Author:innocentimp

Summary: Harry Potter went to live with Carlisle Cullen and his family when he was 7, then to Hogwarts when he was 11. Now he's 20, the war with Voldemort is over and due to misunderstandings and manipulations he's not seen or heard from his adoptive family in years. This is his journey home.

Pairings: EC/HP

Warnings: Slash and all that entails. Don't complain.

Note: As this is only a writing exercise for me, I have no beta. All mistakes are mine.

"What's going on?" Carlisle asked, following Minerva and Charlie down the corridors at a run. "When did the wards fall?" Charlie asked.

"They didn't. About an hour ago someone tripped them, then started to pick them apart. Everyone in the castle is down near the greenhouses, trying to provide cover for Harry. I returned to my office to fire call the aurors, that's when you showed up."

"What do you mean, cover Harry?"

Minerva glanced over her shoulder, for the first time acknowledging Carlisle's presence. "Dr. Cullen, it's good to see you. Unfortunately we have a situation on our hands right now, if you could please wait in the castle, I would appreciate it." They burst through the main doors and ran down the steps.

"Oh shit." Charlie breathed.

Down the sloping lawns, just past the green houses, spell fire lit the night sky like the aurora borealis over Alaska. In the center of the mêlée Carlisle saw what he assumed to be the torn wards, and in the center, Harry. Tendrils of magic snaked away from him in every direction, like lines of poison from a wound. Every few seconds they'd surge and spark and begin to pull away. Each time Harry adjusted his stance, redoubled the Latin incantation he was muttering nonstop, and reined them in.

"Merlin Minerva, Harry shouldn't be acting as the lynch pin, I'm not sure he can handle the strain on his magic."

"I know, but Kingsley couldn't hold them, he had to hand them off to Harry." She drew her wand and flicked aside a stray spell, sending a streak of red ahead that plowed into the caster. "Dr. Cullen, please, inside!"

"It looks as though you can use some help."

"He's right Minerva, we're out numbered." Charlie turned to Carlisle. "Harry can't defend himself well; the best he can do is the pull the wards close to him and hope they bounced off stray magic. If you could run interference for him, that'll take some of the strain off. We need about thirty seconds to reset the wards."

"I can handle that."

"Be careful. I know you're fast, but you'll probably only get a single pass at these guys. They're well trained and have dealt with vampires before." Charlie grasped his arm, "avoid the spell fire. Most of it won't do much more than knock you on your ass, but once they know what you are that'll change. Be careful. Those men know spells that can destroy your kind."

"Thank you for the warning, but I can handle myself. Right now my main concern is Harry."

Out of the corner of his eye, Carlisle saw Harry fall to a knee and jerk the strands of magic closer to him. "We need to move, I think Harry's strength is failing."

"One last thing. Try and stay out of Harry's line of sight. Holding the wards together is taking all of his concentration, if he drops them without funneling the magic through us, the backlash could kill him."

"I'll be discreet. Go." Before Charlie could say anything Carlisle darted away, behind the greenhouses. He broke into a run, his first target in his sights.

Harry flexed his fingers around the frayed strands of magic and yanked them toward him, blocking a stray spell and ensnaring one of the death eaters circling the perimeter. Sweat soaked his hair and pooled along his spine, he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold the wards and block spells. A death eater to the right dropped to the ground, though Harry couldn't be sure what spell had snared him.

"Just a little longer Harry." Charlie's voice sounded in his ear and a hand squeezed his shoulder. The wards pulled and strained, threatening to unravel.

"We've got to set them, Charlie. I can't hold them much longer."

"We only need another moment, Minerva is in position. So are Sprout and Kingsly. Vector and Sinistra are nearly there as well. You know how to release them? Protego!" Charlie shouted, blocking a nasty slashing curse.

"Yes." Harry forced through gritted teeth. "I'm losing them, Charlie. It has to be now." Harry stumbled, the leg he was using to brace himself crumpling under the strain. Only Charlie's quick support kept him on his knees. To his left, a flash of white, and another death eater dropped. "Now, Charlie, get back!"

Harry had less than a moment to hope that everyone was in place before he abruptly released the magic he was holding, sending it shooting out in a perfect sphere, his incantation directing it to the professors and aurors who could set it. The magic flared, arcing out and racing away, finally colliding with an invisible barrier. Harry watched from his knees as it strained and pulsed until it smoothed out into a perfect circle of blue-white. Thank Merlin, the professors had it. Harry had less than a moment to brace for the backlash before the flare of magic died, the remaining power rushing back toward him, then shooting through every limb of his body, igniting every nerve and stealing his breath. He was dimly aware as his trainers left the grassy earth, the vanishing magic picking him up, and then whooshing out of existence, dropping him six feet.

He hit the ground hard and rolled, wand automatically in his hand as he tried to force himself up. His arms and legs twitched in response to his demands, his bodies' strength completely leaving him. He lay there, cheek pressed to the muddy earth as spell-fire and shouting competed with the pounding in his head.

"Potter's down!"

Harry heard the shout and dimly registered the flashes of light before something hard and cold collided with him. Pain burst through his chest, clearing away the lingering confusion left by the magical backlash. He heaved a breath, terror coursing through him as fire arced across his ribs and air escaped him. Hands grasped him, turning him onto his back.

"Harry?"

Harry blinked, trying to will away the blackness encroaching on his vision. His chest felt tight. He gasped for air and chocked on his own coughs. The metallic tang of blood filled his mouth and dribbled down his chin.

A cool hand slid over his forehead, then down to cup his cheek. "Harry, look at me son. It's all right, just look at me."

Harry tried to focus on the voice, to do as it asked. He searched wildly for the face, all the while choking on his own blood. A second hand grasped his other cheek and a familiar face appeared inches from his own.

"Dad?" Harry lifted a hand, curling his fingers into the shoulder hovering over him. A coughing fit stole away the rest of his words. This time he couldn't fight the darkness that swept across his mind.

"I've brought you a change of clothes."

Carlisle glanced up from the hospital bed where his son lay resting. "Thank you." He nodded at Charlie.

"They're mine, I hope you don't mind. I'd have brought you some of Harry's but you are a little taller than he is, and well, it's easier to shrink clothes than it is to expand them." Charlie dropped a folded shirt and pair of trousers on the chair in the corner. "Why don't you take a moment to shower and change? Madame Pomfrey said he likely won't wake until later this afternoon."

Carlisle curled his fingers around Harry's hand. Without the steady beep of the monitor to reassure him, he'd resorted to keeping his hand in Harry's and his forefinger pressed against his pulse. Faint, but steady. "Thank you, Charlie. But if it's all right with you, I'd prefer to wait with Harry for the time being."

"You saved his life, you know." Charlie remarked, easing on the foot of Harry's bed.

"Did I?"

"If you hadn't gotten to him, moved him out of the way of those curses, he'd be dead right now."

"I hurt him in the process. It's been a long time since I've had to reign in my strength in such a situation." His fingers fluttered over Harry's pulse, had there been a change? "I was so focused on getting to him before the spells could reach him that I completely misjudged my strength."

"He's alive because of you."

"He's alive because wizarding medicine is so advanced. I broke three of his ribs. One punctured his lung." Carlisle ran his free hand along Harry's arm, gently squeezing his shoulder. Watching his son drown in his own blood wasn't something he'd ever forget. Or forgive.

"You're making this very difficult for me."

Carlisle glanced up, searching Charlie's expression. "What's that?"

"I was prepared to hate your guts for leaving Harry alone. I'm finding it rather difficult to hold on to that."

Carlisle smiled softly. "You're anger is not undeserved, but I thank you all the same." Harry's fingers twitched against his palm and his heart beat quickened. "I think he's coming around."

Charlie stood and walked toward the head of the bed, reading the scans that were constantly updating themselves on the bedside table. "He shouldn't be. He should sleep several more hours…" Harry shifted, tossing his head to the side, his brow furrowing. "Then again, Harry never seems to react normally to the sleeping agents we give him."

"Harry?" Charlie whispered, his fingers splayed lightly against his chest. "Harry, you awake?"

Harry came awake with a gasp, green eyes wild as he tried to jolt into a sitting position.

"Easy. Calm down. You're in Hogwarts. Do you remember what happened?"

"Wards. Someone was attacking the wards." Harry coughed, but relaxed back into his pillow. "My chest hurts."

"That's my fault, I'm afraid." Carlisle said, gently squeezing Harry's hand.

Harry snapped his head around, eyes going wide. "I… I thought you weren't…"

"Real?" Carlisle supplied with an easy smile.

Harry's brow furrowed, and then he shot an accusatory look at Charlie. "What did you do?"

"Harry…" Charlie tried to interrupt.

"No!" Harry shook his head. "No. You shouldn't have bothered him. You… you shouldn't have bothered him," he repeated, dissolving into a coughing fit.

"Easy, Harry. Just try to relax, your lungs are a little raw and that has got to hurt your ribs." Charlie withdrew his wand and spelled the head of the bed to elevate Harry into a sitting position.

"Here." Carlisle grabbed the glass of water on the bedside table and held it to Harry's lips. "Try a few sips, see if that helps."

Harry sipped on the water, then relaxed back into the pillows with a sigh. Tired green eyes found and held amber ones. "I'm sorry…"

"Hush." Carlisle cut him off, running a hand through Harry's hair. "Hush, now. I owe Mr. Weasley a debt of gratitude. If not for him, I would have no idea that a son of mine," Carlisle put both hands on Harry's shoulders, "a most beloved son, thought his family had abandoned him."

Harry's mouth fell open and he shook his head. "I'm sorry," he blurted.

"Easy, my son. You've nothing to apologize for. This blame is mine. No, don't argue, just listen," Carlisle said as Harry opened his mouth to protest. "Though the circumstances are complicated, in the end, this error belongs to me. Yes," he said when Harry shook his head. "Yes it does. I am the parent, Harry. You are the child. It was my job to ensure that you were safe and happy. But we will work this out, if you are willing."

Carlisle ran his hand over his son's forehead, then down the side of his face and along his arm. "But right now you need to rest. You are not well." He said, stepping back from the bed.

Harry's fingers grasped his wrist before he could pull away. "Don't go." Carlisle saw the way Harry cringed, felt the way he jerked his hand away, as though he wished he could take the plea back. It was a moment of honesty, a moment of weakness. And though his son was ashamed of it, Carlisle could not bring himself to ignore it. He reached for the chair behind him, pulled it closer to the bed.

"Rest, Harry." Carlisle sat down, lacing his fingers through his son's. "Rest. I'll be here when you wake."