You know that moment when the world stops and you feel like your life is over? That’s how I felt the morning of January 14^th. Waking up early, I was already groggy and not amused, and then I heard the news: the news that Alan Rickman had died. I sat there in shock as my entire childhood crumbled beneath me.

When someone dies, for a mere moment, everyone stops but life must go on. That’s fine. Life must continue, that’s inevitable, yet it is amazing to me how quickly we sometimes move on. The death of an iconic figure is major and when it happens, it is typically all we can think and talk about. Social media is flooded with tweets, pictures, quotes, and sayings—for the day and the next, we forget.

I’m still mourning the death of "Harry Potter’s" Professor Snape. I’m still mourning the death of "Love Actually’s" Harry. I’m still mourning the death of a man I honestly felt I knew well enough to call my friend. Clearly, Alan and I were not friends but I grew up with Professor Snape. Long car rides listening to the books on tape, forgoing activities and homework to find out what happens next, and dressing up for every midnight movie premiere—yeah, Alan and I were friends. Harry Potter was my youth and Snape was my professor.

Even after calling Hermonie an insufferable know-it-all, always smacking Harry and Ron on the head, and never failing to take five points from Gryffindor, I was a Professor Snape fan. Alan, I knew you were the good guy since the "Sorcerer’s Stone". Once, you revealed your love of Lily and your true mission, I could finally say "I told ya so."

Rickman is unquestionably one of the greatest actors. He is talented, witty, and can deliver a hell of a performance. His battle with cancer and untimely death shook the globe. A man, who used to be just one of Britain’s best-loved actors, undoubtedly became one of humanities best loved actors. My thoughts go out to his friends and family. The world will miss your spark Alan Rickman. I hope you’re having a magical time in Heaven. I’m still thinking about you.