In the Harry Potter series created by J. K. Rowling, magic is depicted as a natural force that can be used to override the usual laws of nature. Many fictional magical creatures exist in the series, while ordinary creatures sometimes exhibit new magical properties in the novels' world (owls, for instance, can deliver post and, to an extent, understand humans). Objects, too, can be enhanced or imbued with magical property. The small percentage of humans who are able to perform magic are referred to as witches and wizards, in contrast to the non-magical Muggles.

In humans, magic or the lack thereof is an inborn attribute. It is inherited, carried on "dominant resilient genes".^[1] Magic is the norm in the children of magical couples and less common in those of Muggles. Exceptions exist: those unable to do magic who are born to magical parents are known as Squibs, whereas a witch or wizard born to Muggle parents is known as a Muggle-born, or by the pejorative "Mudblood". While Muggle-borns are quite common, Squibs are extremely rare.

Using magic[link]

For a person's ability to perform magic to be of use, much training is needed. When "wild", typically with young and untrained children, magic will still manifest itself subconsciously in moments of strong apprehension, fear or anger.^[2] For example, Harry Potter once made his hair grow back after a bad haircut; set a boa constrictor on his cousin Dudley at the London Zoo; and, in anger, made his Aunt Marge inflate enormously. Whilst this reaction is usually uncontrollable, Tom Marvolo Riddle, later known as Lord Voldemort, was able to "make things move without touching them...make animals do what he wanted without training them...make bad things happen to people who annoy him...or 'make them hurt if I [he] want[s] to'" when he was a young child, apparently intentionally. In addition, Lily Potter was able to guide and control the blades of a flower by wanting to.^[3] Almost all magic is done with the use of a supporting tool or focus, typically a wand. On the subject of magic without the use of a wand, Rowling says:^[4]

A wizard or witch is only at their best when using their own wand. Throughout the series, it is evident that when using another's wand, one's spells are not as strong as they normally would be.^[HP1] Ownership of a wand can transfer from one person to another if the original owner of the wand is forcibly disarmed (either magically or manually, as evident from Draco Malfoy's magical disarming of Dumbledore in Half-Blood Prince and Harry's manual disarming of Draco in Deathly Hallows). Moreover, if a person has the allegiance of more than one wand, and one of them is forcibly taken away, the other wands that respond to this person will also change their allegiance (Harry's taking Draco's hawthorn wand in Malfoy Manor in Deathly Hallows, leads to the Elder Wand also accepting Harry as its master: "Does the wand in your hand know that its last master was disarmed? Because if it does ... I am the true master of the Elder Wand.")^[HP7]

Within the books, technical details of magic are obscure. Of Harry's lessons, only those involving magical creatures, potions or divination are given in any detail.

Severus Snape once told Harry Potter that "Time and space matter in magic ..." during Harry's first Occlumency lesson in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Albus Dumbledore told Harry after finding the magically concealed boat to reach the locket Horcrux that "Magic always leaves traces, sometimes very distinctive traces."^[HP6]

The limits of magic[link]

Before publishing the first Harry Potter novel, Rowling spent five years establishing the limitations of magic; determining what it could and could not do. "The most important thing to decide when you're creating a fantasy world," she said in 2000, "is what the characters CAN'T do." For instance, while it is possible to conjure things out of thin air, it is far more tricky to create something that fits an exact specification rather than a general one; moreover, any objects so conjured tend not to last.^[5]

Harry's status as an orphan from the first book quickly establishes that resurrection of the dead is impossible. While corpses can be transformed into obedient Inferi on a living wizard's command, they are little more than zombies with no soul or will of their own. It is also possible through the rare Priori Incantatem effect to converse with ghost-like "shadows" of magically murdered people. The Resurrection Stone also allows one to talk to the dead, but those brought back by the Stone are not corporeal, nor do they wish to be disturbed from their peaceful rest. Throughout the series, this limit is continually mentioned, and wizards try to transcend it at their own folly.

Likewise, it is not possible to make oneself immortal unless one makes use of a mystical object of great power to sustain life (such as the Philosopher's Stone created by Nicolas Flamel or a Horcrux, the latter having been used by Tom Riddle). If one were to possess the three Deathly Hallows, it is fabled that they would possess the tools to become the "master of death". However, it is hinted that to be a true "master of death" is to be willing to accept that death is inevitable. Becoming a ghost is also an option for wizards and witches; however, it is said that it is "a pale imitation of life". Whether or not ghosts are sentient is not told. However, Snape states that a ghost is merely "the imprint of a departed soul left upon the earth".

True love is almost impossible to create magically, though Amortentia, a love potion, can create a powerful sense of infatuation.

Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration[link]

The Principal Exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration is a magical theory mentioned by Ronald Weasley in the final book and by Hermione in transfiguration class. She explains that food is one of these: witches or wizards can cook and prepare food using magic, but not create it. Out of the five exceptions, only food is mentioned explicitly in the series — although speculation amongst fans has proposed many other possibilities.

Rowling herself has stated once in interview that money is something wizards cannot simply materialise out of thin air,^[5] or the economic system of the Wizarding World would then be gravely flawed and disrupted. While the Philosopher's Stone does permit alchemy, this is portrayed as an extremely rare, even unique, object, whose owner does not exploit its powers.

There are numerous examples in the series of food appearing to have been conjured from nothing, such as the sudden materialisation of ingredients in the pots of Molly Weasley's kitchen and when Professor McGonagall creates a self-refilling plate of sandwiches for Harry and Ron in The Chamber of Secrets. In all cases, these events can be reasonably explained as food either being multiplied — which is allowable under Gamp's Law, according to Hermione — or transported from elsewhere. One example of this is Banqueting in Hogwarts — the food is prepared by elves in the kitchens and laid onto four replica tables, directly below the actual house tables in the Great Hall. The food is then magically transported to the tables.

Magic and emotion[link]

A witch or wizard's emotional state can affect their inherent abilities. In Half-Blood Prince, Nymphadora Tonks temporarily lost her power as a Metamorphmagus after suffering sadness over her grief for the death of Sirius Black, and for her love for Remus Lupin, who wanted to distance himself from her due to his being a werewolf. The form of her Patronus changed to reflect her depression. As related to Harry by Dumbledore, Merope Gaunt only demonstrated any magical ability when removed from her father's oppression, but then seemed to lose it again when her husband abandoned her. Many other examples of emotion-influenced magic appear throughout the series, with Ariana Dumbledore, and Harry's attack upon Aunt Marge in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, being prime examples. Several magical spells involve the use of emotion when casting them. The Patronus charm, for example, requires the caster to concentrate on a happy memory. Force of will under extenuating circumstances also helps in casting spells, and affects the force with which they are cast. An example of this is when Harry is able to conjure a corporeal Patronus when Sirius Black is in danger of being administered the Dementor's Kiss. ^[HP3]

Magic and death[link]

Death is studied in detail in a room (called the Death Chamber) of the Department of Mysteries containing an enigmatic veil. Sirius Black falls through this veil after he is hit with a curse from Bellatrix Lestrange. Magical techniques have been used to extend life. The Philosopher's Stone can be used to prepare a potion that postpones death for the rest of eternity, so long as the potion is drunk on a regular basis. Voldemort has availed himself of other methods, being one of the few wizards ever to use Horcruxes in his long sought attempt to "conquer death", and is believed to be the only one to use multiple Horcruxes. In addition, the drinking of Unicorn blood will keep a person alive even if death is imminent, but at the terrible price of being cursed forever. Being magical can contribute to one's longevity, as there are several characters in the series who are quite long-lived (such as Griselda Marchbanks, who was an invigilator during Albus Dumbledore's O.W.L examinations).

It is revealed by Nearly Headless Nick in the fifth book that all witches and wizards have the choice of becoming ghosts when they pass away. The alternative is "passing on". Nick says that he became a ghost because he was foolish, "afraid of death". All Hogwarts headmasters appear in a portrait when they die, allowing consultation by future generations.

In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Dumbledore says that there is no spell that can truly bring the dead back to life, however several cases of dead people becoming half-alive are known. In the Goblet of Fire, because of a connection between Harry and Voldemort's wands (Priori Incantatem), images of Voldemort's recent victims appear and help Harry escape. According to Harry, they seemed too solid to be ghosts.

In Deathly Hallows, a magical item known as the Resurrection Stone is said to have the power to raise the dead. According to the legend of the Deathly Hallows, however, the people do not feel as if they belong in the human world and prefer to stay in their resting place. They are merely apparitions: imitations and shadows of who they used to be.

Magic and love[link]

In Harry Potter, love is treated as a branch of magic, although it does not seem to be something that is easily controlled, rising unbidden from the emotion itself. Lily’s sacrifice on Harry’s behalf, for example, comes around at the end of the series to work to Harry’s advantage in unforeseen ways.^[HP7] Love is an important theme in the books, and it is implied that it is Voldemort’s inability to understand the concept that leads to his eventual downfall. Since he does not understand the selfless love contained in Lily’s sacrifice, he is unable to predict the consequences of Harry’s own sacrifice at the end of Deathly Hallows. Thus he is unprepared for the fact that Harry’s friends are protected from his spells.^[HP7] Voldemort also unwittingly ensures that Harry is tied to life while Voldemort lives, by taking some of his blood in the hope that he will be able to gain some of the protection that lingers in Harry as a result of Lily’s sacrifice.^[HP4]

It is implied that the inability to love is what makes Voldemort as evil as he is. Severus Snape, who voluntarily joined the Death Eaters on leaving Hogwarts, turns spy for the Order of the Phoenix when he realises that the woman he loves is being threatened by Voldemort.^[HP7] Similarly, Narcissa Malfoy’s love for her son Draco eventually leads her to betray Voldemort, directly leading to Harry’s survival^[HP7] – another oversight on Voldemort’s part. With these examples, the book strongly hints that anybody with the ability to love cannot go as far down the path of evil as Voldemort has done, and it is his complete lack of compassion that makes him capable of what he does.

Selflessness is a concept strongly tied to love in the books. Sacrifice of one’s life for the people one loves is seen in Harry’s case as well as Lily’s. Also, when confronting Wormtail about his betrayal of the Potters, Sirius tells him “You should have died for them! As we would have done for you!”^[HP3]

Spellcasting[link]

Spells are the every-purpose tools of a wizard or witch; short bursts of magic used to accomplish single specialised tasks such as opening locks or creating fire. Typically casting requires an incantation, most often in a modified form of Latin (see Dog Latin), and gesturing with a wand. However, these seem to be aids to the will only; wands are in most cases required, but there are indications that sufficiently advanced witches and wizards can perform spells without them. Spells can also be cast non-verbally, but with a wand. This technique is taught in the sixth year of study at Hogwarts and requires the caster to concentrate on the incantation. Some spells (e.g. Levicorpus) are apparently designed to be used non-verbally. While most magic shown in the books requires the caster to use their voice, some do not (and this may depend on the witch or wizard). Dumbledore has been known to do impressive feats of magic without speaking, such as conjuring enough squashy purple sleeping bags to accommodate the entire student population^[HP3] or during his duel with Voldemort towards the end of Order of the Phoenix.

It is evidently also possible to use a wand without holding it. Harry himself performs Lumos to light his wand when it is lying on the ground somewhere near him^[HP5]. Additionally, Animagi and Metamorphmagi do not need wands to undergo their transformations.

Spells are divided into rough categories, such as "charms", "curses", "hexes", or "jinxes". Although offensive and potentially dangerous curses exist in number, three are considered usable only for great evil, which earns them the special classification of "Unforgivable Curses".

Magical abilities[link]

The following is a list of special abilities that a wizard or witch in the Harry Potter universe may have.

Animagi transformation[link]

An Animagus (portmanteau of animal and magus)is a witch or wizard who can turn into a particular animal or magical creature at will. This ability is not innate: it must be acquired by magical means. All Animagi must register at a central authority; it is illegal to obtain this ability without registering, although out of the six Animagi described as such in the books (Minerva McGonagall, Rita Skeeter, James Potter, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew), only McGonagall is mentioned as a registered Animagus.

Animagi transformation is one of the few forms of magic that can be performed deliberately wandlessly. This is exemplified when both Sirius and Peter are left wandless for over 10 years, both retaining the ability with supposedly no ill effects. When Animagi transform, the animal appears to be a normal animal. However, during Prisoner of Azkaban, it is noted that Ron's pet rat, Scabbers (later revealed as Peter Pettigrew's animagus form) has lived over twelve years when only expected to live three. Also, an animagus in animal form retains the ability to think like a human, which is the principal difference from being an animagus and being transfigured into an animal. Also, while in their human forms, both Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew were noted to look something like their animal forms.

Each Animagus has a specific animal form, and cannot transform into any other animal. The animal cannot be chosen: it is uniquely suited to that individual's personality, like the Patronus Charm, and in most cases the Animagus will change into the same animal used in the person's Patronus charm. (McGonagall's Patronus is a cat, like her Animagus form; James Potter's was a stag, which was also his Animagus form.) Similarly, when an Animagus transforms it is always into the same animal (i.e. same markings, same colours, etc.). When an Animagus registers, they must record all the defining physical traits of their animal form so that the Ministry can identify them.

Explicit emphasis is made in the books on the differences between Animagi and werewolves. Animagi have full control over their transformations and retain their minds, whereas werewolves' transformations are involuntary and include severe changes in personality. After the person has transformed into a werewolf, he no longer remembers who he is; he would kill his best friend if he got anywhere near him. A werewolf only responds to the call of his own kind. The only way that a werewolf can retain his sanity, intelligence and memory while transformed is using the Wolfsbane Potion.

Rowling also makes it clear in The Tales of Beedle the Bard that an animagus is not the same as a wizard simply transfiguring themselves into an animal. The former ability, as mentioned above, allows the witch or wizard to maintain their own mind and human powers of reasoning and memory. The latter, however, would cause the person to gain the brain of the animal they have transfigured into. This would lead to the obvious problem that they would forget that they were a wizard and be trapped, unknowingly, in this form for the rest of that creature's lifespan unless transformed back by another wizard.

Metamorphmagi[link]

A Metamorphmagus (a portmanteau of metamorph and magus) is a witch or wizard born with the innate ability to change some or all of their appearance at will. The talent cannot be acquired; a witch or wizard who has it must be born with it.

Nymphadora Tonks and her son, Teddy Lupin are currently the only known Metamorphmagi in the series; it is a very rare ability, possibly hereditary. Tonks is known to change her hair colour and style according to her mood. Indeed, she even appears as an old woman on occasion. She can also change her nose appearance, as she does when eating with the Weasley family to entertain Ginny and Hermione. Her son, Teddy Lupin, also inherited this trait, as his hair is mentioned repeatedly changing colour.

The extent of these appearance-altering abilities and the limits thereof are not entirely clear. According to Rowling, a Metamorphmagus can alter his or her appearance completely, for instance, from black to white, young to old, handsome to plain and so on.^[6] In one example, Tonks changes her facial appearance by reshaping her nose into "a beaklike protuberance like Snape's", to "something resembling a button mushroom", and "one like a pig snout" which reminded Harry of his cousin Dudley.^[7]

Parseltongue[link]

Parseltongue is the language of snakes. It is, in the common mind, associated with Dark Magic (although Dumbledore stated that it is not necessarily an evil quality), and those possessing the ability to speak it ("Parselmouths") are very rare. It appears to be a skill acquired through learning or via a method of xenoglossia, such as through genetic inheritance (or by use of Dark or dangerous Magic). Harry is a Parselmouth: it is revealed in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to be due to Voldemort's passing on some of his abilities to Harry the night he tried to kill him. In Deathly Hallows it is revealed that it is a part of Voldemort's soul within Harry that grants him this ability, which is later destroyed leaving Harry stripped of the ability.^[8]

Other known Parselmouths include: Salazar Slytherin and his descendants, including the Gaunts and Voldemort. Dumbledore can also understand Parseltongue; however, he learnt it and did not naturally possess the ability.^[9] In Half-Blood Prince he repeats Morfin Gaunt's words "the big house over the way", which were spoken in Parseltongue.

Ron uses Parseltongue in the final book to reopen the Chamber of Secrets, but only because he hears Harry talking parseltongue in his sleep.

Rowling borrowed the term from "an old word for someone who has a problem with the mouth, like a hare lip".^[10]

Flying[link]

Flight without aid of a broomstick or other object is a relatively rare ability. Voldemort can do this without the aid of a broom or carpet, as can Snape.

Objects are also known to be enchanted so they fly. Sirius had a flying motorbike that he lent to Hagrid to bring Harry to the Dursley's, and Arthur Weasley enchanted a Ford Anglia to fly. However, because of a loophole in the law (it is illegal to enchant certain Muggle artifacts) that Mr. Weasley himself made, he was not technically in the wrong.^[HP2] The enchantments cast on these machines do not affect their normal functions and purposes, except the ability of flight.

Seers[link]

A Seer is a witch or wizard with the clairvoyant ability to predict future events. The predictions given through this ability can sometimes be self-fulfilling prophecies, and Dumbledore states in Order of the Phoenix that not all of them come true, depending on the choices made by those mentioned. This would seem to indicate that a Seer predicts possible or likely events, at least in some cases. Sybill Trelawney is noted to never remember that she has made a prophecy when it is a true one. She speaks in a hoarse voice and only if a wizard is present will anyone know about it.

In the Hall of Prophecy at the Department of Mysteries, thousands upon thousands of glass spheres are imbued with records of prophecies made by Seers. Only a person mentioned in a prophecy can safely retrieve it; anyone else who tries to do so will be driven insane.

According to McGonagall, true Seers are extremely rare. Sybill Trelawney is the only Seer portrayed in the books, although it is mentioned that Sybill's great-great-grandmother, Cassandra Trelawney, was a renowned Seer in her day. Trelawney is considered an "old fraud" by her students, and is sacked by Dolores Umbridge in the fifth book for it. However, she has twice made true prophecies (not counting minor predictions such as Neville's breaking a teacup). It is unclear whether Trelawney's visions of the Grim 'following' Harry in his third year are Sirius Black in Animagus form or just Trelawney being melodramatic and predicting the tragic death of a student as she has done every year.

Legilimency and Occlumency[link]

Legilimency is the magical skill of extracting feelings and memories from another person's mind — a form of magical "telepathy" (although Snape, an able practitioner of the art, dismisses the colloquial term, "mind-reading", as a drastic oversimplification). It also allows one to convey visions or memories to another person, whether real or imaginary. A witch or wizard possessing this skill is called a Legilimens, and can, for example, detect lies and deceit in another person, witness memories in another person's past, or "plant" false visions in another's mind.

The counter-skill to Legilimency is Occlumency (and its user, known as an Occlumens), by which one can compartmentalise one's emotions, or prevent a Legilimens from discovering thoughts or memories which contradict one's spoken words or actions. An advanced form of Occlumency is planting false temporary memories inside an Occlumens´ own head while blocking all other true memories, so if a Legilimens, even a highly skilled one, were to attempt to read the mind he or she would find false memories only and believe everything was right. This is how Snape was able to lie to Voldemort for years.

Voldemort, Snape, and Dumbledore are all known to be skilled in Legilimency and Occlumency. Throughout the books, Snape is repeatedly said to be highly skilled in Occlumency. Voldemort is said to be the master of Legilimency by Snape, as he, in almost all cases, immediately knows during conversations if someone lies to him.

The skills are first mentioned in Order of the Phoenix, (though Harry gets the impression before that Snape can read minds) wherein Snape is instructed by Dumbledore to give Harry lessons in Occlumency. Whether as a result of negligence in Snape's instruction, or poor aptitude on Harry's part, Harry never made any progress in the skill, and as a result he was lured by Voldemort through a carefully calculated vision he falsely believed to be real. Only once has Harry managed to overcome Snape with the use of Occlumency, in Order of the Phoenix.^[11] It seems that not everyone is able to master Occlumency. Also, although it appears to be an advanced form of magic, a young wizard can learn to be an Occlumens (Draco Malfoy was able to block Snape's attempt to use Legilimency on him in his 6th year, after being taught Occlumency by Bellatrix Lestrange). Near the end of Order of the Phoenix, Harry learns from Dumbledore that his love for Sirius is what caused Voldemort to release his possession of Harry. Revolting from the love in Harry, Voldemort feared the further use of Legilimency on Harry, drawing away from their connection. This allows Harry to freely see/feel Voldemort's thoughts/emotions in the next two books. In Deathly Hallows, Harry finally does master Occlumency - shutting his mind to Voldemort - when Dobby dies. He realises that his grief - or what Dumbledore calls it, love - is what can block out the Dark Lord.

Bellatrix Lestrange, Draco Malfoy, Narcissa Malfoy and Barty Crouch, Jr also have skill in Occlumency, since Bellatrix was clearly said to have taught Draco to shield his thoughts from Snape.^[HP6] It was never clearly said that Narcissa was an Occlumens, but since she successfully managed to prevent Voldemort (the master of Legilimency) from detecting her lie about Harry's death, she is very likely to be one.^[HP7]

Legilimency and Occlumency are not part of the normal curriculum at Hogwarts, and most students would graduate without learning them. They seem to be considered a more advanced form of magic.

Apparition and Disapparition[link]

Apparition is a magical form of teleportation, through which a witch or wizard can disappear ("Disapparate") from one location and reappear ("Apparate") in another. It is sometimes accompanied by a distinctive cracking or popping sound, though this is associated with ineptitude rather than success; the most skilled wizards can Apparate "so suddenly and silently" that they seem to have "popped out of the ground" (Dumbledore). The act is also accompanied by a very unpleasant squeezing sensation, as though being sent through a tight rubber tube, according to Harry.^[HP6]

The Ministry of Magic licenses Apparition, and a witch or wizard must be 17 years old or older and have a licence to Apparate as a means of transportation in much the same way Muggle governments require individuals to have a licence to drive a motor vehicle. Students at Hogwarts may attend Ministry-administered Apparition lessons during their sixth year, and may take their examination once they turn seventeen. It is shown that although it is possible to Apparate without a licence, it is not usually done (unless in lessons) and is illegal. In Deathly Hallows, Harry does not possess a licence, but since his Trace has been lifted, the Ministry is likely unaware that he does it.

Learning to Apparate is difficult, and students run the risk of splinching — being physically split between the origin and destination — which requires the assistance of the Ministry's Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to undo properly, although essence of dittany can also mend certain wounds. Splinching is quite common during lessons, and can be uncomfortable (and at times rather gruesome) depending on the body parts splinched, but is ultimately harmless if properly reversed. It is implied that though Ron can Apparate, he isn't terribly skilled at it, seeing as he splinches himself at least twice (once losing half an eyebrow and the other time two fingernails); Harry and Hermione both pick up the skill quickly in comparison.

It is considered rude to Apparate directly into a private area, such as a home. Dumbledore states in Half-Blood Prince that it would be "quite as rude as kicking down the front door". For this reason, and for reasons of security, many homes also have Anti-Apparition spells protecting them from uninvited intrusions. The accepted way to travel to a home is to Apparate to a nearby location and continue to the final destination on foot. Apparition is considered unreliable over long distances, and even experienced users of the technique sometimes prefer other means of transport, such as broomsticks. Indeed, even the prodigiously skilled Lord Voldemort elects to fly back to England after visiting the far-flung Nurmengard.

For reasons of security, the grounds and buildings of Hogwarts are protected by ancient Anti-Apparition and Anti-Disapparition spells, which prevent humans from Apparition in the school grounds. This does not extend to magical creatures such as house-elves and phoenixes, who can still use their own form of Apparition. There is also a spell that prevents individuals from Apparating, which Dumbledore places on the Death Eaters captured at the Ministry in Order of the Phoenix; a sister spell, which allows one to Apparate into a location but prevents them from Disapparating out of it, is cast by the Death Eaters in Hogsmeade in concordance with the Caterwauling Charm.

As noted above, certain magical creatures that can Apparate and Disapparate are governed by a different set of laws than apply to witches and wizards. Dobby, Kreacher and the rest of the house-elf population can Apparate within the Hogwarts grounds, as is demonstrated on multiple occasions, most notably when Dobby visits Harry in the hospital wing, and when Dobby and Kreacher are summoned by Harry and assigned to tail Draco Malfoy (and subsequently return to give reports on his activities). Kreacher is also able to Disapparate from the enchanted cave back to Number 12, Grimmauld Place; Dobby is able to Apparate into the cellar at Malfoy Manor despite protective charms, and rescues Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas and Mr Ollivander via Side-Along Apparition. The phoenix Fawkes Disapparates from the headmaster's office at Hogwarts along with Dumbledore when the latter manages to evade arrest at the hands of Ministry officials in Order of the Phoenix; though it is cited in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" that phoenixes can Apparate, it is unclear in this situation whether Fawkes's involvement was absolutely necessary to get Dumbledore out of the office.

A witch or wizard can use Side-Along Apparition to take others with them during Apparition. Dumbledore successfully transports Harry this way several times, and notably, Harry's first non-lesson attempt at the skill is the Side-Along Apparition with the weakened Dumbledore when they return from the seaside cave. Despite this one example of skill coming through in a pinch, the ability to successfully lead a Side-Along Apparition may require more advanced skill or at least more concentration, as Hermione does cause serious damage to Ron's arm when she Side-Along Apparates with both boys in a moment of great stress. The consequences of attempting to Apparate or even Side-Along Apparate without a wand are unclear but considered in Deathly Hallows. After their narrow and bungled escape from the Ministry, Ron wonders what will happen to Reg and Mary Cattermole, since the latter's wand was confiscated from her upon signing in at the Ministry due to her questionable Blood Status. This unanswered question may be an insinuation that Muggles cannot participate even in Side-Along Apparition.

In the Order of the Phoenix film, Death Eaters and Order members Apparate and Disapparate in clouds of smoke. Death Eaters appear and disappear in black smoke, Order members in white. In the film, both sides also appear to be able to "half-apparate" in which their bodies were made out of smoke, giving them the ability to fly. This is not canon to the books and probably just used for more cinematic, atmospheric purposes. Interestingly, both times Fred and George apparated and disapparated, they did it with a pop as in the books.

In the books, the words "Apparate" and "Disapparate", like many other neologisms used by Rowling, are capitalised, whereas established English words such as "jinx" and "hex" are not. The words themselves are most likely derived from the French apparaître and disparaître, meaning 'to appear' and 'to disappear'. Another possible derivation is from the English word “apparition”, meaning "a supernatural appearance of a person or thing; anything that appears, especially something remarkable or startling; an act of appearing", which comes from the Latin "apparitio", meaning attendance. "Disapparate" probably comes from the same word but with the prefix: “dis-” expressing negation or reversal.

Other teleportation[link]

Some other forms of instantaneous travel occur, such as a house elf's ability to teleport or Fawkes's ability to appear and disappear in a burst of flame. (In Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, it is stated that all phoenixes have this ability.) In the novels, Harry refers to this as "Apparition" but this may be because of his inexperience and not the actual fact. This theory is further reinforced as neither Fawkes nor house-elves are restricted by anti-Apparition magic. Fawkes also vanishes silently and in a burst of flame, whereas a wizard Apparating is accompanied by a very loud "crack" (or a quiet "pop") with no visible effect.

The Floo Network is another form of magical travel. By throwing a pinch of Floo Powder into the ordinary flames of a fireplace that has been connected to the Floo Network (regulated by the Ministry of Magic), the flames will turn a brilliant emerald green and pose no physical harm. A witch or wizard of any age may then state the name of their destination, loudly and clearly, and then step into the flames and be whisked through the Network to the fireplace at their destination. Harry's first experience is bungled when he shouts "diagonally" instead of "Diagon Alley", and ends up in Borgin & Burkes in dodgy Knockturn Alley.

Another method of teleportation is by Portkey, the use of which is also regulated by the Ministry of Magic. A Portkey can be any seemingly harmless object, like a football or a tea kettle, and they are often chosen for their pedestrian qualities in that they can be left lying around without attracting the attention of Muggles. Portkeys work by teleporting themselves and anyone touching them at a pre-scheduled time to a specific destination. Harry, the Weasleys, and Amos and Cedric Diggory take a Portkey to the Quidditch World Cup in Goblet of Fire. The Triwizard Cup is a turned into the Portkey that takes Harry and Cedric to the cemetery where Voldemort's father was buried. In Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore creates an illegal Portkey to take Harry and the Weasley children to Number 12, Grimmauld Place after Mr. Weasley is injured. At the beginning of Deathly Hallows, when Harry is moved from Privet Drive to the Burrow via safehouses, each Order-Member-and-fake-Harry pair takes a Portkey from their safehouse to the Burrow.

Vanishing Cabinets are another method of teleportation as long as they have a twin. In Half-Blood Prince, the Vanishing Cabinet at Borgin & Burkes (which Harry once hid in to avoid Draco and Lucius Malfoy) is revealed to have a twin at Hogwarts, located in the Room of Requirement. Draco Malfoy spends much of the year attempting to mend the broken cabinet, and upon succeeding, uses it to bypass the protective enchantments around Hogwarts and admit Death Eaters to the school.

Veela charm[link]

An ability attributed to Veela and those of Veela heritage, such as Fleur Delacour. It is used to charm males, much like the Sirens in The Odyssey.

Harry seems more resistant to this than Ron and most others, though the first time he was exposed to it his reaction was similar to Ron's. Men who are exposed to it over time become more resistant to it, although the Veela charm takes full effect if the Veela surprises the man, as noted by Ron in The Half-Blood Prince. It is possible that Victoire Weasley (Fleur's daughter) has inherited this ability from Fleur. As no men of Veela descent have been portrayed in the books (although Bill and Fleur have a son named Louis, as well as two daughters), it is unknown whether they would also have this ability.

As shown in Goblet of Fire, Veela hair can be used as cores to create wands. According to famed wandmaker Mr. Ollivander, these wands are a little "temperamental". Since Fleur's contains one of her grandmother's hairs, being a positive familial bond, no inherent problem is seen within this particular wand.

Magical resistance[link]

This refers to a certain degree of immunity against hexes and spells found in powerful creatures such as trolls, dragons, and giants. Hagrid is resistant to certain spells, like the Stunning Spell, due to his giant blood. This type of resistance is not insurmountable; if enough Stunning Spells, for example, are fired at a creature with magical resistance at once, the creature may still be rendered unconscious. Also, wizards and witches can resist a spell with the power of their own sheer will, such as Harry did in Goblet of Fire, when Barty Crouch Jr. disguised as Alastor Moody tried to control Harry with the Imperius curse and Harry resisted.

Spell-like effects[link]

Unbreakable Vow[link]

The Unbreakable Vow is a voluntary agreement made between two witches or wizards. It must be performed with a witness ("Bonder") on hand, holding their wand on the agreeing persons' linked hands to bind them with magic as a tongue of flame. The Vow is not literally "unbreakable" as the person taking it is still able to go back on his or her word, but doing so will cause instant death. The Unbreakable Vow was first introduced in Half-Blood Prince, in which Snape made a promise to Narcissa Malfoy to protect Draco, with Bellatrix as the "Bonder", as her son attempted to fulfill the Dark Lord's task, and for Snape to fulfill the task if something should prevent Draco from doing it. Another example in Half-Blood Prince occurs when Ron tells Harry how Fred and George tried to make him undertake an Unbreakable Vow, but because of their father's intervention, they did not succeed.

Priori Incantatem[link]

Priori Incantatem, or the Reverse Spell Effect, is used to detect the spells cast by a wand. The spells cast by the wand will emerge in smoky or ghost-like replicas in reverse order, with the latest spell emerging first. It is first encountered in Goblet of Fire when the house elf Winky is found holding Harry's wand. This spell is used to reveal that it was indeed Harry's wand that cast the Dark Mark. In Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, it is revealed that the teenage Voldemort murdered his father and grandparents using his uncle Morfin's wand, knowing that, when examined, the wand would incriminate Morfin as the murderer. In Deathly Hallows, Harry feared that a Priori Incantatem spell would be used on Hermione's wand after the Death Eaters had a hold of it. This would reveal that she had accidentally broken his holly-and-phoenix-feather wand (with her wand) when a curse misfired and they both narrowly escaped Voldemort earlier. As a result, the protection of the shared cores was lost and, worse still, this would now be made known to Voldemort. During the final duel between Harry and Voldemort, the latter mentions that he knows that the holly and phoenix wand is destroyed, implying that the Priori Incantatem had indeed been performed on Hermione's wand, as they had feared.

Forcing two wands that share the source of their cores to do battle can also cause a more potent form of Priori Incantatem. The tips of the two wands will connect, forming a thick golden "thread" of energy, and the two wands' masters fight a battle of wills. The loser's wand will regurgitate shadows of spells that it has cast in reverse order. This phenomenon occurred during the duel between Harry and Voldemort at the end of Goblet of Fire. Their simultaneous spells (Harry and Voldemort cast "Expelliarmus" and "Avada Kedavra" respectively) triggered the threads, and as Voldemort lost the battle of wills, his wand regurgitated, in reverse order, shades of the spells he had cast with it – screams of pain from torturing various victims, echoes of the people his wand had murdered: Cedric Diggory; Frank Bryce; Bertha Jorkins; as well as Harry's parents. Harry was previously informed by Mr. Ollivander that the holly wand that "chose" Harry was the "brother" of the yew wand that gave him the lightning-shaped scar on his forehead, although the significance of this was not discussed then. Dumbledore later revealed to Harry that his and Voldemort's wands both contained a tail feather given by Dumbledore's pet phoenix, Fawkes.

Dark Arts[link]

The Dark Arts are those magical spells and practices that are usually used for malicious purposes. Practitioners of Dark Arts are referred to as Dark witches or wizards. The most prominent of these is Voldemort, known to them as the Dark Lord. His followers, known as Death Eaters, practice the Dark Arts while doing his bidding.

The type of spells characteristic of Dark Arts are known as curses,^[12] which usually cause harm to the target. All, to a certain degree, are in some circumstances justifiable. The motivation of the caster affects a curse's result. This is most notable in the case of Cruciatus: when cast by Harry, angered by the death of his godfather by Bellatrix and desiring to punish her, it causes a short moment of pain. As Bellatrix herself comments, righteous anger does not allow the spell to work for long. When cast by figures such as Voldemort, who desire to inflict pain for its own sake, it causes intense agony that can last as long as the Dark witch or wizard desires. Use of Dark Magic can corrupt the soul and body; Voldemort has used such magic in his quest to prolong his life and obtain great power. Dark Arts also caused Voldemort to look deformed and inhuman, a side effect of splitting his soul into Horcruxes.

According to Snape, the Dark Arts "are many, varied, ever-changing and eternal... unfixed, mutating, indestructible".^[13] They also appear to be the most common form of magic used by criminals, while dangerous spells used by others in the books are frequently labelled Dark. In magical dueling, for example, there are any number of spells that may be used to attack, immobilise, or disarm an opponent without causing pain or lasting harm; however, spells such as the Cruciatus Curse or Sectumsempra, judged to be Dark by reliable authorities, wound or seriously distress a victim in some way.

In the Wizarding world, use of the Dark Arts is strongly stigmatised and even illegal; however, these spells are prevalent enough that even before the rise of Voldemort, many schools, (including Hogwarts), taught Defence Against the Dark Arts as a standard subject. Techniques include anti-curses and simple spells to disable or disarm attackers or fight off certain creatures. Some schools, such as Durmstrang, teach Dark Magic. A Dark Arts class was also taught at Hogwarts while it was under Death Eater control.

Unforgivable Curses[link]

The Unforgivable Curses are some of the most powerful known Dark Arts spells. They were first classified as unforgivable in 1717. Used by the books' villains, such as Voldemort and the Death Eaters and in some cases the Ministry of Magic, their use inspires horror and great fear amongst others. The curses are so named because their use is — except by Ministry authorisation — forbidden and unforgivable in the Wizarding world when used on another human or probably any sentient being. The use of any of these spells on another human being is punishable by a life sentence in Azkaban. These curses are thus very rarely used openly. However, in Deathly Hallows, the Unforgivable Curses are used liberally by good characters, ranging from Professor McGonagall with the Imperius Curse, to Harry effectively using the Cruciatus Curse. He also uses the Imperius curse on a goblin and a suspicious Death Eater during their disguised attack upon Gringotts Bank. However, at the time the Unforgivable curses had been made legal. Since the spells are very powerful, their use requires a strong desire to cause the effects, a directed will, and great skill.

It is noted that to perform the Unforgivable Curses, the caster must "mean it". This means that they need to want the effects a fair amount for the effects to last. In Order of the Phoenix, Harry attempted to use the Cruciatus Curse on Bellatrix, but he was drawing only from righteous anger and did not truly 'mean it'. Bellatrix explained that a caster must truly want their victim to suffer, and thus Harry's spell caused her to feel pain for only a moment. Nonetheless, the sheer force of the curse is enough to blast Bellatrix off of her feet.

The use of the Unforgivable Curses was authorised against Voldemort and his followers by Bartemius Crouch Sr, during the First Wizarding War. Shortly after his resurrection, Voldemort names two Death Eaters "killed by Aurors".

The Unforgivable Curses:

• Avada Kedavra (the Killing Curse, used for killing)
• Crucio (the Cruciatus Curse, used for torture)
• Imperio (the Imperius Curse, used for mind control)

Dark Mark[link]

The Dark Mark is the symbol of Voldemort and the Death Eaters that appears in the sky when conjured. It looks like a skull with a snake coming out of the mouth in place of the tongue. As a spell it is cast by a Death Eater whenever he or she has murdered someone. The spell used by Death Eaters to conjure the Mark is Morsmordre. It first appears in Goblet of Fire and is described as a "colossal skull, composed of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue". Once in the sky it was "blazing in a haze of greenish smoke".

Dark Marks are also branded on the left forearm of the closest followers of Voldemort. The mark serves as a connection between Voldemort and each who bears it; he can summon them by touching his mark, causing it and those of his followers to burn and change colour. Death Eaters can summon Voldemort in the same fashion. Following Voldemort's ultimate defeat, the Dark Marks on his Death Eaters fade into a scar "similar" to Harry's.^[8] In the books, the Dark mark is described as green. However, in the films, it was only green at the Quidditch World Cup. In all other film appearances it has been grey.

Inferius[link]

An Inferius (plural: Inferi) is a corpse controlled through a Dark wizard's spells. An Inferius is not alive, but a dead body that has been bewitched into acting like a puppet for the witch or wizard; this manifests itself as a white mist in the controlled corpse's eyes. They cannot think for themselves: they are created to perform a specific duty assigned by the Dark wizard who commands them, and as seen in the Inferi guarding Voldemort's Horcrux in a seaside cave, remain idle until their task can be performed. This task is then thoughtlessly carried out, whether or not it will produce any result. Inferi are difficult to harm by magic; however, they can be repelled by fire or any other forms of heat or light, as the Inferi in Voldemort's cave had never been exposed to either of these elements. When defeated, they return to their idle state.

Inferi are essentially modified versions of zombies, though zombies have themselves been mentioned as separate creatures^[HP1]). They are considered dangerous and frightening enough by the magical world that impersonating an Inferius (as Mundungus Fletcher does in Half-Blood Prince) is an offence worthy of imprisonment in Azkaban.

The Ministry of Magic fears that Voldemort is killing enough people to make an army of Inferi: as they are dead, they are very difficult to stop. When Voldemort was hiding one of his Horcruxes in the past, he filled a lake in a cave with many Inferi, which were to attack and drown anyone but Voldemort who came into the cavern and took the locket. When Harry and Dumbledore took the locket, the Inferi attacked Harry; Dumbledore repelled them with a rope of fire. It is also revealed that the Inferi almost killed Kreacher after he drank from the basin to help Voldemort hide his Horcruxes, but because elves must disapparate (a form of teleporting) whenever they are summoned by their master, he escaped when Regulus Black summoned him, unaware of Kreacher being drowned by Inferi. It was, instead, Kreacher's master Regulus Black who drank and was drowned by the Inferi so that Kreacher could escape a second time.

In Latin, the word inferus (plural: inferi) means "below," often referring in the plural to "the gods below" (see di inferi) or the spirits of the dead.^[14] Inferius is a comparative adjective meaning "lower".^[14][15]

Horcrux[link]

A horcrux is an object created using dark magic to attain effective immortality. The concept is first introduced in the sixth novel, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, although horcruxes are present in earlier novels without being described or expanded upon.

A horcrux is created when a soul-shard split from a murderer's soul is infused into an object, which is then hidden or in some other manner kept safe. (When a person commits murder, his soul becomes traumatized and splits into more than one piece. A horcrux is nothing more than the fused object/soul-shard created when the portion of the murderer's soul that was split off is infused into some material object.) The point of creating a horcrux is to prevent the passage of a soul to the afterlife (death) by anchoring a portion of the soul in the material world.

Ordinarily, when one's body is killed, the soul departs for the next world. If, however, the body of a horcrux owner is killed, that portion of his soul which had remained in his body will not pass on to the next world, but will rather exist in a non-corporeal form capable of being resurrected by another wizard, as in The Goblet of Fire. If all of someone's horcruxes are destroyed, then his soul's only anchor in the material world would be his body, the destruction of which would then cause his final death.

Portraits[link]

In the Harry Potter series the subjects of magical portraits (even those of characters that are dead) can move, interact with living observers, speak and demonstrate apparent emotion and personality. Some can even move to other portraits to visit each other, or to relay messages, or (if more than one painting of the subject exists) can move between separate locations by way of their portraits. Many such portraits are found on the walls of Hogwarts. It is unknown how magical portraits come into being: whether they are produced by a painter or brought into existence by other means. Magical photographs with similar properties can be created by developing normal film in a magic potion.

At least three portraits, those of The Fat Lady and Ariana Dumbledore, and the Hogwarts Kitchen Portrait, can perform at least one action with a direct effect on the world outside the frame of the painting. The Fat Lady's portrait is the door that covers the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, and she can swing the portrait open when given the correct password or close to prevent entry. Ariana's is able to swing open revealing the secret passage from the Hog's Head Inn to Hogwarts that was created by Neville Longbottom using the Room of Requirement. The Hogwarts Kitchen portrait, a painting of a large bowl filled with fruit, will swing open after the pear gets tickled and giggles, to reveal a hidden door that leads into the kitchens where the Hogwarts house-elves work.

Portraits can also move between paintings, going wherever they like in the same building. However, outside the building, portraits can only move to other paintings of themselves, for example, Phineas Nigellus Black who has a painting in The Headmaster's Office and at 12 Grimmauld Place. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Harry asks Phineas Nigellus to bring him Dumbledore's painting from Hogwarts through to the 12 Grimmauld Place copy; this is when Black explains that paintings can only move out of Hogwarts into other portraits of themselves.

In Deathly Hallows Snape takes instruction and advice from Dumbledore's portrait; suggesting that portraits retain memories and personality, or can be enchanted to retain memories. Dumbledore also cries in his portrait when he finds that Harry was successful in defeating Voldemort, again suggesting that portraits keep the memories of those they are painted after.

Authorial statements regarding portraits have been vague. Rowling made a comment in an interview that a portrait is something like a faint imprint of the person in question, imitating the basic attitude and thought patterns of the person. It is therefore completely different from a ghost, which, as explained by Nearly Headless Nick, are the souls of wizards who are afraid to leave the world. Portraits exist completely separately from the person's soul, being just an impression of the person passed on.^[16] Rowling may have found inspiration in short stories by the French novelist Théophile Gautier (1811–1872). In La Cafetière (The Coffee Pot, 1831) and in Omphale (1834) people in portraits and tapestries come alive, step out from the wall into the room, drink coffee, dance, talk with and kiss the story-teller.^[17]

Portraits in the Headmaster's office[link]

The portraits in the Headmaster's office depict all the former Heads of Hogwarts, with the exception of Dolores Umbridge. The portraits act to advise the Headmaster and are "honour-bound to give service to the present headmaster" (according to Armando Dippet). They include:

• Phineas Nigellus Black: Linked to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place in London. According to his great-great-grandson Sirius Black, Phineas was the least popular headmaster Hogwarts ever had. In Deathly Hallows, Hermione removes the portrait from 12 Grimmauld Place and takes it with the trio in their quest for Horcruxes. Phineas is upset by the lack of respect with which the trio treats him, but he provides them with information about events at Hogwarts. Phineas also provides the trio with information on how Dumbledore destroyed a Horcrux and the history of Godric Gryffindor's sword, including that it is goblin made and able to destroy Horcruxes. It is revealed through Snape's memories that Phineas has been helping Snape and Dumbledore find the trio. In the film adaptation of Order of the Phoenix, he is portrayed by John Atterbury.
• Armando Dippet: Preceded Dumbledore, while Tom Riddle was a student and the latter opened the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Dippet is also mentioned as favouring Tom Riddle and as being unaware of his true evil nature. Dippet was portrayed by Alfred Burke in Chamber of Secrets.
• Dilys Derwent: Linked to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries in London.
• Professor Everard: Linked to the Ministry of Magic, particularly to the Department of Mysteries, in London. In Order of the Phoenix, he was portrayed by Sam Beazley.
• Dexter Fortescue
• Albus Dumbledore
• Severus Snape: Wasn't present when Harry returned to the office after Voldemort's death, but Rowling strongly implies that Harry urged, and was successful in his endeavour, that it be placed up soon thereafter.^[18]

The Fat Lady[link]

The portrait of the Fat Lady is the door to Gryffindor Tower, which is hidden behind her painting. She will open it (sometimes grudgingly) when the correct password is uttered. She is often upset after being awoken, and is often seen drunk with her best friend, Violet. The Fat Lady has no other known name, and it is unknown whether she is supposed to represent a real person. In Philosopher's Stone, she leaves her portrait in the middle of the night, locking Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville out of Gryffindor Tower, forcing them to run across the school. Luckily for them, when they return, she has returned to her portrait, allowing them to escape into Gryffindor Tower. In Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius Black slashes the Fat Lady’s portrait when she won't let him in without a password and it is some time before she dares to guard Gryffindor Tower again. After her portrait was restored, she requested protection in case someone tried to attack her portrait again. Thus, two security trolls were hired. In Half Blood Prince, she gets so annoyed with Harry's late return that she pretends the password has changed and tries to call him back when he heads off to talk to Dumbledore. When Harry later confirms Dumbledore's death, she lets out a sob and for the first and only time in the series, she opens without the password for Harry in her grief.

In the first film the Fat Lady is played by Elizabeth Spriggs, and by Dawn French in the third film.

Others[link]

• Sir Cadogan — a portrait described by Ron in Prisoner of Azkaban as "mental". When the Fat Lady left (after her painting was slashed), he guarded the Gryffindor common room, it being admitted that he was the only one brave (or possibly crazy) enough to do so after the attack. He developed a reputation for making new and difficult passwords for the students to enter the Gryffindor common room and was eventually fired after letting Sirius Black into the common room.
• Violet, a friend of the Fat Lady.
• Walburga Black at 12 Grimmauld Place.
• Ariana Dumbledore at the Hog's Head.
• The portrait of a mermaid in the Prefects' bathroom.
• The Hogwarts Kitchens Portrait, which depicts a large bowl of fruit. The hidden door leading to the kitchens becomes visible after tickling the pear on the portrait.
• Elfrida Cragg (Ministry of Magic).
• Medieval Healer in St Mungo's stairwell.
• A magical portrait in the Muggle Prime Minister's office depicts a "froglike little man wearing a long silver wig", and is used by the Ministry to communicate with the Prime Minister of the day.
• Anne Boleyn in the Grand Staircase (Philosopher's Stone film only).
• Moving kittens painted on wall-mounted china plates in Dolores Umbridge's office at Hogwarts and within the Ministry.
• The portrait of the Friars with a 500-year-old vat of wine, which is consumed by the Fat Lady and Violet during Christmas of 1996.
• The Portrait of Dilys Derwent at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
• Barnabus the Barmy attempting to teach trolls how to ballet dance outside the Room of Requirement. The "portrait" of Barnabus the Barmy is actually a tapestry, as mentioned in the Harry Potter books.

Photographs[link]

Wizarding photographs of people have similar properties to magical painted portraits: the figures within move about or even sometimes leave the frame. As with the paintings, the images of people in the photographs do not appear to age. Photographs from ordinary Muggle cameras can be made to seem alive. Colin Creevey mentions in Chamber of Secrets that a boy in his dormitory said that if he develops the film 'in the right potion', the pictures will move.^[19] However, figures in Wizarding pictures do not reflect the emotions or actions of their counterparts in the real world, and cannot speak. Moving photos also appear in wizard newspapers and other print media, as well as on Chocolate Frog cards. This is exemplified in Prisoner of Azkaban when pictures of Sirius are printed in The Daily Prophet newspaper.^[20] The magazine Witch Weekly also contains pictures of smiling and winking witches. The images of people in photographs display little sentience. The subjects of some photographs can leave the frame, but no indication has been given that they are able to visit or communicate with other photographs or with people in the world, as happens with their painted counterparts. However, it appears that they do have some knowledge of current events, as seen by Harry when he goes to Mr Weasley's office on Order of the Phoenix. The family photograph on Arthur's desk shows everyone except Percy "who appeared to have walked out of it".^[21] It is also mentioned that in a photo (taken by Colin Creevey) of Gilderoy Lockhart and Harry, Harry's picture had walked out and was resisting all of Lockhart's efforts to pull him back in.

References[link]

External links[link]

Harry Potter portal

	Book: Harry Potter
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• Magic on Harry Potter Wiki, an external wiki

Severus Snape is a fictional character in the Harry Potter book series written by J.K. Rowling. In the first novel of the series, he is hostile toward Harry and is built up to be the primary antagonist until the final chapters. As the series progresses, Snape's character becomes more layered and complex. Rowling does not fully reveal the details of his true loyalties until the end of the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Over the course of the series, Snape's portrayal evolves from that of a malicious and partisan teacher to that of a pivotal character of considerable complexity and moral ambiguity. Snape primarily teaches Potions at Hogwarts, though in the sixth novel he teaches Defence Against the Dark Arts, a position which he was known to have desired throughout the series. He ultimately becomes Headmaster of Hogwarts in the final novel. Rowling has described him as "a gift of a character".^[1]

Character development[link]

In an interview,^[2] Rowling described Snape's character as an "antihero". She has said that she drew inspiration for Snape's character from a disliked teacher from her own childhood,^[3] and described Snape as a horrible teacher,^[4] saying the "worst, shabbiest thing you can do as a teacher is to bully students."^[5] However, she does suggest in the books that he is generally an effective teacher.^[6] Although Rowling has said that Gilderoy Lockhart is her only character that she "deliberately based on a real person",^[7] Snape was reportedly based, at least in part, on John Nettleship, who taught Rowling chemistry and employed her mother as an assistant at Wyedean School near Chepstow.^[8][9][10] For Snape's surname, Rowling borrowed the name from the village of Snape, Suffolk.^[11] In a 1999 interview,^[12] and again in 2004,^[7] Rowling singled out Snape as one of her favourite characters to write.

Rowling was less forthcoming about Snape than she was for other characters, because his true loyalties and motivations were not revealed until the final book.^[13] However, she hinted numerous times at Snape's important role, suggesting that people should "keep their eye on Snape."^[3][14] Answering a question regarding Snape's love life and the redemptive pattern to his character in 1999, Rowling expressed her surprise at the foresight.^[15] Rowling also disclosed that after the publication of Prisoner of Azkaban, there was one female fan who guessed Snape loved Lily Potter, making Rowling wonder how she had given herself away.^[16]

After the completion of the series, Rowling began to speak openly about Snape and admitted that she was particularly pleased with the way Snape's story played out throughout the course of the series, contrasting his character arc with that of Albus Dumbledore.^[17] Rowling said, "the series is built around [Dumbledore and Snape]", and maintained that she always knew what Snape would turn out to be at the end and that she carefully plotted his storyline throughout the series. "I had to drop clues all the way through because as you know in the seventh book when you have the revelation scene where everything shifts and you realise why Snape was…what Snape's motivation was. I had to plot that through the books because at the point where you see what was really going on, it would have been an absolute cheat on the reader at that point just to show a bunch of stuff you've never seen before."^[16] Rowling further said in an interview that she wanted Snape to find redemption and forgiveness: "Snape is a complicated man... he's a very—he was a flawed human being, like all of us. Harry forgives him—as we know, from the epilogue, Harry—Harry really sees the good in Snape ultimately... I wanted there to be redemption."^[18]

Appearances[link]

[edit] Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Severus Snape first appears in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, shortly after Harry Potter arrives at Hogwarts. He is the school's Potions Master, though he is widely rumoured to covet the Defence Against the Dark Arts post.^[19] Snape himself confirms the rumour in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.^[20] Snape is a sinister and malicious teacher who makes frequent snide and disparaging remarks at Harry's expense. He quickly becomes the primary antagonist of the book, as Harry suspects him of plotting to steal the philosopher's stone, and of attempting to kill him. Only the climax of the book reveals that Professor Quirrell, in league with Lord Voldemort, is the real enemy; Snape, suspicious of Quirrell, had been looking out for Harry throughout the book. In the final chapter, Dumbledore suggests that because Harry's father James had saved Snape's life when they were both students, even though the two detested each other, Snape felt responsible for Harry in return.^[21] As the final book reveals, this is not the full story. In any case, even after Quirrell's true role is revealed, Harry retains feelings of suspicion and resentment towards Snape, and their relationship remains tense. Snape's behaviour and attitude towards Harry also remain unchanged.

[edit] Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Snape has a minor role in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, where he helps Gilderoy Lockhart oversee Hogwarts' short-lived Duelling Club,^[22] but he has little interaction with the main plot. It is while attending the Duelling Club that Harry learns the Expelliarmus spell, which plays a significant role in later books, by seeing Snape use it.

[edit] Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Snape demonstrates his expertise with potions by brewing the complex Wolfsbane potion for the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin.^[23] Throughout the third book, Snape suspects that Lupin may be helping Sirius Black enter Hogwarts castle; Sirius had been convicted (wrongly, as it is later revealed) of murdering innocent bystanders and betraying the Potter family's hiding place to Voldemort. This suspicion stems from Lupin's friendship with Sirius and Harry's father, James, while they were all at Hogwarts as students.^[24] Near the climax of the book, Snape attempts to apprehend Black, but Black escapes with Harry's aid. Snape informs Dumbledore of this circumstance, and when Harry and Lupin are not punished, Snape retaliates by revealing to the entire school that Lupin is a werewolf, forcing the latter to resign his post.^[25]

Prisoner of Azkaban reveals more details about the connection between Snape and James Potter. While in school together, Sirius once tricked Snape into almost entering the Shrieking Shack while Lupin was there, transformed into a werewolf. James realised the danger and stopped Snape, saving his life; this is the incident Dumbledore referred to at the end of the first book. Snape, however, believes James's actions were self-serving, to avoid being expelled.^[26]

[edit] Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Snape's role in the fourth novel, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, is not substantially different from that of the previous three books. He is apoplectic when Harry is unexpectedly entered into the Triwizard Tournament. Later Harry accidentally falls into Dumbledore's Pensieve and views memories of several Death Eater trials from years before. At one point, Snape is named as a Death Eater by Igor Karkaroff, but Dumbledore comes to Snape's defence, claiming that although Snape had indeed been a Death Eater, he changed sides before Voldemort's downfall and turned spy against him. Later, Dumbledore assures Harry that Snape's reformation is genuine, though he refuses to tell Harry how he knows this, saying the information "is a matter between Professor Snape and myself".^[27]

At the end of the book, Dumbledore attempts to convince a disbelieving Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge, that Voldemort has returned. As proof, Snape willingly shows Fudge the restored Dark Mark on his arm. He is subsequently sent on a secret mission by Dumbledore. This mission, as had been implied in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and revealed in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was to rejoin the Death Eaters and spy on Voldemort as a re-doubled agent, while pretending to spy on Dumbledore on behalf of Voldemort.

[edit] Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

In the fifth novel, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Snape returns to a more prominent role. With Voldemort having returned to a fully corporeal body, Snape continues working as a re-doubled agent for Dumbledore.^[28] He is seen prior to the start of school at Number 12, Grimmauld Place giving reports to the Order of the Phoenix.^[29] He has a very strained relationship with Sirius, who owns Grimmauld Place and must remain there in hiding. The two trade frequent snide remarks and at one point almost begin a duel. Snape taunts Sirius about the latter's not being able to take an active role in the Order's missions because of his fugitive status. Harry feels later that this taunting contributed to Sirius's willingness to take unsafe risks.^[30] Back at school, Snape's allegiance to the Order has no effect on his dislike for Harry.

Later in the book, Dumbledore has Snape teach Harry Occlumency, the protection of the mind from outside intrusion or influence.^[30] The sessions are made difficult by their mutual hostility and end prematurely when Harry uses Dumbledore's Pensieve to view one of Snape's worst childhood memories without the latter's permission. He sees the memory of Snape being bullied by James and Sirius, and of calling Lily Evans a Mudblood.^[24] Only in the final book is it revealed that, prior to this confrontation, Snape and Lily had been close friends.

Towards the end of the novel, Dolores Umbridge captures Harry and questions him on the whereabouts of Dumbledore. She sends for Snape to provide a truth serum to force Harry to reveal any information he may be hiding. Snape claims that his supplies of Veritaserum were exhausted earlier, when she had attempted to use the drug surreptitiously to force information from Harry. Snape withholds further assistance.^[31] It is later revealed that Snape had in fact supplied Umbridge with fake Veritaserum on the prior attempt. Snape then carries Harry's cryptic warning about Sirius' capture to the other Order members, allowing them to come to the rescue in the Department of Mysteries.^[32] Harry still holds Snape partly responsible for Sirius's death, believing Snape's goading spurred Sirius into joining the battle.

[edit] Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

In the second chapter of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy visit Snape at his home in Spinner's End. Narcissa's son Draco has been given a difficult task by Voldemort, and Narcissa swears Snape to an Unbreakable Vow that he will protect Draco, help him complete Voldemort's task, and finish the task himself if Draco fails. When questioned by Bellatrix about his loyalties, Snape claims to have been working for Voldemort (rather than for Dumbledore) ever since Voldemort's return, and explains his actions in the previous books in that light. In addition, he points out that Dumbledore's protection has kept him out of Azkaban and free to operate on Voldemort's behalf.^[33]

At the start-of-term feast at Hogwarts, Dumbledore announces Snape as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Horace Slughorn, a retired Hogwarts teacher, replaces Snape as Potions Master. With Snape no longer teaching Potions, Harry enrolls in Slughorn's class and is lent an old textbook until his new one arrives. Harry finds marginalia, including a variety of hexes and jinxes seemingly invented by an unknown student, and substantial improvements to the book's standard potion-making instructions. The text is inscribed, This Book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince. The notes greatly bolster Harry's performance in Potions, so much so that he impresses Slughorn. Snape, who maintains that he "never had the impression that [he] had been able to teach Potter anything at all", is suspicious of Harry's newfound Potions success.^[34]

Later, during a fight with Draco, Harry casts one of the Prince's spells marked "For Enemies," and is horrified by the devastating wounds it inflicts to Draco's face and chest. Snape rushes to the scene and heals Draco, then interrogates Harry regarding the spell, using Legilimency to extract the source of Harry's knowledge (the Potions textbook) from Harry's mind. When Snape insists that Harry show him his Potions textbook, Harry hides the Prince's book and gives him Ron Weasley's book instead. As punishment for the attack and knowing Harry is lying about the textbook, Snape assigns Harry detention during the final Quidditch match of the year.^[35]

Before leaving Hogwarts with Dumbledore to hunt another horcrux, Harry discovers from Professor Trelawney that it was Snape who overheard the prophecy and told it to Voldemort, resulting in Voldemort hunting down Harry and his parents. Despite this and Harry's angry questions, Dumbledore avers his trust in Snape. Returning to Hogwarts after retrieving Voldemort's Horcrux, Harry and Dumbledore alight atop the school's astronomy tower. Gravely weakened by Voldemort's protective potion, Dumbledore tells Harry to fetch Snape. Before Harry can leave, Draco suddenly arrives, intending to carry out Voldemort's order to assassinate Dumbledore, but is unable to commit the act. Death Eaters arrive, and Snape interrupts them, killing the headmaster himself.^[36] Harry, paralyzed under his invisibility cloak by Dumbledore for his own protection, witnesses the kill, and is released upon Dumbledore's death. Enraged, he pursues Snape, Draco, and the Death Eaters as they flee the castle. Snape easily blocks Harry's spells and jeeringly points out Harry's mistakes, but never strikes back. During the confrontation, Snape reveals himself as the eponymous "Half-Blood Prince" (being the son of Muggle Tobias Snape and pure-blood Eileen Prince). Snape passes through the school gates and Disapparates with Draco in tow.^[37] The full relationship between Dumbledore and Snape and the reason for Snape's actions remain unknown until the final book. In an interview, Rowling mentioned that at this point in the series, the Harry–Snape relationship has become "as personal, if not more so, than Harry–Voldemort."^[38]

[edit] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Snape is named Headmaster of Hogwarts, while Death Eaters Alecto and Amycus Carrow are appointed to the Hogwarts staff. The novel later reveals that Snape uses his position as Headmaster to protect the students and to contain the Carrows.^[39] In the course of the book, Harry and Ron are led to find the Sword of Godric Gryffindor by a Patronus taking the form of a doe.^[40] Harry later learns that this was Snape's Patronus, taking the same shape as Harry's mother Lily's Patronus, and that Snape had been tasked by Dumbledore with ensuring that Harry gained possession of the sword.^[39]

Towards the end of the school year, Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout force Snape to flee the school.^[41] Voldemort summons Snape to the Shrieking Shack. Erroneously believing Snape is the master of the Elder Wand and that Snape's death will make him the master of the Wand, Voldemort kills Snape by having his pet snake Nagini bite him through the neck.^[42] The dying Snape releases a cloud of memories and tells Harry, who has watched the entire scene from a hidden spot, to take them.

From these memories, Harry sees Snape's childhood and learns his true loyalties. In this vision, Harry learns that Snape befriended Lily as a child when they lived near each other. Upon their arrival at Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat placed Snape and Lily into Slytherin and Gryffindor Houses, respectively. They remained friends for the next few years until they were driven apart by Snape's interest in the Dark Arts; the friendship finally ended following the bullying episode that Harry had briefly seen in the fifth book, in which Snape calls Lily "Mudblood". Despite this separation and Snape's animosity toward Lily's eventual husband James Potter, Snape remained in love with Lily, for the rest of his life.

Harry then learns that Snape had revealed the prophecy made by Sybill Trelawney (not knowing, at first, that it was referring to Lily and her family) to Voldemort, prompting the Dark Lord to attack the Potters in an attempt to prevent its fulfilment. Though he asked Voldemort to spare Lily, Snape, still fearing for her safety, went to Dumbledore and begged him to protect the Potters. Dumbledore agreed and ensured that they were placed under the Fidelius Charm. In return, Snape became a re-doubled agent for the Order of the Phoenix against Voldemort, using his powers of Occlumency to hide his betrayal from Voldemort. Even with his efforts to protect her, Snape felt responsible for Lily's death when the Potters were betrayed by their Secret-Keeper, Peter Pettigrew. Snape demanded of Dumbledore, however, that his love for Lily (his reason for switching sides) be kept a secret. Dumbledore agreed and kept the secret for the rest of his life.

Snape's memories then reveal that Dumbledore had been afflicted by a powerful curse cast on the Gaunt ring, one of Voldemort's Horcruxes, prior to the start of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts. Although Snape's knowledge of the Dark Arts enabled him to slow the spread of the curse, the curse would have ultimately killed Dumbledore within a year. Dumbledore, aware that Voldemort had ordered Draco to kill him, asked Snape to kill him instead as a way of sparing the boy's soul and of preventing his own otherwise slow, painful death. Although Snape was reluctant, even asking about the impact of such an action on his own soul, Dumbledore implied that this kind of coup de grâce would not damage a human's soul in the same way murder would.^[39] Snape agreed to do as the Headmaster requested. Snape's memories also provide Harry with the information he needs to ensure Voldemort's final defeat, in the form of conversations Snape had with Dumbledore.^[39]

Rowling noted in an interview that because Snape abandoned his post before dying or officially retiring, a portrait of him does not immediately appear in the Headmaster's office following his death. She adds, however, that she would like to think Harry made Snape's true loyalty and heroism known in the Wizarding world, and that he lobbied to ensure that a portrait be installed in the office.^[43] In a separate interview, Rowling discussed Snape's back story, saying she had planned it ever since she wrote the first book because the whole series is built around it and she considers him one of the most important characters of the seventh book.^[16]

Epilogue[link]

In the epilogue to Deathly Hallows, set nineteen years after Harry defeats Voldemort, Harry has named his second-born son Albus Severus, after Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape. As Albus is about to enter his first year at Hogwarts, he expresses concern that he will be sorted into Slytherin. Harry tells his son, "you were named for two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them [Snape] was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."^[44]

Portrayal within films[link]

Severus Snape appears in all eight Harry Potter films,^[45] portrayed by British actor Alan Rickman. Rickman was Rowling's personal choice to portray the character.^[46] He had conversations with Rowling about his character and is one of the few Harry Potter actors that she spoke to prior to the completion of the book series about the future direction of the character.^[47] "He knew very early on that he'd been in love with Lily," said Rowling. "He needed to understand […] where this bitterness towards this boy who's the living example of her preference for another man came from."^[48]

Rickman used this knowledge of Snape's ultimate loyalties throughout the films by deciding how to play certain scenes, deliver specific lines, or using body language to convey specific emotions.^[49] When the directors of the films would ask him why he was doing a scene a certain way or delivering a line in a specific manner, Rickman would simply reply that he knew something they didn't.^[50]

Rickman himself has refrained from talking about Snape, asking readers to wait and "see what unfolds" in the course of the novels; however, he did say Snape is a complicated person, very rigid and full of himself; in an interview he went further, saying: "Snape isn't one who enjoys jokes and I strongly fear that his sense of humour is extremely limited... But in his defence, I will add that he didn't have an easy adolescence, particularly during his studies at Hogwarts."^[51] He also said Snape is a fascinating character, and that he takes immense pleasure in playing such an ambiguous person.^[52]

Rickman's performance as Snape is popular with viewers and is appreciated among critics. Entertainment Weekly listed Rickman as one of the most popular movie stars in 2007 for his performance as Snape, saying: "As the icy, humourless magic instructor Severus Snape, Rickman may not be on screen long—but he owns every minute."^[53] Rickman also noted fans' reactions; in an interview, he said he found "that people in general adore Snape. He is sarcastic, stubborn, etc, etc. But he is also fascinating. I have a lot of fun impersonating him."^[52]

In 2011, Empire magazine published an open letter from Rickman to J.K. Rowling, ruminating on the ten years of working on the Potter films and thanking her for telling the story.^[54]

In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the fifteen-year-old Snape (portrayed by Alec Hopkins) makes a brief appearance in a flashback to Snape’s youth. In the final film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, the younger Snape, perhaps ten or eleven, is played by Benedict Clarke.

Before Alan Rickman was offered the role of Severus Snape, the role was originally offered to Tim Roth,^[55] who turned the role down in favour of portraying General Thade in Planet of the Apes.

Characterisation[link]

Outward appearance[link]

Snape is described as a thin man with sallow skin, a large, hooked nose, and yellow, uneven teeth. He has shoulder-length, greasy black hair which frames his face, and cold, black eyes. He wears black, flowing robes which give him the appearance of "an overgrown bat".^[56] The youthful Snape had a "stringy, pallid look", being "round-shouldered yet angular", having a "twitchy" walk "that recalled a spider" and "long oily hair that jumped about his face".^[24]

In the chapter illustrations by Mary GrandPré in the American editions of Prisoner of Azkaban and Order of the Phoenix, Snape is depicted as balding with a goatee, but in the next novel, Half-Blood Prince, he is depicted with long black hair.

Personality[link]

Snape is generally depicted as being cold, calculating, precise, sarcastic, and bitter. He strongly dislikes Harry and often insults him by insulting his father, James Potter. As the series progresses, it is revealed that his treatment of Harry stems from Snape's bitter rivalry with James when they were in school together. In particular, James and Sirius bullied Snape, which according to Alan Rickman caused the already lonely boy to further "shut himself in".^[52] Rowling further described the young Snape as insecure and vulnerable: "Given his time over again [Snape] would not have become a Death Eater, but like many insecure, vulnerable people he craved membership of something big and powerful, something impressive.[...] [He] was so blinded by his attraction to the dark side he thought [Lily] would find him impressive if he became a real Death Eater."^[2]

The adult Snape, on the other hand, is portrayed as very self-assured and confident of his abilities, to a degree that Rickman described as "full of himself."^[51] Director David Yates said Snape is a character with gravitas, authority and power.^[57] Snape typically displays a very calm and collected demeanour, rarely at a loss for words or taken off guard. His temper, however, is sometimes short where Harry is concerned and positively flares when dealing with his erstwhile tormentor Sirius, or when accused of cowardice. His otherwise impassive and aloof attitude seems to stem from his belief that people who cannot control their emotions are weak.^[30]

Like some other prominent members of Slytherin house, Snape is shown to be a clever and cunning wizard.^[42][58] He is intelligent and has a keen, analytical mind. In an interview, Rowling adds that Snape is immensely brave,^[18] and when asked if she considers Snape a hero, replied: "Yes, I do; though a very flawed hero. An anti-hero, perhaps. He is not a particularly likeable man in many ways. He remains rather cruel, a bully, riddled with bitterness and insecurity—and yet he loved, and showed loyalty to that love and, ultimately, laid down his life because of it. That's pretty heroic!"^[2]

Magical abilities and skills[link]

All seven novels show Snape to be a very powerful wizard and to have been outstanding while a student. He specialises in potion making and has talent and passion for the Dark Arts. Sirius Black claimed that Snape knew more hexes and curses as a first-year student at Hogwarts than most seventh-years knew.^[58] Particularly gifted in potion making, Snape added major improvements to his Potions textbook while still a student. Also as a student, Snape shows a rare gift for discovering new spells. Remus Lupin describes Sectumsempra as Snape's "speciality" in Deathly Hallows.^[59] Snape is shown using this spell as a teenager^[24] and in the aerial battle in the last novel. Despite Sectumsempra's deadly power, Snape can also heal the wounds it causes.^[35] Snape is adept at reversing or containing fatal damage from other dark curses as well, due to his vast knowledge of Dark Arts, as he does when Dumbledore^[39] and then Katie Bell^[60] are cursed. Skilful in the arts of Legilimency and especially Occlumency, Snape is able to both access the minds of others and protect his own thoughts—indeed, though Snape does not care for the term himself, Harry forms the uncomfortable impression early in the series that the Potions Master is able to "read minds." Being an Occlumens, Snape is able to keep his betrayal from Voldemort, who is himself described as being "the greatest Legilimens" in history.^[33] According to Rowling, Snape is the only Death Eater capable of producing a full Patronus, which, like Lily's, is a doe.^[2] Snape is a talented duellist, able to hold off by himself (if only briefly) a group of three Hogwarts professors that included former duelling champion Filius Flitwick. Professor McGonagall later implies that Snape learned to fly without the use of a broom, a rare skill previously displayed only by Voldemort.^[41]

Family[link]

Snape's family background is mostly shown in flashbacks during the course of the last three novels. Snape was born to Eileen Prince, a witch, and Tobias Snape, a Muggle, making him a half-blood (hence the name, "Half-Blood Prince"). This is rare for a Death Eater, as remarked in the last book. Snape spent his early childhood living with his parents in a small house in Spinner's End. Snape's family was a poor one and he is described as wearing ill-fitting clothes "that were so mis-matched that it looked deliberate". As a child, Snape was apparently neglected and his parents often fought with one another. Snape was very eager to leave his home to go to Hogwarts.^[39] Towards the end of the last novel, Harry draws parallels between his childhood, Snape's, and Voldemort's.^[61]

Loyalties[link]

Snape's true loyalty was one of the most significant questions in the series up until the end of the final instalment, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Although the first five novels depict him as unfair and vindictive towards Harry and his friends, he invariably ends up protecting or otherwise helping them when they or their allies are in danger. Several characters express doubts about his loyalty, but Dumbledore's trust in him is generally taken to be the final word. The sixth novel, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, departs from that model. In the second chapter, Snape claims to have been working for Voldemort ever since the latter's return, and only pretending to help Dumbledore.^[33] By killing Dumbledore toward the end of the novel, Snape seems to place himself firmly in Voldemort's camp.^[36] Rowling maintains this impression through the early chapters of the seventh novel. However, near the climax of the book, Snape leaves Harry his dying thoughts (to be viewed in the Pensieve) and ultimately reveals to Harry that he had been loyal to Albus Dumbledore throughout the series.^[39] Snape's fierce devotion to and love of his childhood friend, Lily Evans, Harry's mother, is the foundation of that loyalty.^[39]

After Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Snape's loyalty was a matter of intense debate among the fans. The issue was given special attention in the marketing campaigns on behalf of the last book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. "Is Snape Good or Evil?" was one of the questions in Scholastic Inc.'s seven-question series, part of its marketing campaign for the book.^[62] As part of the Waldenbooks marketing campaign, two free stickers, one that said "Trust Snape" and another that stated "Snape Is A Very Bad Man" were available with the book. Borders Group published a separate book on the topic, The Great Snape Debate, containing essays and arguments from both sides of the debate.^[63][64]

Reception[link]

The secretive attitude and gradual unfolding of Snape's character was broadly admired, with Stephen Fry, the UK audio books narrator, saying in 2003: "Most characters like Snape are hard to love but there is a sort of ambiguity—you can’t quite decide—something sad about him—lonely and it’s fascinating when you think he’s going to be the evil one..., then slowly you get this idea he’s not so bad after all."^[65] David Yates, who directed the final four films of the series, also expressed his views on the character, saying: "A character like Snape, where you're not really sure if he's a good guy or a bad guy, that gives you a latent tension... I think the coolest thing you can do with an audience is deny them a little bit of information."^[57] Despite being less than kind, the character quickly gained popularity within fandom to a level that surprised Rowling herself.^[7] Joyce Millman suggests in her essay "To Sir with Love" in the book Mapping the World of Harry Potter, that Snape is drawn from a tradition of Byronic heroes such as Wuthering Heights' Heathcliff.^[66] Jenny Sawyer from The Christian Science Monitor commented on the character's development in the series.^[67] She claimed that Snape is the only protagonist who genuinely has a choice to make and who struggles to do the right thing, hence the only one to face a "compelling inner crisis". She believed the popularity of the character is due to the moral journey and inner conflict that Snape undergoes within the series, as it is the hero's struggle and costly redemption that really matter: "[Snape's] character ached for resolution. And it is precisely this need for resolution—our desire to know the real Snape and to understand his choices—that makes him the most compelling character in the Potter epic."

The final revelation of Snape's loyalty in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was viewed positively by fans and critics alike. Daniel Radcliffe, who portrays Harry Potter in the movie series, expressed his delight, saying he was pleased to see that his theory that Snape would end up being a sort of tragic hero came through.^[68] Elizabeth Hand from The Washington Post wrote, "The much-maligned loner Snape does not come onstage until the latter part of "Deathly Hallows," but when he does the book becomes his: Snape's fate, more than Voldemort's, perhaps more even than Harry's, is the most heartbreaking, surprising and satisfying of all of Rowling's achievements."^[69]

IGN listed Snape as their 4th top Harry Potter character, saying that he makes "quite an impact in the Harry Potter series",^[70] and IGN's Joe Utichi called Snape his favourite Harry Potter character and praised his character development.^[71] Shortly after the release of the final film, MTV held a public poll for fans to vote for the best character in the series, and Snape was voted #1.^[72]

In popular culture[link]

The character of Severus Snape has appeared in various animated parodies of Harry Potter. He is a starring character in Neil Cicierega's online Potter Puppet Pals parodies, and has a centric episode titled Bothering Snape. Also, the video The Mysterious Ticking Noise with the chorus "Snape, Snape, Severus Snape" is the seventeenth most viewed video of all time as of 2008 and the winner for "Best Comedy" of the year 2007 at YouTube, with over 105 million views.^[73] Snape also appears in an episode of Emmy award-winning television series Robot Chicken titled Harry Potter vs. Pubertis, and was voiced by Seth Green.^[74] Snape is also parodied as Professor Santory Snapekin in Sluggy Freelance's webcomic entitled Torg Potter. In the first parody, Torg defeats a plot by Professor Snapekin to achieve ultimate power.^[75]

In a 2004 sketch on Saturday Night Live in which Lindsay Lohan appears as Hermione Granger, Snape is portrayed by Will Forte.^[76] Snape has also been parodied in UK television. Comic Relief released a story called Harry Potter and the Secret Chamberpot of Azerbaijan, in which Snape is played by Jeremy Irons.^[77][78] Alan Rickman appeared himself as Snape in a Harry Potter parody named "Louis Potter and the Philosopher's Scone" in Alistair McGowan's Big Impression show.^[79] In the Harry Bladder sketches in All That, Snape appears as Professor Chafe (portrayed by Jeremy Rowley), whose legs were badly chafed, causing him to be unnecessarily mean. Many sketches feature students brewing potions that did silly things, like enlarge students' behinds, give males large breasts, or change people into bras. In a sketch comedy named "Cooking With..." on Australian TV series The Wedge, Snape catches Harry and Hermione making love.^[80] In A Very Potter Musical, Snape is played by actor Joe Moses.

References[link]

External links[link]

	Harry Potter portal
	Fictional characters portal

	Book: Harry Potter
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• Severus Snape on Harry Potter Wiki, an external wiki
• Snape Character profile from the Harry Potter Lexicon