Late-August 1985

Severus made his way to Hogwarts and the headmaster's office. Merlin, it was miserably hot today. Or perhaps that was the emptiness inside of him talking. He hadn't realized he'd feel anything when she died. Of course, he hadn't expected her to die before he turned twenty-six either. He just assumed she'd be there for most of his life. Now he was well and truly on his own and alone.

Except.

"Come in," the older wizard's voice came.

The sad thing was, Severus wasn't certain what the response was going to be to his request. He never knew with Albus. Voldemort had been gone for nearly four years now, yet Albus still acted as if it wasn't over.

"Severus. This is unexpected since students won't arrive for a few days."

"My mother has passed."

The headmaster's eyes widened slightly. So, he hadn't heard yet. Not surprising. Eileen Prince wasn't talked about in the magical world. Severus was fairly certain the headmaster had taught his mother when she attended Hogwarts, but they hadn't discussed that particular topic. Severus hadn't wanted to and Albus, in this, respected his boundaries. The funeral had already been held. It was a small affair as she had no family, at least none who would come. So, it was a few friends she'd made during her time in Cokeworth. And Severus.

"I am very sorry to hear that, Severus. I, of course, remember your mother. Is there anything I can do?"

"I require some time off."

The headmaster regarded him warily. Severus' leash, controlled by Albus, didn't allow for unexpected time off. Particularly not less than a week before the new term was slated to start.

"I have found some information amongst my mother's things that requires me to go to America."

"America?" Albus sounded both curious and doubtful. Eileen Prince couldn't afford trips to America. His boss, and sort of friend, would know that.

"Yes, Headmaster. Perhaps you can get Horace Slughorn to look after my classes in my absence, but I must settle my mother's estate. I shouldn't be long."

That wasn't exactly what he was doing, but he was good enough at occlumency that the headmaster would buy the story. And he wasn't really lying, not completely.

He hated that he had to account for his time. It was one of the stipulations, though, of his spying. And, now, his freedom. Just because Voldemort was gone, the headmaster didn't want Severus going off randomly. According to Albus Dumbledore, his task may not be done yet. There were still followers out there who Severus would be needed to testify against if they were caught still spouting Voldemort's pureblood rhetoric. (Most weren't stupid enough to do so where they could be heard by someone who didn't also believe.) As if Severus knew each and every follower to testify against them!

"Of course. Do you have a location?"

"No, beyond Philadelphia, Pennsylvania."

"All right. You will, of course, have all of the time you need to put your mother's affairs in order. I wish you luck, Severus, and truly if there's anything that I can do."

Where was this kindness and compassion when Severus had been a student? Did the headmaster realize that if he'd shown Severus either of those things fourteen years ago, things would likely have gone very differently. He'd never said so, and Albus had, to this point, never indicated he thought he'd done anything wrong. Had it been because he was Eileen Prince's son? A witch who'd turned her back on the magical world? Willingly given up magic to live as a muggle? Severus would likely never know.

"I appreciate the sentiment."

Assured the headmaster was actually going to let him leave Britain, he left the headmaster's office and returned home. He was already packed and ready to go. The house locked up and the items he required in his muggle backpack with an undetectable extension charm on it, he headed to the Ministry of Magic to see about a portkey to Philadelphia.

He could make one himself, but he wanted documentation that he went where he told Albus Dumbledore he was going. He wasn't doing anything illegal or illicit. He needed the headmaster to see that he could be trusted. It was important to him that the headmaster see that he had … grown since that day he'd initially come to him. He had changed. Severus thought, most of the time, the headmaster knew that was true. He confided in him, and spoke to him as a peer, a contemporary, now. There were still times, though, he saw … doubt in Albus' eyes. Perhaps that was his own self-doubt seeing things that weren't really there. What chance did he stand amounting to anything good, anyway? He had nothing, no example, to learn how to be a good man.

It took him a few days to find the man he was here to see. Philadelphia was a city ripe with American, mostly muggle, history so it wasn't a hardship to spend some of his time taking in things like the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and even the statue dedicated to the man he was here to see. It wasn't really that difficult, but he was famous so trailing him when others were doing the same was not always easy. At least not to find his home. Severus didn't want to approach him publicly.

He scoffed with a shake of his head at the house in front of him as he rang the doorbell. A boy, probably eight or nine, answered. He was too young to be a Hogwarts - Ilvermorny in America - student, but not a small child. Older than his godson's five years, though, for certain. He was familiar with five year olds now because of Draco and eleven years olds. In between, he knew nowt of children. He seemed closer to magical school age than not, though.

"Hello," he said. "Can I help you?"

"Hi. My name is Severus Snape. I was hoping to speak to your father." He'd seen pictures of the boy's father, and there was no doubt this boy belonged to him. The resemblance was quite uncanny. Interesting, because Severus didn't see much of his mother in himself or the man he'd come to see today. Both, clearly, took after their fathers.

The boy regarded him for a moment, and Severus offered the boy his hand. That was what muggles did. That was what polite people did.

"I'm Robert," he said, taking Severus' hand. Severus nodded, wondering if Robert's father was aware he was the son of a witch, and that his son was showing signs of being magical. If merely shaking hands with him was any indication of things.

"It's nice to meet you, Robert."

His nephew. He had a nephew. That would be who this boy was, wasn't it?

"Just a second," he said, stepping aside so that Severus could step into the foyer.

Severus couldn't help but wonder how exactly the boy's father, Robert "Rocky" Balboa, ended up born in America. That wasn't in his mother's notes. He had been, though.

It was a few minutes later, probably five or so, when Severus got a look at his older brother for the first time. The newspaper pictures didn't do him justice. Unlike Tobias Snape, his father must have been a handsome man.

The adoption was a closed one, but the Pennsylvania state agency she'd used was no match for a witch of his mother's abilities when she wanted to find out where her son had ended up.

She'd looked, it seemed, before Severus was born. She'd had difficulty conceiving Severus, evidently complications from this man's birth made it so for her attempts for him. Her notes were unclear as to her intentions in locating his information, but it seemed she'd evidently contemplated using magic to take him back when it was clear Tobias Smith wanted an heir. She hadn't, though. Thankfully. He was glad to know there were limits to what his mother would do in the name of loving his father.

From Severus' research on the man, he had grown up humbly (read poorly), but was a decent man.

He shuddered to think at the lengths his father would go to get his hands on some of this man's obvious wealth if he had outlived their mother.

"You have impeccable timing," the older man said to him.

"I'm sorry?"

"I met your mother…"

"Our mother."

"Tomato, tomato," he shrugged. "I just buried my best friend."

"And I've just buried our mother."

Dark brown eyes widened slightly. He was a boxer, a good one, judging from the house they were currently standing in the foyer of. Severus could tell, though, that this man hadn't always done his fighting in a ring. There was a street intelligence to him that Severus could respect. He hadn't learned everything he knew in a classroom either.

The guard he had up dropped then, and Severus could visibly see the other man relax.

"Robbie," he called out.

"Yeah, Dad," a voice came from somewhere nearby but the boy was not visible.

"Tell your mother I went downstairs with my guest."

"Okay," he said.

"Come in," the man said. He led him "downstairs", which to Severus' mind was probably bigger than his entire home.

He got them each a muggle American beer and offered his hand to him then.

"Rocky Balboa," he said.

"Severus Snape," he said, taking the offered hand of his brother.

He was accustomed to being the one with an advantage in a handshake. Not strength necessarily, but the size of his hand. His were evidently … larger than normal for someone of his stature. His brother's hand, though, fit comfortably against his and was even a bit larger. That certainly didn't happen often.

No magic there, though.

"What happened? I thought," he shrugged, clearly not knowing how to ask what he wanted to ask. Severus wandlessly cast a Muffliato.

"You may speak freely. No one will hear us."

"I was under the impression they, she, would live longer."

"Years of making bad choices caught up with her," Severus said. He didn't know how or why she died, but knew that fifty-six was very young for a witch.

"Like mother, like son," Rocky said.

"Both sons it would seem," he murmured. "If you'd like to compare bad choices…"

"Did you really come here to get into a pissing contest with me? You at least knew her!"

"I got the shell of a woman who'd married a drunken oaf of a man who couldn't plan for his future, so when his job went away he had nothing to do. I didn't even know you existed until I found her paperwork telling me about you. You have this," he said, gesturing to the room.

"It wasn't easy. I didn't have this overnight. I struggled. I fought," he shook his head, taking a pull from the beer. "So many fights. Not always legit fights. Not always smart fights."

Severus nodded. He could see that in this man. They seemed to have that in common.

Rocky closed the distance between them then, standing nose to nose with Severus. Barely an inch separated them as dark brown eyes assessed black. "You weren't here. You don't get to judge me for building a life, providing my son with things I didn't have."

"I'm not a boxer by chosen profession, but I have had more than my fair share of battles. It sounds like neither of us got away from being her son without the scars we carry into our adult lives."

Rocky stepped back then. Yeah, Severus could see how coming up against this man in a boxing ring, or an alleyway, would be scary. He wasn't the biggest guy around, but the look in his brother's eyes told Severus very clearly he wasn't the type to give up or back down. He'd seen enough boxing matches over the years to know heart, the drive not to go down a loser, could be the difference maker in some matches.

"What do you want, kid?"

"I'm not a kid. I have completed my schooling and am gainfully employed."

The other man rolled his eyes, taking another pull from his beer.

"I just thought you should know. About our mother."

"I know now."

Severus didn't fault him for the … emotionless response. He'd been given up for adoption. Severus had not been. And, as he said, he'd just buried his best friend who died in a freak boxing incident.

The fact Rocky knew him, suggested their mother had told him about Severus. From her notes, they'd only met once. How would that feel, he wondered. Knowing he'd been given up and Severus had been kept? That likely would have been quite damaging. Why was Severus good enough but I wasn't?

It was not something he'd even considered until this moment.

"Your son is a wizard," Severus said. The silence between them was … uncomfortable. He wasn't sure what to say now that he was here. This, though, he should know his son was magical.

"Is he? You can tell that?" Rocky looked as if he doubted he could tell such a thing.

"I can," he said. "I can usually feel someone else's magic. He is not yet eleven, correct?"

"He'll be nine in November." So he had been right in his estimate of the child's age. Severus was actually kind of impressed by that.

"He should receive his letter in a couple of years then. He'll start Ilvermorny when he's eleven. If you have questions, I will leave my information so that you can contact me."

"Does it do that?"

"Does what do what?" Severus truly wasn't sure what the man was asking.

"I'm not magical, but he is?"

"Oh, yes. It can. I don't know if your father was magical, she didn't name him. So, if he was magical you would be what's known as a squib. I don't know if Americans call it something else. If he was a muggle, or No-Maj as they're called here in America, a non-magical person. It's not unusual for offspring to be one or the other."

"What do I tell him?"

"When he gets his letter, you can tell him that his biological grandmother was magical, and that he has an uncle who is as well."

Rocky nodded.

"Again, I will leave my contact information. The offer extends to him as well as you, and your wife of course, if you want assistance."

"I appreciate that."

"I will warn you. If you, or your son when he gets curious, gets to the point of looking things up about me. My past is not…"

His brother waved his hand. "We've all made bad decisions. It's what you're doing now that counts, Severus."

"How do you know the bad decisions are in my past?"

"You just told me they were. You said your past is not. I assume you were going to say very good. Maybe if I hadn't been this squib I wouldn't have gotten into trouble with my fists but in other ways." He shrugged. "You also wouldn't be here, offering to help my son if you were into bad things."

"How do you know that?" How could he say that with such confidence? He didn't even know him. He was a stranger. Sharing the same mother or not. For that matter, how did he even know he was who he claimed to be?

"We have the same mother, Severus. Our blood. My son is made up of that same blood. That matters. You wouldn't hurt your blood anymore than I would because we both were hurt by those we should have been able to trust. I want better for him, and not knowing how I felt about our mother, you came here to tell me she's passed. It was the respectful thing to do. You could have ignored the information you found and never told me. That tells me you're not here to bring badness to my family."

He supposed it did. He wished he had his half-brother's optimism. Severus was jaded, even at the age of twenty-five, an age most people would consider too young to be so. If the situation were reversed, and Rocky had paid him this visit, Severus would not have been so … accepting and welcoming.

"Where were you when me and our mother were being punished?"

"She gave me up, yo. I didn't know. You think I had it so good? You should see where I was living nine years ago. If it weren't for Adrian I'd probably still be there. I was content living in a slum apartment. I didn't get a hoity-toity magical education. I didn't get any education, Severus. Sure, I was adopted, but not by a family who gave a shit. Two people adopting someone doesn't automatically mean they're good people. I ran away. Was in and out of foster care so many times I can't even count. Always brought back to them eventually, where it was worse than the time before. It was safer on the street. So, I got good at not getting caught. And real good with my fists. So, yeah, you're right. I'm older, but was barely scraping by when you and our mother were being punished."

Severus had often wondered when he was older and out why he hadn't run away. Why he hadn't told someone what was happening in their home.

What his brother had just said was why.

He was afraid he'd be put somewhere worse. At least with his father there was the assurance of some good days. Or if he told, and he wasn't believed, the … punishments would escalate to where Severus or his mother couldn't tell the next time.

Rocky was right, Hogwarts was a privilege. Something this man, for whatever reason, didn't have the right to. He wished he knew how it worked. Genetics. He knew the term, but was not an expert on the subject by any means.

It would be interesting to find out where the difference was between him and his brother. Was it just their differing fathers that decided one was magical and one was not? Or was there something more at work?

He'd likely never know, and he was pretty much assured Albus would never let him tackle such a topic. He'd be afraid Severus wanted the knowledge for … dark purposes. Or that someone with dark purposes would take over Severus' research.

"I apologize," Severus said finally.

Rocky waved his hand dismissively.

"Sounds like we both have some baggage."

"You could say that," Severus said.

"I'm glad he has that."

"Who?" Severus said. He hated sounding confused.

"Robert. I'm glad he has something other than his fists to count on. I've worked real hard so he could do something else. He seems smart, obviously gets that from his mother."

"Oh," Severus said.

"I know many would think boxing isn't trying real hard, but I didn't have many other choices, you know? I worked for a loan shark for a while. I was no good at that. Put me in a boxing ring, and I will try to knock someone's lights out. My opponent is there with the same agenda. To put me down. Put me on the street, trying to get someone to pay up money they bet on something to someone else." He shrugged. "I'm not so good at busting kneecaps."

"Nor should you be, or sound upset that that is true."

Silence as they drank their muggle beer. For as nice as the house was, it was basic beer. Severus was sort of glad that was the case.

"Why did you come here today, Severus?"

"I don't know. I think at first I was shocked Mum hid something so … important from me all of my life. She always made it sound like just a happenstance that she met my father. It wasn't, though, she was disowned before she ever married Tobias Snape. I had no idea. So, I guess I was curious who you were. Who she gave the chance to have a better life with compared to keeping me in that cesspool that was our house."

"And now?"

He shrugged, finishing off his beer. "I don't know. I saw your house and assumed…"

"I can imagine."

"I really just wanted you to know that she died. She'd gone through the effort of finding out about you. She said you met once. She saw you fight a couple of times," Severus said.

"She did? She never told me that. We didn't talk often, less than four or five times. I knew who she was, knew your name. She wanted to tell me of her abilities once she read about Robert. She thought I needed to know. In case he was what you say he is."

"Yeah, you were in London for something. I'm sorry, I read so many articles and things going through her papers, I can't remember which one. It was the late seventies, though, I'm pretty sure."

"Yeah, I couldn't tell you which fights that might have been. I didn't meet her then. You were still at that school. Robert had just been born. So, January 1977, maybe. I didn't take her showing up too well."

"At least she was proud of one of us."

"Oh, Severus."

"No," he held up his hand. "I did some very disappointing mum-worthy things."

"Did she see that you changed courses?"

"I like to think so." Did she know? Severus had no idea. They never talked of such things. She'd seen his Dark Mark, living as a muggle or not, she had known what it meant. He knew how disappointed she was in him.

"Then she's proud of you, too, Severus. You're not even twenty-six, right? She said you were born in 1960. Yo, cut yourself a break. You can't dwell on what you did. You can't change those things. All you can do is ensure what you do from here on out is staying with where you're headed now. Keep your head held high. Nothing's promised any of us. We have to go for what we want. Sometimes we don't always know until it's too late that what we want is wrong."

Severus smirked a bit. It was probably the most … fatherly piece of advice he'd ever received. That it came from his half-brother he'd only just met wasn't lost on him.

"Thank you, and I am sorry about your friend. Apollo Creed, right?"

"Yeah," he said, and Severus could see that the man was really affected by the loss of his one time opponent who had become his mentor and friend. There were articles about the two of them in with his mother's things as well. He vaguely remembered their first fight. It was New Year's Day so he'd still been home. His dad wanted to watch it. He was at Hogwarts for the second so wouldn't have had any knowledge of it.

He wished, not for the first time, there had been positive articles for his mum to cut out of the newspaper about him. Nothing that had his name attached to it was anything she wanted to remember or brag about to her friends.

Rocky pulled another beer for each of them out of the refrigerator.

"Come sit down, Severus. Tell me about our mom. Robert's always asking about grandparents. Adrian's parents are both gone. I never met them; they've been gone for so long. My adoptive parents aren't in the picture. He'll be excited to have an uncle. No cousins?"

Severus knew he was blushing. He could feel it. How embarrassing. He'd thought maybe a year or so ago that he'd met a witch, but it had not been a fruitful endeavour. Albus did not want Severus involved with anyone. And, while nice enough, the witch wasn't someone who could hold his attention for overlong. So, Albus' wishes hadn't played a huge role in his decision not to pursue that avenue. There had to be someone out there who could hold a conversation with him about not just magic, but books and world events.

"Um, no."

"All right, well, something to take my mind off of Apollo is welcome."

Severus followed him then to a sitting area in the basement. Until now, they'd stood at a bar talking. Was this what it was like to have … friends? Family? You just sat and talked with someone? It was odd.

Why had he come here?

He wished he knew. Vindictiveness was certainly in play. He was sure that was part of it. He wanted to see how much better his brother had had it being given up.

And yet, likely he wouldn't be here if their mum hadn't given Rocky up. Single mothers in 1945 weren't accepted. She would have been shunned by more than just the Prince's. He imagined that was how she ended up here in America. She could be anonymous here, return home with no one the wiser she'd had a baby. She'd likely gotten his father's attention and thought it was better than living the rest of her life alone. Certainly, Tobias Snape would never have given her the time of day if he knew she'd had a child. (From her notes, she never told him. Severus couldn't blame her.)

Merlin, had she stayed with him because she thought she deserved it? Punishment for getting pregnant young and out of wedlock? For giving Rocky up?

These were things he'd never thought of until this very moment.

And she was gone. He'd never be able to ask.

"First," he said. "Tell me about Adrian." It was clear by the mentions of his wife, and the countless pictures of the two of them - together and separate, with and without the son - around the house that they were a love match.

"If you're looking for tips on how to get Robert cousins I'm afraid I can't help you. I still don't know how she ended up married to me. I didn't have a whole lot of experience with women and it showed. Somehow, we fit though. She's the best thing to ever happen to me. I know she doesn't like that I fight, but she realizes for right now it's what I need to do. I'm still deciding if I will again or not. She had some difficulties. With Robert Junior, I mean. We never could have another one." He held up his hand, pointed at the palm and his forearm. He saw tears in his brother's eyes. "He basically fit right there. A month premature because she'd been working when she shouldn't have been. I've never felt more responsibility and hopelessness at the same time than when I saw her holding him for the first time." He leaned toward Severus, setting his hands back down. "I probably would have been able to bust kneecaps, but I'm glad I don't have to."

Severus couldn't help but smile a bit at that. It wasn't a feeling he knew or was at all familiar with. Yes, Lucius was … proud of Draco, but he was quite sure he'd never talk wistfully about his birth as Rocky had just done. And he was more than quite sure Lucius would never entertain the idea of having to bust kneecaps in order to keep food on the table for Narcissa and Draco.

Not without a death eater's mask over his face anyway.

He'd been angry when he found the paperwork of a life before him, before his father even. He'd come here … He wasn't sure what he came here for exactly. Angry over the past few years: Voldemort, Lily, the Marauders. Someone, finally, to lash out at. Someone who'd escaped the Snape household and hadn't been privy to his … embarrassment and grave mistake.

That wasn't what he'd found, though. Obviously, yes, it was. He hadn't grown up with him, so he had escaped, but still had his own issues. He supposed that was the way it was for everyone.

He wasn't sure he was ready to talk about their mother, but he was ready to listen and hear what this man who was half his mother, too, had to say.

If this man could learn to hold his head up, be proud because of his past not in spite of it, surely Severus could, too.

~The End~

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com