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Severus Snape (January 9, 1960 - May 2, 1998) was Potions Master (1981-96), Defence Against the Dark Arts professor (1996-97), and Headmaster (1997-1998) of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Snape played an important role in the war against Voldemort, though he did so covertly and at great personal risk.
Born to Eileen Prince and Tobias Snape, Severus was raised in the Muggle dwelling of Spinner's End where he was in close proximity to Lily and Petunia Evans. Severus fell deeply in love with Lily at a very young age. In 1971 he began his first term at Hogwarts where he was sorted into Slytherin. Severus became the immediate enemy of James Potter and Sirius Black and was a frequent victim of their bullying. Snape developed a passion for the Dark Arts and pure-blood supremacy, despite his love for Lily, a Muggle-born. Both put his friendship with Lily under strain. After leaving school he joined the Death Eaters along with a large group of his fellow Slytherins. He was described as a thoroughly unpleasant, cynical and sarcastic individual, and evolved from a persistent antagonist to Harry Potter and his friends to a character of considerable complexity and moral ambiguity throughout the series.
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