An ode to Alan Rickman- the man who immortalised Severus Snape

Me (to a friend): Alan Rickman passed away.
Friend: Who’s that?
Me:  The actor who played Severus Snape!
Friend:  *in shock*

Snape, though I didn't like him at first, soon became one of my favourite

Perhaps this is how the world really recognized Alan Rickman- the man who played our favourite Severus Snape. Growing up, I am one of the few who first entered the Wizard world via the movies (yes, hate me all that you want) and later got introduced to the books.  I was young, probably around 10 and I H-A-T-E-D his character but always was in awe of him. Those eyes, the way he mouthed each word to perfection. But as the sequels came out, I grew into loving him. The depths and the layers of his characters- an incomplete love story, the under appreciated good guy and Rickman made it all so convincing.  

His incomplete love story was perhaps one of the most tragic parts of the HP series.

And I believe most would agree that he’s one of those few actors who did full justice to the characters in the books. So yes, his demise stirs up a lot of memories because Harry Potter is a significant part of our childhood. It always leaves you in a daze when a character you’ve grown to love and the actor who made it all possible are no longer here in the physical world. It makes you want to curl up in the bed, read the books and watch the movies once again and maybe, maybe cry a little.

After all who can forget his classic dialogues- “You dare use my own spells against me, Potter? Yes, I’m the Half Blood Prince” (I was shocked at this one really) or his constant insults- “Yes, it is easy to see that nearly six years of magical education have not been wasted on you, Potter. ‘Ghosts are transparent’” and of course, the one word that he immortalized- “Always”. 

"After all this time?"
"Always"

The word has almost acquired a religious significance for the Potter fandom.

  

God, I’m tearing up a little, I must admit.

He was perfect in every way, that gorgeous black hair, that bad-ass black gown to go with it, a face that could convey a thousand emotions without saying very little or anything at all. 

Yes, you can cry now.

So imagine a reader’s shock when this news came out, well, here’s an example of a friend who’s a Potterhead-

First stage of grief- denial

I wish he’d lived longer, I wish I’d been able to meet him, but that’s one things off my bucket list but here’s raising our wands to the amazing wizard, actor and human being that he was. 

Here's raising our wands to the Half Blood Prince

“You outraged us when you shapeshifted as Sheriff of Nottingham, awed us as Rasputin, got us to sing in Sweeney Todd, broke our hearts in Love, Actually, made my young girl-muggle feelings all confused in Truly, Madly, Deeply, and won us over as who you are. The person you never wanted to become, your alter ego – beloved, enigmatic Alan Rickman.”
- Sade Andria Zabala Poetry