[Eight Months Later]
"Severus Snape. Visionary. Genius. American patriot. Even from an early age, the son of legendary weapons developer Tobia Snape quickly stole the spotlight with his brilliant and unique mind. At age four, he built his first circuit board. At age six, his first engine. And at 19, he graduated summa cum laude from MIT. Then, the passing of a titan. Tobias Snape's lifelong friend and ally, Obadiah Stane, steps in to help fill the gap left by the legendary founder until, at age 21, the prodigal son returns and is anointed the new CEO of Snape Industries. With the keys to the kingdom, Severus ushers in a new era for his father's legacy, creating smarter weapons, advanced robotics, satellite targeting. Today, Severus Snape has changed the face of the weapons industry by ensuring freedom and protecting America and her interests around the globe."
Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes stands behind a podium, holding a trophy and a respectful look on his face. "As liaison to Snape Industries, I've had the unique privilege of serving with a real patriot. He is my friend and he is my great mentor. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to present this year's Apogee Award to Mr. Severus Snape." The crowd claps, staring, waiting to get a glimpse of the man.
After a moment of nothing, Rhodes looks around in confusion. Severus was not there, that much could be seen. Obadiah had noticed the same thing as he rose from his seat, heading up to the Lieutenant Colonel. Upon reaching Rhodes, he is handed the trophy. "Thank you, Colonel."
Rhodes leans closer to the man, whispering, "Thanks for the save."
"This is beautiful. Thank you." Obadiah grins at the award before focusing back on the crowd in front of him. "Thank you very much. This is wonderful. Well, I'm not Severus Snape," he pauses to allow the crowd to laugh. "But if I were Severus, I would tell you how honoured I feel and what a joy is it to receive this prestigious award. Severus, you know…" he chuckles. "The best thing about Severus is also the worst thing. He's always working."
In another part of the country, Severus Snape and Harry Potter lean over a blueprint, working on a new project to help the spider children with sensory overload. As they're discussing possible options, Rhodes walks into the workshop after putting in his entry code. He is carrying the award under his arm. "You are unbelievable."
"Oh, no!" Harry snarks. "Did they rope you into this?" He smirks up at the man he calls uncle.
Severus attempts to hold back his obvious laughs. As they are obvious, he failed.
Rhodes, however, was staring at the two in mock offence. "Nobody roped me into anything!"
Severus looks at his friend, all signs of mirth gone from his being. "I'm so sorry." Rhodes looks at him, knowing what is coming. "You know how much I'm not too fond of those things. I'm getting awarded because I make weapons of mass destruction while trying to get the board to let me make something that would help people." Sadness fills the man's eyes as Harry goes over to hug him.
Rhodes sighs, "I know, man. As a military man, I have to say they help us, but I know why you feel this way."
Severus nods, still holding onto Harry who hasn't said anything since the start of the conversation. "Don't worry, Honey Bear! I understand your point of view as well."
Rhodes moved in for a hug that Severus returns gladly. They forgot about the boy trapped between the two, who squirmed between them. The two men laugh upon realizing this fact they pull away to allow Harry to breathe.
"You forgot the little guy was there!" Rhodes teases with a grin.
Snape laughs, "You did too!"
Harry pouted in frustration. He was not little.
Not too long later, Rhodes has to leave and he waves at Harry as he does so. "Bye, you two." He then points at Severus. "Tomorrow, don't be late."
"You know I will, Rhodey," Severus grins.
"You know he will be, Uncle Rhodey," Harry snickers.
The following day, outside the Snape Industries building, Happy and Snape are talking after getting back from grabbing some coffee and breakfast when a woman stops them.
"Mr. Snape! Excuse me, Mr. Snape! Christine Everhart, Vanity Fair magazine. Can I ask you a couple of questions?"
"She's cute," Happy states their code upon seeing her.
Snape raises an eyebrow at the man, "She's alright?" Getting a nod from his driver he turns to her with his press smile in place. "Hi!"
"Hi," she responds.
"Yeah. Okay–" he's cut off by the woman.
"It's okay?"
"Go." Severus was already getting annoyed with her.
Christine puts on her false smile, one that Snape can easily see through. "You've been called the da Vinci of our time. What do you say to that?"
Shaking his head he responds with a joke, "Absolutely ridiculous. I don't paint."
She loses her fake smile. "And what do you say to your other nickname? "The Merchant of Death"?" The name itself causes Snape to bristle, his press smile disappearing into a stone-cold expression.
"That's not bad," he mocks. "Let me guess. Berkeley?"
"Brown, actually," she speaks as if she has just pulled one over on him.
"Well, Ms. Brown," her eyes grow hard at realizing he wasn't going to remember her name and instead was going to remember her by her university. "It's an imperfect world, but it's the only one we've got. I guarantee you, the day weapons are no longer needed to keep the peace, I'll start making bricks and beams for baby hospitals."
His face is filled with controlled anger while his jaw tightens at being called out for not having the chance to change his company.
"You rehearse that much?" Christine shows no remorse for how she is treating Severus.
"Every night in front of the mirror before bedtime." His sarcasm was palpable.
"All I want is a serious answer," she demands.
Severus' anger is in his voice now. "Okay, here's serious. My old man had a philosophy, "Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy"."
She doesn't look convinced, not taking his anger seriously. "That's a great line from the guy selling the sticks."
"My father helped defeat the Nazis," he holds back all of his anger. "He worked on the Manhattan Project. A lot of people, including your professors at Brown, would call that being a hero."
"And a lot of people would also call that war profiteering."
Snape narrows his eyes at the woman, face turned sour. "Tell me, do you plan to report on the millions we've saved by advancing medical technology or kept from starvation with our intelli-crops? All those breakthroughs, military funding, honey."
"You ever lose an hour of sleep your whole life?" She asks with a look in her eyes, showing she doesn't care about the help he's given, only the harm.
"Almost every single night."
She's taken aback by that final statement before he goes through the door.
A redhead is standing near the secretary's desk, discussing mildly with the pregnant woman while Christine sneaks into the building. However, once she tries to enter a locked door that's clearly for staff, a voice rings out above them.
"You are not authorized to access this area."
Christine jumps back, "Jesus!" Unfortunately for her, she bumps into the redhead.
"That's JARVIS," the redhead smirks down at the woman. "He runs the building."
Christine straightens up, puffing her chest out. "You must be the famous Pepper Potts."
The redhead, Pepper, nods. "Indeed I am."
The reporter smirks, "After all these years, Severus still has you as a secretary assistant?" She believes she knows what she is talking about but by the look on Pepper's face, she doesn't.
"I do anything and everything that Mr. Snape requires, including, occasionally, taking out the trash." Pepper smiles sweetly. "Will that be all?" While she is smiling, her eyes are blazing with a challenge.
Christine doesn't want to take that challenge as she attempts to rush out of the building with as much grace as she believes she still has. Unfortunately, she simply looked like a dog running off with its tail between its legs.
