A/N: Hey! Sev is back! I think some people didn't get an alert when I updated the previous chapter, so make sure you have read chapter 10 before reading this one ;) Enjoy!

Chapter 11: The reunion (part I)

Regulus Arcturus Black had become Regulus Arcturus Snape. He had decided to take his wife's surname without giving it a second thought. He was disenchanted from the Blacks and he was supposed to be dead anyway. This was the perfect strategy to hide. They hadn't married solely for that motive though, they had married because they wanted to, because they loved each other and trusted each other enough to begin another phase in their lives together. A pregnancy came along after the marriage and soon the couple became three, or four, if one counted Kreacher.

"Reg, I want to meet with him," Livia muttered before they went to sleep.

The baby girl was asleep in her crib, and Regulus wanted nothing more than to follow her trend.

"Who?" he asked with a yawn.

Livia waited for him to finally climb into bed and join her before confessing, "My brother."

"What?!" he spluttered, eyes wide.

"I want to see him. I want him to be our little girl's godfather."

"Liv… Are you sure that's a good idea?" wondered Regulus, in a vacillating tone, "It's been ages since you last talked to him and you said you didn't end your relationship on good terms."

"Precisely. Look, I was sixteen when I wrote that letter to him… I thought I was doing what should be done… Severus was a Death Eater and I, a squib. It was dangerous. I know we are not completely safe yet, since You-know-who is not really dead and the locket is still intact, but I miss my brother. We'll be subtle when we meet, but please, just let me introduce our daughter to her uncle."

Regulus couldn't deny her anything, and so that was how Severus received a letter on a typical Hogwarts teaching day. He frowned. In all these years, nobody had sent him anything. Curiosity got the better of him and he opened the parchment more quickly and impatiently than he would ever admit. He recognized the handwriting at first glance and he was thankful he was sitting in an old chair from his chambers. Otherwise, he would have stumbled and made a fool of himself. It wasn't like there were other people there; he didn't even have paintings that bothered him… Still, he would have felt humiliated. Severus was chocked with too many different emotions, from anger and nervousness, to excitement. He grasped the paper with trembling hands and began to read.

"Dear brother,

Yes. You have read it well. Your eyes aren't deceiving you. It's me, Liv, your annoying little sis. I know you must feel angry at me and be tempted to shred the paper and throw it in the bin with no remorse. I don't blame you. But please, read the letter first, even if it is for old times' sake.

I miss you. I miss you an awful lot. I know we argued the last time we met, but that's what siblings are for, right? Especially the Snape siblings. We were in the habit of snapping first and apologizing later, and that day wasn't any different, only that we forgot the part of saying sorry. I hope you know that I didn't mean half of the words that slipped out of my mouth when we last saw each other. We had just buried mother and I was terribly scared. I guess you must be thinking they aren't good enough excuses. You are right, they aren't, yet I am still sorry.

I know I made mistakes. I know I told you not to contact me. I know I said that a squib and a Death Eater relationship would never work out and that we'd be safe by cutting ties. But I am tired. I just want my big bro back. I know it may seem it's too late, but it isn't. That's why I'd really appreciate it if we could meet and catch up. You don't have to forgive me or even talk to me if you don't wish to… I just want to see your face again.

I hope you give us a chance,

L.E.S."

He read it three times, until the tears soaked the parchment and blurred her writing. Her address was inscribed on the backside. He didn't know if he'd regret it later, but he took a quill and a parchment. His hands were still shaking after the reply was sent. Right then, he hated and loved his sister at equal measures.

"I can't believe he's coming…"

Regulus rolled his eyes at his wife. "You asked him to, Liv."

"I know, but I would have never guessed he'd actually read the letter, let alone write me back and agree to come here!"

Just then, a knock interrupted their conversation. Livia got even jumpier, she nearly squealed in anticipation and fear. Regulus kissed her temple tenderly and soothed her, "Remember that I'll be in our bedroom with our child and Kreacher, may you require anything, okay?"

Livia nodded and headed to the hall with nervous steps. She unlocked the door. Their gazes locked. Livia couldn't let it sink in, that her brother was standing in her doorstep. He appeared older than his actual age. His skin was even paler than she remembered, and there were the beginnings of some wrinkles on his forehead as an outcome of scowling too much, she bet. He was dressed in smart wizarding robes, all black, as black as his eyes, which seemed to have seen more horrors than anyone deserved to. Livia could only assume that the war had drained him. She had the impulse to hug him and take all the pain away, but she didn't dare to move. The Snape siblings stayed quiet for an eternity, staring at each other, reflecting on how the years had treated them.

Livia didn't know what to say. Would 'hello Sev, long time no see' be a bad start? Perhaps she should settle for 'thanks for coming even though I know you must hate me'… Yes, that was safer. For better or for worse, she didn't have the chance to speak as he broke the ice by snarling sardonically, "Are you going to let me come in, sis? Or would you rather hold this conversation you so adamantly solicited to have in your letter here in the doorway, so that every muggle who lives in this block can hear our sorrowful story?"

Yes, he may have grown old, but he was still the same git. Livia didn't know whether that relieved her or disappointed her. Anyway, the squib stepped aside and let him in. She guided him to the kitchen table, slyly avoiding any place which had some photographs of her new family.

"Do you fancy some tea? With only some sugar, if I recall correctly…"

"As touching as it is that you remember how I like tea, I came here to talk, Livia, not. To. Drink. Tea."

The woman gulped at his stern tone and sat down in front of him, feeling like a student being scolded by the headmaster for doing something wrong.

"I deserve this treatment, I guess, after everything I did…"

"Damn right you do! What were you thinking? What brilliant idea crossed your mind? You were sixteen, dammit! You weren't even an adult! You were just a child!"

Now, he shouldn't have exploded like that. Livia felt the heat reaching her cheeks as she yelled back, "Are you really going to give me life lessons? You have no right to judge me like that, not when you joined that psychotic scum who hates people like me and anything related to muggles!"

"You know nothing, Livia!" he hissed as he pointed at her accusatorily.

Livia hadn't meant to start an argument with him, yet she had bottled up all her emotions for so long, she couldn't find a way to stop her furious rambling. She knew she should stop it. She knew there was a high chance she wouldn't see her brother anymore if she continued the quarrel, but the emotions were too intense for her to ignore.

"Of course I don't, because you were so clever that you somehow thought that joining the Death Eaters was the perfect solution! You didn't even contemplate telling me, I found out because I had a hunch and I somehow succeeded at rolling your sleeve up! What have you been doing lately? Mmm? Thinking of ways to bring your lord back?"

"Dammit, Livia! Stop making assumptions! I am not even a Death Eater anymore! On my last days, I became a spy against the Dark Lord. I've been trying to redeem myself! I know that I never will, not fully, but leastwise, I know that my pathetic existence can save somebody's life."

There was a deathly silence, only disturbed by their panting, consequence of their agitated dispute. Livia's expression went from utter shock to a mix of pride and compassion.

"Your existence isn't pathetic. Don't say that ever again. And the fact that you made the tough decision to become a spy and make up for your mistakes is admirable. You are brave, you are a hero."

Her tone wasn't heated anymore. She sounded caring, and her honeyed words struck a chord with him.

"I am far from being a hero," he choked.

Livia couldn't help but think of all the times he had shielded her from their father, taken her away pretending that it was a game so that she wouldn't pay attention to the shrieks of their parents. She couldn't help but remember how she had always sought his comforting embrace and how he always welcomed her in his arms.

"You are wrong. Most little girls say that their fathers are their heroes. Well, father was the villain and you were my hero. Sev, you'll always be my hero," she ended with a hesitant yet sweet kiss on his forehead.

Severus had always wondered how she managed to be angry and ferocious one second, gentle and supporting the other. Her voice had been soft and Severus had felt warm and fuzzy when she used his nickname, when she called him her hero and felt her lips on his skin; despite knowing how much he disappointed her by joining the Death Eaters. She was definitely the only one on the planet who would ever think such a thing and who wouldn't be repulsed enough not to kiss him, but for him it was more than sufficient. That was when the realization of how much he had missed her dawned on him.

Severus broke down. He wasn't used to crying, even less in front of people, but Livia had always been the exception. The woman felt her heart shattering. Hence, she did what she had longed to do since the moment she opened the door, she hugged him. And he held her back. How could he not? Her body had grown, but he still felt the same in her arms, at home, a lulling thought to him. The half-blood wizard had spent longer than a decade starving for touches, hugs and kisses, craving for love. The idea that his sister still cared for him after all this time, was overwhelming, yet he hailed it eagerly, no matter how much she had hurt him when she departed and left a single letter.

"Shhh. I am sorry I left, Sev, I am so sorry, but I am here now and I'm not planning on letting you go."

His clutch tightened desperately at her words. They didn't know how long they stayed like that. Eventually, Severus pulled back, his cheeks rosy in embarrassment as Livia dried the last tears.

"Why now? Why have you determined that now it is the perfect time to see each other again?"

She wavered for a few seconds. She took a big breath that boosted her confidence and responded, "Because I wanted you to meet someone. I wanted to ask you something… Wait in here, I'll be right back."

Severus wasn't prepared to see his little sister with a newborn in her arms. The sight left him speechless.

"Sev, meet your niece, Severine Eileen Snape…"

He felt dizzy. She had named her baby after him? He was an uncle?

"Y-you… I-I have a niece?"

She rolled her eyes and sassed, "I know you are older, Sev, but surely, you shouldn't have any deafness issues until your hair is all grey and your face is full of wrinkles…"

"Y-you na-named her after m-me? Why? Do you want to torture her? Severus and Severine are way old-fashioned and-"

"Severus Tobias Snape! She is my daughter and I named her after you because I love you! I named her after mother because she loved me. You and mom were the only ones who loved me back at Spinner's End… I want my daughter to know that I will love her just as much as you and mom did me, even if I don't know whether I'll be a good mother…"

His eyes were tearful. He was plainly touched, and that was noticeable by the way his voice sounded when he uttered, "You'll be an exceptional mother, Liv."

The teary-eyed woman beamed at him and Severus couldn't help but return the gesture, even if his muscle lips had lost practice over the years and felt like they were stretching more than physically possible. It was painful even, yet worth it.

"Do you want to hold her?"

"Pardon me?" he choked.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, Sev! You are her uncle, and if you accept to, you will be her godfather too…"

His eyes were as wide as ever.

"Livia Eileen Snape, are you trying to kill me? First, you send me a letter after thirteen years of not having a single clue about your whereabouts, or whether you were alive, in which you ask me to meet you. Then I come to your flat and we snap, as usual, only to break down and hug, also as usual. After that, you break the news of a sudden niece who happens to be named after me, and now you want me to become her godfather and to hold her? I am human, you know? I can take a lot, but I happen to have a limit."

Her lips trembled, however Severus wasn't sure if it was a sign that she was about to burst into tears or into laughter. She burst into both.

"This isn't funny!" he complained, although watching his sister acting so carefree brought a tiny smile to his normally stiffened face.

"Sorry…" she mumbled once her laughter subsided while she dried her tears. "It's just that you still don't know half of what I have to tell you and you may have a point, but, you know, you don't have to give me answer today, and I only asked you if you wanted to hold her. She's a baby, Sev. She doesn't bite… She doesn't even have the teeth to do so yet."

How they managed to chat as if time hadn't passed was something neither of them would ever comprehend. Slowly, she deposited the baby in his arms, despite the insecure look on his face. He lost his breath when Livia granted them some space and an overflowing feeling he couldn't quite describe filled him, drawing a gentle grin on his features. Merlin! He had smiled more in this hour than he had done in years. Severine opened her eyes, revealing a pair of onyx stones, so similar to his own, that were eyeing him unafraid. He examined her and took in every detail.

"She's your daughter, indeed. Your cheekbones, your eyes, your hair… She looks so much like you when you were born."

"You remember it?" she wondered, her eyes teary.

He raised an eyebrow and snorted, "How could I not? That was the day I labelled you as annoying." He grimaced and added, "You didn't stop crying."

A chuckle escaped her throat, and Severus's eyes that had been fixed on Severine glanced at his sister. She looked radiant, blissful.

"She's got more manners than you ever did, Liv. And she's even more beautiful. It's the nose, you know. Thank Merlin she didn't inherit the famous Snape nose!" he ribbed, receiving a giggle in response.

"Well, give her time… I am sure she'll swear just as much as I do… As for the nose, thank my husband."

He didn't know how he fared to do it, but the baby didn't fall off his arms at the bombshell. Severus's eyes glimpsed at her fingers. She was wearing her wedding ring. That was undeniable. How could he have missed it? His mouth opened and closed a few times, unable to utter a word. Eventually, he tilted his head to look better at the baby and mumbled, "You know, Severine, your mother is going to be the end of me." The baby was looking at him with big wide eyes, as if she was really listening to him thoroughly, so Severus took it as an invitation and continued speaking, "Now that I have your attention, I'd also like to take the opportunity to apologize for my horrid name. If only my dear sister had more taste... Don't worry, I have the perfect solution, a nickname. Now, Sev is mine, and I don't really like sharing, but I guess I could bend the rules for you." The baby made a pout and Severus frowned. "No need to be rude, you know? You are starting to act like your mother. I get it. You don't like Sev. Better for me. Mmmm. Let me think… What about Sevy? Verie? Veryn, perhaps?" Severine seemed to smile at him as she grasped his thumb safely in her little hand. "You like Veryn? It's settled then. From now on you'll be Veryn. It holds so much class and power, don't you agree? You certainly have been bequeathed with my smart taste. I didn't expect any less from my niece."

Livia didn't know if she should roll her eyes at her brother or make goo-goo eyes at the tender scene. She did none of them, but when Severus locked his gaze with hers, he knew without a shadow of a doubt that he had never seen such dark eyes holding so much light. He wondered if Livia was mirroring his own expression, for he wanted her to know that he cherished this moment just as much as she did.

"You signed as L.E.S. in your letter. I thought you were single," blurted out Severus.

"My husband is now Mr. Snape. He took my name," Livia limited to say with a shrug.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, and is Mr. Snape at home?"

"Yes, he is."

"So he knows about me."

"Yes."

"Does he know about magic?"

She cracked an enigmatic smile.

"He most certainly does…"

He narrowed his eyes.

"Is he a wizard?"

"Mmm."

"Are we going to keep playing this question game, or will you introduce me to him?"

She bit her lip to prevent her from laughing.

"Oh, don't worry about that. You know each other already."

The thought scared him to death.

"He went to Hogwarts, I presume… Was he my age?"

He prayed not. He could already picture his sister married to that werewolf. It wasn't a pleasant scenario.

"No…"

"Is he going to come out from wherever he is hiding?"

"I don't know. You didn't like him and you just told me you had the impression I wanted to kill you. I don't want you to have a heart attack," she joshed.

He rolled his eyes.

"I don't like people in general, Liv."

Her expression sobered as she explained to him, "Well, you two didn't talk much and my husband always got the impression you loathed him."

He sighed. He didn't talk much to anybody, and most people avoided him, probably in fear. Mr. Snape could be anyone.

"Does he love you? Does he treat you well?"

Severus sounded extremely concerned, and for a moment Livia could have sworn that he was recalling the unhappy marriage of their parents. She smiled fondly at his caring attitude and assured him, "He always treats me like a queen. I think he loves me even more than I do him, which is saying a lot."

"Then I will not kill him, no matter how much I hate him," he promised.

She rolled her eyes and quipped, "Thanks, Sev. This tranquilizes me so much." She paused, unsure of how to proceed. "I'd rather wait for you to meet for a little while longer… I first want to know what you have done all these years… I want you to know what happened to me."

"Fair enough."

He looked at the baby, only to see she had fallen asleep.

"Liv, where should I place her?"

"Oh, I'll take her to her father… Stay here," she mumbled as she took Severine from him.

He rolled his eyes.

"Is he such a coward that he cannot face me?"

"No. He is such a gentleman that he is giving me the space I need to chat with my daft, judgmental brother. My husband… He is incredibly cocky and arrogant, but courageous and considerate to no end."

Severus noticed she still could manage to boost someone's ego and squash it in a sentence. It somehow pleased him that he wasn't the only subject Livia could do that with. When the squib came back, she noticed her brother was just as nervous as she was.

"Well, who begins?"

"You are the oldest."

"So what? If I remember correctly, you said I had a serious lack of social and emotional skills. I haven't improved over time. This isn't easy for me."

"I think you know quite a lot of things about me already… Besides, I am used to your lack of interpersonal skills; I don't hold it against you. Tell me, are you married? Am I an aunt? Did you become a potioneer that works as a spy in your free time?"

"I… I have never been with somebody, hence, no children. I became a Potions Master at Hogwarts."

"Oh… I don't know why, but I always imagined you'd reconcile with that Evans girl, wed her and have ginger children with hooked noses."

She had tried to light up the mood with this comment, but Severus's face sobered.

"Well, that will never happen. Lily is dead. Besides, she married Potter. I have to teach their spawn to remind me of my mistakes every day," he replied bitterly. "Harry Potter, the celebrity. That boy is just as conceited as his father."

"Wait a second, Sev. Harry Potter? The one who lived is Lily's son?"

"Unfortunately."

"And Potter… I knew the name sounded familiar…" she whispered more to herself than to him. "Was he one of the boys who used to bully you?"

By his expression, Livia knew she was spot-on. A sudden fury filled her senses.

"I knew you deserved better than Lily! How dare she? Wasn't she supposed to be your friend? No wonder she didn't listen to me!"

She fell silent the moment she realized what had rolled off her tongue. Her brother was eyeing her, astonished. Livia hadn't told him about the time she went to Lily's house.