"HELP HIM!" Harry Potter cried as he dropped a body onto the nearest hospital bed before disapparating. Kate momentarily forgot her professionalism as terror seized her. Several of her friends had gone to join the battle being waged at Hogwarts and the panic that had shone in Potter's eyes did not bode well for her friends well-being. Taking a deep breath she regained her composure and advanced toward the patient bearing her well-practised smile of reassurance. She couldn't refrain from gasping however when she neared the body and saw that Severus Snape lay on the bed bleeding profusely from wounds on his neck. Acting quickly, she cast a spell to stem the bleeding then used a tergeo charm to siphon away the remaining blood. Seeing the puncture wounds she called out, "I'm going to need to run some tests to check for poisoning. These appear to be snake bites."
"No," her boss Malcolm said.
"What?" Kate asked in confusion. "How can you tell that the snake wasn't poisonous?"
"You misunderstand me," Malcolm replied coldly. "We will not treat him because there are several other battle victims who have been brought in and I will not waste valuable resources treating a Death Eater."
"But sir," Kate protested. "He is a patient and it is our responsibility as Healers to treat all of our patients without judgement."
"That may be so, but I don't think anyone would disagree with me over this call." Malcolm sneered.
Drawing up her courage, Kate boldly replied, "With all due respect sir, I disagree. Not only because Harry Potter himself brought us this patient, indicating that he must be good, but because as a Healer I will not simply stand by and watch a patient die. It is my duty to care for whoever is entrusted to my care regardless of my personal feelings and that is what I intend to do. The courts can decide his fate. Until then, I will do everything I can to ensure that he lives to hear their verdict."
Malcolm seemed temporarily at a loss for words as he sized her up. When he finally spoke it was to say, "Fine."
Kate worked to remain expressionless, first fighting to hide her triumph then her shock and anger when Malcolm continued.
"You can heal him but it will be at the expense of your job. I won't have defiance or sympathy for Death Eaters be qualities possessed by my staff."
A barrage of emotions washed over Kate as she struggled to decide what to do. She had worked her rear end off for years, first to pass all of her courses then to complete her training as well as to secure this job and slowly rise up through the ranks from trainee to assistant and now to full Healer. One word from her and it would all be for nothing; the fruit of her labour gone. Casting a glance at the limp form of Severus Snape, she was reminded that it wouldn't be for nothing. She would be saving a man's life. Wasn't that why she had become a Healer in the first place? Sometimes the job of a Healer entailed making extremely difficult decisions and personal sacrifice. She had known that when she had taken the job. She wasn't about to back down now.
Though her voice trembled, it rang of determination. "So be it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some tests to perform."
Brushing past Malcolm, Kate hurried over to Snape's still form to collect any remaining traces of venom for testing.
As she waited in the lab for the results she heard quiet footsteps approach. Turning, she was greeted by the sight of her colleague and good friend Alice. Alice's expression which was usually bright and cheerful had been replaced by one of sadness and gravity.
"Oh Kate," she whispered. "What have you done?"
"What I had to do," Kate replied. "Alice I couldn't just stand aside and watch this man die!"
"You're right," Alice agreed after a long pause. "I'm just sorry that it had to come to this."
"As am I Alice, as am I," Kate responded in a choked up voice as sh finally allowed tears to leak from her eyes.
The two friends held each other until the vial containing the venom emitted a puff of blue smoke indicating that the results were in.
"Will you check it Alice? You were always more knowledgeable in this area."
"Of course!" her friend replied chirpily, clearly trying to sound upbeat for Kate's sake.
Alice's forced cheery expression quickly darkened as she studied the test results.
"Alice?" Kate asked nervously.
"I'm sorry Kate but there's nothing that can be done. There's no cure for this particular strain. The most that you can do is to try and make these next few hours as comfortable as possible." Giving Kate a hug she added, "You did the right thing you know. I really am sorry."
Kate didn't leave Snape's side until the life left his bottomless black eyes. She held his hand as he gasped and whimpered in agony, she wiped the spittle from his mouth and whispered soothing words of encouragement. She cried for him. No one should die thinking that they are alone and uncared for. She would not let him die thinking that.
When the time came, he died looking into her eyes, seemingly trying to convey thanks. It was then that Kate knew with absolute certainty that she had done the right thing and that she had in fact just performed her best work as a Healer. However, a wave of sadness washed over her as she cleaned his face and prepared him for the morgue. Sometimes the job of a Healer entailed making extremely difficult decisions and personal sacrifice. Too often, that still wasn't enough.