DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any Characters/Events from the series up to HBP.

Chapter 7: St. Mungo's

It seemed like an eternity since Harry had seen Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. At once his fatigue wore off as he gave Mrs. Weasley a big hug. She was grateful to see both Harry and Ginny were alright, when Harry had left so abruptly no one had known what to think, especially after the Dark Mark was seen high in the skies. It seemed that Voldemort had won the final battle. But, then the Death Eater attacks had stopped shortly after, as if they had known Harry Potter had at last prevailed over Voldemort. He began again with the story of how he defeated Voldemort, but tried to keep the explanations of all the small details to a minimum, until morning. Harry looked at a clock nearby on the wall, it had already been several hours since Voldemort had been defeated, and fatigue was beginning to wear on him. Just as he was about to rest and owl came to them with a news paper and an envelope addressed to Harry Potter and Ginerva Weasley.

Hermione took the paper and Harry the envelope. "It's addressed to me and Gin," said Harry.

"Oh, who's it from," asked Ginny with a puzzled look on her face.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped, "Look at the front page!"

The headline of the newspaper read:

Dark Lord Defeated, Hero Reborn!

"I think I know who the letter is from," said Harry calmly, opening the letter.

"Are you sure it's safe, mate?" ask Ron.

"Yeah," was Harry's only reply.

"So who owled us," asked Ginny.

Harry scanned the letter quickly, "Rita Skeeter." He read the letter out loud:

Dear Harry Potter and Ginerva Weasley,

I know we haven't always been on the best of terms since the Tri-Wizard Tournament, but I would like to express my gratitude for your success in defeating You-Know-Who at last. Harry, you have proven yourself to be above all standards set by any wizard of any age. While only yourself and Miss Weasley know exactly the events that transpired between yourself and You-Know-Who, I can make a few educated guesses at what may have went on. Especially when I arrived, you weren't even equipped with your wand. I found it a few feet away, hoping to get an interview from Miss Weasley when I returned it to her. Then the unthinkable happened and that Phoenix brought you back! I managed to also collect Voldemort's wand shortly after you left, but both wands were snatched out of my hand despite the warding charms I placed on them. Only the true owner of the wands could have taken those from me and I was sure that since you were probably at the Weasley's you wouldn't have been able to summon them until I came to see you. When you are ready I'd like to get the first exclusive interview with 'The Hero of the Phoenix'. It's not everyday someone survives the killing curse, and it's not everyday someone comes back to life after being killed by it either. It just seems like the impossible holds absolutely no meaning for you. I hope you enjoy the article.

To Miss Weasley, it is painfully obvious how much you mean to Mr. Potter. Only true love could make one go to such great lengths and face such insurmountable odds without any thought to his own personal safety. While I think it was very reckless and foolish to go alone to fight Voldemort, I am relieved that everything turned out alright. I only ask that you don't ever let go of Harry no matter what, because you will probably never find anyone who loves you so much and is so devoted to you, that he'd go to great lengths to protect you! Given the past I know it's a lot to ask for, but I also desire to have the first interview with 'The Woman Who Loved the Hero Who Triumphed'

-Rita Skeeter

Although Ginny's eyes had tears in them, touched by Rita's letter, she still managed a sarcastic remark, "Great, now I have a stupid nickname to match Harry's!" However, she didn't mind, knowing how much they truly loved each other and she held him close.

Hermione smiled as Harry put his arm around Ginny, holding on to her tightly, as if she were about to break. The look in his eyes was unmistakable. At long last Harry Potter had found love and happiness. Everyone, including Ron, was now smiling at the couple. Mrs. Weasley couldn't help but remember the day she had met Harry at Platform 9 ¾ when he and Ron were going to Hogwarts for the first time. He had been shy and timid then, and didn't even know how to get to the platform. It still amazed her how many times Harry had saved nearly every member of her family through out the years. He had saved Ginny twice, both times confronting Voldemort. Harry was there when Ron had been poisoned, and had used a bezoar to save her youngest son's life nearly a year and a half ago. Just before Christmas the year before that, Harry had done a great thing not only for the Weasley Family, but for the Order of the Phoenix as well when he saved Arthur from the snake. Tears of joy and happiness came to her eyes. She was proud of the man Harry had become in the last few years. To see him now with the burden of the world off his shoulders was refreshing indeed. She had not seen him like this since he had first come to her house before his second year at Hogwarts. It was at that moment she knew that she could not ask for someone better for her daughter. Rita Skeeter had been right about that at least, Harry and Ginny were made for each other.

"So what does the article say," asked Ron, hoping not to ruin the moment, but eager to hear what Rita Skeeter had said in the article.

This time Hermione read:

Hundreds of people watched in a mixture of shock, awe, horror, happy and sadness, as the event of tonight unfolded before our very eyes. It's impossible to know why, but You-Know-Who at long last made his move, and took the war to new heights as he sent out his Death Eaters and their allies on a night of senseless destruction. One attack seems to stand out above the rest, however, as the home of Arthur and Molly Weasley was attacked. Their son, Percival Weasley, was badly injured and sent to St. Mungo's Hospital, and their daughter Ginerva Weasley was abducted from their home. It seemed like this attack was a direct message to someone close to the Weasley Family, the one person You-Know-Who hated more than any other, Harry Potter.

Only Miss Weasley witnessed all the events of the evening and has yet to make a statement, so we can only speculate what has transpired on this night. As various members of her friends and family arrived and various others from nearby areas, we found the bodies of You-Know-Who, at long last defeated, former Hogwarts Potions/Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher, Serverus Snape and once-thought deceased, Peter Pettigrew. Among them was the dead body of Harry Potter. Also known as 'The Boy Who Lived' and later as 'The Chosen One', Potter is the only known wizard in history to have survived the killing curse, and has defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named on several occasions since he was only a year old.

Once again, young Potter does the impossible and was able to apparate away with Miss Weasley and various others, after a phoenix rumored to belong to the former Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Headmaster, the late Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, brought him back to life. Where Mr. Potter is no one knows as a Concealment Charm has been placed upon him to prevent even the owls from locating him or those close to him. We can only hope the 'Hero of the Phoenix' will come forward soon.

"What Concealment Charm," asked Harry, "Did you either of you cast it?" Moody and Lupin both shook their heads.

"Here it is Harry!" said Hermione, "It's a very complex charm. It looks like it affects the person who opened the letter and everyone who is close to them. I would guess that the charm was activated as soon as you opened the letter."

"Well I guess we'll have to thank her later," said Harry impressed.

"It's also safe to assume that the charm will be lifted the minute you send her an owl," Hermione warned, Harry didn't know where he'd be without having Hermione as a friend.

"Thanks," said Harry.

"Well, don't wait too long, because Ginny still has another year of school and needs to receive her Hogwarts letter!" Mrs. Weasley reminded them. Both Harry and Ginny looked very dismayed at the thought of a year apart from each other. With Ginny still being at Hogwarts, their life together would have to wait, but Harry knew it would be well worth it as he watched the sunrise.