JK Rowling apologises for killing Severus Snape

On Tuesday, in honor of the anniversary of the bloody battle that took place 19 years ago by the official timeline of the tale, Rowling expressed her sorrow for "killing" the best bad guy or worst good guy — depending on your perspective — and undeniably one of the most important wizards of all: Snape.

Snape, one of the series' best-loved characters, was a nemesis of Harry's right up until his death when it was revealed he'd been protecting him all along at the behest of 

The character was memorably played in the film franchise by Alan Rickman who sadly passed away in January 2016. 

This isn't the first time Rowling has reflected upon characters she killed. In 2015, she apologised for the death of Ron Weasley's brother, Fred, while just last year she admitted to crying when she wrote Lupin's exit.

Who'll finally get their due next year?