--- title: J.K. Rowling Reveals New Detail About Snape's Abilities description: J.K. Rowling took to Twitter to further elaborate on a particular talent of Severus Snape's — his Legilimency. canonical: https://time.com/4609174/j-k-rowling-snape-queenie-legilimency/ author: Megan McCluskey article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-12-21T18:17:09.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:47:38.176Z og:title: J.K. Rowling Just Revealed an Intriguing New Detail About Snape og:description: It has to do with mind reading og:url: https://time.com/4609174/j-k-rowling-snape-queenie-legilimency/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt58230eb19b3aed15/69885caf35ba6fefc4c0e5dc/snape.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1, og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: J.K. Rowling Just Revealed an Intriguing New Detail About Snape twitter:description: It has to do with mind reading twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt58230eb19b3aed15/69885caf35ba6fefc4c0e5dc/snape.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # J.K. Rowling Just Revealed an Intriguing New Detail About Snape's Abilities ## Video: How To Make Your Favorite Harry Potter Treats: Butterbeer [Watch (HLS stream): How To Make Your Favorite Harry Potter Treats: Butterbeer](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/BIkOEVIY.m3u8) (0:51)  _Published 2016-07-25. Excited for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child? Learn how to make this Harry Potter treat: Butterbeer._  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Dec 21, 2016 6:17 PM UTC  HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1, Alan Rickman, 2010\. ©2010 Warner Bros. Ent. Harry Potter publishing rights ©J.K.R. Harry Potter characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and ©Warner Bros. Ent. All rights reserved. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 1, Alan Rickman, 2010\. ©2010 Warner Bros. Ent. Harry Potter publishing rights ©J.K.R. Harry Potter characters, names and related indicia are trademarks of and ©Warner Bros. Ent. All rights reserved.Warner Bros.  by [Megan McCluskey](https://time.com/author/megan-mccluskey/)  ## Megan McCluskey Staff Writer Dec 21, 2016 6:17 PM UTC Since the [conclusion of the _Harry Potter_ series](http://time.com/4432264/jk-rowling-harry-potter-end-series/) in 2007, [J.K. Rowling](http://time.com/4549899/harry-potter-2016-j-k-rowling-revelations/) has revealed a plethora of new details about both the [wizarding world](http://time.com/3647520/harry-potter-jk-rowling-2014/) and the characters who inhabit it, including the fact that [Dumbledore was gay](http://time.com/4566727/j-k-rowling-dumbledore-gay-fantastic-beasts/) and that [Hagrid couldn’t produce a Patronus](http://time.com/4110623/j-k-rowlings-biggest-harry-potter-revelations/). Now, the author has taken to Twitter to further elaborate on a particular talent of Severus Snape’s — his [Legilimency](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Legilimency). Snape is first revealed to be a skilled Legilimens — a witch or wizard with the ability to read another person’s mind — when Dumbledore arranges for Harry to practice [Occlumency](http://harrypotter.wikia.com/wiki/Occlumency) — the art of shielding one’s mind from invasion — with the potions professor in _Order of the Phoenix_. However, Snape has to actively work at reading minds while Queenie — a Legilimens introduced in _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ — seems to be able to do it without trying. Responding to a fan who was unclear about the difference between the two, Rowling noted that it all comes down to natural ability. “Snape had to train a slight natural ability,” she tweeted Wednesday morning. “Queenie was born with a great talent, though she’s not infallible.” > [](https://twitter.com/TheRealMaritaT/status/811586382657253377) > [](https://twitter.com/jk%5Frowling/status/811588195309723650) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4609174/j-k-rowling-snape-queenie-legilimency/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4609174/j-k-rowling-snape-queenie-legilimency/"},"headline":"J.K. 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