Snape

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Severus Snape (斯内普) 952
Species/Race	Human wizard 244 665
Gender	Male 25
Affiliation	Hogwarts; serves Dumbledore’s intelligence operation while undercover among the Death Eaters 66 665 744
Occupation/Role	Professor; Head of Slytherin House; Potions researcher and Anton’s tutor; undercover spy 66 281 298 744
Status	Alive; remains committed to defeating Voldemort during the Witch Hunter conflict 1137
First Appearance	Earliest documented encounter: trades gold for Anton’s potion ingredients in Chapter 19, recalled later 906

Background / History

Childhood and Dark Magic

Snape grew up around a polluted river, abandoned factories, and dilapidated houses. Other children mocked him as “Weird Severus” because of his clothing and pursued him when he tried to leave 244.

At Hogwarts, his desire to become stronger drew him into a student circle associated with Evan Rosier, Lucius Malfoy, Wilkes, and Bellatrix Black. His talent for breaking through conventional magical theory impressed them, and they supplied family spellbooks to support his Dark Magic studies 244.

He later passed Voldemort the prophecy that led to Lily Potter’s death. His guilt, desire for revenge, and obligation to Dumbledore’s spying plan became reasons he believed he had to remain alive 665.

The Altered Past

During a visit to the past, Anton and Dumbledore witnessed a Dark Magic-corrupted Snape fighting Voldemort. They proposed that Snape might have wounded or weakened Voldemort enough for Lily’s protection to succeed; this remained their interpretation of the battle rather than a confirmed explanation 243.

Dumbledore subsequently regarded Snape’s condition as beyond saving. Anton rejected that judgment and began examining the problem through the mechanics of an Obscurus 245.

Teaching and Renewed Research

As Head of Slytherin, Snape summoned Anton for private meetings and became one of his magical instructors. He also confronted Quirrell over the Philosopher’s Stone, casually deflecting Reducto and forcing Quirrell to retreat 66 89.

Snape worked closely with Anton on Human Deformation Removal Potions. Even after numerous unsuccessful versions, he continued experimenting, prompting Anton to return to the work rather than give up 281 283. His renewed commitment to magical research was later identified as one of the changes Anton had brought to the world 644.

He was scheduled to take over Defense Against the Dark Arts for six months when Lupin prepared to leave 609.

Preparing Anton for Voldemort

Snape insisted that Anton learn Voldemort’s Flight Charm, arguing that it would change his understanding of movement, spell selection, and combat. Anton initially refused out of concern for Snape’s safety, but Snape explained that he believed Anton might eventually be capable of defeating Voldemort 665.

The instruction was secret. Snape warned Anton never to use the spell publicly and arranged a full day of training in a concealed chamber near the bottom of Hogwarts’ lake 665 672.

Witch Hunter Conflict

Snape’s undercover work increasingly left him frustrated and uncertain about how to defeat Voldemort. Fiennes challenged the usefulness of gathering intelligence on followers when it did little to stop their leader, urging Snape to invest in Harry instead 744.

While preparing to infiltrate a Witch Hunter gathering in Europe, Snape discovered that Fiennes, Jillian, Filch, and others had been searching for him. He initially mistook Jillian for a threat and cast Sectumsempra, which Fiennes deflected. Learning that the group had come as friends moved him to accept their help 1112.

During the ensuing conflict, Snape chose not to revive Bella immediately after her death. He had prepared an attack against Voldemort’s Horcrux protections, but recognized that his opponent had changed into Tom Riddle, a Speaker. Riddle departed with Bella’s body before Snape could execute the plan 1137.

Appearance

• Cold, “dead-fish” eyes: Anton notices this expression when Snape catches him following and watching him 25.
• Billowing wizarding robes: His departing silhouette is compared to a strange, giant bat 665.

Personality

Snape is suspicious, abrasive, and quick to threaten a jinx when he believes someone is watching him. His classroom discipline is similarly strict: his first-year lessons, unlike most others, do not include a short break 25 66.

His harshness coexists with persistence and concern for Anton. He continues potion research through repeated failures, reacts immediately when Anton transforms into a giant viper, and later urges Dumbledore to allow Anton to graduate early because he fears the danger ahead 283 513 869.

Lily remains an intensely painful subject. In one time-travel encounter, Snape desperately demands to know what she said, then recoils when Lupin tells him that her rejection was caused by Snape himself rather than James Potter 217.

He is capable of rare emotional openness when his isolation is challenged. His joyful acceptance of help from Fiennes and the others contrasts with his later, increasingly detached focus on ending the conflict with Voldemort 1112 1137.

Abilities & Skills

Potions Research

Snape can identify the purpose of complex ingredients and procedures within an unfamiliar experimental recipe 281.

• Recognizes Animagus potion components being adapted to place werewolves into a state of developing a new body 281.
• Identifies Confusing Concoction steps intended to affect consciousness and memories during that process 281.
• Collaborates with Anton through successive versions of the Human Deformation Removal Potion 283.

Patronus and Soul Magic

Snape’s research connects the soul-healing properties of the Patronus Charm with the soul-wounding effects of Sectumsempra 513.

• Killing Curse resistance: He theorizes that a Patronus powered by profound love and selflessness might resist even the Killing Curse; the supplied account presents this as a theory 513.
• Resurrection: Anton tells Dumbledore that Snape’s Patronus can supposedly restore the dead fully. A later account states that Snape could have revived Bella immediately after her death, but deliberately declined 290 1137.
• Complex spellwork: Fiennes admits that he cannot combine Snape’s spell demonstrations and theory into a workable whole 513.

Dark Magic and Dueling

Snape showed exceptional inventiveness in Dark Magic while still a student 244.

• Casually deflects Quirrell’s Reducto during their confrontation over the Philosopher’s Stone 89.
• Uses Sectumsempra immediately against a perceived threat during his European infiltration 1112.
• Alongside Lockhart, prevents what Scrimgeour describes as potentially enormous Auror losses during the Witch Hunter battle 1137.

Flight Charm and Aerial Combat

Voldemort taught Snape his Flight Charm in its entirety, reflecting the high regard he once held for Snape’s talent 952.

• Teaches Anton that flight changes a wizard’s combat mindset, including movement and the kinds of spells worth studying 665.
• Explains the history of broomstick dueling, Quidditch’s training role, and the suppression of destructive “War Magic” 665.
• Requires secrecy and warns Anton against reviving the old aerial dueling culture 665.

Counter-Curse Technique

Snape uses precise magical analysis to counteract substances acting inside the body 869.

• Requires extensive knowledge of herbs, Charms, counter-curses, and potion-making 869.
• The same technique is circulated among elite Dark Wizards as a defense against Veritaserum; it is not unique to Snape 869.

Espionage

Snape conducts undercover work among Voldemort’s followers for Dumbledore 665 744.

• Shares sensitive experiences from visits to Azkaban with Fiennes, demonstrating unusually close trust 744.
• His position is vulnerable to leaked information; Dumbledore explicitly considers this risk after Sirius’s security failure 908.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Wand — Used to threaten Anton and cast combat magic; its materials and dimensions are not specified 25 1112.
• Dagger coated with Pure Soul Purification Potion — Prepared to strip away the magical protections sustaining Voldemort’s Horcruxes 1137.

Relationships

• Anton / Anthony Weasley — Student and research collaborator. Snape teaches him Potions and secret flight magic, sees potential in his theoretical work, and urges restraint when using offensive spells 281 283 513 665 686.
• Lily Potter / Lily Evans — His grief and guilt over her death drive his spying and revenge. He admits that passing on the prophecy contributed to her death 217 665.
• Albus Dumbledore — Directs the intelligence operation Snape serves; Snape considers staying alive necessary to that plan 665 908.
• Voldemort / Tom Riddle — Former master and Flight Charm teacher, now the target of Snape’s revenge. Voldemort once prized his brilliance before coming to despise his grief-stricken condition 665 952 1137.
• Alex Fiennes — Close friend, research associate, and strategic confidant. Fiennes challenges his priorities and later organizes help for him 513 744 1112.
• Harry Potter — Fiennes urges Snape to support Harry as both a strategic investment and a debt owed to Lily; Snape initially resists the advice 744.
• Sirius Black — Frequent antagonist in staff discussions. They clash over Anton’s future and compete over their understanding of Arrow Deflection 869 918.
• Gillian Nicholas / Jillian — Shows concern for Snape and participates in the group seeking him in Europe 346 744 1112.
• Argus Filch — Offers Snape sincere friendship and assistance, surprising him 1112.

Notable Quotes

“Forewarned is forearmed. Even if it's only for your own sake, you have to work hard to master this Flight Charm. It's the foundation for learning every kind of combat magic.” 665

“Besides, it's the core of the Dark Lord's own magical system. Once you've learned it, you'll understand his way of fighting and his combat mindset.” 665

Trivia

• Snape’s mother once captained Hogwarts’ Gobstones team 263.
• He contributes material to Lockhart’s book on Arrow Deflection; Lockhart admits that he cannot understand all of it 918.
• Anna recounts Snape’s bleak view that magic is the power of demons and that wizards ought to be tied to stakes and burned alive 1069.