Saturday, March 16, 2024

Does Snape Die In Harry Potter

Don't Miss

Flashback To October 1981

Why Snape Never Actually Died – Harry Potter Theory

Towards the end of the Second Wizarding War in 1980, seer Sybill Trewlaney and Albus Dumbledore met at the Hogs Head for an interview. Trewlaney applied for the position of the Divination professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but Dumbledore was disappointed by the interview and was about to reject her application. However, as he was about to leave, Trewlaney entered a trance and provided him with a real prophecy:

The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives

She predicted that a boy that had the power to defeat Voldemort was born towards the end of July 1980 to parents who have defied Voldemort in three occasions. This boy would have a power Voldemort could not understand or ever have for himself. And if more than one person fulfilled these requirements, Voldemorts decision on who it was would ultimately determine who this Chosen One is. Voldemort chose Harry because both of them were half-blood while Neville was a pureblood.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Voldemort and his Death Eaters have tightened their grip on the wizarding world. Snape is named Headmaster of Hogwarts, while Death Eaters Alecto and Amycus Carrow are appointed as Hogwarts staff. The novel focuses largely on Harry and his friends and events outside the school; therefore Snape plays a limited role at the start. In the course of the book, Harry and his friends find out that a few students attempted to steal the Sword of Godric Gryffindor, and that Snape subsequently sent it to be stored at Gringotts Wizarding Bank; however, that sword was only a copy. Later on, Harry and Ron are led to find the real sword by a Patronus taking the form of a doe.

Towards the end of the school year, Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout force Snape to flee the school. Voldemort summons Snape to the Shrieking Shack. Erroneously believing Snape is the master of the Elder Wand and that Snape’s death will make him the master of the Wand, Voldemort kills Snape by having his pet snake Nagini bite him through the neck. The dying Snape releases a cloud of memories and tells Harry, who has watched the entire scene from a hidden spot, to take and view them.

Epilogue

A Key Weapon Presented Itself

The Sword of Gryffindor had been an instrumental tool in destroying horcruxes throughout Harry Potter lore. Dumbledore used it to destroy the Gaunt family ring. Harry retrieved it from the frozen lake, after it presented itself to him, and Ron used it to destroy the locket that was causing his buddy so much mental anguish. Despite knowing its powers, Harry offered the sword to Griphook in exchange for him helping them get into Bellatrix Lestrange’s vault at Gringotts, and he made good on his end of the bargain.

Griphook returned to villainy soon after, though, and left Harry and his friends in a lurch, by abandoning them in the vault caverns with no promise to get them out. Hermione, always with a clever idea up her gown sleeve, led the trio to ride a dungeon-bound dragon out of the bank, with Griphook perishing in the fiery skirmish that ensued. The sword then disappeared from his grip, to present itself to a more worthy pair of hands.

Later on, when Hermione and Ron were back at Hogwarts trying to lure Nagini away from Voldemort, to destroy what was one of the final remaining horcruxes, the Sword presented itself to Neville Longbottom by way of the Sorting Hat, so he could slice the snake’s head off and give Voldemort one last crucial blow before he did his ultimate battle with Harry. Unlike other weapons of its ilk, the Sword knew no master, and simply chose whoever was worthiest at the time. And few were more worthy than Neville.

You May Like: Why Does Voldemort Look Like That

Did Snape Die For No Reason

Snape did not sacrifice his life to fool Voldemort; it was necessary to Harrys plan that Voldemort think that he ruled the Elder Wand, but Snape was never aware of that part of Harrys plan, and didnt really have much of an active part to play in it. Snapes death was Voldemorts decision, not Snapes.

Best: Helping Dumbledore Keep An Eye On Harry

Image

While through most of the series Snape seems to be horrible to Harry and possibly trying to get him into Voldemorts hands, its revealed at the end of the series that Snape was actually helping watch out for Harry. He was aware of Dumbledores plans for Harry, and he was actually trying to help him many times instead of trying to hurt him. Now, Dumbledores end plan for Harry might not have been that great for him, but Snape was at least helping keep him alive for years.

Recommended Reading: Will There Be Another Harry Potter Movie

The Hesitation In Severus Snapes Voice As He Killed Albus Dumbledore

One of the most tragic moments of the entire Harry Potter series is at the climax of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince when Severus Snape prevents Draco Malfoy from killing Albus Dumbledore by killing him himself. It is a shocking, saddening scene that, at first glance, cements our suspicions of Snapes villainous motivations.

Yet again, Severus Snape is the victim here of a perplexing red herring. It is revealed two movies later in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 when Harry Potter views the slain Snapes memories that the professor murdering Albus Dumbledore was a plan between the two of them all along.

Dumbledore was already dying as the result of a curse put on his ring when he learned that Voldemort had enlisted Draco Malfoy to kill him. Believing that it would help Snape earn Voldemorts trust, Dumbledore instructs him to be the one to kill him.

Severus Snapes own reluctance to take Dumbledores life is apparent in the moment itself. Dumbledores plea to Snape before his death is for him to finish the job. If you listen closely to Snape as he exclaims Avada Kedavra , you can hear a quiver of hesitation in his voice as he knows this will be the last time he will see his friend.

Why Harry Potter Fans Are Still Divided About Snape’s Death

This major character death from Harry Potter still has fans split. Spoilers forHarry Potterahead!

Throughout the Harry Potter series, Harry played by Daniel Radcliffe is antagonized by plenty of people, from bullies at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to nefarious Ministry of Magic employees to outright villains, like the Dark Lord Voldemort . However, one of his longest-running rivalries is with Hogwarts’ Potions master, Severus Snape, played on-screen by the late, great Alan Rickman.

From the moment Harry arrives at Hogwarts, he and Snape begin their bitter rivalry, spurred by the fact that Snape and Harry’s late father, James, absolutely despised one another during their own time together at school. Snape, who considers Harry to be James in miniature, hates Harry right away, and his cruel, callous attitude towards the young Gryffindor as well as his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger is pretty hard for Harry to withstand.

Don’t Miss: How To Watch Harry Potter

Voldemort Kills Snape Over A Misunderstanding

Rowling: The Elder Wand is simply the most dispassionate and ruthless of wands in that it will only take into consideration strength. the Elder Wand knows no loyalty except to strength. So it’s completely unsentimental. It will only go where the power is. So if you win, then you’ve won the wand. So you don’t need to kill with it. But, as is pointed out in the books, not least by Dumbledore because it is a wand of such immense power, almost inevitably, it attracts wizards who are prepared to kill and who will kill. And also it attracts wizards like Voldemort who confuse being prepared to murder with strength.

Voldemort assumes two key things that are wrong

  • Snape disarmed Dumbledore and thus Snape owns the wand
  • The wand belongs to whomever kills the previous owner
  • This nearly derails the plans Dumbledore and Snape had been working on. Snape doesn’t want to die and is only barely given a chance to keep Dumbledore’s plan alive by passing his memories to Harry

    No, Dumbledore intended Snape to survive and inherit the Elder Wand

    Immediately before the quote you mentioned, Dumbledore expresses his sympathy and regret for Snape’s death.

    “For him , the Elder Wand has become an obsession to rival his obsession with you. He believes that the Elder Wand removes his last weakness and makes him truly invincible. Poor Severus…” – King’s Cross, Deathly Hallows

    And in The Prince’s Tale, the portrait of Dumbledore tells Snape,

    What Would Have Happened If Snape Had Died In Absence Of Harry

    Harry Potter and the deathly hallows – Severus Snape Dead [HD]

    Snape dies after being repeatedly stabbed & poisoned by Nagini, at different locations in the book & the movie, but in both Harry is witnessing this in hiding. As Snape counts his final breaths, he asks Harry to collect his pensive memories from his tears into a flask.

    These memories bring the single most important twist in the Harry Potter universe.

    Dumbledore had asked Snape to share these memories with Harry when the time is right, when Voldemort starts to keep Nagini close & under protection.

    Harry witnesses Snape’s death as a coincidence. He could have been anywhere in the Castle. Voldemort could have Avada Kedavra-ed Snape instantly & anywhere rather than a slowish death by poisoning.

    How was such an important piece of the story left to chance & coincidence .

    Is there any information mentioning that Snape had a better, safe & foolproof way of passing those memories when the time came? Even Snape must have known, he can die any moment in those chaotic times.

    A quote from J.K. Rowling would be great. Surely, this question must have been asked to her.

    My interpretation:

    It was a flaw in Dumbledore’s plan. Just like that.

    Dumbledore had asked Snape to share these memories with Harry when the time is right, when Voldemort starts to keep Nagini close & under protection.

    Forget about Dumbledore’s plan – it failed and Voldemort won. End of the story. Bang.

    … Until a miracle happened.

    Harry witnesses Snape’s death as a coincidence.

    So, finally, to answer the question:

    Also Check: Who Plays Lord Voldemort In Harry Potter

    Fans Have Questions About Severus Snape’s Behavior Throughout Harry Potter

    In the fifth book and film, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Snape is tasked with a new job in addition to his responsibilities as Potions master when Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore asks him to work alone with Harry. Per Dumbledore’s instructions, Snape tries to teach Harry the art of Occlumency so that Voldemort can stop accessing Harry’s unconscious mind; if you know anything about Snape and Harry’s relationship, you can roughly guess how poorly this goes.

    In the process, Snape accidentally accesses several of Harry’s memories, including instances of abuse at the hands of his awful Muggle relatives… and Harry manages to see some of Snape’s, which depict an equally unhappy childhood. Eventually, Harry discovers a hidden memory in Snape’s office where James relentlessly bullies and abuses Snape, at which point Snape abruptly ends their Occlumency lessons.

    However, this raises an important question: why wouldn’t Snape show a little more understanding and mercy to Harry after seeing that they both had fairly miserable childhoods? Instead, based solely on James’ behavior which isn’t Harry’s fault Snape simply abuses this young boy. Ultimately, this points to a larger, more concerning trend: Snape’s unwillingness to emotionally connect or develop in any way.

    Snape Has The Most Incredible Character Journey Of The Entire Series

    Aside from a few twists here and there, most characters in Harry Potter remain on a single trajectory. We like them, and Rowling keeps giving us reasons to keep liking them. The roller coaster of emotion provided by Snape’s character journey is thus unmatched across the franchise. Snape is immediately viewed as the villain by Harry and his friends. Added to this is the later revelation of his Death Eater past. Once Voldemort resurfaces, then, it comes as no surprise when Snape returns to the Dark Lord.

    Snape is hated by most people in the wizarding world. Despite this, we find ourselves enjoying his endearing qualities but we still remain uncertain about how we truly feel about him. After Snape kills Dumbledore, we align ourselves with Harry in his hatred of Snape. Then, we learn the truth about Severus Snape, and it flips everything around. It’s the most dramatic character arc in the entire series: Snape goes from being hated by every single person in Hogwarts to having Harry’s child named after him. You can’t do more of a 180 than that.

    Also Check: What Is Harry Potter’s Patronus

    He’s Neither All Good Nor All Bad

    After the big reveal that Snape was a double agent, fans started debating whether he was a hero or a villain.;

    But as some fans and even Rowling herself were quick to point out, he’s neither good nor bad.

    Rowling described him in one 2015 tweet as “grey,” with both saint-like and devil-like tendencies.

    Rita Skeeter Published A Book About Severus Snape

    How did Severus Snape die so quickly after just a few (one ...

    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!

    You May Like: Which Harry Potter Book Is The Longest

    Alan Rickman As Severus Snape In Harry Potter

    We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

    Fans will remember from the book and film when Voldemort orders his snake Nagini to kill Snape, thinking the Potion Master was the master of the Elder Wand having killed Dumbledore.

    Bravely having served as a double-agent, the hero in died in front of Harry in the Shrieking Shack at the Battle of Hogwarts.

    However a new fan theory makes the convincing case that Snape in fact survived.

    The first point Reddit user DER_GOTTKAISER makes is that Snape doesnt appear when Harry used the Resurrection Stone.

    Harry Potter: 5 Best Things Snape Did For Harry

    When it comes to Harry Potter, Snape was exceptionally critical of the boy wizard but he wasn’t always so bad.

    Of all the characters from Harry Potter, Severus Snape is by far one of the most controversial. The way fans feel about him is very divided. While some feel he was redeemed as a character and find his love for Lily admirable, many others find him to be a horrible person regardless of which side he was technically on. Theres no denying that Snape isnt always a good or nice guy. The way he treats Harry is one of the biggest examples of his worst moments, but he also has times where he actually treats Harry well.

    Here are the five best things Snape did for Harry as well as the five worst.

    Don’t Miss: How Can I Stream Harry Potter

    Who All Died In Harry Potter

    Ranking the Major Deaths in Harry Potter from Good Riddance to Hold Me Peter Pettigrew. The jerk who betrayed Harrys parents, leading to their death, and framed Sirius Black for it? Bellatrix LeStrange. She killed Sirius and tortured Nevilles parents. Voldemort. Mad-Eye Moody. Cedric. Dumbledore. Hedwig. Snape.

    Snape Has Strong Protective Instincts

    Why Dumbledore Pleaded with Snape Before Death – Harry Potter Explained

    On numerous occasions throughout the series, Snape’s first instinct in dire situations is to thrust himself between students and imminent danger. The best display of this is in Prisoner of Azkaban, when he steps out of the Shrieking Shack. In Snape’s mind, he has just been deceived by one of the students he was trying to protect: Harry had aimed his wand at Snape, rather than assist in the capture of Sirius Black. After recovering from this hit, he finds his students face to face with Lupin, fully transformed into a werewolf. His first and immediate reaction is to place himself between the threat and the children. Let’s also not forget that he attempts to protect Harry from the very beginning, as when he counters Professor Quirrell’s destructive spells during a Quidditch match.

    Snape’s determination is rooted in his protective instincts. He seeks to protect Harry, son of the woman he loves, from Voldemort, by diving into the belly of the beast. Once deep in the lion’s den, he continues to make decisions that will protect those around him. Recall his decision to make the Unbreakable Vow and kill Dumbledore, which is made largely to protect Draco Malfoy, at his weeping mother’s behest. Without Snape’s instinctual desire to protect those around him, the entire wizarding world would have fallen to Voldemort.

    Don’t Miss: Where Was Harry Potter Filmed Hogwarts

    More articles

    Popular Articles