Description
Severus Snape was a half-blood wizard who served as Potions Master and later Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. Cold, sharp-tongued, and seemingly cruel, he was one of the most complex figures of the Wizarding Wars. Posthumously revealed as one of the war’s greatest heroes, Snape spent nearly two decades as a double agent, serving Albus Dumbledore while maintaining the trust of Voldemort.
Background
Snape grew up in Spinner’s End, a Muggle neighborhood, where he formed a childhood friendship with Lily Evans. This bond shaped the course of his entire life. A gifted student sorted into Slytherin House at Hogwarts, Snape excelled in Potions and the Dark Arts. He and Lily eventually grew apart as Snape fell in with future Death Eaters.
History
After graduating in 1978, Snape joined the Death Eaters. He overheard part of The Prophecy concerning Voldemort’s downfall and reported it to his master. When Voldemort interpreted the prophecy as referring to the Potters, Snape was horrified. His love for Lily Potter drove him to Albus Dumbledore, to whom he pledged his loyalty in exchange for Dumbledore’s protection of the Potters.
When Lily was murdered despite his efforts, Snape’s grief became the foundation of his lifelong commitment to Dumbledore’s cause. He became Voldemort’s most trusted follower while secretly working for the Order of the Phoenix, protecting Harry Potter from the shadows.
In 1997, Snape killed Dumbledore atop the Astronomy Tower as part of their pre-arranged plan. This act, designed to spare Draco Malfoy and cement Snape’s cover, made him the most reviled wizard in Britain.
Snape died at Voldemort’s hand during the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998, killed by the serpent Nagini when Voldemort mistakenly believed Snape was the master of the Elder Wand. In his final moments, Snape passed his memories to Harry Potter, revealing the truth of his allegiance.
Snape is deceased. His portrait now hangs in the Headmaster’s office at Hogwarts.