the future for Severus Snape

The Harry Potter Books Forum

After reading the Interview with J.K., so kindly posted by Kris, I have to wonder what everyone thinks will happen to Snape in the next few book. J.K. said we should keep an eye on him or something to that effect. He was soooo angry that Harry saw his worst memory in the Pensive. Thoughts???

I don't think he'll turn to Voldemort again or anything. And he can't be on the good side AND become even more unpleasant than he is now.

Maybe the very opposite thing will happen, and he will become nicer to Harry and teach him Occlumency again, and he will finally befriend with the members of the Order of the Phoenix (all the things I already expected in TOotP, but i guess they didn't come true..)

I mean, since Harry now knows why Snape hates him so much, and since Snape knows that Harry knows, maybe Snape will think about it better and decide Harry shouldn't be punished for what his father did. And the whole bitterness towards the Order might dissappear as well.

Ergo, Dumbledore will see that he kind of redeemed and he'll give him the DADA teacher job, if Snape still wants it.
And they all live happily ever after...

Well, this is what i would *like* to read, as Snape is one of my favorite characters. Don't ask why, it's just something about him, although i hate him very much, too.

About JKR saying that we shouldn't think he's too nice... well, she also said the famous character that's going to die is a *fan* of Harry, and... I think she's just preparing to shock us with the redeemed Snape in book 6.

I don't think that Snape has the emotional maturity to be able to call a truce with Harry. Harry looks just like James, and Snape can't see him without seeing his tormentor. I believe that Snape has only experienced unhealthy or negative relationships. He will see Harry, after viewing his worst memory, as having something on him. Being around the Deatheaters and Voldemort will possibly bring out the worst in him. I expect him to be nasty up until the end of the seventh book. I look for any redemption to come then. I also feel sorry for him, and would love to see him get a girlfriend.

Come to think of it... i read it on this fan-rumors web page, that Snape will *fall in love with**Fleur Delacour** and professor Trelawney will fall in love with Snape*

Oh man, that would be sooooooo funny Can you imagine Prof, Trelawney floating around after him "My inner-eye shows me that the love of your life looks like a large insect." Fleur and Snape, maybe a good match.

Fleur and Snape. Well i had *lol*s when i read that first time, imagining her all flowerish and cheerful and nice with him moody and frowning and it's the picture i can't get out of my head. And i think Fleur is with Bill Weasley isn't she? Not that it wouldn't be sooo much cooler to see Bill and *Tonks* together...

And for the inner eye

Snape and Fleur is funny, but I think she would be attracted to him because he would not get as goofy over her as most males do. She would view him as cool. Bill and Tonks? possibly.

You think so? Yes!!! I love Tonks, and it kind of seemed to me that she likes Bill.
And, you're right about Fleur and Snape. Only i don't think that will happen until Snape becomes nicer to the others, too... i don't think he's kind of man a love affair would 'soften', so Fleur (or whoever) wouldn't manage to make him a nicer person.
But, on the other hand, he doesn't have to become nicer. After all, he *is* a Slytherin...

I thinks Snape's mood would lighten considerably if he was getting some "luvin'". I bet he has never even been kissed!

P.S. Maja, I am really impressed by your English.

Yeah, I get that a lot Why are you impressed??

English is a difficult language to learn, too many weird rules. It doe not make sense like Spanish does.

Do you think Snape has ever dated?

**You think English has too many weird rules. Try learning Croatian. Plus years and years of watching 'Passions' and 'Santa Barbara' and all the American soap-operas MAKE effect.**

I don't think so. I guess it was hard for him, in school none girl paid attention to him (or maybe they did, but in a wrong way**) and later he couldn't have a normal love life, running from Voldemort to Dumbledore all the time. It would be too dangerous since any girl could be a spy. But maybe he did, after all he might even be married, JKR never writes about teachers' private lives. Although it doesn't seem so, he's somehow too bitter and he spends Christmases at Hogwarts, as far as i remember.

Wow... what a great thread you started, Sherry. Good topic to discuss.

My feelings on Snape and what will happen with him.
I don't think that we will see Snape become an outright "nice" guy. I think that there is too much anger in there for him. But, I think that there will be some sort of redemption for him, at the very end. Unless, of course, he dies.

I can not see Snape with Fleur or Trelawney. But, the thought of her chasing him around with all her inner eye is a very humorous thought.

Sherry, I think that you're right about Snape looking at Harry and seeing James. That just brings up so much hatred in him every single time Harry is near him. He was humilated on a daily basis... and that's something that you never forget.

Does anyone think that Voldemort will try to use Snape, his "faithful" deatheater, to lure Harry into a trap? I see Snape as coming to a crossroad very soon. Ideas???

Well, I think that we will see Snape play both sides, possibly. Though, is that possible? Does Voldemort know for a fact that Snape has left his services? Will JKR make us 'think' that Snape has gone back to the "dark side" and in the end, he will redeem himself. I think that where Snape is concerned, I wouldn't be surpised to have to wait till the very end of book 7 to find out everything about him and his motives/choices, etc...

Oh yeah, J.K. will keep us waiting until the very end to find out all about Snape. That would be just like her. She loves to do that, and she loves her red herrings.

You just have to wonder, did Snapes parents die? Is his abusive father a deatheater or was his dad like the Blacks, not official deatheaters, but supported the cause. Did he really hate Lily? Notice that he never says anything bad to Harry about her, yet he called her a mudblood in the book.

I did notice that... I guess that we will have to wait and see.
It's the waiting, though, that's killing me! ARGH

If she writes the next two books as slow as she wrote the last one..............................................my god...

I like Snape's character a lot. The "is he good, is he bad" thing is getting a little old, but I just hope he's played out right by the end. I'm thinking he deserves an emotional exit (not saying him dying... just mean at the ending), something that makes you go "how could I ever have doubted him"!

It's the "vibe" i get from his character anyway, it'll be good

Yes, it's definately back and forth with him. I think that he's basically good... but he's stuck on his anger toward James, and will continue it with Harry, until he let's that issue go. I think that he needs counseling. Are there counselors in the wizarding world? I can't see him going to a muggle counselor. They would just freak as he's talking about all this stuff. "And I try to keep these memories out of my head, putting them in a bowl, but then Harry looks in and see's it all. It just brings it all back. And the fact that, blah blah blah... And then, the was Lord Voldemort who tried to kill Harry, but didn't succeed, and Harry's presence is a constant reminder of the evil that I've run from. How will I ever forget being a death eater and fighting for the good when everytime I see Harry, and that scar, I am reminded of it all?" They would be sending him to shock therapy for saying these things.

Yes, we need to know why Dumbledore trusts Snape. It is getting old. I think Snape could use some therapy, but I also stand by my assertion that he needs to get a girlfriend. He needs some type of positive relationship, and I will bet it has been years since he has been hugged. It could do wonders.

Agreed, Sherry... he does need a relationship, and someone to soften up that hardened heart of his. I just don't know if JKR will introduce a relationship to the story that isn't dealing with the kids.

I think you are right Kris. J.K. probably will have one of the kids fall in love. Although, Bill is dating Fleur isn't he? Well, we can just keep our fingers crossed for dear old Snape.

Well, I hold to the thought that he's bitter because he did fall in love... only something like that could mess a man up so much just kidding...

Sigh, I really think more should have been revealed in book 5 than was... there's more to Snape hiding his thoughts from Harry than meets the eye. Snape got really mad at Harry... really mad, I mean his thought was a little embarassing, but I really think there was something else he was hiding from Harry, and he thought Harry saw that. Just my take on it.

But JKR isn't ready to reveal those things. She has the stories all planned and knows when she wants certain things to be known. Yes, I would like to know... I'm inquisitive. But, it will all be revealed when the time is right. Patience my dear friends. It will be known when it's time to be known.

Hmm... true, true, I can't stand it! I just think not enough interesting revelations occured in book 5, though there are no complaints about the other 4.

PS. Maybe dumbledore will fall in love

Oh, I agree.... I was really hoping that she was going to tell us about Lily, and her growing up in the Evans household, and all this stuff that is supposed to be significant. The fact that JKR keeps saying that Harry's eyes, just like his moms, are important. WHY are they important? I want to know.

Anyway.... we are getting WAY here.


It would be nice to see Snape turn out to be a really good guy... dropping the attitude with Harry... getting the DADA position, etc...

I don't think Snape will exactly turn good at the end of the series. Such a character transformation would reduce his credibility and everything that I like about him. His final redemption will be subtle yet effective. I for one hope that there won't be any 'oh Harry, I've been a d*ck, it's these cursed emotional scars that have lingered from my days of childhood trauma. Forgive me, please.'

Mike... I agree.... and I just can't see Snape and Harry becoming chums, ever. But, I would like to see a truce of some sorts, since it was NEVER Harry's fault.

Yup, I'd have to agree with that... if snape goes all soft it would really suck. But I'd like him doing something really noble to save Harry at one point (perhaps similar to book 3, but on a grander scale), so you understand what side he's on, that he cares a little for harry, but he doesn't have to go all soft on you.

I think Harry's eyes being like his mother's may be why snape has a thing against harry, but I seriously think Snape, at one point, loved Lily and perhaps Harry is that reminder - like harry's father's face with lily's eyes.

One thing I've noticed is we have no background of lucious malfoy, and I don't remember whether or not Snape and Lucious have shared any dialog within the book at any point. They seem as if they should be of a similar age, however there's no mention of them being friends (which they very well would have been) at Hogwarts in earlier years, or any mention of Lucious at Hogwarts at all.... any ideas here? Perhaps there's a rivalry between Snape and Lucious we're unaware of. (Probably because Snape was a loser at school... poor man...)

Quite possible that Lucius didn't really have anything to do with Snape, since it seems that Snape was a loner, a geek almost. I guess that we will see.

Okay... now wouldn't this be something... (if Harry wasn't the spitting image of his father) that James wasn't really the father of Harry, but it was Snape? Oh man... now that would blow my mind. I like thinking of things that could be possible... but that I would 99.99% say would never happen.

Lucius and Snape have to know each other. They were death eaters.

I think that Snape and Lucius only knew each other as deatheaters. In the Goblet of Fire, Draco says that his father wanted him to go to Durmstrang, but his mother wanted him closer to home. It is possible that Lucius was a Durmstrang student, or that he was in a different year than Snape if he was at Hogwarts.

Good memory... I forgot about that. Draco could have gone to a completely different school. Good job, Sherry.

well there ya go, got my answer. thanks for that

Hmm... I'd impossible to think that Snape doesn't hate mudbloods, because his memories said so... therefore it doesn't make much sense for him to not still atleast have a mild temptation to be death eater.... though he could be a reformed man, would that be enough? Obviously for dumbledore it is

My thinking (at the moment) is perhaps Draco Malfoy is a reflection of what Snape was like back then, and he may follow a path similar to Snape's. (Except Harry & co are rarely as mean as Harry's dad to Malfoy without a reason...)

wow I like being possibly right... this is a nice feeling...

But we'll need to know a little about Snape's background before we can make any judgement...... can anyone post what we know for sure about Snape? I would, but all my Harry Potter books are at home and I wont go home for... oooh... 2 or 3 years from now, so maybe we shouldn't wait that long.

Description of a character

Professor Severus Snape is the Potions Master of Hogwarts. He teaches Potions in one of the dungeons.(Book 1)
He was a thin man with sallow skin, a hooked nose, and greasy, shoulder-length black hair.(Book 2)
~wearing his usual black.(Book 2)
His eyes were black.. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.(Book 1)
He swept around in his long black cloak.(Book 1) His long black cloak billowing out behind him.(Book 4)
He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word.(Book 1) ~said softly. ~said silky. ~said coldly....(All books)
Snape's lips curled into a sneer.(Book 1)
Snape pointed a long yellow finger at Malfoy. (Book 4)
Snape's uneven, yellowish teeth were bared. (Book 3)
Snape liked hardly any of the students.(Book 1, Hagrid)
He did make himself unpopular.(Book 1, Quirrell)
He hate me because he hated my father.(Book 1, Harry)
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.(Book 1, Dumbledore)
It was common knowledge that Snape wanted the DADA job.(Book 3)
Snape was head of Slytherin House, and generality favored his own students above all others.(Book 3)
Oh, he's not unbalanced, He's just suffered a severe disappointment.(Book 3, Dumbledore)
His expression was difficult to read.(Book 4)


Interview with JK Rowling

(LEARNING NETWORK, 1999)
Who's your favorite character besides Harry Potter?
It's very hard to choose. It's fun to write about Snape because he's a deeply horrible person. Hagrid is someone I'd love to meet.

(Source: America Online October 19, 2000)
Ms. Rowling, where do you come up with those names of the characters, like Quidditch?
Quidditch is a name I invented. I just wanted a word which began with the letter 'Q' (I don't know why, it was just a whim). Many of the names are taken from maps -- for instance, Snape, which is an English village.
Why did you make Quirrell the bad guy instead of Snape?
Because I know all about Snape, and he wasn't about to put on a turban.

(Source: Barnes & Noble.com October 20, 2000)
Why does Professor Dumbledore allow Professor Snape to be so nasty to the students (especially to Harry, Hermione, and Neville)?
Dumbledore believes there are all sorts of lessons in life; horrible teachers like Snape are one of them!
The character of Professor Snape fascinates me. Will you reveal his back story further in the next Harry Potter book?
You will find out more about Snape in future books. Keep an eye on him!

(Source: BBC March 12, 2001)
How old are Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape?
Dumbledore's about 150 years old ((wizards have a longer life expectancy than us) and Muggles Snape's 35/6.

(Source: The Connection)
A 9-year-old kid asked to Rowling if Snape was ever going to fall in love. J.K.Rowling laughed and asked why anyone would ever want to fall in love with him. Then she went on to say that she was very stunned that this question was asked, and we would find out why in Book 7.


Name origin

"Severus" means his severe tendency. There were two Roman emperors who name is Severus. Severus Alexander(A.D 222 - 235) and Septimius Severus (A.D 193-211). "Snape" is a town in Britain that JKR used to visit often. His name anagrams to Perseus Evans. Yahoo discussion group was talking about this.



JK Rowling had based Snape on three separate people.

Mrs Morgan (Source: Rowling, My life so far 1999 )
Have you ever encountered horrible teachers, like Snape?
When I was nine we moved to Tutshill near Chepstow in the Forest of Dean. We were finally out in the countryside, which had always been my parents' dream, both being Londoners, and my sister and I spent most of our times wandering unsupervised across fields and along the river Wye. The only fly in the ointment was the fact that I hated my new school. It was a very small, very old-fashioned place where the roll-top desks still had ink-wells. My new teacher, Mrs Morgan, scared the life out of me. She gave me an arithmetic test on the very first morning and after a huge effort I managed to get zero out of ten - I had never done fractions before. So she sat me in the row of desks on her far right. It took me a few days to realise I was in the 'stupid' row. Mrs Morgan positioned everyone in the class according to how clever she thought they were; the brightest sat on her left, and everyone she thought was dim sat on the right. I was as far right as you could get without sitting in the playground. By the end of the year, I had been promoted to second left - but at a cost. Mrs Morgan made me swap seats with my best friend, so that in one short walk across the room I became clever but unpopular.

Mr John Nettleship (Source: BBC newsround December 2001)
Professor Snape is believed to be based on a real teacher who lives in Monmouthshire, Wales. John Nettleship is the head of science at JK Rowling's old school in Chepstow.

Great post Kris ! I always wondered why Snape does not whiten his teeth. Hermione could get hers shortened, so why not "zap" them white?

Hey... now THERE is a good idea.
How about "zapping" some kindness in to 'some' people.
No names mentioned but you know, Sherry!!!

It is a wonderful idea Kris, but sometimes there is just not enough magic to do that. For some, it would take a divine act.

Yes, that's true, Sherry. A Miracle from God... and even then, just because someone has God, doesn't mean they are nice people.

Okay, I'm here....

Snape is a complex character... and I would really like to learn a lot more about him. I hope that JKR will open that option up to us. I'm a very inquisitive person in general... and I like to know as much as possible about any topic that interests me.

I am also very inquisitive. Maybe it's just us cat people. I want to know why Snape can be trusted and why he became a spy. There is so much story that I would love to know. I hope it is not glossed over in a few sentences.

I also think that there was way more to Snape's worst memory. Remember, he pulled Harry out of the pensieve. Maybe something significant happened after that. I could be just reaching, though.

Yes... us cat peopel!!!

True... I also believe that there is more than just that of what we saw for Snape's worst memory. Hopefully, that will all be answered in due time. I have a serious feeling that it involves Lily more than James though.

I too think that Lily played a big role in the memory. I also think that Lily somehow shaped what Snapes life became.

I'm still holding to the idea that Snape was in love with Lily (which could be what we find out in book 7)... I don't know why I've made this leap, but it seems stuck in my mind for some reason.

If Snape zapped his teeth white he wouldn't look evil - and that would just spoil the mystery, now, wouldn't it?

One thing I can, for some reason, imagine dialogue like this:

Snape: didn't you ever wonder what happened to your father?
Harry: My father's dead; you killed him!
Snape: No, Luke...I mean Harry...I am your father!
Harry: Nooooooo!


One thing I think we can be sure of: if there's talk of Snape in love in book 7, then he's probably not as evil as we are considering.

Oh, how rude of me, by the way, thanks a lot KJ for that great work on Snape's background and info