Friendships in the ‘Harry Potter‘ series are complicated, but few are as heartbreaking as the one between Lily Evans and Severus Snape. They grew up together, shared secrets, and leaned on each other. Yet, as they grew older, things began to change.
Fans still wonder why Lily cut ties with Snape. The answer comes from one of the unforgettable insults, but also in years of choices that drove them apart.
A Friendship Tested At Hogwarts
When Lily and Snape started at Hogwarts, they were sorted into different houses. Lily went to Gryffindor, while Snape found himself in Slytherin. At first, this didn’t seem like a big problem. Many friends managed to stay close despite house rivalries. But in their case, the house divide grew into something bigger.
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Life in Gryffindor encouraged Lily to be brave, open-minded, and loyal to her friends. Meanwhile, Slytherin pushed Snape toward ambition and darker connections. Over time, Snape began spending more time with students who were fascinated by the Dark Arts and leaned toward Voldemort’s growing influence. Lily, however, noticed this and warned him regarding the path he was choosing.
But despite her concerns, she didn’t abandon him right away. She defended him when others teased him, and she tried to remind him of the better parts of himself. But the strain was already building. Every time Snape chose the wrong crowd, the trust between them weakened a little more.
The Breaking Point Of Lily And Snape’s Friendship
The turning point, however, came during their fifth year when Snape found himself humiliated by James Potter and his friends by the Black Lake. It was a cruel prank, and Lily tried to step in and help him. But instead of accepting her kindness, Snape lashed out in anger. In front of everyone, he called her a “Mudblood,” one of the most insulting slurs in the wizarding world.
And that single word, coming from Snape, had more power than any other argument or disagreement they had before. She had defended him countless times, even when it wasn’t easy. So, hearing that word come from him showed how deeply he had absorbed the toxic views of the people. Snape apologized afterward, but the damage was done. The insult revealed a side of him Lily could no longer ignore.
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Even after the lake incident, Lily gave Snape a chance to make things right. But Snape continued to associate with students who would go on to become Death Eaters. His fascination with the Dark Arts only grew stronger. Lily, on the other hand, stood firmly against Voldemort’s ideology and everything it represented.
The more Snape leaned into that world, the more he distanced himself from Lily. Over time, Lily realized that staying close to him meant compromising her own values. That was a line she could not cross.
According to Lily, friendship meant loyalty and respect. Once Snape showed that he could not uphold those things, she had no choice but to walk away and stop talking to him once and for all.
