A/N Sorry it took so long to get chapter three written! My family has been sick and then I got sick, but I am feeling much better and am now writing again. Yippe :D Now, hopefully there are still people around interested in reading! On a happier note: I now have a beta reader!!! jumps up and down in joy I can't believe such a talented writer is willing to help me with mine. Shameless plug: Please go read Saavik and Starchild's story and see what I mean. They are wonderful!!

The three wizards apparated directly to the medical wing. While Snape was gently laying Potter on the bed, Albus yelled for Poppy. Fortunately for them, Poppy's daughter and son in law were on vacation in Italy and rather then stay at an empty house Poppy had decided to remain at Hogwarts and get caught up on some paper work that had been piling up.

"Would you please lower your voice!" Poppy demanded when reaching the room. "You would think that children were still here with all of the noise.." One look at the boy on the bed stopped her lecture mid sentence. "Merlin's beard!! What happened to the boy?" Poppy asked the subdued wizards.

"Don't just stand there women! Do something." Snape snarled at the startled witch. While waiting for Poppy, Snape had been monitoring the boy and noticed that his breathing was shallower than it had been when they found him. He was becoming concerned that they had found the boy too late.

"It was the boy's uncle." Dumbledore explained softly. He couldn't begin to imagine why someone would deliberately hurt a child, especially their own family. Unfortunately this was not the first time he had discovered such a thing but it never got any easier to understand.

Poppy's eyes softened and she gave a sympathetic glance to Snape. She knew why the man was so agitated and biting. She shooed the two wizards to the end of the bed to give her time to examine the boy. As she waved her wand over the battered body it took all of her experience to keep a neutral face. It was hard for her to remain professional and to not break down into tears.

Dumbledore could sense the struggle Poppy was going through and knew immediately that it must be bad to get her this upset. "What is it Poppy? Will he be okay?" He asked, even though he feared the answer.

"Just a moment Headmaster." She responded distractedly. The medical witch took some blood from the boy and then dropped it onto a piece of parchment while softly chanting a spell. When this was completed she finally looked back and answered the original question. "I..I..don't know for sure. He has lost a lot of blood and has some serious injuries. I have healed as many as I can but unless he receives some blood, he won't make it." She said while wringing her hands. "He has a rare blood type that will be hard to match. I already started a spell that should list any patients I have had to do blood typing on before. I have included past patients hoping that someone near by will be available. I will also want to test the two of you. We don't have much time so the faster I find a match the better." She said as she approached the two wizards with a piece of parchment.

"Of course." Dumbledore responded holding his hand out to Poppy. He then glanced over and caught the look of trepidation on the younger wizards face. Completely misunderstanding the look he chided the boy with amusement "It won't hurt child." Snape turned scarlet with embarrassment which was only made worse when Poppy tried to smother a giggle. He then held out his hand to her while sending one of his worst glares at the headmaster. "I am not afraid." He responded through clenched teeth.

Poppy walked away while looking at the three pieces of parchment (the original spell she had performed with Potter's blood and one from Dumbledore, the other from Snape). With a gasp she turned back and faced the other wizards. She looked back down and started muttering to herself. It's not possible she thought frantically. She performed the test on the two years ago herself. She knew that the test couldn't be wrong. But that would mean..no, she wouldn't let her mind continue this train of thought. She had other things to worry about at the moment. Later when she had some time to herself she would re-visit the problem and think about the consequences of her discovery.

Snape had heard the shocked gasp and narrowed his eyes at the witch. "What is the problem?" he asked.

"N.nothing." She stuttered trying to regain her composure. "I was just surprised to have found a match already. Professor Snape it appears as though you are a match. Now, please lay down on the bed beside Harry and we can get started." She told him gesturing to the correct bed.

Snape's face paled. There was no way he could donate blood to the boy. He had his reasons but he couldn't explain them to Dumbledore. He knew the older wizard would be disappointed in him and he just couldn't bare the thought. No, he rationalized to himself, it would be better if he were just angry. Snape could handle anger a lot better then disappointment. With this thought in mind, he spun on his heel and headed for the door. "I certainly will not! You will have to find yourself another pin cushion." With that said he tried to make it out the door and into the safety of his dungeon.

Dumbledore stood in shock for a few moments before he gathered his wits about him again. "Don't make me put a full body bind on you! Get back over here NOW!" Dumbledore had not been this angry in quite some time. He couldn't believe that Severus would let some petty old school grudge get in the way of saving a child in desperate need of help.

Snape made the mistake of looking into the headmaster's eyes. He nervously looked way. Damn, he thought to himself. Not only could he see anger blazing in the blue eyes but he could read the disappointment in them too. "You don't understand Albus, I can't." He tried to explain.

"Then make me understand. And it had better not be because of who this child's father is." He demanded.

In the face of his mentor's anger, all of Snape's usual defenses crumbled. "It's not that Albus. You know I don't hate the boy. I..I..just can't tell you. Please trust me when I say I can't and leave it at that." He gave Albus a pleading look begging the older man to accept his statement as the truth and to leave it at that.

Dumbledore looked closely at Snape and saw the truth behind the words. "I believe you child." At the relieved look on Snape's face he continued "but I still expect an answer as to why." He demanded with his arms folded across his chest and a stern look leveled at Snape. With out breaking eye contact, he then asked "Poppy, is there anyone else?"

"Hang on, let me check." She looked back down at the pieces of parchment willing the spell to hurry. So far, there were no other matches. She was beginning to panic. She knew that the longer they waited the less chance of survival there were for Harry. Just as she was beginning to lose hope a name appeared. With out further comment she ran from the room to the fireplace.

Dumbledore caught the movement out of the corner of his eye and temporarily broke eye contact enough to look over and see Poppy running for the fireplace. He had just enough to time to let out a relieved sigh, for she must have found someone else, when he realized Snape was again making a retreat out the door. Before the boy could get any further he shouted out "Stupefy." Dumbledore then put a floating spell to keep him from getting hurt as he collapsed to the floor. With a flick of his wand he levitated the younger wizard onto a bed. He looked down into the boy's face to see a lone tear making his way down his cheek. "I'm sorry son, he whispered as he wiped the tear away. I need to know what is wrong." With that he placed his hand on Snape's forehead and cast a sleeping charm.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed!! It helps me write when I know there are those out there who enjoy it. I will try and make sure that I post more often. I actually am almost done with chapter four and am getting ready to send it to my beta reader. waves at Saavik Please, please feel free to review!!! shoves tin can forward ready to collect reviews