Hello.

The story bellow takes place in my Next Generation AU, where Harry is a single dad.

I didn't have any motive to why i wrote this story, it just came and i wrote, i think its based on the few times Harry is a bit stupid and clueless in the books and i just mixed up with my storylines.

Hope you like it

Please, enjoy

DSCWin, thanks for the help.

INNER TURMOIL

It was almost midnight when Ron Weasley and his wife Hermione apparated to probably the darkest and sketchiest Muggle pub in Manchester, searching for their friend. Just a few hours ago, the Weasley-Granger couple had received a call from their eldest nephew, James, saying that his father had gone missing.

The couple took a collective deep breath. They knew that their friend, Harry, was in grief. After all, his wife had just recently been murdered by Merlin knows who, and since then, as expected, he wasn't acting in anyways that would be considered normal for Harry.

Now, after having checked nearly the whole town, they finally found him, sitting alone at the counter of the pub, silently sobbing, drinking away his sorrow with a bottle of whiskey. As they entered the pub, Hermione squeezed her husband's hand and looked at him sadly, silently asking him not to yell at Harry, as that would be the last thing their friend needed right now.

Tentatively, Ron and Hermione sat beside their friend, just like they had done countless times before when they were in school, but this time, however, the situation was much different. The man beside them looked nothing like the old Harry they knew, his face was wet from tears, his hair and mustache were messed, and he looked very, very drunk.

''I shouldn't have ever done that," Harry said, looking to both his friends, but both Ron and Hermione realized he wasn't really recognizing them.

''Done what, Harry?'' Hermione asked calmly.

''When I was eleven, a giant came into my house and told me I was a wizard. Can you believe that?'' he chuckled and took another sip of his drink. ''Can you believe it? A giant? Telling an eleven year old he was a wizard?''

''He's been repeating this over and over,'' the barman said, assuming that Harry was just another crazy drunk. Ron was about to get his wand, but Hermione stopped him and told the barmen to leave so that they could handle it.

''I should have listened to my uncle; he used to say that magic sucked…and look at them…they're happy and living as it should be…'' Harry grumbled. ''But no…I had to follow that giant to believe in some nonsense…and… and look what happened now…'' he sobbed and took another drink.

"Harry. Let's go home, you've drank too much. You need to go home, your children need you…'' Hermione started but Harry frowned

''They needed their mother too.'' His voice was hard to understand, thick and slurred. ''They needed their mother, but look what the wonderful magic world has done… My poor Ginny… she was…'' he couldn't continue and instead, started crying again.

''Harry…'' Ron started, he missed his sister as well and in other times, he sensed he would join his friend on the drink, but the father on him, needed to be firm, so he took a deep shallowed breath and continue. ''Look, Hagrid did, what he thought it would be the right thing and we figured you were desperate when you heard that'' Ron said ''But now Hermione is right, you need to go home, stay with your children, they need you, so, forget all what happened and lts go home.''

''Ron?'' Harry looked at Ron and smiled a bit ''this doesn't look like you'' he said pointing a finger to his friend ''You know what… my son will hate me…'' he said and both Ron and Hermione look to each other confused.

''How they will hate you? You did nothing wrong.'' Ron said

''Ginny wanted to name him Arthur Horace'' Harry chuckled ''I don't know why I didn't listen to her…Albus Severus…what kind of father name their son this way… what kind of father am i? what kind of husband I am? I couldn't save my wife…''

''Harold, that's enough!'' Hermione snapped taking the glass from his hand, as a music start to play

''Alright…'' he mumbled instead ''Lets dance a bit…I should have been a dancer instead of a wizard… does Wizards exists…'' he tried to laugh ''Come on Mione…Ron, can I dance with her?''

''Hey be careful, dude!'' Ron tried to intervene, but Harry didn't listen, taking Hermione on his arms, he tried to spin her around, but he was too much drunk to do anything, he got disc ordinated and before anyone could do something, he fall on the floor with a loud thud.

_/_

It had been an hour later, Ron and Hermione managed to take Harry home and make sure he was safe and sleeping in his own bad before they headed back to their own house. With Hugo and Rose were at Hermione's parents' home, the Weasley couple was alone.

As they set foot inside their house, however, Ron took a shaky breath, wrapping his wife in his arms, hugging her protectively.

''Merlin, Hermione. I hope I never have to go through what Harry is going through right now. I really don't want to know what I would do in his place,'' Ron said thickly and in response, Hermione held him tight.

''Don't think about it, Ron,'' she whispered. ''We're going to find who did that to Ginny in no time and then we'll be safe again,'' she said and he nodded, trying to create a pleasant image with both of his fallen siblings happy and safe somewhere, laughing and happy.

_/_

The next day, in the late afternoon, Harry finally opened his eyes. After blinking a few times, he realized that he was lying on his own bed, still wearing the clothes from yesterday. He felt weak, sweaty, and hungry, with his head pounding as thought it was about to explode. And also, no memory of anything that had happened the day before.

With a bit of difficulty, he stood up and changed his clothes, walking downstairs, just to hear a noise in the kitchen. ''Who's there?" he asked drowsily, when a woman, more or less a year older than him, appeared at the kitchen door, a frown on her face. ''Miss Blum? What are you doing here?''

''Mr. Potter, you're awake! Good, come on, I've got you some coffee ready,'' she said in a hurry.

Miss Elsa Blum was Harry's neighbor, and like Mrs. Figg, she was also a squib. She knew all about the world of magic, but was perfectly happy not to use it.

''Miss Blum… What I can have the pleasure of your visit at this time?'' he asked confused. ''And where're my children?''

''At this hour? It's past midday, Harry and don't worry, your children are safe. They spent the night at my house and this morning, their aunt Fleur came and took them.''

''Please, Miss Blum, could you speak quieter, my head is exploding,'' he took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. ''Can you tell me what happened?''

''Drink your coffee,'' she ordered first. ''You behaved like a Neanderthal, that's what happened, you simply disappeared yesterday and Jimmy called his uncle and aunt to find you, so I took them in, so they could be spared seeing their father come home, drunk as he was.''

''I feel awful, Miss Blum, you can't imagine how awful I'm feeling, not only for the drinking,'' he said and she lowered her eyes. ''I`m sorry if I caused you any other trouble.''

''You lost someone. I can't blame you for feeling awful, Mr. Potter, but I'm thinking about those children, they already lost their mother, don`t let them lose their father as well,'' She said seriously and Harry felt his heart ache, as Miss Blum had touched exactly where it hurts. This way, with a nod, he got up and made his way back to his room.

Once there, he lied on Ginny`s side of the bed, staring at their wedding photo and letting the tears come once again till he fell sleep, promising himself he wasn't going to let his children down again and would be there for them, no matter what.

The character Elsa Blum, is an OC squib, based on Mary Poppins character. Its basically the flying nanny, without the magic.