Meet The REAL LIFE Professor Snape... But He's Not A Harry Potter Fan

Nearly 15 years after ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ visited Durham to shoot Hogwarts exteriors at the university and cathedral, Professor Snape is making a return to the historic northern University city.

Not the fictional Potions Professor as portrayed by Alan Rickman though, we’re talking about an actual real-life Professor Snape.

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The Telegraph reveals that Durham University has appointed Dr. Michael Snape to be the don of Anglican Studies, thanks to a bequest from Durham Cathedral.

He’ll officially become Professor Snape when he takes up his new post on 1 September but he says, despite his namesake featuring heavily in the wizarding franchise, he’s not a big ‘Harry Potter’ fan.

“I have to say, in absolute honesty, that I have never read a syllable of Harry Potter,” he told the Telegraph. “I’m only aware of these characters from the general cultural air we breathe, and from my children and spouse, who have read the books.”

He admits to have seen two of the films, but has never attempted to read JK Rowlings’ books because “they look a bit too long and boring.”

“I wish I had the money that Alan Rickman must have earned from the franchise, but I’ve never been tempted to really investigate.

"The only interest I had – and it was mild, I have to stress – was whether Snape would turn out to be a good guy or a bad guy. But even that wouldn’t induce me to pick up a novel.

“I’m more interested in the two places in Britain that are called Snape than I am in the fictional character. For instance, there’s one in North Yorkshire.”

Unlike the fictional Severus Snape, who taught Potions before being made Defence Against The Dark Arts professor in ‘The Half-Blood Prince’, Michael Snape specializes in Theology.

He’s actually going to be the second Professor Snape at the acclaimed university, joining Professor Edward Snape who works in the Management department.

Coincidentally, the uni also offers a module titled ‘Harry Potter and the Age of Illusion’ for second year students.

This is one lecturer we can guarantee that students wouldn’t dare give their homework in late to… just in case.

If you want more Snape in your life today, make sure you check out this fan’s heartbreaking edit of the ‘Harry Potter’ films as seen through the Potion Professor’s eyes.

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Via: The Tab

Image credits: Warner Bros./Vimeo/Michael Snape