
Harry Potter · Character
Severus Snape
Also known as Professor Snape, Snape
- Major
- First seen · Book 1 · Ch. 6
Severus Snape is suspected by Harry, Ron in Harry Potter (Book 1).
- Gender
- male
- Age
- adult
- First appears
- Book 1 · Ch. 6
- Books
- 4
Severus Snape enters the series as the sneering, greasy-haired Potions Master of Hogwarts, whose open loathing of Harry Potter, rooted in Harry's resemblance to his father James, makes him the prime suspect in nearly every mystery. Across the first three books he remains a menacing, bat-like figure who suspects Harry at every turn, yet his actions repeatedly prove more ambiguous than they first appear, and Dumbledore's unwavering trust in him becomes a persistent puzzle. In Goblet of Fire his past comes to light: the Dark Mark on his forearm reveals him as a former Death Eater, and Karkaroff's panic and Moody's scrutiny deepen the mystery. When Voldemort returns, Dumbledore calls on Snape to undertake a dangerous mission, recasting him as a reluctant but vital ally in the coming war.
Description
A stern adult wizard with sallow skin and greasy black hair that falls around a sharp-featured face dominated by a large hooked nose. His cold black eyes lack any warmth and peer out intensely like dark tunnels, while his thin lips frequently twist into a sneer. Dressed in flowing long black robes and a billowing cloak, this tall and slender man carries an air of dark authority and brooding menace as he sweeps through the dungeons and classrooms of Hogwarts. Severus Snape is a thin man with sallow skin and greasy shoulder-length black hair that hangs lankly around his gaunt face. A hooked nose dominates his features while his black eyes glitter with sharp intelligence or malice, and his thin lips frequently curl into a sneer or flicker with a triumphant smile. He wears long black robes that ripple around him as he glides through dimly lit spaces like a large and malevolent bat, his entire demeanor creating an aura of sinister authority. A thin man with sallow skin and shoulder-length greasy black hair framing his face, Severus Snape has piercing black eyes that glitter with malice or fanatical triumph. His prominent hooked nose features long quivering nostrils, while his thin mouth curls into nasty sneers or twisted smiles that bare uneven yellowish teeth. A muscle often twitches at the corner of his thin mouth; he wears billowing black robes that swish as he strides, his entire bearing menacing and full of suppressed rage or triumph. A sallow-faced man with greasy black hair, black eyes, a hooked nose, a thin mouth, and overlarge nostrils. His expression is often sour, unpleasant, or ill-natured. He wears dark robes, sometimes with a long black cloak; at night he wears a long gray nightshirt. A Dark Mark is on his left forearm.
Connections
Family & partnersFriends & mentorsRivals

Albus Dumbledoreemployer
Snape serves as Dumbledore's Potions professor and resents some of his decisions, yet Dumbledore's absolute trust in him, despite his Death Eater past, becomes a central mystery and culminates in Snape being sent on a vital mission after Voldemort's return.
- IK
Igor Karkaroffconflicting source relationships
A former fellow Death Eater, Karkaroff seeks Snape out in growing panic as their Dark Marks darken; Snape coolly advises him to flee while choosing to stay at Hogwarts himself.
- NL
Neville Longbottomteacher
As Neville's Potions teacher, Snape terrorizes him, punishing his mistakes so harshly that Neville returns from detention badly shaken.

Alastor Moodyconflicting source relationships
Moody searches Snape's office and watches him closely, while Snape resents the scrutiny; their tense colleagueship is marked by open distrust.

Harry Potterhostile teacher
From their first lesson Snape bullies Harry, seeing in him the image of James Potter. His suspicion is constant across every year, from accusing Harry of rule-breaking to seeking Quidditch bans and harsh punishments, though his hostility coexists with hidden acts of protection.

Sirius Blackconflicting source relationships
School rivals whose mutual loathing spans decades, Snape and Sirius clash bitterly. Sirius questions Snape's Dark Arts associations, yet Dumbledore forces them into a grudging handshake and uneasy alliance against Voldemort.
Story so far
BOOK 1Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
- Singles out and humiliates Harry in his first Potions lesson
- Is suspected by Harry, Ron, and Hermione of trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone
- Appears to jinx Harry's broom during a Quidditch match, though he is actually performing a counter-curse
- Is revealed to have been protecting Harry while Quirrell was the true villain
BOOK 2Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Pushes for Harry and Ron to be punished after their flying-car arrival
- Glides through the castle as a sinister presence while the Chamber of Secrets attacks unfold
- Suspects Harry of involvement in the petrifications and pushes for a Quidditch ban
- Continues to favor Slytherin students while tormenting Gryffindors
BOOK 3Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Substitutes for Lupin and assigns an essay on werewolves, hinting at Lupin's secret
- Brews Wolfsbane Potion for Lupin despite his resentment
- Confronts Harry over the Marauder's Map
- Pursues Sirius Black with fanatical zeal, seeking revenge for old grievances
- Is enraged when Sirius escapes, ultimately exposing Lupin as a werewolf
BOOK 4Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Has his office searched by Moody, provoking mutual distrust
- Is pressed by a frightened Karkaroff, who shows him the darkening Dark Mark
- Treats Harry harshly in Potions and dismisses Hermione's injury after a duel with Malfoy
- Reveals his Dark Mark to Fudge as proof of Voldemort's return
- Shakes hands with Sirius at Dumbledore's insistence and departs on a secret mission
Key events
- Book 4
Ch. 34Barty Crouch Jr.'s RevelationThe false Mad-Eye Moody is revealed to be Barty Crouch Jr., who orchestrated the Triwizard Tournament to deliver Harry to Voldemort. - Book 4
Ch. 35Dumbledore's Confrontation with FudgeDumbledore declares a 'parting of the ways' with Minister Fudge, who refuses to accept Voldemort's return, marking the beginning of open resistance.
Gallery
Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Appearances
Meet Severus Snape in Bookworm
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