In Memorium: Severus Snape

Severus Snape was the bravest man in Potterverse, and yet he has been the least appreciated by his fellow wizards. At a young age he grew up in a family that neglected him, and his only friend was Lily Evans (later to be Potter), a Muggle-born who lived near him. Despite the fact that the Sorting Hat separated them - it put Snape into Slytherin, the house that held many future Death Eaters - and Lily into Gryffindor - they grew to be best friends. But alas, the people of Slytherin drew Snape even further into the Dark Arts he was always fascinated by - and Lily hated the Dark Arts. Lily broke ties with him as he got in too deep with them, but he loved her nonetheless. When he found out that Voldemort was planning to hunt down her son (and their entire family) because of the prophecy, he immediately asked Dumbledore to hide Lily and her family. He was Dumbledore's man from that on, acting as a spy. When she died he had no reason to keep living, but he did, as Dumbledore needed him. He protected Harry from danger 'behind-the-scenes', and he did this because he was Lily's son. When he saw Harry on a daily basis he only saw James, whom he loathed for teasing him, and more importantly, taking away Lily, his best friend whom he also loved, and how much he did she never knew. But despite this grduge he protected Harry at risk to his own life, being hated by all. The only light in his life was Lily, and she was gone. When Albus Dumbledore wass dying because of a cursed ring he put on, he requested Snape to murder him (to keep in Voldemort's good books, and because it would make Dumbledore inevitable death less painful). He did so, even though it pained him to do it. Now, still Dumbledore's man, he was hated by Harry more than ever, as Harry did not know that Snape was his protector, the man who loved his mother more than life. When Harry stayed in a forest, in search for Horcruxes, a Silver Doe Patronus guided him to what he needed - the object that would destroy Horcruxes. Months later, Snape was murdered by Voldemort's snake on his orders, because he thought that killing Snape would make him the master of the Elder Wand. He didn't know that his "loyal servant" Snape was Dumbledore's man. Harry entered in the room where Snape lay dying, and in those moments he gave Harry memories to examine in a Penseive, and then, as his last breath approached, he said "look..at..me..". He wanted to look into Lily's eyes again, because Harry had his mother's eyes. And then he died, and Harry, still thinking him Dumbledore's murderer, wasn't saddened, and went to examine the memories in the Pensieve. He learned of Snape's loyalty, his love for Lily ever since they were nine or ten. He find out that the Silver Doe that helped him was Snape's Patronus, and it was a doe because Lily's was a doe.

When Harry grew older, he named his second son Albus Severus. He told his child that he was named Severus after "the bravest man he ever knew". Let us echo that sentiment, Muggles and wizards, and hail that man. He never got the credit he deserved in live, but let it be known that despite his flaws, he was a true Hero.