Harry Potter author JK Rowling finally apologises for killing Professor Severus Snape
The author was commemorating the (fictional) Battle of Hogwarts
JK Rowling has left Harry Potter fans warmed – but other livid – after she confessed to feeling terrible for killing off one of her most iconic characters.
Fans of the magical series of books and films telling the story of an orphaned boy who learns he is a wizard will have strong feelings for misunderstood ‘villain’ Professor Severus Snape.
Throughout the series, the character was seen tormenting Harry while he was a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
However it was revealed in the final novel and film of the series that Snape had long loved Harry’s mother, Lilly, and had gone to great lengths to try to save her life from ultimate villain Lord Voldemort.
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On Tuesday – the anniversary of the fictional Battle of Hogwarts (in which Snape was one of the victims) – author JK, 51, took to Twitter to apologise for concocting the death of Snape.
“OK, here it is,” she began in a tweet.
“Please don't start flame wars over it, but this year I'd like to apologise for killing (whispers)... Snape,” she continued – adding she was running for cover in light of the confession.
Opinion was split among Harry Potter’s militant readership.
One twitter user responded seemingly excusing JK for killing off Snape, writing: “It made sense for the story. We love him so much.”
However others seemed outraged that she would defend Snape after he spent years tormenting Harry and his friends – with some hitting out on Twitter about the entirely fictional character and equally fictional death.
“He also bullied Harry and tried to make his school life hell just because he was petty and bitter???” blasted one Potter fan.
Another chimed in: “Also physically and verbally abused like more than half his students and traumatized both Neville and Hermione & was a literally Death Eater.”
In the novels, it is ultimately revealed that Snape was working undercover to try and help bring down Voldemort – both in his initial assault on the magic community, and following his resurrection.
The character was brought to life on screen by the late Alan Rickman – who died in January 2016, aged 69.
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