10 Movies That Accidentally Made You Love The Villains

The debate over which side Snape was really on is still raging, nearly ten years after the final instalment. Yet, no matter what side he took, Alan Rickman's performance captivated our hearts.

For all intents and purposes, Snape is a bad guy. Head of Slytherin house, an obsession with the dark arts and a sarcastic, snarling tone all point to him being evil. He spends his entire time making Harry’s life miserable, even though Potter is just a teenager. As if that wasn’t enough, he is revealed to be a Death Eater and close ally of Lord Voldemort.

Yet his one weakness is the exact reason we grew to love the miserable professor. His love of Harry’s mother was not just the reason for Snape’s hatred towards the boy, but also his reason to protect him. The only link he has left to Lily is her son, so behind the mean quips and outward nastiness lies a sense of responsibility.

The constant inner fight between love and hatred gave a fascinating aspect to this evil man. Knowing that despite everything, he would be willing to make the sacrifice and abandon all he held dear to keep Potter alive.