7 Severus Snape facts you might not be aware of
By Callum Gunn
Do you know the Potion Master as well as you think?
Severus Snape is one of the most iconic and interesting characters within the Harry Potter fandom. Undoubtedly the largest character development of any of the Harry Potter characters, J.K. Rowling did an exceptional job creating him.
Form being the school teacher that everyone hated to the double agent that had ‘Always’ loved, Snape is now a very much beloved character. Alan Rickman brought him to live in the movie adaptations and did such a fantastic job that you can’t even imagine anyone else in the role.
More from Harry Potter
- Tom Felton is the star of the new Harry Potter x CASETiFY collection
- Create a magical event worthy of Hogwarts with this new Harry Potter-themed party planning book
- Can Fantastic Beasts hold up to the Harry Potter franchise?
- Show off your Wizard’s Chess skills with this Harry Potter set that’s now over half off
- Harry Potter continues to inspire generations – including Jack Harlow
Even after all this time, there are still some things that we are learning about Severus as Rowling continues to explore and expand on the world that she has already created. So sit back, relax, and check out these 7 Severus Snape facts you might not be aware of.
1: The last words of Severus Snape
Anyone who will have read the books will most likely know the last words of Severus Snape, but for those who are a movie only fans, you may not be aware of what Snape’s last words were. When Voldemort killed Snape in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows it is Harry that is by his side in his very last moments.
Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Severus turns to Harry just before he slips away and says, “Look .. at … me,” The significance is very touching as we all know that Snape was madly in love with Lily Potter. Harry, who has always been told that he has Lily’s eyes, was, therefore, able to comfort Snape in his final moments as he wanted to remember Lily.
2: Rita Skeeter published a book about Severus Snape
Rita, the most hated character in Harry Potter until Dolores Umbridge came along, had the nasty habit of interviewing people, not for news stories, but to get juicy gossip. She made a name for herself in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by writing about Harry in the Triwizard tournament and she published the book, The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Supposedly, Rita continued writing and publishing after the Harry Potter series concluded and she published a book about Severus. Titled, Snape: Scoundrel or Saint, it looked into the life of Severus and the actions He had taken during his life.
Watch your favorite shows on fuboTV: Watch over 67 live sports and entertainment channels with a 7-day FREE trial!
3: Snape was the only Death Eater able to produce a Patronus
Snape’s Patronus was already special because it took the form of a Doe, the same as Lily Potters. However, that was not the only thing that made producing his Patronus so special. Being the only Death Eater able to produce one was the truly special thing.
Other Death Eaters could certainly perform the charm but they were unable to produce a full Patronus like Snape. With the Death Eaters being so affiliated and accustomed to the Dark Arts there was no real need for them to be able to produce one, never mind the lack of ability. But when it came to Snape, his love and compassion were stronger than his pull for the Dark Arts, making it possible for him to produce a full Patronus.
4: Snape smells, of bitterness and old shoes
Credit where it is due, J.K. Rowling has dedicated her life to Harry Potter. She has always remained engaged and active about Harry Potter and frequently answers questions about the wizarding world via her official Twitter account.
So when asked by one Twitter user what Snape smells like, which is both an awesome and really odd question, she responded brilliantly by saying that Snape smells of bitterness and old shoes.
Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
5: Snape was bullied until his final year of Hogwarts
It was a huge shock to learn what James Potter was like at Hogwarts. Our vision of Harry’s dad was anything other than the reality, but it did explain a lot about why Severus hated Harry so much.
He loathed James for all of the bullying and torment he received from James which lasted all the way to their final year at Hogwarts. While James Potter grew up a bit and stopped hexing other people it never actually stopped with Severus.
Watch your favorite shows on fuboTV: Watch over 67 live sports and entertainment channels with a 7-day FREE trial!
6: It took some time until Snape was recognized as headmaster
Because of the circumstances of how Snape became headmaster of Hogwarts and how things ended for him, Snape was never officially recognized as headmaster at first. Ousted by the other headmaster portraits that hang up in the headmaster’s office.
They were all unaware of Snape’s true intentions so when it came to light that he was a double agent a portrait of him was hung up eventually making him officially the youngest headmaster of Hogwarts. It took some doing though and a large amount of it came from Harry.
Watch your favorite shows on fuboTV: Watch over 67 live sports and entertainment channels with a 7-day FREE trial!
7: Snape is able to fly
Being able to fly is a pretty easy thing to do for every Witch and Wizard. All you need is a broom, magic carpet or some other object that has been charmed to fly and off you go. Being able to fly without the use of a flying object, however, is a bit tricky. Snape was able to do it though.
While the movies show the Death Eaters seemingly flying as puffs of dark smoke, in the books it is only Voldemort who is referred to as being able to truly fly. That is until Snape escapes from Hogwarts just before the battle of Hogwarts commences. This was shown in the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as well when McGonagall and Snape duelled one another. A true credit to just how powerful a wizard Snape really was.
Next: 9 Harry Potter facts about Ginny Weasley you might know
So what did you think about these 7 Severus Snape facts? Did you know any of them before reading? Which fact is your favorite? Leave a comment below with your thoughts.