Disclaimer: All Harry Potter people, places, and things, (all Harry Potter nouns) belong to J. K. Rowlings.

Chapter 3: The solution.

The young woman wheeled around to find a stocky blonde-haired girl standing behind her. "Poppy, I can explain-"

Cutting her off, Poppy tried to sneak a peak at whose files they were and gasped. "Minerva, I can't tell you how absolutely illegal this is. You were looking at a professor's private medical file. What on earth do you intend to do?"

"Poppy, I had to," she began firmly.

"But why?" the medwitch in training questioned, trying to understand why her friend who usually adhered so strictly to the rules would blatantly break so many.

"He's dying," Minerva said softly. "I was looking at his file to learn exactly what was wrong with him. He needs a bone marrow donor."

She watched as comprehension dawned on Poppy's face when she noticed Minerva's file. "It doesn't have to be you," she managed.

"There's a chance that I could be a match from what I've looked at. I take responsibility for the whole thing. It would be best if you left now and pretended that you don't know anything," Minerva advised.

"Oh Min, this is a bad idea, and a dangerous one. I can't let you do this," she exclaimed.

"If they haven't found him a donor by now, then they are not going to find one in time. If I am a match, then he has a chance," Minerva explained.

"Why can't magic heal him?" Poppy inquired.

Minerva paused before answering. "I think for what this particular problem is, both a magical element and a physical element, the bone marrow, are required."

Poppy put a hand on Minerva's shoulder. "I really don't like what you are planning, but I cannot seem to talk you out of it, so I'll leave. I only came here this morning to check on a few patients from the last Quidditch game."

"Will you keep quiet about this?" Minerva pleaded in a whisper.

"I can only say I'll try, but if something goes wrong, I'll have to say something," Poppy warned.

Minerva smiled. "You're a good friend, Poppy."

"I know," she said as she left.

Minerva decided to visit St. Mungo's after school. She had changed her hair colour to a fiery red and had altered her physical characteristics temporarily, including changing her eye colour from green to brown. A Slytherin friend of hers had taught her how to create a fake ID card and other personal information.

She sat in the waiting room after taking a few tests, anxious about what the healers might tell her. I have to be a match. If I'm not, I need a backup plan. But I'm not wholly certain how much time he has left. This must work, she thought to herself.

When the healer walked into the waiting room, Minerva was staring intently at her hands, not noticing what transpired around her. "Is there a Ms. Eve Terra here?"

Minerva's head jerked up at hearing her invented name. "I'm here."

The healer approached her. "Come with me. You're a match."

After they had extracted the bone marrow from her, she was instructed to rest over the weekend. She returned to the school and restored her original appearance, intending to study as always and follow the healers' instructions.

Albus had been astounded when he received a call from St. Mungo's telling him that a match had been found. He had not been expecting them to find anyone. When he had asked the healers for a physical description of the donor, what they told him did not match anyone he knew. He was out of school for a few days after the procedure had been completed and when he returned he tried to peace together how they had suddenly come up with a donor.

He thought back to his meeting with Minerva. She may have had something to do with it, but how would she happen to find the right person so quickly? Unless… unless she… would she do that? But why would… I must know for certain, he realized, walking briskly toward the infirmary. Finding the file cabinet and no one in the immediate vicinity, he began to browse through the files. When he found his own and Minerva's, he compared the information. Minerva, what have you done? He froze when he heard someone enter and walk toward him.

"Who's over there this time? Honestly, I'm tired of finding… Professor Dumbledore? What are you doing here?" Poppy questioned.

He set the files down and sighed. "I was attempting to answer a question. I assume that by your reaction, I am not the first one to be looking through files?"

"I think it's best if I don't say anything right now," the young woman stated hesitantly.

He shook his head and put the files back into the cabinet. "I think it would be better if you did. What was Minerva doing here looking through the files?"

Poppy had not meant to, but she told him everything. His brow furrowed with worry as she finished. "Am I in trouble?" she asked.

"Not this time, but I suggest that you not let this happen again," he told her.

"Minerva's in trouble, isn't she?" Poppy inquired.

He sighed and headed toward the door. "In a manner of speaking."

(my thanks to Lady Jolly, Quill of Minerva, TartanLioness, and Aurinko for reviewing :D)