Rickman did a fabulous job, and I really think Snape is my favorite character... Snape and Neville. I love the flaws in Snape and his own painful attempts to deal with his flaws. And Neville... the near-squib, who in the end, proves it doesn't take great magic to be a great wizard. Yep, beautiful. And yeah, book seven alludes to gayness, and Jo has come right out and said that he's gay.