Snape and his muggleborn (second) friend
Guys, what are yours thoughts on Charity Burbage?
Charity was Severus' friend. We get to know her in 7th book. She was killed by Lord Voldemort and later eaten by Nagni on Deatheaters meeting.
Before her death she speaks to Severus and begs him to help her. She uses the word "friends". She says that they were friends.
Of course Severus couldn't help her - spy job.
But that scene keeps me awake - were they friends in Hogwarts? That would be cool. We know she wouldn't replace Lily, but it would be nice to know that Snape had a friend with whom he would spend some time.
Charity, as an adult, was a teacher at Hogwarts. She teached Muggle studies.
So of course it can also mean that they were friends as proffesors at Hogwarts.
And it's not known for sure that she was a muggle-born. But everytime I asked someone, they "Yeah, she was a muggle-born bc she teached about muggles" - ofc Pure or Half-blood also can teach about them, but right know it's a mystery for us.
What do you guys think? Were they already friends as teens, or when they both were adults?
I think they became friends as adults. Charity Burbage succeded Quirell as muggle studies professor when he became DADA professor in PS. Since then, I believe they had a lot of time to became friends.
I think they were really good friends because after Lily, Charity was only one who had called Snape a friend. That scene of Charity's desperation, her pleading and her words make it clear that they had something going between them.
As for my shipping mind, I headcanon they had a relationship more than just friendship.
I think that after Lily, Sev was unable to love someone else, so the love story is out of the question. But it breaks my heart to think that he had to watch Charity die. They really could have been friends. 😔 He told Albus that lately he only watched the death of those he couldn't help. It is so sad. 😭😭😭
That's why I like "Obscura nox animae", [SPOILER] where Severus saves Charity from death. This gives hope.
And I think they became friends as adults, even though they probably went to school at the same time.
Before her death she speaks to Severus and begs him to help her. She uses the word "friends". She says that they were friends.
This doesn't happen in the book, only the movie. In the book, her exact words are "Severus! Help me!" and "Severus… please… please…"
That's not enough to infer that they were friends, at least in a canonical sense. Of course, it's absolutely fine to adopt it as a headcanon, but I think it's important to make that distinction.
Similarly…
But everytime I asked someone, they "Yeah, she was a muggle-born bc she teached about muggles" - ofc Pure or Half-blood also can teach about them, but right know it's a mystery for us.
Whoever said that clearly doesn't understand the difference between canon and fanon. I mean, stating an opinion is one thing, but it shouldn't be framed as factual information. As you pointed out, no one actually knows Charity's blood status.
As for whether she and Severus were friends…
Personally, I doubt it.
I know it's nice to think of him having friends. None of us like seeing him miserable and isolated. But… that's also the reality of his adult life, at least in canon. There's no sign that he was particularly close with any of his colleagues, and there are two very good reasons why he wouldn't be. One, he obviously cared little for his own needs, and two, protecting Harry was his singular focus. It's hard to imagine him nurturing a friendship purely for his own sake, and as cold as this sounds, Charity wouldn't have been useful to him in terms of achieving his goal.
Of course, that doesn't mean they weren't on friendly terms. I'm sure he was civil with her, just as he seems to have been with the rest of his colleagues. But there's a difference between that and a genuine/meaningful friendship. Honestly, I can't see him letting anyone get that close.
I also never read more deeply into Charity's words. She knew she was about to die, and of course she was going to cling to the only sliver of hope there was. Even if we look at the movies, I see the "friends" bit as more desperation than anything else. She wanted to appeal to Snape's morals, so she exaggerated how close they were in the hopes that he'd feel some sort of guilt, and try ro save her.
That said, I do like other interpretations, and I'd happily read a fic about the two of them
Quote from Salvyus on March 24, 2024, 2:32 pmI also never read more deeply into Charity's words. She knew she was about to die, and of course she was going to cling to the only sliver of hope there was. Even if we look at the movies, I see the "friends" bit as more desperation than anything else. She wanted to appeal to Snape's morals, so she exaggerated how close they were in the hopes that he'd feel some sort of guilt, and try ro save her.
That said, I do like other interpretations, and I'd happily read a fic about the two of them
That's a very sensible interpretation, considering how desperate she was. Plus, the movies have a tendency to portray Snape as less of a gray character by embellishing scenes like this. (Remember the movie version of him calling Lily "Mudblood"? Me neither.) I didn't even realize she doesn't call them "friends" in the books until your post. I took out my copy and made sure and couldn't believe it wasn't there.
My personal headcanon is that Charity and Severus would run into each other in the staff room. My sick sense of humor likes to think, given the chance, she would have said something like, "Severus, please! We're friends. Remember that time I fixed the coffee maker? I always made sure there was enough black coffee for you!" And, if Snape ever engaged in romance post-Lily, I imagine she would be as good a candidate as was available. He definitely wouldn't have courted McGonagall.
I don't think they were friends, let alone involved romantically with each other. At best, they were just colleagues and got along like any other members of staff.
As for love interest, oh how I wish Rowling had made it Snellatrix....
