Harry Potter: 10 Most Underrated Chapters

Chapter Synopsis: Harry enters the Pensieve and witnesses a young Snape being bullied by his father.

Many Harry Potter fans dream about a prequel centred on the Marauders’ time at Hogwarts. And based upon the events of ‘Snape’s Worst Memory’, such a prequel would be fascinating to watch.

After dropping into the Pensieve, Harry is amazed to see his father and his father’s friends sitting in front of him. He follows them through the grounds of the castle and listens intently to their conversation. There’s nothing particularly striking about the dialogue during this scene, but the simple dynamic of Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs is thrilling enough on its own.

James and Sirius then attack Snape – purely for the fun of it – and Harry has to watch this unpleasant scene. When reading this chapter for the first time, therefore, we assume ‘Snape’s Worst Memory’ is a reference to Snape’s humiliation, but it isn’t – at least not entirely.

Full of rage and embarrassment, Snape calls Lily a ‘Mudblood’ when she tries to help him. And in The Deathly Hallows, Rowling reveals that this insult sparked the end of Lily and Snape’s friendship. In other words, ‘Snape’s Worst Memory’ is actually a reference to Snape’s shame at having insulted the woman he loves.

It’s a subtle indication of Snape’s true allegiance and the motivation behind it, but you’d never guess the truth during your first readthrough.