Who is the public’s favorite Harry Potter character? Series publisher Bloombury took a poll and the winner was — Severus Snape?

The potions master, Head of Slytherin and Death Eater played by Alan Rickman onscreen received nearly 20% of 70,000 votes cast. It wasn’t even close. Hermione Granger finished second. Harry Potter ran fourth!

What kind of hero loses a popularity poll about his own series? Can you imagine a poll about the Lensman Series being won by Nadreck of Palain VII instead of Kimball Kinnison?

The full press release follows the jump.

[Thanks to Andrew Porter for the story.]

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE HARRY POTTER CHARACTER RESULTS

News release – Tuesday 30th August – 2:00pm

SEVERUS SNAPE

VOTED FAVOURITE CHARACTER FROM HARRY POTTER NOVELS

‘Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid’s, but they had none of Hagrid’s warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.’

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Severus Snape, Potions master, Head of Slytherin and Death Eater has taken the number one spot in the vote to find the world’s favourite character from the Harry Potter novels.

Snape snatched the top spot from Harry, J.K. Rowling’s personal favourite. When asked about her favourite character J.K. Rowling said: ‘Harry, although I believe I am unusual in this, Ron is generally more popular (I love him too, though) Now that I have finished writing the books, the character I would most like to meet for dinner is Dumbledore. We would have a lot to discuss, and I would love his advice; I think that everyone would like a Dumbledore in their lives.’

The vote was launched in May 2011 and received over 70,000 votes. Severus Snape gained 20% of those votes (just under 13,000) making him a clear winner. Severus Snape has appeared in all seven of the Harry Potter novels and came to be an integral part of Harry Potter’s life.

Hermione Granger took second place and Sirius Black third. Harry himself came in fourth and Lord Voldemort just made the top twenty at number 17. Dobby is the only non-human character to make the top ten and another Slytherin, Draco Malfoy, completes the top characters in tenth place. The top ten were as follows (see below for top 40):

1. Severus Snape
2. Hermione Granger
3. Sirius Black
4. Harry Potter
5. Ron Weasley
6. Luna Lovegood
7. Ginny Weasley
8. Albus Dumbledore
9. Dobby
10. Draco Malfoy

Voters could also suggest their own favourite characters outside of the 40 and of these Oliver Wood was the most popular. Fang, Hagrid’s dog, and the Fat Lady in the portrait at the entrance to Gryffindor gained the least votes with only one each!

The Harry Potter novels have now sold over 400 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 69 languages. J.K. Rowling has generated huge popular appeal for her books in an unprecedented fashion. She was the first children’s author to be voted the BA Author of the Year, and also win the British Book Awards Author of the Year.

For more information please contact Ian Lamb. 

T: 020 7631 5726 E: [email protected]

WWW.BLOOMSBURY.COM/HARRYPOTTER

Author photograph can be downloaded at www.bloomsbury.com/jkrowling

Jacket images can be downloaded at www.bloomsbury.com/harrypottercovers

Vote for your favourite Harry Potter character

The top 40

1. Severus Snape
2. Hermione Granger
3. Sirius Black
4. Harry Potter
5. Ron Weasley
6. Luna Lovegood
7. Ginny Weasley
8. Albus Dumbledore
9. Dobby
10. Draco Malfoy
11. Remus Lupin
12. Neville Longbottom
13. Fred Weasley
14. Bellatrix Lestrange
15. Minerva McGonagall
16. Rubeus Hagrid
17. Lord Voldemort
18. Nymphadora Tonks
19. Gilderoy Lockhart
20. George Weasley
21. James Potter
22. Hedwig
23. Lily Potter
24. Lucius Malfoy
25. Molly Weasley
26. Cedric Diggory
27. Alastor Moody
28. Arthur Weasley
29. Kreacher
30. Dementors
31. Dolores Umbridge
32. Moaning Myrtle
33. Sybill Trelawney
34. Rita Skeeter
35. Filius Flitwick
36. Argus Filch
37. Dudley Dursley
38. Vincent Crabbe
39. Gregory Goyle
40. Cornelius Fudge