Happy Birthday Severus Snape

Pottermore tweeted this morning, honoring Professor Severus Snape on his birthday by taking a look at his career. A neutral stance to take. J.K. Rowling wasn’t quite sure how to proceed, and posted this tweet:

Been wondering how to mark Snape’s birthday without starting an argument. Here’s to him, the big hero/bully. He really was the best/worst.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) January 9, 2016

Snape is a very polarizing figure, we are not going tip toe around that. J.K. Rowling accidentally opened up the can of worms on Snape last November, and relit the Great Snape debate. Today Snape birthday is to be, for lack of a better word, celebrated!

Snape is one of the greatest, grey-area characters in the entire Harry Potter series. He is a hero and a bully. He saved Harry’s life more than once, but also tormented him. Snape taught potions, he was arguably one of the greatest potions masters of Hogwarts–he edited a Hogwarts potions text-book back in his Half-Blood Prince days. However, he was always connected to the Dark Arts.

Whether or not you believe Snape was a good person, love did make him turn from the Dark Arts to working to defeat Voldemort. He died a double agent for Dumbledore, doing his part to bring death to Voldemort, and helping Harry gain an advantage or two over the Dark Lord. His birthday is a notable day; please join us in wishing Severus Snape, one of the bravest character in the Harry Potter series, a very happy birthday.