Snape

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Severus Snape (斯内普)
Alias(es)	Professor Snape; Head of Slytherin House
Species/Race	Wizard
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; Slytherin House
Occupation/Role	Potions professor; Head of Slytherin; Harry Potter's Occlumency and Patronus instructor
First Appearance	8

Background / History

Snape grew up in the poorest area of Spinner's End near Cokeworth. As children, he became close friends with Lily Evans after her accidental magic began manifesting; they later attended Hogwarts together. Lily ended the friendship when they were fifteen, though Snape continued appearing near her family home afterward. 36

At Hogwarts, Snape and James Potter were persistent rivals who fought and hexed one another. Lily was close to Snape before her fifth year, then later entered a relationship with James and married him after graduation. 12

Snape retained twenty-three volumes of Lily Evans's Potions notes, including advanced theoretical reflections that Harry later finds highly useful. His office contains few personal possessions, but he keeps a hidden photograph of Lily. 12 33

Appearance

Snape is a black-robed professor with greasy, seaweed-like hair and an oppressive presence that makes his already gloomy classroom feel harsher. 8 11

• Black robes. 8
• Greasy, dark hair repeatedly compared to seaweed or kelp. 8 32
• Cold, intense eyes and a habitual sneer. 8 11
• Later appears to have washed his hair, noticeably reducing the smell of hair oil. 44

Personality

Snape is caustic, impatient, and openly hostile toward Harry, whose resemblance to James Potter—and especially whose eyes—provokes an intense reaction. He routinely mocks Harry as a foolish Gryffindor, yet his treatment is not purely dismissive: he recognizes Harry's Potions talent and continues to teach him. 8 11 12 47

He is exacting about competence. Snape rejects blind reliance on written recipes, insisting that each potion is unique and that capable brewers must understand their ingredients rather than merely follow instructions. 33

Despite his harsh manner, Snape shows concern when Harry endangers himself, warns him against the Forbidden Forest, and keeps his wand ready to intervene during the Lethifold test. He also awards Hermione a point for a successful Skele-Gro potion despite his usual disdain for Gryffindor. 18 32 46 47

Abilities & Skills

Potions Mastery

Snape is an exceptionally knowledgeable Potions professor with demanding standards for both theory and practical brewing.

• Questions Harry on material well beyond the normal first-year curriculum. 11
• Recognizes Harry's talent after closely inspecting his potion, even while continuing to penalize him. 11
• Sets Harry an advanced Healing Potion assessment requiring ingredients and judgment beyond a standard written recipe. 33
• Assigns Skele-Gro, a potion requiring extreme precision, to students and evaluates their work critically. 46
• Preserves Lily Evans's twenty-three volumes of advanced Potions notes. 12 33

Patronus Charm

Snape can cast a corporeal Patronus in the form of a doe.

• Demonstrates the charm to Harry using the incantation Expecto Patronum. 46
• Teaches that the charm requires a caster's purest happy memory and positive emotion. 46
• Tests Harry's corporeal lion Patronus against a Lethifold rather than accepting the initial success without practical verification. 47

Occlumency and Legilimency

Snape instructs Harry in mental defense while personally using Legilimency to test him.

• Agrees to train Harry in Occlumency and the Patronus Charm twice weekly. 32
• Explains Occlumency as control over one's mind, thoughts, and emotions. 50
• Launches a sudden Legilimency attack during Harry's first documented practical lesson. 50

Spellcasting and Dueling

Snape is a capable combat wizard who responds quickly to major threats.

• Uses Sectumsempra against Dumbledore when joining Harry in confronting him over Voldemort's escape. 31
• Takes part in Hogwarts' inspection for Dark Arts objects, using a Sneakoscope-like device to identify suspicious students or items. 44
• Keeps his wand ready to rescue Harry during the Lethifold exercise. 47

Equipment / Items

• Wand — used for spellcasting, Legilimency, and Potions-class control. 31 50
• Lily Evans's Potions notes — twenty-three volumes kept in his possession until Harry earns them. 12 33
• Sneakoscope-like detection device — used during the inspection for Dark Arts artifacts. 44
• Lethifold containment box — used to test Harry's Patronus in a controlled but dangerous lesson. 47

Relationships

• Harry Potter — Initially antagonistic due to Harry's resemblance to James and Lily's eyes; later becomes his demanding Potions, Patronus, and Occlumency instructor. Snape gives Harry Lily's notes after he passes the required assessment. 8 12 33 46 50
• Lily Evans — Childhood friend and former Hogwarts companion. Their friendship ended when Lily was fifteen; Snape retains her Potions notes and a hidden photograph. 12 33 36
• James Potter — Former school rival; they repeatedly fought and hexed one another. 12
• Albus Dumbledore — Hogwarts colleague whose choices Snape openly challenges, particularly after Dumbledore allows Harry to confront Voldemort and lets Voldemort escape. 8 31 32
• Minerva McGonagall — Fellow professor who works with him during Dark Arts inspections and rebukes his contemptuous reference to Gryffindors. 32 44
• Hermione Granger — A Gryffindor student whose Potions skill he reluctantly recognizes by awarding her a point for brewing Skele-Gro. 46
• Quirinus Quirrell — Identifies Quirrell as Voldemort's lackey after the Sorcerer's Stone incident. 32

Story Role / Major Arcs

Harry's First Year

Snape's first encounters with Harry are defined by immediate loathing. During Potions, he publicly singles Harry out, asks unusually difficult questions, and deducts Gryffindor points over minor faults, though he acknowledges Harry's brewing aptitude. 8 11

When Harry requests Lily's notes, Snape sets a condition: Harry must earn an “O” through a final assessment. After Harry successfully brews a Healing Potion, Snape hands over the notes despite their tense exchange. 12 33

Snape joins Harry in confronting Dumbledore after Voldemort escapes Quirrell's body. He condemns Dumbledore for allowing Voldemort into Hogwarts and briefly fights alongside Harry before Dumbledore evades them. 31

Second-Year Instruction

After Dumbledore assigns him the task, Snape begins instructing Harry in the Patronus Charm and Occlumency. He demonstrates his doe Patronus, forces Harry to test his own Patronus against a Lethifold, and later begins direct Legilimency exercises. 32 46 47 50

Notable Quotes

“There are twenty-three volumes of Evans's potion notes in total. After the final exams this year, come to my office, and I will personally set a task for you.” 12

“Only the most foolish potioneers rely entirely on what is written in books. Every potion brewed is unique.” 33

“If you haven't mastered these two spells within a school year, I will make you taste the flavor of a Troll's anus!” 32

Trivia

• Harry initially refers to Snape as “greasy-haired kelp,” a nickname the Weasley twins immediately admire. 8
• Snape's Christmas gift to Harry is an oversized pair of sunglasses intended to conceal Harry's distinctive eyes and part of his face. 23
• Ron is particularly frightened of passing near Snape's office, even when he has rarely been reprimanded by him. 46