One of the marks of a truly great work of fiction is its ability to craft characters that stay with the reader or viewer long after they’ve finished viewing or watching. There’s no question that Severus Snape is one of the most compelling characters to have emerged out of Harry Potter, and he is notorious for straddling the line between hero and villain right up until the end.
However, there are quite a few of his own words, uttered throughout his time in the series, to show that, when it came right down to it, he truly was one of the series’ best heroes.
On His Enduring Love:
“Always.”
There are many great romances in Harry Potter, but Snape’s enduring love for Lily Potter is one of the most touching. It’s the one thing that seems to guide most of his actions, and it’s the reason that he foreswears his allegiance to Voldemort. Nothing is as piercing, however, is his heroic statement to Dumbledore that he still loves her and yearns for her presence, even so many years after her death at Voldemort’s hands. It's a testament to his ultimate chivalry.
On What He Would Do To Protect Lily's Family:
“Anything.”
Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizards in all of Harry Potter, and there are times when he can be quite ruthless in his approach to others. This is most obvious in his dealings with Snape, who comes to him pleading with him to save Lily from Voldemort’s wrath. It’s a very heroic gesture on Snape’s part, since he’s putting his own life at risk, and Dumbledore is wise, and pragmatic, enough to know that he can use Snape for his own ends.
On His Potions Stocks:
“I'm Afraid You Have Used Up All My Stores Interrogating Students, The Last Of It On Miss Chang. Unless You Wish To Poison Potter - And I Assure You, I Would Have The Greatest Sympathy If You Did - I Cannot Help You.”
Dolores Umbridge is one of the most terrifying villains in Harry Potter, capable of inflicting tremendous harm on the students given into her care. In this case, she wants to use the sinister potion to get the truth out of the recalcitrant Harry. While it would have been easy for Snape to give into her demands, instead he proved that he was truly a hero by lying to her face about the fact that he had none left to provide her. Given how malicious Umbridge could be, that was a true act of bravery on his part.
On Dumbledore's Promise:
“You’ve Kept Him Alive So That He Can Die At The Proper Moment. You’ve Been Raising Him Like A Pig For Slaughter!”
Even though Snape can be quite cruel towards Harry at times, he also repeatedly shows that he has the young man’s best interests at heart when it comes right down to it. This means that he is more than willing to take Dumbledore to task when it comes to Harry’s fate.
He doesn’t mince words about the fact that the Headmaster has been setting Harry up to die at Voldemort’s hands. It’s one of those moments when Snape’s inner heroism finally shines through.
On Saving Draco:
“I Can’t Change The Dark Lord’s Mind. But It Might Be Possible For Me To Help Draco.”
Time and again throughout the series, Snape shows that he is willing and able to leap to the defense of the students in his case. This is especially true when it comes to Draco, and he even makes a point of telling Narcissa (arguably one of the non-evil Slytherins) that he will do what he can to protect her son. Given how much of a sacrifice this will entail, and given how dangerous it is for him to interfere with anything Voldemort orders, this shows just how much of a hero he is.
On the Burden of His Promise:
“Has It Ever Crossed Your Brilliant Mind That I Don’t Want To Do This Anymore?”
From the beginning, it’s clear that Snape respects Dumbledore more than almost every other wizard with whom he comes into contact. However, that doesn’t mean that he isn’t willing to take him to task for what he views as his flaws, and that includes, most notably, Dumbledore’s injunction that Snape kill him rather than allowing Draco to do it. It’s one of those moments that reveals just how much of a conflicted and tragic hero Snape really is.
On Stupid Questions:
“Obviously..."
There are relatively few members of the Hogwarts faculty who are able and willing to stand up to Umbridge. However, Snape repeatedly shows that he is one of those people, and in this case it’s by being witheringly sarcastic with just one line, which is in response to Umbridge’s needling him about not getting the Defense Against the Dark Arts position.
The delivery of this, which undercuts Umbridge’s sadism, is just one of the many reasons Snape is one of Alan Rickman’s best roles.
On Harry:
"Look At Me. You Have Your Mother's Eyes."
Even though she is dead before the story begins, there’s no question that Lily is one of the most important people in Harry’s life. What’s more, he’s clearly inherited a great deal of her, including her eyes. When Snape asks him to look into his eyes at the end, it’s a final sign that, when all is said and done, it is his love for Lily that remains the most important thing to him. It’s a final heroic gesture toward his everlasting love.
On Bravery:
"I Am Not Such A Coward."
One of the most powerful groups in Harry Potter are the Death Eaters, of whom there are several notable examples. While many of them are willing to turn back to Voldemort after their return, Snape absolutely refuses to do so, as he makes clear with this statement. It’s perhaps the clearest indication that when it comes right down to it, his allegiance is with the forces of good rather than evil.
On Playing Dumb:
“No Idea.”
During the course of the series, there are many times when Snape gets into confrontations with others, most notably Umbridge. And, time and again, he shows that he is one of the rare people that can beat her. With two words, he manages to both convey to Harry that he knows what he’s talking about regarding the codename “Padfoot,” and he also throws Umbridge off the scent. It’s one of the finest indicators that there is a heroic soul beneath his prickly exterior.