101 Reasons Why I Love Severus Snape.
1) Because he fought against Voldemort to assuage his guilt, at the cost of his personal reputation.
2) Because he extended Dumbledore’s life.
3) Because he saved Katie Bell.
4) Because he was a Potions prodigy.
5) Because he was abused at home and bullied at Hogwarts, finding no safe haven anywhere but still found the will to live.
6) Because he loved Lily Evans.
7) Because he could Occlude like no one else can.
8) Because he gave Umbridge fake Veritaserum - to protect Sirius Black’s whereabouts.
9) Because he perfectly brewed the Wolfsbane Potion for one of the Marauders.
10) Because he told Phineas Nigellus not to ‘say that word!’ when he said Mudblood.
11) Because he shared the memories which were required to destroy Voldemort.
12) Because he didn’t allow the Carrows to torture anyone if he could help it.
13) Because he sent Ginny, Luna and Neville to Hagrid for punishment instead of to the Carrows.
14) Because he prevented Neville from being strangled to death by Crabbe.
15) Because he protected the son of the person he hated most in the world.
16) Because he must’ve been afraid every time he had to return to Voldemort, but did it anyway.
17) Because he showed us that you don’t have to be Sorted into Gryffindor to be a hero.
18) Because he made himself hated by students and staff to keep a watch on Quirrell by refereeing Quidditch.
19) Because he expressed his regret at not being able to save everyone.
20) Because he brewed the restorative potion in COS for humans AND a ghost.
21) Because he was willing to give Dumbledore “anything” to save Lily’s life.
22) Because he stopped Bellatrix’s Crucio on Harry.
23) Because he told Sirius Black to remain back at Grimmauld Place to wait for Dumbledore.
24) Because he saved Lupin’s life from a Death Eater’s spell during the flight of the seven Potters, risking his own exposure.
25) Because it was he who taught Harry his signature spell - the spell that won the war.
26) Because he showed Fudge his Dark Mark to try and convince him of the Dark Lord’s return.
27) Because he was worried when a student was taken into the Chamber of Secrets.
28) Because he was the only Death Eater who could produce a Corporeal Patronus.
29) Because he could’ve left Dumbledore at any time post Lily’s death but didn’t.
30) Because it was Snape who easily defeated Lockhart in the duel.
31) Because he guided Harry and Ron to Gryffindor’s Sword.
32) Because he made the Unbreakable Vow, saving Draco’s soul.
33) Because of his hilarious sense of humour.
34) Because he was the only person to give Harry his mother’s story.
35) Because he was human.
36) Because, no matter what, he went out of his way to help others.
37) Because he was horrified at the fact that Dumbledore had treated Harry as if he were disposable.
38) Because he didn’t care that Ron (a Gryffindor) tried to get to Malfoy (a Slytherin) and beat the shit out of him for wishing death on Mudbloods (specifically Hermione). He suddenly turned blind and deaf to Gryffindors wanting to attack Slytherins.
39) Because he could not save everyone but damn well tried to - ‘lately only those whom I could not save.’
40) Because he provided the 12 different potions needed to save Hermione’s life in OOTP.
41) Because he hoodwinked and fooled the Dark Lord. The greatest wizard after Dumbledore. The most accomplished Legilimens the world has ever seen.
42) Because he was ‘deliberately unhelpful’ for Umbridge when she wanted more Veritaserum.
43) Because, aged 20, he went to Dumbledore at great risk of his own life, at a time when Order members were allowed to kill any suspected Death Eaters on sight.
44) Because, aged 20, he had the balls to ask Voldemort to spare a Muggleborn’s life.
45) Because without his plea for Lily’s life, baby Harry would have died that night in Godric’s Hollow, and Voldemort would have been victorious.
46) Because he begged Voldemort three times to allow him to find Harry (so he could pass along his memories and Harry’s final task), despite being told NO!
47) Because his last worry was finding Harry, not that Voldemort was about to kill him.
48) Because he could have broken his cover at any time to save his own skin, but never did.
49) Because he chose not to tell Voldemort that he was making a fatal error in targeting Harry. Snape’s silence ensured Harry’s victory.
50) Because he granted Dumbledore a quick, painless death.
51) Because he ran through the castle in his nightshirt, not caring about his image, when he heard 'someone’ (really the egg) wailing.
52) Because when he heard a woman (Trelawney) screaming, he wasted no time in running towards the source of the scream.
53) Because he didn’t kill Harry when he purposely looked at a forbidden, shameful, off-limit memory.
54) Because he (in the film) gave his cloak to cover Cedric’s body.
55) Because he always slithered out of Death Eater action.
56) Because he doesn’t call the Dementors on Sirius Black as he threatened to but floats him and the others back to the castle on stretchers.
57) Because he can teach us how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death.
58) Because he taught us that to undo Dark Magic, you must know Dark Magic and want to undo it.
59) Because he taught us life isn’t fair.
60) Because he taught us not to wear our hearts on our sleeves.
61) Because he didn’t take cheek from anyone.
62) Because he taught us to control our emotions and to discipline our minds.
63) Because he told us to turn to page 394.
64) Because he talked himself out of death when he returned to Voldemort in GOF
65) Because he prevented Quirrell from killing Harry by muttering the countercurse.
66) Because he taught us that the mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure.
67) Because he taught us Inferi were different from ghosts in more ways than one.
68) Because over the years he played his part well. So well he deceived one of the greatest wizards of all time.
69) Because, instead of fighting McGonagall, Flitwick and Sprout, he left without harming them, making himself appear a coward.
70) Because he reunited Harry and Ron in Deathly Hallows.
71) Because, when headmaster, he protected the students to the best of his abilities.
72) Because he warned Sirius Black - sure, in a mocking and unfriendly manner - that he was recognised by the Death Eaters as a dog. He didn’t have to do this, he could have left him to go out as a dog and probably be killed.
73) Because he ran into the Forbidden Forest in search of Harry when he did not return.
74) Because he alerted the Order when he could not find Harry in the Forest and realised they had gone to the Ministry.
75) Because, whilst everyone was heading to the dungeons, he went to the third floor to ward off Quirrell.
76) Because he was poetic.
77) Because he really understood ‘the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes’ and ‘the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses.’
78) Because he had the strength of mind and purpose to live with Wormtail, the person who actually betrayed the Potters, and not kill him.
79) Because he had the patience not to throttle Neville after the dunderhead melted six cauldrons in one lesson.
80) Because he Stupefied Flitwick, ensuring he did not die in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower.
81) Because he sent Hermione and Luna to look after and stay with Flitwick - also ensuring their safety.
82) Because he saved Draco from dying after Harry cast the Sectumsempra curse on him.
83) Because he ran to save the Golden Trio despite believing that a murderous lunatic (who had tried to kill him at 16) and a werewolf awaited him. Thus triggering his own PTSD, which he was surely aware could happen.
84) Because Hogwarts Castle knew Snape’s true loyalties. She recognised him as the rightful headmaster, granting him access into the Headmaster’s office, something Umbridge was denied.
85) Because he sacrificed his life for the Greater Good.
86) Because he was the bravest person Harry Potter ever knew.
87) Because, when he killed Dumbledore, he also killed every ounce of trust anyone ever had in him. Making himself universally hated yet resisting the human urge to protest his innocence.
88) Because he showed us that, no matter your mistakes, you can change. Always.
89) Because he showed us that ‘We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.’
90) Because he showed us that ‘It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.’
91) Because he showed us that ‘We aren’t our mistakes. It’s what we do about the mistake that shows who we are.’
92) Because he was Harry Potter - he was the story.
93) Because when he was in a scene your eyes were fixed on him.
94) Because he showed us that there was hope and greatness in everyone.
95) Because he showed us that anyone was capable of changing their path.
96) Because he showed us that we can understand without excusing.
97) Because he was all grey.
98) Because his change was the most robust of the story.
99) Because he was perfectly imperfect.
101) Because, well, Obviously.
