What Is Your Interpretation of Severus's Love for Lily?
I love what ifs where Lily also has a realization that the Marauders were indeed hurting Severus far more than she realized for that reason. A lot of their troubles could've been avoided with better communication but not just Severus sacrificed everything. Love is a two-way street after all.
My take on this is, it's a little bit of everything but it's rooted in ultimately love. I know this sounds like a cop out (it is, I'm a fairly indecisive individual), but hear me out.
Let us start with the definition of love, the noun, based on the Oxford English Dictionary:
love /ləv/ n. 1 an intense feeling of deep affection; a feeling of deep romantic or sexual attachment to someone. 2 a great interest and pleasure in something. 3 a person or thing that one loves.
The definition itself is fairly vague but it is clear it must involve three components: intensity, affection, and interest. In my opinion, this feeling evolved throughout Severus life as he grew into the surly traumatized shadow we know canonically. As a boy, the feeling was mostly platonic with hints of romantic interest. I can see him not knowing any better and mainly associating Lily with companionship, fun, and safety . Looking into his early years at Hogwarts, surrounded by peers his age and students older than him, I could see romantic and sexual desires begin to form. This is a natural development as children become teenagers but, given how close he was to Lily (she was most likely his only true friend at Hogwarts), it's not a far reach to say those feelings could develop in their relationship. Whether it was one sided, I'm honestly not sure. We don't know too much about Lily.
However, with the introduction of James Potter, I can see that interest becoming malignant like a tumor. Competing for Lily's favor, the constantly bickering and taunting, it would have transformed into obsession. How dare James Potter claim what is mine? The audacity of James Potter asking Lily out. Severus the Man was known for his poor temper and inability to handle his emotions, I cringe at how much worse Severus the Boy must have been. As a teenager, his emotional intelligence would have been a negative integer and his house certainly did not help. Without anyone to talk to and without avenues to reflect on his behavior and emotions, the only thing Severus felt must have felt at the time was closer to lust and obsession. This would have been exponentially increased with their friendship ending and the budding romance between James and Lily. James had something he could not, and Severus must have felt only resentment and maddening desire.
As we move into his adult years, the most canonically relevant part, I can see that obsession transforming with Lily's death. Lily was no longer an item to be won, or a goal to be reached. Instead she was now his sin, a permanent reminder of his foolishness and flaws. In a way, he still does dehumanize her. Here's the definition of obsession:
ob·ses·sion /əbˈseSH(ə)n/ n. 1 the state of being obsessed with someone or something; an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person's mind.
For most of the wizarding world, Lily seems to be some kind of martyr. The mother of the Boy-Who-Lived, not the brilliant muggleborn who came from Cokeworth, who had friends, who had a family, who had dreams and wishes. Severus is not excluded from this but instead of forgetting those traits and distilling her into one aspect, he goes into the complete opposite direction. He remembers her laugh, her smile, her kindness, every feature he loved. His actions robbed the world of that, a world with Lily. His obsession is what he lost, what he took out from this world, Lily. At this point, the lust he felt must have dissipated, leaving only regret and obsession in his heart. I don't think his feelings are platonic and certainly more on the romantic end of the spectrum, but what we see is truly just obsession fueled by regret.
In summary, the guy is hella messed up and the system failed him. Severus seems to be a naturally introverted dude with self-confidence issues as a teenager. With people tormenting him and the world against him (as a result of his actions and as a result of just being born into an awful circumstance), he twisted into something ugly. It makes total sense he would latch onto the only person that was genuinely kind to him. The fact that he also got her killed, when he was just trying to prove to the world (as well as her, directly or indirectly can be debated) he was worth something, it's a no brainer the dude was obsessed for the rest of his life.
(halp I'm procrastinating on my next chapter update.)
I feel its genuine. He did everything he could for Lily (skipping over one accident) and tried even after her death to make things right.
Quote from Naaga on July 2, 2023, 2:36 amI'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! 😸
For me I can see any of these scenarios. For me I am looking for the stories that interest me the most and I am not looking for truth. We don't get much from the books about Snape and Lily. And if you add the movies to your canon we get a little more. It is also told by Harry's point of view and Snape is not going to give all his memories away. He gave enough for Harry to trust him.
platonic- Yes, I can see this. Just childhood friends.
romantic- Especially during summer breaks. I do see Lily going to Snape's house a lot because she can do magic there. Things happen on long summer days.
unrequited - Yes. But I don't care for this idea, because the story doesn't interest me and makes Snape seem pathetic. But if that's what you want.
requited- Yes. A tragic love story where two people can't be together because they are on different sides. My mind goes to Jets ,Sharks and snapping fingers. I bet there is a fanfic out there with this theme.
obsession- Yes. I believe he was obsessed with guilt more than wanting her. If he was so obsessed with having her there are ways in the magical world. Love Potions. Curses.
I feel that the Wizarding World is a story that is growing and changing whether we like it or not. In 100 years it might be forgot or it might grow into something we would love or something we would hate. There can be many universes with many different scenarios for me. If I can do that with Arthurian Legend, Superman and other worlds I can do this with the Wizarding World. I have to remember that it is called the Wizarding World these days. I remember when it was just Harry Potter.
Snape love for lily evans is platonic. She was the first friend she had in his entire live.
His father is abusive toward him. His mother is the indifferent toward his suffering. The only one who asked about his home life is lily. Shown she deeply cared about him when he was 9 years old.
The platonic love then turned into romance love. He deeply cared about lily that always be there for him,never mock him for his ancestry,his looks or his poorness. I bet severus trying to make friendship out of slytherin circle,but ended up being used. Lucius treated him as his lapdog,mulciber shown he was not friend of severus in fifth year.his love turned into romance love is make sense. He realize if lily is dissapeared from his own life,his life will turned into bleak
After her death. I bet severus trying to move on,but he is always failed. Maybe because of guilt that is too big,or because he felt he didnt deserved to be happy after he make the person she only ever loved getting killed. His love turned into eternal that his patronus change into doe. I finally realize he loved lily in romance way so deeply that he become death eater that can casting patronus. Show he was not evil person to began with,accused by many people around him
