Severus Snape facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Severus Snape
Harry Potter character
Alan Rickman as Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
First appearance	Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (1997)
Last appearance	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)
Created by	J. K. Rowling
Portrayed by	Alan Rickman Alec Hopkins (teenager) Benedict Clarke (child)
Information
Occupation	Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (1997–1998) Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor of Hogwarts (1996–1997) Potions Professor of Hogwarts (1981–1996)
Family	Tobias Snape (father) Eileen Snape née Prince (mother)
Nationality	British
House	Slytherin
Born	9 January 1960
Died	2 May 1998

Severus Snape is a character from J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books. He is a very skilled wizard who seems cold and mean on the outside. But he hides many deep feelings and sadness. Snape is a Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He doesn't like Harry because Harry looks like his father, James Potter. James used to bully Snape when they were students at Hogwarts.

As the story goes on, Snape becomes more mysterious. A big secret about who he truly works for is slowly revealed. Snape dies because of Lord Voldemort in the seventh book. After his death, we learn his full story. Even though Snape was interested in Dark Magic and Voldemort's ideas, his love for Muggle-born Lily Evans, Harry's mother, made him leave the Death Eaters. He then became a secret agent for Albus Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. Lily chose James Potter, Harry's father, which made Snape dislike Harry even more.

Many readers and critics really liked Snape's character. J. K. Rowling called him "a gift of a character." She said she knew his story from the very first book. Actor Alan Rickman played Snape in all eight Harry Potter films.

About Severus Snape

J. K. Rowling has called Snape an "antihero". This means he is a main character who lacks typical heroic qualities. Rowling said she got some ideas for Snape from a teacher she didn't like when she was a child. She described Snape as a terrible teacher because he bullied students. However, the books also show he was good at teaching his subject.

Rowling based Snape's first name on "Severus Road" in Clapham, England. His last name comes from a village in England. Rowling has said that Snape was one of her favorite characters to write. She kept his true loyalties a secret until the last book. But she often hinted that people should "keep their eye on Snape."

Snape's Appearances in the Books

In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Snape first appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. This is shortly after Harry arrives at Hogwarts. Snape is the school's Potions Master. But many people think he wants to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. Snape himself confirms this later in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Snape is a mean teacher who often says rude things to Harry. Harry quickly thinks Snape is the bad guy in the book. Harry suspects Snape is trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone. He also thinks Snape is trying to kill him. But at the end of the book, it's revealed that Professor Quirrell is the real enemy. Quirrell was working with Lord Voldemort. Snape was actually watching out for Harry because he suspected Quirrell.

Dumbledore later tells Harry that Snape felt responsible for Harry. This is because Harry's father, James, saved Snape's life when they were students. Even though they hated each other, Snape felt he owed James. But the last book shows there's more to the story. Harry still doesn't trust Snape, and their relationship stays difficult.

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Snape has a small part in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. He helps Gilderoy Lockhart with Hogwarts' short-lived Duelling Club. He doesn't interact much with the main story. Harry learns the Expelliarmus spell by watching Snape use it in the Duelling Club. This spell becomes very important later on.

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Snape shows how good he is at potions. He brews a difficult Wolfsbane potion for the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin. Snape suspects that Lupin is helping Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, get into Hogwarts. Sirius was wrongly accused of killing Peter Pettigrew and betraying Harry's parents. Snape suspects Lupin because Lupin was friends with Sirius and James Potter.

Later, Snape tries to catch Sirius, but Sirius escapes with Harry's help. Snape tells Dumbledore what happened. When Harry and Lupin are not punished, Snape gets back at Lupin. He tells the whole school that Lupin is a werewolf. This forces Lupin to leave his job.

This book also tells us more about Snape and James. When they were students, Sirius tricked Snape into almost entering the Shrieking Shack. Lupin was inside, transformed into a werewolf. James stopped Snape, saving his life. This was the incident Dumbledore mentioned in the first book. But Snape believed James only saved him to avoid getting expelled.

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Snape's role in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is similar to earlier books. He is very angry when Harry is unexpectedly entered into the Triwizard Tournament. Later, Harry accidentally falls into Dumbledore's Pensieve. He sees memories of several Death Eater trials. In one memory, Igor Karkaroff names Snape as a Death Eater. But Dumbledore defends Snape. He says Snape was a Death Eater but changed sides before Voldemort's fall. Dumbledore says Snape became a spy against Voldemort.

Dumbledore later tells Harry that Snape's change is real. But he won't tell Harry how he knows this. At the end of the book, Dumbledore tries to convince Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, that Voldemort has returned. As proof, Snape willingly shows Fudge the Dark Mark on his arm. Dumbledore then sends Snape on a secret mission. This mission was to rejoin the Death Eaters and spy on Voldemort. Snape pretended to spy on Dumbledore for Voldemort.

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Teenage Severus Snape (Alec Hopkins) in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Snape has a bigger role. Voldemort has returned to full power. Snape continues to work as a double agent for Dumbledore. He gives reports to the Order of the Phoenix. He has a very tense relationship with Sirius, who owns Grimmauld Place and must stay hidden there. They often make rude comments to each other. Snape teases Sirius about not being able to join the Order's missions. Harry later feels this teasing made Sirius take dangerous risks. Back at school, Snape still dislikes Harry.

Later, Dumbledore asks Snape to teach Harry Occlumency. This is a way to protect your mind from others. The lessons are hard because they both dislike each other. They end early when Harry uses Dumbledore's Pensieve. Harry sees one of Snape's worst childhood memories without permission. He sees James and Sirius bullying Snape. He also sees Snape call Lily, Harry's mother, a "Mudblood." This is a very offensive term. Only in the last book is it revealed that Snape and Lily were close friends before this.

Near the end of the book, Dolores Umbridge captures Harry. She is the school's headmistress. She demands that Snape give her Veritaserum, a truth serum. She wants to force Harry to tell her where Dumbledore is. Snape says he has no more Veritaserum. It is later revealed that Snape gave Umbridge fake Veritaserum before. Snape then takes Harry's secret warning about Sirius's capture to the other Order members. This allows them to rescue Harry in the Department of Mysteries. Harry still blames Snape partly for Sirius's death. He believes Snape's teasing pushed Sirius to join the fight.

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy visit Snape. Narcissa's son Draco has a difficult task from Voldemort. Narcissa makes Snape take an Unbreakable Vow. He promises to protect Draco, help him finish the task, and finish it himself if Draco fails. Bellatrix asks Snape about his loyalties. Snape says he has been working for Voldemort since Voldemort returned. He explains his actions in earlier books in this way. He says gaining Dumbledore's trust kept him out of Azkaban. This allowed him to work for Voldemort.

At the start of term, Dumbledore announces Snape as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Horace Slughorn, a former teacher, replaces Snape as Potions Master. Harry takes Slughorn's class and uses an old textbook. Harry finds notes in the book, including new spells and better potion instructions. The book says it belongs to "the Half-Blood Prince." These notes greatly improve Harry's potion skills. Snape is suspicious of Harry's new success.

Later, Harry fights Draco and uses one of the Prince's spells. It causes terrible wounds to Draco. Snape rushes to heal Draco. He then questions Harry about the spell. Snape uses Legilimency to see Harry's memories and find the source of his knowledge (the Potions textbook). When Snape demands to see Harry's book, Harry hides the Prince's book. He gives Snape Ron Weasley's book instead. Snape punishes Harry by giving him detention during the final Quidditch match.

Before leaving Hogwarts with Dumbledore, Harry learns something important. Professor Trelawney tells him that Snape overheard a prophecy. Snape then told it to Voldemort. This led Voldemort to hunt down Harry and his parents. Despite this, Dumbledore still trusts Snape. Harry and Dumbledore return to Hogwarts after finding a horcrux. Dumbledore is very weak. He tells Harry to get Snape. But Draco arrives, planning to kill Dumbledore. Other Death Eaters and Snape follow. Snape interrupts the plan and kills Dumbledore himself. Harry is hidden by Dumbledore's invisibility cloak. He sees everything.

Harry is furious and chases Snape, Draco, and the Death Eaters. Snape easily blocks Harry's spells and points out his mistakes. But Snape never attacks Harry back. During this chase, Snape reveals he is the "Half-Blood Prince." He is the half-blood son of Muggle Tobias Snape and pure-blood Eileen Prince. Snape then leaves the castle and Disapparates with Draco. The full truth about Snape's actions remains a mystery until the final book.

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Voldemort and his Death Eaters control the wizarding world. Snape becomes Headmaster of Hogwarts. Death Eaters Alecto and Amycus Carrow are appointed as teachers. Harry and his friends are mostly outside the school, so Snape plays a small role at first. Harry and his friends learn that some students tried to steal the Sword of Godric Gryffindor. Snape sent it to Gringotts Wizarding Bank. However, that sword was a copy. Later, Harry and Ron find the real sword. A Patronus in the shape of a doe leads them to it.

Harry later learns this was Snape's Patronus. It was the same shape as Harry's mother Lily's Patronus. This shows his lifelong love for Lily. Dumbledore had asked Snape to make sure Harry got the sword. The book also reveals that Snape secretly used his power as Headmaster to protect students. He also kept the Carrows under control.

Near the end of the school year, Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout force Snape to leave the school. Voldemort calls Snape to the Shrieking Shack. Voldemort wrongly believes Snape is the master of the Elder Wand. He thinks killing Snape will make him the master of the Wand. So, Voldemort kills Snape by having his pet snake Nagini bite him.

As he dies, Snape releases a cloud of memories. He tells Harry, who was hidden, to take and view them. The dying Snape asks Harry to look at him. He says Harry has his mother Lily's eyes, which Snape loved. Snape wants these eyes to be the last thing he sees.

From these memories, Harry learns Snape's childhood story and his true loyalties. Harry sees that Snape was friends with Lily as a child. They lived near each other. At Hogwarts, Snape was sorted into Slytherin and Lily into Gryffindor. They stayed friends for a few years. But Snape's interest in Dark Magic pushed them apart. Their friendship ended after the bullying incident Harry saw earlier. In that memory, Snape called Lily "Mudblood." Despite this, Snape loved Lily for the rest of his life.

The memories also show that Snape, as a Death Eater, told Voldemort about a prophecy. This prophecy was made by Sybill Trelawney. It caused Voldemort to try and kill Harry and his parents. Snape didn't realize until too late that Voldemort thought the prophecy was about Lily and her family. It could have also been about Frank and Alice Longbottom and their son Neville Longbottom. Snape asked Voldemort to spare Lily. Still scared for her life, he also went to Dumbledore. He admitted what he had done and begged Dumbledore to protect the Potters. Dumbledore told him off for only thinking of Lily, not her husband and child. But Dumbledore agreed. He made sure they were protected by the Fidelius Charm. In return, Snape secretly joined Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. He became a double agent against Voldemort. He used his Occlumency skills to hide his betrayal from Voldemort.

However, Snape asked Dumbledore to keep his love for Lily a secret. This was his reason for switching sides. He especially wanted to keep it from Harry. This was because of his strong dislike for Harry's father and his mixed feelings about Harry. Harry reminded him of both his love for Lily and her death, and his dislike for James Potter. Dumbledore agreed and kept the secret. Even with his efforts, Snape felt guilty for Lily's death.

Snape's memories then show that Dumbledore had tried to use the Gaunt ring. This ring was cursed by Voldemort. Dumbledore was suffering from a powerful curse. Snape's knowledge of Dark Arts helped him slow the curse. But Dumbledore would still die within a year. Dumbledore knew Voldemort had ordered Draco to kill him. So, Dumbledore asked Snape to kill him instead. This would save Draco's soul and prevent Dumbledore's slow, painful death. Snape was not happy about this. But he agreed to do what Dumbledore asked. Snape's memories also give Harry the information he needs to defeat Voldemort.

J. K. Rowling said that because Snape left his job before dying, his portrait didn't immediately appear in the Headmaster's office. But she hopes Harry made Snape's true loyalty known. She thinks Harry would have worked to get a portrait of Snape in the office.

Snape's Legacy: The Epilogue

In the epilogue of Deathly Hallows, set nineteen years later, Harry has a son named Albus Severus. He is named after Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape. When Albus is about to start Hogwarts, he worries about being sorted into Slytherin. Harry tells his son, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them [Snape] was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

Snape in Other Stories

Severus Snape in Films

Severus Snape appears in all eight Harry Potter films. He is played by British actor Alan Rickman. J. K. Rowling personally chose Rickman for the role. Rickman talked with Rowling about his character. He was one of the few actors who knew about Snape's future before the books were finished. Rowling said, "He knew very early on that he'd been in love with Lily." This helped Rickman understand Snape's bitterness towards Harry.

Rickman used this knowledge to play certain scenes. He knew how to say lines or use his body to show Snape's feelings. When directors asked him why he was acting a certain way, Rickman would just say he knew something they didn't.

Rickman himself didn't talk much about Snape. He asked readers to wait and "see what unfolds" in the books. But he did say Snape is a complex person. He said Snape is very strict and full of himself. Rickman also said Snape didn't have an easy childhood, especially at Hogwarts. He found Snape to be a fascinating character to play.

Critics, fans, and Rowling herself praised Rickman's acting as Snape. Entertainment Weekly called Rickman one of the most popular movie stars in 2007 for his role. They said, "As the icy, humourless magic instructor Severus Snape, Rickman may not be on screen long—but he owns every minute." Rickman was nominated for several awards. In 2011, he was voted the best character portrayal in all the Harry Potter films.

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, a fifteen-year-old Snape appears in a flashback. He is played by Alec Hopkins. In the last film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, a younger Snape, around ten or eleven, is played by Benedict Clarke.

Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

In Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Scorpius Malfoy finds himself in a different timeline. In this timeline, Voldemort won the Battle of Hogwarts. He killed Harry and his friends and created a terrible rule. Scorpius looks for help to fix history. He finds that Snape is still alive and teaching at Hogwarts in this reality. Scorpius asks for Snape's help.

At first, Snape is suspicious. This timeline's Scorpius is a bully and a loyal follower of Voldemort. But Scorpius shows Snape that he knows Snape was in love with Lily, Harry's mother. This was Snape's biggest secret. Snape then believes Scorpius comes from a different timeline where Harry won. Snape reveals that he, along with Ron and Hermione Granger, are the last members of Dumbledore's Army. They are still fighting Voldemort.

Talking with Scorpius, Snape learns that Harry would name his son "Albus Severus." He also learns Harry would call Snape "probably the bravest man I ever knew." Snape is deeply moved by this. Even though he guesses he will die in the other timeline, Snape willingly helps Scorpius recreate that timeline. When Dementors discover them, Snape sacrifices himself to help Scorpius escape.

Snape's Character Traits

How Snape Looks

Snape is described as a thin man with pale skin. He has a large, hooked nose and yellow, uneven teeth. His greasy black hair reaches his shoulders and frames his face. He has cold, black eyes. He wears black, flowing robes that make him look like "an overgrown bat." When he was young, Snape looked "stringy and pale." He was "round-shouldered yet angular" and walked in a "twitchy" way.

Snape's Personality

Snape is usually shown as cold, smart, precise, sarcastic, and bitter. He strongly dislikes Harry and often insults him by insulting his father, James. As the series goes on, we learn that his treatment of Harry comes from Snape's rivalry with James at school. James and Sirius bullied Snape. This made the already lonely boy "shut himself in." Rowling also said the young Snape was insecure. He wanted to belong to something big and powerful. He was so drawn to the dark side that he thought Lily would be impressed if he became a real Death Eater.

The adult Snape is very confident in his abilities. Director David Yates said Snape is a character with seriousness, authority, and power. Snape usually stays calm and collected. He rarely seems surprised or without words. However, he can lose his temper when dealing with Harry. He also gets very angry when dealing with Sirius or when called a coward. His calm attitude seems to come from his belief that people who can't control their feelings are weak.

Snape is a clever and cunning wizard. He is intelligent and has a sharp, analytical mind. Rowling said Snape is very brave. When asked if Snape is a hero, she said: "Yes, I do; though a very flawed hero. An anti-hero, perhaps. He is not a particularly likeable man in many ways. He remains rather cruel, a bully, riddled with bitterness and insecurity—and yet he loved, and showed loyalty to that love and, ultimately, laid down his life because of it. That's pretty heroic!"

Snape's Magical Skills

All seven books show Snape to be a very powerful wizard. He was outstanding as a student. He is an expert in potion making. He also has a talent and love for the Dark Arts. Sirius claimed that Snape knew more curses as a first-year student than most seventh-year students. Snape was very good at making potions. He added major improvements to his Potions textbook when he was still a student. Snape also had a rare gift for inventing new spells.

Lupin describes Sectumsempra as Snape's "speciality" in Deathly Hallows. Snape uses this spell as a teenager against James. In the last book, he accidentally hits George Weasley with it. George was acting as a decoy for Harry. Snape was aiming for a Death Eater. This permanently cut off George's right ear. Even though Sectumsempra is deadly, Snape can also heal the wounds it causes. Snape is good at reversing or stopping deadly damage from other dark curses. This is because of his vast knowledge of Dark Arts. He does this when Dumbledore and then Katie Bell are cursed.

Snape is skilled in Legilimency (reading minds) and especially Occlumency (protecting your mind). He can both access others' minds and protect his own thoughts. Harry often felt that Snape could "read minds." As an Occlumens, Snape could hide his betrayal from Voldemort. Voldemort is described as "the greatest Legilimens" in history. According to Rowling, Snape is the only Death Eater who can produce a full Patronus. Like Lily's, his Patronus is a doe. Snape is a talented duelist. He could briefly fight off three Hogwarts professors, including former dueling champion Filius Flitwick. Professor McGonagall later suggests that Snape learned to fly without a broom. This is a rare skill only Voldemort had shown before.

Snape's Family

Snape's family background is mostly shown in flashbacks in the last three books. Snape was born to Eileen Prince, a witch, and Tobias Snape, a Muggle. This made him a half-blood. This is rare for a Death Eater, as Voldemort also had a Muggle father. Snape spent his early childhood living with his parents in a small house called Spinner's End. Snape's family was poor. He is described as wearing clothes that didn't fit well. As a child, Snape was often ignored. His parents often fought. Snape was very eager to leave home and go to Hogwarts. At the end of the last book, Harry sees similarities between his childhood, Snape's, and Voldemort's.

Snape's True Loyalties

Snape's true loyalty was one of the biggest questions in the series. This was true until the end of the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The first five books show him as unfair and mean to Harry and his friends. But he always ends up protecting or helping them when they are in danger. Several characters doubt his loyalty. But Dumbledore's trust in him is usually seen as the final answer. The same thing happens on the other side. Bellatrix Lestrange doesn't trust Snape. Only Voldemort's word seems to protect him from other Death Eaters' suspicions.

The sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, changes this. In the second chapter, Snape claims he has been working for Voldemort since Voldemort returned. He says he was only pretending to help Dumbledore. By killing Dumbledore, Snape seems to be firmly on Voldemort's side. Rowling keeps this impression through the early parts of the seventh book. However, near the end of the book, Snape gives Harry his dying thoughts. Harry views them in the Pensieve. Snape finally reveals to Harry that he had been loyal to Albus Dumbledore all along. Snape's strong devotion and love for his childhood friend Lily, Harry's mother, is the reason for that loyalty.

After Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Snape's loyalty was a big topic among fans. This question was used in marketing for the last book. "Is Snape Good or Evil?" was one of the questions in Scholastic Inc.'s marketing campaign. Waldenbooks offered stickers that said "Trust Snape" or "Snape Is A Very Bad Man." Borders Group published a book called The Great Snape Debate. It had essays and arguments from both sides.

Images for kids

Alan Rickman as Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Teenage Severus Snape (Alec Hopkins) in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix