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Sinking our teeth into the character of Snape

by David Haber

I've personally strongly believed for a long time, and still do, that Severus Snape is a vampire, or at least, is part vampire. There are clues in all the books that point to this conclusion, over the years, J.K. has (sort of) denied that he is, and yet she continued dropping these hints even throughout book 7.

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Reader Comments: (Page 2)

I'm not sure what to believe, I never thought of Snape as a vampire before, but this article makes it seem that way. If Snape was a vampire then how come Voldemort let him become a Eater, he wouldn't let Fenir Greyback become a Eater because he was a werewolf, so I don't see why he would change the rules for vampires.

Anyway if Snape is a vampire I'm sure it'll be in the encyclopedia.

Posted by Alex F from Hinton Wv on September 1, 2007 6:27 PM

that would make sense why snape's body wasn't in the great hall with the rest of the in DH. maybe also the reason his portrait wasn't in the headmasters office.

Posted by Pamela sue from ark on September 1, 2007 9:20 PM

Well, I never really thought about connecting Snape with vampires. But we have met an actual vampire, haven't we, in HBP? Sanguini was at Slughorn's Christmas Party. But maybe Snape actually does eat, and he's a full vampire, because Sanguini's friend Worple gave him a pasty at the party.

But also, in PoA, Harry finds Ron and Hermione in Honeydukes while they're looking at blood-flavored lollipops, and Hermione says she thinks they're for vampires. Perhaps Snape eats some sort of blood-flavored food, to make it look like he's not a vampire?

And I don't think that Snape could have inherited vampre-like qualities from his mother. It doesn't seem like there are vampire antidotes, because Sanguini would have used them to come to Hogwarts, wouldn't he? He was "edging toward the nearby group of girls, a rather hungry look in his eye". I think Snape did his hunting in the Forbidden Forest, so he wouldn't feed on the students at Hogwarts.

As for Voldemort not wanting a vampire on his side, maybe he didn't know Snape was a vampire, or perhaps it was because Snape was so good with the Dark Arts and Greyback wasn't. It might have been the way Greyback seemed so ing to and rip out throats that it sounded really juvenile to Lord Voldemort, while Severus acted a little more normal, not so proud of what he was.

I wonder if Nagini's fangs count as a stake, you know, for ing vampires. But I would like the idea if Severus Snape was still alive, somehow, and Albus and Harry could talk to him. Sure beats Albus going up to the headmaster's office and meeting Snape through his portrait.

Personally, I don't really care if it's true or not.

Posted by C.J. from Utah on September 1, 2007 10:22 PM

Snape a vampire? I don't buy it... One popular belief about vampires is that when one becomes a vampire, he/she stops aging. They therefore have eternal youth, unless when ed off by sunlight, wooden stakes, etc.

They are also believed to have great charm about them, so they become irristible to their victims, and they are good at hypnosis. I think none of us think of Snape as a charming person, right?

Becoming a vampire? Western-European belief says: being bitten by a vampire or drinking a vampire's blood. In other parts of the world, you can be born as one, so their vampires do age... But Rowling is from the UK, so I guess her notions of vampires would rather fit the unaging, bitten vampire.

I personally do not think one could be half a vampire... I think vampires become infertile. Snape being batlike is nothing more suspicious as toadlike Umbridge or lionlike Scrimgeour.

Posted by Adinda from Gent, Belgium on September 2, 2007 02:28 AM

Well I completely accept the theory of Snape being a vampire, because I myself has believed it since I read Goblet of fire. In GOF when harry meets Barty Crouch in the Forbidden Forest and Mr. Crouch is totally freaked out, he goes to call Dumbledore but is held up by none other than Snape. Later when Ron asks Harry whether Snape was stopping him on purpose and whether he saw harry in the forest and came back before him in the castle to stop him, Harry says "I dunno... he might be able to if he can turn himself into bat or something." Even here JK Rowling has given emphasis that Snape maybe able to turn himself into a bat!

Posted by Katyayan Mishra from New Delhi,India on September 2, 2007 05:44 AM

I think that the article was very convincing, but overall I don't think Snape was a vampire. If you think about it then some of those clues prove that he isn't a vampire. For instance, the one where he flies away in the ly hallows looking batlike, if he was a vampire he could have just turned into a bat when he was fighting mcgonnagol and flown away. Also i think seeing as Snape was one of voldemorts closest eaters, if he was a vampire, rather than excluding Snape i think voldemort would have used him as a weapon, just as he did Fenrir Greyback. And also, a few minutes before voldemort s Snape, when he is talking about the elder wand, it looks as though Snape understands what is about to happen, and that is why he keeps asking to go and get Harry. But he could not run because he would have been ed, but he could have turned into a bat and flown away, had he been a vampire. Also i really don't think that j.k. rowling would have built up an amazing complex trait in an already complex character and then not even include it in the books.

Posted by Lucy from London on September 2, 2007 07:07 AM

I don't think Severus Snape was a vampire. Vampires can only be ed by stabbing them through the heart with a wooden stake, right? And if J.K. denies that Snape was a vampire, then he is not, her being the one that has created the world of Harry Potter and all. Nevertheless, I think it was an interesting theory and I have to admit that I too once thought that Severus Snape was a vampire.

Posted by Carola from Geertruidenberg, the netherlands on September 2, 2007 07:11 AM

I don't think Snape's a vampire. I think Voldemort kinda detests half humans. He made a very snide remark about tonks getting married to a werewolf and he supposedly didn't treat Fenrir Greyback very well too because Fenrir was skulking in a corner in "The forest again". I don't think Voldemort would have a half-human as his right hand.

Posted by parvios from amsterdam on September 2, 2007 07:50 AM

The references may not be related to anything deeper than what sometimes happens in schools, where a person is labelled as being something (even vampire, werewolf etc) because of thier physical appearance or habits. Thoughout the books I've read these theories but have dismissed them (even after seeing how JK threads things in from far back) but at first what really hit me was how Snape was ed, Nagini biting him in the neck. Voldemort could have cast Avada Kedavra, lets face it he knows how to use it! Or maybe he (through JK) felt Snape merrited a different , one that fits with his apparent similarity to a vampire. Or probably as Voldemort believed that the Elder Wand was under Snapes control he needed to Snape without casting a spell. Most animals who go for the throat first. Also we saw in Godrics Hollow Nagini coming out of Baggatha's neck, was this where Nagini stuck first to her?
I don't think Snape was a vampire and he was just hit with that label because of his habits.

Posted by Richard from Glasgow on September 2, 2007 12:45 PM

that is really nifty! I never thought that Snape could possibly be a vampire!

Posted by Colleen C on September 2, 2007 1:50 PM

I tend to agree with Richard from Glasgow. I think that Snape resembled a vampire in actions and looks which is why he is described as sallow and bat-like. I hadn't thought about where he had been bitten by Nagini. I was shocked because I hadn't seen it coming. I am going to reread that part. I think the bite on the neck may just be a nifty little decision on JK's part because of the vampire speculation/discussion. If so, it shows her sense of humor.

Posted by Kim from Manchester on September 2, 2007 7:14 PM

Umm, no. Snape's not a vampire.

Love the reminder of Lupin's retalatory vampire essay, though, in PoA. That cracks me up.

Posted by Dave Sharp from Birmingham, AL on September 2, 2007 8:25 PM

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