unleashes it:

Pointing his wand at nothing in particular, he gave it an upward flick and said Levicorpus! inside his head.

“Aaaaaaaargh!”

There was a flash of light and the room was full of voices: Everyone had woken up as Ron had let out a yell. Harry sent Advanced Potion-Making flying in panic; Ron was dangling upside down in midair as though an invisible hook had hoisted him up by the ankle.

This is really important.  Harry points his wand at ‘nothing’ - and yet the spell finds Ron and hoists him into the air.

With this in mind, it seems fair to say that Snape could not have created this in isolation - even if he intended to; on casting the spell, it seems to pick up on the nearest human.

Who would have been nearest?  Presumably his housemates Mulciber and Avery - so that’s possibly how the spell got out.  

Let’s look at Harry and his housemates’ reaction to the spell:

“Sorry!” yelled Harry, as Dean and Seamus roared with laughter…

There was another flash of light, and Ron fell in a heap onto his mattress.

“Sorry,” repeated Harry weakly, while Dean and Seamus continued to roar with laughter.

Ron’s shock had subsided and he had decided that Harry’s new spell was highly amusing; so amusing, in fact, that he lost no time in regaling Hermione with the story as they sat down for breakfast.

“… and then there was another flash of light and I landed on the bed again!” Ron grinned, helping himself to sausages.

“And also,” she added, as Harry and Ron rolled their eyes, “because I’m starting to think this Prince character was a bit dodgy.”

Both Harry and Ron shouted her down at once.

“It was a laugh!” said Ron, upending a ketchup bottle over his sausages. 

“Just a laugh, Hermione, that’s all!”

“Dangling people upside down by the ankle?” said Hermione.  “Who puts their time and energy into making up spells like that?”

“Fred and George,” said Ron, shrugging, “it’s their kind of thing.”

And there we have it; it’s the sort of spell that’s deemed to be really funny amongst friends.  The boys see absolutely no problem with it - between mates, it’s a bit of a laugh.  Ron compares it to the practical jokes of his twin brothers:  decidedly NOT Dark Magic, but a jokey hex.  

It all comes down to intent:

“Maybe your dad did use it, Harry,” said Hermione, “but he’s not the only one. We’ve seen a whole bunch of people use it, in case you’ve forgotten. Dangling people in the air. Making them float along, asleep, helpless.”

Harry stared at her. With a sinking feeling, he too remembered the behaviour of the Death Eaters at the Quidditch World Cup. Ron came to his aid. “That was different,” he said robustly. “They were abusing it. Harry and his dad were just having a laugh.”

So, we can guess - given that some of Snape’s earlier spells were faintly harmless - that this was created in the same vein.  It was a jokey hex, intended to make people laugh - just like Fred and George creating a product for their shop.

But - like the Death Eaters at the World Cup - it’s how Mulciber uses the spell that causes the problem.  

When Lily confronts Snape, she says:

“I don’t like some of the people you’re hanging round with! I’m sorry, but I detest Avery and Mulciber! Mulciber! What do you see in him, Sev, he’s creepy! D’you know what he tried to do to Mary Macdonald the other day?”

There is a big difference between a boy throwing another boy in pyjamas up in the air in a friendly ‘having a laugh’ manner between mates in the confines of their dormitory…and a boy throwing an unsuspecting teenage girl - who he may not know very well - in robes up in the air in the middle of the school.

In the dormitory, the boy would be relatively harmlessly turned upside down; the girl may not have much on beneath her robes - and amongst teenagers of 15/16, the “joke” becomes sexual in nature…and becomes, as Lily suggested - creepy.   

If this theory is correct and Mulciber used Levicorpus, it’s possible this is how the spell escaped into the mainstream - and how James et al picked it up.  

Snape had taken great care to remark in his book that it should be used nonverbally, but if Mulciber used it recklessly and Mary heard the spell - well, is it any wonder that one of the Marauders managed to wheedle the incantation out of their fellow housemate?  Maybe they suggested they would gain retribution for her, but needed to know the spell so they wouldn’t fall victim to it.

After all, when Snape is attacked in Snape’s Worst Memory, it is curious that he’s wearing nothing but underpants beneath his robes.  It’s summer, so perhaps he’s hot.  He’s poor and it’s the end of term, so perhaps he’s grown out of his trousers.  

…but mostly, I think he’s entirely blindsided and not expecting other people to know the jinx.  If he had, I think he’d have been wearing more beneath his robes.

When we look at Snape’s reaction to Lily’s accusation, he says:

“That was nothing,” said Snape. “It was a laugh, that’s all – ”

His language is identical to Ron and Harry’s; it was just a laugh. 

Incidentally, the same is true of James, Sirius and Peter when they unleash it on Snape - just like Dean and Seamus, they roar with laughter:

Many people in the small crowd watching cheered. Sirius, James, and Wormtail roared with laughter.

But I digress.

The point is, Snape desperately didn’t want Lily to discover that he was the source of the spell that had been used in a creepy manner, because he hadn’t designed it to be used in such a fashion.  

He had genuinely designed it with harmless intent - but he soon saw that it could be used maliciously; and as Hermione pointed out, the Death Eaters continued to do so well into the 90s.

Lily calls the spell Dark Magic:

“It was Dark Magic, and if you think that’s funny – ”

“What about the stuff Potter and his mates get up to?” demanded Snape. His color rose again as he said it, unable, it seemed, to hold in his resentment.

On first read, it seems slightly weird that Snape leaps straight to talking about James Potter - but if we look at Levicorpus as being an ‘innocent’ spell and Lily accusing it of being Dark Magic, it’s easy to see where Snape makes the connection in his head.

After all, look at their next exchange:

“I’m just trying to show you they’re not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are.”

The intensity of his gaze made her blush.

“They don’t use Dark Magic, though.”

And that’s Snape’s point; James et al don’t use Dark Magic, but their “jokey” spells are enough to bully him.  When does a spell stop being a joke and start being Dark Magic?

Furthermore, Sirius and James constantly bleat that Snape is a wannabe Death Eater and uses Dark Magic - so Snape wouldn’t want Lily to think that he was the mastermind behind a Dark Magic curse.  

So, Snape defends Mulciber because Snape invented Levicorpus, and he doesn’t want Lily to think badly of him.  

But why does Lily almost smile?

Because when she complained about Mulciber using the spell on Mary, Snape completely dismissed her and told her it was just a laugh.

I think that Lily saw Snape on the receiving end of it and a small part of her - even though he was her best friend - thought triumphantly that her point had been proven, “You see!  Now you don’t think it’s funny!”  

Alas, the irony was lost on Snape - and in his fury, he blurted out the slur that would end their friendship.

[danadiadea]

The next two days passed without great incident, unless you counted Neville melting his sixth cauldron in Potions. Professor Snape, who seemed to have attained new levels of vindictiveness over the summer, gave Neville detention and Neville returned from it in a state of nervous collapse, having been made to disembowel a barrel full of horned toads. “You know why Snape’s in such a foul mood, don’t you?” said Ron to Harry as they watched Hermione teaching Neville a Scouring Charm to remove the frog guts from under his fingernails. “Yeah,” said Harry. “Moody.”

Harry says Neville melted SIX cauldrons at the start of the year (I wonder if Nev himself buys the new ones and they are sent to him via owl post or if he uses the school ones after fucking up his own or what), and Harry is like "oh yeah Snape is so vindictive he gave Neville detention because of Moody and not because Neville melted six cauldrons which is dangerous for the whole ass class, and he also made Neville work with potions ingredients on the detention, how vile of him". Like we literally see that even spilling one of the simplest potions they make on their first class is dangerous enough it can ruin students' boots, and Snape seemingly let the first five (!) cauldrons slide without a detention, but sure, he is evil and excessive.

And a horned toad isn't even a frog, it's a lizard, Harry probably just doesn't know what the hell is it. Even if for some reason it's a totally different species of animal in HP – we know toads are used in potions widely, Snape literally doesn't choose what is a potions ingredient and what isn't. Make a boy who fucks up his potions work with (unpleasant) potion ingredients is a reasonable detention. Snape generally gives adequate detentions for fair reasons.

[potions-of-dark-devotion]

To be honest, I can’t believe I have to say this but Severus Snape being angry at Neville for regularly making the equivalent of a pipe bomb in class is not in the realm of SA, stalking and attempted murder. Let’s put the arguement of “well snape bullied his students so he deserved it as a kid” to rest. Cause I’m tired. Really tired of pretending it’s somehow the same. Yes, he was rude, yes he was mean and snarky at times. Doesn’t mean it’s the same on any level as what he suffered as child and teen. Be fucking for real. Not even in the same realm.

[picthos]

If it’s true that James bullied Snape because he aspired to become a Death Eater.

I believe that this interpretation doesn’t make James Potter a brilliant hero, but rather a petty hypocrite.

It paints him as someone who is weak to the strong and strong to the weak—a braggart, so to speak.

James Potter didn’t exclusively target Snape; he also bullied other anonymous students at Hogwarts simply because they annoyed him or for his own amusement. For instance, there’s a student named Aubrey who was hexed by James, but it’s never mentioned whether Aubrey was a Slytherin.

On the other hand, individuals like Mulciber, Avery, Evan Rosier, Lucius Malfoy, and even Sirius’s younger brother Regulus were all clearly aspiring Death Eaters, and they came from powerful pureblood families.

There is no evidence that James went after or bullied individuals from pureblood families either. If some fans imagine that James bullied Snape because Snape aspired to become a Death Eater, and that James did so with a "righteous heart," then that would indeed be amusing.

"It would mean that his fans have transformed their favorite character into someone who, under the guise of justice, targets the poorest and loneliest person while ignoring others with greater power. Such an interpretation only turns James into the very hypocrite they would likely despise."

Even if they use Dark Magic as an excuse, James himself maliciously used jinxes and hexes on others, and there’s no story of James Potter punishing Mulciber, who tried to use such a terrifying Dark Magic spell on Mary Macdonald that Lily said it was horrifying.

When will those who praise James for bullying others at school realize this truth?

Honestly, I hope they never realize the contradictions and logical fallacies. They haven't noticed it so far, and I don't think the snaters people who would read my post are smart enough to acknowledge those errors.

—I hope they never know. Let James remain that hypocrite forever.

[danadiadea]

I don't think Severus made his students cry, really? Or at least surely not often. Neville whimpered when he melted the cauldron in PS, but the reason was the boils he got on his nose. He also "looked as though he was on the verge of tears" in PoA (before Trevor was brought up), but he shed zero. Hermione comes closer: "Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears" after the know-it-all insult (which her best friend apparantly uses twice a week, but okay. i mean sure, Snape is in a position of power, unlike her classmates, and he shouldn't have said that, but I've never thought this one was particularly nasty or unreasonable. the teachers who liked me have said similar things to me sometimes, lol), but she doesn't really cry and calms down quickly; also her eyes are "filled with tears" after "I see no difference", and she probably did cry after running away, but she already was "whimpering" and gave a "panicked cry" before that, so Snape was rather the last straw then a sole reason. I don't think there were any other instances of students crying because of Snape unless I forgot something.

Harry "could hear Neville sobbing into his pillow for what seemed like hours" after the fifty points for breaking curfew incident, though.

And yeah, Snape detentions are all safe, like doing chores manually and working with unpleasant ingredients.

Snape was definetely a bitch to his students, but at least he was a somewhat responsible teacher. He'd make his students scrub cauldrons or clean nasty potion ingredients for detention, but it wasn't him who sent 1st year students over to Hagrid's to wander around the Forbidden Forest at night ON THEIR OWN with only a dog at their side, while something unknown is attacking other creatures.

Y'all call Snape a terrible teacher for being scary and mean and abusing a toad, but I don't see anyone uttering a word about Hagrid and McGonagall literally endangering children's lives: McGonagall for thinking that sending 1st year students who had 0 experience in defense and fighting to accompany Hagrid into the Forbidden Forest at night was a reasonable detention (note: students had been warned multiple times to not enter it as it was a very dangerous place). And Hagrid. He deserves his own post on that scene alone.

Bro would have been dead furious if 11 year old Malfoy had told him about Hagrid separating him and Neville in the Forbidden Forest at night with only a dog as "protection" while some creature was actively hunting.

[lines-in-limbo]

Harry and Snape’s Clashing Communication Styles

It's interesting to think that Harry and Snape don’t have longer conversations in the series, but when they do, their communication styles are so different that they often clash.

Harry’s way of communicating is practical and straightforward. He tends to break down complex ideas into simpler terms that he can easily understand. This makes sense, given his upbringing in a non-magical world and his tendency to rely more on gut instinct than deep theoretical knowledge. For Harry, things are usually black and white, and his directness shows his desire to cut through the confusion and get straight to the point.

Snape, on the other hand, has a more complex and layered way of speaking. His language is precise and often sarcastic, which reflects not just his intelligence but also his disdain for what he sees as Harry’s lack of subtlety. Snape’s use of imagery and metaphor, especially when he describes consepts, gives his speech a poetic, almost philosophical quality. He takes pleasure in showing off his superior knowledge and uses this as a way to belittle Harry.

We see this clash clearly in OOTP during Harry’s first Occlumency lesson:

Snape looked back at him for a moment and then said contemptuously, “Surely even you could have worked that out by now, Potter? The Dark Lord is highly skilled at Legilimency —” “What’s that? Sir?” “It is the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person’s mind —” “He can read minds?” said Harry quickly, his worst fears confirmed. “You have no subtlety, Potter,” said Snape, his dark eyes glittering. “You do not understand fine distinctions. It is one of the shortcomings that makes you such a lamentable potion-maker.” Snape paused for a moment, apparently to savor the pleasure of insulting Harry, before continuing, “Only Muggles talk of ‘mind reading.’ The mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure. Thoughts are not etched on the inside of skulls, to be perused by any invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered thing, Potter . . . or at least, most minds are. . . .” He smirked. Whatever Snape said, Legilimency sounded like mind reading to Harry and he did not like the sound of it at all.

For Harry, when Snape mentions Legilimency, it immediately sounds like “mind reading,” which is a reasonable but overly simple way to understand such a complex concept. His quick jump to this conclusion shows his need to make sense of something that feels threatening, but it also reveals his limited grasp of the deeper nuances.

Snape, however, can’t resist mocking Harry’s lack of subtlety. His response is laced with condescension as he insists on the complexity of the mind and dismisses the idea of “mind reading” as something only muggles would think of. Snape’s explanation is detailed and philosophical, contrasting sharply with Harry’s desire for a straightforward answer.

Another great example of their different communication styles comes in HBP when Snape puts Harry on the spot, asking him to explain the difference between an inferius and a ghost:

“Let us ask Potter how we would tell the difference between an Inferius and a ghost.” The whole class looked around 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.’ ” Harry took a deep breath and continued calmly, though his insides were boiling, “Yeah, ghosts are transparent, but Inferi are dead bodies, aren’t they? So they’d be solid —” “A five-year-old could have told us as much,” sneered Snape. “The Inferius is a corpse that has been reanimated by a Dark wizard’s spells. It is not alive, it is merely used like a puppet to do the wizard’s bidding. A ghost, as I trust that you are all aware by now, is the imprint of a departed soul left upon the earth . . . and of course, as Potter so wisely tells us, transparent.” “Well, what Harry said is the most useful if we’re trying to tell them apart!” said Ron. “When we come face-to-face with one down a dark alley, we’re going to be having a shufti to see if it’s solid, aren’t we, we’re not going to be asking, ‘Excuse me, are you the imprint of a departed soul?’

Once again, Harry demonstrates his practical and straightforward approach. He gives a simple, clear distinction based on what would be most useful in a real-life situation—whether the entity is solid or transparent. This shows how Harry tends to focus on what’s immediately relevant and actionable, and Ron’s defense of Harry’s answer highlights this practicality. Ron even points out that in a real-world scenario, Harry’s answer is actually the most helpful, contrasting it with Snape’s more academic approach.

Snape, though, dismisses Harry’s answer as too simplistic and mocks him for stating what he sees as the obvious. Snape’s communication is more about the theoretical and precise understanding of magical concepts. He emphasizes the deeper, more complex nature of an Inferius, which, while academically accurate, is less practical in the context that Harry is thinking of. Snape’s disdain shows that he values this deeper, nuanced understanding more than the direct, practical knowledge that Harry offers.

These moments really bring out the deeper divide between Harry and Snape. Harry approaches things with instinct and a straightforward mindset, while Snape is all about nuance, precision, and seeing the layers in everything. Because they see the world so differently, they struggle to communicate, which only adds to the distrust and misunderstanding between them—a tension that echoes throughout the entire series.

[wisteria-lodge]

Since you’ve talked about Molly and Draco, can you talk about Snape as well? When you said that there was a disconnect with Snape’s character I honestly wasn’t sure if you meant the audience was supposed to like him more or less than they actually do.

This is a complicated one, because Book 1-3 Snape and Book 5-7 Snape are written so differently that I actually want to talk about them as two separate characters. 

Book 1-3 Snape… kind of sucks. Maybe he sucks in a way you find funny (which I completely get. A lot of comedy - especially British comedy - revolves around finding the humor in really *mean* people. Snape is *written* to be funny in a dry, acerbic, Roald Dahl kind of way.) But maybe Snape sucks in a way that’s not fun for you, he’s just upsetting and cruel. Either way, he’s petty, unfair, a bully, completely unreasonable, and doesn’t really appear to have any redeeming qualities. Snape protects Harry in Book 1 only because James Potter saved his life and, according to Dumbledore:  

“Professor Snape couldn’t bear being in your father’s debt. . . . I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father’s memory in peace. . . .” 

Later on, Snape’s motivation will become “Protect Harry because you couldn’t protect Lily.” But there’s no hint of that here.

I actually think it’s very likely that ‘Snape was in love with Lily’ is a plotline added during Book 4, because 1-3 Snape’s motivation is so completely focused on JAMES. He hates Harry because he looks like James, he hates James because (according to Lupin) he’s “jealous, I think, of James’s talent on the Quidditch field.” Within the context of the series it’s easy to say that Lupin is lying, and with good reason… but in the context of the first three books, I think that’s just meant to be true? Snape, as we know, is a stealth quidditch hooligan the way McGonagall is. Also… James’ characterization shifts around. He’s not a bully in the first three books, he’s Head Boy… and that Head Boy thing doesn’t quite gel with what we hear from Sirius later: 

“No one would have made me a prefect, I spent too much time in detention with James. Lupin was the good boy, he got the badge.”

(I know JKR plans things out in advance, but she absolutely does change things on the fly. Arthur Weasley not getting killed by Nagini is an easy example that we definitely know about. And come on - the entire last book is a Deathly Hallows fetch-quest. Was there really no way to slip in a reference to Beedle the Bard - or a super-powerful semi-mythical wand - anywhere in the first six books?) 

So, in books 1-3, there's no hint that Snape is a potion prodigy, particularly powerful, or even particularly clever. He wrote a logic puzzle and “knows an awful lot about the Dark Arts.” But that’s it. “Potion Master” isn’t an advanced rank, it’s just the posh British boarding school way of saying “teacher.” (Like headmaster = head teacher.) He can *make* Wolfsbane potion, but he isn't out here inventing spells and modding the textbook. Early Snape is also a lot more *emotional* than he is later on, when his ability to “Master yourself!... control your anger, discipline your mind!” becomes extremely plot relevant. Like, can you picture 5-7 Snape (or Alan Rickman, who plays a distinctly later-books Snape) doing any of this? 

Snape was beside himself. “OUT WITH IT, POTTER!” he bellowed. “WHAT DID YOU DO?”  “Professor Snape!” shrieked Madam Pomfrey. “Control yourself!”  “See here, Snape, be reasonable,” said Fudge. “This door’s been locked, we just saw —”  “THEY HELPED HIM ESCAPE, I KNOW IT!” Snape howled, pointing at Harry and Hermione. His face was twisted; spit was flying from his mouth.  “Calm down, man!” Fudge barked. “You’re talking nonsense!”  “YOU DON’T KNOW POTTER!” shrieked Snape. “HE DID IT, I KNOW HE DID IT —”

In Movie 3, Snape gets a cool protective moment where he shoves the kids behind him during the werewolf attack. In Book 3, Snape is unconscious during the entire werewolf attack because Harry, Ron and Hermione simultaneously decide he’s too dangerous, and too much of a liability to keep around. Here are are some bangers from Book 3 Snape: 

- “Don’t ask me to fathom the way a werewolf’s mind works.”   - “KEEP QUIET, YOU STUPID GIRL!” Snape shouted, looking suddenly quite deranged. “DON’T TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!” - “Up to the castle?... I don’t think we need to go that far. All I have to do is call the dementors once we get out of the Willow. They’ll be very pleased to see you, Black . . . pleased enough to give you a little Kiss, I daresay. . . .”  - “I’ll drag the werewolf. Perhaps the dementors will have a Kiss for him too —”

If you sort of squint you can maybe say - okay, maybe this is a PTSD response. Like I’m writing a Snape POV fic right now, you can make it work. But it’s not work the books do for you, and it’s not the characterization choice they make in the films. 

BUT. Snape goes through a little bit of a revamp/retcon in Book 4. It’s totally deliberate - he’s Book 1-3 Snape at the beginning, then he basically vanishes from the narrative… the reader kind of forgets about him…  until it comes up during Karkaroff’s trial that Dumbledore ABSOLUTELY trusts him, even though he was a Death Eater. So now when Snape turns up at the climax - he’s a figure of intrigue, and it makes sense that he’s one of the two people Dumbledore brings with him to deal with Barty. Honestly, it’s a pretty cool magic trick. We buy it when - instead of hissing and spitting and hopping around like he does when he confronts Fudge at the end of Book 3 - Book 4 Snape deals with Fudge like this: 

Snape strode forward… pulling up the left sleeve of his robes as he went. He stuck out his forearm and showed it to Fudge, who recoiled.  “There,” said Snape harshly. “There. The Dark Mark. It is not as clear as it was an hour or so ago, when it burned black, but you can still see it. (...) This Mark has been growing clearer all year. Karkaroff’s too. Why do you think Karkaroff fled tonight? We both felt the Mark burn. We both knew he had returned. Karkaroff fears the Dark Lord’s vengeance.”

Calm, collected, focused. This is a character who you’re supposed to take seriously, a character who you are supposed to respect. 

I think it’s very interesting that after Book 4, we don’t see Snape *bully* the students during class again. He’s strict, and he’s a hard grader, and Harry still thinks he’s unfair, but like… the narrative framing is on his side now. 

“Tell me, Potter,” said Snape softly, “can you read?”  Draco Malfoy laughed.  “Yes, I can,” said Harry, his fingers clenched tightly around his wand.  “Read the third line of the instructions for me, Potter.”  Harry squinted at the blackboard(… ) His heart sank. He had not added syrup of hellebore, but had proceeded straight to the fourth line of the instructions after allowing his potion to simmer for seven minutes.  “Did you do everything on the third line, Potter?” “No,” said Harry very quietly.  “I beg your pardon?” “No,” said Harry, more loudly. “I forgot the hellebore...”  “I know you did, Potter, which means that this mess is utterly worthless. Evanesco.” The contents of Harry’s potion vanished; he was left standing foolishly beside an empty cauldron. “Those of you who have managed to read the instructions, fill one flagon with a sample of your potion, label it clearly with your name, and bring it up to my desk for testing.” (...)  “That was really unfair,” said Hermione consolingly, sitting down next to Harry  (...) “Yeah, well,” said Harry, glowering at his plate, “since when has Snape ever been fair to me?”

Like he isn’t nice, but he also isn’t asking Harry questions he can’t possibly know the answers to, threatening to kill someone’s pet, or calling Hermione ugly. He didn’t even take away house points. And - during the next lesson, we are told that the approach Snape took with Harry actually worked?

Determined not to give Snape an excuse to fail him this lesson, Harry read and reread every line of the instructions on the blackboard at least three times before acting on them. His Strengthening Solution was not precisely the clear turquoise shade of Hermione’s but it was at least blue rather than pink, like Neville’s, and he delivered a flask of it to Snape’s desk at the end of the lesson with a feeling of mingled defiance and relief. 

I want to do one more close read, on a excerpt from Book 5: 

Harry realized how much Professor McGonagall cared about beating Slytherin when she abstained from giving them homework in the week leading up to the match. (...)  Nobody could quite believe their ears until she looked directly at Harry and Ron and said grimly, “I’ve become accustomed to seeing the Quidditch Cup in my study, boys, and I really don’t want to have to hand it over to Professor Snape, so use the extra time to practice, won’t you?” Snape was no less obviously partisan: He had booked the Quidditch pitch for Slytherin practice so often that the Gryffindors had difficulty getting on it to play. He was also turning a deaf ear to the many reports of Slytherin attempts to hex Gryffindor players in the corridors. When Alicia Spinnet turned up in the hospital wing with her eyebrows growing so thick and fast that they obscured her vision and obstructed her mouth, Snape insisted that she must have attempted a Hair-Thickening Charm on herself and refused to listen to the fourteen eyewitnesses who insisted that they had seen the Slytherin Keeper, Miles Bletchley, hit her from behind with a jinx.

This has a very similar structure to the sequence when Snape refuses to punish Draco for enlarging Hermione’s teeth. Slytherins and Gryffindors having an altercation, Gryffindor girl gets caught in the crossfire. BUT a few key things have been changed. One - the section is told in second-hand narration, which makes it less emotional than the teeth-scene. Two - the section begins with comparing Snape to McGonagall: she’s being biased/helping out her students too, so it’s only fair if he does it as well. Three - his insult isn’t “Your face has always looked like that,” it’s “You must have messed up a spell,” which is a lot less personal, and a lot less mean. (If anything, Snape is subtly insulting her for casting a cosmetic charm/being too girly… and being a girly-girl is an inherently suspect characteristic in JKR’s world.) Everything about this passage is set up to create a “Snape the Bully” moment… that kind of excuses Snape. 

So, what do we have? There are the people that think Book 1-3 Snape just went too far, and you can soften the narrative framing around him, and you can add in as many tragic backstories as you want, and it doesn’t really matter. THAT is definitely not what JKR wants you to think. She wants to bring you along for the ride, and (as you can tell from the framing) she's started to like Snape a lot.

HOWEVER. I do not think that the fan who likes 5-7 Alan Rickman Snape is… quite seeing the same thing she is. I get the sense that in the text, Snape’s tragic backstory is not meant to *explain* his bad behavior so much as it is meant to *excuse* it. He stays mean and bad-tempered… but he’s allowed to be, both because he is always acting in service to a Good Cause, and because he was abused at home, bullied at school, etc. A big part of why I think JKR likes writing Snape so much (and why she’s so protective of him) is because she finds something cathartic in letting a character be nasty… but for it to be allowed because they’ve suffered, and also because they're in the right. Sadly I think this describes a lot of her current online interactions. 

JKR also loves the idea of *pining.* (It is crazy how long the main characters’ pining/longing/will-they-won’t-they thing in the Cormoran Strike books has lasted.) It’s a very safe kind of romance, and (again, sadly) you can tell from her writing that romance is not generally something that feels safe to her. Snape is sometimes characterized by those who dislike the character as an incel-type who wants to possess Lily, and I just don’t think that’s in the text. If anything it’s the other way around. Snape has some unconsummated, medieval courtly love thing going on, where he has decided to live his life in Lily’s service. 

I wrote about why I think Draco Malfoy (unintentionally) appeals to fans. With Snape…  I actually think a lot of his current (unintentional) appeal comes from the way a softer Snape reframes the narrative into something more complex, and especially the way it reframes Dumbledore. Manipulative/Morally Grey Dumbledore is a *very* popular fan interpretation, and the way you get that is with a sympathetic Severus Snape. 

“You disgust me,” said Dumbledore, and Harry had never heard so much contempt in his voice. Snape seemed to shrink a little. (...)  “Hide them all, then,” he croaked. “Keep her — them — safe. Please.”  “And what will you give me in return, Severus?”  “In — in return?” Snape gaped at Dumbledore, and Harry expected him to protest, but after a long moment he said, “Anything.”

The implications here are really far reaching. Because to me, the main question when it comes to Snape is - why does he STAY at Hogwarts? He clearly hates it, why doesn’t he just leave? If you’re talking about 1-3 Snape, it's because he’s eternally holding out for the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, and he’s just kind of a twisted miserable guy who would probably be equally miserable everywhere. 

But books 5-7 add the context that he’s brilliant, he’s brave, he’s principled, he’s got a sense of humor. He seems close with the Malfoys. He has *options.* So now the (unintended?) implication is… he doesn’t leave because Dumbledore won’t let him. The fact that he keeps applying for the DADA job becomes dark and borderline suicidal when we learn it’s cursed, and that Snape knows it’s cursed. If he takes it, he’ll leave (or die) at the end of the year. That means, every year, he’s tacitly asking Dumbledore “Can I leave?” And Dumbledore is answering “No.” 

That’s such an interesting, juicy character dynamic. Snape is being kept miserable on purpose because… he’s easier to control that way? And if that’s true… then oh boy is it sinister that Dumbledore left Harry with the Dursleys. He knew he was raising Harry “like a pig for slaughter” (as Snape puts it.) And if Harry doesn’t have a support system, if he’s miserable, if Dumbledore can swoop in as his savior… then doesn’t that make him so much easier to control? 

[danadiadea]

Unfortunately I am the canon nerd, so I looked through the text a bit. Albus assumed that Snape hated (and saved) Harry because of James "saving his life" not in PoA, but in PS, and we can be pretty sure this is not exactly truthful. But on top of that assumption:

"There was a long pause, and slowly Snape regained control of himself, mastered his own breathing. At last he said, ‘Very well. Very well. But never – never tell, Dumbledore! This must be between us! Swear it! I cannot bear … especially Potter’s son … I want your word" – Severus expresses his unwillingness to let anyone know he will protect Harry because he is "Potter's son", not because he caused Lily's death;

Quirrell is sure Snape hates Harry because of James – he bases that belief on incomplete information, sure, but it rather hints toward that interpretation;

When Severus is complaining about Harry being "mediocre, arrogant as his father, a determined rule-breaker, delighted to find himself famous, attention-seeking and impertinent", he directly compares him to James, making a connection between his emotions towards Harry and his expirences with his father very clear to Albus.

When Severus says "[Harry] is his father over again –" Albus refutes "In looks, perhaps, but his deepest nature is much more like his mother’s. I spend time with Harry because I have things to discuss with him, information I must give him before it is too late." Severus again shows that he gave Harry detentions (for Sectumsempra'ing Draco but also) for being like James, and he hates him for being like James – Albus brings up Harry's connection to Lily to soften Severus' attitude.

Abus also says: "But I forgot — another old man’s mistake — that some wounds run too deep for the healing. I thought Professor Snape could overcome his feelings about your father — I was wrong." – it's not something Snape states, but Abus (finally) understood that Severus' feelings about James is a "wound" that "fails to heal" – which is probably connected to Snape having a breakdown after Harry watched the SWM. So Severus' traumatic response to James became eventually clear even to Albus "let's ignore all the trauma Snape carries" Dumbledore.

Snape brings James up all the time, and Lily not once until the very end. Sure, he wouldn't willingly talk about it, bit it's obvious that when he looks at Harry – James is the one who makes him lash out at the boy and lose control, James is the one occupying his words and his thoughts. Even if Harry's connection to Lily's death influenced Severus' feelings to an extent, his aggression towards Harry is all about James. And the worse and more vulnerable Severus feels, the more he talks to Harry about his father, like after Dumbledore's death.

We see how Severus reacts to James' friends and to things connected to him (like Levicorpus) – he shows clear signs of PTSD. When Severus asks to look in Harry's eyes – the only reference to "Lily in Harry" he expresses openly – it's framed positively, as the last wish of a dying man, something to soothe the pain, not inflict more.

Also Rowling confirmed Snape hated Harry because of James when she gave her instructions to Rickman, if I'm not mistaken, but I won't find the quote now, sorry.

I could've forgotten something from the text, but generally I think this is how it looks. Severus' reasons to hate Harry are most likely complicated, he probably isn't aware of some of them, but it's clear that his James inflicted trauma is a MASSIVE one, and "Snape was obsessed with Lily and hated that she had sex with another man" is not there at all. Did he connect Harry's birth and Lily's death? Maybe subconsciously. But it isn't really stated anywhere, unlike "Snape hates Harry because he resembles James".

okay actually give me some textual evidence that states that the real reason Severus cannot look at Harry/hates Harry is solely because of his and James' relationship.

Because the only thing I am able to think of is Dumbledore assuming [not asking Severus' opinion, just assuming] that it's because James saved his life in PoA.

Why can multiple things ever be right with you? Why can't it be both because of Severus' continued grief and love for Lily, and because of James and Harry looking so similar, and because Harry has Lily's eyes, and because if Harry hadn't been born, the prophecy given wouldn't have applied to him and maybe Lily would have been alive?

I like your blog but you never actually give evidence based on the books and it results in your arguments entirely lacking nuance.

I’m not saying that’s the only reason, I’m saying it’s the main reason—because it’s obvious that seeing the face of someone who tormented him for years triggers him. And the fact that, on multiple occasions, he assumes Harry will act like his father and even explicitly compares him to James makes that pretty clear.

That doesn’t mean it’s incompatible with also feeling not just disgust at seeing James in Harry, but also guilt—knowing he’s looking at Lily’s son, feeling responsible for her death, and being reminded of his greatest mistakes and regrets. Both things can absolutely coexist.

What’s not true is the claim that Severus hates Harry because he was “obsessed” with his mother. That’s an absurdly shallow and childish take on the matter.

And sorry for not quoting the books, but honestly, I don’t feel like digging up exact lines as if this were some kind of Bible verse debate. I think basic reasoning skills are enough to get the point across.

[forestdeath1]

I think it’s important to see that James and Sirius bullied Snape, but Snape wasn’t "hiding in bushes in SWM to avoid them". Fans of the Marauders also like to whitewash James and Sirius, making them out to be good boys. They were not kind, certainly not to Snape.

Snape also wasnt a kind and innocent boy. Before school, Snape already held views similar to Nazis, and he wanted to be in Slytherin, a house that "produced" many Death Eaters during a time when Voldemort was tearing the country apart.

I don’t know why Snape stans don’t see how bad this is. Let me repeat. THIS IS VERY BAD. "But we can’t judge them all, they are just children..." No one judges anyone just for being in Slytherin, though it’s a weird desire during an open genocide of Muggle-borns. Again, Snape didn’t just want to be in Slytherin. He held these views before school. (Yes, he had a bad father. No, that’s no excuse to harbour misanthropic views. Sirius had a bad family. Harry had a bad family. Millions have bad families. Snape read books; he knew the history of Slytherin and Gryffindor. Hatred for his father isn’t an excuse to think you're above Muggles. Snape could defend his views even as a child, and he methodically stuck to his views, despite everything Lily told him, despite already knowing what was happening in the Wizarding World).

Plus, the narrative that JKR tried to feed readers in the books, that James was similar to Draco in his bullying, is also bad.

Imagine being in Hufflepuff. I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?

Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?

It’s clear she tried to portray James as similar to Draco.

But they are in completely different positions. Draco is in a house that officially adheres to a policy of exclusivity and pure-blood supremacy, which led to a terrible war and many deaths, literally genocide. Slytherin isn’t just about cunning and ambition. It’s primarily about blood; the main reason for the fallout between Salazar and Gryffindor was that Salazar didn’t think Muggle-borns should be at Hogwarts. Draco is in a house that produced almost all the Death Eaters. Not to mention, Draco is a Death Eater’s son and holds similar views.

At the same time, James, who hates everything about Slytherin, dark magic, roughly speaking, hates their exclusivity and where it leads. And he, as a pure-blood, knows well what is happening in the country at that time. He doesn't fully understand all the propaganda as a child, but he knows it's bad.

There is nothing in common between Draco and James.

In James’s case, it’s actually Snape who holds supremacist views and even persistently advises his friend to be in Slytherin. Of course, James reacts. No "good" person would want to be in the house that supports genocide. At least it's shameful.

Draco actually insulted Hufflepuff from his privileged position. For him, Hufflepuff isn’t "prestigious" enough.

James was rude because of the moral component of Slytherin’s ideology (and he was right, though he shouldn’t have interfered in Snape and Lily’s conversation), while Draco criticised personal qualities of Hufflepuffs, which he finds not "cool" enough. And this is exactly how Snape later insults Gryffindor, calling them stupid.

This is a completely different starting point. However, this doesn’t negate the fact that James and Sirius were bullies. James tripped Snape the first time they met. James physically bullied Snape. Sirius bullied him psychologically. Meanwhile, Snape was inventing dark spells, which he planned to use on enemies. Considering he was planning to become a Death Eater, enemies would be Aurors, the Order of the Phoenix, Muggles, and Muggle-borns.

Lily tried more than once to convince him that he was on the wrong path, but Snape was blinded by his ideals. Even his love for Lily didn’t change his beliefs. He thought the genocide wouldn't affect Lily. Snape only realised the full horror when tragedy struck him personally – the only one he always loved. Then he understood how painful it is to lose a loved one. Then he realised that other people also lose loved ones. That all of them are people. And that genocide is bad, and Voldemort is evil.

Snape’s fans blame only James and Sirius, portraying Snape as an innocent victim of rich, pure-blood, popular boys. Ignoring the fact that Snape genuinely believed he was better than the two, and that in Slytherin they couldn’t stand James and Remus, but probably treated Snape quite well, although not enough to defend him (which is not surprising for Slytherins, when did they ever defend each other in canon?). No one was accepted into Voldemort’s ranks just like that, Snape was very smart and talented. Voldemort didn’t recruit only through fear, intimidation, and humiliation, he gave a sense of community, participation, exclusivity, unity.

James and Sirius are cruel, with Sirius being more cruel than James. James has a "justification" in his mind; Sirius needs no justification, he simply despises Snape. James doesn’t understand that even if you think someone is bad, you can't beat and humiliate them. Sirius doesn’t care about this. They don't understand that their violence is bad. None of them fully understand it. All of them think Snape deserved such treatment.

I find it very hard to write this and I’m sincerely trying to be fair to schoolboy Snape and see him first as a child, not a future member of a terrorist organisation, who actively supported these views even at school, though even teenagers are responsible for their actions. But if you find an excuse for Snape, find one for James too. And don’t make Snape out to be a little defenceless boy who was a victim and who hid behind bushes. Snape was never a defenceless boy.

I love Snape as a character. But both he and James, and Sirius, were cruel children, but with different presuppositions.

Regarding the notion that poor Snape was bullied by the rich... JKR tried to push a narrative of classism based on money into the story but failed completely, because there is no evidence that pure-blood wizards were directly associated with wealth in the WW. JKR is known for her haphazard world-building, her Ministry even lacks a Department of Economy and Finance, and here she tried to introduce a narrative of Snape’s poverty versus the wealth of pure-blood James and Sirius, while the entire book contradicts this narrative. Let me explain! In the books, blood is more important than money. Blood provides connections. And before all social changes connections and blood brought everything else. Although there probably aren’t many rich Slytherins, most are of average wealth. By that point, James was a son of blood traitors and likely not very popular in Slytherin. No amount of money could fix the disdain they had for him because he actively opposed their ideals. A poor but pure-blood Slytherin would consider themselves much higher in status than James (As often happens, the most extreme and exclusive views appear when people start losing their position, and the pure-bloods began to lose their position in the WW). The heir of Slytherin – a status that outweighed poverty and Tom Riddle’s half-blood status. For the Lestranges, Rosiers, and Averys, this was enough to follow Tom. They smirked in the book when Tom said he had a "bad background." They knew his real background, his true status. Snape was a Prince, his mother was pure-blood, we don’t know much more about them, but considering Snape called himself the Half-Blood Prince, he was proud of being a Prince, not a Snape. The Gaunts were poor, but they considered themselves the most noble. Classism in the WW isn’t that simple, it’s not just pure-bloods = money or that money solves everything, or money = Upper class. Even in Muggle history, aristocrats weren’t homogeneous, there were "real nobles," like in Germany, there was Uradel and those who gained their nobility, Briefadel. The antiquity of a noble line was considered superior to a newly granted honorary title. After all, any commoner can be granted a title, but no power can give noble ancestors to someone not born to them. And this is very relevant to the WW with its shifting social structure, where previously pure-bloods ruled and didn’t allow anyone decent jobs etc etc, and now suddenly everything is changing and "Mudbloods" can even become Ministers of Magic.

Slughorn is known for trying to be a "good Slytherin," but he is also the craftiest Slytherin and knows which way the wind blows. The first time around, in his Slug Club, there were only pure-bloods and Tom Riddle himself, but Tom was an exceptional student. But then pure-bloods increasingly lose their status as society becomes more diverse, and he realises that half-bloods can also achieve success. Cunning Slughorn understands that the social structure is starting to change (and this becomes fertile ground for war because pure-bloods don't want to lose their status). And we see that in the Slug Club, there are now half-bloods and pure-bloods, and he selects not just based on pure-blood status but also on talents and who owns a potion shop etc.

So, James has a conditional "status" among "good" houses and within a changing society, but for Slytherin, where Snape studied, James’s status wasn’t so clear and his money wasn’t really important for old-fashioned Slytherins. Slytherin lived by its own laws, the laws of true class – Nature’s Nobility (Nature’s Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy). Obviously, not everyone was wealthy. In such a small economy, there can’t be a large number of wealthy families. While James was popular in school among a more liberal society, Snape fuelled his pride within Slytherin, which accepted him even as a half-blood. And only Sirius had real status for Slytherins, but he lost it. Classism in the WW is complex, because during the Marauders’ era, they were in a situation of changing social structure. It’s somewhat like the Middle Ages when the middle class emerged, followed by the English Revolution etc. But people reduce it all to the simple cliché of "they had money," although the dynamics between them were more complex, and their story unfolded during serious social upheavals and class struggle.

I know it’s boring 😂 If you have any thoughts, let’s discuss!

[sctumsempra]

going insane and i need to infodump about severus snape’s patronus being a doe for a second. i personally don’t think it changed, or lily necessarily influenced it- i think it’s always been a doe, casting the charm in dumbledore’s office was meant to show that he and lily were supposed to be viscerally aligned with each other and he knows he fucked it up and that’s why he’s spent almost two decades trying to atone for what he did. on a representative level, the doe symbolizes peace, protection, and innocence, and no three words could possibly represent severus snape more.

all he wants is peace: a peaceful life for himself, a peaceful world, a peaceful school. everything he’s ever done has been to create as much peace as possible. some of it can be considered misguided from a black and white moral standpoint, but it’s what created peace for himself. for example, aligning himself with the purist views of his housemates made him less of a target for bullying- he’s not a pure blood, and they’d know, and having powerful ambitious students on your side instead of alienating yourself from everyone means you have at least a semblance of protection from harm some of the time. he becomes a double agent for dumbledore to help bring about peace from voldemort’s reign. it might not have been peaceful for him per se, but it was still with the intention of peace in some form. he tries to give other people peace- he takes a vow with narcissa to protect her son because she’s crying and scared for him, and it gives her peace. he doesn’t throw draco under the bus to save his skin when voldemort accuses him of being the elder wands owner, giving draco and narcissa peace even if they weren’t aware. it’s either for himself, or for others.

he’s the most protective teacher at the school- would mcgonagall have thrown herself in front of three kids facing a wolfsbane-less werewolf? would flitwick take the burden of an unbreakable vow to protect draco malfoy from voldemort? would any of the DADA teachers have run towards the sound of a screaming woman? he consistently vows to protect everyone and everything he can. and, leading into his innocence, when he realizes he’s only been protecting harry for him to die, it breaks him.

he’s not necessarily innocent in that his hands are clean and he’s never done anything wrong in his life, but he’s innocent in that he’s naive. he trusted voldemort enough to be drawn into the death eaters, he trusted dumbledore enough to be manipulated into his bidding. it feels like he forgets that dumbledore screws him over constantly, dangles things in front of him and takes them away, makes crude assumptions, and has left him to fend for himself essentially their entire relationship. the times that dumbledore abandons him- physically, mentally, metaphorically- he gets very upset. like it’s new information to him that dumbledore treats him like shit. from an abuse perspective, he probably had to spend his childhood mentally erasing what his parents and home were like so he could feel safe and normal, so the constant ebb and flow/back and forth of his and dumbledore’s relationship is familiar to him. when dumbledore draws him back in with whatever method, he’s right back to behaving as dumbledore wants, doing what dumbledore wants, and believing what dumbledore believes. the times that he remembers that dumbledore doesn’t care that he let the guy who’s tried to kill him or assault go, or that dumbledore thinks he wants only lily saved because he desires her romantically or sexually, or that dumbledore has only been using harry and, by extension, him (as he’s been the one protecting harry) to play the long game of destroying voldemort are the times that he’s emotional in the books. he cries, he’s vulnerable, he raises his voice, he begs and he pleads and he defers. he doesn’t do that any other time, other than when he found harry watching his memories. he trusts and he forgives (or he forgets, or he feels safer pretending he doesn’t care what’s been done to him/how he’s been treated.) a doe is perfect for him. reducing it to something like tonk’s patronus being changed as soon as she’s in a relationship with lupin or that it’s only a doe because of lily evans completely erases his entire way of thinking and behaving and being.

also, in a self indulgent addendum, it’s a very feminine animal, and severus is consistently aligned with femininity. hermione calls the half-blood prince’s writing feminine. he wears his mother’s clothes as a child, and lupin encourages neville to dress his boggart as his grandmother. he’s quiet and docile and tries to be non-violent unless he’s pushed to his breaking point, and even then it’s screaming or crying or getting animated. he’s emotional and frequently painted as hysterical. he gets the “woman character treatment”: to the average viewer who doesn’t think about him long enough to understand otherwise, he only desires lily. the consensus is that he chases her, he only thinks about her in the context of attraction. the line about looking at her greedily is constantly understood to be lust, and not a desire for love or a desire for a peaceful relationship for once in his life (and a relationship that only ever seems to be platonic at that). he even backs off and all but disappears from her life when he’s asked to, while james (the one with the stag patronus, the classic triumphant male character) harasses her and pursues her and behaves in a way that makes his son decades later wonder if he forced lily into a relationship. he’s behaviorally aligned with what femininity in the eyes of misogyny is supposed to be. he keeps to himself, he’s quiet, he sacrifices every bit of himself for students and coworkers and superiors and expects nothing in return, he pushes his students to be the best they can. (i’d say nurtures with my whole chest, but as the narrative comes from harry, we can’t really be sure. in my view, his house won the house cup for several years in a row which was only interrupted by dumbledore awarding a fuck ton of points to his gryffindor prize pony, his classes are seen as high performing and advanced by even dolores umbridge of all people, he only tries to punish students albeit a bit violently after several attempts of getting them to understand why what they did was wrong, which seems to be pretty nurturing in comparison to what other teachers allow and do). whether he’s trans, or had been influenced more by eileen, or he was intended to be deeply complex and contradictory and that meant that he had to have these traits, or any other of the multitude of reasons for snape being an inherently feminine character, it’s there. his patronus wouldn’t be a stag, he wouldn’t be anything overbearing and he wouldn’t be anything aggressive. it doesn’t make sense with his soul and his personality and his life. the peaceful protective innocent/naive doe, however, does.

[danadiadea]

How is Snape described in the books: a relatively complete compilation

Okay, so this is my attempt at gathering what we have regarding Severus Snape's appearance based on the HP books. It's long, since rowling loved obsessively writing about Snape's looks. It's likely I've missed something, but I hope not much. I didn't dive into what he's wearing or into his self-presentation, just his physical characteristics that are present in canon – people get stupid about that topic sometimes.

Disclaimer: body positivity/neutrality to everyone, I don't support JKR's lookism just as much as all of her other bigotry. Beauty is a deeply subjective concept, no features are objectively beautiful or ugly and none of them identify us as people. The way my imagination and your imagination recreate a picture from the identical textual description might be different.

Snape's nose is constantly described as "hooked":

○"Snape approached their table, stared down his hooked nose at the roots."

○"Snape stared down his hooked nose at Colin."

○"...as Snape swept by he looked down his hooked nose at it without comment" etc.

Altogether I found Snape's nose being called hooked 10 times in the series. There are places where we're shown it's rather big, but they aren't very definitive:

1) “Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people’s business.” – Marauders map, so basically bullies behaving like bullies;

2) "...hatred which had, if possible, intensified last year, when Harry had helped Sirius escape right under Snape’s overlarge nose" – Harry is very mad at Snape and the phrase is clearly used figuratively, not as a direct appearance description;

3)"In the very center of the group Harry saw the dark, greasy-haired head and prominent nose of his least favorite teacher at Hogwarts, Professor Snape" – "prominent" is a broader conception while referring to size, I'd say;

4) "[Tonks'] nose swelled to a beaklike protuberance like Snape’s" – again, the size is mentioned, but not through the words "big" or "large" or "long", and the form is given more empathis.

Undoubtedly it's supposed to be on the bigger side, but it does not, in fact, seem to be "abnormally" large. Making it straight should be a crime though – how can you make anything about that man straight?..

Snape's black eyes are often described glittering or sparkling, but also empty and cold:

○"They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels"

○"Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes"

○“But why not join the feast afterward?” said Snape, his black eyes glittering in the candlelight"

○"He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away."

○"He didn’t care that Snape’s face had gone rigid, the black eyes flashing dangerously."

○"Harry blinked. Snape’s eyes gleamed."

○“Don’t lie to me,” Snape hissed, his fathomless black eyes boring into Harry’s"

Snape's eyebrows aren't described in detail, we don't known if they're bushy or thin, but he does that raising one up thing:

○“Yes,” said Harry. “Who’s going to be teaching me?” Snape raised an eyebrow."

And he raises two as well:

○"Snape looked back at her, his eyebrows slightly raised"

○"Snape raised his eyebrows and his tone was sardonic as he asked, “Are you intending to let him kill you?”

Snape's skin is constantly described as sallow – about 11 times through the books. Whatever that word means. Is it like... muted and dull coloured with yellow undertones? Cool!

It's also described as pale, or white due to strong emotions:

○"An ugly flush suffused Snape’s pallid face."

○"Snape was hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs"

○"Snape’s pale face, illuminated by the flaming cabin, was suffused with hatred just as it had been before he had cursed Dumbledore."

○"As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, he saw Snape land nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped"

○"[Snape's face] was marble white and so still that when he spoke, it was a shock to see that anyone lived behind the blank eyes."

○"Snape’s sallow skin had gone the color of sour milk." (very poetic Harry, you should try writing poetry too)

Also idk what's an ugly flush (also: Harry saw the edge of Snape’s sallow face turn a nasty brick color, the vein in his temple pulsing more rapidly; a dull flush of color mounted the sallow cheeks as he looked at Lily), have never seen one in my life, but Snape's face canonically goes full red very quickly and this is the most important part of that meta don't forget about it folks.

His skin is described as greasy twice in the saga, but both times with not much credibility:

1) "Harry could see a vein flickering horribly on Snape’s greasy temple" – temple is an area of the face in close proximity to hair and we'll get there, although aren't Snape's "hair curtains" hiding the sides of his face, including temples? Is he wearing it freaking braided or what? Overall, I'd say this is just another jab at his hair.

2)"Iwas watching him, his nose was touching the parchment,” said Sirius viciously. “There’ll be great grease marks all over it, they won’t be able to read a word" – Sirius can go fuck himself.

Harry does not comment that at any age there is acne or post-acne on Snape's face so I'd assume his skin isn't problematic or he takes care of it. He has visible veins on his temples though (also no eyebags mentioned?? a crime).

Snape's lips are described as thin:

○“Now, now, Malfoy,” said Snape, though he couldn’t suppress a thin-lipped smile"

○"A muscle twitched unpleasantly at the corner of Snape’s thin mouth every time he looked at Harry"

○"The dungeon rang with the Slytherins’ laughter, and an unpleasant smile curled Snape’s thin mouth."

Characteristics of Snape's teeth got two mentions.

○"Snape’s uneven, yellowish teeth were bared." PoA

○“Ten o’clock,” whispered Snape, with a smile that showed his yellow teeth. “Poor Gryffindor ... fourth place this year, I fear ...” HPB

(Also I've literally always hc'ed that Snape is a stress smoker, and since Voldemort came back Snape just started to destroy his enamel with fervour so it coloured up more, everyone should share my headcanons i prove them so well!!!)

Snape bares his teeth some other times ("I wouldn’t bet on that,” Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth"; "It was scary: Snape’s lips were shaking, his face was white, his teeth were bared) or smiles (not pleasantly let me assure you) and most times Harry doesn't comment on it. Actually, it's hilarious how the very first time Harry saw Karkaroff he thought "his teeth were rather yellow", man, do you wanna steal Hermione parents' job? Also yellow teeth are mentioned twice for Sirius in PoA (and no one dares to not notice Gilderoy's perfect teeth, of course, he asked me to mention it). So I'd say Snape has moderately imperfect teeth like a working class kid he is, otherwise Harry would've probably commented on that as much as on Snape's hair, hence almost every time we encounter him.

(but I'm totally headcanoning high canine teeth for him, Snape deserves the privilege of having some more vampirish vibe for free)

Severus' body type and face are described as "thin":

○"He was a thin man with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and greasy, shoulder-length black hair"

○Snape was hanging upside down in the air, his robes falling over his head to reveal skinny, pallid legs"

○"even Harry, who hated Snape, was startled at the expression twisting his thin, sallow face"

○"He had forgotten the details of Snape’s appearance in the magnitude of his crimes, forgotten how his greasy black hair hung in curtains around his thin face, how his black eyes had a dead, cold look (I fucking love that quote, have you forgotten his lesser crimes which are not looking the way you enjoy, Harry, after he committed bigger ones like murder? good god)

He isn't probably looking very thin, since that description mostly applies to his face. Rather logical, I mean he wears all those big flowy robes that make him look bigger.

Also Snape is average height like about 177 cm/5'10, he's shorter than Yaxley and Sirius, taller than "tall and slim" Narcissa, so somewhere in this range.

The fact that Severus has hunched posture is mentioned twice for a kid/teen!Snape:

○"He was on platform nine and three-quarters, and Snape stood beside him, slightly hunched, next to a thin, sallow-faced, sour-looking woman who greatly resembled him"

○"Round-shouldered yet angular, he walked in a twitchy manner that recalled a spider, his oily hair swinging about his face."

I didn't find any mentions in the books that adult!Snape had hunched posture. It is possible that, like many behaviors and habits, such as the way he speaks, moves, and perhaps writes, it had been deliberately changed by Snape himself.

His fingers are thin and long:

○Snape eyed Harry, tracing his mouth with one long, thin finger as he did so.

○Snape pointed a long yellow finger at Malfoy and said, “Explain.” – yellow can be a way to call sallow skin; a result of working with potions (Snape having potions stained fingers is not book canon, which is a shame) or smoking. Them being thin is noted once, but that goes cohesively with his thinness overall.

The star of the show – Snape's hair, ofc. It gets more attention than James Potter's charachter development. The fact that it's greasy appears in the books minimum 17 times + it's called oily 2 times and dirty once when he's a 9yo kid. People who comment on that, except Harry in his head, are Sirius, Peter through the Map, Fred and George in DH ("Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t, but the fact remains he can move faster than Severus Snape confronted with shampoo when he wants to"), kinda Ron with grinning on Sirius' comment. Actually it's not described as greasy in "Spinners End" and "The Dark Lord Ascending" (so it might as well be your ordinary oily hair with a tad of drama from people who dislike Snape).

It's black – obviously, shoulder-length or "long", which I assume is just a variation for shoulder-length. It's often forming "curtains":

○"Snape went quiet, though his eyes still glinted malevolently through his curtain of greasy black hair."

○"Snape looked around at him, his face framed between curtains of greasy black hair."

○"A sliver of a man could be seen looking out at them, a man with long black hair parted in curtains around a sallow face and black eyes."

At the hilltop scene they're described as straggling:

○"Snape was wringing his hands: He looked a little mad, with his straggling black hair flying around him."

as opposed to being lank before:

○"His hair was lank and greasy and was flopping onto the table".

He had it poorly cut when he was a kid:

○“Definitely,” said Snape, and even with his poorly cut hair and his odd clothes, he struck an oddly impressive figure..."

So as an adult he supposedly cared enough to regularly cut his hair up to Harry's (fashionable) standard. It also doesn't look "dirty", like Harry calls internally his hair when Severus is 9.

Well, as someone with naturally oily hair, depression and neurodivent sensory issues, I can say that if your hair loosely hangs in "curtains" covering/framing your face, you're probably not doing that bad with it! There are a lot of headcanons about why Snape has greasy hair, but honestly, I don't understand why would he need an exuse? Having oily hair doesn't make you unhygienic, that's ridiculous, and there are no signs that Snape (noticeably) neglects his hygiene. Hair types exist, and some of them just need extra-spesial care to look "socially acceptable" or whatever, but people have the right to not bother about it. Whether his occupation and/or upbringing and/or mental health problems affected it – maybe to an extent, but excluding just genetics or physical well-being from it is kinda weird. Let different hair types live and be pretty.

Snape's mom was thin, sallow faced and sour looking, and Harry thinks Severus resembles her greatly; while Severus' hooked nose was inherited from Tobias – "a hook-nosed man was shouting at a cowering woman, while a small dark-haired boy cried in a corner". Harry also does think Eileen isn't pretty since she's described as a "skinny girl; ...she looked simultaneously cross and sullen, with heavy brows and a long, pallid face" (so evidently that's not Harry's type aside from his prejudice to Snape. Harry's admiration towards Krum hadn't made Harry think he's attractive either. Just to remind you: "Viktor Krum was thin, dark, and sallow-skinned, with a large curved nose and thick black eyebrows. He looked like an overgrown bird of prey". Literally Snape's lost cousin).

Honestly, after going through those descriptions specifically, if I remove the evaluative vocabulary and the labels of ugly/nasty/unpleasant/etc., I don't really understand what exactly I should've found ugly? Snape is just not Harry's type of preferred visual, and on top of that they quickly developed a mutual dislike. Nevertheless, no one is obliged to transfer subjective ideas of the (author) protagonist to their own perception. Writing "ugly" after a characteristic doesn't make it "ugly".

That had been a long conclusion.

My short conclusion is that Severus Snape is a babygirl and Harry has poor taste (sorry, no hard feelings).

[heidi891]

The Boggart Lesson from PoA

I like both Snape and Lupin, and I don’t agree with the takes from both ‘sides’ of fandom.

1) Snape makes a rude remark about Neville. I love Snape, but that was terrible. It’s great that Lupin tries to help Neville.

2) Lupin cannot know Snape is Neville’s boggart. Neville’s greatest fear is being a Squib, being not enough, and he’s just had a stressful lesson with Snape. Lupin could think Neville’s boggart would be some kind of a monster like many kids or a Death Eater or something like that connected to what happened to the Longbottoms. Snape isn’t an obvious option. Lupin wants to help Neville, not to bully Snape.

3) Once it turns out Neville’s boggart is Snape, it’s hard to choose a Riddikulus option that doesn’t humiliate Snape somehow.

4) Still, this scene is an early sign that Lupin used to be Snape’s bully (or at least a friend and an enabler of his bullies, though the Marauders Map suggests Lupin could take more active part in the bullying before the Prank).

5) Because of that bullying, Snape takes the boggart incident personally. Lupin doesn’t try to bully Snape this time, so from this point of view Snape is overreacting, but at the same time he does have a reason to suspect Lupin of bad intentions. After all, he was a member of the group that bullied Snape, and Lupin never apologised.

All I mean… it isn’t black and white situation.

[maxdibert]

The nickname “Snivellus” derives from the word “snivel,” which means crybaby. So, Snivellus was basically a way of mocking the fact that Severus might show his emotions—that instead of toughing it out like a stereotypical, macho, strong, hairy-chested man, he cried. I don’t think I need to explain why this nickname is problematic—any nickname used to bully someone is problematic—but a nickname that also references a supposed weakness, stemming from the expectations of a patriarchal society for men to display “unmanly” behavior typical of “weak” men, is not just problematic due to the bullying itself but also because of the misogynistic implications it carries. Because yes, misogyny and hegemonic gender roles also affect men by demanding certain traits from them to validate them socially. And I know the Marauders lived in the 1970s, and that Rowling is one of the worst when it comes to gender issues. But I find it quite ironic how Marauders Stans or Slytherin Skittles, who have built their trash fandom and constant Snape-bashing around the topic of LGBTQ+ themes, have the audacity to mock Snape using a nickname that directly attacks gender nonconformity and justifies a toxic, traditional masculinity that shames men who cry or show emotions, labeling them as less valid.

The Marauders weren’t social justice warriors, and James and Sirius, in particular, embodied the classic values of male success through the performance of stereotypical “macho” characteristics: as leaders, as “alphas” of the pack. Both are violent; both are cocky men who try to stand out and mark their territory. Both exhibit behaviors that have typically been excused in men just because they are men, such as abusive and reckless behavior. Their nickname for Severus stems from the idea that showing emotions—especially crying—if you are a man, is a reason for ridicule and mockery because men don’t cry. Men are supposed to be strong, puff out their chests, and keep going because that’s what men do. It’s a misogynistic and archaic mindset that continues to be perpetuated in social models and relationships to this day. And I find it incredibly hypocritical that certain people who claim to hate J.K. Rowling for being a transphobe then go on to appropriate the horribly sexist nicknames she created for a group of heterosexual men embodying toxic masculinity to bully another man for not performing the traditional masculine model expected of someone like him.

Because Severus wasn’t a “macho”. Severus was a studious introvert with a more passive character who didn’t fit into the masculine vision of the time. Everything about him, including his appearance, demeanor, and interests, is unmasculine from a hegemonic perspective given the historical context. But these people don’t care. They’re so limited, so ignorant, and so cynical that they not only ignore these kinds of nuances but even find it funny to reproduce insults that any real-life James Potter would probably have used against them.

Make no mistake: James Potter and Sirius Black wouldn’t have been your friends. They would have tortured you as much, if not more, than Snape. And that’s the most pathetic part of their fandom, unfortunately.

[potions-of-dark-devotion]

Ok but what’s funny to me is Snaters relentlessly arguing that Severus Snape is a bad person when in fact the entire fate of the Wizarding World hangs on the string of his integrity and goodness. He could have burned the world to the ground if he wanted; but he values human life, even the lives of those he detests personally. Literally the entire Harry Potter series hangs on the balance of Severus’s goodness. Without his relentless goodness even in the face of hatred; Voldemort would have rolled over them like ants under a boulder. You can’t deny it. He is canonically a good person with more integrity and responsibility and patience than I could ever hope to have.

[picthos]

the son of Spinner’s End's Snape

In the past, I have written about this topic, but today I aim to provide a more detailed explanation.

When Petunia saw Snape, she contemptuously referred to him as "Spinner’s End's Snape boy." I believe that Petunia must have learned about Severus and the Snape family’s reputation from adults. My reasoning is as follows:

1-Children, when speaking negatively about someone they don’t know well, usually mock their appearance, clothing, or create derogatory nicknames based on the person’s name.

2-For instance, James Potter referred to Snape as "Snivellus" after hearing his name. Similarly, Sirius, who was aware of Snape’s poverty and unkempt appearance, described him to Harry as having an ungroomed appearance and also mentioned Snape’s knowledge of dark magic during their school days.

In most cases, when children ridicule someone they are unfamiliar with, they typically do not criticize the person’s family name.

To put it simply, Petunia’s use of "Snape Boy," invoking Snape’s family surname, is not something children would ordinarily come up with on their own. The way she not only uses his name but also disparages the neighborhood he comes from reflects a level of disdain that surpasses what children typically develop independently. While Spinner’s End, the neighborhood where Snape lived, was already stigmatized due to its poverty, outright contempt for the area is more likely to be an attitude instilled by adults rather than one children form on their own, especially without direct exposure to such biases.

In the story, another character who targets a family name is Draco Malfoy. Draco, having been raised by pure-blood parents who disdained the Weasley family, mimicked this sentiment by mocking Ron for his family background. This highlights how such attitudes are often shaped and reinforced by adults rather than naturally originating among children.

The issue of children in contemporary elementary schools dividing each other based on family background and parental occupations remains prevalent today. Parents often pass their prejudices down to their children, encouraging them to avoid or exclude certain classmates. Consequently, marginalized children become targets, with others mocking their homes and families and labeling them as being from "poor neighborhoods" or "poor households."

When I saw Petunia calling Severus "Snape Boy," it reminded me of these harmful societal prejudices. This suggests that Snape’s family had a poor reputation among the townspeople, much like the way such biases are perpetuated in real life.

Petunia’s hobby, as seen in Book 1, is eavesdropping on the neighbors. If neither Mr. nor Mrs. Evans were critical of Snape’s family, it is likely that Petunia picked up the term "Snape Boy" from other adults in the town.

neighbors and strangers, who hardly know him, would judge him with prejudice by mentioning the father he dislikes and wishes to avoid. Based on what we see from Petunia’s words and actions, I believe there are plenty of reasons, beyond his father’s issues, for young Snape to have no attachment to the Muggle world.

[mitsuki91]

Another controversial and unpopular headcanon about Severus and Lily.

I always read that they don't understand each other, that Lily at least is not a real friend for him, ect ect... I don't like this.

I think they knew each other. In a way impossible to replicate. They are fond of each other. Too fond. As in they want more.

I mean not necessary in a romantic way, but in a jealous way for sure.

Do you think Lily was so stupid to not understand what's going on in Slytherin? To not see how James' bully and the fact Sev is alone in the entire school affect him so much? Oh no. Oh no, she knew. And she thinks: "But I am here. Why am I not enough?"

Do you think Severus was so stupid to not understand she is doomed to be hunted in the upcoming war? That she has to have other friends, a little protection everywhere she can find it, in order to survive outside school? He knews. And he thinks: "But I am here. Why am I not enough?"

The real problem between these two was that they don't fucking talk to each other. They are teens and afraid about their feelings. I suppose Severus was in love (or thinks he was if you don't see it) and doesn't feel like she can choose him, so he deny, even in his mind. He is sooo afraid to lose her that he simply shout down inside. And I suppose Lily knew somehow, somewhere in her, that her feelings are not healty. That she is not suppose to want him so much (again not necessary in a romantic way), to care about him so much... To need that he has to want her and only her so badly. She try find a balance, she try to make other friend, but no one stick or, in fact, she doesn't really care about other people so she is afraid. She thinks something is wrong with her.

They both are so jealous about each other that this blind them. They both feel so much about each other that they are afraid. And so, they didn't talk about this, and start to think this was a "me" problem and the other sure can not feels this way.

So they are doomed.

But yeah, at the end, Lily was the person who know Severus the best and Severus same about her.

They are real friends. Even too much.