A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm so so so so happy people are actually reading this story. I got a couple of good ideas as well. Thank you! Shoutout to pottersparky for the longest review yet (and yes, it did make me smile!)

CHAPTER SIX

Carlisle waited in his car at a small cafe near Privet Drive Saturday morning, a few weeks after his call with Petunia. It was the first weekend of summer so the boys would be out of school and make the transition easier on Harry. Esme, Alice, Rosalie and Bella were all at home making last minute touches to Harry's room. They planned to let Harry pick out his sheets, colors, a few toys and books and so he wasn't sure exactly what they could be doing, but he had learned a long time ago not to question Alice when she ropes people into doing things. Emmet, Edward and Jasper were near the cafe, waiting in the background to make sure nothing happened to him. The pack and Renesmee were spending the day celebrating the end of the school year at a nearby lake, and would be there all weekend. They didn't want to overwhelm Harry, after all.

Carlisle still wasn't entirely sure this was happening. They had gone back and forth through Petunia a few times to set all the details, and finally they were meeting to give Harry to the Cullens. They were adopting a human - a wizard boy into their family. It was insane. And yet, as he saw the Dursley's pull into a spot near him, something inside of him knew this was the right thing to do. Maybe he did have a power as Bella said, but either way Carlisle knew great things would come from this.

He got out of his car to greet the Dursley's and was surprised to find just Vernon there. He bustled Harry out of the car and slammed the door behind him, causing Harry to jump slightly.

"Hello Vernon," Carlisle said pleasantly, quenching the venom that burned in his mouth when he saw Harry and Vernon's interactions with practice ease.

"Here's the boy. Rumor is all set and people think he's going to a summer camp to prep for a school for special people." Vernon said this with a sneer. He then turned to Harry, raising a fist warningly.

"You better not mess this up boy. I don't want you back in my house." Vernon said gruffly.

"Yes, Uncle Vernon." Harry muttered.

"Does he have any bags?" Carlisle asked just before Vernon got in the car.

"He's yours now. You can buy him things." Was the reply, then Vernon got in the car and drove off. Carlisle resisted the urge to say things that shouldn't be said around a child, and squatted down to be eye to eye with Harry.

"Hello Harry. Do you remember me?"

"Yes sir. You're Mr. Cullen. You bandaged my knee." Harry said quietly, not quite meeting his eyes.

"Did the Dursley's tell you what's going on?" Carlisle asked. He didn't put it past them to just load Harry in a car and dump him without telling him why.

"They….they said I was going to live with you now." Harry said. He peered up at Carlisle through the fringe covering the scar on his forehead, his green eyes so full of childish hope that Carlisle's heart first.

"That's right. There's some things you need to know before you come live with us." This was going to be the hard part. "Have you eaten yet?" Harry shook his head and so Carlisle led them into the cafe.

"Um, Mr. Cullen, I don't have any money or anything." Harry admitted with a quiet whisper. Carlisle gave him a warm smile.

"Harry, you're just a child. I don't expect you to have money. I'll pay for both of us." Carlisle was amused to see a glint of anger in Harry's eyes when he said 'just a child'. Obviously the boy was used to fending for himself, something Carlisle hoped he would grow out of in the right environment.

"You don't have to do that." Harry protested.

"But I want to." And that simple sentence surprised Harry so much he was silent until the waiter asked for their drinks. Carlisle ordered a black coffee to keep up appearances and encouraged Harry to get whatever he wanted. The waitress, like most humans, was extremely flustered at Carlisle's presence and hurried away to get their drinks after batting her eyes.

"So, Harry. There's two very important things that I need to tell you before you come live with me. Can you sit and listen quietly until I'm done? It'll be a lot of information so you can ask questions once I'm finished." Carlisle told him. Harry nodded uncertainly. Here goes.

"You're a wizard Harry." Carlisle said. Harry opened his mouth but immediately snapped it shut, remember Carlisle's words. "When I found you on the roof, it wasn't the wind that lifted you. You teleported up there. I was curious and decided to investigate. I'm the one who called Child Protection Services to try to help you, and when that didn't work, I spoke to your Aunt and Uncle. They told me you were magical and about the world you came from - the world your parents came from."

"My parents?" Harry couldn't help but breathe.

"Yes, Harry. In the Wizarding World, there was a war. Your parents fought in it, and the tyrant discovered where they were hiding and tried to kill them. Your mother died to protect you Harry, and in doing so when that tyrant tried to kill you, his spell backfired somehow, resulting in your scar." Harry gently touched his forehead.

"My mother died for me? They….they weren't drunks?" Harry whispered. Carlisle nodded gently. "They were heroes."

"Then...then why? Aunt Petunia and...and Uncle Vernon. Why did they lie to me? Why...why didn't they tell me? Why did they - " Harry's voice broke off as a few tears spilled down his cheeks. He looked so angry and lost Carlisle was hit with the instinct to hug him and hold him close, but restrained himself.

"I don't know, Harry. I think your Aunt was jealous of your sister. The protection your sister gave you also covered the house of your blood relatives."

"Aunt Petunia. I had to stay with her because...she protected me?" Harry asked.

"Not exactly. Her blood is what allowed your magic to protect you and the Dursley's."

"Will they be hurt now that I'm living with you?" Harry asked worriedly. Carlisle was surprised by the question, but also pleased that Harry could still be compassionate despite the ways the Dursley's had treated him.

"You will have to visit every once in awhile to make sure the wards stay in place. And there's one more thing about the Wizarding World. Someone in power there wants you to stay with the Dursley's, which is why Child Protection Services couldn't help you."

"Were those the people in suits?" Harry asked. "They got me in trouble!"

Carlisle shook his head. "They were trying to help, Harry. But someone erased their memories to try to keep you at the Dursley's."

"Are they going to erase your memories?!" Harry demanded anxiously.

"I don't think so. That's why we're going to keep visiting the Dursley's. Everyone back at Privet Drive thinks you're going to a special school that goes almost year round." Carlisle explained. Harry was silent for a few moments, and then finally asked, "Why?"

"Why what, Harry?" Carlisle asked, bemused.

"Why, why did you go to so much trouble? Just for me?" Harry asked quietly.

"Well, I'll be honest with you Harry. One of the reasons is that if my family is becoming entangled with the Wizarding World, it would be nice to have a wizard on our side." Carlisle knew eventually Harry would find out or work this out for himself, and he didn't want any resentment to come from it. (He wasn't looking forward to Harry teenage years. Who knows what trying to raise a pubescent wizard will entail).

"But the main reason is that the Dursley's aren't treating you well. Parents aren't supposed to hurt their children. They're supposed to encourage them and help them grow. You've seen it, haven't you? From other parents and their children?" Harry nodded hesitantly. "That's how you should be treated, and that's how you'll be treated, if you join us."

"If?" Harry asked, once again surprising Carlisle with his shrewdness.

"It's your choice Harry. If you want to go back to the Dursley's you can." Carlisle held his hand up to stop Harry's enthusiastic reply.

"There is one more thing you need to know before you agree, and it will be more difficult than anything else you have heard." Carlisle said seriously. Harry nodded.

"I'm a vampire, and so is my family. And we also are friends with a pack of shapeshifting wolves." He said bluntly. Harry blinked owlishly at him, and then said something that was such a little boy thing it made Carlisle laugh. "Is that why you're so pretty?"

"Yes, Harry, it's why I'm so pretty." Carlisle chuckled and Harry blushed pink.

"My family is different because we do not drink human blood. We are...vegetarians, if you will. We only drink the blood of animals. Luckily, as a wizard, you smell strange, and so you wouldn't be in danger in our house. However, it's very important you do your best not to get cuts, especially around Jasper. He's the newest to our diet and will have the most difficult time being around you." Harry seemed at loss for words, which was understandable.

"Here's your food!" The waitress appeared, carrying a large waffle with a smiley face on his and a small container of syrup.

"Sure I can't get anything for you love?" She asked Carlisle, who declined politely.

She moved away, and Harry hesitantly asked a question. "Are...are you going to bite me?" He whispered. Carlisle chuckled. "No, Harry, no one will bite you. I am the patriarch of my family, and I only changed them when they would have died otherwise."

"How old are you?" Harry asked immediately.

"I don't know my exact age, to be honest, but I was born sometime in the 1600s." Carlisle answered, enjoying Harry's wide-eyed stare. It was nice that Harry didn't seem to be scared of him at all, but he also knew Harry really should be and obviously didn't get the "stranger danger" lesson while living with the Dursley's, or anything similar.

"Is there anything else you can do? Besides eat people?" Harry seemed to realize what he said and clamped his hands over his mouth, mumbling sorry.

"It's okay Harry. In my house, we encourage learning and questions." Carlisle assured him. "May I have your fork and knife?" Harry handed them over, his eyes watching him curiously. Carlisle glanced around to make sure no one was watching, and a split second later he had spread butter over his waffles and cut the whole thing into pieces.

"Woah! You're fast!" Harry said, eagerly taking back his utensils.

"And strong." Carlisle added. "How strong?" Harry asked.

"Very." Carlisle said, amused as Harry looked slightly put out by his answer. "Aren't you going to eat your waffle?" Harry looked startled. "I was waiting for permission, um, sir," Harry added, as though suddenly remembering manners.

"You don't have to call me sir, Harry. Especially if I'll be taking care of you. Do you still want that?" Carlisle asked. Harry nodded happily. "Yes please!" Carlisle let out a mental sigh of relief. He supposed it was a bit unfair for Harry, as a boy of almost seven years old to understand the dangers he might be agreeing to, but he had tried to tell him everything he thought he deserved to know.

"Then I would prefer if you called me Carlisle, and if you feel comfortable you may also address me as father. My other adopted children simply call me Carlisle," He continued, speaking quickly over the awkwardness of his request, "but they are much older than you. I know for a fact Alice is thrilled to be consider an Aunt, and probably already has dozens of bonding activities planned out."

"Alice?" Harry asked. Carlisle knew that the word 'Aunt' might have some negative connotations for him, and so Carlisle spent the rest of brunch describing Harry's future family and regaling him with a few funny stories and gently coaxing him to eat his waffle. Carlisle planned to take Harry grocery shopping to try to pick out a balanced diet that Harry would enjoy. He was well under a healthy weight for his age, and Carlisle intended to fix that. Plus, Esme was thrilled to use the kitchen and actually have a family to sit down and have dinner with (it would just be Harry eating really, but he wasn't going to put a damper on his wife's enthusiasm). He would also have to take Harry to the dentist and the optometrist, as he doubted Harry's prescription was correct, but that would be for later. For now, Harry could just enjoy his sugary waffle and learn about his new family, and Carlisle was only too happy to oblige.

Sorry for all of the talking in this chapter. I hope I made it interesting. It was important, and next chapter will be more fun with Harry meeting the rest of the Cullens and shopping!

I'm thinking of doing a chapter that just goes through Harry's years with the Cullens, like a few stories, and then the chapter after that being right before Hogwarts. Does that sound good or would you rather me just skip that or do it a different way? Let me know, and thank you for reading!

-Hatakefire