My dear fellow "Harry Potter" fans,

On Jan. 14, 2016, we all mourned the tragic loss of a mentor, a childhood hero, a dear friend: Alan Rickman, known to us as none other than Severus Snape. I share in your sadness, my friends, as we all snuggle up this weekend, rereading the books, watching the movies again, and reminiscing in the photos, quotes, and GIFs of Snape on our news feed.

Alan Rickman -- a man with many talents, but most famously known for his talents as an actor -- was truly a remarkable man. His portrayal of Snape was nothing short of amazing; he brought the "antagonist" that we loved so dearly to life with heart, soul, and complexity. In some ways, Alan Rickman playing Snape almost made us love the character more.

I know how you all must feel. I know that I cannot begin to express how deeply sorry I am to have lost a man who helped to make my childhood truly magical. I was always excited for the books and even more so for the movies -- the cast of "Harry Potter" will forever be close to my heart. Many of us grew up watching Alan Rickman as Severus Snape, a man who had so much wisdom to disperse about life and love. The word "always" will forever have a deeper meaning for me because of him. And though I never attended Hogwarts, that didn't stop me from learning from Professor Snape.

From Snape, we learned how to be the truest of friends, even when our friend doesn't think we're on their side.

We learned that when you love someone with all of your heart, not even death can change that.

We learned that even when we make mistakes, even when we may seem cowardly, there is always a chance to redeem yourself.

And we learned that, even when your dreams may seem impossible and out of your reach, you should never give up on them.

We rejoiced with him in his triumphs, cried for him in his shortcomings, laughed at his mastery in the subtle art of throwing shade at Hogwarts, and reveled in his growth and transformation as a character in the course of seven books. He was our hero in the shadows, our secret friend. The loss of such a man will forever impact me, but as our friend has reminded us all, life isn't always fair.

Still, let us join together -- Muggleborns and Purebloods, Gryffindor and Slytherin -- in this time of sadness to honor the loss of our beloved professor. And let us stand together with raised wands.

So that when future "Harry Potter" fans come to know Snape, they will look to our solemn salute and join us. They will say to us: "After all this time?" And we will say: "Always."

Sincerely your fandom sister,

Jordan