Favorite Quotes

Reproduced with my love, these are Snape's quotes that struck me as the most important and character defining. (Or some that just are cool for his character)

These are my favoirte lines in the longer sections, where it might not be so obvious.

.These are my favorite overall, and I find them profound and thematic.

It's time For....Spiffy Snape Sayings!
(Brought to you by Folgers)

"Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an 'acceptable' in your O.W.L, or suffer my...displeasure."(232).

"Potter, what is this supposed to be?"
The Slytherins at the front of the class all looked up eagerly; they loved hearing Snape taunt Harry.
"The Draught of Peace," said Harry tersely.
"Tell me Potter," said Snape softly, "can you read?" (233).

"You applied for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, I believe?" Professor Umbridge asked Snape.
"Yes," said Snape quietly.
"But you were unsuccessful?"
Snape's lip curled.
"Obviously"(363).

"I've warned you, Snivellus," said Sirius, his face barely a foot from Snape's, "I don't care if Dumbledore thinks you've reformed, I know better-"
"Oh, but why don't you tell him yourself?" whispered Snape. "Or are you afraid he might not take the advice of a man who has been hiding inside his mother's house for six months very seriously?"(520).

"Are you calling me a coward?" roared Sirius, trying to push Harry out of the way, but Harry would not budge.
"Why, yes, I suppose I am," said Snape. (521).

"As I told you back in your dear godfather's kitchen..."(530).

"He can read minds?" said Harry quickly, his worst fears confirmed.
"You have no subtlety, Potter," said Snape, his dark eyes glittering. "You do not understand fine distinctions. It is one of the shortcomings that makes you such a lamentable potion-maker."

"The mind is a complex and many-layered thing, Potter...or at least, most minds are...." He smirked.

"I told you, " said Snape, rigid in his chair, his eyes slits, "to call me 'sir.'"
"Yes, sir," said Harry impatiently, "but how do you know-?"
"It is enough that we know," said Snape repressively. (533).

"You must remain focused. Repel me with your brain and you will not need to resort to your wand."
"I'm trying," said Harry angily, "but you're not telling me how!"
"Manners, Potter, " said Snape dangerously. (535).

"Perhaps," said Snape, his dark cold eyes narrowing slightly, "perhaps you actually enjoy having these visions and dreams, Potter. Maybe they make you feel special -- important?"
"No, they don't, " said Harry, his jaw set and his fingers clenched tightly around the ahndle of his wand.
"That is just as well, Potter, said Snape coldly, "because you are neither special nor important, and it is not up to you to find out what the Dark Lord is saying to his Death Eaters."
"No -- that's your job, isn't it?" Harry shot at him.
He had not meant to say it; it had burst out of him in temper. For a long moment they stared at each other, Harry convinced he had gone too far. But there was a curious, almost satisfied expression on Snape's face when he answered.
"Yes, Potter," he said, his eyes glinting, "That is my job. Now, if you are ready, we will start again..."(591).

....A hand had closed tight over his upper arm, closed with a pincerlike grip. Wincing, Harry looked around to see who had hold of him, and saw, with a thrill of horror, a fully grown, adult-sized Snape standing right beside him, white with rage.
"Having fun?"
Harry felt himself rising into the air. The summer's day evaporated around him, he was floating upward through icy blackness, Snape's hand still tight upon his upper arm. Then, with a swooping feeling as though he had turned head over heels in midair, his feet hit the stone floor of Snape's dungeon, and he was standing again beside the Pensieve on Snape's desk in the shadowy, present-day Potions master's study.
"So," said Snape, gripping Harry's arm so tightly Harry's hand was starting to feel numb. "So...been enjoying yourself, Potter?"
"N-no..." said Harry, tring to free his arm.
It was scary: Snape's lips were shaking, his face was white, his teeth were bared.
"Amusing man, your father, wasn't he?" said Snape, shaking Harry so hard his glasses slipped down his nose.
"I --didn't--"
Snape threw Harry from him with all his might. Harry fell hard onto the dungeon floor.
"You will not repeat what you saw to anybody!" Snape bellowed. (649).
"No," said Harry, getting to his feet as far from Snape as he could. "No, of course I w---"
"Get out, get out, I don't want to see you in the office ever again!"
And as Harry hurtled toward the door, a jar of dead cockroaches exploded over his head. He wretched the door open and flew away up the corridor, stopping only when he had put three floors between himself and Snape. There he leaned against the wall, panting, and rubbing his bruised arm.
He had no desire at all to return Gryffindor Tower so early, nor to tell Ron and Hermione what he had just seen. What was making Harry feel so horrified and unhappy was not being shouted at or having jars thrown at him -- it was that he knew how it felt to be humiliated in the middle of a circle of onlookers, knew exactly how Snape had felt as his father had taunted him, and that judging from what he had just seen, his father had been every bit as arrogant as Snape had always told him. (650).

Harry whipped around again. His potion sample lay in pieces on the floor, and Snape was surveying him with a look of gloating pleasure.
"Whoops," he said softly. "Another zero, Potter..."(661).

"I have already told you," said Snape smoothly, "that I have no further stocks of Veritarserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter-- and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did -- I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victum much time for truth telling..."(745).

"...And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little, if Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork, and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job"(746).