A/N: Greetings Harry Potter Readers. I not unlike most on this site were not satisfied with the end result of DH and thus have decided to take a stab at writing my own HP FF. My first attempt fared somewhat better than I expected, however now with more time available to me I am re-launching my fic. For readers who tuned in for version 1, there will be significant differences between the two, but I think they are for the best.

P.S. Sadly all I own are the thoughts in my own head; I am only borrowing JK Rowling's world for use in my story. Any additional characters are my own creation and cannot be copied or used without my consent.

Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon
Who is already sick and pale with grief

William Shakespeare, 'Romeo and Juliet'

A Phoenix in Exile

Chapter 1:

A Prelude to an Interlude

Hogwarts Castle

May 3rd, 1998

4:00 GMT

Earlier that night, what would later be known in Magical Britain as 'The Second Wizzarding War,' came to an end as Harry Potter, 'The Chosen One,' and 'The Boy-Who-Lived,' destroyed Lord Voldemort once and for all.

Victory though, came at a cost, for many noble souls who opposed Voldemort and his followers were not able to bear witness to the hour they had ultimately gave their lives for.

Within the halls of Hogwarts Castle, the courageous witches, wizards, and creatures who stood beside Harry Potter were resting, mostly with tear stained cheeks and bruised bodies, but nonetheless had all succumbed to a peaceful slumber. Yet, Harry Potter was not among them..

He could see the flames around him, enveloping the tall grass of the all too familiar meadow. A sinister and arrogant laugh echoed above the crackling flames that illuminated the pitch black sky.

Hope seemed all but lost, he had failed to bring peace and order, and more were dead essentially by his hand.

Harry awoke with a start. His breathing had quickened, heart racing and his forehead was drenched in a cold sweat. After taking a second in his upright position to calm down, he looked at his watch lying on the nightstand.

Confirming the early hour displayed on his timepiece by noting the lack of light outside, Harry gave out a frustrated sigh. Placing his head back on his pillow he tried to get himself back to sleep, but to no avail. Finally after several minutes, he admitted defeat and swung out of the four-poster bed and walked into the adjacent lavatory clad only in his worn our boxers and trademark spectacles. Looking into the mirror revealed a grungy looking young man staring back at him with a weathered face and an even skinner than normal physique.

'No doubt Mrs. Weasley will ensure I do a healthy share of eating when she sets her eyes on me' Harry thought, chuckling to himself as he recalled her oft repeated complaint about him being too skinny in his head. After taking off his glasses, Harry got the shower started and took the opportunity to soak up the hot water and clean his grimy body.

Following the extended shower, Harry threw on some clothes and made his way out of the dormitory. He descended the spiral staircase of the Boys Dormitory, through the Common Room, and into the corridors of Hogwarts. For this early morning stroll he didn't bother donning his Invisibility Cloak or taking the Marauder's Map with him. No, this journey was above any fear of being caught.

He exited the castle and walked through the front lawn of the castle, where the battle took place. Although the bodies of the deceased had been brought into the Great Hall last night, the smell of death still lingered in the early morning air. Harry gazed up at the moon, a brilliant Full Moon was setting over the Western Horizon, yet its faint golden light provided all the guidance he needed.

He arrived to the spot where his battle with Voldemort had taken place the previous evening. Crouching down, he felt the soft grass covered in its early morning dew, and his thoughts raced back to the events from the previous year. Beginning with his, Ron and Hermione's hasty departure from the Burrow after Bill and Fleur's wedding, to the hunt for Voldemort's Horcruxes, and finally culminating with the final battle in which dozens of honorable people gave their lives for the ultimate cause. The physical toll of the past several months caught up with Harry at that moment, for his legs began to ache.

"Ahhhh" he grimaced in pain as he sat down on the wet grass. He turned back to castle, and noted the exterior damage. Several windows were shattered, battlements and towers scarred with missing stone and burn marks, and finally noting the destroyed front corner of the castle which had caved in after being hit repeatedly with errant spells.

'Castles can be rebuilt in a week' Harry thought, 'Yet the lives he shattered will take much longer to heal' He through begrudgingly not even naming the evil culprit responsible for the death and destruction of the Magical World as Harry once knew it.

Glancing in the direction of the Gryffindor Common Room, Harry could just barely make out a silhouette standing at the window. Not putting much stock into his faint observation, he turned back towards the lake and let his mind continue to attempt to make some sense of what had happened over the last several hours.

After several minutes, Harry stood up slowly, doing his best not to further aggravate his sore body, and felt the warm spring breeze flow over him. At this moment, he looked out over the horizon to the East where the first rays of sunlight were emerging from the tall peaks of the nearby mountains. It was the second most beautiful thing Harry Potter had ever laid eyes on, and it was for a moment like this why he fought relentlessly to end Voldemort's reign of terror, destruction, and death.

Faintly, Harry's nostrils picked up a familiar scent, of lilac and strawberries, and he realized that the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life was approaching. Upon feeling her hand on his shoulder, his heart melted, and his body ascended into pure ecstasy. In one fluid motion he turned around and envealoped her into a searing, passionate, and loving kiss which at that moment expressed his love and desire for her more than any words ever could have.

Upon reaching a point where neither one could breathe, both pulled back out of the kiss and stared into each others' eyes. Within that moment, the sun had risen to a point just above the mountains where it illuminated her hair into a magnificent golden red halo, which only magnified her beauty and intensified Harry's desire to never leave her side again. Reaching out to grab her hand, they descended to sit on the lawn.

"Hey," Harry emitted, breaking the silence between them.

"Hey," Ginny replied weakly.

"Ahhhh!" Harry exclaimed in pain, his face stinging from the slap Ginny place across his now redden cheeks.

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT I DID EVERY NIGHT FROM WHEN YOU LEFT THE BURROW IN AUGUST ALL THROUGH THIS MORNING?" Ginny shouted at him in anger. "I CRIED FOR YOU HARRY! I THOUGHT ON TENS OF NIGHTS THAT YOU HAD DIED! I SAW WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A HAPPY LIFE WITH YOU AND ME DESTROYED BY A MONSTER WHO STOLE SO MUCH FROM YOU…..FROM me…." Ginny trailed off as she succumbed to the tears streaming down her face. Harry embraced her, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Gin…I" Harry started

"No," Ginny interrupted, "I had to hold and comfort children some as young as 11 who were abused by the Carrows and living in fear of Voldemort every day all the while not loosing my composure," Ginny replied though sniffles, "Harry, I had to be strong, otherwise who would there have been to hold the school together? We all had to suffer through so much every minute of every day that it tore my soul apart." Ginny said though tears

"Ginny please let me…."Harry started

"And then when I saw Hagrid carry your limp body back up from the forest, I couldn't hold it together anymore, I couldn't bear the thought of seeing you like that. Seeing Voldemort win, gleeful of your death, I….." Ginny faltered as she continued crying.

For the next few minutes all Harry could do was hold the young woman that he loved with all his heart and soul close and try to comfort her as she recounted the horrors she and her peers faced this past year at Hogwarts. Finally when it seemed she had calmed down a bit, Harry released her.

"Ginny please look at me," Harry pleaded. Ginny brought her face out of his now tear stained t-shirt and looked into his eyes.

"Ginny," Harry began weakly, "When I went to face Voldemort, knowing that he would kill me, I wasn't strong, I was faltering, I didn't think I could bring myself to face my own death. But when I was under the Invisibility Cloak, I saw you comforting a girl on the grass over there," He pointed back towards the castle.

"When I saw you, I wanted to run for you, take off the cloak and kiss you, place my love on you. Yet, I couldn't for I knew it would lead you into more harm and potentially…death." Harry confessed to her, faltering on the last word.

"Ginny, I walked toward the forest knowing that if I died and the war ended, at least you would have a chance, a chance to live a life and not be a victim of Voldemort's hatred." Harry finished brushing the hair out of Ginny's tear stained face.

As he finished his impassioned declaration to the woman he loved so dearly, Harry himself began to break down and cry. Soon, Ginny followed suit, and the young couple could only hold each other as they cried.

"I love you Harry Potter." Ginny managed to say between sobs.

"I love you Ginny Weasley." Harry issued as he tried to regain his composure, "And I swear to you, I'll never leave you again."

And at that moment, the sun's light now filled the morning sky casting a brilliant light over the tranquil lake. The dazzling spectacle of colors above them was the perfect backdrop for Harry and Ginny to affirm their passionate love for each other. After one more long, tender, and passionate kiss, they turned to face the lake, hands firmly intertwined, with Ginny's head resting on Harry's shoulder.

Looking through his telescopic sight, mounted on his M4 rifle, in prone position atop the Hogs Head, a battle hardened soldier observed the entire scene between the two teens. Smiling and pumping a fist in the air in celebration, he propped himself up and descended the stairs from the roof to the second floor apartment of the Hog's Head. Looking into the open wardrobe he saw his formal Army Green Service Uniform.

Thinking it the most appropriate garment for to war for the task at hand, he wasted no time in donning it. Looking in the mirror to ensure he was dressed properly he approached the fireplace and tossed a clump of Floo Powder into the hearth.

A/N: Well folks I hope you liked my revised edition so far. I think this will be better than my first attempt although I must warn you that since I am now going for my MBA/JD updates will be a bit scarcer. Please review guys and gals so that I know you're reading this stuff. Thanks for reading!

Oh and P.S. I am proud to have Scott Brown as a Senator from the state of my birth. GO SCOTT BROWN!