Harry Potter Is Real: Researcher Uncovers Real-Life Professor Snape At Welsh University

Henry Lloyd Snape taught chemistry at a university in Wales. CHEMISTRY.

So you probably know about this guy.

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But did you know that Aberystwyth University in Wales is known as the "Welsh Hogwarts" because of its physical similarity to Harry Potter's alma mater?

Topical Press Agency / Getty Images

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And did you know that back in the late 1800s, a man named Henry Lloyd Snape was a professor there?

Aberystwyth University Archives / Via irishtimes.com

That's right. This dude was the REAL-LIFE PROFESSOR SNAPE.

Aberystwyth University Archives / Via irishtimes.com

Oh, and did I mention that he was appointed Chair of Chemistry? He was a chemistry professor. HE WAS BASICALLY A POTIONS MASTER.

Chemical Society of Great Britain / Via books.google.com

Dr. Beth Rodgers, writing for the Irish Times, noted that the IRL Professor Snape sounded very different from the fictional Snape.

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Rodgers, who is a lecturer in Aberystwyth University's English department, uncovered Henry Lloyd Snape's name in a paper from the time championing women's rights. According to Snape's obituary, he was "energetic, keen and devoted," and was also awarded an Order of the British Empire for his work with disabled soldiers in 1921 following WWI.

Harry Potter fans know that J.K. Rowling based Severus Snape on one of her former teachers, John Nettleship.

Over Jupiter @overjupiter

#DYK The character of #Snape in #HarryPotter was based on @JKRowling's HS chemistry teacher John Nettleship.

09:50 PM - 17 Oct 2015

So it's not likely that Rowling was inspired by Henry Lloyd Snape when she created the character.

But that doesn't matter because apparently Snape is real and therefore magic is real and it's all at Aberystwyth University so let's all go there.

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