“After all this time?”

“Always”

Alan Rickman represents so much to a whole generation of people. Whilst he is an immense talent and known for so many roles, Die Hard, Sweeney Todd, Love Actually – the one that stands out for me, and so many of us who grew up on Harry Potter, is Severus Snape.

Obviously a large amount of the credit for the characterisation of this role must go to JK Rowling – but Alan Rickman brought Snape to life.

In my opinion, Snape is one of the most complex and deep characters of Harry Potter. He conveys both the light and the dark, the love and the hate. Whilst many people see Snape as a good person or a hero – he isn’t, but neither is he unequivocally bad.

In Alan Rickman’s embodiment of this character we are able to see the light and the dark, which really is what Harry Potter is all about. Whilst it is very easy to split it up into a binary of Gryffindor good, Slytherin bad; I think the lesson that I personally took away from it, is that inside each of us we have this potential to be both.

There are times when Dumbledore, a Gryffindor, does some awful and horribly manipulative things, and times when Snape, a Slytherin, shows such kindness and love. We followed Snape on an arc of redemption underscored by the theme of eternal and imperfect love. Whilst it is hugely problematic that the reason Snape is motivated to aid Harry is because of Lily, it is also a testament to him and his capacity for love that despite it being unreciprocated and often very difficult, he never wavered – whilst they couldn’t be together he stayed with Lily until the end. This undying and unending love gave him such power and it is a shame that it could not always have been channelled into good.

There is this idea throughout all the books and films that we are defined by our choices, it doesn’t matter what our label or house is, we will, in the end, be judged by our actions. I think this is demonstrated most of all by the popularity of Snape following the Deathly Hallows – and it is also something that Alan Rickman will be remembered by. As somebody who was by all accounts an incredible kind and genuine human, a huge talent, and one who stood up for women’s rights declaring himself to be a feminist, and I, will remember him fondly.

For me, Snape encapsulates the magic of Harry Potter and the complexity – and I can only thank Alan Rickman for his portrayal of a character that meant so much to me and so many other Harry Potter fans.

So please, turn to page 394…

Emma Healey

Image: Warner Bros