This Snape Quote Is Even More Heartbreaking Now

For many across the globe, the news that Alan Rickman had passed away is absolutely devastating. The British actor was no less than iconic, having starred in films like Truly, Madly Deeply; Love, Actually; and of course, most memorably for so many of his fans, the Harry Potter series. Rickman's role as Professor Severus Snape in the adaptations of J.K. Rowling's novels was the perfect mixture of scary, creepy, sad, powerful, and haunting; it's hard to imagine any other actor having taken on the part, because there's simply no one else who could've embodied the complex Snape in a better way. And now, after his death, it's hard to hear some of his most notable Snape quotes without feeling even more heartbroken that he's gone.

There are countless lines said by Severus Snape in the books and/or the movies that Harry Potter fans will quote for decades; "turn to page 394" will always be a classic, as will "you have your mother's eyes." But there's one quote in particular that is simply heartbreaking to think about on this tragic day, and that's the exchange had between Professor Dumbledore and Snape that Harry witnesses towards the end of The Deathly Hallows. In an old memory of Snape's, seen by Harry Potter as he's looking through the Pensieve, a devastated Snape, having just learned that Lily Potter has been killed, shows Dumbledore the form of his patronus — a doe, just like Lily's. A saddened and surprised Dumbledore asks, "After all this time?" To which Snape replies, "Always."

It's a heartbreaking scene that practically all Harry Potter fans can cite from memory, but after the news of Rickman's passing, it's even more poignant. We may be forced to say goodbye to the beloved actor, but our love and respect for him will "always" keep going.

Images: Warner Bros; Caroline Wurtzel/Bustle