Did Severus Snape love Harry Potter?

Question

I'm sorry, I know this question was asked several times before, but I wanted to ask it my own way. ***SPOILER ALERT: IF YOU HAVEN'T READ HP & THE DEALTHY HALLOWS, STOP READING NOW***

Okay, I was re-reading Deathly Hallows (I believe it's the 8th time I've read it) and despite what a lot of people say, I am 100% convinced that Snape loved Harry a great deal and may even have thought of him as his son. Yes, he was callous and bitter with him, and yes, he humiliated him- but we have to acknowledge that Snape didn't show emotion. He said himself, "Control your emotions! Discipline your mind!", and he also said, "Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves, who cannot control their emotions...weak people in other words", which both demonstrate how much he placed on the value of hiding your true feelings. Plus, as we know, he is a highly accomplished Occulmens. I think he had his reasons for treating Harry as he did- to harden him against the pain he knew he'd have to face? To give him someone to hate, someone to blame, to make coping easier? Simply because Snape didn't want anyone (namely, Dumbledore, Voldemort, Death Eaters, or Harry himself) to guess at how much he loved Harry? Whatever the reason, I firmly believe that Snape loved Harry. Especially from this passage:

‘I have spied for you, and lied for you, put myself in mortal danger for you. Everything was supposed to be to keep Lily Potter’s son safe. Now you tell me you have been raising him like a pig for slaughter—’

‘But this is touching, Severus,’ said Dumbledore seriously. ‘Have you grown to care for the boy, after all?’

‘For him?’ shouted Snape. ‘Expecto patronum!’

From the tip of his wand burst the silver doe: she landed on the office floor, bounded once across the office and soared out of the window. Dumbledore watched her fly away, and as her silvery glow faded he turned back to Snape, and his eyes were full of tears.

‘After all this time?’

‘Always,’ said Snape.

Anyway. What's your opinion?

Answer 1

Somewhere deep inside I think he did.

Answer 2

Personally, I don't believe that Snape loved Harry. Only because he called him "Lily Potter's son" when speaking to Dumbledore. Why not "Harry"? Because Harry's importance to Snape was that he was the son of the woman that he loved.



Great post, though. You made some excellent points.

Answer 3

Snape loved Lily's son;- because he loved Lily. He also hated James' son;- because he hated James.



Of all the characters in the books, Snape had the most difficult choice between good and evil (remember that he was a Deatheater in the early days).



Snape is among the greatest heroes of them all;- right up there with Dobby.

Answer 4

Interesting question.



Many, many fans consider snapexharry to be a romantic couple. I personally believe that Snape did indeed love Harry as a son, but did not openly express anything because his feelings were hindered because of James.In fact, I believe that our dear Snivellus only loved Harry because he was like a passage or leftover from Lily. All his love for Harry, I believe, is directed to Lily. Because Harry is so much like James by both appearance and personality, if Snape couldn't tell that Harry was Lily's then he wouldn't care much for him is my guess. But his current love for him, I think, is basically just for his own personal sentiment, not just to help Lily. It is as he would protect her grave, or her clothing, or anything. It's just to protect a little piece of Lily for his own sake.



Edit: Sorry for inconsistency, I'm kind of changing my own opinions as I wrote and as I'm reading this.

Answer 5

He did not love Harry. He resented him. He loved Lily Potter and he resented Harry because James Potter was the Father of Harry. He resented Harry because he wanted to be Lily's Husband and lover but his worst enemy James Potter married her. And in Harry Snape sees James. And that is why he resents him. But he protects Harry because he loved his mother Lily. To prove this a Doe was Lily Potter's Patronus Charm

Answer 6

I absolutely think that he loved HP. He was bitter and I think he resented HP for many years and didn't like him as a person. But considering his devotion to Lily, I don't think he could hate her son. He wouldn't have done all that he did if he hated him.