Very few Harry Potter characters spawned as many memes as Snape, and the best Snape memes showcase why the Potions Master and master spy is a source of endless humor. Brought to life by the late and inimitable Alan Rickman in all 8 Harry Potter movies, Snape is a perpetual thorn in Harry's academic career. At first, Harry believes he's in league with the dreaded He Who Must Not Be Named, Lord Voldemort. Of course, it emerges that Snape is actually a hero through and through, and makes greater sacrifices than almost anyone in the Harry Potter novels — a plot point that's central to many of the best Snape memes.

However, some of the funniest Snape memes don't just come from his almost unjustifiably tragic Harry Potter character arc. Many are from moments in the Harry Potter movies — especially the earlier entries like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets — when Snape was bullying Harry and Ron in the classroom because of how Harry's Dad treated him in school. From the drawling almost-catchphrase "Mr Potter..." to the rather-be-anywhere-but-here delivery of "open your textbooks to page 394", the funniest Snape lines and moments have led to some hilarious memes that perfectly capture his character.

1 Snape's Profile Picture

Severus Snape's grumpy attitude instantly made him a stand-out character in the books, and it's the subject of many of the best Snape memes. Snape was known for being particularly bitter about life. He was always in a bad mood, never hesitating to bombard his students with most pessimistic comments imaginable, and had little tolerance for anything that he considered foolish or mischievous. This Snape meme pokes fun at the idea of the wizarding world had social media like Facebook, and Snape uploading a profile picture with his characteristic grim and serious face — something Dumbledore doesn't hesitate to lambast him for.

2 Leave Snape And Malfoy Alone

Snape is one of the most misunderstood Harry Potter characters. The fact he's painted as a villain due to his resentful personality and gothic looks isn't lost on the makers of the best Snape memes. Harry Potter and his friends always thought Snape was up to something evil, just like Malfoy. These suspicions were not completely unjustified; their mean behaviors were villainous and led people like Voldemort and Death Eaters to trust them. However, Snape was trying to protect Potter and Hogwarts in his alliance with the Dark Lord, and Malfoy was succumbing to his family's pressure. This Snape meme hilariously captures how Snape (and Malfoy) are often Harry's scapegoats whenever anything goes wrong at Hogwarts, when the reality is they're rarely responsible or actively trying to prevent it (in Snape's case at least).

3 Snape Is A Relatable Life Goal

Snape is one of the best Harry Potter characters for many reasons. His everlasting love for Lily Potter drove him to risk his life to protect Harry, and he had one of the most outstanding styles and personalities in Hogwarts. It was difficult to see that as children though, and most fans hated his bitterness and irritability. Growing up and becoming adult led most viewers to understand why Snape was so mad and resentful toward life. Some of the best Snape memes simply point out this fact. As Snape once explained when talking to Harry Potter, life is not fair, and this realization resonates far more with adult readers revisiting the Harry Potter stories.

4 Snape Going Full Bully Professor

Severus Snape took his frustration out on his students in a way that would 100% have disqualified him the profession in a Muggle school — especially towards Harry. Having a difficult past does not justify being rude to students. However, that doesn't change the fact these moments have led to some of the best Snape memes. Snape said many despicable things to Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville and punished them in questionable ways. Although he did not hold a special grudge toward Potter's friends, he did have a complex relationship with Harry. He reminded him of James Potter, who he absolutely despised, but also of Lily, who he adored. That led him to bully Harry at the same time that he protected and loved him dearly.

5 Snape Can't Catch A Break

Snape suffered one of the most brutal deaths in Harry Potter despite doing everything in his power to try and ensure the Dark Lord never returned, and his death summed up his life. Every time Snape meant to do something to help others and protect students, he would be mistrusted and even attacked by Hogwart's young wizards. A perfect example of this was when he tried to save Hermione, Ron, and Harry from Sirius Black, who was thought to be a mass murderer in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, only to be attacked by Harry with an "Expelliarmus" that knocked him out. The best Snape memes capture Snape's continued attempts to do the right thing backfiring spectacularly — something almost everyone can relate to.

6 Snape Takes The House Cup Seriously

Severus is a Slytherin and is also the Head of the House. As fans know, there is a rivalry between the Hogwarts Houses — one that Snape seems to take surprisingly seriously, even when there are literal dangers like a loose Basilisk or his Dark Mark flaring up. Snape was constantly breathing on Gryffindor students' necks ready to catch them breaking the rules, not doing the class assignments, or something else that was worthy of scolding or punishment. He was so onto Gryffindor that it seemed like no student from the House could even sneeze or cough without Snape thinking they were being disrespectful. He would always find an excuse to feel personally insulted, and take points off Gryffindor.

7 Snape's Eternal Rivalry With James Potter

The bitter hatred between Severus Snape and James Potter is the stuff of Hogwarts legend — and the source of some of the best Snape memes. Snape was never afraid to tell Harry Potter how his father was swine and scum. Although it is not acceptable to insult someone who has passed away, it is understandable why Severus was bitter about Jame's depiction as a heroic, kind, clever, and outstanding wizard. James Potter severely bullied Snape throughout his entire youth. He humiliated him and tormented him for years, and unfortunately, his beloved fell in love with him. There is no doubt why Snape easily skipped his corpse when he arrived at Godric's Hollow to hold Lily, he was probably glad James died, like in the meme.

8 Snape Has Unresolved Lily Issues

Lily Potter and Severus were close friends since they were little and entered Hogwarts together. Since then, Snape had a strong bond with Lily, but after being separated into their Houses, Jame's bullying, and Severus' supremacist influences they both stopped being friends. Snape, however, never got over Lily and loved her throughout his entire life, which he confessed when he said the best Snape quotes, "Always." That is why it is imaginable to see Severus congratulating Lily with the only picture she has of her, even after her death, and scratching Potter's face. The unrequited romance was one of the best Harry Potter arcs, and should definitely be explored more deeply in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series. However, as a source of memes, Snape being bitter about how things ended is priceless.

9 Half-Blood Prince: Keanu Reeves Edition

Harry Potter's hatred against Snape made him constantly underestimate him, and he never imagined he was the brilliant Half-Blood Prince that invented spells such as "sectumsempra" and made him succeed in Potions with Slughorn. In Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince, Potter tries to use this same spell against Snape, unaware that he is the one that came up with it, and knows how to repel it. It is funny to imagine, however, how his identity-revealing quote would have been said if Keanu Reeves would have interpreted Snape. This meme is a great example of how some of the best Snape memes don't require Alan Rickman.

10 Alan Rickman's Snape Voice

The best Snape memes pull from the best thing about him in the Harry Potter movies — Alan Rickman's delivery. His nasal tone, proper language, slow phrasing, and dramatic pauses are iconic, and nobody can think of Snape without his particular way of speaking, which was perfectly captured by Alan Rickman in the live-adaptation of J.K Rowling's books. His distinctive way of talking has been spotted by many fans who know how to imitate him in detail, and if there is someone out there who looks like the beloved and hated professor, it's easy for them to create a Snape-like quote that is coherent with their context, like an airplane attendant who asks to not leave luggage unattended.