The Psychobiography of Severus Snape

Conversely, Severus' role as a teacher frequently brought forth the more fearful aspects of his personality. Severus' cold, dark classroom (Rowling, 1997, p.101) perhaps reflected his low self-worth and loneliness (Stroebe et al., 2005) or his chronic grief for Lily (Fraley & Bonanno, 2004). Due to fearful-avoidants' inability to properly talk about and forgive themselves of their guilt (Stroebe et al., 2005), "the most unpleasant thing in the world is me because I am mean to myself" (Massie & Szajnberg, 2006, p. 483) suggests that having a bright classroom would implicate a happiness Severus felt he did not deserve (Shaver et al., 1996).  

Severus' vindictiveness, hostility and cruelty towards his students (Rowling, 1997) is likely a reciprocation of the bullying he received at Hogwarts, a resentment Severus refused to forget (Haggerty et al., 2009; Schafer et al., 2004). Severus' fearful emotions were expressed most frequently around Harry because he looked identical to his father, but possessed his mother's eyes, resembling everything Severus both loved and hated about his childhood (Rowling, 2007, p.544). For example, when Harry learned of the day Severus lost Lily's friendship, Severus hurls a glass jar at his head in rage and fear that Harry would discover his hostility and coldness was a fa\u00e7ade that concealed a deep love he wanted no one to discover (Rowling, 2003, p. 572-573) (Stroebe et al., 2005). I believe this aggression may be characteristic of fearful-avoidants when their usually hidden need for others becomes vulnerable. 

The final, most powerful fragment of Severus' personality is one that nobody except Dumbledore was aware of and sadly, a quality that most felt would be impossible for Severus to possess: love. Throughout Severus' life, Lily was the only person to have truly cared for him, a relationship that developed, on Severus' behalf, to an intense love and need for the person who made him feel worthy and secure (Hazan & Shaver, 1994). Prior to Dumbledore's death, an emotional Severus revealed that his Patronus, a magical force of goodness that reflects the animal most representative of one's identity and personality, was a doe, the same Patronus Lily possessed before she died (Rowling, 2007, p. 551). Severus' Patronus is a powerful symbol of the severe pain experienced by fearful-avoidants; their grief becomes chronic, consuming them to the extent where to resolve it would mean eliminating a part of their identity (Stroebe et al., 2005).  

Had Severus' secure relationship with Lily endured, he may have retained the positive internal working models he developed as Lily's best friend, transcending from fearful-avoidance to a more secure attachment style (Feeney, 2003; Hazan & Shaver, 1994). Unfortunately, given Severus' guilt for calling Lily a Mudblood and Lily's betrayal in marrying James Potter (Rowling, 2007, p. 552), these secure tendencies regressed to the negative cognitions that surrounded Severus' childhood (Schafer et al., 2004). However, an alternative personality change is suggested by J.K. Rowling: although Severus remained severely insecure and hostile towards others until his death, his love for Lily promoted bravery and loyalty, saving him from being the selfish boy he was at age 11 (Anelli & Upton, 2008). 

Severus' fearful-avoidance was the consequence of an abusive childhood, riddled with rejection, fear and an unfulfilled need to be loved. Ironically, the paradox that was Severus' fearful-avoidant personality, allowed him to experience the chronic, psychologically intense love and grief he felt for Lily and yet, Severus was able, due to his avoidance, to conceal these emotions and achieve redemption (Fraley & Bonanno, 2004). Ultimately, Severus' past created a vindictive, detached and hostile exterior, but also a grieving, vulnerable, guilt-ridden interior that, although hidden due to the fear that stemmed from his childhood, defined Severus' true personality. Severus never forgot his past, the love he had gained and lost, and the reason behind his every action right up to his final breath: Lily, a woman he missed because of the way she made him feel: secure. Severus' final words were spoken to Harry: "Look... at... me" (Rowling, 2007, p. 528) so that he could see Lily's eyes, the reason behind his sacrifice, one last time. In that moment, it was clear who Severus truly was: a good person who had endured a tortured past.

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