15 Times We Cried While Watching the Harry Potter Movies

14. Snape Dies

Look, it doesn’t matter how you feel about Severus Snape. I don’t care if you’re in the “But that doesn’t excuse how much of a jerk he was” camp. Just take this at face-value. Just accept that sometimes love makes you crazy and understand that Snape was bullied as a child. Further, try to understand that he was written to be sympathetic by our leader, J.K. Rowling, who decided to explain his backstory as forever in love with Lily Potter.

Once Voldemort learns that the Elder Wand is resisting him, he asks for Snape to explain why. Snape lies that the wand answers only to Voldemort in his last effort to protect Harry. However, Voldemort incorrectly guesses that it’s because the wand belongs to Snape, so he kills him.

Harry listens nearby as Voldemort slits Snape’s throat and unleashes Nagini on him. We see her jaw open from Snape’s point of view and hear as Snape’s body slams against the wall over and over. After Voldemort leaves, Harry tries to stop the bleeding. But Snape only asks that Harry takes his tears to the Pensieve in Dumbledore’s office. With it, Harry sees Snape’s early life and watches him fall in love with Lily, Harry’s mother. Several elements of the first seven films are explained as the audience learns that most of Snape’s actions were guided by his love for Lily, and by association, his need to protect Harry Potter.

Honestly, guys. If J.K. Rowling didn’t mean for us to love the character and forgive him his flaws, then why did she have Harry Potter name one of his sons after him?

Snape was a good guy. Admittedly, not the friendliest. But a good guy nonetheless.

Movie: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2