HARRY POTTER-mania!! What would happen if SEVERUS SNAPE were NOT SLYTHERINS, but GRYFFINDORS?!?

Question

In short, James Potter and Severus Snape would not bitter rivals… they would have such close and beautiful friendship! Just like James and Sirius, but now James and Severus! Or imagine Severus Snape as the FIFTH MARAUDER! James never teased or bullied Severus. He always protected him! James watched Severus’ back, while Severus watched James’ back!

But what do you think would happen to the entire Harry Potter series if Severus Snape were not Slytherins but Gryffindors? How would this affect Snape-Harry’s relationship when they met at Hogwarts? Is there any chance that Severus be Harry Potter’s GODFATHER? Would Severus still be like the “original” Severus as Slytherins? Would Severus succeed McGonagall as Head of Gryffindors? How would Severus act in Order of Phoenix and Death Eater? How would Severus act toward Voldemort and Dumbledore?

Answer 1

I have a very difficult time imagining Severus Snape and James Potter being friends, even if Snape were to have been sorted into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin (which seems to suit him very well). Snape is a great deal more brave than Peter Pettigrew, no matter who he is loyal to. And he is far more powerful and talented; he has been sufficently adept at Legilimensy to fool either Voldemort, Dumbledore, if not both of them, into believing him for years.

For sake of arguement though, let's imagine that Snape was the fifth Marauder. It would certainly had a significant impact on the Snape-Harry relationship. Snape would've no doubt embraced Harry as everyone else that was fond of James and Lily have done. He would've treated him with the sort of fondness that he has reserved for Draco, much like Lupin did for Harry, and began his private tutoring long before Dumbledore ordered it. He would've been eager to arm him with as much knowledge as possible, hoping to protect him from sharing his parents's fate. I doubt that Snape would've become Harry's Godfather. Sirius and James had a special relationship that would've made him reserve that honor for Sirius. Remember, Sirius often escaped his dysfuntional childhood home in favor of James's more pleasant home. The Potter's offered him sanctuary, much like the Weasley's do for Harry.

Given the circumstances you propose, I think that Snape would be dramatically different from the one that we now know. He was isolated as a Slytherin, an unhappy outcast that was perpetually on guard for the humiliations that he suffered from the popular, handsome, athletic, Pureblooded students like James and Sirius. Were he one of them, instead of the object of their ridicule, I think he would be a far more well-adjusted adult. I doubt that Snape would succeed McGonagall as Head of Gryffindor House though. She is supposed to be several decades his senior, so I imagine that she would still be the natural choice. She is also professor of Transfiguration, as Dumbledore himself was. Perhaps that would give her an edge over Snape in the decision making.

Snape would've undoubtedly been more sensitive of Harry's feelings than he ever has been, in Order of the Phoenix and otherwise. I don't know that it would've led to Snape revealing more information to Harry, for his own safety and that of others, but he would've attempted to put his mind at ease - knowing that he was under a great deal of stress as it was. Had Snape been a Marauder, I sincerely doubt that he would've ever become a Death Eater. His friends would've made the reason for seeking the Death Eaters unneccessary. He would've been part of their exclusive group and not required the power for protection the Dark Arts and Dark wizards offered. He might have pledged his loyalty to Dumbledore and fought valiantly against Voldemort. He would've been a much happier man.

Answer 2

I think it would have played out mostly the same way, Except the betrayal of Severus Snape would have been that much worse. That would also mean that he probably would have been the potters secret keeper, and it would have been a much easier to have killed them.
Proffessor dumbledor, trusted him, but never enough to make him teacher of the defense against the dark arts class so, I still think he wouldn't have replaced McGonagal as head of grffindor house.Even if he had been in griffindor house, Because even if severus and james had been friends, the sorting hat decides which house to put them in. And really he belongs there in slytherin. J.K. Rowling should have named him severus snake. But I have to admit that is an interesting Scenario for the HP story line you thought up.

Answer 3

Well, that wouldn't make any sense. Harry, Ron and Hermione are supposed to be the positive characters, so their mere role in the story is supposed to represent a model. There's no way they could be sorted into Slytherin instead of Gryffindor if the Slytherin personality features are the ones we know today. That just wouldn't make sense. It would mean they're the negative characters and from that point on the whole plot of the story would turn upside down. Okay, maybe it wouldn't necessarily have to mean that Harry, Ron and Hermione are negative characters because the Sorting Hat initially wanted to sort Harry into Slytherin and we all know he's far from being evil and selfish. But it really wouldn't make any sense if Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle of all Hogwarts students would be sorted into Gryffindor. Lol. There's no way to give a realistic explanation to this situation. But you have to remember this. The thing that determines the Sorting Hat to decide which House to put a student in is the dominant feature in the student's personality. In Harry's case, the Sorting hat saw the abilities he had and those abilities were stronger than selfishness and evilness and any other Slytherin traits, that's why it wanted to put him into that house. So the only way for Draco, Crabbe and Goyle to be able to enter the Gryffindor House is to prove that their courage or other Gryffindor trait is stronger than any other Slytherin traits found in their personality. So let's say that Draco, Crabbe and Goyle are evil, selfish and cunning, but they're also very brave, therefore their courage gets them into Gryffindor. And let's suppose that Harry, Ron, Hermione are not evil and selfish, but they are very ambitious and cunning, therefore those two featuresw being the strongest in their characters, determine the Hat to put them into Slytherin. Is that explanation realistic enough for you? ^^

Answer 4

even if snape was in Gryffindor i don't think him and James would actually get along, just because snape isn't the type to hang around with james and the rest of the Marauders..... but anyway if snape WAS to be James friend i think it would totally have changed the Harry Snape relationship cuz snape doesn't really hate him, he hated his father.
i don't think he would have been his godfather, cuz James had a much stronger relationship with Sirius than with anybody else

Answer 5

um.. i think even if severus was in Gryffindor, it would be like Peter Wormtail Pettigrew.... Weak, annoying, pathetic, etc etc. it was Lupin, James, Sirius's Kindness that allowed them to take care of peter and stand by him as a friend, not peter's undying greatness as a friend. i doubt snape would ever really rise Above slinking around and making others suffer, because as a child he had grown up to be sullen, confused, angry at the world, angry at his parents, never shown love, etc etc......

even if in fact he IS good in book 7, and has been working as a triple agent for dumbledore all along, i still think his Nature is to not be liked, to lord his power over others, to get satisfaction from making others feel lowly... i think that is significantly NOT a gryffindor trait.

in fact i doubt snape would ever become a gryffindor.. his many strengths lean towards Craft, Power, Prestige, Nastiness, Dark Magic, being a Loner, etc etc.. those were snape's Interests! u could tell, as the half blood prince, etc, that he was a little on the mean side (to get back at those who tortured him). i'm sure he had alwasy been that way, even before hogwarts..

Answer 6

Thats a really cool idea. He would be a lot more fair towards Griffindors and not favor Draco that way he does. Then again he probably only favors Draco as to get on his good side and have him think that he is bad that way Draco wont bring up suspicions to Lucius. Snape is just trying to show Harry that u cant asume someone is bad becasue they dont favor you and trying to toughen him up I think. So I guess he wouldnt really change too much fromteh way he acts now

Answer 7

Severus would still hate Harry just as he hated his father.. But, heh here's a little food for thought. I think Dumbledore knew Snape made the unbreakable vow to kill him and they had a plan.. Maybe Dumbledore has a hortecrux(sp??) you have to kill someone to split your soul but, dumbledore has killed people for a good cause.... I still don't believe snape is bad. I trust dumbledore's judgement til the end!! Oh and harry is going to live, marry Ginny and have three kids....

Answer 8

....what a cool thought....obviously, that would be the most fun twist of all. I think, like many others, that Snape & Dumbledore agreed on the seeming betrayal....I don't think that Snape was Harry's godfather, or that he necessarily was a Griffindor....but, as Dumbledore told Harry when he had the "choice" to be Slytherin or Griffindor...it's all about choices :) Can't WAIT to see how it all plays out....keep thinking those fun theories... :)

Answer 9

Snape was the fake bad guy--so that the mysterious evil force that would spring up in each book would have a face for Harry & friends to think they are working against. Every time, it turns out that someone else is the real antagonist, and Snape is just there to antagonize.

Answer 10

Well, it would DEFINATELY change the way he feels about Harry and ALL the Gryffindors......he would probly be more fair!! He wouldn't always want the DADA job because he never would have worked for Voldemort!! But idk about the whole....um... (i dont want to spoil anything so) the thing he did at the end of HBP, a lot of ppl thing he and Dumbledore planned it so that Draco wouldn't you know become all dark.