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Remembering Alan Rickman: The man who would always be Severus Snape, our hero

Happy Birthday Alan Rickman. To someone who grew up reading Harry Potter, he will always be the hero, Professor Severus Snape.

Written by Samarpita Das
New Delhi | February 21, 2017 05:04 PM IST

3 min read

Happy birthday Alan Rickman. Here’s why you will always remain our favourite professor,

In 2016, millions of people from all around the world were left shaken as actor Alan Rickman breathed his last at the age of 69. For those who grew up reading and watching Harry Potter films, his death marked the end of an era. Alan Rickman was a theatre actor and all his later fame had arrived when he essayed the role of anti-hero, Professor Snape, in Harry Potter franchise.

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It was through Snape that we realised that our heroes don’t have to be perfect. Unlike other heroes, Professor Snape had moments of jealousy and also selfishness. Even now we debate among ourselves whether he was the real hero because, for Potterheads, it wasn’t Dumbledore or Harry Potter who remained the real heart of the story.

It was Snape, who always bore the grim dark expression, but ultimately turned out to be the real driving force of love. Rickman was a perfect piece of casting for Snape that one could imagine. That is why his death jolted up a girl who grew up reading those books.

When Snape gave up his life to protect Harry and the next generation of witches and wizards, much like Potter himself, we cried for misunderstanding the character all through the six books of Potter. Every time Harry was in trouble, it was Snape who was there to protect him. When Quirrel had cast a spell on Harry Potter, it was Snape who secretly made sure Harry was safe, while the boy only misunderstood his presence. He was the only member of the Order Of The Phoenix who was finally able to protect Harry from the evil hands of Dolores Umbridge while Harry only thought of Sirius Black and the Weasleys as his protectors. It was Albus Dumbledore who perpetually reminded Harry never to disrespect him and it was only when we read the seventh book we started loving Snape more than Dumbledore.

While we are sure during his career span as an actor, he has delivered other wonderful performances — Perfume, Sense And Sensibility, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Love Actually, A Little Chaos and Snow Cake to name a few, to some of us he will remain the brave Professor Severus Snape. Always.