J.K. Rowling must be using her Remembrall again.
For some reason lately, the Harry Potter author seems to finally recall that she left fans of the series with more mysteries than there are flavors of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans. The author has been slowly revealing the answers to some of those mysteries through Twitter, and on Friday she was at it again.
After a fan asked why Rowling would name one of Harry’s kids after Snape, Rowling initially responded by saying that Harry was paying Snape tribute since he died for Harry out of love for his mother, Lily.
Snape died for Harry out of love for Lily. Harry paid him tribute in forgiveness and gratitude. https://t.co/MPXBgUApa3
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2015
After that, the next great Battle of Hogwarts began. The author’s response opened the Twitter floodgates, causing heated debate between Snape lovers and haters alike.
I’ve got to say this: you lot have been arguing about Snape for years. My timeline just exploded with love & fury yet again. Never change x
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2015
Rowling joined the debate, too, getting even more revealing about Snape. The author explained that Snape did have genuine hatred for Harry.
That’s not true, I’m afraid. Snape projected his hatred and jealousy of James onto Harry. https://t.co/5jzNHlfSe0
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2015
Then she took a deep dive into Snape’s character, discussing how he has shades of gray; revealing how Harry hoped to honor him and the other deaths from the Battle of Hogwarts; and explaining Snape’s one true tragedy.
Snape is all grey. You can’t make him a saint: he was vindictive & bullying. You can’t make him a devil: he died to save the wizarding world
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2015
In honouring Snape, Harry hoped in his heart that he too would be forgiven. The deaths at the Battle of Hogwarts would haunt Harry forever.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2015
Snape was a bully who loved the goodness he sensed in Lily without being able to emulate her. That was his tragedy. https://t.co/nzWhNrBxdH
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2015
After a short respite, Rowling came back to Twitter and found the debate still going strong.
(Just come back to Twitter to find the great Snape debate still raging)
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2015
She joined in once again. Rowling explained how Snape’s last moments with Voldemort were truly heroic.
Snape didn’t die for ‘ideals’. He died in an attempt to expiate his own guilt. He could have broken cover at any time to save himself 1/2
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2015
but he chose not to tell Voldemort that the latter was making a fatal error in targeting Harry. Snape’s silence ensured Harry’s victory. 2/2
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2015
He stood to gain nothing personally but the triumph of the cause Lily had believed in. He was trying to do right. https://t.co/h00btgHwSI
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2015
The author also got back to the main issue at hand: why Harry named his son Albus Severus after Snape instead of some other person who died at Hogwarts.
Harry chose to perpetuate the names of the two who had nobody in their families to do so. https://t.co/uwQVA9Tz9O
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 27, 2015
For Albus Severus, the names to be remembered were Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore.
Case closed.
Rowling thanked the fans who participated in the debate and then apparated out of there. And with that, the author ended the great Twitter debate of why Harry named his son after Snape.
But you can bet fans have more questions and are just waiting for whenever the next Harry Potter debate takes over.
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