Here's What Severus Snape Is Actually Supposed To Look Like

How does Severus Snape look in the mind of artist Jim Kay? A gorgeous illustration of Harry Potter's former Potions professor has just become available, in anticipation of the upcoming illustrated version of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and he looks exactly like the character is described in the books. Check it out below:

The Harry Potter movies didn't always get the looks of J.K. Rowling's beloved Harry Potter characters quite right. With that said, it's hard to argue that Alan Rickman was anything other than perfect casting for the role. Still, Jim Kay's illustration of the Potions Master seems to be plucked directly from J.K. Rowling's description, with his greasy black hair, hooked nose, dark eyes and sallow skin. There's a coldness to him, but he's not without depth, seen staring off into the distance with a faint smile (or perhaps sneer?) on his face. The wheels in his mind are undoubtedly moving, but we can only guess what he's thinking about.

I especially like the position of his hands. One clutches a bottle of some potions ingredient, while the other seems to be both resting and tense at the same time.

As mentioned, this illustration comes from Jim Kay, and was released over at Pottermore to promote the upcoming Illustrated Edition of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. That's Book 3 in the Harry Potter series and (obviously) the third illustrated edition to be released. The illustrated editions have dropped one a year so far, with Prisoner of Azkaban set to arrive in October 3, 2017. According to Pottermore, we should expect 115 new graphics in this particular edition.

If your memory of the Harry Potter books is rusty, Prisoner of Azkaban is the book that introduced Sirius Black to the story. It's one of the best books in the series, and succeeds in leaving off at a huge turning point for the story. For me, this was the book that sold me on the series. I was all in by the end of Azkaban.

Upcoming Harry Potter Books, Movies And Everything Else

Amazon currently has Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated Edition available for preorder for $30.42. The price dropped down a bit for the Chamber of Secrets Illustrated Edition though, so it's possible the same will eventually be the case for Azkaban. In the meantime, if you haven't purchased the previous Illustrated editions, they're well worth the price. They're not only larger than a typical hardcover book, but Jim Kay's illustrations are nothing short of gorgeous.

In addition to the arrival of the Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated Edition, Harry Potter fans and collectors have the Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Hogwarts House covers to look forward to as well.

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