What does snape teach

What did Dumbledore know about him that we don't? And why doesn't he kill Harry when he has the chance? We have to admit that we didn't see this one coming, but Severus Snape is indeed the Half-Blood Prince. He tells Harry this as Harry tries to stop him from fleeing Hogwarts after murdering Dumbledore. He manages to block all of the curses Harry throws at him, curses that Harry learned from the Half-Blood Prince's textbook.

What does this revelation tell us? Well, first of all we find out that Snape is really smart; he's a master at Potions and can even invent his own spells. We also learn that Snape had an affinity for the Dark Arts even at a young age. We also learn he, like Voldemort, was interested in pushing the boundaries of magic. What we want to know, however, is how exactly did his textbook end up in the cupboard of Slughorn's classroom? Wouldn't that be something that you'd want to hold onto, especially if you had spent so many hours discovering shortcuts, spells, and curses the likes of which no one had ever seen or used before?

That textbook is a valuable possession if you ask us, one that Snape might have wanted to hold onto. At Snape's house, his home during the summer break, Wormtail Peter Pettigrew serves drinks, then is dismissed while complaining bitterly about having to perform menial work.

Snape fires a jinx at the bookcase where, listening from behind, Wormtail yelps and retreats. Despite Voldemort trusting Snape, Bellatrix does not, and she fires probing questions at him. He responds that, like many Death Eaters, he did not search for the Dark Lord because he believed he was finished. Snape remained at Hogwarts after Voldemort's fall to continue spying on Dumbledore, gathering sixteen years of intelligence on Dumbledore while Bellatrix languished uselessly in Azkaban prison.

Snape protected the Philosopher's Stone because it appeared that Quirrell sought it for himself. Snape ignored Voldemort's summons after his return to avoid Dumbledore's suspicion. Snape taunts Bellatrix about the Ministry fiasco , and claims the Dark Lord had ordered him to stay away to protect his position at Hogwarts.

Snape has not killed Harry Potter because he would lose Dumbledore's protection and be unable to spy for Voldemort. Dumbledore's trust in him is what has made him useful to the Dark Lord.

With Bellatrix's worries seemingly overridden, Narcissa explains that Voldemort assigned Draco a difficult and probably fatal assignment. She wants Snape to protect her son. Snape, however, already knows about Draco's task, and refuses to try and change Voldemort's mind. Snape agrees that Voldemort's real intent is revenge against Narcissa's husband Lucius for his failure at the Ministry.

Narcissa persuades Snape to swear an ' Unbreakable Vow to protect Draco and complete his task should he fail. Bellatrix acts as their Bonder, though apparently half-expecting Snape to somehow invalidate the Vow. Draco spots Harry and petrifies him, then stomps on his face before covering him with his Invisibility Cloak, leaving him on the train. Tonks finds Harry before the train departs for London. Harry, arriving late at the school, finds Snape waiting at the gate.

Snape jeers at Tonks' new Patronus shape that she sent to the castle to alert the staff about Harry. After Tonks leaves, he penalizes Harry fifty house points for "lateness" and an additional twenty for "muggle attire. It had appeared that Professor Horace Slughorn , the new Potions teacher Dumbledore just recruited, was hired for that position.

Harry finds Snape's Dark Arts class both illuminating and alarming, with Snape almost seeming unnaturally entranced by the subject. Snape teaches the class how to cast wordless spells, though the students are having difficulty. To demonstrate, Snape squares off against Harry, who fearing any spell Snape might cast against him, uses a verbal shield spell and then Snape asks him if he remembers that they are practicing nonverbal spells.

Harry is cheeky to Snape, earning Harry a detention. Harry is uncertain which is worse, Slughorn's party or Snape's detention. Harry discovers a non-verbal spell, Levicorpus , in the Half-Blood Prince's Potions book which he is using in Slughorn's class. It appears to be the same spell that Harry, once watching Snape's memories in a Pensieve, had seen his father use to humiliate Snape when they were both Hogwarts students.

When Katie Bell is nearly killed after touching a cursed necklace, Professor McGonagall has it taken to Professor Snape for examination. At Slughorn's Christmas party. Slughorn mentions to Snape that Harry seems a natural at Potions, like his mother, though Snape has a different opinion. Argus Filch suddenly appears, dragging Draco Malfoy, who was "skulking" about in the halls.

Slughorn assumes Draco was gatecrashing the party, while Draco hardly seems pleased that Slughorn allows him to stay. Soon after, Snape and Draco, leave together. Following under his Invisibility Cloak, Harry eavesdrops on their conversation. Snape probes Draco's mind for details about Katie Bell, but Draco blocks him, apparently having been tutored in Occlumency by his aunt, Bellatrix Lestrange. Snape says he knows about Draco's mission and has taken an Unbreakable Vow to help him.

Draco, angered at the thought that he could need help, storms off. Weasley , Remus Lupin, and Hermione. Everyone discounts Harry's opinion, saying they have absolute faith in Dumbledore and his trust for Snape; it is more likely that Snape wants to learn what Draco's mission is so he can inform Dumbledore. Despite Snape's costing him his job at Hogwarts by revealing his being a werewolf, Lupin claims Snape had always perfectly brewed his werewolf potion.

Snape could have done far more damage if he had wanted. At their next lesson, Harry reports his suspicions to Dumbledore. Dumbledore thanks him, but, for confidential reasons, states he absolutely trusts Snape. Snape is briefly mentioned during Slughorn's Potions class. Harry must create an antidote for several different poisons and finds nothing in the Half-Blood Prince's textbook about them except a notation, "Just shove a Bezoar down their throat.

Hagrid mentions overhearing an angry-sounding exchange between Snape and Professor Dumbledore. Snape expressed second thoughts about something he had promised Dumbledore he would do. Something was also said about Snape's investigations into Slytherin house, which Hagrid assumed was about the Cursed necklace. Filch's sudden arrival interrupted their conversation.

Harry believes Draco is using the Room of Requirement to perform his secret task. Just before class, Harry attempts to enter the Room, but is unable to make the door appear. Snape penalizes Gryffindor ten points when Harry arrives late. Seamus Finnigan asks Snape about the difference between ghosts and Inferi , as a story in the Daily Prophet mentioned Inferi; Professor Snape says the story actually was about one Mundungus Fletcher , who was arrested for impersonating an Inferius.

After class, Ron's girlfriend, Lavender , starts dissing Snape, irritating Ron rather than amusing him, and he and Harry duck into a bathroom to avoid her. Only his own reflexes and Snape's timely intervention contained the damage. Harry investigates but is spotted by Malfoy, who casts the Cruciatus curse ; Harry counters using the Sectumsempra spell from the Half-Blood Prince's book without knowing its effects.

Draco is severely slashed, his blood spilling everywhere, causing Moaning Myrtle to fly off screaming; Professor Snape responds swiftly and saves Draco, rushing him to the Hospital Wing. Returning, Snape demands to know whence Harry learned the spell, and despite Harry's attempts at occlumency, Snape apparently gleans some information that Harry's potions book is the source. Snape demands to see his textbooks. Snape, skeptical this is actually Harry's book, particularly since it is signed "Roonil Wazlib", assigns Harry detention with Professor McGonagall's concurrence every Saturday until school ends.

Reporting to Snape's office, Harry is assigned to copying old detention files, with Snape suggesting he start with ones detailing his father's misbehaviour. As a result, Harry's Potions work now suffers, though Slughorn attributes it to his new romantic interest in Ginny. Professor Trelawney Trelawney happens to mention to Harry that it was Snape who overheard the prophecy foretelling Voldemort's nemesis, and he carried this information to Voldemort. Harry angrily confronts Dumbledore, but Dumbledore avers that he trusts Snape.

He seems about to explain why he does, but quickly changes the subject by saying he has located another Horcrux. Harry and Dumbledore retrieve the Horcrux, but the Headmaster is left greatly weakened by the effort, and Harry assists him back to the castle.

Landing atop the Astronomy tower, Dumbledore tells Harry to fetch Severus, but Draco unexpectedly appears and disarms Dumbledore. Dumbledore offers Draco protection if he switches sides, but four Death Eaters intervene. Snape also bursts onto the scene, and Dumbledore seems to be pleading with him. Snape kills Dumbledore, then departs with the Death Eaters and Draco.

Harry, who was petrified for his protection under his Invisibility Cloak by Dumbledore, is freed by Dumbledore's death. Harry Stuns a Death Eater and chases Snape, firing spells at him. Snape, easily blocking every curse, criticizes Harry's Occlumency skills that leave his mind open to opponents.

Snape prevents the other Death Eaters from attacking Harry, saying that the Dark Lord wants him for himself; he then escapes with Draco and the other Death Eaters. Harry learns that during the battle Snape was allowed to enter the tower. When he returned, Order members never suspected Dumbledore had just been killed, believing Snape was only fetching Draco. Harry reveals that Dumbledore had trusted Snape because after Snape carried the prophecy to Voldemort, he later returned to Dumbledore, claiming remorse.

Harry is upset that he had Snape's unwitting help, through his old Potions book, all year. He wonders also at the similarity between Snape's half-blood ancestry and Voldemort's, and wonders how Dumbledore could have missed it. At the council table, Snape is placed at Voldemort's right hand side. Yaxley, sitting in the middle, reports that Harry Potter will be moved to an Order safe house on Harry's 17th birthday, though Snape disputes this.

His information, "from the same place as before," indicates the move will occur earlier and by Order members, as the Order no longer trusts the Ministry.

Snape does not flinch under Voldemort's intense gaze, though some of the Death Eaters present look away. Voldemort decides that the attack on Harry will take place according to Snape's information. Hermione realizes that Phineas Nigellus Black's portrait is now a conduit to Snape, as his other portrait hangs in the Headmaster's office. To prevent Phineas from spying on them, she stuffs his picture into her small beaded bag carrying their traveling gear.

One night, while traveling the countryside, Harry, Ron, and Hermione happen to overhear a conversation about three Hogwarts students, including Ginny Weasley, having broken into the Headmaster's office and attempting to steal the Sword of Gryffindor. A Goblin in the group says that shortly after, the Sword was transferred to Gringotts Bank for safekeeping, though that Sword is actually a fake.

The three students involved reportedly were "cruelly punished," but when Harry and Hermione consult Phineas Nigellus' portrait, he reports the students were merely sent to Hagrid, who set them to work in the Forbidden Forest. Harry, re-entering Hogwarts, heads to the Ravenclaw common room to see the sculpture of Rowena Ravenclaw wearing her lost Diadem.

Professor McGonagall, helping Harry escape, runs into Snape in the hall. Snape is searching for Harry who is hidden under his Invisibility Cloak. Snape seems to be using Legilimency to locate him.

Harry believes he must have fallen to his death, but sees a large, bat-like shape flying over the castle wall — Snape has escaped. There, they witness a confrontation between Snape and Voldemort. Snape asks permission to enter Hogwarts and bring Harry out. Voldemort refuses, saying he is disappointed by the Elder Wand's performance.

He believes the Wand answers not to him but to Snape, who killed Dumbledore, the Wand's previous owner. Saying he regrets the necessity, Voldemort orders Nagini to kill Snape, then leaves.

Harry rushes to Snape's side as soon as Voldemort leaves. Snape offers Harry his memories, which Harry collects in Hermione's crystal vial, and, gazing into Harry's eyes, so much like his mother's , dies. Harry enters the headmaster's office and pours Snape's memories into the Pensieve.

Harry views snippets of Snape's life:. Snape sees Lily Evans, about ten-years-old, experimenting with magic. He tells her she is a witch, and that he is a wizard. Lily's sister, Petunia, is clearly frightened by her sister performing magic, while Lily seems affronted Snape called her a witch. Snape tells Lily things about the Wizarding world.

Later still, we see Snape watching Lily and her family as they put Lily on board the Hogwarts Express for her first term at Hogwarts. Petunia is telling Lily that she's a freak, that Lily and that Snape boy are being sent to a school for freaks. Lily says that she had seen Dumbledore's reply to Petunia's letter, and that he had been very kind.

When Petunia demands to know how she had seen that letter, it was private, Lily indicates that Snape had helped. Petunia flounces off to join her parents. We then see Severus on board the train, looking for Lily. He finds her in a compartment with James Potter and some other first-year students, including Sirius Black.

Snape says he hopes Lily will be placed in Slytherin; James is adamant that he wants to go to Gryffindor. When James insults Snape, Lily leaves to find a different compartment, and Snape follows; James tries to trip Severus as he passes. Snape is sorted into Slytherin, where he is greeted by Lucius Malfoy. Snape and Lily are seen strolling across a courtyard, quarreling. Snape wonders what has happened to their friendship. Lily responds they are still friends, but she detests his friends, most notably Avery and Mulciber.

Snape reminds Lily about the trouble James and his friends get into, and is heartened when Lily dismisses James as an "arrogant toe-rag. Harry witnesses a scene he saw some years earlier, when James, along with Sirius, tormented Snape. Not wishing to revisit this scene, Harry keeps his distance. Lily says that she had heard that Snape would stay outside the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room all night, unless she came out to speak with him.

Despite his obvious remorse, and his heartfelt apologies, Lily will not forgive Snape the insult, and tells him that he should go to his Death Eater friends. We now see Snape meeting in secret with Dumbledore. Snape says he does not carry a message from Voldemort, but is there to plead on his own behalf.

He had carried Trelawney's prediction to Voldemort, and Voldemort, having decided that the prophecy referred to Harry Potter, was now planning to kill not only Harry, but also Lily and James. Snape pleads with Dumbledore to save Lily from Voldemort.

Dumbledore is disgusted that Snape only wants Lily saved, not caring about her husband or child. Taken aback, Snape pleads for them as well, saying that in return for their safety he would do anything. Next, Snape is in Dumbledore's office, plainly grief-stricken. Snape demands of Dumbledore why he had not kept Lily and her family safe. Dumbledore tells him that they had put their trust in the wrong man, just as Snape had in trusting Voldemort to spare Lily's life.

Dumbledore reveals that Harry had survived, and that if Snape had truly loved Lily, he would help Dumbledore protect her son when Voldemort returns. Snape reluctantly agrees, but says that Dumbledore must never tell anyone that he is protecting James Potter's son. Snape, apparently during Harry's first year at Hogwarts, is complaining fiercely to Dumbledore about Harry, and how he is a troublemaker like his father.

Dumbledore responds mildly that no other teacher is complaining, and asks Snape to keep an eye on Quirrell. As students leave the Yule Ball, Snape tells Dumbledore that the Dark Mark on his arm is growing darker, as is Karkaroff's, and that Karkaroff plans on fleeing if the Mark burns him. Dumbledore asks if Snape has similar plans, and Snape angrily retorts he is no coward. Dumbledore remarks, almost off-handedly, that perhaps the students are Sorted into their Houses too early; Snape seems quite taken aback by this.

We now see Snape in Dumbledore's office again. Dumbledore is semiconscious, his blackened right hand dangling over the edge of his desk. Snape, pointing his wand at Dumbledore's wrist, is muttering incantations while pouring a golden liquid down Dumbledore's throat. When Dumbledore returns to himself, Snape asks why Dumbledore had even tried on the ring, and Dumbledore says he was a fool. We see Marvolo Gaunt 's ring on the table, broken, beside the Sword of Gryffindor.

Snape tells Dumbledore that the curse was extraordinarily powerful, and that while he has contained it for the moment, it will eventually kill Dumbledore; he says that Dumbledore has, at most, another year of life. Dumbledore says that this makes things much easier to decide, and starts discussing Voldemort's apparent plan to have the Malfoy boy kill him, Dumbledore.

Snape says that the attempt is not expected to succeed, but instead to further punish and disgrace the Malfoy family. Dumbledore correctly guesses that Snape has been given the job of killing Dumbledore should Draco fail, as Voldemort expects that Hogwarts will be fully under his control and he will no longer need a spy there. Dumbledore asks that Snape agree to watch over his school, and be the one to kill him, both to spare Draco's soul and to grant Dumbledore some dignity in death, sparing him from the malicious pleasures of Fenrir Greyback and Bellatrix Lestrange.

Snape reluctantly agrees. In the scene that Hagrid had partially overheard the year before, we now see Snape and Dumbledore walking in the castle grounds. Challenged as to what he is doing with Harry, Dumbledore says he is giving Harry information he will need, while he still can. Snape asks why he is not privy to that information as well, to which Dumbledore says he does not like to keep all his secrets in one basket.

Snape appears to be angered by this, saying that his job as double agent is extremely dangerous, and he is at least as trustworthy as Harry. When Dumbledore tries to explain the next steps of his plan, Snape threatens a change of heart about killing Dumbledore when the time comes. Dumbledore reminds him of his word, and suggests that he keep an eye on Draco.

When Snape still seems rebellious, Dumbledore wearily makes an appointment for later that night in his office. Dumbledore, later, explains that Harry must not know what he has to do until the final moment. That moment will be the time when Voldemort, instead of letting his snake, Nagini , run free, he keeps her confined within a protective spell. At that time, Snape must tell Harry that Harry is an accidental seventh Horcrux , inadvertently created at his mother's death, and that he must die in order that Voldemort would be vulnerable to death.

Snape feels tricked, as he had worked so hard to protect Lily's son, only to have him destined to die at Voldemort's hand. Asked if Snape has grown to care for Harry after all, Snape casts his Patronus. It is in the shape of a silver-white doe, indicating to Dumbledore that Snape is still in love with Lily, fifteen years after her death. We learn that it was Dumbledore's portrait that ordered Snape to give Voldemort the correct time for Harry's departure from Privet Drive.

Dumbledore suggests using seven Harry Potters headed for seven safe houses, and instructs Snape to plant that idea in Mundungus Fletcher 's mind to pass to the Order of the Phoenix. During the actual departure from Privet Drive, we see that Snape was attempting to jinx the Death Eater drawing a bead on Remus Lupin, and air currents had caused them both to miss, resulting in Snape's spell severing George Weasley's ear.

Snape is in Sirius' old room at Grimmauld Place. He takes the second page of a letter Lily wrote, and the portion of a photograph containing her image, then leaves with them. Finally, Snape is seen speaking with Phineas Nigellus Black's portrait.

Phineas reports that Harry is in the Forest of Dean, and Snape retrieves the Sword of Gryffindor hidden behind Dumbledore's portrait, and departs with it. Snape is not seen again, but in the epilogue, we learn that Harry has named his second son Albus Severus, after two Headmasters, and one of them was not only a Slytherin but possibly the bravest man Harry had ever known.

In post-publication interviews, the author has revealed that Snape's portrait did not appear in the Headmaster's office at his death, as he had abandoned his post. Later, Harry successfully campaigned to have it placed there. Snape is an exceptionally intelligent and magically potent wizard. As a student, he excelled in potions, revising many standard formulas that made brewing them easier and faster.

It was said he knew more Spells, Hexes, and Jinxes in his first year at Hogwarts than most seventh-year students, and had invented many new ones. In addition to being a respected Potions expert, Snape is adept in defensive arts and highly skilled in Occlumency and Legilimency, skills that made him a valuable ally, but also a dangerous enemy. Dumbledore utilized these talents by having Snape infiltrate and spy on Death Eaters, knowing Voldemort would be unable to read Snape's mind; however, these same abilities also ideally allowed Snape to act as a double agent, as Dumbledore would also likely be unable to penetrate Snape's thoughts.

Snape's persuasive abilities, including Occlumency and Legilimency, allowed him to maintain an ambiguous facade, leaving his true loyalty unknown until Book 7's conclusion. Throughout the series, however, Dumbledore steadfastly defended Snape's loyalty, both to him and the Order of the Phoenix, though he never explained the reason behind his trust.

Though Snape maintained few close relationships in his lifetime, he was intensely loyal to his allies. Unlike Voldemort, Snape possessed the ability to love, though his early proclivity for the Dark Arts and his association with certain Slytherin students, future Death Eaters, destroyed his only chance at a lasting relationship.

Despite being able to love, Snape was never one to wear his heart on his sleeve and rarely exhibited any emotion other than annoyed disdain.

However, it was this trait, along with his Occlumency skills, that allowed him to uphold his tenuous double-agent role, simultaneously claiming both Voldemort's and Dumbledore's confidence.

Ironically, the dual identity he carried so well throughout the series could easily have concealed that he was actually loyal to no one, his neutral cover so convincing that he was positioned to align himself with either winning side, with neither the wiser. Only after Harry views Snape's memories in the Pensieve are his true fidelity and motives revealed.

Snape possesses a dark, moody personality, and rarely takes the initiative to create friendships or establish personal alliances, apparently preferring solitude and mostly relying upon himself.

At best he is cordial to his superiors and tolerates his peers. Others describe Snape as unattractive, mainly with regard to his personal grooming, particularly his hair, which is described as oily. As an instructor, he favours his own Slytherin House students, capriciously punishing others, particularly Harry and many Gryffindors. This is usually for minor infractions or incidents initiated by Slytherin students, who usually escape punishment for their role in the proceedings.

Snape is also unable to forget or forgive past hurts or grudges, and seems unable to look past any preconceived notions. An only child, Snape experienced a traumatic childhood, suffering under an abusive Muggle father who resented and mistreated his witch mother.

This left Snape emotionally battered, shy, insecure, and longing for some place to belong. He usually found solace only in solitude and his magical studies at Hogwarts, where he was sorted into Slytherin House. Though Snape seemed suited to Slytherin, Dumbledore, noting Snape's character many years later, suggests that students are perhaps sorted too soon, indicating his belief that Snape could have fared better in another House.

Though Snape was a magically proficient student destined to become a powerful wizard, he was unable to defend himself against classmates James Potter's and Sirius Black's merciless bullying.

As a result, Snape unfairly transferred his long-held resentment and hatred onto James' son, Harry, often arbitrarily punishing Harry or singling him out for ridicule in his class. Snape becomes particularly incensed after Harry, not knowing Snape's true motives, calls him a coward as Snape flees Hogwarts with the other Death Eaters in Book 6.

Although Lily Potter was Snape's only true friend during their youth, he was unable to forgo his attraction to the Dark Arts or give up his unsavory Slytherin comrades that she strongly disliked.

Never having been accepted as a peer before, his new-found companions became too strong an allure for him to heed Lily's request to abandon them. Snape inexplicably turned against Lily when she attempted to defend him during one of James and Sirius' cruel pranks, forever ending any opportunity for a more meaningful and lasting relationship with her.

Without doubt, Snape risked his life by defecting from Voldemort's service to instead serve Dumbledore. However, his actions, at least initially, were driven by selfish motives, seeking Dumbledore's protection for someone the Dark Lord had marked for death.

In return, Dumbledore demanded Snape's complete loyalty and employed him as his double agent, at great peril to Snape's life. Snape agreed to Dumbledore's terms, but his goal was always to protect Lily Potter, not fight the Dark Lord to save the Wizarding world.

After Voldemort murdered Lily, Snape sought revenge, and secretly protected Harry and his mission to destroy the Dark Lord. Rowling just isn't the best at math ;- — tonysdg. Show 7 more comments. Dumbledore chose his own teaching career as a way to keep out of trouble. Obsidia Obsidia k 18 18 gold badges silver badges bronze badges. Just out of curiosity, do we actually know that Snape joined Dumbledore before Lily was killed?

Or might that have been a little white lie by someone who trusted Snape and didn't want anyone else to doubt? I don't remember the circumstances of that info being revealed. He joined Dumbledore seeking protection for Lily while she was still alive. He became a teacher on Voldemord's orders. BlueMoon93 BlueMoon93 1, 2 2 gold badges 7 7 silver badges 20 20 bronze badges. This is good, but are we sure that he was telling the truth to Narcissa and not just saying what she and the Death Eaters wanted to hear?

Wallnut We can be fairly sure it's true, because Bellatrix does know it as well, as does not refute him. I've added her reaction to the answer.

He was telling Dumbledore what Voldemort is planning. DatProgrammer DatProgrammer 19 1 1 bronze badge. Hello and welcome to SFF! While this may answer the question it is better to include sources. Also don't forget to take the tour! Point 1 is a bit wooly, there are very many very talented people in the world who aren't school teachers. I mean, he managed to trick Voldemort that he is with him, not anybody else.

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