Editing Severus Snape (section)

==Appearances==

=== Novels ===

==== ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'' ====
Snape first appears in ''[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's<!--This is the original title; do not replace with "Sorcerer's"--> Stone]]'', shortly after Harry arrives at Hogwarts. He is the school's Potions Master, though he is widely rumoured to covet the Defence Against the Dark Arts post.<ref name="The Sorting Hat">{{HPref|book=1|chapter=7}}</ref> Snape himself confirms the rumour in ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''.<ref name="Educational Decree Number Twenty-Four">{{HPref|book=5|chapter=17}}</ref> Snape is a sinister and malicious teacher who makes frequent snide and disparaging remarks at Harry's expense. He quickly becomes the primary antagonist of the book, as Harry suspects him of plotting to steal the [[Philosopher's Stone (Harry Potter)|Philosopher's Stone]], and of attempting to kill him. Only the climax of the book reveals that [[Professor Quirrell]], in league with [[Lord Voldemort]], is the real enemy; Snape, suspicious of Quirrell, had been looking out for Harry throughout the book. 

In the final chapter, Dumbledore suggests that because Harry's father [[James Potter (character)|James]] had saved Snape's life when they were both students, even though the two detested each other, Snape felt responsible for Harry in return.<ref name="The Man With Two Faces">{{HPref|book=1|chapter=17}}</ref> As the final book reveals, this is not the full story. In any case, even after Quirrell's true role is revealed, Harry retains feelings of suspicion and resentment towards Snape, and their relationship remains tense. Snape's behaviour and attitude towards Harry also remain unchanged.

==== ''Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets'' ====
Snape has a minor role in ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]'', where he helps [[Gilderoy Lockhart]] oversee Hogwarts' short-lived Duelling Club,<ref name="The Duelling Club">{{HPref|book=2|chapter=11}}</ref> but he has little interaction with the main plot. It is while attending the Duelling Club that Harry learns the ''Expelliarmus'' spell, which plays a significant role in later books, by seeing Snape use it.

==== ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' ====
In ''[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]'', Snape demonstrates his expertise with potions by brewing the complex Wolfsbane potion for the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, [[Remus Lupin]].<ref name="Flight of the Fat Lady">{{HPref|book=3|chapter=8}}</ref> Throughout the third book, Snape suspects that Lupin may be helping Harry's godfather [[Sirius Black]] enter Hogwarts castle; Sirius had been convicted (wrongly, as it is later revealed) of murdering [[Peter Pettigrew (character)|Peter Pettigrew]] and innocent bystanders, and betraying the Potter family's hiding place to Voldemort. This suspicion stems from Lupin's friendship with Sirius and Harry's father, James, while they were all at Hogwarts as students.<ref name="Snape's Worst Memory">{{HPref|book=5|chapter=28}}</ref> Near the climax of the book, Snape attempts to apprehend Sirius, but Sirius escapes with Harry's aid. Snape informs Dumbledore of this circumstance, and when Harry and Lupin are not punished, Snape retaliates by revealing to the entire school that Lupin is a [[werewolf (Harry Potter)|werewolf]], forcing the latter to resign his post.<ref name="Owl Post Again">{{HPref|book=3|chapter=22}}</ref>

''Prisoner of Azkaban'' reveals more details about the connection between Snape and James. While in school together, Sirius once tricked Snape into almost entering the [[Shrieking Shack]] while Lupin was there, transformed into a werewolf. James realised the danger and stopped Snape, saving his life; this is the incident Dumbledore referred to at the end of the first book. Snape, however, believes James' actions were self-serving, to avoid being expelled.<ref name="Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs">{{HPref|book=3|chapter=18}}</ref>

==== ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' ====
Snape's role in the fourth novel, ''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]'', is not substantially different from that of the previous three books. He is apoplectic when Harry is unexpectedly entered into the Triwizard Tournament. Later Harry accidentally falls into Dumbledore's [[Pensieve]] and views memories of several [[Death Eater]] trials from years before. At one point, Snape is named as a Death Eater by [[Igor Karkaroff]], but Dumbledore comes to Snape's defence, claiming that although Snape had indeed been a Death Eater, he changed sides before Voldemort's downfall and turned spy against him. Later, Dumbledore assures Harry that Snape's reformation is genuine, though he refuses to tell Harry how he knows this, saying the information "is a matter between Professor Snape and myself".<ref name="The Pensieve">{{HPref|book=4|chapter=30}}</ref>

At the end of the book, Dumbledore attempts to convince a disbelieving [[Ministry of Magic|Minister for Magic]], [[Cornelius Fudge]], that Voldemort has returned. As proof, Snape willingly shows Fudge the restored [[Dark Mark]] on his arm. He is subsequently sent on a secret mission by Dumbledore. This mission, as had been implied in ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' and revealed in ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'', was to rejoin the Death Eaters and spy on Voldemort as a [[Double agent#Re-doubled agent|re-doubled agent]], while pretending to spy on Dumbledore on behalf of Voldemort.

==== ''Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix'' ====
In the fifth novel, ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'', Snape returns to a more prominent role. With Voldemort having returned to a fully corporeal body, Snape continues working as a re-doubled agent for Dumbledore.<ref name="The Seer Overheard">{{HPref|book=6|chapter=25}}</ref> He is seen prior to the start of school at [[Number 12, Grimmauld Place]] giving reports to the [[Order of the Phoenix (organisation)|Order of the Phoenix]].<ref name="Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place">{{HPref|book=5|chapter=4}}</ref> He has a very strained relationship with Sirius, who owns Grimmauld Place and must remain there in hiding. The two trade frequent snide remarks and at one point almost begin a duel. Snape taunts Sirius about the latter's not being able to take an active role in the Order's missions because of his fugitive status. Harry feels later that this taunting contributed to Sirius' willingness to take unsafe risks.<ref name="Occlumency">{{HPref|book=5|chapter=24}}</ref> Back at school, Snape's allegiance to the Order has no effect on his dislike for Harry.

Later in the book, Dumbledore has Snape teach Harry [[Occlumency]], the protection of the mind from outside intrusion or influence.<ref name="Occlumency" /> The sessions mainly consist in Snape forcibly reading Harry's mind to teach him to defend himself, but are made difficult by their mutual hostility. They end prematurely when Harry accidentally backfires Snape's spell and views one of Snape's worst childhood memories without the latter's permission. He sees the memory of Snape being [[bullying|bullied]] by James and Sirius, and of calling Harry's mother Lily a [[Mudblood]] (a highly offensive term).<ref name="Snape's Worst Memory" /> Only in the final book is it revealed that, prior to this confrontation, Snape and Lily had been close friends.

Towards the end of the novel, [[Dolores Umbridge]] – the school's politically appointed headmistress – captures Harry and interrogates him about Dumbledore's whereabouts. She sends for Snape, demanding that he provide the magical truth serum [[Veritaserum]] in order to force Harry to reveal any information he may be hiding. Snape claims that his supplies of the serum have been exhausted after Umbridge tries to use the drug previously on Harry. It is later revealed that Snape had in fact supplied Umbridge with fake Veritaserum on the prior attempt. Snape then carries Harry's cryptic warning about Sirius' capture to the other Order members, allowing them to come to the rescue in the [[Department of Mysteries]].<ref name="The Lost Prophecy">{{HPref|book=5|chapter=37}}</ref> Harry still holds Snape partly responsible for Sirius' death, believing Snape's goading spurred Sirius into joining the battle.

==== ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' ====
In the second chapter of ''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]'', [[Bellatrix Lestrange]] and [[Narcissa Malfoy]] visit Snape at his home in [[Spinner's End]]. Narcissa's son [[Draco Malfoy|Draco]] has been given a difficult task by Voldemort, and Narcissa swears Snape to an [[Unbreakable Vow]] that he will protect Draco, help him complete Voldemort's task, and finish the task himself if Draco fails. When questioned by Bellatrix about his loyalties, Snape says he has been working for Voldemort ever since Voldemort's return, and explains his actions in the previous books in that light. He points out that gaining Dumbledore's trust and protection has kept him out of Azkaban and free to operate on Voldemort's behalf.<ref name="Spinner's End">{{HPref|book=6|chapter=2}}</ref>

At the start-of-term feast at Hogwarts, Dumbledore announces Snape as the new [[Defence Against the Dark Arts]] professor. [[Horace Slughorn]], Snape's own former teacher, comes out of retirement and replaces him as Potions Master. With Snape no longer teaching Potions, Harry enrolls in Slughorn's class and is lent an old textbook until his new one arrives. Harry finds [[marginalia]], including a variety of hexes and jinxes seemingly invented by an unknown student, and substantial improvements to the book's standard potion-making instructions. The text is inscribed as being "the Property of the Half-Blood Prince". The notes greatly bolster Harry's performance in Potions, so much so that he impresses Slughorn. Snape, who maintains that he "never had the impression that [he] had been able to teach Potter anything at all", is suspicious of Harry's newfound Potions success.<ref name="The Unbreakable Vow">{{HPref|book=6|chapter=15}}</ref>

Later, during a fight with Draco, Harry casts one of the Prince's spells marked "For Enemies," and is horrified by the devastating wounds it inflicts to Draco's face and chest. Snape rushes to the scene and heals Draco, then interrogates Harry regarding the spell, using [[Legilimency]] to extract the source of Harry's knowledge (the Potions textbook) from Harry's mind. When Snape insists that Harry show him his Potions textbook, Harry hides the Prince's book and gives him [[Ron Weasley]]'s book instead. As punishment for the attack and knowing Harry is lying about the textbook, Snape assigns Harry detention during the final [[Quidditch]] match of the year.<ref name="Sectumsempra">{{HPref|book=6|chapter=24}}</ref>

Before leaving Hogwarts to accompany Dumbledore in locating another [[horcrux]] – part of Voldemort's soul – Harry discovers from Professor Trelawney that it was Snape who overheard the prophecy and told it to Voldemort, resulting in Voldemort hunting down Harry and his parents. Despite this and Harry's angry questions, Dumbledore avers his trust in Snape. Returning to Hogwarts after retrieving Voldemort's [[Horcrux]], Harry and Dumbledore alight atop the school's astronomy tower. Gravely weakened by the horcrux's protective potion, Dumbledore tells Harry he must fetch Snape, but before Harry can leave, Draco suddenly arrives, intending to carry out Voldemort's order to assassinate Dumbledore, closely followed by other Death Eaters (followers of Voldemort), and Snape. Snape interrupts the planned murder, killing the headmaster himself.<ref name="The Lightning-Struck Tower">{{HPref|book=6|chapter=27}}</ref> Harry, who is paralysed under his [[Cloak of Invisibility (Harry Potter)|invisibility cloak]] by Dumbledore for his own protection, witnesses the kill, and is released upon Dumbledore's death. Enraged, he pursues Snape, Draco, and the Death Eaters as they flee the castle. Snape easily blocks Harry's spells and jeeringly points out Harry's mistakes, but never strikes back. During the confrontation, Snape reveals himself as the eponymous "Half-Blood Prince" (being the [[Half-blood (Harry Potter)|half-blood]] son of Muggle Tobias Snape and [[Pure-blood (Harry Potter)|pure-blood]] Eileen {{em|Prince}}). Snape passes through the school gates and [[Disapparition|Disapparates]] with Draco in tow at the book's end.<ref name="Flight of the Prince">{{HPref|book=6|chapter=28}}</ref> The full relationship between Dumbledore and Snape and the reason for Snape's actions remain unknown until the final book. In an interview, Rowling mentioned that at this point in the series, the Harry–Snape relationship has become "as personal, if not more so, than Harry–Voldemort."<ref>{{cite news |title=The Leaky Cauldron and MN Interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling – Part 1 |url=http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/07/28/jkrhbp1/ |access-date=8 February 2022 |publisher=[[The Leaky Cauldron (website)|The Leaky Cauldron]] |date=28 July 2007}}</ref>

==== ''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'' ====
In ''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'', Voldemort and his Death Eaters have tightened their grip on the wizarding world. Snape is named Headmaster of Hogwarts, while Death Eaters [[Alecto and Amycus Carrow]] are appointed as [[Hogwarts staff]]. The novel focuses largely on Harry and his friends and events outside the school; therefore Snape plays a limited role at the start. In the course of the book, Harry and his friends find out that a few students attempted to steal the [[Sword of Godric Gryffindor]], and that Snape subsequently sent it to be stored at [[Gringotts Wizarding Bank]]; however, that sword was only a copy. Later on, Harry and Ron are led to find the real sword by a [[Patronus Charm|Patronus]] taking the form of a [[Deer|doe]].<ref name="The Silver Doe">{{Cite Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows|chapter=19}}</ref> (Towards the end of the book, Harry learns that this was Snape's Patronus, taking the same shape as Harry's mother Lily's Patronus, a visible sign of his lifelong love for Harry's mother, and that Dumbledore had asked Snape to ensure that Harry gained possession of the sword.<ref name="The Prince's Tale" /> The novel also reveals that Snape had covertly used his position as Headmaster to protect the students and to contain the Carrows.<ref name="The Prince's Tale" />)

Towards the end of the school year, Professors [[Minerva McGonagall|McGonagall]], [[Filius Flitwick|Flitwick]], and [[Pomona Sprout|Sprout]] force Snape to flee the school.<ref name="The Sacking of Severus Snape">{{Cite Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows|chapter=30}}</ref> Voldemort summons Snape to the [[Shrieking Shack]]. Erroneously believing Snape is the master of the [[Elder Wand]] and that Snape's death will make him the master of the Wand, Voldemort kills Snape by having his pet snake [[Nagini (Harry Potter)|Nagini]] bite him through the neck.<ref name=" The Elder Wand ">{{Cite Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows|chapter=32}}</ref> The dying Snape releases a cloud of memories and tells Harry, who has watched the entire scene from a hidden spot, to take and view them. The dying Snape asks Harry to look at him, since Harry has the eyes of his mother Lily which Snape loved, and Snape wants to have these eyes as the last thing he would see.

From these memories, Harry sees Snape's childhood and learns his true loyalties. In this vision, Harry learns that Snape befriended Lily as a child when they lived near each other. Upon their arrival at Hogwarts, the [[Sorting Hat]] placed Snape and Lily into [[Slytherin]] and [[Gryffindor]] Houses, respectively. They remained friends for the next few years until they were driven apart by Snape's interest in the Dark Arts; the friendship finally ended following the bullying episode that Harry had briefly seen in the fifth book, in which Snape calls Lily "Mudblood". Despite this separation and Snape's enduring animosity toward Lily's eventual husband James Potter, Snape continued to love Lily for the rest of his life.

The memories also show that as a Death Eater, Snape had revealed to Voldemort a prophecy made by [[Sybill Trelawney]], causing Voldemort to attempt to prevent it by killing Harry and his parents. Snape, who had not realised until too late that [[Voldemort]] had interpreted the prophecy to be referring to Lily and her family (as it could've also referred to [[Frank and Alice Longbottom]] and their son [[Neville Longbottom]]), asked Voldemort to spare Lily. Still in terror for her life, he also approached Dumbledore, admitted his actions, and begged him to protect the Potters. Dumbledore chided him for thinking only of himself and not of Lily's husband and child, but agreed and ensured that they were placed under the [[Fidelius Charm]]. In return, Snape secretly allied himself with Dumbledore and the [[Order of the Phoenix (fictional organisation)|Order of the Phoenix]] as a [[double agent]] against Voldemort, using his powers of [[Occlumency]] to hide his betrayal from Voldemort. However, Snape demanded of Dumbledore that his love for Lily (his reason for switching sides) be kept a secret, especially from Harry, because of the deep animosity he felt towards Harry's father and his mixed feelings towards Harry (who reminded him of both his love for Lily Potter and her death, and his animosity towards James Potter). Dumbledore agreed and kept the secret throughout his life, although questioning Snape's request to "never reveal the best of you". Even with his efforts to protect her, Snape felt guilty and responsible for Lily's death at Voldemort's hands.

Snape's memories then reveal that Dumbledore had impetuously tried to use the [[Magical objects in Harry Potter#Marvolo Gaunt's ring|Gaunt ring]], which had been cursed by Voldemort, and had been suffering from a powerful curse. Snape's knowledge of the Dark Arts enabled him to slow the spread of the curse from Dumbledore's hand through his body, but he would have died within a year. Dumbledore, aware that Voldemort had ordered Draco to kill him, had asked Snape to kill him instead as a way of sparing the boy's soul and of preventing his own otherwise slow, painful death. Although Snape was reluctant, even asking about the impact of such an action on his own soul, Dumbledore implied that this kind of ''[[coup de grâce]]'' would not damage a human's soul in the same way murder would. Nevertheless, they both knew that Snape could not avoid what he had sworn to Narcissa at the beginning of the previous book.<ref name="The Prince's Tale">{{Cite Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows|chapter=33}}</ref> Snape agreed to do as the Headmaster requested. Snape's memories also provide Harry with the information he needs to ensure Voldemort's final defeat, in the form of conversations Snape had with Dumbledore.<ref name="The Prince's Tale" />

Rowling noted in an interview that because Snape abandoned his post before dying or officially retiring, a portrait of him does not immediately appear in the Headmaster's office following his death. She adds, however, that she would like to think Harry made Snape's true loyalty and heroism known in the Wizarding world, and that he lobbied to ensure that a portrait be installed in the office.<ref name="leakycauldron">{{cite web |url=http://the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/7/30/j-k-rowling-web-chat-transcript |title=Transcript of webchat with J.K. Rowling |publisher=the-leaky-cauldron.org |date=30 July 2007 |access-date=2 April 2008 |archive-date=24 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070824042509/http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/2007/7/30/j-k-rowling-web-chat-transcript |url-status=live }}</ref> In a separate interview, Rowling discussed Snape's back story, saying she had planned it ever since she wrote the first book because the whole series is built around it and she considers him one of the most important characters of the seventh book.<ref name="Snape and Dumbledore" />

====Epilogue====
In the epilogue to ''Deathly Hallows'', set nineteen years after Harry defeats Voldemort, Harry has named his second-born son [[Albus Severus Potter|Albus Severus]], after Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape. As Albus is about to enter his first year at Hogwarts, he expresses concern that he will be 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."<ref name="Epilogue"><sup>[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows|&#91;DH&nbsp;Epilogue&#93;]]</sup></ref>