During his time as a professor at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Professor Snape was regarded as a highly respectable authority figure, however, he was surrounded by a aura which had caused great fear and discomfort for many of his students. Recent, reports into the character of Severus Snape show a dark side which goes beyond his history and association with the Dark Lord and Death eaters.

Snape is detailed as an unnecessarily cruel teacher who created a reign of terror over his student. Pamada Patil a student in Harry potter's year at school who attended the Yuel Ball with Mr. Potter's closest friend Ronald Weasley described Snape as a "mean and horrid man" she continued "if you were like me and not in Slytherin he was the scariest man in the world when you are young. He was a good teacher and was confident in potions although that wasn't the subject that he wanted but when you were in his class you felt that you were holding your breath until the class ended". Many critics have claimed that for a teacher to strike such fear into his students it is unacceptable. Wayne Hopkins also a former pupil for Hogwarts has stated that "a teacher shouldn't scare you, as children you are excitable are eager to learn and children need to be nurtured and helped to develop they should never be intimidated to the point that they are overcome by fear when entering a class".  

Probably, the most striking evidence that many used in order to highlight Severus Snape's abusive and violent side is his treatment towards a former pupil and now Professor of Hogwarts, Neville Longbottom. Blaise Zabini cause a great public outcry when he drunkenly told a reporter of the "hilarious" altercations between Professor Snape and Mr. Longbottom. Mr. Zabini exclaimed that he always eagerly awaited the moment the longbottom would infuriate Snape. He stated "it's all his own fault really, the idiot couldn't tell his cauldron from his foot, would have been better for everyone if he was a squib". Mr Zabini continues "Professor Snape would shout at him until he went red in the face.let me tell you it wasn't a proper potions lesson until Longbottom cried". Mr. Zabini told the reporter of an episode which is haunting for any parent "once" he stated " longbottom had failed do make the potion correctly as usual but this time it exploded- went everywhere.. next thing I knew longbottom was on the ground crying and rolling about he had basically burned himself. ProfessorSnape just shouted at him and told him to clean up". At this point the reported asked "did he check to see if Mr.longbottom was alright?" to which Mr. Zabini repled "who would he? he just walked away after he had finished shouting and moved onto Potter". 

The controversy surrounding this issue was only heightened after Tracey Davis a Slytherin student in the same year as Neville Longbottom came forward to release a novel about her time Hogwarts with the infamous Harry Potter. She noted " Proffesor Snape's treatment towards Neville Longbottom was excessively cruel and his treatment encouraged the student to join in with hs own taunting. i seen alot of this first hand as Gryffindor and Slytherin shared the same classes. Longbottom's fear of Snape was epitomised in our third year at school when our Defense against the Dark Arts teacher at the time Remus Lupin brought in a boggart ( *a boggart is a shape shfting non-human which takes the form of the viewer's darkest fears). Professor Lupin made us all face the boggart to show us  how we could over come it. Neville was the first to approach the boggart and when it took it's form it was none other than professor Snape, his darkest fear was out own teacher". 

The fact that Neville was so consumed by fear the his boggart took the form of Snape speaks great levels. Evidence would suggest that Professor Snape had bullied the child for many years and so even go so far as to call it mental abuse. regarding this topic Mr. Longbottom has refused to comment.

Thus, the topic is raised is Severus Snape's unending love for Lily potter enough to pardon him of his past crimes? Is his love enough to justify his unfair and cruel treatment towards his own student. Of course he committed a great deed in helping Harry Potter and he ultimately did betray the Dark Lord an act unimaginable to many but should we encouage the public to view him as a great man completely dsregarding his own flaws.