Severus barely registered what he saw. His eyes were still adjusting to the dim light of his lumos. His mind refused to believe the sight before him. He could not be staring at the lifeless, bloodied, broken body of Potter. He could not be smelling the foul metallic odor of the boy's life blood. The child he had sworn to protect could not be dead, it was inconceivable.

Flicking his wand at two nearby torches, he watched as they brightened the corridor. Now the grotesque form was painfully clear to see. The Gryffindor was painted red from his head to his toes, pooling around him. His face, what was not covered in blood paled whiter than the snow outside. The small First Year's limbs stretched out unnaturally backwards. All of this was terrifying to the Potions-Master, but more horrifying was his neck and back. Potter's neck hung limply to the left and his back was wrenched.

Severus swore when Ha-Potters' face colored a deep purple, evidence of a struggle to get oxygen. He grabbed the child's wrist with one hand, the other he placed a mere centimeter above the eleven year-old's mouth. Sighing in relieve, he was glad to feel the faint stream of air and the thump-thump of the boy's heart. Both were weak, but nonetheless, present.

The Head of Slytherin didn't waste any more time before he aimed his wand and muttered a hurried Expecto Patronum. As the spell needed a happy memory to activate upon, he had half expected the incantation to fail for him. To his relief, the long ago memory of a better time with a young redheaded girl worked its magic. A wispy, silvery majestic doe appeared. "Go to Poppy, Albus, and Minerva, tell them that Potter fell from the stairwell and is critically injured!" He ordered the doe and it raced gracefully from the corridor. He reached into one of his massive pockets and retrieved a vial with a frothy aqua liquid inside.

As a Potions Master, he was used to carrying certain vials on his person. Working at a school, a magical one at that, a person could never be too cautious, so he always kept life-sustaining potions within easy reach. He knew that Potter was in no shape to swallow the Breath of Life Elixir he had selected, so he spelled it into the boy's stomach. The boy would soon be doped on all sorts of potions, but that was the best he could do at the moment.

Harry desperately needed a Blood Replenisher, but first he would have to have the injuries sealed. Peering closer, Snape realized that the unconscious preteen was trembling in a shiver. Not wanting the raven-haired child to go into shock, Severus tore off his black outer robe and arranged it carefully around the child. Now all he could do was wait. He did not dare try and move the child to the Hospital Wing. Though he was thoroughly competent in his magic, one slip up and Potter would die. No, he would wait until Madam Pomfrey could assist.

He did not have to wait long as his keen ears picked up on the faint sound of shoes pounding the stone floor. Three sets of feet click-clumped from various directions, each growing louder by the millisecond. After what seemed like hours but in reality was only minutes the pounding stopped only to be replaced with frantic voices.

"Oh Merlin! How did this-?"

"Minerva, get Filius and seal off the staircase. Have him charm them to only allow admittance in case of emergency. Be sure to spell the stairs' history so we can view the incident."

"Quiet! All that and more we can do, but first, I have to get Mr. Potter to the Hospital Wing. Severus come along and you can assist me." Finally the voice of Poppy broke through the Gryffindor Head and the esteemed Headmaster.

Severus could not been more relieved. He did not care what the other two did as long as the student he had been charged with protecting did not die. He still did not like the boy but no one, not even a cheeky brat deserved the fate that might become him.

Three quick spells later, Poppy was immobilizing and levitating an unconscious Boy-who-lived onto a stretcher and sending it to the infirmary. Severus jogged along side, keeping his hand on the child's wrist, ensuring his heartbeat. The child's rapidly bluing face concerned him, and he once again placed a slightly shaky palm above Potter's mouth. He kept the other palm on the Gryffindor's wrist. No little puff of air tickled his skin. Severus stilled and swore. "Poppy!"

The Mediwitch turned to the sound of the Potions Master's voice, opening her mouth and closing it almost instantly. Severus paid her no more attention as he resorted to muggle methods, as the Breath of Life Elixir seemed to have no remaining effect on the child. First, he removed the robe he had placed on Harry. He leaned over the child, noticing that Poppy had stilled the stretcher and Severus lowered it to the hard surface of the ground. Remembering what he had learned in a CPR class, asked the child a pointless, "Harry, can you hear me?" Of course he had not expected a response nor did he receive one.

The Potions Master, mindful of Potter's probable neck injury, placed his fingers on either side of the boy's jaw line, forcing his mouth to open. The child's tongue flattened against the root of his mouth and his airway opened. Poppy stood beside him with her wand out, prepared in case of further injury. Though she was the certified Mediwitch, when it came to muggle procedures, it seemed to Severus that she often bowed to his skills.

Snape took a deep breath, and cupped his hands around the boy's mouth. Quickly, Severus leaned further down so that his face connected with the cup of his hands. He counted in his head as he delivered one, then two deep breaths.

Poppy counted aloud as she placed one of her hands over the other and pushed on the slight eleven year old's chest. Severus waited as the witch sped through thirty deep chest compressions. The raven-haired teacher checked to see if the ministrations had helped and still felt no sign of life.

Swearing again, he jerked his head in the negative to signal to Poppy that they would have to try again. He had not lost a child in a long time, and he was not about to let it happen now! Taking the necessary preliminary breaths, he once again forced oxygen into the student's lungs. The Gryffindor's chest rose and fell with both of the Head Slytherin's attempts to force oxygen into his chest. Beads of sweat, born from worry, not the activity, lined Severus' head as he watched Poppy lightly pound the boy's chest over his heart.

After the small wait, Severus confirmed the flat-line diagnosis of the boy. Once again he tried to breathe life into the boy, pleading that the child be shown mercy. He rocked on his heels, waiting for Poppy to finish a third round.

The stoic man allowed his calm façade to crumble slightly as he watched the Matron attempt to save the boy. He could almost feel the tug, a plea from someone long dead to save her son.

Not Harry, please not him!

His more...intense colleagues had laughed themselves drunk telling the tale of poor Lily Potter and her precious baby. Snape had been a new spy by then and even if Lily had not been his best friend, he would have still been sick.

Oh Lily, I'm trying really hard to save your son!

For the child was Lily's not just Potter's as much as the dour professor tried to convince himself. No child should die, especially a boy whose mother had and still did, mean the world to Severus.

With that thought locked in his mind, he checked the boy again. A slight, faint breath met his palm. When Severus slid his hand over the Gryffindor's wrist, the unsteady thump-thump of his pulse beat in stark contrast to his own racing heart. Though both signs of life were weak, Severus could not have been more ecstatic. Lily's son was still with them! It was up to Severus and Poppy to make sure the child stayed alive.

"He's back. Hurry now!" He barked at the Mediwitch who began to levitate Harry to the Hospital Wing again.

Bursting into the sterile white wing, the pair wasted no time in situating the pre-teen onto a firm bed. A whispered spell from Poppy had the boy relieved of his blood-soaked clothes. After a barked Scourgify to rid the boy of the dried crimson bodily fluid, both professors prepared to get to work on the child.

Wands at the ready, they both stilled at the sight of various long scars that seemed to be years old adorning the child's stomach and chest. Before he could stop himself, Severus fingered one of the dull red scars, wincing at the thought of what must have caused them. Snapping himself out of the past, he glanced at Poppy and once again leveled his wand at the boy.

A moment later the Mediwitch's voice broke through his concentration. "I've sealed his open cuts, but he desperately needs a blood replenisher."

Severus nearly snorted as the exhausted looking witch stated the obvious. He had guessed the child would need as much as soon as he saw the boy. Without missing another moment of valuable healing time, the Professor went on with his diagnosis spells, aware that Poppy was completing other diagnostics.

"Severus." Sighing he once again looked up. "Go in the student file cabinet and check for Mr. Potter's blood type, allergies, in fact, just bring his whole file. The password is Aegroto.

Leaving Poppy, he crossed the room and stepped into Poppy's office. Severus uttered the Latin phrase and watched as the enormous oak wood filing cabinet opened with a series of clicks. Not wanting to use precious time trying to find the boy's file, he instead brandished his wand and uttered, "Accio Harry Potter's file!"

A rustling noise, as if the file was fighting its way through a large crowd, and then the file was in the man's potion-stained hands. He briskly walked into the main room of the Hospital Wing, thumbing through the Gryffindor's file. To his surprise, though all the necessary files were physically in the folder, none were completely, if at all, filled to completion. Not having come across the sheet with Potter's-no Lily's son-blood type listed, he searched for it even as he rejoined Poppy. After an intense moment of looking for it, he finally spied the form.

Blood Type____________

The Potions Master swore. Why of all questions did that have to be one of them that was not answered? He could not give the child any Blood Replenisher until they knew for certain what type of blood the child had. Though it was a potion, it was based on blood and like any transfusion, deadly results could occur if someone was given the wrong type.

Of course, a potion with the blood type O could be administered to any patient as it was tolerated well by other blood types. This fact was only useful in the event that O blood was available. With its popularity in healing, the Wizarding Blood Bank was often depleted of such blood.

Before he voiced his concern, he once again turned and walked away from the frail boy and the frazzled witch. He stopped at a cabinet that he knew quite well, as he was the person who had to refill the stores throughout the year.

Medicamentum, he snapped as the cabinet's doors practically flew open at the sound of the Professor's voice. Once again he thanked himself for being a rather organized wizard and having everything alphabetized. Locating the selection of Blood Replenisher, his concerns were confirmed at the lack of O-based potions. Swearing for the third or fourth time that day, he mentally cursed Poppy for not having informed him of the lack of potions. How was he supposed to refill them if he did not know they were gone?

The tall Professor pinched his nose and strode to the floo. After he took some of the shiny green floo powder, he kneeled to the ground and stuck his head in. "St. Mungos' Wizarding Blood Bank!" Deftly he noticed a figure in a pale green robe approach him.

"Yes, how may I help you? Oh hello Severus. Is everything all right at the school?" Severus nearly smiled with relief. It was Healer Hanson, an Order member.

"Not quite so, I fear. We have a student that is in desperate need of a Blood Replenisher, but we do not have any O-based potions, and we don't know what his blood type is. We are going to check him, but he is in a rather critical condition. I was hoping that your stores would not be as depleted as ours?"

Severus did not need to be a master spy or legilimens to read the regret on the other man's face. "Ay, I wish that were true, but the crux of the matter is that, despite our numerous wards, we were robbed the other night. Seems a bunch of vampires stormed the place and drank up our stocks. I suppose that is one of the drawbacks to all the new vampire rules. They get hungry and not having anywhere else to...um...get fed, use what's available. We're still trying to replace the blood. It's slow coming though. Wizards and witches are like muggles in that regard. Few want to donate, but many need our service. Too bad there isn't a better way to draw blood, a bunch of pussycats people are when it comes to needles! Why just the other day-"

"Yes, thank you for your time and I hope that the vampires in question will get their due," Severus interrupted. Time was of the essence, and he could not afford to have idle chitchat with anyone, not even with one of the few wizards that Snape got along with. He pulled himself out of the floo and with a flick of his hand, his robes were spotless.

"Poppy, we're going to have to test his blood!" Severus removed the muggle medical kit and prepared to get the necessary syringes and vials. He had really hoped that it would not come to this. Testing blood types was not a procedure that was done quickly, for magic did not seem to work on deciphering blood.

"Why, Severus? " Poppy looked up confused. The Potions Master quickly briefed her on the situation as he washed his hands. Still a moment later, her eyes bore into his. Now Severus was the one confused.

"What is it that you need?" Severus bit out, annoyed at being stared at as if he was a fool. If there was one feeling that he detested the most it was that others were having their kicks at his expense.

"Severus. There is one staff member who could donate to Harry and not have to worry about it being the wrong blood type." Poppy pointed out, her eyes still locked onto his.

"And who is this mystery person, I might ask?" Snape was in no mood for mind games. The sooner they could get this person, the sooner they could proceed with Po-no Harry.

"You. You have O blood. We can quickly scan your blood to make sure you haven't gotten any undetected illnesses and then set up the transfusion. I'm thinking it might be best to go ahead and perform a muggle transfusion and then later administer a blood replenisher. Mr. Potter does not have the time that making a potion requires. That is, if you are willing." The last bit the Mediwitch ground out in a threatening voice as if daring him to decline to be the donor.

Severus stood shocked. How could he have forgotten his fail-safe! He must be in more stressed than he previously acknowledged himself to be in to forget his own blood type. He was not about to decline Poppy's "request." Even if his opinion of the boy-Lily's child had not been changing, he knew that to deny the blood would ultimately be denying the child a longer life. No, he would cooperate with ease.

"As you wish." He drawled, not quite wanting Poppy to see that he was not being his normal snarky self.

He stood by Poppy as she waved her wand in intricate circles around the boy. Without asking, the Slytherin knew she had been casting some sort of human statis spell that would allow the boy to exist for a short time without medical intervention. Snape had barely any time to react as the witch suddenly turned and levitated him onto a bed.

"Poppy, was that really necessary?" Snape asked as a nearby tray with an armrest flew at him. An invisible spell stuck his right arm onto the platform and the bed tilted back in preparation of the unpleasant feeling of blood loss. "I'm not a student!"

"That may be so, Severus, but you and that boy rival each other in the worst Hospital Wing behavior. When that needle hits your skin, you are officially my patient and you will do as I say starting now!" The witch stated matter-of-fact with no small amount of threat lacing her words. "I realize that I'm not as skilled as you are in muggle medicinal efforts, but I will have to do."

With that as her final words on the matter, she took a cotton ball drenched in alcohol and rubbed it on the inside of the Professor's forearm, near his elbow. Snape forced himself to look away. It was not as if he was scared per se of needles, but he did not have to like them either. Occluding to relax, he barely felt the needle as it slid into a vein. Clamping his shields down, he barely heard the nurse as she informed him that the procedure would take fifteen to thirty minutes.

Finally, the minutes ticked by and the witch removed the tubes that had connected Severus to the donation bags. He swung his feet off the bed and attempted to stand up. The nurse quickly squelched that idea.

"Severus Snape, you will sit here until some color returns to your face and you don't feel nauseous! Get up again without my expressed permission and you will find yourself on the business side of my wand!" With that, the nurse turned and took the blood to her office. A moment later a cup of orange juice and a small tray of peanut butter crackers flew beside Severus. Not feeling well, he gratefully took a sip of the juice and a few crackers, alternating between the two every few minutes.

True to her word, the school matron returned a short time later with news that his blood was fine to give to Harry. By this time, Snape felt completely better and he was allowed to get up. They moved back to the boy and Severus retrieved clean tubes and a needle. He hooked it up in the manner he had practiced many times in the past. Watching Poppy nod, he cleaned the injection site with alcohol and as gently as he could, pierced the eleven year old's skin.

Both of the professors watched Harry for a moment, feeling relieved as the child's skin pinkened with time. By the time the transfusion was complete, the boy's skin was nearly normal in color. They could now focus on the other urgent maladies of the Gryffindor.

Taking the time to read the results of the earlier diagnosis spells, both professors were sent into a cold shock. Few people, magical or muggle, rarely survived the type of injuries the small student boasted. Along with breaking both of his arms and shattering a leg while fracturing the other, Potter's injuries included severe injuries in both his back and neck. Severus had suspected as much, but had hoped that he was wrong. It seemed very little was going the right way. Harry's lower vertebra in his back was snapped and a smaller vertebra in his neck was also broken, twisted around another bone in a ninety-degree angle. One wrong move, and that bone would break as well.

People with these types of injuries typically didn't survive their accident, but if anyone could beat the odds, it would be Potter. Harry had survived the foulest curse as a mere baby; Severus would not allow the child to die from a common accident. Of course, even if, no WHEN, the child survived, he might have some lasting...effects, but neither the Potions Master nor the Mediwitch spoke of them. To speak of them could bring a curse upon them.

Harry would need intensive magical surgery. Skelegrow would be of no use, it did not work on essential and intricate bones as it bore the risk of either misshaping them or hurting bones around the injury. Typically this surgery would be done at St. Mungos, but neither adult quite trusted the place for the Boy Who Lived. So it was up to them.

Severus took a vial of liquid Deep Sleep and spelled it into the child's stomach. Once the boy awoke, there would be issues of probable stomach upset as the potion was ideally administered in vaporous form but that was not an option. In any case, a sour stomach could easily be dealt with through the aid of a stomach elixir.

Once Poppy issued a spell that would keep track of the Gryffindor's vitals, the pair of adults worked on casting gentle spells that would reset the bones. After a slow couple of hours of work, the mending was complete. They cast simultaneous holding spells that would react such as the muggle invention of metal. The spells wound themselves around the fragile bones, keeping them in place with a locking charm.

Despite magic, the whole ordeal still took another two hours, bringing the total operation time to four agonizing hours. It was still to be seen if the injuries had left any...undesirable effects. Harry would have to be awake and alert for those tests.

While they waited for the boy to come out from under the Deep Sleep's effects, Severus paced, lost in his thoughts. He noticed Poppy writing a letter of a piece of official parchment.

As if prompted, she spoke. "I'm writing to Mr. Potter's family. They ought to know about their nephew." She continued in her task even as Severus frowned at her.

"Are you certain that's a wise road to take, Poppy? From the evidence on his back, it does not seem as if they care about him at all," Snape spat out, his words dry enough to cut ice.

"Well Severus, we aren't exactly sure, though it is probably them," she continued at his incredulous glare, "where they came from. It's my duty to inform them." She finished her missive and sealed it with the Hogwarts Crest. A call for Nathaniel brought her owl to her. The animal eagerly took the letter and flew away with instructions to find Harry's relatives and bring back their reply.

With that deed done, Severus glanced back at the son of his precious Lily. Instinctively without thinking about it, he grabbed Potter's right hand. He almost dropped it in surprise at how cold it seemed. This would not do at all, Pot-no Harry, he corrected himself had to stay warm. Frowning in contemplation, he took a couple of new hankies from his pocket and transfigured them into a pair of emerald green mittens.

Harry had seemed rather attached to his lost mittens and after all it was Christmas morning, however early it may be. He gingerly slid them onto the boy's thin hands. There, that was better. There was still something familiar about Harry's old mittens, but as he not had a decent sleep in several days, had not been able to place it. There would be time in the future though and Snape would figure out the puzzle. Recalling how the Granger girl had reacted, perhaps she would be the key, but that was for later. First, Harry had to be out of the woods, so to speak.

A few minutes later, Severus was not surprised when Minerva waltzed into the room. "We've sealed the stairwell and Albus is doing some other duties at the moment. All the children that are staying here for the Christmas holiday are in their beds sleeping peacefully. Well, almost all of them." Despite the gravity of the situation, Minerva gave a small laugh, causing the other adults in the wing to look at her in question.

"Apparently someone decided that Ronald Weasley should be under the Petrificus Totalus hex, a variant actually as the only person who can undo the spell is the caster. And I don't know who that was. I have my ideas but no proof. I'm sorry to say but whoever did that, probably had good reason to. He does seem to be quite the handful."

If he was not so wrung out, Severus would have cracked a smile. The Head of Gryffindor acknowledging the help that retribution can sometimes bring was priceless.

Snape allowed himself to finally think about his change of heart about the Gryffindor. It was hard to hate a boy who in reality had not done anything to him. The child was suffering too much for a petty grudge that existed with the boy's father, the father who had died ten years ago. A stupid grudge.

Minerva soon left, claiming some unfinished business and once again Poppy and Severus were alone with Potter. Madam Pomfrey headed into her office to begin to write up Harry's latest injuries. Each student and staff file had to be up-to-date. Soon it was just Potter and he. Severus held onto the small hand, trying desperately to give strength to the child. A minute went by and then two and then three. Finally, after about four hours the smallest noise entered Severus' ears.

A soft groan emerged from the still being in front of him. "Come on Harry, that's it, open your eyes." Severus whispered, squeezing the child's hands harder. A moment passed and then the familiar emerald eyes slowly opened, acting as if he were trying to lift some heavy stone instead of mere lids. Severus faintly wondered at the peculiar sight of a child who could only move his eyes. It was a sickening scene, one he hoped he would never see again.

"Harry?"

"Pro'er Snape?" Harry groggily answered.

"Yes, it is I. Don't try to move at all. Do you know where you are?" Severus noticed the boy slanting his eyes and quickly the professor slid the child's glasses on for him.

"Hospit'l ‘ing?" Harry slurred as he looked up at the ceiling, the only place he could see without moving. "Pro'er , my sto'ach hurts." Snape was ready with a vial and as he had done before, pointed his wand first at the bottle and then at the child's stomach.

"It's a stomach draught; you'll feel better soon." The Head of Slytherin again proved how perceptive he could be as he correctly read the confusion on the Gryffindor's face. Nodding to himself, he flicked his wand and the familiar doe sped to the office door. Get Poppy, Harry's awake, he demanded and the doe leapt to obey. Less than thirty seconds later, the nurse came running out of her office.

"Mr. Potter, it's nice to see you awake! How do you feel?"

"I ‘eel ok, sore bu' ok." Harry's speech was not back to normal but Severus knew that the effects of the Deep Sleep potion could be long lasting. He stole a look at Poppy. It was time to perform the other tests. Severus hoped that the child would do much better on these tests than the ones that he normally gave in class. These exams were more important than potions.

"Splendid Mr. Potter. Professor Snape and I have to do a couple of...examinations before we can answer your questions that you undoubtedly have in your head. I need you to simply tell me what you feel when I do certain tests. First though look at your professor."

She took out a little hammer-like device and while Severus attempted to keep Harry from noticing what the Mediwitch was doing, he himself watched as she tapped his knees and waited. No jerk, no response to even show he felt it. The two frowned and Poppy removed a large needle and pricked his feet in different places. Still the boy seemed to remain oblivious to the pain. Though Severus noticed that the witch started to look manic with worry, she was able to keep simply testing and retesting. He noticed her wand waving in patterns and her deep-set frowns. Finally, she stopped and rubbed at her eyes. She motioned a finger at the office and Severus stood up.

"Harry...I have to go talk with Madam Pomfrey but we will both be back." He assured the preteen. He turned to go but instead heard a soft cough.

"Sir..why are ‘ou bein' so nice a me?" Harry ground out in confusion.

"I was wrong." Severus simply replied as he rubbed the child's hair out of his face and went and joined Poppy.

"Severus, what are we going to do? He did not feel anything!" Poppy cried out after casting the necessary silencing wards. She shook, looking like Severus felt; barely composed. He forced himself to keep a positive attitude.

"We keep calm is what we do. Harry does not need adults who are scared out of their minds. Perhaps it is temporary, perhaps it is permanent. We cannot do anything more for him at the moment except alleviate his fears." Severus replied, sounding surer than he felt. The day had been far too long and the recent events were too much to handle.

How would Harry cope when he realized he was paralyzed?