Why Is Snape The Half Blood Prince?

What was the point of Half Blood Prince in Harry Potter?

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince What’s Up With the Title? What’s Up With the Title? The Half-Blood Prince is a former Hogwarts student who once owned the Potions textbook that Harry adopts during his sixth year at Hogwarts. This textbook proves to be endlessly helpful as it is chock full of notes, tips, and guides about how to make successful potions.

• Harry spends much of his sixth year trying to understand just who this Half-Blood Prince is, and, in spite of Hermione’s protestations, he keeps the book.
• The Half-Blood Prince helps Harry become the superstar of Potions class, a class he needs to excel at in order to fulfill his lifelong goal of becoming an Auror.

However, the Half-Blood Prince also gets Harry into trouble: Harry uses an unknown spell contained in the textbook that turns out to be a dangerous piece of Dark Magic. Why name the sixth book of the Harry Potter series after the owner of this textbook? Well, we think it has something to do with Hermione’s discovery at the end of the story.

By means of good sleuthing, Hermione discovers that Professor Snape’s mother’s maiden name was Eileen Prince, and she was a witch. Snape’s father was a Muggle. Harry and Hermione come to the conclusion that Snape is the Half-Blood Prince, considering he is half-blood and he is also a Prince (by virtue of his mother’s lineage).

Therefore, Harry has been learning Dark Magic from the very professor he hates most. What’s worse, the Half-Blood Prince turns out to be Dumbledore’s killer. By the end of Book 6 we realize that we know more about Voldemort than we do about Snape. It becomes more and more clear that Harry’s impending battle and journey will have much to do with the newest Professor of the Defense Against the Dark Arts: Snape.

Why did Voldemort accept Snape as a half blood?

Voldemort saw himself in Snape: Pure-blood mother, Muggle father. Also Voldemort knew Snape would be useful to him with his intense skill.

Who gave Snape the name Half Blood Prince?

His mother also attended Hogwarts, and was a pure-blood with the last name ‘Prince’. Snape’s father was a muggle, so when Snape was born, he was a half blood. The kids who bullied him called him ‘The Half-Blood Prince’, and that is what he was known as.

How did Harry find out that Snape was the Half-Blood Prince?

Summary – The freezing spell cast over Harry is broken, and he rushes down the stairs after Snape and Draco. Harry runs, dodging curses and bodies and hexing Amycus, who is trying to kill Ginny. Harry sees Ron, Professor McGonagall, and Lupin each battling a Death Eater.

Harry sprints past his confused schoolmates toward Snape, Draco, and a large blond Death Eater. Harry sees Hagrid emerge from his cabin and attempt to stop the Death Eaters from fleeing the grounds. Harry is struck from behind by a curse and waits on the ground for his attackers to near. Harry strikes back, knocking them both down, then keeps running.

Hagrid is fighting the blond Death Eater, and Snape and Draco are rushing toward the gates, where they will be able to Disapparate. Harry aims at Snape and misses. The blond Death Eater sets Hagrid’s house on fire. Snape tells Draco to keep running and turns to face Harry.

Snape does not fight back, and Harry screams at him, calling him a coward. Harry is suddenly hit and falls over. He hears Snape’s voice shouting “No!” and telling Harry’s attacker that Harry is to be saved for the Dark Lord. Harry no longer cares whether he lives or dies and staggers toward Snape, but Snape dodges his curses once more.

Harry attempts a Levicorpus curse, but Snape deflects him. On the ground again, Snape moves toward Harry, crouching over his fallen body. Snape tells Harry that he, Snape, is the Half-Blood Prince, and that Harry should not use his own spells on him, as Harry’s father did.

Harry dares Snape to kill him and calls him a coward once more. Snape stuns Harry and runs toward the gates, where he and Draco Disapparate. Harry struggles to sit up and yells for Hagrid. Hagrid rushes over and scoops Harry into his arms. Together, they use the Aquamenti spell to put out the fire in Hagrid’s house.

Harry tells Hagrid that Snape killed Dumbledore. Hagrid does not believe Harry and leads him back to Hogwarts, where the students are assembling on the lawn, still unsure what has happened. Hagrid spots the Dark Mark over the Astronomy Tower and notices a body lying in the grass—Dumbledore.

Harry is silent as he straightens Dumbledore’s spectacles and wipes away the trickle of blood coming from his mouth. A crowd gathers behind Harry. Harry spots the locket they took from the cave, which has fallen from Dumbledore’s pocket, and he picks it up. The locket is not as large as Slytherin’s, nor does it bear his mark.

When Harry opens it, he finds a small piece of parchment with a note written to Voldemort. The note’s author, who signs his or her name “R.A.B.,” tells Voldemort that he has discovered his secret, stolen the Horcrux, and intends to destroy it as soon as he can.

Why does Snape hate Harry?

Severus Snape
Harry Potter character
Alan Rickman as Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
First appearance	Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1997)
Last appearance	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)
Created by	J.K. Rowling
Portrayed by	Alan Rickman Alec Hopkins (teenager) Benedict Clarke (child)
In-universe information
Full name	Severus Snape
Aliases	The Half-Blood Prince The Potions Master
Nicknames	Snivellus Slytherus
Occupation	Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (1997–1998) Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor of Hogwarts (1996–1997) Potions Professor of Hogwarts (1981–1996)
Family	Tobias Snape (father) Eileen Snape née Prince (mother)
Nationality	British
House	Slytherin
Born	9 January 1960
Died	2 May 1998

Severus Snape is a fictional character in J.K. Rowling ‘s Harry Potter series. He is an exceptionally skilled wizard whose extremely cold and resentful exterior conceals deep emotions and anguish. A Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Snape is hostile to Harry due to his resemblance to his father James Potter, who bullied Snape during their time together at Hogwarts.

1. As the series progresses, Snape’s character becomes more layered and enigmatic.
2. A central mystery is unravelled concerning his loyalties.
3. Snape dies at the hands of Lord Voldemort in the seventh book, at which time his back story is revealed.
4. Despite his attraction to the Dark Arts and Voldemort’s ideology of wizard supremacy, Snape’s love for Muggle -born Lily Evans, Harry’s mother, eventually compelled him to defect from the Death Eaters,

He then became a double agent for Albus Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix, The fact that Lily chose James Potter, Harry’s father, only fuels Snape’s hostility towards Harry. Snape’s character has been widely acclaimed by readers and critics. Rowling described him as “a gift of a character” whose story she had known since the first book.

Is Harry Potter pure-Blood?

Half-blood – ” Half-blood ” is the term applied to wizards and witches who have both magical and Muggle ancestors in their family trees. They are the most common blood status, far outnumbering pure-bloods and Muggle-borns. Rowling has stated that, of the Hogwarts annual intake, fifty per cent are half-bloods.

• Pure-blood supremacists view half-bloods as inferior to them, although superior to Muggles and Muggle-borns.
• The Malfoy family, a family of wealthy wizards who showed disdain to Muggles, attempted to maintain blood purity but found it acceptable to marry half-bloods if there was a dearth of marriageable pure-bloods.

Voldemort is a half-blood, and his most guarded secret which few wizards know is that his father was Tom Riddle, a Muggle. Severus Snape is also a half-blood (he gave himself the nickname ” The Half-Blood Prince “), as his father Tobias Snape was a Muggle.

Why did Snape love Lily?

Would Snape and Lily still have been friends? – We think that Snape and Lily may have still been friends in the beginning – even if Snape had not fallen in love with her. Lily brought light and warmth into Snape’s life from the moment they met. He was an isolated, lonely child whose magic would have only made him more of an outsider in his hometown of Cokeworth.

The happiness that he must have felt upon discovering that there was another kid that lived close by who was just like him, can’t be underestimated. We can imagine that Snape would still have been drawn to Lily in the beginning – even platonically. Likewise, as Lily was such a warm and empathetic person, she would probably have recognised that Snape didn’t have much exposure to kindness and would have tried to be his friend before they headed to Hogwarts anyway.

Also, as a Muggle-born, Lily probably felt different to the rest of her family, and Snape would still have been Lily’s first exposure to the magical world. You could say that he was the person who introduced her to who she really was. So, we are pretty confident that they would still have been friends initially.

• However, without Snape falling for Lily, we doubt their friendship would have survived for as long as it did.
• Snape had been obsessed with the Dark Arts from a young age and the friends he made in Slytherin (such as Avery and Mulciber) were partial to them too.
• In fact, the majority (if not all) went on to become Death Eaters.

We can believe that if Snape hadn’t developed any romantic feelings for Lily, a wedge would have been driven between them once they were sorted into their respective houses. Snape would have finally been around people that were more like him, and we think that he would have allowed himself to fall in with the wrong crowd more quickly.

Who killed Hedwig?

Hedwig’s killer is not explicitly identified, so he/she may have appeared in other books, films or video games, but the only known appearance is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. A popular fan theory based on book canon suggests that Snape may have killed Hedwig.

Who is Snape’s daughter?

Arabella Snape (PurpleGirl) June 12, 1981 Hogwarts Castle, Highlands, Scotland, Great Britain May 3, 1998 (aged 16) Hogwarts Castle, Highlands, Scotland, Great Britain

PrefectBeaterThe Snape Girl (Students at Hogwarts)

Severus Snape (father)Eileen Prince (grandmother)Tobias Snape (grandfather)Salazar Slytherin

9″, Walnut, Basilisk Horn

Severus SnapeSlytherin House

Death EatersDraco Malfoy’s Gang

” I don’t want to be related to Slytherin, nor to Lord Voldemort. I don’t want to be a Death Eater at all! ” — Arabella telling Draco Malfoy of her hate of her lineage. Arabella Lily Snape (born 12 June 1981) was a half-blood witch and was the only daughter of Professor Severus Snape and an unknown descendant of Slytherin.

She attended Hogwarts from 1992 until her death in 1998. She befriended Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson and also made acquaintances with Millicent Bulstrode under the pressure of her father. In her fifth year, she watched in horror as her father killed Albus Dumbledore. She ran away from her father to a meeting where the Death Eaters held a meeting where Snape informed them of Harry Potter.

That day, her father suggested that she become a Death Eater. The Dark Lord asked why and Snape answered that she was a Parselmouth (true) and that she was a descendant of Slytherin (also true). That was enough for the Dark Lord to give her the Dark Mark.

Does Snape turn good?

Summary –

Snape’s true intentions were revealed in the final Harry Potter installment, showing that he was never truly evil but was instead protecting Harry from Voldemort. Clues throughout the series hint at Snape’s true nature, such as his reaction to Harry’s scar pain and his attempts to counteract Quirrell’s jinx during a Quidditch match. Snape’s actions, such as shielding Harry and his friends from harm and hesitating when killing Dumbledore, further demonstrate that he was not a villain but had a deeper plan to earn Voldemort’s trust.

Since the first Harry Potter movie, Severus Snape was presented as a villainous figure, but once the final installment was released, viewers learned his intentions were never evil — so, was Snape good or bad? The Harry Potter series told the story of “the boy who lived” and Lord Voldemort, the darkest wizard of all who had sinister plans for the Muggle and wizarding worlds and a personal vendetta against Harry.

The books’ success allowed them to make the jump to the big screen, and so the Harry Potter movie saga was released between 2001 and 2011 with the final novel, The Deathly Hallows, divided into two parts. With the Harry Potter reboot series at Max on the way, there’s no better time to look back at the question, “was Snape good or bad?”.

Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) was the Potions Master at Hogwarts when Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger arrived, and quickly positioned himself as an enemy of the trio, especially of Harry. However, following the reveal in Deathly Hallows that all he wanted to do was protect Harry from Voldemort, when rewatching the movies it’s easier to catch all those subtle hints at him not being a villain at all.

Did Voldemort know Snape betrayed him?

Why did Voldemort trust Snape after his betrayal which cost Voldemort his body? There is no evidence to show that Voldemort ever knew Snape had betrayed him by revealing his plans to Dumbledore; on the contrary, there is a fair amount of circumstantial evidence to indicate that he didn’t.

• For one thing, if he had known, Snape would almost certainly have died before Philosopher’s Stone even begins, and all seven books would have been very different.
• Voldemort definitely knew that Snape leaked the information because Pettigrew was his insider man.
• Your logic does not really hold water here.

As QuestionAuthority’s answer says, Voldemort knew that Dumbledore had heard the entire prophecy—and thus knew more than Snape was able to tell Voldemort. He also knew, through Pettigrew, that the Potters were hidden under a Fidelius Charm. But that was all he knew.

It so happens that the Fidelius Charm probably came about mainly because Snape told Dumbledore that Voldemort had interpreted the prophecy to refer to the Potters, not the Longbottoms—but how would Voldemort have known about this? There are only really two ways Voldemort could have found out: from his spy Pettigrew, or from Snape himself.

That Snape didn’t volunteer the information to Voldemort himself does not need much by way of convincing argumentation. He would know that doing so would be signing his own death warrant. No need to even entertain the notion. And Pettigrew almost certainly couldn’t have told Voldemort, because there’s no reason to believe he ever knew.

As soon as Dumbledore found out about the Potters being targeted, he used Snape’s feelings for Lily to make him turn spy against Voldemort, which was a very valuable asset to him. He would obviously not do anything to jeopardise it if he could help it, and telling anyone—even those closest to him—would be doing just that.

So he almost certainly never told anyone else that Snape was now a spy for him, including Pettigrew, and Pettigrew never knew.

Why was Snape’s Avada Kedavra blue?

How can Dumbledore block avada kedavra and why was Snape’s colored blue instead of green? The Avada Kedavra – the killing curse from the Harry Potter Wizarding World is unforgivable, cannot be blocked, and is colored green. Every time books or movies make mention of the spell, they insist on those things.

Why is it always like that? Going through the books and the movies, we find several instances where Avada Kedavra was blocked and one where it was not green but blue. Examining these occurrences, the fans, of course, have several theories, and we will present them. The readers are first explained the details about the Avada Kedavra curse in the Goblet of Fire when Barty Crouch Jr., disguised as Alastor Moody, explains to the class how unforgivable curses work.

When teaching about the killing curse, he clearly states that there are no ways to block it. Crouch, in fact, only points out that no magical barriers or blocks can prevent the curse from getting through to its target. It goes for counter spells, simply put, magic cannot block it directly.

1. But, in reality, there are a number of ways for this.
2. For instance, if a large enough object is between the wand casting Avada Kedavra and its target, which is how Dumbledore does it.
3. It primarily concerns the battle between Dumbledore and Voldemort at the Ministry of Magic in the fifth book: “Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix” While it was not in the movie, the fight is a bit richer in the books, and here is an excerpt: “But the headless golden statue of the wizard in the fountain had sprung alive, leaping from its plinth to land with a crash on the floor between Harry and Voldemort.

The spell merely glanced off its chest as the statue flung out its arms to protect Harry. “What -?” cried Voldemort, staring around. And then, he breathed, “Dumbledore!”

(Skipping to a later part of the duel)”Voldemort raised his wand and sent another jet of green light at Dumbledore, who turned and was gone in a whirling of his cloak”(Skipping a bit more)”Voldemort sent another Killing Curse at Dumbledore but missed”(A bit more)”Another jet of green light flew from behind the silver shield. This time it was an one-armed centaur, galloping in front of Dumbledore, that took the blast” Taken from the book Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK. Rowling

All these different excerpts are from that single encounter in the ministry. The first time Voldemort’s Avada Kedavra was blocked was when he targeted Harry, and Dumbledore moved a golden statue nearby in its path. Voldemort targeted the other three curses directly at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore dodged the first, while the second one missed on its own. He used magic to animate a statue again for the fourth one, where a centaur statue blocked the path of the curse. So, we see that not only that Avada Kedavra can be blocked and dodged, but there is a number of ways to do it for a creative witch or wizard.

The second distinct trait of the Avada Kedavra spell is that it is green in almost every iteration shown in the books and the movies. However, nobody ever said it is a rule. It is where the movies go a little further than the books. We are referring to the emotional and devastating scene in the sixth installment Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, where Snape kills Dumbledore with Avada Kedavra.

1. It is one of the most devastating scenes in the entire series, owing to a brilliant portrayal of Severus Snape by the late Alan Rickman.
2. It is clear to every fan that the two had an agreement where they were to trick the Dark Lord.
3. But, one detail in the movie is perhaps not that clear, although it has produced a lot of fan questions and theories.

That detail is the color of Snape’s killing curse. “If you don’t mind dying,” said Snape roughly, “why not let Draco do it?” “That boy’s soul is not yet so damaged,” said Dumbledore. “I would not have it ripped apart on my account.” An excerpt from the book Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK.

• Rowling Dumbledore and Snape had a plan where Snape would again infiltrate Voldemort’s inner circle, and for that, he had to prove his loyalty.
• But it is also important that Dumbledore has taken Snape in after he deflected from the Death Eaters the first time and has vouched for him numerous times.
• If not for Dumbledore, Snape would have likely rotted in Azkaban or would at least have fewer options for a life after that, let alone to teach at Hogwarts.

In simple words, Snape owed everything to Dumbledore, and he was his only true friend throughout the past two decades. The only one who really knew him. So, naturally, Snape was hesitant to commit the deed, even if Dumbledore begged him at the end to do it.

Voldemort said it best when he tried to talk Harry into using Avada Kedavra to kill Bellatrix. The intent of the caster is a vital component of the spell. While Snape was still able to produce Avada Kedavra without any intent to kill, being a great wizard, the mix of hesitation and necessity probably resulted in the spell being blue.

: How can Dumbledore block avada kedavra and why was Snape’s colored blue instead of green?

Why did Dumbledore trust Snape?

He trusted the love that Snape had for Lily. He believed that Snape will do every possible thing to save Lily’s son from the Dark Lord when he would return

How powerful was Snape?

4. Severus Snape – Like Molly Weasley, Snape’s full power is really never displayed. However, we get strong insights into his power splattered throughout the story. Also, Snape stands out as a truly uniquely powerful wizard and edges out Voldemort thanks to two things: his knack for the dark arts, and his incredible capacity for love.

• You have to remember that in the Wizarding World, like it or not, love is the most powerful kind of magic,
• And nobody loves more deeply than Snape (except for one other boy wizard who we will get to later).
• By combining these two things, Snape is able to play both sides of the coin, something no other wizard is able to do.

In fact, I think it’s safe to say that no other wizard has ever mastered both the dark arts and love the way Severus has. And yet, somehow Snape is able to purify dark magic and use it towards good, something we also don’t see done by others. Undoubtedly due to his experiences in his youth, Snape is able to use dark magic without it corrupting him, something even Dumbledore is not able to do.

Did Snape love Harry or just Lily?

As Rowling explained in a series of tweets, Snape loved Harry’s mother, Lily, and his unrequited affection drove him to resent Harry’s father, James — and by extension, Harry himself.

Did Harry ever forgive Snape?

Harry Potter named his middle child Albus Severus Potter but some fans have wondered why he paid tribute to Snape. JK Rowling has been clearing a few things up on Twitter and it was done “in forgiveness and gratitude” because he died for Harry out of love for Lily.

Jo-Ro explained “you lot have been arguing about Snape for years. My timeline just exploded with love & fury yet again.” Albus Severus Potter will be the focus of the The Cursed Child next year. The play set in the wizarding world will begin 19 years later than the books. It is most likely to pick up after the epilogue at the end of the Deathly Hallows.

Severus Snape was Harry’s most hated teacher and went to school with his parents. He’s surrounded by mystery over whether he’s on the side of the Order of the Phoenix or Lord Voldemort. When JK revealed the plot behind Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, she explained: “To answer one inevitable (and reasonable!) question – why isn’t Cursed Child a new novel? “I am confident that when audiences see the play they will agree that it was the only proper medium for the story.” For more stories like this one you can now download the BBC Newsbeat app straight to your device.

Why did Harry name his kids after Snape?

There’s a whole essay in why Harry gave his son Snape’s name, but the decision goes to the heart of who Harry was, post-war. In honouring Snape, Harry hoped in his heart that he too would be forgiven. The deaths at the Battle of Hogwarts would haunt Harry forever.

Why didn t Lily love Snape?

James Potter Didn’t Change So That Lily Evans Would Marry Him All Potter fans know the story: Harry glimpses Snape’s “Worst Memory” in fifth year and discovers that his father was not the great guy that any orphaned child would prefer to envision. His dad was a horrible bully who tormented fellow classmates and had a towering ego to match.

• When Harry asks his father’s two best friends from childhood—Sirius Black and Remus Lupin—about said memory, they mollify him by saying that James was just a dumb kid at that point in time, and that he got better because he wanted Harry’s mother to fall for him.
• As romances go, it’s not exactly an uplifting story.

But if we track the little we know about James Potter’s development, it seems likely that someone else was at the center of his turnaround. After all, it wasn’t Lily Evans who ran away from home and straight to the Potters’ one night. Now, before we even get into this—there are plenty of fans who prefer to think that James Potter didn’t really change at all as he got older.

And it’s understandable that his recalibration might be hard to buy because what he does to Snape in that memory is very hard to swallow. The idea that a teenager who acts in such a callous manner is capable of becoming a decent person is at odds with much of what we’re told socially. The going wisdom is generally—bad kids stay bad, good kids become useful adults.

“Don’t make friends with boys like Billy, or you’ll come to a nasty end” and the like. What paves the way toward emotional development in young people? Well, at this point, we’re pretty sure that the major contributor to kindness in kids is teaching them empathy.

The more we can relate to someone, the kinder we’re likely to be to them. We know James Potter was not entirely lacking in empathy as a boy, and we know that because of his desire to help Remus Lupin (who is a werewolf) deal with full moons. Sure, there was an element of rule-breaking to it—creating the Marauder’s Map, becoming illegal Animagi—but at the end of the day, simple rule-breaking and rebellion could have been achieved even if he hadn’t been friends with a werewolf.

So James cared about his friend Remus, and was therefore capable of caring about others. With that in mind, it was not impossible (or even improbable) that James Potter would eventually cultivate enough empathy to become a pretty good dude. I’m putting it lightly here because Rowling as an author never puts stock in character absolutes; there is practically no one in the Potter series who is purely good or evil, no matter how far they tip the scale in one direction or another.

So James Potter didn’t become a saint—he became a nice man with blind spots, a kind person who was prone to bouts of ego and petulance because he’s human and we’re never angelic all the time. Why am I adamant about this? Because there is no point in making an issue of James’ development if it never truly happened, and the books do make issue of it.

In addition, James Potter manages to gain the affections of Lily Evans, and she is as close to sainthood as the Potter canon allows mere mortals to get. The sparkling, sharp, talented, lovely Lily Evans didn’t get duped into liking this guy. He had to earn her affection by proving his merit. That said, the whole “he got nice to make Awesome Lady fall in love with him” is rarely a storyline that rings true probably because it sounds like a bad rom-com plot. Perhaps James made more of an effort for Lily’s sake, but a remarkable about-face like his requires substantial and deeply personal motivation.

1. James Potter may know Lily Evans, but they don’t seem particularly close at the point where he initially tries to win her affections.
2. It is far more likely that he would change for the sake of someone or something else, and that his actions were simply misinterpreted.
3. Remember who tells Harry that James got it together to become a more suitable prospect to Ms.

Evans—his two closest friends. It’s relevant that this is secondhand information, not the sort given to us by the narrative. It means that Sirius and Remus might have it slanted. Then what caused this massive transformation? Theory Time! I’m going to put forth a timeline below to put some things in perspective.

First Year at Hogwarts: The Marauders start school, along with Lily and Snape. Between First and Second Year at Hogwarts: James, Sirius, and Peter figure out that Remus is a werewolf. They start putting in work to become Animagi. Fifth Year: The Marauders succeed in becoming Animagi and start accompanying Remus on full moon jaunts. Sirius pulls a “prank” on Snape, sending him into the Whomping Willow to encounter Remus in werewolf form. James hears about what Sirius has done and goes after Snape, pulling him out of harm’s way.* End of Fifth Year: (post-exams) What is referred to as “Snape’s Worst Memory”—James and Sirius brutally harass Snape in front of other students. Snape calls Lily a Mudblood, Lily tells James that she would never date him because he’s an egotistical jerk. Later, Snape tries to apologize for calling Lily a Mudblood, but she’s not interested; she ends their friendship due to his association with Death Eaters. Summer Between Fifth and Sixth Year: Sirius runs away to the Potters, leaving his family behind.** Seventh Year: James becomes Head Boy and seems nice enough now for Lily to start dating him.

*Before Deathly Hallows was released, it was widely assumed by fandom that the “Willow Incident” took place in Sixth Year rather than Fifth. (It was already known that it took place when Sirius was sixteen, which meant that it could have been either year.) It’s eventual placement before “Snape’s Worst Memory” is incredibly awkward, if only because it seems unlikely that James could get away with abusing Snape publicly mere months after he was almost killed due to his group of friends and their activities.

In addition, there are errors in the text regarding the memory; it is stated twice (in the narrative and in dialogue) that James is fifteen during the bullying incident, when he should be sixteen—his birthday is on March 27, 1960 and Snape’s Worst Memory occurred in June of 1976. **This is conjecture on my part.

We know that Sirius ran away from his family when he was about sixteen, putting this event during a holiday between Fifth and Sixth Year. It seems likely to me that it would occur during a summer break, as that allows enough time for Sirius’ issues with his family to come to a head.

At first glance, it’s not surprising that someone would assume James changed for Lily. The progression looks simple; James straightened up his act during Sixth Year, after Lily told him that he was disgusting and conceited. By Seventh Year, he’s emerged as dating material. But here’s the thing—there was someone else in James’ life who clearly demanded a lot of his time and attention, and that person was in the process of a major upheaval right around the time that James decided to make these broad changes.

It was Sirius. So let’s look at that timeline again. In Fifth Year, Sirius decides to play a “prank” on Snape, telling him to head down into the Whomping Willow to find out where Remus has been disappearing off to every month. This little joke could have easily cost Snape his life.

James recognizes this, and stops Snape before he is hurt. Dumbledore swears Snape to secrecy about Remus’ condition, but it’s likely that the Marauders are worried about whether or not he’ll keep his promise. (Which makes sense, given that he apparently has spouted the werewolf “theory” to Lily following the incident.) More to the point, James Potter’s best friend almost got another one of their friends to unknowingly commit murder, and thought of that as a prank,

Regardless of how much James hated Snape, that had to have been a disturbing turn to him, especially given the damage it would have done to Remus. (James clearly feels an amount of responsibility for Remus given their activities as students and his choice to support Remus financially once they’re out of school.) Snape’s Worst Memory occurs for a very specific reason—James doesn’t start antagonizing Snape until Sirius says that he’s bored, He’s pleased enough to get Lily’s attention over it, but the initial impulse is to keep his best friend busy. Which means that keeping Sirius occupied is also something that James feels responsible for.

Aside from the fact that James and Severus are mortal enemies, might there be an additional reason why James thinks it’s so important to distract Sirius Black from boredom? Well, their tests are over. Which means that in a few days time, Sirius will be going home to Number 12 Grimmauld Place. Presuming that the series of events is (and we have no canonical guarantee of this)—Whomping Willow Incident, Snape’s Worst Memory, Sirius runs away from home—we’ve got a pretty clear arc of how Sirius’ home life affected his overall state.

And seeing as James Potter is Sirius Black’s very best friend in the whole wide world, it’s likely that he had some idea of how bad it was getting. But James isn’t emotionally mature enough yet to realize that distracting Sirius by abusing their classmate isn’t a helpful way of bucking up a friend right before he goes home to his own abusive situation.

Soon after, Sirius runs away from home and takes refuge with James and his family. While the Potters may have spoiled their only son rotten, we know from Sirius that they were kind and supportive of his own plight in a way that was ultimately beneficial; he was able to get on his feet after staying with them for some time, and they let him know that he was always welcome in their home for supper.

James would have seen how his parents reacted to Sirius’ choices, the way they protected him and provided the net that he required. And just perhaps, James might have realized that he needed to be that sort of person for Sirius, too. It might not seem like a large event for the attention it gets in the narrative, but the choice to separate from one’s family is a traumatic thing.

Having a close friend who made such a decision would be a sobering event for anyone. In fact, it might make someone who has an untold amount of privilege consider what life would be like without it. The first war against Voldemort was getting worse every day while the Marauders were at school, and now James comes into hard contact with the reality of that world; Sirius can’t abide his abusive family and what they stand for; Remus will probably be unable to find a job after they graduate in the current climate; who knows what could happen to Peter, who’s always looking to his friends for protection.

And then there’s the girl he fancies, who happens to be exactly what Voldemort is railing against—Muggle-born wizards. If James is going to be any use to anyone, he has to step up and do it fast. Sixth Year is when James Potter gets it together. And because Lily finally notices him in Seventh Year and starts dating him, his friends assume she must be the reason.

Oh look, James got his act straight and the girl of his dreams finally deems him worthwhile. That must be why he worked so hard last year. It makes sense to them, and prevents James from having to admit what really turned his head—the sudden understanding that his friends were going to need him, and soon.

A revelation that began because Sirius Black ran away from home, and James came to understand the damage done by his family. He had a moment to reflect and see just how lucky he was. Art by viria13 on DeviantArt Of course, this is entirely speculation. But the cause-and-effect here have a drive and a causality that come from a real emotional place, instead of this muddy I-got-better-to-impress-a-girl thing. That would be fine if the change had been slight, but for all the reader is led to believe, this is the point where James Potter decides to become a more compassionate, mature human being.

And doing that for a potential date—since he’s certainly not guaranteed one just by becoming a nicer guy—doesn’t seem like enough of a reason. But changing for a friend who is practically family? That sounds about right. probably spends too much time coming up with background for the Marauders. You can bug her on and, and read more of her work here and elsewhere.

: James Potter Didn’t Change So That Lily Evans Would Marry Him

Did Dumbledore love Harry?

Albus Dumbledore: Saint, Sinner, and Harry’s True Father Albus Dumbledore: Saint, Sinner, and Harry’s True Father By lb4075 With his long white beard and robes, Albus Dumbledore nearly matches the cartoon image many Christians have of God the Father.

1. When Harry Potter first meets him, Harry knows Dumbledore only as a great wizard and the distant headmaster of Hogwarts School.
2. In their first real interaction before the Mirror of Erised, 1 Harry finds someone who is not interested in punishing him for wandering the school at night, but in teaching him graciously.

Dumbledore sits down on the floor next to Harry to begin the first of many lessons about the effects of powerful magic on people. Dumbledore’s concern for Harry becomes a healing part of his growing up at Hogwarts. For instance, the first thing Harry sees after his confrontation with Quirrell/Voldemort is Dumbledore’s face.2 Dumbledore must have cared enough to keep a bedside vigil until Harry awoke.

• As Harry grows up, Dumbledore’s wisdom gets the two of them through some difficult revelations together.
• Dumbledore has to coach the fourteen-year-old Harry to reveal all the grim details of Voldemort’s return in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,
• A year later, they survive a battle of wills in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix to come to greater understanding.3 Harry learns some of his most powerful lessons from Dumbledore ‘ good and evil are chosen and events have meanings that depend on interpretation.

When Ron Weasley laments that Dumbledore’s gift of the Deluminator meant that he anticipated Ron’s departure, it is from Dumbledore’s graciousness and wisdom that Harry clarifies for Ron: “No. He must’ve known you’d always want to come back.” 4 It is understandable that Harry and the reader would put Dumbledore up on a pedestal.

But even great wizards like Dumbledore are bound to fall off. Harry first realizes Dumbledore is not the perfect savior he wanted him to be during their exchange at the end of the Order of the Phoenix,5 It begins with a scene familiar to many parents and fifteen-year-olds. Harry screams “You don’t understand how I feel!” only to be answered by his parent who not only understands, but names the feelings Harry cannot name for himself.6 Dumbledore allows Harry to be justifiably angry and destructive in response to the death of Sirius Black.

Attempting to alleviate Harry’s guilt, Dumbledore explains his own series of faulty decisions. He expected Sirius to stay hidden, 7 hoping it would keep him alive.8 He admits having been wrong about Snape’s ability to overcome his hatred of James in trying to teach Harry about Occlumency.9 He regrets both leaving Harry with the Dursleys 10 and not telling Harry about the prophecy.11 He even apologizes for keeping his distance from Harry during the year.

• He feared his love for Harry would make Harry vulnerable to possession by Voldemort.12 Dumbledore reveals how thoroughly he loves Harry.
• Harry is brave, and Dumbledore is proud as any father would be.13 More than that, Dumbledore succumbs to a parent’s weakness; he cares more about Harry’s happiness and wellbeing than the wizarding world he is trying to protect.14 As a teacher and headmaster, Dumbledore has always been able to be a little removed from his students.

However, as guardian of a boy he looks after so closely, he does not just give up objectivity; Harry’s happiness becomes his chief concern. The “greater good” is nameless and faceless, but Harry is a real boy who needs his protection and yet has more heart and soul than Dumbledore ever imagined.15 In naming his faults, he shows Harry that he, Dumbledore, is quite fallible.

Like most teenagers, Harry doesn’t want to see his father’s weaknesses.16 Harry wants Dumbledore to be strong so he can rebel against him while still being protected. Dumbledore expresses the kind of regrets every loving parent knows well. Parents make decisions for their children’s wellbeing only to discover those decisions do not turn out as well as they had hoped and planned.

Indeed, they sometimes go badly awry. At the same time, these admissions acknowledge that Harry is old enough to know the crushing truth about his connection with Voldemort. Difficult as they are, Dumbledore’s revelations serve to restore the relationship of trust between them.

• Harry and Dumbledore are united as never before against the real foe, Voldemort.
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince begins with Dumbledore bearing the sign of his total fallibility as a human father, his blackened cursed hand.17 We suspect he is just getting too old.
• But in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows we discover that the fallibility runs far deeper than age.

He unexpectedly found the Resurrection Stone he had so craved as a misguided young wizard, plotting with Gellert Grindelwald. Desperately wanting to make up for his selfishness, he brought upon himself a fatal curse.18 As Dumbledore carries around a dead hand, he is quite aware that it is human failings that betray us in the end.

• His lessons for Harry become more vital as he tries to teach Harry that Voldemort possesses the same vulnerability.
• Dumbledore’s fall from the pedestal is complete when Harry visits Severus Snape’s memories in Deathly Hallows,
• The memories bring us face to face with what always had to be true about the greatest wizard of his time.

Dumbledore is a man of power, for good and bad. Previously, we saw his best side. His admission of caring for Harry when he should have been more detached is endearing to Harry and the reader, but it is also revealing. The brilliant wizard Dumbledore is also a very shrewd tactician.

What Harry sees of Dumbledore from Severus Snape’s memories reveals a man who had laid a plan for defeating Voldemort using every weapon he possessed, even Harry’s life.19 Our beloved Dumbledore was never a kindly old man after all but an expert strategist, a skill known for its coldness not warmth.

Harry and the reader are appalled at how baldly manipulative he is. Even Snape protests.20 Yet Dumbledore is equally cold blooded in planning his own death.21 The coldly tactical plan he laid is what he means by admitting that caring too much about Harry as a person, as a son, was a weakness.

Dumbledore understands that this is war and that there truly is a “greater good.” This time, that greater good has specific people’s lives attached to it; Harry’s most of all. Dumbledore knows what Snape does not, that Harry as the last, best hope must be free of Voldemort in order to truly meet and defeat him.

Dumbledore gambles that he has guessed rightly how to get Harry to that moment. It is all the information Harry needs to proceed willingly to the forest and Voldemort.22 In the “King’s Cross” chapter in Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore, who has fallen so far from his pedestal, finally gets a chance to be perceived by Harry and the reader as he is, rather than how we want him to be.

1. Dumbledore is still a brilliant wizard, but we learn the meaning behind his plotting.23 We also see Dumbledore the man as we have never seen him before.
2. When Harry asks him to explain the Deathly Hallows, for the first time, Harry sees him worried and “fleetingly like a small boy caught in wrongdoing.” 24 For the first time, Dumbledore is not the one teaching and prompting Harry.

Instead, Dumbledore begs Harry’s forgiveness and confesses to Harry his selfishness and his vain desire for glory and power. Dumbledore’s assessment of himself is so scathing that Harry attempts to defend him against himself.25 The exchange between Harry and Dumbledore at King’s Cross is a bona fide adult father-and-son talk.

When Dumbledore weeps over his own failings, Harry reaches out for the first time to comfort him.26 Early in Deathly Hallows, Harry regrets not having asked Dumbledore more about himself before he died, but at King’s Cross, Harry finds that he knows more than he wants to know about his mentor and his past sins.27 This is the kind of experience children often have with their own parents.

With luck, children move from a sense of anger and betrayal at their parents’ fallibility to understanding and forgiveness. Finally, Dumbledore explains why Harry is the true master of the Hallows where Dumbledore himself failed.28 In the end, for all his scheming, Dumbledore was tripped up by the flaw in the plan.29 Many parents likewise dream that their children will succeed where they have failed.

They hope the lessons they learned will permit their children to move forward. Dumbledore disarms us all again, not with his skill but with his humility and humanity. It is his last great lesson for Harry Potter. In his last scene with Dumbledore’s portrait, 30 Harry truly arrives at adulthood. Harry knows what to do with the Deathly Hallows.

He has learned to be wary of the power of the Elder Wand. As he discusses the Hallows with Dumbledore, he no longer wants to be told what to do; he just wants confirmation of his own judgment. Father and son have survived perils from without and from within.

Harry’s love and respect for his greatest mentor are still intact. When Harry reveals in the epilogue that he has named his second son Albus Severus after two headmasters of Hogwarts, the reader’s attention is on Severus Snape’s name.31 But it is also fitting that Albus Dumbledore should be part of Harry’s “family” line.

Dumbledore is the man from whom Harry has learned most about being a wizard and a human being. Throughout their six years together, Albus Dumbledore spends a great deal of his time teaching Harry about life in the way most parents do. He supports Harry’s own sense of compassion for people and self-giving.

• He praises Harry’s good decisions and corrects him about his faulty ones.
• Always, he lifts up for Harry the power of love and the consequences of life without it.
• As he prepares Harry for Voldemort, Dumbledore demonstrates the most important lesson ‘ to defeat his enemy, Harry must understand him.
• Even Dumbledore’s confession of his failings serves as a life-lesson in truth and humility.

Dumbledore is a great wizard and the most important influence on Harry not because he is perfect, but because he is powerful and fallible, brilliant and loving, and above all human. Notes 1. Rowling, Sorcerer’s Stone, 212’14.2. Ibid., 295.3. Ibid., Goblet of Fire, 694’98; Order of the Phoenix, 825.4.

Ibid., Deathly Hallows, 391.5. Ibid., Order of the Phoenix, 822’44.6. Ibid., 823’25.7. Ibid., 825’26.8. Ibid., 834.9. Ibid., 833.10. Ibid., 835.11. Ibid., 838.12. Ibid., 828.13. Ibid., 838.14. Ibid., 838’39.15. Ibid., “I never dreamed I would have such a person on my hands’ 839.16. Ibid., 834.17. Ibid., Half-Blood Prince, 48.18.

Ibid., Deathly Hallows, 680’81, 719’20.19. Ibid., 684’688.20. Ibid., 687.21. Ibid., 681’83.22. Ibid., 691’94.23. Ibid., 708’10.24. Ibid., 712’13.25. Ibid., 713, 717’18.26. Ibid., 717.27. Ibid., 719.28. Ibid., 720.29. Ibid., 721.30. Ibid., 748’49.31. Ibid., 758. Bibliography Rowling, J.K.

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,
• New York: Scholastic Press, Arthur A Levine Books, 2007. “””.
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire,
• New York: Scholastic Press, Arthur A.
• Levine Books, 2000. “””.
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,
• New York: Scholastic Press, Arthur A.
• Levine Books, 2006. “””.
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,

New York: Scholastic Press, Arthur A. Levine Books, 2003. “””. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, New York: Scholastic Press, Arthur A. Levine Books, 1998. Comments? Discuss this essay on the, : Albus Dumbledore: Saint, Sinner, and Harry’s True Father

Did Lily know Snape loved her?

What I want to know is: does Lily know that Snape loved her, or did she ignore him since she was in love with James? Yes, although I think it’s unclear how aware of that love’s persistence she was after leaving Hogwarts. Yes, and that is why she friendzoned him!

Did everyone find out Snape was good?

Original question: Did everyone finally trust Snape’s loyalty when Harry cleared his name after the war? Yes. During the final duel between Harry and Voldemort, Harry finally told him that Snape had been, in fact, Dumbledore’s man.

How did Snape help Harry?

1. Revealing it all to Harry Potter – In his final moments, Snape confesses everything to Harry, including his love for Lily Potter and his unwavering dedication to protecting Harry from Voldemort from the very beginning. He also explains the connection between Harry and Voldemort.

1. Snape’s memories prompt Harry to confront Voldemort one last time in the Forbidden Forest, ultimately leading to his defeat.
2. One of the most significant things Snape does to help Harry is to provide him with his memories as he lies dying.
3. Although it was done out of a sense of duty to Dumbledore, this information was crucial for Harry to know.

Snape’s selfless actions ultimately played a key role in the defeat of Voldemort. Severus Snape was a complex character in the Harry Potter series. He had flaws, including an unhealthy obsession with Lily Potter and a tendency to make students miserable.

Despite this, he remained a faithful protector of Harry Potter until the very end, fulfilling his promise to Dumbledore. It’s possible that had Snape survived the events of the final book, he could have found some common ground with Harry and moved past his bitterness with Voldemort out of the picture.

However, as it stands, Snape’s legacy remains open to interpretation. Some may view him as a tragic hero, while others may see him as a flawed and conflicted man. Regardless of how he is perceived, one thing is clear: Snape’s impact on the Harry Potter series is undeniable, and his legacy will continue to be remembered for years to come.

Why did Dumbledore trust Snape?

He trusted the love that Snape had for Lily. He believed that Snape will do every possible thing to save Lily’s son from the Dark Lord when he would return