Disclaimer can be found in the first chapter.

Enjoy!

It had only been two days and seven hours since Severus had watched the boy leave his bedroom, yet he was beginning to wonder if it hadn't been an eternity. As hard as he tried to once again convince himself that his Harry was gone for good, and that the boy he'd met was never going to be what he wanted, he was still unconvinced.

Severus sat at his kitchen table with Pete nuzzling his lazy head under his hand. Perhaps if he could just see the boy once more, just briefly, he would finally be able to move on.

With a sigh of defeat, he picked up the phone and placed it against his ear. Laid out below his fingers was a little book of muggle addresses and phone numbers. In the back, behind a business card for a dirty worthless bookstore in London was the phone number to the ministry whorehouse. He was glad that they at least allowed for this form of communication as he, and no doubt most of the councilmen, desired some amount of secrecy when making such a call. He hated the thought of how the silky voiced woman might look if he should floo call her.

He typed in the number and waited.

"Hello." Ever since the supposed incident involving a very confused and disgruntled muggle who'd fallen across the number by accident, they'd stopped answering with anything more. Supposedly it took the ministry over a week to locate the woman, and by that time she told half of the ladies in the village.

"Yes. I would like to set up a visit with one of the young man… one in particular." Severus kept his voice stern and even.

"Your name please?"

"Snape."

"Yes of course Mr. Snape, how can I help you?" The woman sounded professional but bored, as if her job of arranging lurid affairs between statesman and brainwashed adolescents was menial.

"A young man was sent to me two nights ago. I want him to return again as soon as available. I trust you have record of the event."

"I'll just look." He could hear the sound of parchment being quickly flicked. "Oh yes here it is." The voice paused. After a long moment she cleared her throat, "I'm afraid that one in particular will not be available for some time, might you be interested in some other boy?" Her tone brightened and she was suddenly the chipper seductress he'd expected. But that didn't suppress his fury or his worry.

"Unavailable? What could possibly be keeping him detained?"

The woman peeped. "I believe he is injured sir, and is off the books while he recovers. Because of your rank I could of course arrange- that is, I could connect you with someone who..."

Now he felt sick. Why hadn't he thought to check on him? No! Why hadn't he known this would happen before he let his pride get the best of him? If I had made him go back to Lucius with the news of my failure, Lucius would have had him eating out of his hand.

Severus cleared his throat and did his best to return to a neutral tone. "No. Keep him there until he recovers. I will check back with you periodically."

"Very well sir. Would you care for a substitute while you wait, we have a boy with a very similar build and many –"

"No. Just make sure he comes out of this unharmed." Severus clenched his fist against the wooden table, his self control reeling. Pete perked up his ears up. "Am I understood?"

"Yes sir. I understand."

Marianne dropped the phone with a shaking hand and stood straight out of her chair, the other two girls in the office looked at her with the suspicion and fear.

Caroline, the mousy redhead, who had been doodling needlessly in the corners of her appointment book dropped her quill, making the ink splatter against the lines. She pulled a tissue out slowly and dabbed at her book, all the while waiting for someone to explain what she was to be concerned about.

"What is it Marianne? Who called?" Harriet clutched her own quill so tight her knuckles turned white. "Tells us! What's wrong?"

Marianne's head was pounding as if the blood had rushed to her eyes, making her feel dizzy and faint. This could easily mean the end of her career, or even Azkaban if things went very wrong. And everyone at the agency knew it. "Is Harry Potter still alive?" The girls winced and looked around nervously at the mention of his name, but none of them pretended as though they didn't know.

Harriet nodded, "I think so. Right now at least."

Marianne shrieked quietly and sunk into her seat, her fingers flipping through rolls of parchment. "Nobody told us that he had any reason to be kept alive, nobody told us!"

"I thought that Minister Malfoy said…"

"He did say, he did say it," Marianne exclaimed, her fingers finally finding the scroll that contained the number for the only person that could possibly provide them with the means of saving the boy who was already so far gone. "I heard him myself, he said that it didn't matter to him what happened to the boy. So what were we to do?" She looked up at the other girls while she dialed the muggle phone slowly. "When we don't even have enough money to clean their scrapes and cure their coughs, what were we supposed to do but let him go?"

Harriet clutched the sleeve of her white blouse, and Caroline pressed her nails against her lips. They all knew that it would be a risk, but as Marianne had said, what were they to do? "Who asked after him then? Someone important?"

Marianne nodded. "Severus Snape." Their eyes widened. "Of all people, and if he finds out what we've done…" her hand on the receiver trembled.

"Who are you calling?" Harriet reached over and folded down the edge of the parchment.

"Pomfrey. She'll help him."

Severus arrived at the… institution, no more than eight hours after his call; just enough time to allow them the space to make arrangements, but quick enough as to create surprise. He observed the entry way, it was clean and stark white. Light wood floors and two white couches that he politely refused. There was a table containing drinks below dim lights, and a set of large double doors.

He pressed a call button against the wall and was promptly met by a nervous redhead.

Caroline could see her old professor before she opened the doors through the set of charmed mirrors. She gulped and held her head higher, all the while deeply wishing anyone else had been available to answer the ring.

"Hello Professor, I mean," she blushed. "Mr. Snape, how may we help you?" Severus observed her for a moment.

"You were a student of mine?"

"Yes sir, I graduated seven years ago. Hufflepuff."

Severus nodded but said no more. "I've come to check the condition of one of the young men."

She peeped. "Which?"

With a purposely haughty roll of the eyes and fierce glare, Severus answered. "Don't pretend to be naïve to my purpose here. Miss?"

"Harper, sir."

Severus nodded and then looked pointedly at the doors.

Caroline held her breath for a moment before she had the strength to continue. "I'll just go see what I can find out for you ."

Caroline Harper scurried through the long hall, her heels click-clicking against the hardwood. Not even during the most horrible detentions with her former potions master, had she ever been so frightened.

Poppy Pomfrey looked up sharply from her seat beside Harry when the door swung open. "Yes, can I help you?" Her tone was commanding, she knew, for someone who had virtually no position here. However, if her help was to be sought, she certainly wasn't about to be pushed around. She was putting her own career at stake.

Caroline looked nervously towards the bed, but couldn't see anything but a light shadow through the curtains. "Is he… alive?"

Poppy puffed up. "Of course he's alive, I wasn't brought here to sit about, was I?" Caroline shook her head.

"Well, someone has come… that is, one of the boy's, uhm, patrons has come to inquire after him."

Poppy stood up and looked towards the door as if she would find someone standing, waiting for polite invitation. She was eagerly hoping to find out who did this to him, even if the mediwitches here wouldn't tell her, she had every intention of finding out. It was beyond her to let something like this happen right under her nose, then go on with the possibility of conversing kindly the next day with the devil who'd done it. "Did they do this to him?" She glanced back at Harry.

"No."

Poppy came closer. "You're not lying to me are you? Because I will find out."

Caroline shook her head furiously. "It's not I promise, he's only seen the boy once and sent him back without a scratch."

"Who is it?"

Caroline shook her head. "I can't disclose that -"

"If the gentleman is here now, than I will know sooner or later because I have every intention of speaking to him."

"Yes, but, we're not allowed."

Poppy huffed and closed the curtains fully around the bed before casting a series of charms to keep anyone from interrupting the space. Then, with a flourish she pushed past the stuttering receptionist and stalked with long determined strides towards the front hall.

When she swung through the double doors she held back her shock with all of her professional strength. Although it had never been her business what this man did, she had to admit to being both relieved, and a little disappointed. "Severus. Good to see you again. It's been awhile."

Severus clutched his hands at his sides. He hadn't seen anyone from the side of the light since, well, since his last day at Hogwarts. Lucius made sure that there was a certain distance between officials and any 'questionable' citizens. He felt his cheeks redden slightly in shame. Who knew what she supposed him of? "Poppy." He gave a short bow. "I didn't know you worked here."

"I don't." She told him firmly. "I work at St. Mungo's as a specialist. I was asked here to help heal the young man you're inquiring after." She was careful not say his name, even though they could easily read in each other's tight expressions the horrible truth of the matter. "As a councilman of the Ministry, you must be aware that this little, enjoyment, you've established is given less than a third of the funds needed for medical attention."

Caroline turned white as a sheet as she stood against the wall, wringing her hands. God! They would be turned out for sure!

"I was not aware. I shall inquire after that as soon as possible."

Poppy nodded. "The young man then. Shall I take you to him?" Severus nodded gravely.

When they reached the curtained bed, Poppy looked at Caroline firmly. "That will be all ." Caroline hesitated before quickly scurrying out, eager to find someone to tell about the unfolding events.

The curtains were pulled apart and Pomfrey stepped aside. Severus cautiously creeped into the open space and looked down into the bed. Harry lay with a blanket pulled to his shoulders, but Severus knew immediately that he wouldn't be able to stomach any more. His skin was covered in the near constant purple and green bruises of untreated injuries. His nose was broken and titled to the right. His eyes were both swollen so that he could barely see his delicate eyelashes against the abused skin. Severus turned away before he could observe more.

"He was much worse before I came. I won't lie to you Severus, although I know they would prefer me to. I can't prove it, but I would guess that they had no intention of doing anything at all to heal him."

Severus looked up sharply. "How is that possible?"

"It is very possible. They have no funds for such extensive medical attention. You must know that the potions for these kinds of injuries are extremely expensive. When I arrived they only had him on a basic pain reliever and a regular dose of dreamless sleep. That's what we give patients who only have a few days to live, at best. Fortunately, I keep small doses of unused potions from St. Mungos on hand for emergencies, and I've been putting aside a little money as well." Poppy looked him square in the eye, knowing full well that she had revealed more than she ought to.

Severus felt sick and confused at the same time. He closed the curtain and moved away from the bed. Even if he hated Lucius and what had become of this world, he had at least always felt that things were being handled to the best of the ministries ability. Or at least that was what he was meant to believe. "I will repay you Poppy, and then I will send potions in abundance. Anything you need to get him well. I will fund this; he must have only the best care. You will see to it won't you?" She nodded.

"You take an eager interest in him. I trust you treat him with more kindness than he's seen recently."

"I'm not a monster Poppy, I hope you know that." She nodded once and walked with him to the door.

"Very well Severus, I'll make a list of what will be needed. And you mustn't pay me back. It's my responsibility as a mediwitch to take care of the sick and injured. Just as it's your job as a potions master to do the same."

Before he opened the door Severus looked back at the curtain with clear pain in his eyes. He leaned closer to his old friend and whispered. "I would do anything to reverse what happened."

Poppy immediately understood the double meaning and smiled. "We are all of use trapped my friend, but we must make the best of it."

Severus stood up straight and opened the door. "Tell the nurses here that I wish to make a donation to their potion stores, tell them to send me a complete list and I will see what I can do."

"Very well Mr. Snape."

Pete welcomed his master with a low wagging tail and a long stretch when Severus flooed into his living room. He immediately went into his potions lap and pulled the string that activated the crude hanging light above his work table. He pinned the list on a post above his cauldron and with determined fierceness he gathered his ingredients and began work on the list of potions. His frenzy, he told himself was for the benefit of the boys teetering health, but he knew deep down that the faster he went, the less time he would have to remember the way Harry's face and disappeared under swollen bruises.

TBC

Thanks for reading! And don't forget to review!

P.S. If anyone is feeling violent towards me about not updating "Fixing a Hole," please know it's briskly on its way.

-semolinapilchard