What Is Your Interpretation of Severus's Love for Lily?
I've seen different Snape fans having different interpretations and I would love to hear your thoughts on it whether it was platonic or romantic, unrequited or requited, obsession or love, etc.
I thought about introducing this in daily discussion but this topic is large and subjective enough to warrant a separate thread.
So members, give your best shot! 😸
IMHO - Platonic.
There was always mention of his love for Lily, or loving Lily, but never mention of him being IN love with her.
I think we had an scene where he blushed, or her blushed, but they were kids so it could have been anything. He wasn't 'pining' for her as others claim, and he respected her enough not to pursue her in the time she took James' interest, or after SWM, anyway.
Severus never once admitted his feelings for her at all - if he even had such feelings - so it is ambiguous at best.
I just don't see anything to indicate any romantic love.
From my perspective, his love for her was clearly romantic in nature. There are plenty of clues for this in the books, but even without that, it makes a lot more sense than the alternative. Assuming Severus was heterosexual (and there's no evidence to the contrary), him being attracted to Lily and thus falling in love with her only follows logic. Generally speaking, sexual attraction happens much more frequently/easily for men (especially younger/less experienced ones) than it does for women. Combine that with a years long emotional attachment and romantic feelings are more or less inevitable.
For Lily's part… I don't think she developed romantic feelings, but I do think the seeds were there. If they'd been given a little more time or if one or both of them had made different choices, I absolutely believe their friendship could've evolved into a romantic relationship. JKR has said as much, and I stand by that. The tragedy of Severus/Lily isn't about unrequited love, but what could've been if timing/circumstances had worked just a little more in their favor.
Finally…
I don't believe that Severus was obsessed with her. That word has a negative/creepy connotation, which strikes me as both unfair and inaccurate. Severus suffered a terrible loss, one he held himself personally responsible for. Him choosing to spend the rest of his life trying to make amends for his part in Lily's death isn't a sign of obsession. It demonstrates love, loyalty, goodness, and integrity, all of which are qualities that should be commended.
JKR has explicitly stated that Lily at one point had feelings for Severus. I always headcanoned that they were both in love with each other aat one point, but that their inability to talk through the issues with their friendship and the fact that it was falling apart, ultimately caused it to not lead anywhere.
I always believed that if they had *talked* to each other and clear up the issues they have with each other (Lily's issues with the path Severus is heading, and Severus' issues with Lily tending to take the side of the Marauders above him in "he said, she said" issues despite supposedly being his best friend), Lily and Severus would likely have ended up together longterm. And even if the romance falls apart, I can't see her ever marry James in such a situation.
I really think Severus' love for Lily was romantic because there are many moments in the canon that show it.
- Severus was jealous when he brought up James fancying Lily, and he got happy when Lily called him a toerag and walked away with a skip in his steps.
- J.K. Rowling said in an interview that Severus joined DE in the hope that Lily would find him impressive if he became part of something big.
- Severus went to Dumbledore and made a request to save only Lily. While he couldn't have asked Voldemort to spare Harry, he didn't ask even Dumbledore until he got Severus's agreement to protect the whole family.
- By saying 'Always', he made it clear that he always protected Harry for Lily and not because he cared about Harry.
- He ripped the Potter family photo apart, taking Lily's part with him and discarding the parts with Harry and James.
I believe it was unrequited because Lily didn't love him romantically, only platonically, but according to J.K., it could've developed into more if Severus hadn't gone over to the Death Eaters.
There was no obsession, only love, and Severus spent the rest of his life redeeming himself for giving prophecy by fighting for Dumbledore and protecting Harry.
He loved her, it may have been in a romantic way or platonic (I personally see him as asexual, that's why I go for the latter) but in no circumstances do I see their relationship as healthy or reciprocal.
Snape loved Lily because she was literally the best thing in his life but the same was not true for her; Lily was always more precious to Severus than Severus was to Lily. If she actually cared about him, she wouldn't be trying to hold back a smile while he is being sexually assaulted and if such a horrendous friend is the best thing in Snape's life, he's never had anything good in his life.
If Snape wasn't so starved for genuine affection and healthy relationships, he and Lily would have stopped being friends way before the lake incident. The only reason they became friends was because both were magical children in a muggle neighborhood but Hogwarts is full of magical children and once they got there, the only thing holding their friendship together was a sense of integrity.
If Snape also were not responsible for Lily's death, he would have moved on and Lily would have been a sweet childhood memory. He would have probably gotten together with a Dark Witch or potions mistress, or anyone who would be an intellectual equal. The problem is that in canon, he just can't get over the fact that he destroyed the most precious thing in his life. Even if he did attempt to move on, he'd sabotage his relationships out of guilt. Going on a date? Lily can't do that because she's dead. Marriage anniversary? Lily didn't have many of those. Children? Lily couldn't watch her child grow up, etc. How would he be able to move on with such intrusive thoughts?
While I agree with @kris that Snape's love for Lily was romantic (initially), I also agree with @darkangel that Snape loved Lily because she was literally the best thing in his life but the same was not true for her; Lily was always more precious to Severus than Severus was to Lily.
I believe Snape's love shifted from romantic to platonic in a agape way, he made Lily his moral compass and guide for fighting and no longer viewed as romantic object in last phase of his life.
I believe Snape did the things out of guilt, not love after Lily's death, he couldn't move on while being plagued with constant remorse in an unhealthy environment i.e teaching in the place where he was constantly bullied, being colleagues with his former teachers and forced to watch over a child whom he hated.
Lily never loved Snape, neither platonically nor romantically as per my interpretation. She fancied James Potter even in his bullying glory days and flirted with him during the SWM. Adding more salt to the wounds, immediately got together with said bully after ditching Snape, a completely heartless move on her part.
I've talked about this a lot in my blog with several posts, but in summary I think their relationship was romantic.
As some of you have said, Rowling herself stated that if he hadn't chosen the Death Eater route she would have loved him.
Many of you have perfectly listed the points where we understand that he is clearly in love with Lily, but of a sweet/loyal love without obsession.
I'm sorry many snaters think he's a stalker!!!
Just a little hope... I like to think that at some point in his life Severus went "beyond", that he learned to forgive himself for the death of his teenage love... Lily was his 'spring' to understand his mistakes, but also thanks to his great intelligence he understood his mistakes and became the man we have come to know in the books.
Lily became in time his promise to become a better man and to redeem himself from his terrible youthful mistakes.
For me, I think their relationship started out as friends. Obviously it was a bit rocky at first, but then they came together finding they both had something in common with one another (magic). From there, it just grew, as all friendships usually do.
However, I think for Severus, he was the first to have it grow into something more. Into something romantic. Coming from a dysfunctional family, he wanted the affection, kindness and love he never got from his parents. So he tried to find it in someone else, the only person in his life who had give affection and kindness, which was Lily. So of course this caused him to be attached to her even more.
Now, as for Lily, I can't help but agree with JK Rowling when she says that Lily may have ended up returning Severus' feelings and having it become something romantic for him on her end if he didn't go down the path he did and if what happened between them didn't happen. I do think Lily cared for Severus. After all, they had been friends for 7 years -- close friends in fact -- but along the way, as it sometimes happens in high school, other people start getting into your head. Then you both start drifting off into different directions. Things start...fizzling out for some. And I think that's also what happened for Lily concerning Severus. While she did care for him, she clearly started questioning her friendship with him too and their roles in each others lives. No one was in the wrong, nor were they in the right. It's just something that happens.
But back to Severus, he cared. He loved. And he also had remorse too. This was all that fueled in everything he did after Lily died. For him, his loyalty, love and devotion for her had always been deep. That's just the person he is. And his Doe Patronus was a symbol of it. Of a man trying to do better and fight for the one he loved.
Quote from TimeLadyJamie on August 28, 2023, 1:22 pmFor me, I think their relationship started out as friends. Obviously it was a bit rocky at first, but then they came together finding they both had something in common with one another (magic). From there, it just grew, as all friendships usually do.
However, I think for Severus, he was the first to have it grow into something more. Into something romantic. Coming from a dysfunctional family, he wanted the affection, kindness and love he never got from his parents. So he tried to find it in someone else, the only person in his life who had give affection and kindness, which was Lily. So of course this caused him to be attached to her even more.
Now, as for Lily, I can't help but agree with JK Rowling when she says that Lily may have ended up returning Severus' feelings and having it become something romantic for him on her end if he didn't go down the path he did and if what happened between them didn't happen. I do think Lily cared for Severus. After all, they had been friends for 7 years -- close friends in fact -- but along the way, as it sometimes happens in high school, other people start getting into your head. Then you both start drifting off into different directions. Things start...fizzling out for some. And I think that's also what happened for Lily concerning Severus. While she did care for him, she clearly started questioning her friendship with him too and their roles in each others lives. No one was in the wrong, nor were they in the right. It's just something that happens.
But back to Severus, he cared. He loved. And he also had remorse too. This was all that fueled in everything he did after Lily died. For him, his loyalty, love and devotion for her had always been deep. That's just the person he is. And his Doe Patronus was a symbol of it. Of a man trying to do better and fight for the one he loved.
Beautifully articulated. This is exactly how I feel.
