Snape’s love for Lily is an extremely important part of the series.
In fact, it’s the reason why he eventually joined the good side.
But how did he grow to love someone that much?
And did his affection grow into an obsession?
Read on to learn:
- Whether Severus’ love turned into an obsession.
- 5 surprising reasons why Snape loved Lily so much.
- How Lily continued to influence Snape, even after her death.
- And more…
Did Snape love Lily or was he obsessed with her?
Snape loved Lily but was not obsessed. He always respected her boundaries. And as they grew apart, he left her alone. Someone that’s obsessed wouldn’t have let the person they love go.
Why did Snape love Lily? 5 reasons
#1: Lily was the only one that was nice to him
Severus Snape had a rough childhood.
He was born to Eileen Prince and Tobias Snape.
The latter was a Muggle, meaning he couldn’t practice magic. And to show his frustration for that, he was abusive.
And to make things worse, his mother, a witch, was neglectful.
So the 2 most important figures in his life either didn’t care for him or beat him.
This study shows the adverse effects that parental neglect has on a child.
So naturally, such a poor upbringing left a mark.
This made Snape a bitter person.
However, most of this was because of his father’s distaste for magic.
So surely, when Snape went to Hogwarts, things would be better, right?
Well, not really.
See, Snape was often the target of bullies.
In the books, he’s described as having a larger-than-usual nose. And amongst 11-year-old kids, that made him a prime target.
Now, Snape did make some friends. But these weren’t the kind of friends you wanted to have.
They were interested in the Dark Arts, and all eventually ended up as Death Eaters.
Yep, all Snape’s friends were loyal followers of Voldermort.
Because of this, Snape eventually became a Death Eater as well.
But pretty much everyone the Potions Master interacted with was unkind or evil.
Everyone except for Lily Evans.
She treated Snape kindly.
And it’s clear that she’s one of the few people that liked Snape for who he was.
Of course, Lily was aware that he was a bit ‘off’ so to speak.
But that didn’t make her bully or neglect him.
She was the first person to show Snape kindness. And that left a mark on him.
He appreciated her for that. And the appreciation turned into a deep-running love.
#2: She was Snape’s first friend

We just covered how Snape had a rough upbringing. And how no one seemed to be nice to him.
Except for Lily Evans.
As I’ve mentioned, she treated him kindly. And the 2 actually became very good friends.
Snape introduced Lily to the wizarding world. And they always had a good time together.
So even if we take away all romantic interests, the Potions Master still cared a lot for her.
It’s possible to love someone without being attracted to that person.
The simplest example of that is how we love our parents. Of course, we have no romantic interest in them, but we love them nonetheless.
And this is yet another reason why Snape loved Lily.
She was his first friend. And he always had a special place in his heart for her.
Later on, this became a romantic interest, strengthening his love for her even more.
#3: Lily stood up against his bullies
Snape didn’t have the easiest time while he attended Hogwarts.
He was often the odd one out.
And to make things worse, he was also bullied.
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it’s revealed that Harry’s father did the bullying.
Together with his friends Remus, Peter, and Sirius, they made Snape feel miserable.
However, Lily often stood up for him.
She was known to be a kind and caring person.
And bullying was not something she let slide.
So when she caught them in the act, she would always stop them.
In the heat of the moment, Snape didn’t appreciate this.
He said he ‘’doesn’t need the help of a mudblood’’.
This angered his bullies, as well as Lily.
But deep down, we know that Snape appreciated someone standing up for him.
#4: She made him feel important
Lily Evans was born to 2 Muggles. She was the only one in her family that could practice magic.
So naturally, she knew very little of it.
At one time, Lily used magic to let a flower bloom instantly.
She did so to impress her sister. However, she called Lily a freak instead.
And this is where Snape comes in.
He, too, was a wizard. Only he came from a family that could also practice magic.
Snape told her she wasn’t a freak. And that he could do such things too.
Essentially, the Potions Master talked Lily into the world of magic.
He showed and told her everything there was to know.
And Lily listened to everything.
This gave Snape a sense of importance.
He could talk to someone. And that person was actually interested.
By making him feel important, Snape developed an affection for Lily.
And this is yet another one of the reasons he eventually loved her as much as he did.
#5: Her death made him realize what Voldemort was

Earlier, we talked about how Snape’s friends all became Death Eaters.
And he, himself, became one as well.
Death Eaters are loyal followers of Voldemort.
He was a dark wizard that terrorized the wizarding world.
However, one day, he came to know about the Prophecy.
In it, it’s said that a boy will be born that can stand against the Dark Lord.
Snape overheard this Prophecy, and he told Voldemort about it.
As it turned out, this boy would either be Neville Longbottom or Harry Potter.
Voldemort eventually settled on killing Harry, as he most resembled him.
However, the young boy was Lily’s son.
And while the 2 grew apart, he still loved her.
Snape begged the Dark Lord to spare Lily. And he actually agreed.
But she wouldn’t give up her only son. So she sacrificed herself for Harry.
When Snape discovered his lifelong love was murdered, he switched back to the good side.
It took Lily’s death for him to leave Voldemort.
So even after she’s gone, she still managed to help Snape.
Deep down, we know that he appreciated this.
Snape now saw Voldemort for what he was. A dangerous and reckless individual.