Original artwork, not a still
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ‧ 2007
After all this time? Always.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Two words reveal Snape's secret: the man who tormented Harry for six books has loved Lily Potter all along, and everything he did since her death was for her. 'Always' is the one-word key to his whole story, and it lands harder because he says it flatly. It became the Snape fans' rallying cry, and a favourite tattoo, for readers who forgave him.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsShow the scene
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, chapter 33, 'The Prince's Tale', Harry watches Snape's memories in the Pensieve. In one of them, Dumbledore has just told Snape that Harry must die at Voldemort's hands. Furious, Snape asks whether the boy has been kept alive like a pig for slaughter, and Dumbledore replies that he seems to have grown to care for Harry after all. Snape shouts back and casts a Patronus charm: a silver doe, the same shape as Lily's. Dumbledore watches it leave with tears in his eyes.
Sources (2)
- Wikiquote: Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsChapter 33 (before Chapter 34), pg. 687-688Reference checked
- Harry Potter Wiki: Severus SnapeBiography; PatronusReference checked
Context reviewed
