True meaning behind Severus Snape’s first Words and Question to Harry Potter
1. what would I get if I added a powder root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?
>> Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death.
2. Where do you find me a bezoar?
>> A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons.
3. And what is difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?
>> As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite.
In Victorian flower language, asphodel which is also known as a Lily meant “regrets that follow to the grave” and wormwood meant “absence with sorrows”.
Although Severus Snape did refer to the basic ingredients of the Draught of Living Death, the language referred in Severus Snape’s first words and questions deeply implied that Severus Snape has sorrows and regrets for Lily Potter’s Death.
Severus Snape also made useful information of the wolfsbane which is the basic ingredient for the wolfsbane potion and a bezoar by this first question as well.
This information proved useful to Harry Potter later on and may have been an implication that Severus Snape was the half-blood prince along with the fact that Severus Snape never taught Potions class with a textbook.
Severus Snape’s career at Hogwarts & relationships with other professors
Although Severus Snape desired to lecture Defense Against the Dark Arts, Albus Dumbledore knew that Voldemort casted a powerful curse on the professor seat of the Defense Against the Arts so those who would lecture the subject would only last one year.
So Albus Dumbledore appointed Severus Snape as the potions class professor. With all the faculty members, Severus Snape maintained a fair colleague relationship. All the faculty members were surprised and couldn’t believe to hear that Severus Snape murdered Albus Dumbledore.
Severus Snape helping Harry Potter – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Severus Snape couldn’t help Harry Potter inherited the arrogance, enjoyment of his fame and rule-breaking attitude at their first encounter.
Yet, Severus Snape did try his best to protect Harry Potter from the dangers at his first year. Harry Potter’s scar ached because of Voldemort on Quirinius Quirrell’s head while Harry Potter thought it was Severu Snape’s glare.
Severus Snape casted a counter-jinx on Harry Potter’s broom which Quirinius Quirrell was jinxing which Hermione and Ron mistaken Severus Snape and set him up on fire.
Snape also stopped Quirinius Quirrell from getting the sorcerer’s stone during the troll invasion.
Severus Snape helping Harry Potter – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
When Harry and Ron crashed the Flying Ford Anglia to the Whomping Willow spotted by muggles, Severus Snape on purpose acted on more extreme terms to expel them.
Snape thought this was an opportunity to let others think he disfavors Harry Potter and he thought if he took this matter onto him, he could directly escalate it to Albus Dumbledore so Harry Potter wouldn’t be expelled which Snape intended.
Harry Potter also developed his signature spell Expeliarmus when he first saw Severus Snape graciously took down Gilderoy Lockhart at the Dueling Club.
Snape also without question took out the snake Draco Malfoy summoned because Harry Potter would talk with the snake in parsel tongue showing others that he is a parselmouth to minimize trouble for Harry Potter.
Severus Snape helping Harry Potter – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Severus Snape didn’t know the truth of Sirius Black yet, and once he heard word of Sirius Black’s infiltration, he was following up on Harry Potter’s steps to protect him from the possible traitor seeking vengeance. He also constantly supplied Remus Lupin the wolfsbane potion.
When Remus Lupin transformed to a werewolf, even though Harry Potter blasted Snape, Severus Snape would protect Ron, Hermione and Harry from the werewolf Remus Lupin.
Severus Snape helping Harry Potter – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
During Bartemius Crouch Junior’s conspiracy to take Harry Potter to Voldemort, Severus Snape was among those who rescued Harry Potter from him.
Albus Dumbledore always asked for Severus Snape for the direst moments. Severus Snape was the most displeased person of Bartemius Crouch Junior’s plot to harm Harry Potter.
Snape was also one of Dumbledore’s supporters of Voldemort’s return as he showed Cornelius Fudge the Dark Mark on his arm himself to convince him.
Severus Snape helping Harry Potter – Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix
Severus Snape tried to teach Harry Potter Occlumency and Legilimency for Harry Potter’s protection but they couldn’t overcome their grudge eventually.
However, Severus Snape was the one who called for reinforcements to the Order of the Pheonix when Harry Potter was ambushed by the Death Eaters at the Department of Mysteries. He also hid all the veritaserum from Dolores Umbridge and even provided fake potions to her.
Severus Snape helping Harry Potter – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Severus Snape treated Albus Dumbledore who has been cursed by the Gaunt’s Ring and tried to extend his life as much as possible.
Also, per Albus Dumbledore’s plot to neutralize the Elder Wand and help Draco Malfoy, despite all the objections by Severus Snape, Albus Dumbledore orders Severus Snape to murder him at the right moment.
Albus Dumbledore aimed Snape to win credit from Voldemort and make an opportunity for Severus Snape to let Harry Potter know that he is the last horcrux at the right moment.
Albus Dumbledore lets Severus Snape know that Harry Potter is a horcrux which Severus Snape was furious that Albus Dumbledore wasn’t purely protecting Harry Potter but keeping him as a scapegoat to sacrifice.
Severus Snape shows his life-long love by the doe patronus which was the same as Lily Potter’s patronus. Albus Dumbledore who was strict and stood strong against the Death Eaters genuinely asked Severus Snape to please murder him as he knew Snape was still heartbroken at that moment to execute their plan.
Severus Snape was heart broken to murder Albus Dumbledore; the only man he has trusted he also proceeds to ignore Harry Potter as much as possible for Harry Potter’s own protection.
Yet, Severus Snape couldn’t stand the word ‘coward’ from Harry Potter despite all the sacrifices and courage that he had to make especially for Harry Potter’s own good.
He easily takes down Harry Potter and informs him that he is the Half-blood Prince. Severus Snape then receives essential information within the Death Eater groups.
Severus Snape helping Harry Potter – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Severus Snape as a Death Eater realizes that there weren’t any possible methods that Harry Potter could safely flee from the Dursley’s house as the Death Eaters and Voldemort had complete control of all magical transportation and apparition.
Severus Snape then plots the Seven Potter operation which would make seven decoys for Harry Potter’s safe relocation.
Snape knew that the number seven had a particular magical power so he explicitly made the operation with seven Harry Potter decoys with Polyjuice potion.
Severus Snape casted a confundus spell on Mundungus Fletcher to safely deliver the plan to the Order of the Pheonix without compromising himself. He accidentally cut off George Weasley’s ear with the sectumsempra curse and had to watch Charity Burbage, his former colleague helplessly as well.
Severus Snape gave the fake sword of Gryffindor while appointing detention to Luna, Neville and Ginny to Hagrid so they weren’t punished by the Carrow siblings. Snape hid the real Sword of Gryffindor and casted a doe patronus to lead Harry Potter to the Sword of Gryffindor.
Finally, he hid all the truth and the fact that Harry Potter was a horcrux until the last moment. Severus Snape attempted to let Harry Potter at the last moment even though he knew he had to sacrifice himself.
Albus Dumbledore specifically asked so because Dumbledore knew that Harry Potter would be rash and hasty to plot and formulate a proper plan to destroy all the horcruxes.
Harry Potter realizes that he has called Severus Snape, the most courageous man he ever saw a coward. However, Harry Potter makes up his mind and knows what he has to do.
Severus Snape on Harry Potter
Severus Snape after realizing Voldemort targeted the Potter family, begged for the safety of the Potter Family to Albus Dumbledore.
Severus Snape not only asked for protection for Lily Potter but also James Potter because he set his priority of Lily Potter’s happiness despite the old grudge and spite he had against James Poter.
Although Severus Snape did his best to protect Harry Potter, he couldn’t help that Harry Potter was reckless, a rulebreaker and reminded Snape of James Potter so much.
"He is his father all over again."
"Ah, yes, Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity."
Severus Snape and Harry Potter both had so many incidents but still Severus Snape did protect Harry Potter with all possible means without Harry Potter knowing.
Severus Snape also didn’t care whether Harry Potter didn’t think positive of himself as long as he was safe. At the last moments, Severus Snape was satisfied that he could protect Lily Potter’s son, who had her eyes. Harry Potter and Severus Snape shared a lot of similarities as well.
As both were abused by the muggle families and spent an unhappy childhood, bullied without much reason during their school years at Hogwarts.
Whether Harry Potter liked Snape or not, he was also influenced a lot by him as Harry Potter developed his signature disarming charm Expeliarmus by observing Severus Snape at the Dueling Club and he was intrigued by the Severus Snape, the Half-Blood Prince’s work which was written on Snape’s copy of Advanced Potion Making.
Now, Harry Potter becomes courageous and knows what he has to do after learning the truth by Severus Snape’s sacrifice and learning that he is also a horcrux of Voldemort.
He accepts death and decides to confront Voldemort at the Forbidden Forest.
