Dumbledore stared into the fire while contemplating what to do next. He could go there but no...the aurors had even said it was a pile of rubble. He had to talk to Severus. He just hoped the man was near. "Snape Manor," he called into the fire. The flames swirled around, and then he saw knew he had connected. "Severus, Severus, are you there?"

Snape was brought out of his deep thought by the voice of Albus Dumbledore. He looked all around but then he realized it was coming through the fire. He stuck his head close to the flame and saw the headmaster. "Headmaster," he said trying to keep his facade.

"What has happened Severus?"

"We got trapped here. It is a long story but we can't get out. Potter's wards are different, and I can't do anything about it. Also, we need Madame Pomfrey. Get us out of here Albus," Snape growled uncontrollably.

“Are you injured?” Dumbledore asked.

“Not me, Potter.”

“So, Harry is there with you. Is he all right?”

“I just told you he wasn’t. He was injured in the attack.”

“Of course.” Dumbledore looked away from the fire. “Tonks, will you please contact Madam Pomfrey?”

“Can’t you just send over some floo powder so we can come there? I think Potter is going to need the use of the supplies in the Hospital wing if not St. Mungo’s.”

“May I come through?” Dumbledore asked. “I’ll bring some floo powder, and we can return together.”

“By all means, Headmaster.” Not like you usually ask, he thought. “But please hurry. Mr. Potter isn’t getting any better as we wait.”

Dumbledore waited as Severus got out of the way, and he grabbed the floo powder vase. He threw some in and said the necessary words. He felt himself being swerved around with the normal feeling of traveling but then he found himself jerk back and fall onto his office floor right outside of the fireplace.

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked the people in the room. The floo powder had spilled out of the vase and all over the floor.

Severus watched as he saw Dumbledore bounce of the wards and the he saw his head in the fireplace once again. "It didn't work," Dumbledore told him.

“I saw you bounce off the wards. Whatever is keeping us in is obviously keeping you out.”

“I see,” Dumbledore said.

“Of course you do,” Snape said getting very irritated at this point. “And what are we going to do about it?” He sneaked a glance back at Potter who was still unconscious but not looking any better.

“Well, Madame Pomfrey is on her way. Perhaps, you can tell her Mr. Potter’s symptoms, and she can advise you to his care.”

Five minutes later Snape saw Madame Pomfrey's head in the fireplace.

"What is the problem Severus?" She asked worriedly.

"It's Potter. Something crushed his leg and his arm is at an odd angle. His leg looks pretty bad. I stopped the bleeding, but it is only temporary. My wand is chipped. I can do very little, and I am terrible at diagnosing," Snape explained.

"I will have to see the leg somehow, but it doesn't sound good. It might get an infection. We have to do something before that happens. If your wand is chipped, then you can't do anything for his arm except bandage it up. Check to see if it is dislocated. You will be able to tell."

Snape picked up the boy’s arm as gently as he could holding it with both hands. It looked like a clean break to him, but he couldn’t be sure.

“It just looks broken,” Snape said. Then Snape heard a groan, and the arm slipped slowly from his hands. Potter was rolling over. Snape watched in slow motion as Harry’s arm fell to the ground.

The sound of the arm smacking the ground was overpowered by Harry’s scream.

Pain was the only thing that Harry knew. His body throbbed, and he wasn’t sure which part hurt the most.

“Mr. Potter lay still. You’ll only aggravate your injuries.”

Harry moaned in agony. He didn't know where he was, or why he was in so much pain. He wanted to open his eyes and say something, but he couldn't.

"Mr. Potter, I am just going to see what your injuries are but you have to lie still. Pomfrey, it isn't dislocated," he called into the fireplace.

"I have to see his leg Severus," she reminded him.

Snape remembered that he still had the power to levitate, so he said the spell and brought Harry closer to the fire. He unwrapped the bandage but immediately knew that was a mistake as it started bleeding once again.

“Oh dear,” Madam Pomfrey said. “Yes, keep that bandage on for now. I wish I could see how his circulation is doing. Look at his toes.”

“They’re very dark,” Snape said.

“Oh dear,” she repeated. “This isn’t good, but I need to know for sure. Ask Harry if he can feel you touching his leg?”

Professor Snape turned to Harry and felt Harry's leg with three fingers. "Can you feel this?"

Harry was shocked to realize he could feel nothing..... He shook his head lightly because he couldn't manage to speak.

Snape hid his worry. "He cannot feel it," he said back into the fire

“Okay, put your hand behind his knee. Say ‘adriaa’. Do you feel the pulse?”

Snape did as he was told. “I feel a faint pulse on his upper leg but I lose it below the knee.”

“This isn’t good,” Madam Pomfrey said.

“WHAT isn’t good?” Harry demanded. Then he groaned as if even his own voice caused him pain.

“Point your wand at his calf and say ‘necro’,” Madam Pomfrey said.

“Necro,” Snape said pointing is wand at the boy’s leg. The entire calf turned black.

“Oh dear,” Madam Pomfrey said. “That tissue is dying. I’m not sure if it could even be healed if he were all ready at St. Mungo’s.”

Harry shot up into a sitting position but immediately regretted it. "Ouch," he moaned and lay back down. "What is going on?" He forced out of his mouth however painful it was.

"There is one more test we can do," Madame Pomfrey said with discomfort in her tone.

"What is that?" Snape asked,

"Point your wand at it and say 'fellio'," She told him.

Snape did that but nothing happened. "My wand is limited Pompfrey," Snape reminded her.

"Oh dear....this is a problem."

"Well what are we to do?"

"It will have to be removed," She said simply but with something above dread in her speech.

“What has to be removed?” Harry asked.

“I’m sorry dear, but the trauma caused to your leg was too great,” Madame Pomfrey said addressing Harry directly for the first time. “With the supplies available to you, there is nothing we can do.”

“What do you mean nothing? You’re not going to heal it? What about all your magic and stuff? Isn’t that good for anything?”

“Magic can not cure everything, Potter,” Snape said. Harry actually looked shocked. Magic could always fix everything or most things at least... That’s why it was magic. The only thing it couldn’t fix was Sirius. But Sirius was dead.

“It’s just a broken bone,” Harry insisted. “I’m not going to die.”

“Of course not, Potter.”

“Then what?”

“Your leg Potter. It is damaged far beyond what a simple bone mending potion could fix, and I don’t even have one of those,” Snape said.

”But if you had that stuff, potions and medical equipment. You could fix it. You just don’t want to wait, do you? You’d like to see me at a permanent disadvantage.”

"Potter, don't be daft. There is nothing we can do. We don't know how long we will be in here!" He hissed.

"YOU ARE NOT CHOPPING OFF MY LEG!" Harry bellowed but ended up having a coughing fit.

"There is nothing else we can do Mr. Potter. I am so sorry but your leg is useless."

Harry finished coughing and croaked, "Useless?"

What would Harry do without his leg? He wouldn't be able to walk unless...he would have to get a wooden leg! Next thing everyone would be calling him...Mad Leg Potter! How could he fight Voldemort with A WOODEN LEG? Harry started to hyperventilate uncontrollably which only added to the pain. He held back the tears that wanted to course down his face.

“Potter, you need to calm yourself. Yelling isn’t going to change anything,” Snape said.

“Well, you two are talking about me like I’m not even here! You can’t make this decision for me. I don’t want you doing anything to me,” Harry said.

“Poppy, I need a number 7 calming potion. I don’t carry that kind of potion with me. We need for Mr. Potter to calm down before we can do anything. I know I just made a stock of that for you. I just wish I had it here.”

"I don't think there is anyway for it to get to you. The wards seem to react in an odd manner. Albus, what do we do?" She asked.

Snape heard Dumbledore say, "Fawkes will be able to take it. We can send him through the fireplace. He will get there."

"Albus, are you sure?" Poppy asked.

"I am positive. Please go fetch the potion, and I will call for Fawkes." Dumbledore whistled and soon the cooing of the phoenix could be heard. Madame Pomfrey came back with the potion in hand. She gave it to Dumbledore who then gave it to Fawkes. "Go Fawkes. Go to Severus and Harry. They need it."

"How about a wand while you’re at it?" Severus asked.

"Severus, you know very well know that you can only use your wand. The wards will also block other magic."

"Besides the bird’s?" Snape questioned, and Albus nodded.

“I don’t need a calming potion,” Harry demanded.

“You do Potter. You’ve had a lot of stress in a short period of time. You should be feeling a lot of pain, but you don’t seem to be. I think you’re going into shock.”

Harry growled, but he didn’t answer.

A soft wisp of wind fluttered through the fire, and the brilliant red Phoenix appeared. Snape took the package from the bird’s leg and waited for the bird to leave, but he didn’t. He just perched on the mantle and waited.

Okay, the bird is staying, Severus realized. I hope she doesn’t expect any food. Snape unwrapped the package and found two potion bottles. He took the first, labeled potion no.7, and brought it over to Potter for the boy to drink, but when Potter saw it he immediately turned his head away.

"No!" Harry insisted.

"Potter, this is a calming draught. It would be best if you took it. You will feel better." Harry wouldn't give up, and he shook his head as best as he could.

Snape decided to get the injured boy to drink it in a moment as he turned back to the fireplace where he could see the medi-witch’s head. "Now, how am I supposed to do this anyway? My wand doesn't work properly."

Harry cut in. "You are not doing anything!" Harry realized he was being childish, but he no longer cared.

Madame Pomfrey ignored him as she relayed Dumbledore's message to Snape. "Fawkes might be able to help."

With that said, the phoenix flew over to Harry and started to trill loudly. Harry was amazed to see that he could understand what he was saying.

“I can help you wizard child.”

“I am NOT a child.”

“You are still a hatchling to me. I can help you. Just let the other man do what he needs to, and I can help you heal.”

“He doesn’t NEED to do ANYTHING.”

“He needs to wizard child. It’s the only way for you to heal.”

“No, you’re wrong! I just need to get to a hospital. Even Muggles would be able to help me.”

“Mr. Potter what is he telling you?” Professor Snape asked.

“Er...nothing...he’s just saying the he’s sorry that there’s nothing he can do. The best thing is just to wait I guess...”

“Really, Mr. Potter?” Snape looked carefully into Harry’s eyes and listened as Harry recounted the conversation with the bird to himself. Snape kept quiet; he didn’t want Harry to know what he knew, and he knew that with Fawkes help he would be able to perform the operation.

“Very well, Mr. Potter. I want you to take this potion, though. It will at least take the edge off your pain,” Snape said.

Harry was about to protest but then he heard Fawkes again.

"Take the potion young wizard. It is for the best."

Harry finally nodded and let Snape give him the potion. Harry drank it slowly, and when he was finished his eyes began to droop and feel heavy. Then in shock he realized-

"This is sleeping potion!" He sputtered madly.

Snape said nothing. He waited for the boy to fall asleep. When he did, the procedure would begin.