Summary: An AU of my AU universe, Snape never heard the prophecy and never passed it onto Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore also never heard it. Years later, with no chosen one to shorten the war, Magical England is embroiled in a full-fledged Civil War.

Meanwhile, the Order is now the de-facto government and dedicated to fighting Voldemort and company. The Order has various divisions depending on their function i.e. intelligence, healing, fighting, et cetera and our main character is an important Commander of the actual ground combat division. When the story begins, the war has been going on for five years. More importantly, the soldiers only get to visit home by lottery and lottery spots are rare and thus dearly treasured.

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."

- Anne Bradstreet

Five years he's been fighting this war. Five miserable years. He's so tired of fighting. So tired of war. Right at this moment he wants nothing more than to go home.

"Captain Black! Captain Black!" The boy, because really, he's far too young to be a man, far to young to be a war veteran, calls to him.

"Yes?" He halts but doesn't turn, lest he betray both his weary longing for home and his fear that this war will never end.

"It's your turn, sir."

"My turn?" Confused he finally turns to face the boy.

"Your turn to go home! Your name's been called!"

"Home?" Disbelief, hope, joy and countless other emotions flit across the handsome face far too quickly for the boy to distinguish between all of them.

"Yes sir!" The boy grins up at his commanding officer. Sirius Black is well loved by all those who fight under him. He is truly the heroic auror captain that all the newspapers say he is. More than that, he is a good man and this is why his men (and women) have spent the past three weeks trying to find a way to get Sirus some home leave. Sirius' second-in-command, Kingsley Shacklebolt, quite happily volunteered his lottery spot when the entire unit decided that their captain was long overdue a visit home. "You should pack, Sir! The portkeys are going to be handed out in two hours!" Laughing, he watches as Auror Captain Black, pride of the Order of the Phoenix, stares at him in stunned disbelief.

"Home? Seriously?!"

"I didn't know your middle name was Lee, sir." Smirking the boy responds. The shock finally fades and Sirius responds with a sharp bark of laughter.

"Hah. As if I haven't heard that joke a million and one times before! Merlin, I can't believe...home. I thought my name would never be picked." Suddenly realizing that he's not behaving very captain-like, he colors and gruffly says, "Uh, I should go pack." He begins to turn but then pauses as it occurs to him that perhaps this boy, child really, should be sent home. "Actually, it isn't quite fair for me to be taking a vacation when my soldiers are still fighting. You should take my spot, your family must be missing you."

"NO! I mean, no sir, I have only been out here for six weeks. You have been here for almost an entire year without a visit home! I won't take your spot, and neither will anyone else here." Seeing the hesitance on his Captain's face, he pleads, afraid the entire unit's planning might go to waste because of the Captain's selflessness, "Please, sir, go home!"

"Well, I suppose if you want me gone that badly." Grinning he gratefully turns and heads to his tent to pack.

A/N: Read and review please.