Characters We Ended Up Hating After Reading Fanfics-- and Vice Versa
Severus has a lot of baggage to go through and his life isn’t a normal one, anyone you pair him with is going to have their own baggage too and their going to be put through the ringer. If you ever too much from the Severus we know and love he will be considered too out of character, if you move him to a new world, same name, then he’s just an original character with Severus’ name. It’s hard to please everyone. This is why I’m all for supporting more writers regardless levels writing the stories they want to see.
Fair enough. Except, I don't want him acting too out of character. You know, just a little bit of vindictiveness and moving on from the redhead. Maybe have revenge on those that wronged him. Obviously the moral thing is to just let bygones be bygones, but don't we all have that itch to make their enemies pay? Honestly, if this series wasn't fiction and instead was real. I don't think Severus would be moping around in the memory of the harpy. He would've just moved on from her and done his best to become powerful and rich. And if he revealed the prophecy to Voldemort and the Potters died. At best, he would have felt bad a little. But ultimately, he wouldn't have become Dumbledore's tool.
Quote from Sam on September 28, 2023, 11:44 amFair enough. Except, I don't want him acting too out of character. You know, just a little bit of vindictiveness and moving on from the redhead. Maybe have revenge on those that wronged him. Obviously the moral thing is to just let bygones be bygones, but don't we all have that itch to make their enemies pay? Honestly, if this series wasn't fiction and instead was real. I don't think Severus would be moping around in the memory of the harpy. He would've just moved on from her and done his best to become powerful and rich. And if he revealed the prophecy to Voldemort and the Potters died. At best, he would have felt bad a little. But ultimately, he wouldn't have become Dumbledore's tool.
You and I have read the same books but we see Severus Snape differently. To me he wouldn’t be Severus Snape if he didn’t fall in love with Lily, if he didn’t join Voldemort or change sides to align with Dumbledore. I don’t think he was Dumbledore’s tool at all in the story, not after Lily died. There was no reason to stay at the school and spy unless his own agenda aligned with Dumbledore’s. I mean, Dumbledore asked during Goblet of Fire if Severus was going to run away like Kakaroff, if Dumbledore really had obtained him as a tool then that wouldn’t have been an option.
Quote from JaySM on September 28, 2023, 12:01 pmQuote from Sam on September 28, 2023, 11:44 amFair enough. Except, I don't want him acting too out of character. You know, just a little bit of vindictiveness and moving on from the redhead. Maybe have revenge on those that wronged him. Obviously the moral thing is to just let bygones be bygones, but don't we all have that itch to make their enemies pay? Honestly, if this series wasn't fiction and instead was real. I don't think Severus would be moping around in the memory of the harpy. He would've just moved on from her and done his best to become powerful and rich. And if he revealed the prophecy to Voldemort and the Potters died. At best, he would have felt bad a little. But ultimately, he wouldn't have become Dumbledore's tool.
You and I have read the same books but we see Severus Snape differently. To me he wouldn’t be Severus Snape if he didn’t fall in love with Lily, if he didn’t join Voldemort or change sides to align with Dumbledore. I don’t think he was Dumbledore’s tool at all in the story, not after Lily died. There was no reason to stay at the school and spy unless his own agenda aligned with Dumbledore’s. I mean, Dumbledore asked during Goblet of Fire if Severus was going to run away like Kakaroff, if Dumbledore really had obtained him as a tool then that wouldn’t have been an option.
Here, I agree with you 100 %. Snape served Dumbledore in his free will and Dumbledore certainly gave him an out during the conversation with Snape in Yule's ball. Snape straight up confessed he's not a coward and he won't run away from it.
Maybe I wasn't quite clear enough. The Snape we got is what Rowling wanted him as. Not what a real person would have done. And he most certainly was Dumbledore's tool. Dumbledore used his guilt to align him towards his cause. Snape just wanted to die, but was swayed to serve in her memory (which is a joke if you ask me) and keep her child with his biggest tormentor safe (even bigger joke). Obviously, Severus also wanted to get rid of Voldemort, he isn't all that great of a boss to work with and neither is Dumbledore. Snape isn't a goody two shoes character but he's not cruel either.
But personally, I want stories where he's not stuck moping around. And that he gets to live a fruitful and happier life, preferably away from the redhead. And if he gets to make those loathsome boys pay along the way, even better.
As for what I said in regards to him being a tool, that's what he was to Dumbledore. He was useful to him and so kept him around. Severus had his own reasons to stay but that's a different thing. Or maybe, I am just being foolish.
Nah, @fictionlover96lol, I also feel the same way. I don't read Snape fics unless they have HEA on the end, I know I got screwed sometimes by authors ending Snape fics in bad or bittersweet ends.
Quote from Sam on September 28, 2023, 12:13 pmMaybe I wasn't quite clear enough. The Snape we got is what Rowling wanted him as. Not what a real person would have done. And he most certainly was Dumbledore's tool. Dumbledore used his guilt to align him towards his cause. Snape just wanted to die, but was swayed to serve in her memory (which is a joke if you ask me) and keep her child with his biggest tormentor safe (even bigger joke). Obviously, Severus also wanted to get rid of Voldemort, he isn't all that great of a boss to work with and neither is Dumbledore. Snape isn't a goody two shoes character but he's not cruel either.
But personally, I want stories where he's not stuck moping around. And that he gets to live a fruitful and happier life, preferably away from the redhead. And if he gets to make those loathsome boys pay along the way, even better.
As for what I said in regards to him being a tool, that's what he was to Dumbledore. He was useful to him and so kept him around. Severus had his own reasons to stay but that's a different thing. Or maybe, I am just being foolish.
We can agree to disagree. I quite like Rowling’s Severus. He propelled the plot forward and was a key component in Harry’s victory against Voldemort. He’s a tragic character that my heart goes out to. I wouldn’t have done what Severus did in the story, so I write fanfiction to see what Severus would have done if given the chance. I don’t see him regretting his decision to side with Dumbledore or being so bitter to have died the way he did. He left no ghost in the Shrieking Shack.
Fanfiction is a great way to alter things that you don’t like. You’re well on your way making new ones with how you envision Severus Snape to be. In your fanfiction you can plug your own personality into Severus as you’d like and have him live a different life. As I said in prior posts, I would read it. I’m sure others would too.
Indeed. I am not disagreeing with you on that. What I want is very different than what Rowling made him as. Even though, I like the Rowling's version too. Just wish that he was slightly different. And most fanfics don't quite offer what I want (I know that's a me problem) and that was the reason of me writing the silly stories. People are free to enjoy whatever they want. Also, my point was that a real person wouldn't have acted that way.
I agree with @jaysm that Snape's love for Lily is an essential part of his character. The fact that in 22 years no one could replace Lily speaks of a tragic life without much warmth in it. I honestly believe Dumbledore's words ("Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all, those who live without love.") were, to a certain extent, referring to Snape himself. And I also can't help but admire his determination to fulfil his promises even when it would've been so much easier not to (speaking here of emotional toll).
It seems just plain unrealistic at first glance, but if you try to imagine a scenario like this in real life, it's just incredibly sad.
Also, Lily. I don't lean either way when it comes to her character, but I feel the need to defend her after she's suffered this much derogation lol. I think she really tried to save her friendship with Snape, but eventually reached a breaking point. She has her flaws, but the fact that she cut ties with what most likely truly was a Death Eater wannabe is not one of them. I don't believe there was any malicious intent (or any thought about Snape at all) in her marrying James. For all we know, he might actually have changed by the time he graduated. Maybe Lily just moved on the way Snape was never able to.
Anyway, this is all just speculation. What I'm actually saying is that there really isn't enough about Lily in canon for me to be able to form a well thought-out opinion of her. There are just too many unknowns.
Not to sound like an absolute tool, but in real life one wouldn't stay like Snape at all. There are far too many real life examples of crimes committed by jealous and vindictive people but that's obviously not the point here. As for Lily's character, it doesn't speak that highly of her to only cut ties with Severus for him calling her a mudblood and not others as she mentioned during his apology. Also, for a supposed best friend. All she did was nag at Marauders and never used a hex once. Plus, the more egregious point of her downplaying Severus's grievances while defending her Gryffindors that "At least, they don't use Dark Magic". And to her, the friendship wasn't as important as it was to Severus.
We can argue whether she was tricked by Potter or maybe she was naive or that she was a teen. But people never give the same courtesy to Snape. Heck, people defend the marauders by saying that they were just teens who grew out of their bullying ways and Snape ate babies for breakfast as an adult.
As for Lily marrying Potter, obviously she's free to cozy up to whoever she wants to. But, it's a bit suspicious that she chose him out of all people when considering the fact that he and his cronies had been relentlessly bullying her supposed best friend for 5 years at that point and not secretly. That only happened after she had been with him.
Obviously, this is just my opinion and most definitely could be wrong. And as you said, this is all speculation but that's just how it is. Different people come to a different conclusion.
