October 31st, 2011:
It was a windy afternoon in central London, the kids had been running around the house for the past few hours trying on their costumes and asking their mom to finish their different face paintings. Although James´screaming was constant and he could hear Albus and Lily laughing while Teddy reprimanded them, Harry did not move from the staircase. He had been standing at the top of the stairs for at least ten minutes now.
With all the errands he and Ginny had done to buy their kids' costumes, purchase candy bags, and arrange a dinner later that evening Harry had forgotten what date it was. He had kept himself busy long enough to forget that today was Halloween, it was October 31st of 2011. It had been 30 years since he had lost his parents and he was left an orphan.
So Harry was standing on top of the staircase of his house, which felt colder than ever, clutching the railing. He was now in the same position his father had been thirty years ago, getting ready for a Halloween party with his kids before there was a knock at their door in Godric´s Hollow announcing their last breath. Suddenly he felt like he was about to vomit his lunch and his scar burned more than ever, he silently took a sit atop the stairs.
"Daddy! Have you seen my eyepatch?" James asked running up the stairs dressed as what appeared to be a pirate. He slowed down once he saw his father´s expression. "Are you sick, Dad?"
Harry felt silent for a second as he looked into his son´s eye before shaking his head and smiling. "No, I´m alright, Jamie"
"Oh good, Mom said we would be going in ten" he smiled before going up the stairs searching for his eyepatch, Harry guessed. It wasn't long before the brown-haired boy ran down the stairs with a piece of fabric in his hands. "I got it, Ted!"
Harry looked down at the living room where he found beautiful scenery: Ginny was braiding Lily´s red hair and speaking to Albus at the same time, while Teddy was putting on James´eyepatch with tender manners. Harry didn't move, the scene seemed so far from him, from the grief he was feeling at the moment. For the first time in years, Harry felt out of place in his own home, like a lost kid. He saw as his wife moved swiftly across the room grabbing her coat and her bag and telling their kids to do the same thing. He saw the woman he loved turn around to face him with a smile, but the moment she saw him she dropped her smile and her belongings.
The doorbell rang sending chills down Harry´s spine, before Ginny could even move Harry ran to the door with his wand in his right hand pointing at it, and opened it swiftly with his arm extended.
He felt his body relax once he found Ron facing him, his face was even paler than usual and his expression was confused. Hermione had placed a hand in front of her kids, like protecting them. Harry dropped his wand.
"What the heck was that, Harry?" Ron whispered earning a glare from his wife.
"Harry, are you okay?" she asked grabbing Harry´s wand and handing it to him.
"Y-Yeah, I just... I´m sorry..." he whispered. Everything felt like a reflex, even grabbing his wand back felt weird. "I don't know what happened..." Before he could say anything else he felt a warm touch on his left shoulder.
"Harry" she whispered. He felt those chills again as he turned to face the red-haired woman, her expressions were warm, and her touch felt like home. Harry´s body relaxed when he saw Ginny. "Let´s step inside, honey"
While Harry was walking into his house again, he heard Ginny addressing their children. "You kids will go with Uncle Ron and Auntie Mione, okay? Mommy will join you in a bit"
"Is everything okay?" Teddy whispered looking up at him, Harry only managed to smile and nod before walking towards the couch. A few minutes passed before the house felt silent and he heard the door close. Ginny used her wand to point at the teapot and get a hot drink going, then she sat next to him and grabbed his hands.
"You remembered what date it is" she whispered, it was not a question, his wife was stating a fact. Harry swallowed hard before whispering the tinniest ´yeah´ he had ever heard escape his lips. The woman clutched his hands and kissed his knuckles silently. "Yeah..."
Before he realized he and Ginny were sipping on their tea silently, she didn't ask and Harry thanked her for it. They just sat next to each other for what felt like hours until Harry´s breath slowed. He turned to her hiding his face on her neck, "You should go with Ron and Hermione... They will need help handling those demons" Harry whispered.
Ginny laughed lightly as she stroked his hair. "I will in a bit, I just don't want you to be alone"
"I´ll be fine, Gin. I might not have grey hairs yet but I´m old enough to be alone" he tried to joke looking at her with a half smile.
"And I am sure grey hair will suit you," Ginny said while smiling. "But I would feel much better if I knew you had some company for now. Just for me Harry?"
He sighed while looking at his wife, placing a piece of hair behind her ear. After many years of marriage, Ginerva Weasley had mastered the art of ´How to convince Harry James Potter in under ten seconds´. "Okay... Just for you"
"I´ll ring Mom to tell her you´re coming over," she said while standing up and pulling her phone out. She offered Harry a hand and helped him stand up. "I love you" she whispered while placing a kiss on his lips.
"I love you too" Harry whispered as he saw his wife run to the door while talking to the phone.
Now that Ginny was gone, Harry was all alone. He felt like drowning, just a bit, so he decided to keep himself busy.
Around half an hour had passed since Ginny had left to help Ron and Hermione to take care of the kids and during that time Harry had decided his cleaning anxiety would be a good excuse. After all the costume making their kitchen was filled with glitter and fabric pieces, their dining table was covered with face paints and he had left behind two dirty cups and a teapot.
So Harry began to clean everything he saw, even the things that were already clean had to be rewashed to keep him from overthinking. He paused on his task when he heard some rattling in the living room, he turned his head to find a woman stepping out of the chimney.
"Holy Merlin, you people will drive me crazy" she whispered patting down her clothes. She was dressed in an orange dress and a darker coat, she took her hat and placed it on a couch as she turned to face Harry with the biggest smile. "There you are, Harry dear."
"Molly... Hi," he found himself whispering with his hands still rubbing the soapy ceramic plate.
"I was waiting for you dear, when I saw you weren't coming I thought I would check on you," she said walking up to him and placing her coat on the rack. "So... We are cleaning?"
Harry sighed and found himself smiling a bit. "Yes, we´re cleaning."
"Alright then, let me dry these," she said while grabbing a rag to dry the dishes. Harry appreciated how she did not mention the fact that all these things could be done with the flick of a wand, after all, Molly Weasley was patient and understanding.
Ten minutes had passed before Harry was going to grab an already clean plate and Molly reached for it giving him a smile. "There is nothing else to clean, Harry." The man stopped himself as he turned around to face his house - it was spotless. No more pieces of fabric, no more glitter, no more dirty silverware. His house was as clean as it could get and Harry felt sad about it. He held onto the rag silently before Molly´s hand took it from him carefully. "Dear, let us go. The kids will know where to find us"
Fifteen minutes had passed before Molly had led Harry to the living room, offering him his coat and guiding him to the chimney.
Seventeen minutes had passed before Harry was sitting in front of the Weasley´s clock, looking at Ginny´s spoon turn and mark seven in the afternoon. Molly had assigned Harry the task of cutting carrots, which seemed to help with the overthinking bit. But after he was done with the fifth carrot Molly took the veggies and poured them into a pot, allowing magic to do the rest.
Harry looked at his empty hands as he heard Molly sit next to him. "When I heard the door I ran" he whispered. "I ran ready to attack whoever was at the door. Ron and Hermione were at the door"
"You were just scared, dear" she whispered grabbing his hands and nodding. "If you want to talk, just talk"
Harry felt silent for a minute. All the thoughts that had materialized in his head were suddenly gone and he had to gather himself for a second. "It's been thirty years since they died. You would think... You would think you´d get over it."
"It has been thirteen years and I haven't got over it, nobody expects you to get over your parents passing, Harry" Molly whispers referring to her own son, he sighs silently.
"It is not only about getting over it. I was scared, Molly. I was scared somebody would come into our house and try to..." he felt a lump in his throat like the words would not come out. "That I would be... That Ginny..." Harry stopped with a small sob.
"Oh dear, nothing will happen" Molly whispered wrapping her arms around Harry like she would do all those years ago.
"I was scared history would repeat itself. I could never forgive myself for leaving my kids, for her dying" Harry shook his head trying to breathe. "For a second I felt like I understood what my dad felt"
"There is a difference between you two, Harry. You are no longer in a war like your father was, you are a free man" she whispered holding him.
Molly did not mention how Harry´s sobs were filling her house. Molly did not mention the wet shoulder Harry left behind. Molly did not mention how she had to bring a box of tissues. Or how she gave him a glass of water and a pill to avoid a headache. She just treated him like she would a son, comforting him and making him feel better with some light jokes.
She allowed Harry to be a sobbing mess in her kitchen and then helped him recover before his family was back. Harry was thankful to have Molly as a mother-in-law.
By the time everybody was back dinner had been served, along with Mr. Weasley´s help Harry and Molly prepared a meal for nearly thirty people. They made mashed potatoes, three different types of salads, chicken, beans, eggs, sausages, Yorkshire puddings, diced veggies, stew, and loads and loads of gravy. You could say they had some variety.
When Harry heard the door he opened it waiting with arms open for his kids, although he was not surprised when George smiled widely and hugged him lifting him from the floor. "Well hello Harry, it seems like you missed me" he joked putting him down before walking to his mother and doing the same thing while his two kids followed laughing.
"For Merlin´s sake, where are your manners children?" Angelina joked as she kissed Harry´s cheek and walked into the house.
"Hello, Uncle Harry!" the kids and George said, making the younger ones giggle. Even Harry felt himself laugh a bit.
"Dont close the door just yet! Bill rang a bit ago, and said he was on his way," Arthur said while grabbing both his grandkids and taking them to the kitchen. "Let's grab a snack, you little nifflers!"
Not long after, a tall red-haired man and a beautiful blond woman appeared with three kids behind them, as always Fleur greeted him with the classic ´It is good to see you´ with a glimpse of her French accent. Charlie followed, then Percy and Audrey, then Ron and Hermione, and finally, after what felt like ages Harry saw his family.
He felt himself smiling and before he could even open his mouth he was tackled to the ground by four small children, he groaned as he hugged the four of them with both his arms. "You kids are getting bigger, huh?" he laughed sitting up with Lily still on his lap.
"Yes, well that is how it should work" Ginny joked with a smile as she kneeled and kissed his lips. "Feeling better?"
"Much better now" Harry nodded.
"Ew, stop that" Albus whispered as he pulled their faces apart making his parents and siblings laugh. "May we eat the candy now?"
"No, you may not," Ginny said pulling herself and Lily up. "Dinner´s first"
"But I want chocolate" James pouted and Harry took out his eyepatch giggling.
"You have to eat dinner first," Teddy replied making him huff and walk away.
"Moody kid right there" Harry whispered as he saw his kids running towards his cousins.
"Wouldnt know where he got it from" Ginny grinned hugging his side.
After what felt like hours Harry felt at home, he was comfortable and happy. But most importantly his family was safe and healthy.