Why Severus Snape Bullied Harry Potter Despite Loving Lily Evans

The relationship between Severus Snape and Harry Potter in the Harry Potter series is multifaceted and complex, often filled with conflicting emotions and motivations. At the heart of the matter lies the question: why did Severus Snape actively bully Harry Potter, despite clearly professing his love for Harry's mother, Lily Evans?

Background and Dynamics

During their time at Hogwarts, James Potter, Sirius Black, and their friends often bullied Severus Snape. Remus Lupin, at times, tried to discourage this behavior, but the mutual dislike between Snape and the group persisted. Despite this, Remus Lupin was more understanding and gave Snape the benefit of the doubt, especially in light of their shared work within the Order of the Phoenix.

Interesting was the fact that Snape's affection for Lily Evans often found him looking out for her son, Harry. However, this did not stop him from bullying Harry, indicating a deeper, more complicated emotional state. Towards the end of his life, when given a final chance, Snape asks to be looked at by Dumbledore, revealing a profound vulnerability.

It is also important to note that Harry was the reason Lily died, adding another layer of conflict. However, Snape's hatred of Harry could also stem from the latter's resemblance to his nemesis, James Potter. This interpretation is plausible, given a quote from the books about Snape's belief that Harry looked exactly like his father.

Snape's Misunderstanding of Lily Evans

Snape's devotion to Lily seems to be rooted in a version of her that he idealized. His true feelings often contradicted Lily's genuine desires and actions, leading to a series of misunderstandings and conflicts. Here are several examples:

During the moment Petunia revealed her spying on Lily, Lily was smiling and warm, while Snape was hostile and intent on driving Petunia away.

When Lily was upset after her fight with Petunia, Snape dismissed her concerns in favor of talking about his excitement about going to Hogwarts.

When discussing houses, Snape predicted Lily would be in Slytherin, brushing aside her actual interest in any house, as long as she was together with him.

During their discussion in the courtyard, Snape dismissed Lily's concerns about her housemates, focusing instead on bashing the Marauders and ignoring her further comments.

After the spell went wrong (SWM), Lily clearly stated she could not be friends with a wannabe Death Eater who called her and people like her a "mudblood". Snape, however, continued to become a Death Eater, seeking to impress Lily.

When Snape went to Dumbledore, he only asked for Lily's life to be spared, not considering her attachment to James and Harry. He relented only when Dumbledore expressed disgust for Snape's selfish desires.

These discrepancies between Snape's idealized version of Lily and her actual behavior reveal a pattern of not truly understanding her. Snape never considered Lily's attachment to James and Harry, focusing solely on his own desires. Rather than empathizing with Lily's feelings, he remained stuck in his own egocentric worldview, even years after her death.

This misunderstanding can explain Snape's treatment of Harry. Yes, Lily would want her son to be safe, but Snape never considered that Lily's love for Harry extended beyond mere safety. She would want him not just alive, but also happy. In Snape's mind, Harry's happiness was linked to the continued memory and survival of James Potter, not to Lily's genuine desires.

Even his patronus, in the form of a copy of Lily, reflects this misaligned love. Snape never truly loved or cared for the real Lily Evans; he only cared about her reflection in his own desires.

Always by Rammstein, while a touching and poignant song, fails to capture the depths of Snape's emotional complexity and the true nature of his relationship with Lily. Snape did not have a genuine love for her; he held on to an idealized version of her, unable to acknowledge her true feelings or the reality of their relationship.

Understanding Snape's complex relationship with Harry Potter and Lily Evans involves recognizing the nuances of his emotions and the misunderstandings that fueled his actions. This insight is crucial for readers to comprehend the intricate dynamics and human emotional complexity in the Harry Potter series.

Conclusion

Through analyzing real-life evidence and the intricate narrative provided within the Harry Potter universe, we can better understand Severus Snape's motivations and the complexity of his relationship with Harry Potter and Lily Evans. His actions towards Harry, rooted in a misguided need to honor Lily, contrast sharply with the authentic love we see toward her in the books.

By examining these facets of Snape's character, we gain a richer appreciation for the multifaceted nature of the Harry Potter series and the depth of its narrative.