Over the space of seven magical books, J.K. Rowling confunded a generation with a universe that seemed at once so tangible, yet so other-worldly to readers.
For those of us who grew up in parallel to Harry, Ron, Hermione et al, the books represent a significant part our childhood, and conjure vivid imaginings of how our own magical education would play out.
J.K. Rowling's books managed to tackle ostensibly adult themes like love, loss and betrayal in a manner that was at once accessible to children yet also rang true to adult readers, part of what made the series so astronomically successful.
It is testament to the books' enduring appeal that, more than 20 years after Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was released, fans are still avidly re-reading them, theorising and obsessively discussing minute details that appear to hold major significance with the benefit of hindsight.
The Boy Who Lived grew up in chastening circumstances as a result of his parents' deaths; with his cantankerous Uncle Vernon, insipid, highly strung Aunt Petunia and Hogarthian bully of a cousin, Dudley. But it might have been so different for Harry Potter; had his parents not been cruelly murdered by Lord Voldemort, he would have grown up in the plush, gentle surrounds of Godric's Hollow with his mother and father.
Harry did, then, have much in common with a young Severus Snape, who grew up with uncaring parents in the salubrious Spinner's End, described later as a "muggle dunghill".
Severus Snape is an endlessly divisive figure among Potter fans. Adored by some for his quiet heroics, vilified by others for his vindictive bullying of Hogwarts students, not least the young, flabby and utterly hapless Neville Longbottom.
Yet a compelling detail from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part II) film might just have even the most stoic of Snape-haters rethinking their dislike, and it occurs, in truly layered Severus Snape style, during a duel with Professor Mcgonogall.
Rowling herself described Snape as "all grey" in a tweet, continuing, "You can't make him a saint: he was vindictive & bullying. You can't make him a devil: he died to save the wizarding world".
The scene, in which Snape and McGonogall do battle before the former flees to cries of "coward" from the transfiguration teacher, shows Snape apparently deflecting a curse from McGonogall and them seemingly redirect to hit the two death eaters, the Carrows, who are standing behind him. This of course, would aid Potter et al, and shows Snape's presence of mind even in the face of imminent danger.
As this screenshot also shows, he appears to warn the Carrows off attacking in the first instance, perhaps another moment of heroism from the much maligned professor:However conflicted your feelings are on Severus Snape, one thing is for certain, they are probably no more than his own; hatred for Harry, yet desire for vengeance for the death of Lily, Harry's mother. Snape. He's layered.
