It took me a few re-reads to realize that Snape was missing from Headmasters' celebrations in the chapter immediately preceding the epilogue. After this, I noticed that JK even called attention to his absense by having Phineas Nigellus tout Slytherin's role in LV's downfall.

Why would she do this? We know beyond doubt that Snape was on the good side. Not only was he was working with Dumbledore's portrait, but the Headmaster's office didn't lock him out as it did Dolores Umbridge, confirming his position. I compared the amount of time it took DD's portrait to appear after his death to the amount of time between Snape's death and Harry returning - it seems to be a lot less time, so his portrait should have been there.

(I'll admit the first thing I did after realizing this was to rush to compare his Nagini bites to Arthur Weasley's and scream "it was too fast, he took the Draught of Living Death, he's not really dead" but I got over it with some good hard thought.)

I think if JK had put Snape's portrait on the wall, we would have lost all sense of his true life. He was a miserable boy turned into a miserable man by his own choices. Snape was the man who tried and did not totally succeed, who wound up doing good things for bad reasons. He changed too little too late, and his death was just as lonely and ignoble as his life.

If JK had put his portrait on the wall, we would have seen perhaps a happy, triumphant Snape, which would have been a false impression. I know I would not have remembered that the portraits are just images, and that the real Snape was even then at his own King's Cross with no DD or Lily to meet him there.

Even though I would have been thrilled with a fairy tale ending, this way was much more realistic. I wouldn't change how JK wrote it.

I don't think Hogwart's would have recognized Severus Snape as a Headmaster of Hogwart's. He wasn't instated under formal protocol as Headmaster... there was a coup of sorts and he was placed there. The Office may have opened under the will of Albus' portrait, for he knew that Snape was not evil, but rather good.

Yes, I don't think he was on the wall of Portraits because he was not a true Headmaster of Hogwarts, sadly. Voldemort had him torturing Students, or atleast allowing the torturing of Students as well as the education of the Dark Arts. This would not be tolerated by the magic of the School I am sure.

....and yet, I think that there's an arguament from both sides here. Snape may not have become head under normal accepted protocol, but surely once inside the headmasters study, he would have been recognised as such by the portraits of former heads.

Obviously Dumbledore, Phinneas Nigellus would have, being a fellow Slytherin, why not the others. They would have seen DD speak to Snape before his death, DD's that is, They would have known that Snape was working undercover to protect Harry.

But ofcourse despite his conversations with DD portrait, the heads would have known that Snape dealt the fatal blow to one of there own, andthis is the thing that confuses me. Is it the enchantments in place around the study that recognises a true head teacher, or the portraits of the previous heads??

Oh I certainly agree with you that Snape deserved it.. and I don't doubt that the other Portraits recognize him.. I just do not think that they have a say in who is inducted into the wall and who isnt... I mean, Phineas Nigellus was easily the worst Headmaster, and least liked.. he tried to get Muggle Hunting voted legal, if I remember... and yet he is on the wall. No doubt a lot of the other Headmasters look down on him, but would they still allow him if it were up to them?

I do not know. We must wait for an Encyclopedia, maybe our answers lie there!!

Never is it said that his portrait isn't there. Remember when Harry first sees Dumbledore's portrait, it's asleep. Snape's portrait could have been there but asleep so it didn't say anything. I'm guessing it takes some time before the portrait comes to "life."

It's the end of the series and right after we learn so much about Snape.. his empty portrait frame should have been noted at least. I believe the fact that it was not mentioned to be there or not means that it was not there. I hope I am wrong.. he truly deserves to be up there.

I think that the most recent headmaster has "the position of honor" directly behind the current head's desk. I think Prof Dippet was behind when DD was alive. I know that DD was behind it when his portrait first appeared, and its still there at the end of DH.

I think it does mean that Snape's wasn't there. I just wonder why JK did that. The only three possible reasons I could think of are he wasn't really headmaster, he's really not dead, or she simply choose to write it that way for some reason (my belief). I hope she explains in her next interview.

It could be that Snape was "removed" from his position as Headmaster before he died... literally, being chased out a window!!!

Maybe since he was not "properly" appointed, and was "forcibly' removed, he did not earn a portrait... (even though I think he deserved it, somewhat - he did let the DE teachers do terrible punishments, so he was not a great Headmaster.)

Sadly, I never thought of this until I read this thread! I agree with samsmom in everyway! He was technically never appointed Headmaster by I think the previous Headmaster appoints the next/deputy Headmaster/mistress. Which Dumbledore never did. He was deffinetly removed. For sure. Fighting with the Heads of House and then jumping and flying out of the window. That is my theory.

this might seem silly. but how come jk didn't make portraits of any of the other important characters that died before in order to allow harry to communicate w/ them. once harry found out that he could use the portraits to talk to them, etc, why didn't he get portraits of james and lily, and then add sirius to it for that matter?

if i remember correctly the headmasters had to be so for about 30 years. i think it said that in eigther book 5 or 6. i can't remember which. but i' not sure if snape should get on anyway. love the guy and all but from the sound of it he wasn't a good headmaster. maybe if we gave him a few years and there was no Voldy but i just don't think he should have even got the job. it should have been McGonagall's

and if snape did have a portrait it would be right behind the headmasters desk. it was not because harry looked right behind the desk and dumbledor's portrait was still there. and after the sixth book we know how quickly the portraits change.

Where in the 5th or 6th book does it say that a Headmaster had to be in Office for 30 years to get a portrait? I do not recall ever reading that. Perhaps you can find us a page number or chapter or something.

And yes, the latter bit was my idea as well... the job of Headmaster was forcibly taken from the Headmistress and I am not certain that the School's magic would recognize him as Headmaster enough to allow a Portrait.

I have a feeling that when JKR is asked this question, she will say that when Snape dies, he wasn't actually Headmaster. As Professor McGonnagall said in the chapter titled,'The Sacking of Severus Snape'.

Yeah the chapter was called The Sacking of Severus Snape so it would appear that he was no longer headmaster when he was killed. He also wasn't headmaster for very long, less than a year. He also probably wasn't officially recognised as headmaster. Look at Umbridge. She appointed herself as headmistress but wasn't offically the headmistress as she ver got a portrait and was never allowed into the office.

If you think how old Hogwarts is, and how many headmasters/misstress it mush have had over the years, I don't think that every head would have his/her picture on the wall. There wouldn't be enough space. I think that the process of having your picture in the heads officie is maybe reserved for those that die in there role as head. And as said above, Snape was sacked just a few hours before he died, but was therefore not headmaster when he died, therefore to picture.

There may be other explainations, but maybe someone can ask JKR in a interview, or ask her to explain in the Encyclopedia.

Potters Phoenix

I think etphonehome's got it right. At first read on this thread, I had a glimmer of hope that maybe his lack of a portrait meant he wasn't dead, but it is clear that the chapter is titled "The Sacking of Severus Snape." For those of you who don't know what a sacking is - it means getting fired from your job (it is a bit of an British expression, kind of like redundancy meaning being laid off). Oh well, poor Severus.

java script:emoticon(':D', 'smid_5')
i think that severus snape was up there on the wall. but jk rowling
states that harry had only eyes for dumbledore's portrait.
i don't think that jk rowling wanted to mention snape at all after the voldemort/harry comfronation because she was saving snape till the end.
it is a more powerful way to tell us that harry has affection towards him by leaving it till the end and in the way she did says it all.
it was more emotional that way.
it saddens me to think of snape being unhappy in death and i think that at snape's kingscross someone would have greeted him.

lily- even though she loves james and james alone [romaticly] she would have wanted to show her thanks and appreciation because no matter how unpleasent snape has been to harry in classes, he makes up for everything by savin her son's life and protecting him until his last hour.

and i also believe that dumbledore would have gone on with snape.
dumbledore and snape are a lot a like, both of them are good but have made mistakes in life. dumbledore would never have left him on his own especially after everything snape has done for him.
thats my theory anyway and it's more comforting thinking like that.
no doubt jk rowling will answer it properly tho.

I'm sure that his portrait will go up, as soon as Harry convinces Mcgonagall that Snape is/was not really evil. Plus, when Snape was killed, the battle of Hogwarts was going on, so they probably didn't know yet that Snape had died.

I, too, think that Snapes' portrait will go up eventually. I agree with what Felix said, once everyone realizes the Snape was really a hero, and sacrificed much for the school (hey maybe it could have been worse at Hogwarts) and for Harry, his portrait will be in the Headmasters office.

I'm not sure now that a portrait will go up. I listened to a JK interview today (I think on the Today Show-its on the MSNBC website). One of the questions was "Now that we know Snape was a hero...." She interrupted to ask "Do you think he was a hero? I don't. He was very brave but he was a bully". (That's not a true quote) Then later she confirmed that Snape would never had any interest in helping Harry if it hadn't been for Lily.
That's of course totally opposite of the feelings we're left with by Harry naming his son Albus Severus!

When DD died, McConegall had assumed the role of interim Headmistress. With Snape there does not seem to be a line of succession in place, therefore no Headmaster/mistress at the time of his death. Therefore no portrait.

The other portraits knew where Snape's loyalty lied, and Hogwarts would have known as well. He did what had to be done to keep the cover DD requested of him to protect all students. There is no question in my mind, that based upon Snapes loyalty to the school that he deserves a portrait for being there in the darkest of time imaginable.

Also Harry was there to see DD, refreances are made to some known portraits who were over joyous. Even if Snape had a portrait, it would have been akin to DD at the end of HBP and been asleep which would have gone unnoticed.

I agree with Dobby22 that someone would have been with Snape at his own King's Cross, someone who loved him and would be a help. Maybe Lily but maybe not, maybe his own mother or someone else we don't know about. And someone made a suggestionthat there wouldn't be room on the wall for all the portraits, but maybe the wall is like the Room of Requirement and they all sort of skootch over and make room? Anyway, I can't bear to think Snape is still alone after death, so I will believe that there was comfort and healing for him finally.

although the idea of naming you kid after someone you didn't like is kinda lame...maybe harry didn't truly like snape. thought he was extremely brave and glad that snape did what he did, but still he could have still disliked everything else about snape. after all..harry just says that snape is the bravest man he ever knew. not the best man he ever knew.

For those who haven't read the chat transcript, Jo gives the straight scoop on Snapes lack of a portrait:



So I guess being a Headmaster is like being a Supreme Court judge. Its a lifelong appointment. Well I hope Snape does get his portrait included eventually.

i think snape's portrait was added later in the headmaster's office, because in the epilogue, harry said to his son albus severus that he was named after two hogwart's headmasters.

i also think that snape deserved to be part of the hogwarts headmasters' circle, because he absolutely made sure that the students were kept alive though they may have suffered physical injuries at least they were still alive. during those times snape will be their best choice to occupy the headmaster's post, as he achieved the trust of the dark lord therefore any other death eaters will surely be under his control, and snape really knew how to act his part in order not to reveal his true identity, therefore ensuring the security of hogwart's students and staff as well.

Chapter 30 is entitled "The Sacking of Severus Snape". I can only assume that because McGonnagal (the rightful headmistress) ran Severus off thus sacking him, he was no longer the headmaster when he dies and therefore would not have a portrait on the wall. I have been under the impression that all the headmasters and headmistresses on the wall died while in position at Hogwarts.

There seem to be a lot of people on this thread that feel as though Snape wasn't the "true" headmaster of Hogwarts, that he wasn't "Dumbledore's choice," or that he allowed students to be harmed. However, that doesn't seem to be the case at all.
First of all, only the true headmaster can gain entrance to the headmaster's office. Remember that, in OotP, the office sealed itself against Delores Umbridge because she was not the rightful replacement to Albus Dumbledore. Therefore, there is absolutely no way that Snape could have gained entrance to the quarters unless he was the unquestionable Hogwarts headmaster.
Also, there seems to be evidence that it was Dumbledore's intention that Snape replace him:

"He believes the school will soon be in his grasp, yes."
"And if it does fall into his grasp," said Dumbledore, almost, it seemed, as an aside, "I have your word that you will do all in your power to protect the students of Hogwarts?"
Snape gave a stiff nod.
-From Deathly Hallows

This passage seems to indicate that Snape was indeed chosen by Dumbledore to take over as acting headmaster. Also, as raydurz pointed out, J.K. Rowling has stated that the only reason for the absence of Snape's portrait was that he had "effectively abandoned his post before dying." There is every reason to believe that his portrait will indeed be -- as it rightfully should -- included among those of the headmasters before him.

There is also evidence to suggest that Snape did, as he promised Dumbledore, protect the students at Hogwarts:

"Never mind that! How did Snape punish Ginny, Neville, and Luna?" asked Harry urgently.
"Professor Snape sent them into the Forbidden Forest, to do some work for the oaf, Hagrid."
"Hagrid's not an oaf!" said Hermione shrilly.
"And Snape might've thought that was a punishment," said Harry, "but Ginny, Neville, and Luna probably had a good laugh with Hagrid. The Forbidden Forest... they've faced plenty worse than the Forbidden Forest, big deal!"
-From Deathly Hallows

Although Harry obviously doesn't realize it, I'm sure that Snape knew that working in the Forbidden Forest was no punishment. Although he could just as easily have handed Ginny, Neville, and Luna over to the Carrow's for torture, he instead sent them off to work with Hagrid, with whom -- as I'm sure Snape was fully aware -- they'd be safe. Also, as annesches pointed out, there were no student deaths under Snape's reign. It would have been impossible for Snape to ban the use of the Cruciatus Curse in the Carrow's DADA classes without arising the suspicions of Lord Voldemort, but he certainly did everything in his power -- and did it successfully -- to ensure that no students suffered death.

with the above mentioned pasage, i too believed that dumbledore had planned with snape to take over hogwarts when the time came that it will surely fall into the dark lord's hand. as snape is the current favorite of the dark lord's, he can assure the chance of asking LV in making him in charge of hogwarts. snape is rather the rightful choice indeed to be the headmaster at those dark times. dumbledore certainly want snape to succeeds him when the time came rather than the school will fall into the hands of the death eaters especially the carrows anyway. look at how the carrows treat those students. surely snape is the only chance they got to secure the safetiness of everyone at hogwarts.

JKR said in an interview that Snape didn't have a portrait because he didn't die while he was headmaster, but that Harry made sure that eventualy he will have a portrait in the headmasters office, that's whatI remmeber from her answer.

I think that if Snape's portrait had been in the Headmaster's office as soon as he died, it would be giving away too much too soon. Harry would have seen the portrait before he saw the memory, and would have known that snape was a good guy.

I was gonna say that. To me it's always been from that answer, that, well, I guess they don't get a portrait if they didn't die headmasters. I don't know if that's to make sure they were 'true' headmasters that deserved to be on the wall or something, but I'm pretty sure that's the good reason why. Besides, she did say it in an interview. I think Harry would do that though, make sure he gets a portrait. I might not have done it, but Snape iiiisss a hero. I guess he deserves it. It's not his fault if he wasn't headmaster when he died. He didn't even die 'normally', he died for no reason. Because he was doing the right thing!

Yes iread that what Rowling said... but not all the other neccassarily died whilst being Headmaster or Mistress... The way the potraits are described made it sound like it was past headmasters, simply anyone who was haed there....

I think it would not have taken Rowling much to add even 'an awkward twisted smile almost playing across snape's lips'.


cometo think of it how do the portaits get there, who paints them? house elves??????lol

I am too under the impression that Snapes photo started out like Dumbledores did he started as asleep. this would have prevented Snape form saying anything with their victory.

As is was mentioned before, it may not have said that Snapes portrait was seen in the headmasters office but, I clearly remember reading in the epiloge when Harry telling his son Albus Severus Potter that he was named after two of greatest headmasters that Hogwarts has ever had.

Just because Harry tells his son that Snape was a headmaster doesn't mean he has a portrait on the wall. I think that you only gain the right to have a portrait if you either die as headmaster or leave the office under your own terms (by resigning). SInce Snape was effectively sacked in the chapter "The Sacking of Severus Snape" he did not merit a portrait. However, once the smoke cleared and everyone found out Snapes true story I think it is very probable that a portrait of him is added later.

Now, I have a question I'm hoping I can get answered here. Can you make a portrait of anyone at anytime and have them come to life? Example: If someone painted a portrait of Godric Gryffindor would he then be there just like Gryffindor to talk to and get advice from?

My belief is that would not be the case. I think that either the person who is painted has to be alive when it is done, or possibly needs to have knowledge of the portrait being made and allow it. Because otherwise why wouldn't Fudge just have a portrait of DD instead of having to continuously write to him and ask his opinions? I would also think DD may keep around a portrait of his sister to talk to. Harry would have portraits of his parents and Sirius. It must not be that easy to have a portrait like the ones at Hogwarts, or I think they would be much more common.