Hey, remember last year when we were all low key freaking out over the prospect of a fan-made Harry Potter Marauders sequel? It turns out there are several in the works (#bless this fandom), but Severus Snape and the Marauders officially hit the YouTube this month. Unsurprisingly, the tale of our four fave troublemakers has already racked up over half a million views, and I have a feeling there are only going to be more to come when the rest of the Potter nerds rise from their dark, dorky corners and realize that DREAMS HAVE COME TRUE.
For a long time now fans have been begging J.K. Rowling for some backstory on the Marauders, either through a book, a TV show, or even nods on Pottermore. And while we did get some hella depressing and awesomely juicy backstory on Remus Lupin, the lack of information definitely leaves more to be desired. Enter Broad Strokes, the production company behind this latest interpretation of the Marauders — and, of course, Severus Snape.
The movie itself starts with the four Marauders post-Hogwarts graduation in 1978, making them all 17 or 18. This is about the time the Death Eaters were rising to power, and war wasn't just a possibility, but imminent. Their conversation at the beginning of the movie is both funny, poignant, and straight-up heartbreaking in its foreshadowing of events that have yet to pass.
James Potter also waxes poetic about Lily Evans' influence on him, so all you fellow Jily shippers out there, prepare to feel mad smug.
Of course, it wouldn't be a movie without Bad Stuff Going Down — enter the half-blood prince himself. James, of course, suggests getting into it with him, defending Lily after Snape calls her a "mudblood". What this film does impeccably well is represent the wrongness on both sides of this fight — James, an inherently good person whose nature is to goad and show off and pick fights, versus Snape, an inherently confused person, who at this age lashes out without abandon. The dynamic of the friendship between the Marauders is also beautifully portrayed. As a fan fiction writer I am practically bleeding tears of joy.
Naturally, there's a brawl in the forest, because it would not be a Harry Potter film if someone didn't do something incredibly reckless and unfortunate in a forest.
Without giving too much away, we also get to see bonafide badass Lily Evans herself.
The movie also cleverly echoes lines and references fans will recognize from the Harry Potter films and books. Impressively, the film itself only took four days to shoot — writer and director Justin Zagri told BuzzFeed that it took almost a year after that to polish everything and put it together in post-production. And judging by what they came out with, it was well worth the wait.
Here's the film in all of its heart-wrenching Potter-tastic glory:
Images: YouTube
