NOTE: I got a comment about the part where Dumbledore mentions his plans for Harry while he wasn't born yet. I thought I explained this but I guess I didn't. It will be revealed in a flashback as to how he knew James and Lily would get married and have a child this early on. It won't be revealed until we're into the Philosophers Stone.
Two cars are speeding down the streets towards the airport. They stop and Snape gets out of one of the cars while Happy gets out of the other.
"I never expected you to be a racer, Sev," Lily questions. It was said as a fact, but Severus could hear the question in it. She wanted to know that he didn't do this all the time. Luckily for her, he didn't.
"I don't do this often, just when I'm late or in a safe and controlled circumstance." The smile he gives her allows her to calm down. She stops squeezing James's hand, something that she didn't realize she had started doing. She hadn't realized she was holding his hand in general.
Walking up to Happy, Snape pats his shoulder, "You're good. I thought I lost you back there."
Snape helps Happy remove bags from the trunk and he chuckles, "You did, sir. I had to cut across Mulholland."
"I got you. I got you." Snape nods, holding onto Happy's elbow when he almost falls from the bag's weight.
Harry elbows Snape in the ribs, a grin spread across his face, "You're so nice, and yet you try to be intimidating."
Snape squawks in indignation, "I am intimidating!"
"Sure," Harry snorts. "That's why you make sure the firsties always know–" Snape covered Harry's mouth within a second, not wanting his past classmates to know how unintimidating he really is.
His attempts were in vain because they'd already seen how wholesome he could be when he was working on the car and his conversation with Pepper. He knew this, but he had a reputation and was not going to allow himself to ignore it.
Snape doesn't get to turn before he hears Rhodey shouting out, "What's wrong with you?" Turning to face his longtime friend he sees him standing at the jet doorway. Snape laughs, knowing his friend is joking around.
"What?"
"Three hours," Rhodey glares back.
"You should have known, Harry even said I'd be late," Snape wasn't upset that he was late, he had fun with Harry. That's what mattered.
"I did," Harry is grinning with pride. James chuckles at his son. He doesn't know how he feels about this fact besides excitement. What else was he supposed to feel? He adamantly refused to think about how he wouldn't be alive to see his boy grow up. No, he would not let that knowledge hinder this experience.
He gets to see, touch, and know his son. He will not let this opportunity go to waste.
"I had to stand here for three hours!" The smile Rhodey was trying to hide did nothing to help Snape believe that his friend was mad at him.
"We're waiting on you now," Snape walks up the steps to enter the jet, Rhodey following behind.
Giggles and laughter rang out. Everyone was getting interested in what was happening. They didn't realize what was to happen in a few minutes and from the look of everything that has happened so far? Nothing could give away what was to happen to Severus Snape.
Once they were seated Rhodey turned to his friend. "What happened before you left?"
A smile appears on Snape's face, "I was working on Harry's car with him." The Colonial grins, knowing he can't be upset upon hearing that. How could he, when his nephew in all but blood always worried when Snape had to leave for a presentation?
"I loved it," Harry smirks. "Until I ended up destroying it."
Sirius makes a pained noise. How could someone destroy something so beautiful? It hurt Sirius deeply, something that Remus didn't understand and yet he still comforted his secret lover.
"Why and how did you destroy the car?" McGonagall asks.
Harry gets sheepish but answers nonetheless, "You'll see that later. We're still watching some things about Sev before we get to my years here and after."
Snape steps out of the jet, and a man in a General's uniform stands at the bottom. "General." He greets, shaking the man's hand when offered.
"Welcome, Mr. Snape. We look forward to your weapons presentation."
"Thanks," Snape is uncomfortable but tries not to show it on his face. He didn't want anyone besides his Rhodey-Bear to know he didn't like making weapons, let alone ones of this nature.
"It's so clear you don't want to be there, so why do you try to look indifferent?" Lucius asks his now older friend.
Snape looks to the blonde with a look of sadness, "If I showed how I felt they would have taken it as bad products and I have over a thousand employees to take care of…" he sighs. "I wasn't going to let them down by botching a presentation because I was uncomfortable."
Even the people who despise weapons could have respect for the man.
Now in front of a crowd of soldiers, Snape begins. "Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?" The soldiers are interested and want to know what the best weapons manufacturer can offer them this time.
Dumbledore freezes, recognizing those words. They were similar to the words of Voldemort, a name he would say out loud even though it was gised to alert the man. The man had checked both time travellers' arms before bringing them to the Great Hall, but that was enough in his mind to be suspicious. Did he just let in a Death Eater?
No. Harry would not have been comfortable in Snape's presence had he been one. Harry knows about Death Eaters based on what he said when the Headmaster interrogated them upon arrival. So, no. Dumbledore is confident that the two aren't Death Eaters.
If only he knew that Death Eaters no longer existed.
"With that in mind, I humbly present the crown jewel of Snape Industries' Freedom Line. It's the first missile system to incorporate our proprietary repulsor technology." Snape keeps a stoney face. There's no joy, no excitement, no anger, no frustration. Nothing could be deciphered. It's just the way Severus likes it when he has to present his greatest works or war.
No one wanted to speak, they were enraptured by Snapes' words. How could a man who didn't want to do this job could introduce something so dangerous in such a beautiful way?
"They say the best weapon is one you never have to fire. I respectfully disagree. I prefer the weapon you only have to fire once." Both statements ring true. "That's how Dad did it. That's how America does it. And it's worked out pretty well so far. Find an excuse to let one of these off the chain, and I personally guarantee you the bad guys won't even want to come out of their caves." The missiles are launched, heading straight for a mountain behind Snape. "For your consideration, the Jericho." The missiles break apart, sending smaller missiles out. Upon contact with the mountain, huge holes appear.
As the dust rises, Snape raises his arms in a behold motion before getting covered by the dust.
"That was so aesthetic," someone muttered. They couldn't be placed and no one needed to. They agreed with them.
After the presentation, Snape is holding a champagne glass of apple juice when his phone rings in his pocket. Removing it and pressing the answer button causes Obadiah to appear on the screen.
"Why are you drinking on the job?" Peter asked. He wasn't being rude, he was curious because he would not have expected Severus Snape to drink during the day or on a job.
Even though he hadn't been rude he got a dark response in return, "It's apple juice."
The rest of the Marauders are taken aback by the reaction. Snape had been fine with them, even if they weren't friends. So, what was the difference between them and Peter. Something must have happened. They now remember the photo on the front of the scrapbook Harry got on his tenth birthday. Peter wasn't in the picture, but everyone else was.
Snape wasn't just irritated by Peter but by Obadiah as well. Understandably so.
"Severus," the man greets, lying in bed. It's night where he is.
"Obie, what are you doing up?" Snape's confused, he would have thought Obadiah would be asleep by now.
Obadiah shakes his head, a small smile on his face, "I couldn't sleep till I found out how it went. How'd it go?"
He keeps the stoic look, not wanting to show the man how uncomfortable he is. "It went great. Looks like it's gonna be an early Christman."
If Obadiah could see through Snapes' discomfort, he wouldn't address it. "Hey! Way to go, my boy! I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"
Snape nods and gives a grin, "Yeah, see you tomorrow, Obie."
"The bastard," Snape mutters that only the three sitting with him could hear. They didn't want to ask, they'd get their answers soon.
"Good night, Severus."
He hangs up and Snape heads over to a vehicle and hops in with some other soldiers. Rhodey tries to enter the vehicle as well, but Snape motions otherwise, whispering to his friend, "They're already nervous as is, let's not add to it by having a Colonial in the same humvee." Rhodey nods, agreeing with him.
"See you back at base," they both say to each other.
