The Love That Shattered a Man

Fanfiction
Title:	The Love That Shattered a Man
Author(s):	Gypsy Silverleaf
Date(s):	posted at Fanfiction,net on October 13, 1999, posted December 8, 1999
Length:
Genre(s):	het
Fandom(s):	Harry Potter
Relationship(s):
External Links:	online at Harry Potter's Realm of Wizardry), also at Fanfiction.net
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

The Love That Shattered a Man is a 1999 Harry Potter two-chapter story by Gypsy Silverleaf.

First posted to Fanfiction.net on October 13, 1999, and then at Harry Potter's Realm of Wizardry on December 8, 1999, it was the first Severus Snape fic on the internet.

Gypsy was an eight grader when this story was written.

Story Summaries

My second fanfic, here, anyway, all about Snape. I asked myself the question: Why is Snape so mean? And I answer it in my own way! Love, hatred, and death all spin a web of pain into Severus Snape's life and only one person can save him. Complete. December 1999, second fanfic I wrote. Damn, I am so old it's not even funny. (Stress that this was written before Goblet of Fire was published.)

Love, hatred, and death all spin a web of pain into Severus Snape's life and only one person can save him.

Genre: Romance, Drama - Main character(s): H, Snape - Ships: None - Era: Multiple Eras

During his time at Hogwarts, Severus Snape had to deal with many things. His hatred of Sirius Black, his jealousy of James Potter, his heavy school load, death, and love. Severus was never a man to show his affection, unless it was - of course - sodden with hate and sarcasm. There was one exception, though, and she was a Ravenclaw named Samantha Halloway. He had loved her since they were children, growing up together, and loved her more every waking day.

The Author's Notes

The story at Harry Potter's Realm of Wizardry had extensive notes at the end:

Thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed this story since December 1999. It always surprises me to find out how many people remember it and how many people like it.

[snipped]

Dear Readers,

I've basically made myself cry here - ::people hear quiet sobbing in background:: - truthfully, people. This will, however, still be a lengthy note. I think, though, you should read it, anyway, no matter what my emotional status is. :-)

Imagine, all of you, a love so strong for someone, that when you lose that someone, your heart truly breaks, and all you can do is hate, hate everyone who is happy, everyone who has a lover, everyone who has what you don't - love. If you sit and think about it for a while, it's terrible - even to lose a friend or family member, as many of you reading this probably have (I know I have, at least).

"The Love That Shattered a Man" was based on my belief that Severus Snape is mean, angry, and cruel, because he has a reason. And that reason is that he may have lost a loved one, though I guess if I'm even right about the part that he has a reason, it doesn't necessarily mean it was love and loss that caused it, although I thought that would make an interesting story. I don't really think that he's mean to everyone because of the incident told to us in Prisoner of Azkaban or Goblet of Fire (hating James Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus J. Lupin), I really don't. There must be a deeper reason and I figured, at the time of this story’s writing (December 1999), it just might have been love, and I’d like to note that J. K. Rowling has alluded to Snape having or falling, actually, in love, by the seventh book.

I also found out later (February/March 2000) that J.K. Rowling said Snape might have had/will have love, so . . . you never know! Could she use mine? Hehe. ::doubts it, but it is a nice thought::

To those who want to know, this was written in about four days, parts on sheets of paper during science, social studies, language arts, and math class (Did you see me? Could I sit right next you? BUWAHAHAHAHA! Er, I doubt it, so moving on . . .) while I was in eighth grade when I had spare time and put myself out of hearing with the real world and when I was bored, but mostly this was written on the computer. I also had a snake in my hands during science, so that kind of helped my spirit (as the serpent is the symbol for the Slytherin house), although he was annoying me half the time by curling up in my jacket. ::smiles at the fact that the snake liked her clothes a little too much::

Anyway, I really hope this story has broadened your horizons on the fact that Snape may just be a sad, lonely man, who lost something or someone he deeply cared, even loved about.

This story is dedicated to all of those who have loved and lost. We've all loved and lost, no matter how much we deny it to ourselves or not - so this story is dedicated also to you, the reader. Thank you very much for reading my story.

Love to us all, Gypsy Silverleaf

Always and forever . . .

Gypsy Silverleaf: Harry Potter Pioneer

Gypsy Silverleaf was the author of several "firsts" in the Harry Potter online fic world.

• Harry Potter and the Man of Unknown was the very first Harry Potter fic posted to the internet (September 4, 1999)
• Her second story, The Love That Shattered a Man, was the first Severus Snape fic posted to the internet (December 8, 1999)
• Across Enemy Lines was the first Draco/Hermione fic posted to the internet (December 8, 1999)

Fan Comments: Fanfiction.net

As of 2020, this story has 405 reviews at Fan fiction.net.

2000

Like I have said this sister gots the talents. Really.

I absolutly LOVE this story, it actually made me cry at the end, i can see this girl becoming an author!

It was lovely. You're very good at this, most people dismiss Prof. Snape as mean 'bung' hole, but you can see through that. A very nice characteristic. However, there were a couple of little flaws, so I'm giving it a 9.

Ooh, interesting... Yes, as an otaku, I always look for the good in the "bad guys" tho this series requires some seriously INTENSIVE searching for certain baddies... like Snape (ugh, especially after the third book...). However, this is actually a pretty believable portrayal- great beginning!

I think there's a word for this kind of stuff...hmm, what is it? oh yeah! "crap"

Oh. My. God. This is so sad, and touching and GOOD! You make my writing look like what I wrote in kindergarten.::runs to get a box of tissues to cry once again over Snape and Samantha and grabs a chocolate cake to console herself:: Oh, please write more, but not so depressing(both in story and being such a good writer)

I must say, Gypsy, this story is EXCELLENT. I've read it now... about 3 times...Wow. My entire view on Snape has changed, but I daresay that's what you intended? ::smiles:: Personally, I've always been a James Potter fan, but you portrayed him quite interestingly. My favorite bit has got to be the "You're lucky, you know..." part. All in all, this was very compelling. Very, very, compelling and a wonderful read!

Okay...on the whole it was quite well written, but the Samantha/Severus scene was a little bit too soppy. Yes, I know, typical boy attitude. Well...I suppose I can't think how I'd act in that sort of situation. Oh yeah...I'd run away and get a teacher. I'm a real coward.

Wow a story that is sentimental without begin too mushy and it has Snape, one of my favorite characters. Like the rating says 'Bring out the pulizter prize.'

Hey people! If you are reading this review not sure if you want to read The Love That Shattered A Man, do! It is one of the best fics on the net! The only Romance I am not anoyed by! I COMAND YOU TO READ IT!

::blinks:: I... You... The... I am utterly and totally speechless. But that never stopped me before... This is a remarkable prequel to the canon and it gives Snape excellent reason to be the way he is. I thought it was going to be a Snape-loves-Lily deal (which has been done to death in the first person during the time, but seems to work well after Lily's death and written in third person), but I soon fell in love with the young Snape. He really wasn't such a bad guy, was he? Samantha's death made him the terrible professor we see sneer at Harry in the canon. Harry's surrounded by friends... never had to meet his parents and therefore doesn't feel the full effect of grief of the loss... has loads of money... glory from being Gryffindor Seeker... All the things Snape never had. Gypsy, this fic is truly breathtaking.

2001

Amazing story! ::Sobs:: Its so sad. Why did she have to die? I mean she was beautiful and spirited and... :: Is lost for words and runs to corner to cry eyes out. Regains her beirings:: Okay. Well again, great story.

I must say, this is a remarkable peice of work! A touching story on how one man's life was changed forever, for the worst, by a power greater than anything else on Earth...the power of love. It's a rare story that teaches you that there are always both sides to a person, that everyone always does things for a reason, whatever that may be. And Severus Snape is not above them. I commend you for a job well done!

that was awesome! i just hope jk rowling makes up something that good for the real reason why snape isnt a loving person. i wish that were the reason. great job. i couldnt stop reading it!

I really love your story... I think if you sent it to JK Rowling she would put it in one of her next books! Except you might want to change the part about severus being friends with Hagrid.

It is so sad! I can't write things like that becouse they have so much emotion I can't seem to put it into words.

Ms. Gypsy: While your format and prose are well done, and your spelling very good indeed, I cannot, in good conscience, call this work "good." There are two reasons.

One - your plot staggers like an epileptic rabbit, twitching here and leaping there into actions which have no previous groundwork in the fiction. Also, you use quite a few cliches. The difference between a cliche and an archetype is presentation, which you lack. If you plan to revise the fic, make it longer and explain some of the leaps in character, such as Severus suddenly opening up to Hagrid when he's seemed so reserved until know. The hurt/comfort scene when Samantha's parents die could use quite a bit of patching up - allowing us to hear the thoughts behind both characters actions, and McGonagall's would help greatly to ease the strain of overuse.

The second reason is your characterization - Samantha seems a flat and static character. I can't even think of a reason not to chew my arm off to get away from her, much less comprehend how Snape could actually develop an affection for her. Once again, a little more background, thoughts, and expliantion is required. Snape's closedmouthed/confessing flip-flops leave you reader rather dizzy - a reason why Snape is opening up and talking about his feelings is a good start.

The premise of the fic is very understandable, and the basic plot fits with what we know of the human mind. With some revision it will be a truly good tale.

Hope this helps,

DragonLady

Thank you for writing fanfiction and getting me sucked into the fanfiction world. Thank you for writing such great, high-quality fanfiction. Thank you for starting the Harry Potter fanfictoin craze. Thank you for posting your fics on the internet. Without you, I would never have found any of the FFN friends I have now, and would probably be depressed and suicidal in the corner of a dark, padded cell. Without your fanfiction, I would be a different person. I owe you my life.

Howdy! I gotta say I love it, but I had read this a looooong time ago on when it was still the old website thingie, and then the links stopped working and i was deeply depressed 4 a while, lol, and then i read this story called cybeline and the author was tlakin about a Gypsy who wrote Love That Shattered A Man on and I was so happy again... but how come you took out the part with Snape explaining to Harry what happened at the end? And the authors note... i love all your little stuff at the end, but the a/n 4 this was great... it made me cry more than the actual story did, but i cant remember how you said it now... *sniff sniff* newayz, gettin off subject here... ince again, i love your writing and i hope you do more stuff in the (hopefully near) future. byebye!

FLUFF! FLUFF! FLUFF! Hey, for fluff, it's pretty damn good.

2002

This was a very sad, but good story. I can't stand Snape, and I still won't like him, but this story was good anyhow. Keep it up!

I was just looking through fan fiction and i went to the last pg cause im sick of unfinished stories and the last one was written by a girl named gypsy and so that reminded me of my friend who showed me a story once by her friend (gypsy). anyways i went up a bit and i recognised the title, 'the love that shattered a man'! so yeah, its u. anyway i read ur story at like the beggining of this yr and so i reckon, even though i dont like snape cause i think hes mean. i think that u made a really good story cause it like, has an answer to all the reasons he was so horrible and that. it was cool. i feel sorry for the girl though (sorry, i've forgotten her name, i read it that long ago!).

This... this is so, so, so sad. I have tears in my eyes. The one here is different from the one on your site, though. You had the part with her ghost putting her hand on Severus's shoulder... That was really sad. I'm writing a Snape romance, as well, and you've inspired the following quote of his: "And why should I trust you? You... you were the last thing I had, Morgan. The very last reason to keep living, and you just turned on me. You walked away like my... feelings ... for you didn't matter at all. Why should I trust you again? So you can take my heart in your hands, and crush it all over again? I think not, Morgan." Thanks for writing this. I love it so much. :,) I'm crying. Boo hoo... I love it... I hope to read some more of your writing soon.

I'm crying. I literally have tears *pouring* down my cheeks. I've read this story before, and I felt like reading it again. It makes me cry... It's so sad, so beautiful. I might as well give up with trying to write, because there are so many people who are so much better than I am. Especially you. This is the single best thing I've ever read in my entire life. I'm going off to cry some more.

That was so sad! I've never read a better story in my life! It was better than Rowling's! You could just as easily change the names and publish it...you really should!

2003

Tragic... Simply tragic. It reveals to us why Severus is the way he is... If I could (which I can't), I would show this to J.K. Rowling, and see what she thought of it... She'd probably be crying too.

(Note: I know this review is four years overdue and well I first started to get into Harry Potter in the year 2002, and it really meant everything to me and changed my life completely and I just got the interest this year and just started to get into fanfictions by one of my friends...well msotly just got into harry potter ones...(I was too afraid to the harry potter ones because I'd thought it won't be like the orginal books but I just I was wrong...and I somehow stembled into your 'Severus Snape fanfiction' and read it all the way and here is my comment for it!)

NO! Please...(cries like crazy!) NO! Samantha can make it! AWAKE UP! that's all she has to do..is awake up..! WHY'D she suicide herself! That's the most saddest thing a person can do! Poor poor samantha and yet Snape...the only thing to keep his life going! to insure him comfort and happiness...no!

please...this is one of the best fanfictions I've ever read in my life! I Love it! Poor Snape and Poor Samantha! If you can make like a journal for Snape's feelings or something...

...that'll be SO cool! for like memories. This fanfiction is very enjoyable and very witty and beautifully written! I love it! (as I repeat). Are you sure your not J. secretly in disguise to write this? (well, actually it can't be because she said Draco's pure evil and your pairing him with Harry you know...lol) I'd also like to take time to congrats you into doing this in your writing...it's a complete masterpiece and you should be a writer when you grow up...or was it you were 17 or so... maybe you CAN publish any of your work and you can email me at or and I'll be elated to read it! Thanks for making this fic and may all your dreams come true!

Came we say ANGST? Oh, lord. I have a strange desire to go find a knife.

I LOVE THIS STORY! _

IT BROUGHT ME TO TEARS! THAT'S WHY I PRINTED IT OFF YOUR WEBSITE A LONG TIME AGO!

2004

damn..that is the saddest thing that i have read...why did snape have to love a crazy lady? that is just so wrong on so many levels..*tear* (faroe turns away and finds herself in the future with harry potter and friends in their common room. she listens in on their conversation and hears how much they ..dislike.. snape; the potion professor. but only she, and the random teachers of the school know why snape acts like this to the school... and no one knows why he too has not met the same fate as the girl that died for the sake of the heart.) the sad but true story of professor severus snape has been revealed in this heart breaking story in how love has the ability to shatter a man.*tear* but only snape knows that his one and only love will wait for him. forever and always. (snape in alone in his office. he quickly looks around to make sure that no one is around, then he silently locks the door and opens the first,top drawer of his desk. and there in the far corrner, he grabs the end of a chain that contians a roughly cut grasped it in the hands that once held a dying girl and he could have sworn that he herd the voice. a soft voice that had once matched the dark blue eyes and the long brown hair. of a girl he had once said "a storm is comming. but the question is not When it will come. But will it be good or evil?")

sorry bout that.. i knida got carryed away!

OH MY GOSH...THAT WAS SO SAD! I FINALLY UNDERSTAND WHY SNAPE IS THE WAY HE IS! I THINK I LOVE SNAPE NOW! OH MY GOSH, I JUST REALIZED, THIS IS THE FIRST SNAPE FANFIC THAT'S EVER DONE THAT TO ME! I CAN'T STOP SAYING OH MY GOSH! OK, DEEP BREATH...THAT WAS A REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GOOD STORY! I'M PUTTING IT ON MY FAVORITE STORIES LIST! OK, LONG REVIEW! BYE NOW!

2005

You gave me shivers up my back, and have you any idea how many times I've read this story? Hundreds. It's beautiful... I adore your writing. (I'm also a huge fan of your site, and have been since I was eight.)

this was my favorite when i was younger

You wrote a dedication on your website following the story, to all the people who had loved and lost, that I thought was absolutely beautiful that I completely relate to, having lost so many people myself. I just wanted to say that you really hit the nail on the head here, and explored realms that even I as a Snape fan didn't think was quite possible. It really touched me. I had tears in my eyes when I finished reading this. I haven't read anything so incredible for a long time. Well done.

2009

I think this is a really, really great story. Snape is one of my favorite characters and I think you've portrayed him greatly.

The only thing that I don't really like, though, is how formal all of the dialogue is. I think, as it's mostly teenagers speaking, it could be made more casual.

Anyway, I love your Severus - he's so sweet!

When I was ten years old, I found this story online through a search for Harry Potter fanfiction. I had never heard of any websites, never read another fic, never tried writing my own. I found a page that had a beautifully tragic story, and an instrumental version of "I Will Always Love You" was playing in the background. At the time, I associated the song very strongly with my parents' recent divorce, so I was already emotionally on edge as I began reading. By the end, however, I was sobbing so hard that I could barely see the computer screen.

I moved on to reading other stories, and a few years later tried to find that same story. Unfortunately, the search engine I'd used was gone, and by that time Harry Potter fanfiction was so popular that it was almost impossible to sift through everything. I gave up on ever finding it, but both it and the memory of that time in my life brought tears to my eyes whenever I heard that song. Every couple of years, I would remember it while sitting at the computer, and I'd tried to find it, but with no success.

Finally, at 1:15 a.m., a month into my first year of college and almost ten years after my original reading of the story, I found it. I almost started crying just upon realizing that this was it, that this was the story I'd read all those years ago. I was almost afraid to read it. I wondered if all those years had built the story in my memory into something it could never live up to. But I was wrong. I plugged in the John Tesh instrumental version of "I Will Always Love You" on my iPod, put it on repeat, and sat down to read the story.

I can't tell you how beautiful it is. Yes, it could have been expanded into a longer story; yes, it might have been nice to see how Severus fell in love with Samantha in the first place. But that doesn't take away from the tragic beauty of this wonderful story. It touched me with the faith of love at a time when I needed it most, and that touch left a fingerprint on my heart that I still feel today. Reading it again was like holding hands with an old, long-lost friend. I never imagined that I would find myself reading it again, experiencing that magical tightening of the chest as my heart climbed into my throat again, and yet here I am.

I found this story on the original page, and then followed the trail to this site so that I could leave a review. I don't expect you to take any special interest in my story, and I don't know if you even keep track of this site anymore. You may never read this review. But, more than anything else, I wanted to say thank you. I never dreamed of writing anything of my own before I read your story back in 2001, and that experience opened up an entire world to me that I never knew existed. Eight years later, as an English major hoping to take that creative writing passion into the real world, I am unimaginably grateful to you for that initial inspiration, however unintended it was.

I hope this story touched others as it did me. I can honestly say that being given the chance to reread it feels like a miracle to me. A suggestion to others: listen to "I Will Always Love You" while you read this. The emotions it evokes are a perfect frame to such a beautiful work of art.

Again, thank you, for more than you can imagine.

2010

I have loved this story since i read it 5 years ago. You have no idea how hard it was to find this story when the title was unknown to me and I only remembered the general gist of the story. But I found it! and I love it all over again, and i will again and again and again. This story is amazing, it made me cry then and makes me cry now, all i can say is THANK YOU.

2011

Okay, so the whole reason I read this was because it was published on the day I was physically BORN. 10/13/99, 12 years ago, but yeah, enough about me. I love this story and you're a really good writer.

2015

Wandering through the older fanfics- I found this and- ouch. It's painful... I felt that there had to be a solid reason for Snape's hatred of Harry from the start of his first year, and I couldn't fell a hate for him despite his treatment of Harry. So when canon told us why, I wasn't too shocked, yet it felt strange to believe for some reason. Your story, made before the reveal, was something like I expected from the beginning. The impact of this was strong, and written well. Thanks for the tears!

2016

This fanfic was written a DAY before my 2nd birthday!

2017

Noooo, why did she have to die? The first Severus fanfic and it's brilliant. I love how you decided that the reason Snape is such an angry, bitter adult because of a love lost, and that's what happened in the books. Just. Ugh. I need to make an account to add this to my favourites list. I can't wait to read this again one day.

2019

The story is certainly a walking cliché. Severus is majorly out of character, yet the romance is forced.

Specifically, I feel as if Samantha only exists to serve as a romantic interest for Snape, yet their relationship isn’t at all developed. Lily’s role also ends up erased – her name only appears twice. The result is a watered-down version of Snape. I’m not saying Snape should act in a mean manner, but more of Snape shouldn’t be acting anywhere near as sociable as the writer made him out to be. In fact, I don’t’ think the writer really understand why people ended up being like Snape, let alone the fact Snape’s really not mean in the series. Specifically, they’re confusing being strict with being mean, which sounds like something a teenager would think of their parents and teachers.

The review for [chapter 2] will focus on the unneeded drama of her injuries and death despite the fact some of this drama started in the previous chapter. Everybody is dying, just so the writer can have forced drama. Worse, the writer manages to trivialize yet romanticize suicide in the same go. Then again, this is the same writer who thought having a character threaten suicide to get their way in “Harry Potter and the Man of the Unknown” was okay.

Let me be more specific regarding what the writer did wrong. Yes, the character Samantha is grieving for her parents, yet she showed no signs of depression and her emotional state is constantly in the positive spectrum. There is nothing in the narrative which says she definitely couldn’t live without her parents and everything which says she could. Instead, suicide is so Snape can be a lonely person because of her death despite the fact he – the male – is quite capable of going on without his parents.

Yes, I get the fact this story is old. The fact the story is twenty years old shouldn’t give it a pass regarding criticism, particularly regarding a story spreading the wrong message regarding suicide – a message still going on.

Despite the poor handling of the subject matter the story’s only received praise for twenty years and four-hundred reviews. The reviews use words like “beautiful” to describe a story which didn’t handle the subject matter well. This isn’t a good thing.