Even though he wasn't use to apparating, Carlisle managed to remain on his feet when they landed in Albus' office. He knew that Harry despised magical transportation, said it made him want to vomit, but because he was a vampire, it didn't bother him.
"Carlisle, please take a seat," Dumbledore ordered, pointing to a comfortable leather chair across from his desk.
"No," Carlisle snarled. "No more talking. Take me to my son now before I turn this god damn school inside out looking for him."
Dumbledore sadly shook his head. "Please, Carlisle, I need to explain what happened these last few years before you see him."
Carlisle took a deep unneeded breath in an effort to control his anger. Pinning his old friend with a dirty look, he turned on his heels and stormed out of the room. If the insufferable old man wasn't going to come right out and tell him where his son was, then he would just have to find Harry on his own. It wouldn't be easy, not in a school filled with thousands of other scents, but he would search every inch of the castle if he had to. He was too pissed to play Albus' games, he just wanted to find his son and beg for his forgiveness.
In his rage, he barreled down the spiral staircase and slammed into a tall man with black, greasy looking hair. From the large hook nose he sported, he knew immediately that this had to be Professor Severus Snape. For days after he returned home from school, Harry would rant about the man, swearing that he had it out for him for some reason. It wasn't like his son to talk bad about people, not that he really had anything bad to say about the man. He was more frustrated and upset that his teacher hated him so much for no reason.
Tilting his head back with his nostrils flared, Carlisle picked up the scent of his son on dark and sour looking wizard.. It had been years since he smelled his sweet boy and he was tempted to bury his nose in the man's robes. "Where's my son?" He growled lowly. "I can smell him on you."
Raising a single eyebrow, Professor Snape was getting ready to snap at the stranger when Professor Dumbledore stepped out from behind the gargoyle statue.
"Carlisle, I insist that you return to my office right this minute," Dumbledore barked in irritation. He didn't like it when people ignored him.
Growling, Carlisle slowly to turned to face Albus, his control slipping. "Take me to my son!" he hissed between tightly clenched teeth.
"Excuse me, Dr. Cullen I presume?" Severus asked silkily. Harry had spoken a lot about the man that he considered his father so he had recognized his name.
Rudely turning his back on Albus, Carlisle nodded his head.
Severus incline his head. "Professor Severus Snape, your son's Potions teacher. If you follow me, I can take you to your son."
Albus stepped forward, reaching out to grab Carlisle's arm. "Severus, I must insist that Dr. Cullen return to my office for explanations before going to the hospital wing."
Carlisle felt his hear plummet. Why was his son in the hospital wing? Was it serious? He couldn't lose him again after finally getting him back.
"Don't you think that you have done enough damage, old man?" Severus sneered. "After everything Harry has suffered because of you, he deserves to have his father with him." Nodding to Carlisle, he turned and started walking briskly down the hall heading towards the hospital wing.
Without acknowledging his old friend, Carlisle followed the professor, his mind running in a million different directions. Would Harry be happy to see him? Did he still love them? Did he think that they hated him? What did Albus mean when he said that his son was broken?
Severus somberly stopped outside the closed hospital wing's double doors. "I don't know what Albus has told you, but Harry has been through hell and back...multiple times. He fought in a war that no child should have and he experienced horrors that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. He has been betrayed, lost loved ones, killed, been tortured and has mentally and physically been shattered into a million pieces. He's not the same little boy that left you all those years ago."
Carlisle was surprised to see the raw pain in the man's eyes. Last he had heard from Harry, the man had hated his guts. It was clear to him that the man in front of him cared a great deal for his son.
"Right now," Severus continued, "Harry is a broken young man that has given up on life. I know how much he adores you and your family and I feel that you are the only ones who can put him back together. It won't be easy, but Harry deserves someone that will fight for him."
Carlisle took a deep and unnecessary breath, mentally preparing himself for what he was about to see. Nodding his head, he signaled for the man to open the doors.
Severus pointed to the far corner of the hospital wing. "Your son is there," he said softly.
Carlisle had to blink a few times, from where he was standing the bed looked empty. Scanning the area, he noticed a young man with platinum blond hair sleeping in a chair next to the bed. Summoning up his courage, he quietly approached the bed, moaning when the scent of his young son hit him like a ton of bricks. It had been so long since he smelled Harry.
There, laying in the middle of the bed looking incredibly small and fragile, was his son...his little boy. Even though he was sleeping, he could make out large dark circles under his eyes. He was sickeningly thin and covered in cuts, scars and bruises. He was so small, smaller than what he remembered. If it wasn't for his vampire senses, he would swear that this wasn't Harry, but there was no mistaking that wonderful scent.
Carlisle held his hand out to touch his son, but quickly snatched it back in fear of hurting the broken and bruised boy. "What the hell happened to him?" He asked, voice breaking.
"So much has happened to him in the last few years." Professor Snape sighed. "Two months ago Harry was captured by the Dark Lord and his followers. I don't know all the details of what he suffered at their hands because I was outed as a spy a year ago, but I'm sure your imagination can conjure up the horrors he faced as their prisoner. The Dark Lord always took great pleasure in torturing his prisoners, and he had a score to settle with Harry. What we do know, is that he was starved, beaten beyond recognition, and...raped repeatedly."
Carlisle had to lock his kneecaps to keep from collapsing. Not Harry...not his sweet and innocent little boy. How could anyone hurt another human bring in such a vile way. If Voldemort wasn't already dead, he would hunt him down and tear him from limb to limb.
Severus cleared his throat to get the vampire's attention. "Three days ago we found Harry outside the gates of the castle. He was laying in a puddle of his own blood and completely unrecognizable. He stayed awake long enough to mumble, "dead, they 're all dead," before passing out. He hasn't spoken a word since.
