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|name=Eileen Snape (née Prince)
 
|name=Eileen Snape (née Prince)
 
|hideb=
 
|hideb=
  +
|born=c. [[1930s|1930]]-[[1930s|1935]]<ref name="birthyear">As Eileen's sixth-year Potions book was published "around" 50 years prior to 1996 ({{HBP}} Chapter 16 (''A Very Frosty Christmas'')), it could have been published anytime between 1946 and 1951; assuming Eileen bought it new, and she being sixteen at the time, she would have to have been born between 1930 and 1935.</ref>
|born=c. [[1920s|1929]]-[[1930s|1935]]
 
  +
|died=
|died= After 1971<ref> She was last known to be alive in 1971, as Harry saw her in Snape's memory of the station that year, so she must have died sometime after 1971.</ref><ref name="dh33" />
 
|blood=[[Pure-blood]] (possibly)<ref name="hbp30">''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]'', Chapter 30 - (''The White Tomb'') (Harry speaks of Snape playing up "Pure-blood mother," "Muggle father," but the article Hermione reads never specifically says "Pure-blood.")</ref>
+
|blood=[[Pure-blood]]<ref name="blood">In {{HBP}}, Chapter 30 (''The White Tomb''), Harry speaks of Snape playing up "pure-blood mother, Muggle father", but the article Hermione reads never specifically says Eileen was pure-blood.</ref> {{c|possibly}}
 
|marital=Married
 
|marital=Married
 
|alias=
 
|alias=
|title=*Captain of the [[Hogwarts Gobstones Team]]<ref name="HBP25">''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]'' - Chapter 25 (''The Seer Overheard'')</ref>
+
|title=*Captain of the [[Hogwarts Gobstones Team]]<ref name="HP25">{{HBP}} - Chapter 25 (''The Seer Overheard'')</ref>
*President of the [[Hogwarts Gobstone Club]]<ref name="Pottermore">''[[Pottermore]]'' - [http://www.pottermore.com/en/book3/chapter11/moment1/gobstones New from J.K. Rowling: "Gobstones"]</ref>
+
*President of the [[Hogwarts Gobstone Club]]<ref name="PM">''[[Pottermore]]'' - [http://www.pottermore.com/en/book3/chapter11/moment1/gobstones New from J.K. Rowling: "Gobstones"]</ref>
 
|hidep=
 
|hidep=
|species=[[Human]]
+
|species=[[Human]]<ref name="OP26">{{OOTP}} - Chapter 26 (''Seen and Unforeseen'')</ref>
|gender=Female
+
|gender=Female<ref name="OP26"/>
 
|height=
 
|height=
 
|hair=
 
|hair=
 
|eyes=
 
|eyes=
|skin= Pale
+
|skin=Pale
 
|hidef=
 
|hidef=
 
|family=*[[Tobias Snape]] (husband)
 
|family=*[[Tobias Snape]] (husband)
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|hidea=
 
|hidea=
 
|job=
 
|job=
|house=[[Slytherin]] (possibly)<ref>"In Ch. 4 of Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince, Horace Slughorn states that family members are often Sorted into the same House. This may indicate that Eileen was Sorted into Slytherin, as Severus was Sorted into Slytherin. However, there are exceptions.</ref>
+
|house=[[Slytherin]]<ref name="house">{{HBP}} - Chapter 4 (''Horace Slughorn''); Slughorn states that family members are usually Sorted into the same House. This may indicate that Eileen was Sorted into Slytherin. Additional supporting evidence is that Severus wanted to be in Slytherin before he even got to school, potentially from hearing about his mother being in Slytherin.</ref> {{c|possibly}}
|loyalty=*[[Snape family]]
+
|loyalty=*[[Prince family]]
 
*[[Snape family]]
 
*[[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]
 
*[[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]
  +
**[[Slytherin]] {{c|possibly}}
*[[Prince family]]
 
 
}}
 
}}
{{Dialogue a-b|Hermione Granger|...there was a tiny announcement about Eileen Prince marrying a Muggle called Tobias Snape and then later an announcement saying that she'd given birth to a —|Harry Potter|— murderer.|Hermione revealing Snape's parentage, and Harry's contempt.|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}}
 
   
 
{{Dialogue a-b|Hermione Granger| ''[...]'' there was a tiny announcement about Eileen Prince marrying a Muggle called Tobias Snape and then later an announcement saying that she'd given birth to a —|Harry Potter|— murderer.|Hermione revealing Snape's parentage, and Harry's contempt|Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince}}
'''Eileen Snape (née Prince)''' (fl. 1935-1971) was a [[Wizards|witch]]. She was married to [[Tobias Snape]], a [[Muggle]], and was mother to [[Severus Snape]].
 
  +
  +
'''Eileen Snape''' (née '''Prince''') (b. c. [[1930s|1930]]-[[1930s|1935]]<ref name="birthyear"/>) was a [[Great Britain|British]] [[Wizardkind|witch]], wife to the [[Muggle]] [[Tobias Snape]] and mother to [[Severus Snape]].<ref name="HP30">{{HBP}} - Chapter 30 (''The White Tomb'')</ref>
   
 
==Biography==
 
==Biography==
 
===Early life===
 
===Early life===
  +
Eileen Prince was born into the [[Wizarding world|wizarding]] [[Prince family]]<ref name="HP30"/> in [[Great Britain]] sometime between 1930 and 1935.<ref name="birthyear"/>
Eileen Prince was born into the possibly [[Pure-blood]] [[Prince family|Prince]] family.<ref name="hbp30" /> According to an old ''[[Daily Prophet]]'' clipping found by [[Hermione Granger]], when Eileen was in her sixth year at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]], she was captain of the [[Hogwarts Gobstones Team|school Gobstones team]].<ref name="hbp25">''Half-Blood Prince'', Chapter 25</ref> She was concurrently the President of the [[Hogwarts Gobstone Club]], during her time at school.<ref name="Pottermore"/>
 
   
 
Eileen began attending [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]] between 1941 and 1946<ref name="birthyear"/> and was presumably [[Sorting ceremony|Sorted]] into [[Slytherin]].<ref name="house"/> According to an old ''[[Daily Prophet]]'' clipping found by [[Hermione Granger]], when Eileen was in her [[fifth year]] at Hogwarts she was Captain of the [[Hogwarts Gobstones Team|school Gobstones team]].<ref name="HP25">{{HP}} - Chapter 25 (''The Seer Overheard'')</ref> She was concurrently the President of the [[Hogwarts Gobstone Club]] during her time at school.<ref name="PM"/>
It is unknown exactly when Eileen began attending Hogwarts, but, based on the description of a [[Severus Snape's copy of Advanced Potion-Making|copy]] of the sixth-year [[Potions (class)|Potions]] textbook ''[[Advanced Potion-Making]]'' owned by her son [[Severus Snape's copy of Advanced Potion-Making|as being "nearly fifty years old"]] in December [[1996]], it is possible that she started sometime in the early 1940s, if the book was bought new and then handed down.<ref>''Half-Blood Prince'', Chapter 16</ref>
 
   
  +
===Adulthood===
The [[Hogwarts Houses|House]] into which she was [[Sorting ceremony|Sorted]] is also unknown, although, given her son's desire to be Sorted into [[Slytherin]],<ref name="dh33">''Deathly Hallows'', Chapter 33</ref> it is possible she was one herself, or that Slytherin was the traditional house of the Prince family. Eileen may be like [[Andromeda Tonks|Andromeda Tonks (née Black)]], a pure-blood who married a Muggle-born due to a change in belief in [[blood purity]].
 
  +
[[File:Young_Snape_DH2.jpg|thumb|Eileen's son, Severus.]]
   
  +
Shortly after graduating, Eileen met the [[Muggle]] [[Tobias Snape]] and married him.<ref name="HP30"/> They moved into a dilapidated terraced house in a slum neighbourhood on a street called [[Spinner's End]] in [[Cokeworth]], close to the mill by a nasty-smelling, polluted river.<ref name="DH33">{{DH}} - Chapter 33 (''The Prince's Tale'')</ref>
==Relationships==
 
===Family===
 
[[File:Young_Snape_DH2.jpg|thumb|Eileen's son, Severus.]]Eileen married [[Tobias Snape]], a [[Muggle]],<ref name="hbp30" /> and lived with him in a terraced house on [[Spinner's End]].<ref name="dh33" /> On [[9 January]], [[1960s|1960]], she gave birth to a son, [[Severus Snape|Severus]]. Life in the Snape home was tumultuous, as Severus informed his friend, [[Lily Evans]], that his parents were constantly arguing.<ref name="dh33" /> Given that Eileen's son was described as not looking "well cared for" at age eleven,<ref name="dh33" /> it is also possible that she and her husband were neglectful parents, abjectly poor, or both. Tobias does seem to have been aware of the fact that Eileen was a witch, having been described by their son as not liking anything, least of all magic.<ref name="dh33" /> Eileen accompanied her eleven-year-old son to [[Platform Nine and Three-Quarters]] for the first time on [[1 September|September]] 1, 1971, an event later watched in a [[Pensieve]] by [[Harry Potter]].<ref name="dh33" />
 
   
  +
On [[9 January]], [[1960s|1960]], Eileen gave birth to a baby boy, [[Severus Snape]].<ref name="HP30"/> Severus's early life was marked by a tumultuous, explosive atmosphere at home, with fights frequently breaking out between his parents.<ref name="OP26"/> Tobias, his father, would often shout at Eileen, leaving their son crying in the corner whilst she cowered in fear.<ref name="OP26"/>
==Physical description==
 
  +
At age fifteen, Eileen is described as having been skinny, pale, and sullen-faced, with a long face and heavy eyebrows.<ref name="hbp25" /> In [[1971]], as an adult woman, she was thin, sallow-faced, and sour-looking, greatly resembling her son.<ref name="dh33" />
 
  +
Eileen struggled to care for her son whilst living in abject poverty and struck regularly by her husband's abuse; although she often argued back, this never worked well for her.<ref name="DH33"/> Despite this, Severus often looked as though he was not well cared-for and often wore ridiculously mismatched clothes that were far too large for him.<ref name="DH33"/>
  +
  +
On [[1 September]], [[1970s|1971]], Eileen accompanied Severus to [[Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters]] at [[King's Cross Station]] to see him off on the [[Hogwarts Express]].<ref name="DH33"/> Although looking sullen, it can be presumed that she was somewhat happy to see her son leave the abuse at home; he looked exceptionally overjoyed.<ref name="DH33"/>
  +
  +
===Later life===
  +
It is unknown precisely what happened to Eileen, but by the time Severus joined the [[Order of the Phoenix]] and began teaching at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry|Hogwarts]] in [[September]] [[1981]], their home in Spinner's End was deserted.<ref name="HP2">{{HBP}} - Chapter 2 (''Spinner's End'')</ref> It can thus be presumed that Eileen had either moved away or died.
  +
 
==Physical appearance==
  +
Eileen at age fifteen was very skinny and unattractive, looking simultaneously cross and sullen, with heavy brows and a long, pallid face<ref name="HP25"/>. By 1971, not much had changed: Eileen was thin, hunched, sour-faced and sallow<ref name="DH33"/>.
   
 
==Etymology==
 
==Etymology==
Line 58: Line 68:
   
 
Eileen's maiden name was'' [[Prince family|Prince]]. [[Wikipedia:Prince|Prince]]'' is a general term for a monarch or a member of a monarch's family, and is a hereditary title of some European royalty, likely alluding to the aristocratic status of pure-blood families in the [[wizarding world]]. The word is derived from the Latin ''[[Wikipedia:Princeps|princeps]]'', meaning "a prime", which was one of the titles of the Roman Emperor, in which case it was generally translated as "First Citizen". ''[[Wikipedia:The Prince|The Prince]]'' is also the title of a famous political treatise by Niccolò Machiavelli; an interesting point considering that the adjective derived from the author's surname, ''Machiavellian'', is defined as "attempting to achieve goals by cunning, scheming and unscrupulous methods", which may allude to the ideal traits of [[Slytherin]] house.<ref>[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Machiavellian Wiktionary Definition: Machiavellian]</ref>
 
Eileen's maiden name was'' [[Prince family|Prince]]. [[Wikipedia:Prince|Prince]]'' is a general term for a monarch or a member of a monarch's family, and is a hereditary title of some European royalty, likely alluding to the aristocratic status of pure-blood families in the [[wizarding world]]. The word is derived from the Latin ''[[Wikipedia:Princeps|princeps]]'', meaning "a prime", which was one of the titles of the Roman Emperor, in which case it was generally translated as "First Citizen". ''[[Wikipedia:The Prince|The Prince]]'' is also the title of a famous political treatise by Niccolò Machiavelli; an interesting point considering that the adjective derived from the author's surname, ''Machiavellian'', is defined as "attempting to achieve goals by cunning, scheming and unscrupulous methods", which may allude to the ideal traits of [[Slytherin]] house.<ref>[http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Machiavellian Wiktionary Definition: Machiavellian]</ref>
 
Eileen's married name was "''Snape''". [http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/J._K._Rowling J. K. Rowling] has said that she took the surname Snape from an English village<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-3">[[Snape family|[4]]]</sup>, probably one in Yorkshire near Hadrian’s Wall. Snape is also an English verb meaning “to be hard upon, rebuke, snub”, derived from the Old Norse "''sneypa"'', “to outrage, dishonour, disgrace”.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-4">[[Snape family|[5]]]</sup>
 
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
 
==Behind the scenes==
  +
*At Hogwarts, her son Severus used her surname and his blood status to make his nickname of "the Half-Blood Prince".
*Severus Snape took his nickname, the [[Severus Snape|Half-Blood Prince]], from his mother's maiden name combined with his own [[blood purity|blood status]] of [[half-blood]].
 
*When [[Harry Potter]] accidentally entered Severus Snape's mind during an [[Occlumency]] lesson, he saw a memory in which a hook-nosed man was yelling at a frightened woman, while a small boy with dark hair — Severus — cried in the corner. The woman is generally presumed to have been Eileen, and the memory may be evidence that their relationship was abusive.<ref name="ootp26">''Order of the Phoenix,'' Chapter 26</ref>
 
*On his first train ride to Hogwarts, Eileen's son, Severus, shows almost immediate contempt for Gryffindors, believing them to be brash and arrogant, with no prior problems shown, possibly implying that Eileen was bullied by Gryffindors while at Hogwarts, passing the resultant contempt to her son.
 
*Eileen happens to share her first name with the middle name of [[Marjorie Dursley]]. Whether this was intentionality done by Rowling to provide an insight into a possible similarity in character, it is unknown.
 
   
 
==Appearances==
 
==Appearances==
*''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'' {{Flashback}}
+
*''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]''
*''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]'' {{Mention}} {{Photograph}}
+
*''[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]''
*''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]'' {{Flashback}}
+
*''[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]''
*''[[Pottermore]]'' {{Mention}}
+
*''[[Pottermore]]''
   
 
==Notes and references==
 
==Notes and references==

Revision as of 00:33, 24 March 2015

Hermione Granger: " [...] there was a tiny announcement about Eileen Prince marrying a Muggle called Tobias Snape and then later an announcement saying that she'd given birth to a —"
Harry Potter: "— murderer."
— Hermione revealing Snape's parentage, and Harry's contempt[src]

Eileen Snape (née Prince) (b. c. 1930-1935[1]) was a British witch, wife to the Muggle Tobias Snape and mother to Severus Snape.[7]

Biography

Early life

Eileen Prince was born into the wizarding Prince family[7] in Great Britain sometime between 1930 and 1935.[1]

Eileen began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry between 1941 and 1946[1] and was presumably Sorted into Slytherin.[6] According to an old Daily Prophet clipping found by Hermione Granger, when Eileen was in her fifth year at Hogwarts she was Captain of the school Gobstones team.[3] She was concurrently the President of the Hogwarts Gobstone Club during her time at school.[4]

Adulthood

Young Snape DH2

Eileen's son, Severus.

Shortly after graduating, Eileen met the Muggle Tobias Snape and married him.[7] They moved into a dilapidated terraced house in a slum neighbourhood on a street called Spinner's End in Cokeworth, close to the mill by a nasty-smelling, polluted river.[8]

On 9 January, 1960, Eileen gave birth to a baby boy, Severus Snape.[7] Severus's early life was marked by a tumultuous, explosive atmosphere at home, with fights frequently breaking out between his parents.[5] Tobias, his father, would often shout at Eileen, leaving their son crying in the corner whilst she cowered in fear.[5]

Eileen struggled to care for her son whilst living in abject poverty and struck regularly by her husband's abuse; although she often argued back, this never worked well for her.[8] Despite this, Severus often looked as though he was not well cared-for and often wore ridiculously mismatched clothes that were far too large for him.[8]

On 1 September, 1971, Eileen accompanied Severus to Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters at King's Cross Station to see him off on the Hogwarts Express.[8] Although looking sullen, it can be presumed that she was somewhat happy to see her son leave the abuse at home; he looked exceptionally overjoyed.[8]

Later life

It is unknown precisely what happened to Eileen, but by the time Severus joined the Order of the Phoenix and began teaching at Hogwarts in September 1981, their home in Spinner's End was deserted.[9] It can thus be presumed that Eileen had either moved away or died.

Physical appearance

Eileen at age fifteen was very skinny and unattractive, looking simultaneously cross and sullen, with heavy brows and a long, pallid face[3]. By 1971, not much had changed: Eileen was thin, hunched, sour-faced and sallow[8].

Etymology

"Eileen" is from Celtic, English and Irish roots and has a long-standing history in each culture. In Irish it is known as a variation of "Helen". It became a more popular name in the 19th century. It is rumoured to have roots in Latin, American, French and Greek cultures, however such claims are not backed up with much evidence. Another variation of this name is Eileene which is most commonly used in Ireland.

Other versions of Eileen; "Aileen" (Scottish), "Eibhlin" (the original source for the name), "Eila" (Celtic variant of both "Eileen" and "Aileen"), "Eireen" (Norwegian variant of "Irene" or "Eileen"), "Eleanor" (a similarly-rooted name to "Eileen" in Irish).

Eileen's maiden name was PrincePrince is a general term for a monarch or a member of a monarch's family, and is a hereditary title of some European royalty, likely alluding to the aristocratic status of pure-blood families in the wizarding world. The word is derived from the Latin princeps, meaning "a prime", which was one of the titles of the Roman Emperor, in which case it was generally translated as "First Citizen". The Prince is also the title of a famous political treatise by Niccolò Machiavelli; an interesting point considering that the adjective derived from the author's surname, Machiavellian, is defined as "attempting to achieve goals by cunning, scheming and unscrupulous methods", which may allude to the ideal traits of Slytherin house.[10]

Behind the scenes

  • At Hogwarts, her son Severus used her surname and his blood status to make his nickname of "the Half-Blood Prince".

Appearances

Notes and references

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 As Eileen's sixth-year Potions book was published "around" 50 years prior to 1996 (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Chapter 16 (A Very Frosty Christmas)), it could have been published anytime between 1946 and 1951; assuming Eileen bought it new, and she being sixteen at the time, she would have to have been born between 1930 and 1935.
  2. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 30 (The White Tomb), Harry speaks of Snape playing up "pure-blood mother, Muggle father", but the article Hermione reads never specifically says Eileen was pure-blood.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Chapter 25 (The Seer Overheard) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "HP25" defined multiple times with different content
  4. 4.0 4.1 Pottermore - New from J.K. Rowling: "Gobstones"
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - Chapter 26 (Seen and Unforeseen)
  6. 6.0 6.1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Chapter 4 (Horace Slughorn); Slughorn states that family members are usually Sorted into the same House. This may indicate that Eileen was Sorted into Slytherin. Additional supporting evidence is that Severus wanted to be in Slytherin before he even got to school, potentially from hearing about his mother being in Slytherin.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Chapter 30 (The White Tomb)
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Chapter 33 (The Prince's Tale)
  9. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - Chapter 2 (Spinner's End)
  10. Wiktionary Definition: Machiavellian
Hogwarts Gobstones Team
Gobstones
Known Captains
Eileen Prince
Gobstones players
David Boorman · Felix Brunt · Poppy Caxton · Fay Dunbar · Craig Dunn · Cordelia Gifford · Gryffindor boy · Gryffindor boy's friend · Jason Swann · Gareth Pewsey · Bastien Queensbury · Ivan Renshaw · Arman Shettigar · Vikram Thakur · Nigel Wroxton · Zara Valli