Total Nerd Ranks: Snape Small Details

Severus Snape is perhaps the most layered character in the Potter franchise

So layered, in fact, that you probably missed a ton of details that made his character so special

Even on a rewatch or a re-read, these details are easy to miss, so it's helpful to have a guide

Someone to show you, say, the top 10 small details you probably missed about Severus Snape

Welcome to Total Nerd Ranked, the show where we rank nerdy stuff. Number 10, never changing

The Wizarding World is brought to you by way of four different directors, dozens of different members of the art department, costumes, hairstyling, etc

This is why over the years you see so many changes to the wardrobe, hairstyle, makeup, etc

Some characters like Professor Flitwick are nearly unrecognizable from movie to movie

But there's one notable constant, and it's good old Professor Snape. And if you've ever done any digging on this topic, you'll find that this was 100% intentional

Jani Tameen, the costume designer for all the movies starting with the third, said that I never changed Professor Snape because it was perfect

When something's perfect, you cannot change it. And so anytime you see him in the series, you know he's sporting the black shirt, pants, robe

All of it. And it goes with everything. So why change it? Number nine, he's probably a good teacher

If there's one thing the students at Hogwarts learned, it's important life lessons. Because they sure didn't spend much time actually in class

Where did you come from? Me? Being here all this time. While the franchise mostly focused on larger problems at Hogwarts

we do get some glimpses into the actual coursework that they offered. But if there's any teacher we can say with confidence is pretty good at his job

it's got to be Professor Snape. First of all, he's always gunning for a better job than the one he has

always eyeing the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching job, and he's next in line to replace Dumbledore after his... accident

Plus, he seems to always voluntarily sign up for night duty, wandering the halls, or help take down werewolves and other threats in the dead of night

It's another little detail to show just how committed Snape is to his job. Say what you will about his demeanor, but Snape was undoubtedly a good teacher

Number 8. He commands respect. When the books and movies were first coming out, it was hard to tell if Snape would ultimately be a tragic hero or a villain in the series

But there are some hints sprinkled throughout that may show early on and where his allegiances have always been Notably Harry Ron and Hermione are always messing around with their enemies whether it spying on Draco tricking Dolores Umbridge or freeing Dobby from the Malfoys And yet Snape is rarely questioned

or messed with throughout the franchise. You can tell throughout the series how much Hermione

arguably the best student at Hogwarts, respects him as a teacher. Despite her reservations about

him, the only teacher she rebels against is the one who refuses to teach her anything

Dolores Umbridge. Worst teacher ever, and later a prison occupant. So, point Hermione

And Harry spends basically all of the Half-Blood Prince learning from him directly. And even when he pushes back, it's all in service of honing his skills

Maybe the kids were terrified of him as well, that's fair. But it's also clear that there was always mutual admiration between Snape and the students

Number 7. He only gets close to some people. Snape is not a touchy-feely type of loner

He's more of a wear all dark colors, sit in the back, and don't engage with anyone type

It comes as no surprise throughout the series that Snape averts any kind of physical contact at all times

But there are a few moments throughout the series where Snape gets a little closer to the people that he trusts

Anytime Snape is standing next to Albus Dumbledore or Minerva McGonagall, you can see him relax a bit and stand just a little bit closer

The same guy who stands a few paces from virtually every other character has no problem leaning over their shoulders

Standing shoulder to shoulder, all of the best signs of affection. It's subtle, we know, but I don't know if there's any scenario where Snape would be high-fiving

hugging, or doing choreographed TikTok dances with anyone. Mostly, he's just the mood killer

But if you're re-watching the series, keep an eye out for the few people he feels close to

if you're looking for an extra bit of magic. Number 6. Petunia has met Snape

Let's take a brief moment to talk about everyone's favorite HP character, Petunia Dursley

Yes, Lily's sister, who has the privilege of raising the boy who lived, doesn't play the biggest role in the franchise, but does have a few insights into Harry's parents

Though it is possible that she may know someone else who is significant in Harry's life

And yes, it's a bit obvious since he's the main guy we're discussing on this list. Petunia mentions that as a child, Lily befriended a quote, awful boy, who described the Dementors to her

When you first hear this bit of information we assume that the awful boy is James and the plot moves along However fans who have an appreciation for the timeline will remember that as a child her one friend was not James but actually Snape Her relationship with James began much later in life

while Lily and Snape were shown being friends since youth. It's not explicitly said that this

was Snape, but logical fans who rewatch the series will definitely know who this is. It's a young

awful boy who hangs out with Lily and won't shut up about depressing things

Mind you of anyone? 5. He Has A Little Fun Snape is by far the Hogwarts Grumpus

Severus is not known for some of the light-hearted antics that the franchise was known for

especially in its early years. Instead, he's someone who lurks in the shadows, where you're not really sure if he's a villain or a hero until the very end of the series

That said, there must be something that gives Snape joyous feelings, and some of those moments are sprinkled in throughout the franchise

Snape's scolding and at times outright bullying of Harry and Ron is often something of a playful relationship

In the films, Alan Rickman bats their heads in a way where they can keep on chuckling, and it's clear in the films that Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grant are having fun

In the books, when Bellatrix glowers at him, it's written that this did not seem to discompose him

On the contrary, he looked rather amused. There's even the ironic bow he gives to Umbridge

It's not often you see Snape's soft side, but when he feels like being snarky, you can tell he's having fun

4. His Saddest Year At the end of the sixth installment of the HB franchise, we weren't sure quite how to feel

about Professor Snape. We knew something was always up with him, and truthfully, a lot of fans didn't like when he murdered Dumbledore. Not a highlight for old Severus

And yet, upon first reading of the seventh book, Snape's true allegiance wasn't revealed until we

were close to the end, so there wasn't a whole lot of time to appreciate exactly what he went through

So let's do that for a moment. Snape told no one about his plans to win Voldemort's heart by

killing his closest ally. He also kept his cool before and after the moment, and kept it a secret

for an entire year. A whole year! There was also no way of knowing that his actions would ever be

remembered as the heroic acts that they were, so basically he just spent his final year in agony

because he knew it was the right thing to do. I mean, I know Harry basically named his son in his but screw it, they should put up a sign that says

Snape was a hero here. Number three, Snape's Patronus. The long unrequited love story between Snape and Lily Potter is a tragic part of the HB series It clearly affected Snape all the way through adulthood and manifests itself in his Patronus which is Lily doe It either a beautiful tribute to her memory in Snape mind or extremely creepy

This is already an excellent small detail into Snape's character, but it goes one degree further in one particularly subtle moment

When Harry warns that Sirius may be in trouble in The Order of the Phoenix, Snape tries to contact him to make sure he's okay

However, Dumbledore mentions that The Order of the Phoenix communicate in more reliable ways than through the fireplace

Yep, we never get to see this moment, but we bet that Sirius Black was probably pooping in his pants when, after all these years

his dead friend's Patronus shows up unannounced, and the moment is immediately ruined by Snape's voice chiming in

Good afternoon. Snape, the ultimate mood killer. Number two, he never hated Harry

Obviously, their relationship ends on a note of mutual respect and admiration, but throughout the series, it's back and forth

More often than not, Snape's just reveling in his status as Hogwarts' number one mood killer

but any fan who's re-watched the series can tell you that there are signs of where Snape's true allegiance lies

Take this fantastic moment of Harry in danger. Yep, without even thinking about it, Snape rushes to protect Harry and the gang from harm

and even takes a blow in the process. Let's contrast this with another iconic moment

of Harry in danger with a teacher present. Yeah, you cower behind those students, Sunbridge

Good work on the defense against the dark arts there, teach. But I guess not all professors can do it like Snape can

When the going gets tough, you know he's got Harry's back. Number one, Snape's realistic character

Be serious for a moment here. Many people have really connected with the character of Severus Snape over the years

and his character is quite important to the Potter series. As many fans have written about

online, he's one of the few characters in the series where you see the extraordinary circumstances

that have led him to be the person he is today, and it's a rare moment in such a popular franchise

to see a character with that much depth and realism. For anyone who's had a tough life

we've seen fictional characters throughout the years either be broken by the experiences that

they've had, or subvert expectations and be oblivious to the circumstances that they've

experienced. But Snape is one of the more realistic portrayals of someone who has been through one harsh experience after another. He's raw and bitter, but also strong and dignified

Just a solid character that anyone can be proud to watch throughout the series