I don’t know who needs to fucking hear this, but I’m about to say it with my full chest:
SEVERUS SNAPE DESERVES NO RIGHTS, I SAID WHAT I SAID.
Let’s start with Neville Longbottom. Often the butt of the joke, Neville was often played up for comedic effect, so I can understand why we never took the implications of his boggart seriously.
But the fact of the matter is: Neville Longbottom was more terrified of his potion’s teacher than he was of Bellatrix Lestrange, a woman who was a proud Death Eater who tortured his parents into insanity, a fate several people throughout the series state as “worse than death.”
I’ve heard the argument from Snape Apologists that Boggarts are “superficial” creatures, so they don’t go much deeper for a fear of yours, and, having gleaned a recent and prevalent one, will shift into that. Hence why it would be Snape, who recently tormented Neville, rather than Bellatrix, who Neville has never met.
It still stands, however, that Bellatrix is a known Death Eater, and Snape was just his potion’s teacher.
We also see from Harry’s own experience with the boggart, that the boggart hesitated before turning into the dementor. It “chose” which of Harry’s fears to become, Voldemort, or fear itself?
Now, because I always listen to both sides of a story, try and see it from both perspectives before I draw a conclusion, I asked myself “why?”
There never is a good reason for abuse, but I still tried to look at it from Snape’s eyes. And the conclusion drawn was literally the same as almost every single motivation for every one of Snape’s decisions: because of Lily.
Neville was born several hours before Harry, and was a contender for being “the Chosen One” (the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies) but Voldemort chose Harry.
By Snape’s logic, it meant that if Voldemort had chosen Neville, Lily would’ve still been alive for him to woefully pine for from a distance.
And so he takes it out on a fucking c h i l d.
He abuses him, torments him, and even forces Neville to poison his pet toad, Trevor, who has been shown to be of incredible significance to Neville.
And when the potion doesn’t poison Trevor? And actually proved to be a competent potion? Snape made his displeasure known by deducting five points from Gryffindor.
I know that’s not a Big Deal™ in the grand scheme of things, but we have to remember that Neville was a CHILD.
Moving on from Neville, let’s get to: Lily.
Remember what I said before, about Lily being his end-all and be-all for everything? I meant it.
I’m not saying she was the sole reason Snape became a Death Eater, but she was the “last straw.”
Snape’s dislike for muggles stemmed not from Lily (of course not, he loved her), but from his father. Yes, I remembered his father, Tobias Snape. The muggle, the abuser. Apples and trees, I guess. From what I recall, Tobias was never physically abusive towards Eileen, Snape’s mother, but he was emotionally and mentally abusive towards her. This would be cause for resentment for any young child growing up in that environment.
But, for a moment, may I direct your attention to Harry James Potter?
Who grew up that exact same way with the Dursleys?
Who was also neglected (Severus was said to have ill-fitting, mismatched clothes, sound familiar?) but who also did not have Eileen there to protect him?
And did Harry ever become a member of a muggle hate group? (No. The answer is no, in case you all didn’t remember that Very Important Detail of the series).
So, yes, Snape was abused, and no, I am not condoning it, I do sympathize with him on that front: no child should ever go through that. Ever. No matter the fucking child, there is no good reason for it. But do I condone his actions later on in life? Absolutely not.
Because he called Lily a “filthy mudblood.”
Not just “mudblood”, but a filthy one, too. And why did he do that? Because she defended him against his bullies. Yes, Sirius and James were bullies, I guess everyone’s faves are a little problematic in this bitch.
And not only did he call her that, but he also was besties with people who fancied themselves the next generation of Death Eaters.
And when Lily asked him if he STILL intended on becoming one, he never gave her an answer, prompting her to sectumsempra all ties with him. Meaning, she probably gave him multiple chances to not be a raging bigot, none of which he took. Love of his life my fucking toe, gtfo—
Also, Snape obviously knew what his “friends” were doing at the time. Particularly, and especially, Mulciber’s attack on Mary Macdonald.
Now, we can’t talk about Lily without talking about James and the Marauders.
I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN THAT THE MARAUDERS BULLIED SNAPE, OKAY? But listen up: still not a good enough reason to join the wizarding world’s KKK. Actually there is no good reason, period, end of message, send tweet.
He loathed them so much, he literally gave zero fucks about their wellbeing.
Even though! Sirius’ biggest crime against Severus is jokingly telling him to follow Remus Lupin under the Whomping Willow during that time of the month.
And Severus would swear that James’ biggest crime against him (after “stealing” Lily, of course) would be stopping him from encountering the werewolf and saving his fucking life.
Where the fuck was that reciprocated energy when Snape KNEW that James was also marked for death?
Also, are you going to tell me, that with his ear so pressed to the ground about news on Lily, that he didn’t know who the real rat was? That he didn’t know that it was Peter Pettigrew? This is speculatory, but… Snape had to have known that Sirius was not the betrayer, he must’ve at least known it was Pettigrew, meaning he let an innocent man waste away in Azkaban and for what? Something that happened when they were kids? I wonder why Sirius is a “stray dog” idk probably because someone let him rot in Azkaban for thirteen years?
Don’t even get me started on how he literally stepped over James’ body to get to Lily’s while Harry sat there crying. Please. Or the fact that he only wanted Lily spared? He literally said “yes, only her, please, Dark Lord, fuck that newborn”?
OKAY AND MY FINAL POINT BECAUSE THIS GOT TOO LONG AND HONESTLY I’M LITERALLY WAY TOO FUCKING ANGRY AT THIS POINT… I PRESENT TO THE COURT: THE CARROWS.
Severus had been made headmaster of Hogwarts, and what does he do? Allow the Carrows to torture muggleborns and first years. Eleven year olds. Disgusting. Please. What the fuck.
I don’t think Severus Snape died a fucking hero, or in “penance.” NOT when twelve hours prior, he’d been turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to eleven year olds screaming as the Cruciatus Curse was used on them.
Also, James never sexually harassed Lily? Wanna discuss sexual harassment? How does “waiting outside the Gryffindor common room until someone lets you in even though it has been made very clear that the person you want to speak to doesn’t want to speak to you” sound?
I am not denying that Severus Snape is a tragic character; he’s a very complex and somewhat interesting one, even. All I am saying is that I don’t think saying “always” on the brink of death excuses any of your past actions. He’s a martyr at best — having his sins “forgiven” by sacrificing himself for a just cause.
Yes, this is a hill I’m willing to die on. But, as always, I am open to a respectful conversation (not argument, conversation). If you disagree, I’d love to hear why. Try and change my mind; as long as you do so respectfully, I will hear you out.
