Poll: Severus Snape's Boggart?
Our favourite Potions Master was the bravest man in the series, yet everyone has a deep fear and he was no exception. In case, Professor Snape happened to encounter a Boggart, what form it would take? Elaborate why you think so.
According to the Harry Potter Wiki, his Boggart is Lord Voldemort.
https://harrypotter.fandom.com/wiki/Severus_Snape
While the source for this information might be dubious, I think it's the only option that makes sense. Ultimately, it is Voldemort that is the source of the worst pain Severus ever suffered, Voldemort who stands between him and his only chance at redemption. Voldemort murdered the love of his life, and right up until Severus's final breath, Voldemort has the capacity to cause him more misery than anyone else in existence.
None of the other options can touch that. Either they're minor in comparison, or they directly stem from Voldemort himself.
ETA: I don't think Voldemort's Boggart would be limited to Severus's fear of discovery. The reasons he has to fear him go much deeper than that.
I heard that they took the his boggart from a game and Lord Voldemort was default boggart for anyone not having a canon Boggart. I also don't consider Harry Potter fandom website a reliable source of canon information and it has been edited by marauder fans to paint them in very positive picture.
That being said, I like your reasoning for Lord Voldemort being his boggart.
I vote for Dead body of Harry Potter.
Severus Snape took a vow to protect Harry and he dedicated his life to protect him.
Seeing a dead Harry represents Snape's failure in protecting Lily's son, inability in finding redemption through Harry and letting Voldemort win the war.
His reaction after Dumbledore told him that Harry must die said it all, that his purpose for living through the remorse of causing Lily's death was protecting Harry.
I think several of these options might be close to what Snape's Boggart was in various moments in time.
I think his first Boggart when young (but old enough to have proper fears that Boggarts can latch onto) was an angry Tobias Snape. After the "prank", I think it changed into Remus Lupin. Ultimately I suspect this morphed to something else when he joined the Death Eaters, but we don't know anything about that period pre-Prophecy, so I can't really say what it would be. Possibly Lord Voldemort saying something along the lines of "you failed me" with imminent death awaiting, but I'm not confident in this.
After the Prophecy, but before her death, I think a dead Lily (not zombified, but clearly dead). Not sure if she'd blame him for it though, I think the scene itself is enough. After she actually did die and Snape vows to protect Harry, I believe a dead Harry was his final boggart that he retained until his death. This is also the one I voted for.
Also, while I'm sure that Snape would be rather distressed by having to see James and Lily... doing it so to speak, I don't feel it's something he'd be *afraid* of to the point of triggering the Boggart.
@fredriq, you were right in the opinion that these options represent what I feel were Snape's fears in different phases of his life.
Child Snape upto 'Prank' : Tobias Snape towering over him because he feared his father and wished to get away from him through the Hogwarts and carried both physical and psychological scars from it.
From 'Prank' to SWM : Remus Lupin as a werewolf lunging at him, I can see him traumatised by encounter with the dangerous XXXXX rated feral dark creature and Dumbledore's mishandling of the situation. I headcanon this as the trigger for Snape's development of Sectumsempra.
SWM to Seventh Year : James Potter with an arrogant grin saying because he exists, it was the worst encounter with the marauders for him. Not only he was gagged, chocked and stripped naked, he lost his best friend due to the incident and James Potter is manifestation for it.
Seventh Year to Prophecy: Lily Evans kissing James Potter and more, here he was fearing Lily falling for Potter's lies and more means marriage and children i.e lifelong commitment, he would've feared losing Lily to Potter forever.
Prophecy to Lily's death: Another form, the dead body of Lily as mentioned by FIQ is the right response, he feared Lily's death to the point that he was willing to beg from a psychopathic murderer and then his former Headmaster for a chance to save her and I regret that I didn't put this option, so consider this my response in Another.
From Lily's death to Harry's Hogwarts fourth year: A zombie form of Lily Evans saying that he killed her, a manifestation of his guilt and remorse, I can see him having this as his nightmares.
Harry's fourth year to Voldemort's resurrection: Lord Voldemort saying he discovered the truth, Severus spent the year gradually preparating himself for Voldemort's return seeing the darkening of the mark. He was scared to encounter Voldemort as noted by Harry through his expression yet he was dedicated to duty and as told by him, he won't run away like a coward.
Voldemort's resurrection to Dumbledore's death: Dead body of Harry Potter, as explained by @naaga that he was dedicated to the protection of Harry since Lily's death and Harry's death was akin to failing Lily again.
Dumbledore's death to his appointment as Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore saying Please before his death, while I won't call Dumbledore as his best friend, he was the only man to know Severus' true self, the man who granted him a chance for redemption and someone Severus grew to respect and admire, he had never killed directly till that time(my headcanon), so I consider this form as manifestation of his self-loathing, anguish and remorse for killing a dear friend.
Headmaster Snape to his death: Himself dressed in Death Eater insignia with a deranged expression, I believe this form as manifestation of his identity crisis. By this point, he had given up Harry for death, he kept seeing people die like Charity Burbage and scorned by his friends at Hogwarts. He kept himself going through the motions and used piece of Lily's love in letters and photo to remind himself his reasons for fighting. He feared falling back into the dark side and feared that side of himself manifesting again as seen in this form.
Thus, my option is his life's last fear, Himself dressed in Death Eater insignia with a deranged expression
Lord Voldemort was my selection. The fact that we were never shown it in the boks shows that it was suppressed for a necessary reason, namely, to conceal Snape's true allegiances.
Not that it's any of your business, but my Boggart is a bottle of shampoo.
You learn something new everyday ☺️
I am sure you saw the show in our seventh year, ah Snivellus 🤣🤣
