Since there's one for tomarry. Any Harrymort recs?
Another message: Hi! I absolutely love your fic 'What He Grows To Be'. I am waiting for the next chapter. Can you also please recommend some To-marry fics that are also detailed, have a deep character analysis and do follow along the with the original Harry Potter World?
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I decided to combine your asks because my suggestions are going to be pretty similar! All these stories are long, detailed, and have amazing character development. I’ll break them into Tommary and Harrymort. Note that some of them will be repeated from my previous list. Many are rooted in canon, some are AU, but I’ll point it out in the summaries so you both could find what you’re looking for.
Harrymort
Hauntingly. I read the old completed version, but the author is now re-working it and it’s already very long. It’s a brilliant and realistic depiction of Harry/Voldemort that diverges from Order of the Phoenix.
No Glory is Harry/Voldemort from the same writer. It’s very intense and dark, and it’s an absolute masterpiece. Voldemort is possessive, incredibly twisted, and absolutely obsessed with the fact that Harry is his Horcrux. Takes place during DH.
Consuming Shadows is a very complex and endlessly beautiful work where Voldemort won during first war and Harry with his mother escaped. Years later, they return to Britain, which is under Voldemort's/Tom’s control, and Tom is becoming dangerously obsessed with Harry.
Death of Today. It’s a long and dark soulmates AU with Harry/Voldemort.
Their Verdict of Vagaries. It starts as Harry/Tom but evolves into Harry/Voldemort. It’s tied with canon in very thorough and interesting ways. I had some issues with some later parts, but it’s still an amazing story.
His Twenty-Eighth Life. MoD Harry who keeps being reborn: canon is counted.
Love's Loathing. AU. Harry and Voldemort fight for the opposite sides but they’ve been engaged once.
The Black Bunny. It’s more of a humorous story that diverges from canon closer to the later books, but I loved it a lot.
Ensnared. Beauty and the Beast AU.
Harry Potter and the Slytherin Heirs. Diverges from later books: Voldemort won the second war. Heed the tags!
Nevermind the end. Diverges from later books; heavy dub/non-con.
Sleeping Somewhere Cold. Harry is a part of Malfoy family who’s destined to be with Voldemort.
Tomarry
Jonquils and Lightning. After the war, Harry settles in another world and lives peacefully until another version of Tom comes looking for him.
Tainted. The war ends but Tom lives. Very unsettling story, but to my despair, it ends just as things are getting even more heated.
White Innocence. Time travel: Harry finds himself in the past and attracts Tom’s attention.
The Explosion. Diverges from canon (I think): Harry travelled back in time and earned Tom’s love, but he doesn’t know about it yet.
Twist of Fate. Diverges from canon from the moment Dumbledore leaves Harry with the Dursleys. Amazingly rich and plotty story, but it’s not finished and the romance didn’t really start yet, although the relationship between Tom and Harry is still brilliant.
The following stories are the Tomarry I marked as “loved”. Most of them seem to feature time travel, but I can’t say for sure because I don’t recall them well - will have to re-read them.
Do you have good riddle Harry recs? I read your new work in about a day it was so good and now I’m obsessed
Hello! Thank you, I’m happy you enjoyed it! I also fell into this pairing completely unexpectedly :D I have some favorite stories, though sadly, almost all of them are either still being written or abandoned. Still, they have lots of good bits and a sufficient word count, and many of them end at good places.
Anything by Strange_Soulmates Most of these stories are completely AU. They also always feature possessive, very intense Tom who loves Harry but is a horror to everyone else. My favorite ones are As Certain Dark Things Are to be Loved, The Dragon’s Mate (this one is finished), Pledged in Blood, and Good Intentions.
God of Nothing (Tom and Harry are growing up together).
Love is Touching Souls This one is finished. Harry ends up back in time and stumbles across Tom who’s busy planning a murder.
Past’s Player (unfinished prequel, but that’s not all that important for the plot) + Fate’s Favourite (finished and a deliciously long sequel). Here, Harry ends up in the time when Tom is a student. In the sequel, Harry is back to his time and Tom follows him. They have an extremely co-dependent, obsessive, and possessive relationship. It doesn’t become explicitly romantic until some one-shot stories set after the end of Fate’s Favorite but this is one of my most beloved works. The beginning of sequel (which was written before prequel) might differ in style but the more the events progress, the more amazing the writer’s style gets. They also have other fantastic stories, so you should definitely check them out.
When in Rome Similar premise. Harry finds himself studying with Tom and Tom falls in love with him, but in a very deadly way.
Wear Me Like A Locket Around Your Throat - similarly, Harry ends up in the time when Tom is a student, and while he’s wary of him at first, he ends up affecting him and changing him for the better.
Rewritten has Harry raising Tom.
Earning His Notice has Harry going back in time where Tom is rising to power, with Tom attempting to covert him to his side.
Rebuilt is a fantastic Muggle Apocalipsis AU. Harry is a genius and Tom is a dark lord in the rising who recruits useful people & ends up intensely in love with him.
No Glory is rather Harry/Voldemort. It’s very intense and dark, and it’s an absolute masterpiece. Voldemort is possessive, incredibly twisted, and absolutely obsessed with the fact that Harry is his Horcrux.
Dreams and Darkness Collide Tom is a Minister while Harry is a vigilante, a dark and smart serial killer no one can catch. Tom is growing obsessed with trying to figure out his identity and then to recruit him.
Consuming Shadows is a very complex and endlessly beautiful work where Tom won during the first war and Harry with his mother escaped. Years later, they return to Britain, which is under Tom’s control, and Tom is becoming dangerously obsessed with Harry.
Iridescent Muggle AU with Tom as crime boss who’s getting fixated on Harry.
A Thousand Paths Among The Stars Very protective and not-very-good Tom and a wonderful Harry.
A Sky Far Away by SeaDreaming is about Tom and Harry growing up in the orphanage together and going from enemies to lovers. It’s pretty dark, unhealthy, but beautiful. Unfortunately, it’s also a WIP and it was eventually deleted by the author, but you can try to see if there is a copy online.
Teaching History (is Old News) An AU where Harry and Tom are both teachers at Hogwarts. I don’t usually like humor but this is a masterpiece, and it has some very dark and heartbreaking moments that become revealed later.
His Darkest Devotion is brilliant soulmates AU.
The Art of Falling: demon Tom and angel Harry. It’s so interesting, smart, and dark in places that I fell head over heels.
That Deathless Death universe is brilliant, too, and while it’s so long already, I lament that it’s not finished yet. This AU story has a very complex and detailed world-building, focuses on many characters at once, which is usually not my favorite thing but I enjoyed it here, and it has a fascinating dynamic between Harry and Voldemort. It also feels magical from start to finish, there is so much soul in it.
Holly & Yew is about Harry and Tom growing up together. I love this trope and this story ticks so many boxes! Dependency, possessiveness, love, plenty of interesting situations and events. I also really enjoy how the author treats Harry’s attitude to magic. His love for it is palpable and it gives everything such a special atmosphere.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
I’m doing a thing again! Here’s to another fic to ruin my life!
Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Characters: Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Draco Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Albus Dumbledore, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley, Ron Weasley, Molly Weasley, Hermione Granger, Original Goblin Character(s), Original House-Elf Character(s)
Additional Tags: Magical Inheritance, Creature Inheritance, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Powerful Harry Potter, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Summary:
At 11:59 pm on the night of July 30th in 1994, the wizarding and Muggle worlds were fast asleep, no one knowing what was about to come. In a manor in Wiltshire, a young boy and his parents all slept soundly and peacefully, unaware that his life would be forever changed by morning. In a cave in the moors, a dog slept, curled up tightly against the wet cold of the night. At a castle in Scotland, an old man rested easily, not knowing that all his plans were about to be torn to pieces. Within a tall, teetering, beat-up looking house in Devon seven people were in their beds, but only five of them slept soundly. The final two were wide awake, staring at each other in the darkness, the only ones to feel that something was coming. And at a perfectly normal house in a perfectly normal neighborhood in Surrey slept a perfectly normal husband and wife and their perfectly normal son. But upstairs, in the smallest bedroom, slept a very unordinary boy who was about to be responsible for a very, very extraordinary event.
And as the clocked ticked over to midnight on July 31st, these people and even more across the wizarding world awoke with a start as that very unordinary boy, called Harry Potter, awoke on his 14th birthday with a scream like none before.
It’s two and a half years later and I’m still writing this fic. 46 chapters and 375k words in and I’m still not done. It’s been a beast that has grown with me and I’m grateful to everyone coming along on the journey. There’s at least a couple hundred words left to go but I’m so excited to see the reactions to what I have planned.
Or: Why He Says "Adequate" When He Means "I Love It"
The Core Truth About Snape
Severus Snape isn't actually that difficult to write—but you have to understand his emotional filtering system. Every thought, reaction, and word passes through multiple layers of self-protection before it reaches his mouth. Understanding these layers is the key to writing him authentically.
The Four Foundational Rules
1. He Analyzes Everything First
Snape's default mode is analytical. He doesn't react—he assesses, categorizes, then responds. However, his analysis is colored by pessimism: if it can go wrong, it probably will. His working assumption is always "assume the worst until proven otherwise."
Example:
Normal person: "They're being nice to me!"
Snape: "They're being nice. Why? What do they want?"
2. He Believes He's the Smartest Person in the Room
Always. This isn't arrogance (though it looks like it)—it's a defense mechanism born from years of being dismissed and underestimated. When someone says something foolish, it confirms his worldview: no one sees things as clearly as he does.
This means:
He's condescending by default (they genuinely don't understand)
He's perpetually disappointed (they keep proving him right)
He's isolated by his own intellect (no one operates on his level)
3. He Cannot Handle Emotion
Any feeling—positive or negative—gets immediately masked. His go-to deflections are:
Preferred: Sarcasm (appears unbothered, maintains control)
Fallback: Anger (when emotion breaks through despite his efforts)
Anger isn't his first choice—it's what happens when he loses control. Sarcasm lets him feel superior and detached. Anger reveals he's been affected, which he hates.
4. He Believes He's Fundamentally Unlovable
This is the core wound. Snape operates from the belief that:
No one will ever truly care about him
Anyone who tries has ulterior motives
Emotional self-protection > any potential relationship
Pushing people away is survival, not cruelty
The Tragic Cycle:
Someone genuinely tries to get close
He pushes them away (testing/protecting)
They withdraw (natural response to rejection)
He interprets their withdrawal as proof they had ulterior motives all along
Confirms he was right to push them away
Repeat
It's devastatingly self-fulfilling.
Snape Contains Multitudes (And Hates It)
Here's the thing about Snape that trips up a lot of writers: he's walking contradiction, and you shouldn't try to fix that.
Snape is simultaneously:
Brilliant and petty
Brave and cowardly (faces Voldemort regularly but can't face his own feelings)
Selfless and selfish (saves Harry's life repeatedly while tormenting him)
Desperate for connection but actively sabotages it
Craves respect but makes himself deliberately unlikable
Capable of immense love and immense cruelty, often in the same breath
For writers: These contradictions aren't flaws in his character—they're the point. He's a deeply damaged person who has never healed, so he's walking around full of unresolved tension, unprocessed trauma, and competing impulses.
Don't try to reconcile these contradictions. Don't make him "consistently cruel" or "secretly soft." Let him be both. Let him be unfair. Let him save someone's life and then be needlessly cruel to them five minutes later. Let him care deeply about something and then mock someone else for caring about the same thing.
Best Approach:
Snape is genuinely cruel AND genuinely caring, and those two things exist in him simultaneously without canceling each other out. He hasn't integrated his trauma, so he's fragmented. That's what makes him compelling.
Control is Survival
To understand Snape's behavior, you have to understand his relationship with control—because for him, control isn't about power, it's about survival.
Why Control Matters So Much:
Snape's childhood was defined by chaos and powerlessness:
Poverty (Spinner's End)
Abuse (his father)
Helplessness (couldn't protect his mother, couldn't escape)
Social isolation (the weird poor kid)
As an adult, he's obsessed with control because it's the only thing standing between him and that childhood vulnerability. If he can control the situation, he can't be hurt the way he was hurt as a child.
How This Manifests:
Intellectual superiority → If I'm the smartest, I see things coming, I can't be caught off guard
Emotional suppression → If I don't feel it, it can't control me or be used against me
Anticipating worst-case scenarios → If I expect the worst, I'm prepared; I can't be disappointed
Cruelty as preemptive strike → If I hurt you first, you can't hurt me; I control when and how pain happens
Rigid routine/environment → Predictability = safety (his classroom never changes, his behavior is consistent)
What Happens When He Loses Control:
When someone surprises him, outsmarts him, or makes him feel something unexpected, Snape doesn't just get angry—he gets vicious. It's not proportional because it's not really about the current situation. It's panic dressed as cruelty.
For writers: If you want to rattle Snape, make him lose control of:
Information (someone knows something he doesn't)
A situation (things spiral beyond his management)
His emotions (someone makes him feel something he didn't authorize)
His environment (forced into unfamiliar territory)
His response will be disproportionately harsh because you've triggered his core fear: powerlessness.
How to Write Snape's Dialogue: The Translation Process
Let's say Snape sees a flower he likes (a lily, perhaps?).
Normal person's thought:
"Oh, that's a really pretty flower! I would love to have one."
Snape's internal process:
Step 1: Analyze First
Why is it appealing? What specifically draws my attention?
→ "That flower looks well cared for—bright, healthy, colorful. I would like one."
Step 2: Add Intellectual Precision
Remove casual language. Use technical/formal vocabulary.
→ "The plant appears well maintained and visually appealing. I believe I would want one for myself."
Step 3: Strip All Emotion
Remove any indication of personal desire or feeling. Make it observational.
→ "The plant is well maintained and visually appealing."
Step 4: Minimize + Add Careful Pauses
Use the fewest words possible. Pauses indicate he's selecting words deliberately.
→ "The plant is... adequate."
And that's Snape dialogue.
He's gone from "I love this and want it!" to "adequate"—but if you understand his filtering system, you know those mean the same thing.
Additional Dialogue Patterns:
Questions as weapons:
He rarely asks genuine questions. Questions are tools for:
Exposing incompetence ("Can you explain your reasoning, Mr. Potter, or is that beyond your capabilities?")
Asserting superiority ("Do you expect me to believe that?")
Controlling conversation ("And why, precisely, would I care?")
Silence as punctuation:
Snape's pauses aren't hesitation—they're calculated. A pause before responding makes the other person uncomfortable, gives him time to formulate the most cutting response, and signals that their comment wasn't worth an immediate reply.
Formal speech as armor:
The more emotional he's feeling, the more formal and precise his language becomes. Contractions disappear. Sentences become clipped. If he's really rattled, his vocabulary becomes almost comically elevated—it's a retreat into intellectualism when emotion threatens.
What His Body Does When His Mouth Won't
Snape's physicality is just as controlled as his dialogue, but his body language often betrays him before his words do.
Snape's Physical Vocabulary:
Stillness as power
Doesn't fidget, doesn't pace (unless truly agitated)
Can stand motionless for extended periods
Uses stillness to make others uncomfortable
Economy of movement (nothing wasted, nothing revealed)
Looming and spatial invasion
Uses his height to intimidate
Invades personal space deliberately
Stands too close when he wants to unsettle someone
Towers over students (physical reminder of power imbalance)
The voice as weapon
Soft = dangerous (the softer he gets, the more trouble you're in)
Loud = loss of control (if he's yelling, you've genuinely gotten to him)
Silky/drawling = performing cruelty (enjoying your discomfort)
Sharp/clipped = barely contained emotion
Hands tell the truth
Clasped behind back = restraint, control, preventing himself from action
Clenched = barely contained emotion
Touching his wand = grounding himself, checking it's there, preparing
Steepled fingers = thinking, calculating, judging
Sudden movement = control slipping
For Writers: When Control Slips Physically
Snape's body betrays him before his words do. If you want to show he's rattled without having him say it:
A hand tremor (quickly controlled)
Moving too quickly (then forcing himself to slow)
Standing too close (invading space because he's feeling invaded)
Voice going too soft (overcorrecting for emotion)
A sharp intake of breath (suppressed reaction)
Eyes widening fractionally (surprise he immediately masks)
Touching his wand reflexively (seeking comfort/control)
Example:
His hand moved to his wand—not drawing it, just... touching it. Grounding himself. Checking it was still there. His fingers wrapped around the wood for a breath, two, before he forced them away and clasped both hands behind his back.
This tells you: He's rattled, seeking control, and forcing himself back into his controlled posture.
The Smartest Person in the Room: A Hierarchy
Snape doesn't treat all "not smart" the same way. Understanding the distinction helps you write his interactions more authentically.
Response: Frustrated, condescending, but occasionally lets a decent attempt pass without comment
Why: He recognizes effort even if he despises the lack of natural talent
The tell: If Snape says nothing when Neville does something right, that's his version of praise
For writers: This is grudging acknowledgment at best, never warmth
Genuine stupidity (Crabbe, Goyle)
Response: Dismissive, writes them off entirely, barely wastes energy
Why: They're beneath his notice; can't fix stupid
The tell: He doesn't even bother insulting them creatively—it's not worth the effort
For writers: Use short, bored dismissals ("Out") rather than elaborate takedowns
Willful ignorance (people who should know better)
Response: Rage. This is what truly enrages him.
Why: They could be better and choose not to be, which is unforgivable to someone who clawed his way up from nothing through sheer intellect
Examples: Harry not reading instructions, Lockhart being a fraud, people who coast on privilege
The tell: His cruelty becomes personal and creative
For writers: This is where the cutting remarks come out, where he'll humiliate someone publicly, where his anger is cold and precise
Fake expertise (Lockhart, frauds)
Response: Barely concealed contempt mixed with amusement at their inevitable downfall
Why: He knows they'll be exposed; he's just waiting for it
The tell: Snide remarks, letting them hang themselves with their own incompetence
For writers: He's patient with these people because their failure is inevitable and he'll enjoy watching it
What Actually Impresses Snape (And He'll Never Admit It)
If you're writing Snape in any kind of relationship—friendship, mentorship, romance, rivalry—you need to understand what earns his respect. Because without respect, you have nothing.
What Snape Respects:
✅ Competence without arrogance
Do good work, don't brag about it
Let your results speak for themselves
Example: Hermione's actually good at potions; he hates that he can't fault her work
✅ Standing up to him intelligently
With facts, logic, or genuine counterarguments
Not with emotional outbursts or moral posturing
Example: Hermione correcting him with evidence = grudging respect; Harry mouthing off = rage
The key: Challenge his conclusions, not his authority
✅ Seeing through his bullshit
If you call him on his deflection tactics and don't back down, he's intrigued (even if furious)
Shows you're actually paying attention
Means you're not easily manipulated
Warning: This only works if you're also competent; otherwise you're just annoying
✅ People who don't need his approval
Desperation repulses him
Indifference intrigues him
If you don't care whether he likes you, you're more interesting than 95% of people
Example: McGonagall doesn't give a damn what he thinks, and he respects her for it
Not Quidditch, popularity, or emotional intelligence
Exception: He respects Dumbledore's manipulation skills even though it's emotional—because it's strategic emotional manipulation
✅ Quiet strength
People who endure without complaining
Strength that doesn't need to announce itself
Example: Lupin's quiet dignity in the face of discrimination
What He Does NOT Respect:
❌ Emotional vulnerability without accompanying strength
❌ People who fold under pressure
❌ Blind optimism or naivety
❌ Anyone who reminds him of James Potter (arrogance, entitlement, charm-based success)
❌ People who coast on privilege, looks, or popularity
❌ Moral grandstanding without personal sacrifice
❌ Seeking his approval or validation
For Writers: Cracking Snape's Walls
If you want to write someone who actually gets through to Snape, they need to:
Earn his respect first (be good at something he values)
Stand their ground (don't back down when he pushes)
Not need him (indifference is more attractive than eagerness)
See through his defenses (recognize what he's doing and why)
Give him space (forced proximity works; forced intimacy doesn't)
Match his intellect (he needs someone who can keep up)
Not pity him (pity is humiliating; understanding is different)
Common Mistake:
Writing someone who "fixes" Snape with love and patience.
Better Approach:
Writing someone who's compelling enough that Snape chooses to do the work of letting them in—slowly, grudgingly, with frequent backsliding.
Common Misconceptions
"Snape is incapable of love"
Wrong. Snape is terrified of love and believes he doesn't deserve it—which is entirely different from being incapable of it.
His intense attachment to Lily and Dumbledore isn't evidence he can only love them—it's evidence that he latches onto the rare people who seemed to care for him despite his flaws. The problem? Neither relationship was healthy:
Lily:
Abandoned him after he called her a slur (understandable), but then dated his bully (brutal). It wasn't just leaving—it was choosing James Potter, the person who tormented Snape for sport, who had sexually assaulted him, who made his life hell for years. That's not just moving on; that's choosing his abuser's side and erasing their entire friendship. The person who was supposed to understand him best chose the person who understood him least—and made it look effortless.
Dumbledore:
Manipulated his guilt and grief into unconditional loyalty. I don't think Dumbledore was malicious—just emotionally disconnected enough not to realize (or care about) the damage he was doing. He used Snape's love for Lily as a leash and called it redemption.
The real issue: Snape doesn't know what healthy love looks like. His mother couldn't protect him. Lily abandoned him. Dumbledore used him. So he pushes love away, assuming it will hurt him eventually—because in his experience, it always does.
Someone who won't be a punching bag (pushes back, doesn't let him weaponize his damage)
Time (enough exposure that his defenses slowly erode despite his best efforts)
Respect established first (he has to respect them before he can trust them)
This is actually harder to write than "emotionally unavailable man learns to feel"—because Snape already feels too much. He's built elaborate fortifications against his own emotions, and dismantling them is terrifying.
"He could never move on from Lily because he'd feel like he's betraying her"
Also wrong.
Snape's love for Lily is on a pedestal, yes—but not because he feels romantically loyal to her memory. She wasn't loyal to him (see: James Potter). His devotion to her memory is about:
Guilt → He got her killed by telling Voldemort the prophecy
Debt → Keeping Harry safe is how he atones
Dumbledore's manipulation → Leveraging that guilt into eternal servitude
Lost possibility → She represents the person he could have been if things had gone differently
She represents his lost happiness, his greatest mistake, and his last connection to the person he was before he became what he is. But that doesn't mean he's incapable of moving on—it means he'd need someone patient enough (and compelling enough) to let him hold both truths simultaneously:
I loved her and I lost her, and she's gone, and I can still care for someone new.
For writers: Moving on from Lily doesn't mean forgetting her or stopping his protection of Harry. It means accepting that he can honor her memory and build something new. These aren't mutually exclusive unless he makes them so.
Let's Look at How Canon Does It
Sometimes the best way to understand a character is to see them in action. Let's break down some iconic Snape moments and examine why they work.
Example 1: "Turn to page 394" (PoA, Lupin's classroom)
The Scene:
Snape takes over Lupin's Defense Against the Dark Arts class without warning, immediately assigns werewolf readings (targeting Lupin), and dismisses the students' concerns entirely.
Why This Works:
✅ Enters silently (intimidation through presence alone—he doesn't need to announce himself)
✅ Doesn't explain (assumes authority, doesn't justify his presence)
✅ Ignores their confusion ("But sir, we're not supposed to—" "Turn. To. Page. 394.")
✅ Dismissive of their concerns (they're children; their opinions are irrelevant)
✅ Controls through stillness and tone (never raises his voice, but everyone obeys)
✅ Strategic cruelty (the werewolf assignment isn't random—it's a message to Lupin)
For writers: Notice how much Snape accomplishes without explaining himself. He doesn't need to justify, defend, or elaborate. His authority is assumed, and his silence is more powerful than any speech.
Example 2: The Unbreakable Vow (HBP, Spinner's End)
The Scene:
Bellatrix and Narcissa arrive at Snape's home. Bellatrix openly questions his loyalty to Voldemort. Snape turns her suspicion into an Unbreakable Vow to protect Draco.
Why This Works:
✅ Analyzes the situation instantly (Bellatrix is testing him, Narcissa is desperate, both are useful)
✅ Appears calm while making a life-or-death decision (shows no fear, no hesitation)
✅ Uses Bellatrix's assumptions against her (turns her trap into proof of loyalty)
✅ Commits to protecting Draco while hiding true motives (Dumbledore's plan, but Bella thinks it's for Voldemort)
✅ Controls the entire interaction (he's in danger but never shows it)
For writers: This is Snape's strategic mind at work. He's simultaneously:
Protecting his cover
Following Dumbledore's orders
Manipulating Bellatrix
Saving Draco
Concealing his terror
And he does it all while appearing bored. That's mastery of self-control.
Example 3: "Look at me" (DH, the Shrieking Shack)
The Scene:
Snape is dying from Nagini's attack. His last words to Harry are "Look at me"—he wants to see Lily's eyes one final time.
Why This Works:
✅ Only moment of total vulnerability in the entire series
✅ Still trying to control the situation (needs Harry to take the memories, see the truth)
✅ Dies reaching for connection (eye contact = intimacy he normally avoids at all costs)
✅ Finally lets someone see him (because he has nothing left to lose)
✅ Doesn't apologize or explain (even dying, he won't justify himself)
For writers: This is devastating because it's the only time Snape drops his defenses completely. Seven books of walls, and they all come down in his last thirty seconds. Notice what he doesn't say:
No "I'm sorry"
No "Tell Harry I—"
No explanation
Just "Look at me"
He doesn't ask for forgiveness or understanding. He just wants to see Lily's eyes one more time before he dies. That's it. That's all he allows himself.
The Lesson: Snape's most powerful moment is his most vulnerable one, and even then, he barely says anything. His restraint is what makes it hurt so much.
What These Scenes Teach Us:
Silence is power (Snape says less than you'd expect, and it's more effective)
Control under pressure (the worse the situation, the calmer he appears)
Strategic cruelty (his cruelty always serves a purpose)
Actions over words (he rarely explains; his actions speak)
Vulnerability only at the end (defenses down only when death is certain)
For writers: Study his contradictions. He's cruel to Harry for seven books, we watch him murder Dumbledore, and we still cry when he dies. That's masterful character work. The key? He's never softened. We just see why he was the way he was.
Quick Reference Guide for Writers
✅ DO:
Let him be contradictory (cruel AND caring, brave AND cowardly)
Show emotion through physical tells before dialogue
Make him the smartest person in the room (he always is)
Use silence and pauses as weapons
Have him analyze situations before reacting
Make his cruelty serve a purpose (control, protection, deflection)
Let sarcasm be his default; anger means he's lost control
Remember he believes everyone has ulterior motives
Show that loss of control terrifies him
Earn his respect before trying to earn his trust
❌ DON'T:
Have him apologize easily (he won't, even when wrong)
Write him crying or breaking down unless it's EARNED (his control is everything)
Make him emotionally available just because someone is patient (it takes YEARS)
Have him explain his feelings clearly (he doesn't understand them himself)
Soften his edges for romance (he's not a project to fix)
Make him suddenly warm and fuzzy (vulnerability ≠ softness)
Have him fold under pressure (he thrives under pressure)
Write him forgiving easily (grudges are forever)
Give him modern therapy speak (he'd rather die)
Final Thoughts
Severus Snape isn't hard to write once you understand this:
He's not cold. He's afraid.
Every cutting remark, every wall he builds, every person he pushes away—it's all fear dressed up as superiority. He feels everything and has spent decades learning to show nothing. He's not emotionally stunted; he's emotionally overwhelmed and has armored himself against it.
The tragedy of Severus Snape isn't that he can't love.
It's that he can—deeply, painfully, all-consumingly—and he's convinced himself that no one will ever love him back.
Write him like someone who's already been hurt as badly as a person can be hurt, and who's determined never to let it happen again.
Then watch what happens when, despite his best efforts, it starts to happen anyway.
Now go forth and write the greasy dungeon bat with accuracy and depth. 🫡🖤
I recently got to start reading “As Goofy As Can Be” by @/aniita.draw and I’m so obsessed with these two 😭💕 Ship so good it got me out of an art block and Bradley’s just sooo fun to draw, so expect more of them very soon!! 💖
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