About Severus Snape... (*SPOILER* if you haven't read book 7)

[kay1864]

Anyone else think it was kind of sweet that he had a crush on Lily Evans for all those years? And that he didn't resent her for spurning him for James Potter, but only resented James himself.

And that in death that he would confess to Harry--the boy he resented most--his love for his mother.

What a redemption.

[GirlinContempt]

1. I *KNEW* it was coming

Well, I didn't know about Lily exactly, but I knew he'd be good and I knew Dumbledore would have a more concrete reason for trusting him than what was previously explained

[kay1864]

2. Agreed!

I trusted Dumbledore's judgement--plus there were hints in book 6 (and the beginning of book 7) that Snape was secretly good.

But I was honestly touched by Snape's last Penseive memories.

[GirlinContempt]

5. So was I

[Hell Hath No Fury]

3. I was completely done in by his death...

and his command to have Harry look at him so he could die looking into "Lily's" eyes. :cry: And I LOVE that Harry named one of his sons after him in tribute.

[kay1864]

4. Duh, I missed that

See, I thought "Look at me" meant "Look at the memories I'm giving you"

But after reading your post, I realize that would have been redundant, as he knew Harry would look at them.

Lily's eyes. *sniff*

[Hell Hath No Fury]

7. "Lily's eyes"....

That bit of information is what had always let me to think Snape had been in love with Lily, and that looking at Harry was a daily, painful reminder of what he was responsible for. But I had always thought they had met each other through Potions -- Slughorn mentioned she was his favorite student and Snape became the Potions professor.

I think looking at all the prior Harry and Snape interactions through the new "lens" of Snape's secret love for Lily has been fun and enlightening.

I think he despise Harry less for acting like james and more for reminding him of his treachery.

[NashVegas]

6. Not *Too* Surprised, But Only Because of All the Previous Speculation

I admired that Snape owned up to what caused Lily to tell him to take a hike in the first place.

[Neoma]

8. I had already guessed this from the sixth book.

It's just really sad though.

[XemaSab]

9. I was crying about Snape/Lily on sunday morning....

:cry:

[Neoma]

10. And he died looking in Harry's eyes, Lily's eyes...

[WildEyedLiberal]

11. He was my favorite character and I was right about him all along

He was completely vindicated as I knew he'd be... not that that makes it any easier to deal with :cry:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

12. i hated severus but i knew he was on potters side.

[liontamer]

13. i figured he was in love with her

His hatred for james was just too much otherwise. I mean I was bullied in school, but I'm not going to hunt down the kids of people I knew and hate them cause of their parents. And when dumbledore gave his spiel about Snape feeling bad about the prophecy after the fact, it was because Lily had died, too. I think he saw it as a way to get James out of the way and have Lily cling to him in her grief.

The reason Dumbledore knew snape was good, but voldemort could be fooled was because dumbledore understood the power of love and voldemort didn't.

But I was so sad to find out he didn't really hate Harry as a reminder of James, but avoided him as a reminder of Lily :cry: