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masterofmystery · 08-30-2011, 02:59 PM

Months ago, Bloomsbury launched a worldwide search and vote to find out which Harry Potter character was the favourite amongst fans. The voting period has now ended, and the winner was chosen.

SEVERUS SNAPE

VOTED FAVOURITE CHARACTER FROM HARRY POTTER NOVELS

‘Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid’s, but they had none of Hagrid’s warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.’ Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Severus Snape, Potions master, Head of Slytherin and Death Eater has taken the number one spot in the vote to find the world’s favourite character from the Harry Potter novel.

Snape snatched the top spot from Harry, J.K. Rowling’s personal favourite. When asked about her favourite character J.K. Rowling said: ‘Harry, although I believe I am unusual in this, Ron is generally more popular (I love him too, though) Now that I have finished writing the books, the character I would most like to meet for dinner is Dumbledore. We would have a lot to discuss, and I would love his advice; I think that everyone would like a Dumbledore in their lives.’

The vote was launched in May 2011 and received over 70,000 votes. Severus Snape gained 20% of those votes (just under 13,000) making him a clear winner. Severus Snape has appeared in all seven of the Harry Potter novels and came to be an integral part of Harry Potter’s life.

Hermione Granger took second place and Sirius Black third. Harry himself came in fourth and Lord Voldemort just made the top twenty at number 17. Dobby is the only non-human character to make the top ten and another Slytherin, Draco Malfoy, completes the top characters in tenth place. The top 40 is below:

1. Severus Snape
2. Hermione Granger
3. Sirius Black
4. Harry Potter
5. Ron Weasley
6. Luna Lovegood
7. Ginny Weasley
8. Albus Dumbledore
9. Dobby
10. Draco Malfoy
11. Remus Lupin
12. Neville Longbottom
13. Fred Weasley
14. Bellatrix Lestrange
15. Minerva McGonagall
16. Rubeus Hagrid
17. Lord Voldemort
18. Nymphadora Tonks
19. Gilderoy Lockhart
20. George Weasley
21. James Potter
22. Hedwig
23. Lily Potter
24. Lucius Malfoy
25. Molly Weasley
26. Cedric Diggory
27. Alastor Moody
28. Arthur Weasley
29. Kreacher
30. Dementors
31. Dolores Umbridge
32. Moaning Myrtle
33. Sybill Trelawney
34. Rita Skeeter
35. Filius Flitwick
36. Argus Filch
37. Dudley Dursley
38. Vincent Crabbe
39. Gregory Goyle
40. Cornelius Fudge
Voters could also suggest their own favourite characters outside of the 40 and of these Oliver Wood was the most popular. Fang, Hagrid’s dog, and the Fat Lady in the portrait at the entrance to Gryffindor gained the least votes with only one each!

ArianaBlack · 08-30-2011, 08:18 PM

SIRIUS.

All my friends have "dubbed" Snape as their favorite character ever since the watched/read DH, but I don't really like him too much. I sympathize for him and I pity him, but I don't like him. All my friends love him because he loved a girl that hated him and then he protected her son. But I think that he sort of deserves what he got with Lily because he did call her a mudblood and that is not right at all. He was also a down right jerk to people like Harry, neville (who didn't do anything to him), hermione, and even some more characters. I don't absolutely despise him, but I wouldn't consider him a favorite character. Although I have to say his plot line and history is really interesting, I'm just not too fond of his character.

AvisPhoenix74 · 08-30-2011, 08:31 PM

Wow... What a horrible list. Did the people that voted actually read the books? Seriously... Snape number one? GINNY IN THE TOP TEN? Rubbish...

HP_fan4ever · 08-30-2011, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marauders' Map

He genuinely hated Harry and went out of his way to let Harry know that repeatedly ever since Harry was a young boy. I guess that maybe Snape saw James in Harry and that is what drove Snape so crazy.

But if that is true, why didn't Snape also sometimes see Lily in Harry, and why didn't that mitigate his actions towards Harry?

why couldn't he have in some way tipped Harry off to his mixed feelings?

Why did he have to go so out of his way to be so nasty? Not a single moment of kindness in almost 7 years?
His behavior towards the boy hardly seems the behavior of one who was entirely motivated by love of the boy's mother.

HELLO!!!!!!!

I am here to answer your Snape questions as best I can.

1) Severus looked at Harry and saw James (Harry looked just like him) so all the old feelings of hate came up which lead to Severus treating Harry bad. Also Harry was living proof that James had beat him. Harry was living proof of Severus' worst memory (he had lost Lily) which lead to hate

2) Severus couldn't see Lily in Harry because he LOOKED so much like James. Severus would not allow himself to see the person he loved the most in that physical form of the person he hated the most.
(honestly could you do that? could you find qualities of the person you've loved so much in a person that looked nearly identical to the person you most hated?)

3) He would never let Harry know as long as he(severus himself) lived because I would imagen it's something of a mix of guilt and embarressment. Guilt that you feel partly responcible for the death of the woman you loved. Embarressed that you're doing a favor for not only Lily, but also in some ways for James!! James bullied Severus as a child and they were bitter rivials now you're helping raise his kid!! But also the embarressment that you would be admitting to a child that his father "took" your only love. Severus' pride would never allow him to admit to Harry the truth of his complex hate/care for him.

4) One of Severus' biggest flaws is his ability to hold a grudge. He held onto this grudge towards James and never forgot it. Harry had the misfortunae of looking like James on top of being James' son so Snape took all the built up anger and hate out on Harry.

But don't forget Snape did save Harry's life on more than one occassion so at times we did see the behavior of his love for Lily acted towards Harry.

But here's something else to think about.
His memmories, Severus did not need to give Harry his childhood memories, he just did.

Really he would have needed to only give Harry 3 or 4 memories to show him he didn't betray Dumbledore and the message Dumbledore gave him to pass on to Harry.

I always thought of those memories had 2 purposes. 1) to tell Harry what he needed to know abut dying etc.
2) for Harry to understand WHY he treated him so poorly......in a way this COULD be seens as Severus' "apology" to Harry for all the years of mistreatment.

If you have anymore questions feel free to leave a message on my wall or PM me. I find this to be an interesting topic and really do listen to what other people have to say. Hope my answers help, but if you have more questions I'll be more than willing to listen to them and hopefully provide an answer

sylvelle · 08-30-2011, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marauders' Map

I like the really strong showing by Ginny here! Nice to know there are so many other Ginny lovers out there.

I posed a question about Snape on another SS thread, and I didn't really get a response, so I will try again here. I genuinely do not understand why -- if his love for Lily Potter was the motivating force of his entire life -- Snape was a first class jerk (bordering on abusive) to Harry ever since Harry was 11 years old. I get that in order to be an effective double agent, Snape had to put up a front about Harry, but it was amply clear after 5 or 6 years that Snape's actions towards Harry were no false pretend. He genuinely hated Harry and went out of his way to let Harry know that repeatedly ever since Harry was a young boy. I guess that maybe Snape saw James in Harry and that is what drove Snape so crazy. But if that is true, why didn't Snape also sometimes see Lily in Harry, and why didn't that mitigate his actions towards Harry? I am not saying that Snape had to be president of the Harry Potter Fan Club, but why couldn't he have in some way tipped Harry off to his mixed feelings? Why did he have to go so out of his way to be so nasty? Not a single moment of kindness in almost 7 years? His behavior towards the boy hardly seems the behavior of one who was entirely motivated by love of the boy's mother. Anyway, I genuinely don't understand this and I wonder if anybody can shed some satisfactory light on it.

I think it was a mixed bag for Severus, maybe he wanted to make sure that Harry didn't let the fame go to his head. Become like James. I agree he was really bad to Harry most the time, but in the end Harry thought he was the bravest man he ever knew, so I guess he understood at least.

sylvelle · 08-30-2011, 08:44 PM

Don't forget he actually provided the sword when it was needed.

Bazinga · 08-30-2011, 08:58 PM

I can not believe Harry is clear down at number 4 and Dumbledore is clear at 8. I would have never voted snape as number one.

nanarriera · 08-30-2011, 09:13 PM

So many wonderful and epic characters... I think I love them all (even Voldemort!).

AvisPhoenix74 · 08-30-2011, 09:18 PM

EVERYONE (even the evil) are capable of love. To love a woman and then torture and humiliate her child in school is unacceptable... No matter who Harry looked like. Harry shouldn't of suffered because of Snape's mistakes (he was the one who called Lily mudblood afterall), and lets remember, Snape was forced by Dumbledore to help Harry in HP7!

Quote:

Originally Posted by anolan807

I can not believe Harry is clear down at number 4 and Dumbledore is clear at 8. I would have never voted snape as number one.

I agree!

AlwaysSnapesGirl · 08-30-2011, 09:21 PM

I was wondering about this a few weeks ago and whether they were ever going to announce who won...and now they have! Huzzah

I'm incredibly happy that Snape won

I knew he'd be up there since he does have quite a few fans, but I wasn't expecting him to be number one - so I'm completely ecstatic now

Now he's won both the Harry Potter World Cup and this thing for Bloomsbury! Go Snape!

Also, I just have to say, I'm surprised that Umbridge is so high on the list at number 31, beating characters like Trelawney and Flitwick, and that Neville isn't in the top ten. Number twelve isn't bad, of course, I just thought he'd be higher. At least all of the trio made the top five - that's pretty awesome

HogwartsHokage · 08-30-2011, 09:34 PM

Yay Snape!

hermione8799 · 08-30-2011, 09:40 PM

Yipee fr sev and yipee fr hermione!!!

bonnieginnyfan1 · 08-30-2011, 09:52 PM

Congrats Snape!

Well deserved! He started out as not one of my favourite characters but I liked him more by each book and he is now on of my favourites!

Mrs-Potter · 08-30-2011, 09:53 PM

YAAY!! Congrats Severus!

Govoni · 08-30-2011, 10:09 PM

Delete this PLEASE!

Govoni · 08-30-2011, 10:19 PM

Woot! Go Snape, you smexy man beast!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvisPhoenix74

Snape loved someone, big deal. EVERYONE (even the evil) are capable of love. To love a woman and then torture and humiliate her child in school is unacceptable... No matter who Harry looked like. Harry shouldn't of suffered because of Snape's mistakes (he was the one who called Lily mudblood afterall), and lets remember, Snape was forced by Dumbledore to help Harry in HP7!

Quote:

Originally Posted by anolan807

I can not believe Harry is clear down at number 4 and Dumbledore is clear at 8. I would have never voted snape as number one.

Umm, this wasn't about who was more morally sound. This was about everyone's FAVORITE...based on voting.

Harry got on my nerves in many parts of the book. As did Dumbledore. I don't know why...but they did. I would NEVER in a million years vote for Harry in anything. He wasn't the best developed character...who I thought was clearly Neville Longbottom, anyway. The news about a man such as Snape being able to feel such a strong and powerful emotion, like love, was special. Not to mention, his intelligence and snark was my deciding factor, as well.

All in all, everyone's opinions are appreciated here...but please don't rant about us liking Snape and thinking he deserved it. There's so many layers that I think you might have over looked.

I think HP Fan4ever presents it best, really.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HermioneGranger7866

dementors b4 dolores umbridge
i find that perfect !

HAHAHAHA! XD! Now, THAT is justice.

dottigurl · 08-30-2011, 10:23 PM

O_O draco only at number 10?! Ahhh don't worry my poor baby your number 1 for me!!

Slytherin's Talon · 08-30-2011, 10:45 PM

I like that it happened, although he was not my choice. I prefer Luna, Arthur, Slughorn(the only nice Slytherin we saw) Myrtle,(WHY IS SHE BELLOW UMBRIDGE!?) Harry and Minerva and Longbottom.
Snape has never really been my favorite but I don't hate him like some do. He is complex and he has many good qualities. On the other hand, he is cruel. But I like that this character won, and I am interested to hear Rowlings reaction.

Ginny GL · 08-30-2011, 11:16 PM

Very, very interesting. After DH, most everyone's view of him really changed, and this poll shows.

WitchLight27 · 08-30-2011, 11:31 PM

My soft spot for Snape that I've never felt since that moment he told Bella that he's a spy for Voldemort and done the Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa. He's such a hero.

Severus Snape deserves everything. I just can't imagine how does he block his mind everytime he's with Voldemort. After all, he's great in Occlumency.

Hermionespell · 08-30-2011, 11:51 PM

It's brilliant that the character that fooled so many, the character that was so complex and layered, that never changed throughout the series in his unwavering dedication to fighting the Dark despite appearances was voted the favorite HP character. Every character in these books holds a portion of my heart (and vote), undoubtedly, but I'm glad to see that Snape won. Whether this is just a piece of remorse for hating him so much throughout the entire series or a true appreciation for the complexity of his character, I do not know.