For the next two weeks, they returned to their routine. Severus had Sebastian read and copy books on the Mind Arts. He was hoping to train him again in Occlumency. Now that the Dark Lord didn't have a direct access to his mind, and that there was no hatred between them, Sebastian could have a chance to learn and succeed. It took Severus a week to convince his clone brother to try again and it was hard to practice with all the bad memories it was bringing to the surface. But Severus was persistent. Instead of shouting orders and harassing Sebastian's mind, he gave him the opportunity to make peace with his past. As the memories resurfaced at each trial, Sebastian started to talk about his years at the Dursleys, and then Hogwarts.

Severus was stunned. This teenager had been neglected his whole childhood, he had witnessed the death of a classmate, he even killed one of his teachers, and no one thought to give him an opportunity to deal with that? To talk? It was a wonder that the boy only had trouble with his anger management and was not already a complete lunatic! What was the old headmaster thinking?

So, they stopped Sebastian's magical studies for a time. Severus knew that he was going to be late on his learning schedule, but the boy's mental health had to be taken care of. Instead of learning spells theory, they spent their evenings, together on Severus' bed, talking. Sebastian talked about his guilt, mainly. He knew that he had acted in self-defense, especially for Quirrell, but he was still thinking that Diggory's death was his fault, and that he was responsible for Sirius being in the Ministry and falling into the Veil. He felt guilty about his escape, and his friends that were still fighting in his name. He had abandoned his life, but also renounced the only hope the world had to be free of the tyranny of Voldemort. He made this choice for himself, but it was affecting so many other lives.

'I tried to leave; you know. Last Christmas. I was afraid that he would attack one of my friends, so I wanted to go back to the Dur- to the muggle world. But then, the portrait of Phineas Nigellus said…' Sebastian let out a sad chuckle 'He said that I would have been better in Slytherin because they were brave but would always save their own necks first.' He stayed silent for a while before continuing. 'I can't stop thinking that if I had left that day, Sirius would still be alive.'

Severus tried to reassure him, told him that his parents and Sirius wouldn't resent him for that. Quite the contrary, they died to protect him, clearly showing that his safety was the most important thing for them. By staying safe, he was showing respect for these sacrifices. He told Sebastian that his Gryffindor friends would fight anyway, with or without him, because they were muggle-borns or blood-traitors.

'Let me be clear, Sebastian. You were a child, surrounded by adults who didn't protect you the way they should have. Dumbledore left you with the Dursleys, knowing that you were not welcomed in their house. Minerva and Poppy didn't report the signs of neglect and malnutrition to the authorities. I have bullied you for no good reason and there was never a disciplinary action against me, Merlin's beard, I was practically encouraged to do so, every time Dumbledore said how much you were like James Potter. He knew it was like stabbing a knife in an infected wound for me, of course I would lash out!' Severus breathed and calmed himself before continuing. 'What I mean is that none of what happened is your fault. You acted as best as you could with the comprehension and information available to you. You genuinely did your best, while adults repeatedly failed you. And you are entitled to feeling safe and protected just as much as anyone else. The fact that you had to go through drastic measures to achieve that is the testament of adults failures, not of selfishness.'

'Who are you and what have you done to Severus Snape?' asked Sebastian with a teary smile.

Sebastian hugged Severus, holding him as if his life depended on him for the next few seconds. Those discussions helped him a lot. Making peace with one's past is always hard but necessary to move on. In Sebastian's case, he needed it to fully accept his new life, and to learn how to clear his mind.

That night, Sebastian fell asleep smiling and looking at his brother. There was still a long road before he would be free of the guilty eating him from inside, but he could see hope for himself in his brother's half-smile.

When the morning came, Sebastian and Severus exceptionally woke up at the same time. They smiled to each other and promptly got ready for the day. Just before taking down the wards and opening the door, Severus turn to Sebastian.

'Happy birthday, Sebastian.'

It was already the 15th of August; Sebastian could barely believe that his life changed so much in just a few weeks. He was still the same young man inside, but everything around him had changed. His past was now a lie that he learnt by heart and his family… Well, there was an improvement on that part, after all.

Severus made his way out and to the kitchen to start on breakfast. Sebastian soon joined him.

'So, what would you like to do today?'

'Hum… I don't know. I didn't think we would do anything.' Said Sebastian.

'Maybe something special for diner then?'

'I like chocolate, maybe I could bake a cake?'

'Good morning Wormtail', said Severus with a gloomy expression back on his face

'Good morning, Severus, Sebastian.'

And just like that, their conversation was over. Gone Severus' warm eyes and Sebastian's smile. They ended up spending a very boring a normal morning. After lunch, Severus asked Sebastian to get ready for an afternoon out.

'Wormtail, today is Sebastian's birthday and we usually spend it only together. I would like to continue this tradition; therefore, I am taking him to town. Do you need anything while we are out?'

'Congratulations to the birthday boy', said Wormtail with a look that left Sebastian feeling uneasy. 'No, I don't need anything.'

'We may decide to go the restaurant tonight, don't wait for us', said Severus, already opening the front door.

'Are we really eating outside? I thought our budget was tight because of my school' asked Sebastian once they were far enough from the house not to be overheard.

'It is. It was just an excuse. I don't know how long it will take me to do everything today. First, we are going to the bank together. You are now 16 so you can have a bank account under your own name. With my situation, we can't put the money under my name', said Severus.

'You keep talk about your situation, but I still don't understand what you mean.'

'It's a story for another time. Then, I am going to leave you in town and go to Gringotts under Polyjuice. I just need a random muggle to be the donor. I will change your money into pounds and then come back to you. Hopefully the muggle bank will still be opened, and we can deposit everything tonight. We will use that to pay for the school. Meanwhile, I expect you to do some research and find a boarding school, anywhere in the country, where you would like to go. If my name gets on an authorization to help you cross the border, it will raise alarms in the Ministry and people will know about you, so it really needs to be in the UK.'

Seeing Sebastian questioning look, he explained with a simple 'my situation' which didn't really explain anything. Why not sending him abroad? He would be even safer this way! And why would there be any alarms because a wizard's relative wants to travel the muggle way? He was missing something to understand this 'situation', but what?

They arrived in front of the Royal Bank of Scotland branch in town and entered the building. Severus went to the first available teller.

'Hello, Sir. How can I help you today?' said the lady.

'Good afternoon, I would like to open an account for a teenager, he just turned 16.'

'I will see if someone can see you, please wait in the sitting area' she said, showing a few plastic seats with her hand.

One hour later, they both stepped out of the bank. They had to provide Sebastian's birth certificate, as well as a fake electricity bill under his name to prove his address, but it was all done without having to write Severus' name once on the paperwork. Maybe it was a bit paranoid of him, but Severus insisted that any tie with him could become a threat in the future.

'Alright Sebastian, I am going to Gringotts now. Don't forget to find information on boarding schools. We need to get you enroll and soon. Here is some money for the day, buy yourself a nice present for your birthday. Let's meet here in about two hours. I shouldn't need more than that.'

And with that, he gulped the vial of Polyjuice containing the hair of the bank's manager and disappeared. Sebastian sighed and started to walk down the commercial street. The information gathering could wait, he knew he would find some brochures at the local library. For now, he knew exactly what he wanted for his birthday. He was a little afraid considering is only past experience, but it was Aunt Pet… hum, Aunt Iris. He still needed to get used to those new names for his pretended foster family.

He pushed the door of a salon, advertising gorgeous men and women on the window. His nostrils were immediately assaulted with chemical smells. Nothing worse than a potion classroom but a good aeration spell could really make it better.

'Hello there, do you have an appointment?' ask a smiling lady with dark blue hair.

'Hum, no. I was wondering if you could cut my hair really quick' said Sebastian, a little embarrassed when he realized he was the only man in the salon.

'Of course! Here, put this on and take a sit at the shampoo station, you really need one. When was the last time you washed your hair?'

'Yesterday evening, before going to bed. I know they are greasy. That's why I am here. I wondered if it wouldn't be better with shorter hair.' Said Sebastian. This whole experience was making him feel uncomfortable.

'Yesterday? Oh… Well, they do have a kind of "Renaissance" style, with the length and the shine, but I agree with you. Shorter will be easier to maintain and much trendier.' And she talked the whole forty-five minutes that Sebastian was with her. She was interested in psychology and had a dog, a best friend and a girlfriend. She talked a lot about how it was hard sometimes to be openly "out of the closet" in such a poor and industrial town. Sebastian thought about all he had heard at the Dursl… Davies and though that it would probably be the same everywhere. He didn't dare to tell her that. She was so nice and friendly; he didn't want to ruin her mood.

'I mean, hello-o! It's 1996! We are nearly in the 21st century and it's still not OK for me and my partner to go on a date together! Urgh! Anyway, you are all set, honey. Thank you for listening. It's nice to be able to talk sometimes instead of listening to customers complaining about silly things.'

Sebastian smiled to her. She knew that people were calling her a freak simply because of who was holding her hand. Because of his past, Sebastian could relate and felt bad for her. He would love to do something to help but he was powerless in this situation. Listening to her was the only think he could think of, so he simply said, 'You're welcome', paid and walked out.

While making his way to the local library, he thought that those past few days of talking with Severus had done him good. The hairdresser situation resonated with his own unwanted fame, he could relate with being bullied for something you have no control over, and most of all, not being able to change things. Only time would help her, and only anonymity would help him. But he was more accepting of his own situation now, at peace, thanks to his brother.

He stopped in front of the library, looked at himself in the window and passed a hand in his now very short hair. Now, he was sure that no one would be able to tell that they would be greasy in a couple of hours. He also thought that it made his long nose a bit shorter. It was just a visual trick, but it was nice. His all face was more open and looked less depressed than before. It was worth the investment of his birthday money.

He entered the library and went directly to the educational shelves. He had been working hard on his muggle studies to catch up with his future peers. He quickly found the brochures of a few boarding schools. They looked fancy on the pictures, but not as breath-taking as Hogwarts. He was able to find information on fees and kept only the cheaper one. He knew that it would be hard on their budget to send him to school. He checked his watch and quickly made his way out and up the street to the bank. Severus was already waiting for him. He looked at his hair but said nothing on it.

'Did you find a school you like?'

Sebastian gave him the brochure of St Anton School for boys. And Severus flipped through it.

'I have already made the deposit. We will still need to sell some books but if we select them well wisely, it should all go well.'

Sebastian let out a breath, it was reassuring to know that they would be able to make it work.

'Let's eat dinner at a restaurant, they are things that you need to know. It's about your mo… Lily.'

They couldn't find a nice restaurant, but they managed to find a table in a pub. It was busy and loud. The light was low, and the air was smelly with grease and alcohol, but they were eating out and enjoying it.

'So, what about… hum… Lily?'

'You remember the Unbreakable Vow?'

'The oath you made to help Malfoy? Yes, I –'

'No, not this one. The… The one our mother made me take to protect you?' It was the lie Sebastian had invented on the fly when they were discussing it. They had been lucky as Wormtail was eavesdropping at that moment.

'Yes. What about that?' asked Sebastian.

'Well, you need to know that when I was younger, before Hogwarts, I didn't have many friends. In fact, I only had one. Her name was Lily Evans.'

Sebastian held his breath. His mom and Snape had been friend? Looking back on the past years, he would have never guessed. Severus continued.

'When we went to school, against all odds, our friendship remained. Even being in separated houses didn't break us apart. But other people didn't like it. A man and his friends started to bully me to get me to drop that friendship. I think you know you I am talking about?' Sebastian nodded but didn't say anything. He could see that Severus wasn't comfortable with this conversation. 'We didn't stop seeing each other, until I made a stupid mistake and called her a fool name. She could never quite forgive me. She got closer to James and his friends, I got closer to the Death Eaters. But I never stopped… The day she died; Dumbledore made me take the Unbreakable Vow because he knew that I was…'

It was like the words wouldn't leave his mouth. He couldn't say it.

'You were grieving your friend and he saw it as an opportunity to add a layer of protection on the Boy-Who-Lived?'

'Not my friend. She was the love of my life, Sebastian.'

Sebastian felt his heart stop. His hears were buzzing so loud, he couldn't hear conversations in the pub. He couldn't believe it. Severus Snape had been in love with his mom! The man who had bullied him for years… But he looked like his dad. Of course, that must have been like a slap on his face every time he looked at him. But, no… That would only be true if he still loved her which was impossible, she had been dead for almost fifteen years!

'Sebastian. Sebastian, breath.'

Slowly, reality came back to him. The light, the smell, the sounds. He looked at his brother in the eyes.

'Do you still love her?'

Severus stayed silent for a few seconds before swallowing and answering.

'Yes. That is also why I couldn't just adopt you magically with a random witch to act as a donor. It would have been too hard for me to make the difference between what is and what could have been. If I didn't say that, if… maybe we would have… But it didn't happen that way. I lost her that day, I have accepted that and… Sebastian. I just thought that you had the right to know that I took that oath for her. Not because of the Boy-Who-Lived, or for the war effort. I made that Vow out of love for Lily in the past and today, I would make it again, because I care for you, Sebastian.'

They stayed silent for a long time, eating their fish-and-chips, until they were done and waiting for their desert.

'Thank you for telling me.'

'You are welcome. Let's not talk about it ever again. Officially, our mother was worried because our father was violent, and she made me take the Unbreakable Vow to protect you. I did it because I care for my little brother, even if he is a Squib.' Said Severus. 'Don't worry, all those lies are only until Wormtail is gone. After that, we simply wait for your eighteenth birthday, and you will be free to live your life in a much sunnier country.'

Sebastian felt a little sad at that thought. Not the sunny part, this town could use more sun, but the part where he would leave Severus forever. They were starting to get close and open to each other, and he was starting to really care for his gloomy brother. Maybe he would send a postcard for Christmas, or something. He didn't think that he could simply forgetting about the man who sacrificed so much for him, as Harry Potter, and then as Sebastian Snape.

'For what it's worth, I am happy to be your brother. And I am sure that mom is happy about it too. She was your friend for years so I think that she would be happy to see that you are keeping me safe. And I care for you too.'

Their chocolate cakes arrived, with a little candle on Sebastian's slice. They smiled to each other, and as he blew his candle, Sebastian wished that he could stay close to his brother, even after his eighteenth birthday.

It took Sebastian a couple of days to get used to his short hair. They were easier to clean, they didn't tangle or look like he had been using oil as shampoo, and he could see his un-scarred forehead. It was a sight that he absolutely loved.

Severus left in the morning, leaving him in the bedroom upstairs and Wormtail downstairs. He was going to do the final paperwork for his school. Sebastian already knew that they would spend the next day shopping for his uniforms and books. He didn't expect the experience to be as thrilling as Diagon Alley, but he was looking forward to sharing some quality time with Severus, away from the rat-man.

He knew that he should be working on copying the rarest books that Severus owned to be able to sell them, but he was too tired to put his mind into studies. He was still having nightmares of Sirius falling through the Veil of Death. So, he picked up a book that they had brought from Sebastian's room when he had to move because of Wormtail. It was an old looking book, and he could see that it had been read a lot. He moved the pillows, laid back on the headboard of his bed and opened The Tales of Beedle the Bard. The first page was filled with a tiny handwriting. It spiraled around the printed text of the book and slithered from one page to the other. It was a letter. To Severus, apparently. He flipped through the page until the end of the book, to see who wrote and looked at the last three words of the message.

No. No, it couldn't be from him. There must be an explanation as to why this name would end up in a letter, written inside a children book, owned by his brother.

Sebastian knew that this letter was probably none of his business. But that name… No, it WAS his business. He needed to know, so he started to read.

My sweet Severus,

By the time you read this message, I have hopefully passed away and you are keeping our tradition of reading the Tales on New Year's Eve. I am sorry I felt you my sweet little boy. I simply couldn't leave like that anymore. But I want to choose the way I leave this world, and I am choosing to finally tell you the truth before I do so. I am prepared and only hope that Tobias will never find this book.

When I was in Hogwarts, there was a young man, three years older than me. He was attractive, and smart, and had influence in the Slytherin House. Unfortunately, he was also a half-blood. I was in love with him, but I knew that he would never look at me. He was loved by all and respected, while I was not beautiful, and people looked down at me. So, I watched him from afar. I knew what food he liked, what book he was reading, I was obsessed with him. He graduated and left Hogwarts.

I was overjoyed when I found him, a year later, working in a shop in Knockturn Alley. I went to talk to him, and he was so charming and sweet. The impossible happened and we started to date. He would join me at every Hogsmeade weekend, and we would talk for hours. I think that I have always known that he didn't love me. I was a Pure-blood, and that was exactly what he was looking for. But my parents would have never let me marry a half-blood.

We saw each other for years. We would meet in a very muggle town, where no one would know us. This town, it's Cokeworth. We used to meet at the Railview Hotel, until he told me that he would go abroad for longer than usual. I was used to him leaving for weeks, but this time was different. He promised me he would come back, and I promised him I would wait for him. I was so madly in love with him, Severus. He was the love of my life. But I wasn't his.

It was our thirteen years relationship anniversary when we saw each other for the last time. Looking back, it is hard to believe that my parents were so patient with me finding a husband. And I should have known that something would go wrong at some point. Maybe the magical number of our anniversary, or maybe I forgot to take my potion, but I soon started to feel sick. I was pregnant.

When my parents discovered the news, they were happy at first, thinking that I would finally marry a good wizard. But I couldn't tell them anything, because of your father's blood. They were crossed by my silence, so they hired someone to discover who was the father. The Private Detective came back with the address of the Hotel, and the name of the tenant's nephew. A man well known to drink too much, see a lot of women, and forget what happened the previous night. This is how I met with Tobias Snape. My parents jumped into conclusions, and before I could have a chance to rectify the truth, they married me off to him and never contacted me again.

But I had hope. I hoped that someday, my loved one would come back and clear everything. He would take me away from that violent muggle and we would be happy together. I waited patiently, while you were growing up inside of me, until the day I received his letter. I went to meet him in Diagon Alley, anxious to tell him the good news of your coming birth. But he never came. He never contacted me again either.

I was desperate. You, and your adorable smile, were the only things that kept me from leaving this world.

Severus, you are old enough now. You don't need me to protect you anymore. Please know that I love you. Just as much as I love your father. But it is too hard for me to go on without him. Please Severus, if you ever find him, tell him that I do not blame him for abandoning me. As I said, I always knew that he didn't love me. Please, find him and tell him you are his son.

Find Tom Marvolo Riddle.

Sebastian stayed still, looking at these words for several minutes. He knew that Severus didn't step a foot in the other bedroom since before their mother died and until he came into his life, as his clone-brother. So, he was completely unaware of- He couldn't say it. As if saying it would somehow make it more real.

It took him several minutes to process the information given in the letter. He spent another ten minutes trying to make all the pieces of this puzzle click together. The Parseltongue was not a Prince family secret. It came from- And he remembered the tests they ran when he arrived in the house. Severus and he shared the same blood. Exactly, the same. Meaning that Voldemort was- Again, he couldn't think of it.

It was so sick. The man who murdered his birthparents, who tried to kill him several time, who killed Cedric and tortured him. And Severus. That monster had destroyed his life. How will he react to that?

Sebastian was crying. It seemed that he couldn't really be free from that monster. They would always be linked somehow.

Sebastian could hear the front door open and close. Severus was back. He heard the men talk and footsteps getting closer. The wards fell and his brother came in. He was holding a stack of papers with the logo of his new school on it. It must have gone well. But as soon as Severus saw Sebastian, his red teary eyes, he knew something was wrong.

'Sebastian, what happened?'

'The book. Did you read it after our mother's death?' He just needed to be sure.

Severus looked at the title. It was The Tales of Beedle the Bard. It was a children book of tales that they used to read every New Year's Eve when his father was getting drunk. They would wait for him to get out of the house, snuggle in front of the fire with warm blankets and read it.

'Where did you find that book?'

'For once Severus, just ANSWER – MY – QUESTION! DID – YOU – KNOW?'

With the amount of yelling, Severus knew that this conversation was being listened by Wormtail and any silencing spell would be very suspicious. The Dark Lord seemed to trust him for now, but his mood was changing so fast that he could still be executed in a heartbeat.

'Sebastian, I have no idea why you are asking that, but I haven't seen this book for years. Now, please calm down, we don't want you to have any accident' said Severus in a hushed voice. Accidental magic would have him directly on Hogwarts list of students and would draw unnecessary attention from Dumbledore.

Sebastian breathed in and out loudly. He tried his best to control his shaking hands when he handed the book to his brother. He believed him. He wanted to believe that he didn't make him the son of -. No, he didn't do it on purpose, he didn't know.

'Read. You will understand.'

Severus took the book, sat on his bed, and opened it to the first page. Immediately, his eyes went wide, and he looked back at Sebastian. That was the final confirmation of his ignorance. Sebastian breathed more easily, knowing that they were in this together.

Several silent minutes went by while Severus was reading his mother's letter to him. Her suicide note really. His hands began to shake, his breathing became hard, until he let the book fall on the floor with a big THUND. He lifted his closed face and met Sebastian's teary eyes. They both knew what this meant for themselves and for the other. But while Sebastian was desperate, and feeling trapped, Severus was enraged and hardly containing it.

The silence must have been too long for the rat-spy in the house, as Wormtail's head soon popped into the room.

'Lunch is ready!' he said, his eyes scanning the room, trying to figure out the reason of this commotion.

'We will be downstairs in a minute', said Severus before standing and turning toward Sebastian. 'This doesn't change anything for us.' Then he turned and walked out, leaving Sebastian to sort out his emotions on his own, not understanding that it changed everything for him.

Lunchtime was very quiet. Severus kept biting his food angrily, Sebastian was on the verge of crying, and Peter was observing them.

'I met with your principal; they expect you on September 1st to get your things in your dorm, school starts on Monday, September 2nd', said Severus.

'Okay'

And the silence resumed. It was uncomfortable and heavy. The more Sebastian was thinking about his recent discovery the more he realized how this was wrong in so many ways. Maybe Severus was right. Knowing didn't need to change anything for them, their life, and their plan.