Poll: Snape's Ideal Profession
Severus Snape worked in the Hogwarts for his spying duties rather than his career of choice. So which ones do you think would have been his ideal career goals? Feel free to eleborate why you think so. You can choose multiple options.
My choices are based upon the fact that Severus wouldn't have chosen a career in Hogwarts if he had choice. His ideal career goals would be to live decently, without any public dealing and opportunity to pursue his interests.
First is the Potions Mastery, he would be the type to get his potions mastery and make potions for his clients on orders and research new potions and efficient methods to brew them. I can't see him sitting around in an apothecary to sell potions nor I think we would've liked teaching in Hogwarts if given a choice.
Second is the DADA Mastery. I can see Severus becoming a DADA expert with field of consultation and research. I can see him wanting to teach DADA only in canon if he was stuck at Hogwarts or in his older years where he had mellowed out.
Third is the Unspeakable. I can see Severus with his interest in the dark arts would have liked to be posted there to pursue the various mysteries for his curiosity and get full sanction for his actions.
Fourth is the Alchemist. Severus was an alchemist if you take the game 'Hogwarts Mystery' as canon where he teaches the subject and said to possess the knowledge in the subject. I can see him becoming a full time alchemist as it also requires quite a bit of knowledge in potions and other areas of magic discipline.
I voted Potions Master (apothecary/freelancer) and Defense professor.
From the first year speech by Snape, it's clear that he is very passionate about Potions, not "just" good at it. I just don't think he's well suited as a Potions teacher at all. I can see it be somewhat stressful to manage a group of students who seem to be at each others' throats and doesn't shy away from sabotaging each other. I always wondered why Slughorn didn't seem to have this problem. Maybe this is the very reason Slughorn uses "inferior" recipes; they don't create results as potent as Snape's "adjustments", but maybe they're less volatile to sabotage? Either way, I think he'd be much happier working on Potions for an apothecary (if he didn't need to face the customers himself, heh) or freelance. I don't really know if the Wizarding World is all that suited to freelance work, but the nature of it would give him the ability to control his free time more, and as a result give him more freedom for Potions research, which I think he'd be rather content with.
While I don't think he's happy as a Potions teacher at all, I do think he'd do better as a Defense teacher. I haven't read HBP in quite some time (over a decade), but IIRC he was far less... vitriolic, during his time teaching Defense, and it was likely a less stressful job. And he clearly loves the subject, plus Hermione outright says that he sounded a lot like Harry when talking about Defense, someone who we know excelled to teach the subject due to the DA debacle.
You chose a lot of good possibilities, @kris, though "Quidditch Player" made me laugh. 😂
My top choices (in no particular order):
Potions Master (Freelancer)
I think Severus genuinely loves potions, to the point that it offends him when others take it less seriously. That's one of the reasons teaching can be difficult for him, though I think he would shine as a freelancer. He could focus on doing something he loves while providing a useful (and no doubt lucrative) service. He'd also be left alone for the most part, which I'm sure he'd appreciate.
DADA Professor (Hogwarts)
He obviously wanted this job, much more than he ever wanted to teach Potions. I can see him being comfortable with, even enjoying the position, especially without Perry around to antagonize him.
Unspeakable or Alchemist
I can see him enjoying (and being exceptionally good at) either of these jobs. They definitely cater to his strengths.
For me Potions Master (Freelancer) because Snape was passionate about his potions but he would be more research oriented and innovative guy.
DADA Professor because it was Snape's dream job in Hogwarts and he knew his stuff and was passionate about teaching it.
Why isn't "Gigolo" on this list? Not that I would vote for that (obviously), but it does seem like an oversight.
Severus, I didn't think you have preference for that sort of work so there is no option. You can take the Another for it.
I have him as curse breaker (NOT under Gringotts) and freelance potions master.
His best outcome for me is to be an indy small business owner, with no abusive father figure's shadow.
