6

Did Snape really love Lily, or was it just an obsession? Did Lily love him as more than just a friend when they grew up to be adults, or was it just Snape?

An intelligent man once said that love is a "never-ending circle." One gives their love to another, initiating the first half of the circle. The receiver then gives back to the lover, completing the circle, over and over.

Lily and Snape were friends who grew up together, and would eventually part ways, but nothing ever indicated that Lily ever stopped caring for Snape, just that Lily stopped talking to him.

Come to think of it: everybody in a relationship has had a fight/falling out. That's normal.

Even if Lily’s romantic path became one with James Potter doesn’t mean her feelings for Severus faded away.

Obsessions, on the other hand, are often short-termed. And we all know that Severus loved Lily even after her death, and put his life on constant danger for her son.

So was Snape's love obsessive love?

Gallifreyan
  • 20,473
  • 6
  • 103
  • 164
Kyle V
  • 7,063
  • 3
  • 32
  • 75
  • 9
    "After all this time?" "Always." – Gallifreyan Apr 29 '17 at 19:53
  • 1
    Lily's emotions over time, one way or the other, don't really enter into whether Severus loved her or not, or into a judgment on whether he was obsessive (although her lack of response would certainly have fed his bitterness). Only Severus' actions can be evaluated as obsessive or not - and while he certainly never let her go, he could only be seen as obsessive if he was a constant nuisance and trying to insert himself into her life apart. – Radhil Apr 29 '17 at 20:11
  • You are asking two questions here. Either ask that only for Snape or only for Lily. – user931 Apr 29 '17 at 20:35
  • Basically, you are asking Snape was mental or not mental... Obsessive Love Disorder: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/mobileart.asp?articlekey=54461 – user931 Apr 29 '17 at 20:38
  • There's a fine line between love and obsession... – iMerchant Apr 30 '17 at 06:18
  • He just had afterimage of an old sexual affair in his mind.. Nothing more. It can be called OCD, not love. – user931 Jan 12 '18 at 14:16
  • Just because "an intelligent man" said something about love doesn't mean that it's love's definition. As for obsession, the only thing you said about it so far is that it's "often short term" - which is neither here nor there, and very clearly not the case with Snape. I think you need to figure out your parameters. – Misha R Jan 13 '18 at 06:04

2 Answers2

1

Snape risked his life (and died) for Lily's son. He admitted that he had always loved harry and Lilly to his true master Dumbledore.. he loved her.

ana
  • 29
  • 1
  • 3
0

No.

Did Lily love him as more than just a friend when they grew up to be adults, or was it just Snape?

There is absolutely no evidence of that in the books. Also, I found J.K Rowling's answer to this question as a part of another answer on this site. https://scifi.stackexchange.com/a/15558/91540

So was Snape's love obsessive love?

You answered this in your own question.

Obsessions, on the other hand, are often short-termed. And we all know that Severus loved Lily even after her death, and put his life on constant danger for her son.

So, No. His love for Lily was pure and unconditional in truest of sense. Always!

dobby
  • 3,650
  • 4
  • 27
  • 44
  • The Pottermore article you cited isn't written by Rowling. The only articles by Rowling are those in the 'Writing by JK Rowling' section. The rest are anonymous. – The Dark Lord Jan 12 '18 at 12:10
  • @TheDarkLord Didn't know that. Thanks. I edited my answer accordingly. – dobby Jan 12 '18 at 12:46