Professor Severus Snape (9 January 1960 – 2 May 1998) was an English half-blood wizard serving as Potions Master (1981-1996), Head of Slytherin House (1981-1997), Defence Against the Dark Arts professor (1996-1997), and Headmaster (1997-1998) of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as well as a member of both the Order of the Phoenix and a Death Eater. His double life played an extremely important role in both of the First and Second Wizarding Wars against Voldemort. The only child of Muggle Tobias Snape and pure-blood witch Eileen Snape (née Prince), Severus was raised in the Muggle dwelling of Spinner's End, which was in close proximity to the home of the Evans family, though in a poorer area.