LostPlague

in the books, though, snape smirks constantly. he mocks potter, black, bellatrix >> all of them. his style isn’t just sarcasm. it’s sharp, needling mockery, with sarcasm woven through it. he can take a jab at anyone [aside from the Fark Lord]. and the man genuinely enjoys it. there’s a trace of psychological sadism there, and honestly, it’s compelling.

whatever people say, his comments toward students were not outright brutal, and he didn’t systematically destroy anyone [Harry doesn't count, he wasn't affected. Neville was afraid of his shadow]. but he did mock them. openly. and i suspect it had a more tangible purpose. it feels like a behavioral model he adopted from the very start of his teaching career.

he was almost certainly the youngest professor at hogwarts. at 21-22, he could easily have been teaching students who had witnessed his public clashes with the Marauders. if you are only three or four years older than your pupils, you have to establish authority quickly. you cannot rely on age or gravitas. you rely on intimidation, sharpness, intellectual dominance.

even with harry [ even at 30 ] he constantly has to remind him about the basic authority respect. it’s a ritual assertion of hierarchy. a way to maintain distance. a shield, perhaps.

the film softens that edge. the books do not. and the difference that changes the texture of the character entirely....

Me in 2025: mmm yes I'm in love with this sad wizard man with a scar on his face who tells me half truths about the world he lost while he draws sketches of the world he knows in order to cling onto something anything at all

Love this potions master too much 😭😭😭

This redraw trend on twitter, but with snape 🤭 (timelapse and reference below)

Tip the artist, pretty please? | Commissions are open!

Day 5! Today's word: possession.

I'm sure people thought of this as either ghostly/imperious possession or the possessive nature of a lover, but i thought of all things, a possession of his. And what better than his cane? I saw another post talking about his room and the cane and wheelchair, and how he took his privacy seriously because of them, not wanting to bother anyone or show how often he relied on them. Certainly he doesn't let anyone see it outside of his room, he takes whatever he can for pain and deals with his day best he can without it. I don't think it's as hard anymore, perhaps for the bad days like anyone with a chronic illness might tell you. Sometimes things come and go.

I imagine, after his injury and the long recovery period, he was taken to find a cane to use for himself or given one by the nurses to use. Despite it being a constant reminder of his failures or arrogance, i think he did come to see it as an extension of himself and was thankful for the relief it brought using it. It's a strong warning though, something to take heed of... Don't let yourself get too reckless again.

Not sure if this was the post you’re referring to, but I’ve written about it a while ago: