There are countless memorable personalities that populate the pages of the Harry Potter series. From Hermione to Dumbledore to Kreecher and Buckbeak, the novels have no shortage of quirky, dark, and likable characters that readers fell in love with. However, chief among these characters may very well be that of Severus Snape, the embittered potions master whose loyalties were unclear until the very end.

While Snape was a great and fully realized character in the novels, most audience will forever associate him with the wonderfully hammed up portrayal by legend Alan Rickman. With his black hair, unmistakable cadence, and slimy personality, he was a pitch perfect interpretation of what was on the page.

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But how did author J.K. Rowling actually envision him? While we may never get a perfect representation of that, we may be one step closer thanks to a new image from the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Illustrated Edition, courtesy of Pottermore.

While this image isn’t vastly different from how Rickman looked, his hair is undoubtedly flatter, and his hair flatter than we’ve ever see — not to mention the pronounced nature of his ears, which protrude from his thin, gaunt hair.

As a Harry Potter nut, this new interpretation perplexes me. While I understand why they went with Rickman’s look for the film, in the books, he was always described as having a beard, and as such, I’d always imagined him looking as he was in the American edition in one of the chapter headings.

What do you think of the new image? Which is closer to your own personal interpretation of Severus Snape? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!

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SOURCE: Pottermore (via Facebook)