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J.K. Rowling apologizes for killing off Professor Snape

Written by . Published: May 02 2017

J.K. Rowling has apologized to Harry Potter fans for killing off the late Alan Rickman's character Professor Severus Snape on the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts.


The sinister potions master, who was secretly in love with Potter's late mom, lost his life at the hands of Lord Voldemort in The Deathly Hallows, and he has become the latest character to be honored by the author.

Every year, to mark the anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts, Rowling remembers a beloved character she killed off, and this year (17), she has tweeted: "OK, here it is. Please don't start flame wars over it, but this year I'd like to apologize for killing (whispers)... Snape. *runs for cover*."

Fans swarmed Twitter on Tuesday (02May17) to respond to the writer's remarks, which came shortly after a fan asked if Rowling had "already apologized for another death".

J.K. retweeted the question and wrote: "In case the police are reading my notifications, there's a Battle of Hogwarts anniversary tradition going on. I am not on a murder spree."

Rickman, who played Professor Snape in all the Harry Potter films, died in January, 2016, aged 69. After his death, the author revealed she had informed the actor of Snape's secret back story and the fact he was in love with Potter's mother, Lily, before filming began on the first Potter movie.

Fans had to wait until Book Seven in the Potter series to learn the truth.

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