On 14 January 2016, the world was shocked to learn of the death of beloved actor Alan Rickman, best known for his iconic portrayal of Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films. Rickman, who was 69 years old at the time of his death, had been battling pancreatic cancer for some time.
Rickman’s portrayal of Snape, the mysterious and enigmatic potions master at Hogwarts, was a fan favorite. In 2009, The Guardian named him one of the best actors never to have received an Academy Award nomination.
The character of Snape was an integral part of the Harry Potter story, and fans were left wondering how old Snape was when Harry died. The answer lies in the timeline of the Harry Potter books and films.
In the books, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final installment of the series, takes place in the year 1998. This means that Snape was born in 1959, making him 39 years old when Harry died.
In the films, however, the timeline is slightly different. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was released in 2011, which means that Snape was 51 years old when Harry died.
Regardless of which timeline is used, it is clear that Snape was an older man when Harry died. This is fitting, as Snape had a fatherly relationship with Harry, despite their tumultuous history.
Rickman’s performance as Snape was truly remarkable, and his death was a great loss to the Harry Potter fandom. Fans can take comfort in the fact that Snape was an older man when Harry died, and that he was able to experience a measure of peace and contentment in his final years.
