Severus Donovan Prince (born Severus Tobias Snape) (b. 9 January 1960) was a half-blood wizard; the son of the witch Eileen Snape (née Prince) and Muggle Tobias Snape. Severus attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1971 until 1978 as a part of Slytherin House, a place he would later return to, serving as the school's Potions Master from 1982 until 1996, Defense Against the Dark Arts professor from 1996 until 1997 and later as the school's Headmaster following the retirement of Minerva McGonagall in 2008.