4 Reasons We Will Always Love Severus Snape

By Kristy Ellington

Updated on 1/18/2016 at 3:20 PM


Warner Bros.



In light of Alan Rickman's death, fans everywhere have been honoring his memorable role as Severus Snape in Harry Potter. His character has always been popular, however. Years ago, The Guardian posed a question to Harry Potter fans: which is your favorite character? You might assume that Harry would take the top spot, but with over 70,000 votes cast, Severus Snape was voted favorite character of the series. Here's why we will always have a soft spot in our hearts for him.

  1. He's multilayered — Snape comes across as angry, conniving, and hateful, but underneath those layers, he's caring and committed to helping a cause he believes in.
  2. He's loyal — He made a promise to Dumbledore that he would protect Harry by making everyone believe he was on Voldemort's side, even if it meant persecution after agreeing to kill Dumbledore in front of the Death Eaters.
  3. He's entertaining — Alan Rickman steals every scene he's in thanks to his impeccable portrayal of Snape on screen.
  4. He's a true romantic — More than anything else, Snape loved Lily Evans with all his heart. He carried the burden of helping to keep her son alive despite his hatred for Harry's father, James. That's true commitment from a real romantic.

We'll always be grateful for Rickman's beautiful portrayal of this character.