“Riddikulus with Elise & Sydney” is a column about the Harry Potter series. A new column is posted every other Wednesday. Columns may contain spoilers.
One of the things that sets the Harry Potter series apart from other series is its characters. J.K. Rowling has a knack for creating characters so real that they have actually been mourned for by the readers.
Throughout the books, one of the most disliked characters is Severus Snape. While he treats all of his students harshly, he is especially nasty to Harry and his friends for reasons unknown.
Upon first meeting Harry in potions class, Snape already seems to have formed some grudge against him. Knowing full well that Harry has been raised by muggles, Snape mockingly calls upon him to answer difficult questions. When Harry, humiliated, is unable to respond, Snape sardonically comments that fame is not everything.
While moments like this lead readers to believe that Snape despises Harry, there are some instances where the reader finds him protecting Harry. For example, in the first book, Snape appears to be jinxing Harry’s broomstick, when he is actually muttering countercurses at the person trying to hurt Harry.
In the fifth book, the readers are given a glimpse of why Snape has such a bitter resentment toward the protagonist. During an occlumency (mind shielding) lesson, Harry overpowers Snape and sees a memory of his father mercilessly bullying Snape.
Previously, Harry had known that Snape and his father did not get along. But, until this moment, he had thought that Snape had simply been the antagonist in the relationship.
By this point in the series, readers think that they have the mysterious Snape all figured out; the audience has a reason behind his attitude toward Harry. But this view of Snape becomes severely altered once the book reveals scenes of Snape interacting with Death Eaters, the very people trying to kill Harry.
Now Snape’s motives become a mystery again. How can Snape save Harry and walk in the company of Death Eaters? Also, for that matter, how can a wise man like Albus Dumbledore trust him so absolutely?
It is the end of the sixth book that really does it for Snape’s reputation. When Dumbledore is on the ground after a fierce battle with Voldemort and his followers, he looks at Snape and pleades, “Severus, please.” And Snape, with a cold look in his eyes, kills him.
Looking back on all of these scenes, we could not help but view Snape as a manipulative villain. But, as revealed in the final book, we find out that Snape is one of the main reasons why Harry survived all those years.
Everything Snape did, including becoming a Death Eater and killing Dumbledore, was to ultimately defeat Voldemort and faithfully serve his trusted father-figure, Dumbledore. What readers do not know in the moment is that Dumbledore had actually asked Snape to kill him, in order to save Draco Malfoy from the task. When considering this, Snape becomes brave and self-sacrificing.
While these reasons explain Snape’s switching sides, it does not fully explain why Snape holds such a special resentment toward Harry. Although the bullying of James Potter serves as a traumatic memory, it is still not a legitimate reason for Snape to possess such a strong disliking for his son. After all, James was the bully, not Harry.
However, this is also revealed in the seventh book. Toward the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, scenes of Lily Potter and Snape during their childhoods are illustrated to show that Snape was in love with Harry’s mother, Lily. And, to finalize these affections, Snape asks Harry if he can look into his eyes as he is dying, so that he can have one last look into his mother’s bright green eyes.
It must have wounded Snape like a knife to the heart when Lily chose his childhood harrasser over him. But that never stopped Snape from displaying his love for Lily by constantly risking his life, and utimately sacrficing it, to save her son.
After learning his true intentions, most readers have a very emotional response (we did, anyway). When you consider that Snape spent the last seven years risking his life to keep Harry — a mirror image of his father — alive, he becomes a hero and completely redeems his reputation.
We believe it takes a talented author to be able to change a reputation, six books in the making, in a matter of paragraphs. Rowling not only expresses her talent for creating a fantastical world with completely real characters but also brilliantly displays that people are not always who they seem to be.
For the previous installment, read the Oct. 27 column, Riddikulus with Elise & Sydney: Gryffindor pride.
