Yesterday we learned that Alan Rickman, unbelievably talented master of film and theater, known best for his roles in Harry Potter and Die Hard, lost his battle with cancer at 69-years-old. Naturally there was an international outpouring for Rickman and his family, and fans immediately began reminiscing and reflecting on what was a brilliant man and career, including more prestigious award nominations than we can count, and victories at the BAFTAs, the Emmys, the Golden Globes and the SAGAs.
Rickman’s impact on the Harry Potter community is everlasting, and his character of Professor Severus Snape, the wily, snarky Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, progresses beautifully; Snape was initially portrayed as a villainous figure in Harry Potter’s life, but as Potter and his friends began uncovering buried secrets and knowledge of his past, it became clear to Potter that he owed Snape his life, among other things.
At the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park in Orlando, Florida, fans gathered to pay their respects to their beloved fallen professor, doing everything from raising their wands in the sky outside the fictional Hogwarts Castle to dropping roses outside Snape’s office. However, it’s the singular lily that was left outside the Potions classroom that has fans everywhere crying their eyes out. In the Harry Potter book and movie series, Professor Snape’s relationship with Potter’s mother, Lily Potter, became apparent, and it was Snape’s undying love for Lily that led him to make veiled sacrifices for Potter during their time together at Hogwarts.
Rest in Peace Alan “Professor Snape” Rickman.
