Harry Potter, Part Three — Severus Snape

• Posted in About Books, Books I've Read

Oh, Severus.

Finally, finally, after seven books we understand why you seem to hate Harry so much and whose side you’re really on. 

The side of love.

Severus works for Dumbledore. He protects Harry. He double-crosses Voldemort. He risks his life countless times. He incurs the wrath of the Order of the Phoenix. He lets others assume the worst of him – all because of love.

Severus fell in love with Harry’s mom, Lily, when they were children. And it’s the reason he does everything he does. I have to say I didn’t see that one coming. Never even thought about it. But it makes perfect sense. The scenes of Severus and Lily are some of the most poignant in the whole book. Years after Lily’s death, Severus still makes his Patronus take on the form of hers — a silver doe. How sad and romantic and heart-breaking is that? 

In the book, Rowling calls Harry, Severus, and Voldemort “the lost boys.” Really, they’re archetypes. Harry is ultimate good, Voldemort is ultimate evil, and Severus is stuck somewhere between the two.

To me, Severus is the most interesting character of the three. He could so, so easily be evil. But because of Lily, he chooses to be good. And that, I think, is the ultimate sacrifice. To strive against your nature, to try to be better than you are. 

I don’t think Severus hates Harry. Certainly, he doesn’t love him. At least, not in the way most people love. I think looking at Harry is just too painful for him. That Severus knows that perhaps Harry could have been his son, if he hadn’t called Lily a Muggle. That he sees his betrayal of Lily (which eventually led to her death) every time he looks at that scar on Harry’s forehead. That Severus realizes what he’s lost.

We saw Voldemort’s fractured soul in the train station. How hideous and twisted it was. I’m going to choose to think of Severus at peace. Perhaps playing with Lily when they were children. Or in a portrait in Dumbledore’s office, talking with the other headmasters of Hogwarts.

It’s a place of honor. And Severus belongs there. 

What about you? Do you love or loathe Snape? Inquiring minds want to know …

6 Responses to “Harry Potter, Part Three — Severus Snape”

  1. Tia Nevitt says:

    Aaauugh! I haven’t read it yet! Now I just need to avoid these posts until I get my copy. Would you believe that my Wal-Mart is already SOLD OUT They had CASES of Harry Potter!

  2. Jennifer Estep says:

    Sorry! I thought folks would realize that the posts had spoilers in them. Mea culpa. 😳

    Wal-Mart sold out? Yikes. I’m glad I ordered mine off Amazon. Although it still took them two weeks to ship it to me.

  3. Chasity says:

    I can’t believe you are just now reading this book! I finished mine the day after it came out.

    I was blown away by Snape. I believe I cried even more during the scenes with Lily than I did when Dumbledore died. (And trust me when I say I cried, a lot, when Dumbledore died.)

    I really can’t believe I didn’t see that coming. Snape in love with Lily. Wow. Just Wow.

  4. Jennifer Estep says:

    I know, I know. Hangs head in shame. But I bought mine off Amazon to get a good price and they didn’t deliver it for almost two weeks. So, it’s not entirely my fault.

    Snape blew me away too. I felt *so much* for his character. I really wish Rowling hadn’t killed him at the end, but I suppose she had to — I don’t think he would have ever let Harry know that he was in love with Lily otherwise.

  5. Lola says:

    I can’t find any RSS feed for your blog. I read all my websites and blogs via a newsreader. If you have an RSS feed, could you post the link where it can be accessed? I’d hate to miss out on anything.

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