Snape is under a car while Harry is sitting nearby.

"Give me an exploded view," Snape asks, to which JARVIS does exactly as asked.

No one could understand the work's intricacies, other than Severus. He wasn't going to explain it, however. It would take too long. His way of explaining was rambling, and most didn't appreciate it.

Their attention was drawn back to the Pensieve when they heard JARVIS respond.

"The compression in cylinder three appears to be low." His sophisticated British voice rings through the garage.

Snape points to Harry with a wrench, "Log that." Harry moves to write down the information before glancing up when he hears Pepper's heels clicking against the stairs. She's on the phone, but he waves nonetheless. It earns him a smile and wave even as she responds in what Harry can only describe as a respectful tone of exasperation.

Some coo thought it was sweet how Pepper would react like that to Harry even as she was dealing with whoever was on the phone with her.

"I'm gonna try again, right now." As she enters the garage, JARVIS listens to her when she makes a hand movement and turns down the music that's playing.

Snape pulls himself out from under the car, "Please don't turn down my music." He sounds pouty, but it's clearly for show. He stands up, wiping his hands with a rag.

Pepper holds up a finger to tell Snape to wait a moment, "I'll keep you posted." Snape waits until she has hung up and put her phone away. "You are supposed to be halfway around the world right now."

Harry snickers. "Well, we did say you would be late. Uncle Rhodey was the one that made the mistake of ignoring our statements." Snape chuckles along with him, nodding.

Snape ignores what Pepper has just told him and instead asks about what happened in the lobby before she got the phone calls. "How'd everything go with Ever-whatever her name was?"

Her lip twitches before going back into the veiled professionalism. "She made the mistake of treating me as a receptionist." Snape winces, both in sympathy for the woman and for how idiotic she had been.

"No one messes with Pepper Potts." Snape grins proudly.

Harry elbows him, "Don't you mean Pepper Potts-Snape?" Snape blushes bright red at that, not having expected Harry to tease him for that. He should have known though, Harry was always eager to mess with the people he considers his friends and family.

Lily looks at him, a small smile spreading across her face. "And I'm guessing that your name is actually Severus Snape-Potts?" It was clear she was trying to tease him as well, if you take into account James trying not to laugh. It didn't work out as she wanted it to, though. Neither of the two were expecting his response.

"Yes, actually. We didn't want either of our names to end with us. So we both made sure to keep our names without taking away the recognition we'd get from being Snape's."

Snape looks at her confused, "Why are you trying to hustle me out of here?"

"Your flight was scheduled to leave an hour and a half ago," she responds in exasperation. It's clear she has had this issue more than once.

"You know he was going to be late, he always is." She turns to stare at the boy, then notices what they were doing. "We're you two working on this car again? I thought you already finished it."

"Why would someone continue to work on something if it's already been finished?" A little firstie was confused. He was right, however. Why would you do that?

Harry and Snape spoke in sync, "Everything can be improved. Nothing is ever the best it can be, there can always be room for improvement."

While many agree with the statement, having done the same thing for an essay or project, some didn't understand why. Sure, it could be improved, by why does it need to be?

"There is always room for improvement," Harry states while noting down a few things, glancing back and forth between the paper and the hologram in front of him.

"Plus, it isn't the same car. That one was a request to fix by Ellis, this one is for when Harry gets old enough to drive. That's why he's even more excited to work on it." Snape was speaking quickly. "What were you talking about?"

Pepper draws her attention back to her boss. "The flight-" she doesn't get to finish her sentence before Snape continues.

"Right, that's funny, I thought with it being my plane and all, that it would just wait for me to get there."

"That-that's not how it works." A muggleborn sputters out.

Another student near her looks confused. "It's not?"

"No."

"So, it's not like apparition?"

The muggleborn blinks, and then shakes her head, ignoring the question and going back to the memories.

"Severus," Pepper gives him a look, which he moves around gathering a few tools. "I need to speak to you about a couple things before I get you out of the door."

"I mean, doesn't it kind of defeat the purpose of having your own plane if it departs before you arrive?"

"Larry called. He's got another buyer for the Jackson Pollock in the wings. Do you want it? Yes or no."

"How can you two go back and forth so seamlessly with each other?" Barty asks in awe. He never thought he'd be acting so domestic and wholesome.

"Years of practice." Snape laughs. "No, she had been my personal secretary for a decade by that point and this is a normal conversation between me and the people I care about."

Lily gives him a soft look. "You always talk really fast when you're excited about something."

"Is it a good representation of his spring period?" Snape still isn't completely looking at her, but is clearly paying attention.

"Um, no." Pepper is confused, but shakes her head to clear it. "The Springs was actually the neighborhood in East Hampton where he lived and worked–"

"So?"

"Not 'spring' like the season." Pepper stands taller when she realizes he wants her opinion. "I think it's a fair example. Um… I think it's incredibly overpriced." Even as she says it, she knows he would want to buy it. And she is not disappointed with his answer.

He motions to her with a screw driver. "I need it. Buy it. Store it." To Snape the conversation should be over. He starts packing up the tools back into his toolboxes.

Pepper follows him, more that needs to be said. "Okay. The MIT commencement speech…"

"Is in June. Please don't harangue me about stuff that's way, way, down…"

"Well, they're haranguing me, so I'm gonna say yes." She smiles slyly back at him.

In return, Snape smirks. "Deflect it and absorb it. Don't transmit it back to me."

Harry in the background was following the conversation like a game of tennis. When he hears that, he looks questioning.

"What that look for, Harry?" James asks?

Harry looks at his father, "That's his coding system. I knew I recognized it, but couldn't remember at that time."

Pepper holds out a stack of papers that was previously under her arms. "I need you to sign this before you get on the plane."

"What are you trying to get rid of me for?" Snape is confused. He thought she'd like that he stayed long enough to talk to her. Especially today. "You got plans?" He knows she does, the look on his face says he does.

"As a matter of fact," she grins knowingly. "I do."

"I don't like it when you have plans." He jokes. Harry is still in the back, head going from Snape to Pepper.

"I'm allowed to have plans on my birthday." The look on Pepper's face says everything. She knows that he knows, even as his eyes widen.

"It's your birthday?"

Clearly, some people aren't as observant as Pepper was.

"How could you forget her birthday?" It was shouted out. No one could tell who it was, but many thought the same.

A snicker came from Harry. "He didn't." That just confused the students even more.

"Yes," Pepper clearly knows what he is doing.

Snape fakes a surprised look. "I knew that. Already?"

Pepper tries not to laugh. "Yeah. Isn't that strange? It's the same day as last year."

Snape knows she already got his gift for her, he can see the bracelet on her wrist from the present. "Well, get yourself something nice from me."

"You didn't get her a present?" Remus was confused. Why would someone remember a birthday and not get them a gift?

Snape just grinned at him, which didn't answer his question at all.

"I already did."

"And?"

She looks satisfied and thankful. "Oh, it was very nice." Snape asks for clarification. "Very tasteful. Thank you, Mr. Snape."

He grins," You're welcome, Miss Potts…" he finishes putting away his tools and then looks to Harry. "I'm ready to head out, Harry let's head up and I can fix up a few things for you before leaving." Harry jumps up and rushes up the stairs. Snape turns to Pepper once again. "Happy birthday, by the way. I'm sorry I can't stay for longer."

"Awe, that's so sweet."