Snape Artists Deserve Better

Snape Artists Deserve Better

Since joining the Snape fandom, I’ve noticed something that really stands out. Compared to other character-based fan communities, the Snape fandom feels overlooked. There’s also a lot of negativity aimed at him, mostly stirred up by Marauders fans and "Snaters." This creates a tough environment, especially for artists and creators who focus on Snape. Unfortunately, their work doesn’t receive the recognition or support it deserves, which can be really discouraging.

I’ve seen so many amazing Snape artworks—pieces that have clearly taken tons of effort and time—get completely ignored. Meanwhile, similar artwork of the Marauders (including characters we barely know anything about like Marlene, Mary, and Dorcas… ) gets thousands of likes and shares in just a few days, quickly spreading across social media platforms. This isn’t just about Tumblr Art, either. The same thing happens with Snape videos on TikTok. They often don’t get the attention they deserve, no matter how well-made.

What’s worse is that even casual Harry Potter fans—those who aren’t part of the Snape or Marauders fandoms—are afraid to post anything about Severus Snape. They worry about the backlash they might face. If they decide to write about him, draw him, or make a video, they often feel like they need to constantly explain that they’re not "Snap supporter" or "Snape fan" and that they’re just creating art. Otherwise, they’ll get bombarded with nasty comments.

This whole situation has made artists hesitant to spend time on Snape-related content. They know it either won’t get the attention it deserves or they’ll face a wave of negativity that makes them regret ever posting it. It’s really sad to see so many talented artists being pushed away because of this toxic environment.

I totally feel for these artists, writers, and overall Snape content creators. Sharing your work takes a lot of courage, especially when you know it might be met with negativity. Art is meant for expression and creativity, so it's tough when those who put their heart into it feel like their work isn’t appreciated.

I don’t know how much longer this toxic atmosphere toward Snape, his fans, and the artists who create content about him will last, but it’s just not fair. Every artist deserves to share their work without fear and get the recognition and support they’ve earned.

I was thinking about how heartbreaking it is when your favorite character becomes the author’s punching bag.

Yes, I know it was J.K. Rowling who gave us Snape, but sometimes I wish the creation of Severus Snape had gone differently. I wish this fascinating, complex character had been the brainchild of a different writer—someone who would have treated him with kindness, someone who truly understood and cared for him. A writer who would have approached his complexities and psychological wounds with patience and insight, someone who would have given him an entire story of his own, one that ended with healing and love.

Not a writer who projected their own frustrations and anger onto him, using every opportunity to humiliate and punish him.

If you've ever read J.K. Rowling's interviews, you can easily sense the deep resentment and anger she's projected onto Snape. It’s hard to miss how much of that negativity she’s funneled into his character.

If James had really changed, and it was actually Snape who was relentlessly attacking him in their seventh year, why would James hide something so important from Lily? Why wouldn’t he just be honest and tell her that he wasn’t doing anything to Snape, but it was Snape who kept attacking him and bullying him for no reason? What better chance to prove to Lily that he had grown as a person, and this time, Snape was the one at fault? Do you really believe someone like James Potter would miss a chance to prove his innocence and blame Snape?

The only conclusion we can draw is either Sirius and Lupin were lying, and James hadn’t changed at all—still unfairly bullying Snape. Only this time he was hiding it. Or The relationship between James and Lily was extremely toxic. James was a dishonest and liar boyfriend, and Lily was a girlfriend who never fully trusted James. Even if James had confessed that he was innocent and being harassed, she still wouldn’t have believed him.

Marauders fandom logic when it comes to the werewolf prank is this: even if Snape had been killed, you couldn’t blame Sirius because he didn’t force Snape to go to the Shrieking Shack. It was Snape who wanted to stalk the Marauders and find out their secret It was his own fault...

If we’re going to blame Snape for following the Marauders and say he "deserved" to be killed by the werewolf prank because he was too suspicious, then shouldn’t Harry Potter also "deserve" to be killed by Malfoy’s curses in bathroom?

Or maybe Harry deserved the bullying and the worst things because he used his invisibility cloak to stalk Malfoy at Slughorn's party, trying to spy on him and eavesdrop secretly.

After all, Harry is the one who followed Malfoy, got suspicious, and tried to uncover what he was doing, right?

How can we justify praising Harry’s curiosity and bravery while condemning Snape for doing the exact same thing? The double standard is disgusting.

Just a reminder: Snape was a year younger than Harry during the werewolf prank.

Me when I'm writing a meta about Snape's death and realize that when Voldemort summoned him for the last time, he probably knew he was going to die and was thinking about how, from the very beginning, it was his fate to be killed in the Shrieking Shack:

I Was Bullied Too, So Why Didn’t I Turn Out Like Severus Snape?

I came across an anti-Snape post where someone shared their experience of being bullied in school. They said that even though they were bullied, they were able to overcome it, which is why they admired James Potter—because he changed and stopped being a bully. However, they hate Snape for not being able to move on from his past.

Everyone has the right to hate or love the characters based on their taste but What bothers me is how people often compare their own trauma to others' and disregard the genetic and environmental differences that shape us as individuals. I’ve decided to write a long post comparing my own life with Snape’s—two people who were both bullied as children. it was difficult for me to write this post, but I hope this comparison shows that not everyone who experiences bullying ends up the same. The variances in our upbringing and support systems play a crucial role in shaping who we become.

When I was seven years old, I was mocked and humiliated by a group of older girls on the school bus (they were eleven at the time). They made it clear that they bullied me because I was smaller and weaker than them. They treated me in a way that made me believe I deserved their bullying. I thought a weak and ugly girl like me was deserving of all their humiliation. They would mess up my hair, pull it, and ridicule me for having messy and ugly hair. Whenever I cried, they laughed. They didn't even let me be friends with other girls. To torment me further, they would point at me, whisper to each other, and giggle, making me feel even more isolated. I had allergies and a runny nose, and they wouldn’t let me wipe it, which they used as another reason to belittle me, saying I was disgusting. Even if there was an empty seat, they wouldn’t let me sit with them because I was "gross." I was terrified of them, hated school because of them, and cried every morning, begging not to go to school.

But why didn’t I turn out like Severus Snape?

1- I grew up like a normal child in every other aspect of my life. I was cared for and valued. I always had birthday parties with cake and gifts. I was praised when I got good grades. I had friends outside of school to play with, went on family vacations, and had fun times. From childhood to adulthood, I’ve had a safe home, enough sleep, good food, and a loving family.

2- I had parents who loved and cared about me. When my mother found out about the bullying, she went to the school and demanded they stop it. My parents also enrolled me in a private school to protect me from further bullying. When I started having nightmares and trouble sleeping, they took me to a child therapist.

3- My grandparents adored me. I would stay at their house when my parents were at work, and they made my childhood even more joyful. I always had safe arms to run to. Plus, my aunts and uncles cared for me and regularly took me to parks and other fun places, showering me with gifts and making sure I enjoyed my time.

4- My family had a respectable place in society, and I was never shamed or humiliated because of my family's circumstances. My father cared for me, my sister, and my mother, and he worked hard to provide for our needs. He respected my mother, and I never witnessed any abuse from him toward her.

5- My family had a stable income, and I always had new, appropriate clothes to wear. I never had to worry about poverty, hunger, or wearing hand-me-downs that would make me feel inferior to my peers.

6- My bullies mocked me, but they never caused me serious physical harm. I never feared for my life or sexual assault at school. The bullying was short-lived, lasting less than two years, and by the time I was a teenager, it had completely stopped. As I grew older, I made plenty of good friends and was popular among them. I have many fond memories from high school with my friends.

7- As a teenager, I didn’t worry about my future. My concerns were not about surviving a war, avoiding humiliation, or escaping poverty. I was free to plan my life, knowing I would go to university and study what I loved. Whenever I needed help, I knew I could count on my family—they were always there to support me.

8- I’m a psychology student, and studying this field has completely shifted my perspective on myself and others. It has allowed me to see the world with greater depth and empathy. I’ve become better at recognizing not only my own psychological wounds but also those of others, which has helped me connect with people on a deeper level. I've also sought therapy, both in-person and online, and have seen positive results. While I still struggle with some issues from my past—like feeling insecure about my appearance, doubting people’s motives, and having a hard time trusting—I’ve learned how to manage these feelings fairly well.

All of these factors combined have shaped me into someone different from Severus Snape. Yes, I was bullied, but I didn’t turn out like him because, unlike Snape, I was given numerous opportunities to grow, to experience love and joy, to heal, and to find pleasure in life.

Now, It’s much easier for someone like me to be kind and nice to others, to love people, to forgive myself and others, and to move on from those who don’t like me. It’s easier for me to see the world and people not as threats but with a more mature and balanced perspective. but I’m under no illusion that I am a better and more worthy person than Severus Snape or anyone like him who didn’t have the chance to heal. I simply know that I’ve been luckier, and for that, I’m grateful. But I never want to dismiss or belittle the suffering of others or blame them for their psychological struggles.

I can’t say for certain what I would’ve done in Snape’s exact situation or how bitter I might’ve become. But I’m certain of one thing: I could never be as brave or as selfless as Snape was, sacrificing his own life so readily for others. I know that I could never be a hero like him.