I couldn't find any real news about Snape or Alan Rickman, but that doesn't matter, because it's already set up for me--it's Halloween.
On this day, thirty years ago, Voldemort went to James and Lily Potter's house in Godric's Hollow with the intention to kill their son and thus eliminate the possibility of him being defeated. But, only a few weeks before, Severus Snape had begged Voldemort to spare Lily, and so the Dark Lord gave the woman a choice to step aside. She refused to, and willingly sacrificed herself for her son. The shield of love protected Harry and rebounded upon Lord Voldemort, rendering him almost nothing, less than the meanest ghost.
That night, Severus Snape lost the love of his life. He lost the will to live. But if it had not been for him, Lily would not have been given a second thought by Voldemort, and her sacrifice would not have been a willing one. And Harry would not have lived. There never would have been a Boy Who Lived, and Voldemort would have reigned forever.
The same night, ten years later, Severus did his best to find out what Quirrell was doing, and saw that he was trying to get the Sorcerer's Stone. He nearly had his leg ripped off in the process, and Harry was nearly killed by the troll that Quirrell had set lose.
The next year, the Chamber of Secrets was opened, thus beginning the series of stressful days of trying to protect the students of Hogwarts and yet, not being able to do a thing.
And the next year, the man that Snape loathed more than anything except James Potter--Sirius Black, broke into the castle and supposedly made an attempt on Potter's life, slashing up the Fat Lady's poster.
And the next, Harry's name came out of the Goblet of Fire. Severus knew at once that Potter's life was in danger, and that there was a traitor in their midst who had put the boy's name in. Once again, there was nothing he could do, though he knew that Voldemort must have something to do with it, for his Dark Mark had been twinging when it had not burned in years...
And all the rest were insignificant, but they were anniversaries of Lily's death all the same. If Severus were alive now, he'd be in an especially bitter and bad mood. He'd be mourning.
