Luke Skywalker, grand nephew to Uncle Lars and Aunt Beru, drove his landspeeder across the dunes of Tatooine to recover the runaway R2 droid that had escaped from the moisture farm. His uncle had spent good money on that little droid and Luke needed to get it back before the Jawas found him or he was damaged.

“It looks like we're walking from here, C-3PO.” Luke said and the landspeeder slowed down when they approached the rocky outcropping. Luke brought it to a stop and parked it before he helped C-3PO out of the vehicle. They walked up over the uneven ground and into the mouth of a rocky canyon that the landspeeder couldn't safely cross.

They saw the tracks that R2 had left in the sand and saw him in the distance. What they didn't see were the other tracks that were nearby that had been made by Banthas, or sand elephants.

“Hey! Just where do you think you're going?!?” Luke shouted and ran over to stand in front of R2.

R2 beeped and booped at him.

“Master Luke is your rightful owner now. We will have no more of this Obi-wan Kenobi gibberish.” C-3PO said to him.

R2 beeped and booped.

“Do not tell me about your mission, either. You are lucky he does not blast you into a million pieces right here.”

“No, it's all right; but, I think we better go.” Luke said. “It's not safe here.”

R2 beeped loudly several times.

“What's wrong with him now?” Luke asked.

C-3PO looked around and back at Luke. “There are several creatures approaching from the south-east.”

“It could be sand people. Or worse.” Luke said and ran back to the landspeeder to grab his hunting rifle. “We need to check it out. Come on.”

A few minutes later, Luke was perched near the edge of a waist high rock and used binoculars to look.

“Well, there are two Banthas down there. I don't see any... wait a second. There are sand people, I can see one of them now.” Luke said. “Maybe we should...”

“HURRRK! HURK HURK HURRRK!” A Tuskan Raider stood up from in front of the rock and yelled at Luke. It scared both him and C-3PO and the droid fell backwards onto his back.

Luke tried to bring his long rifle to bear and the sand person swiped his blade across the thin barrel and cut it in half, then swung it at Luke. Luke ducked and felt a punch on his shoulder and a push that sent him to the ground. He saw the blade coming for his face, so he rolled to the left, then he rolled to the right. If he didn't do something to get away, he was going to die within the next few seconds.

*CRAAACK!*

A small body slammed into the Tuskan Raider and sent it into a tumble over the edge of the cliff. It screamed before it hit the ground with a crunch. The other two sand people saw the body and ran over to it, stripped it of everything including the clothes, and ran back to the two banthas. They mounted up and very slowly walked away from the scene.

“Hey, thanks a lot.” Luke said and sat up to look at who had save him, only to see a boy about six years old staring at C-3PO. “I did do a good job cleaning him up, didn't I?”

The boy just kept staring at the droid.

“Give me a hand picking him up.” Luke said and the boy nodded several times and helped the protocol droid stand up.

“Thank you, Master Luke.” C-3PO said. “Thank you as well.”

“I-I-I'm H-Harry.” Harry said, shyly. “Harry Potter.”

“I'm Luke Skywalker, that's C-3PO, and the little droid over there that almost got me killed, is R2-D2.” Luke said and R2 made a sad sound.

“Hi.” Harry said and did a kind of half-wave and gave up.

“I should ask what you're doing all the way out here in the sand dunes, except if you hadn't been here, I would be dead right now.” Luke said and took Harry's hand to shake it. “Thanks.”

“Y-y-you're welcome.” Harry said, completely unused to any kind of praise.

“Come on. I can give you a ride back to town.” Luke said and helped C-3PO navigate down the rocky parts they had climbed to get to the spot they used to look at the sand people.

Harry went along, just because he had nowhere else to go. It was also unbelievably hot and he hoped he could find a drink of water or something. He would never ask for one, though.

They made it back to the landspeeder a few minutes later and saw that it was still intact and hadn't been raided by the sand people. Luke let out a soft sigh and put the pieces of the rifle into the main storage container on the front of the speeder.

A dark robed figure approached from a different direction and Luke stiffed up. “Hello, there. Don't be afraid.” The figure said in a calm voice and dropped their hood to reveal an old man with a short beard. “I'm glad to see that you're all right after such a busy day.”

Luke didn't relax and squinted his eyes at the figure. “Ben? Ben Kenobi?”

“Hello, young Luke.” Ben said with a smile. “The Jundland Wastes are not to be travelled lightly and you are fortunate to still be in one piece. Tell me, what brings you out this far?”

“This little droid.” Luke said and motioned to R2. “I think he's searching for his former master. I've never seen such devotion in a droid before.”

R2 made another soft sound.

“He claims to be the property of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Is he a relative of yours? Do you know who he is talking about?” Luke asked and saw the look of recognition on the old man's face.

“Obi-Wan.” Ben said and leaned against the speeder. “Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time.”

“My uncle said he was dead.” Luke said.

“No, not yet.” Ben said with a smile.

“Do you know him?” Luke asked.

“Of course I know him. He's me.” Ben said and looked thoughtful. “I haven't gone by the name Obi-Wan since before you were born.”

“Then the droid does belong to you.” Luke said with a sigh.

“I don't remember ever owning a droid.” Ben said. “Very interesting.”

“Hurrk! Hurk Hurk Hurrrk!” Echoed from the nearby rocks.

“I think we better get indoors. The sand people are easily startled; but, they will return and in greater numbers.” Ben said.

The group climbed into the landspeeder with Luke driving, Ben on the passenger side, Harry between them, and the two droids secured behind the seats. It was a fairly quick trip to Ben's place and it was getting late, so Luke decided to stay for the night.

Harry barely listened as the old man and Luke talked about his father and how Luke's uncle told him a bunch of lies about the man. Harry knew exactly what that felt like and didn't need to be reminded of it. He looked around the simple house and didn't see anything that was outrageous or anything until the old man opened a trunk and pulled out a weird metal tube thing.

“For over a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the old Republic, before the dark times. Before the Empire.” Ben said.

Harry stayed silent and wished that there had been a Jedi Knight back in Little Whinging. Luke activated the lightsaber after Ben's short explanation about it and Harry almost fainted at the sight. How was that possible? First it was the robots, then the floating car thingy, and now a tube that produced a humming light sword? What was going on?

“How did my father die?” Luke asked as he turned off the lightsaber and sat down.

“A Jedi Knight named Darth Vader. He was a pupil of mine until he turned to evil. He helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi Knights.” Ben told him and Luke was shocked. “He betrayed and murdered your father. Now the Jedi are all but extinct.”

Harry felt sad about hearing that.

“Vader was seduced by the dark side of The Force.” Ben said, sadly.

“The Force?” Luke asked before Harry could.

“The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things.” Ben said, reverently. “It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.”

R2 made several beep noises.

“Let's see if we can figure out what you are, my little friend, and where you come from.” Ben said and approached the droid and patted its dome-like head.

“I saw a part of a message he has...” Luke started to say and R2 activated his holo-emitter.

“I seemed to have found it.” Ben said and sat down.

“General Kenobi, years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars. Now he begs you to help him in his struggle against the Empire. I regret that I am unable to present my father's request to you in person. My ship has fallen under attack and I am afraid my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed.” The small holographic woman said.

Ben tried to not frown at that. He knew the Empire would not have any mercy for rebels.

“I have placed information vital to the survival of the rebellion into the memory systems of this R2 unit. My father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this droid safely delivered to him on Alderaan. This is our most desperate hour.” She said and her face showed desperation. “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.”

The message ended and silence filled the small home for several minutes.

“Luke, you will need to learn the ways of the Force if you are going to come with me to Alderaan.” Ben finally said.

“Alderaan? I'm not going to Alderaan. I've got to get home. It's getting late and I'm in for it as it is.” Luke said and stood, forgetting that he had already agreed to stay at the house until morning.

“I need your help, Luke. She needs your help.” Ben said to try and persuade him. “I'm getting too old for this sort of thing.”

“I can't get involved. I've got work to do.” Luke said and hooked the lightsaber to his belt. “It's not that I like the Empire. I hate it; but, there's nothing I can do about it right now. He paused and let out a sigh. “It's all such a long way from here.”

“That's your uncle talking.” Ben countered.

“My uncle! How am I ever gonna explain this?” Luke said, panicking a little.

“Learn about The Force, Luke. Let me teach you what I can.” Ben pleaded.

“Look, I can take you as far as Anchorhead. You can get a transport there to Mos Eisley or wherever you're going.” Luke said.

Ben didn't let his disappointment show. “You must do what you feel is right, of course.”

Harry had stood off to the side and wondered why Luke was fighting so hard to not get away from an uncle that had lied to him for his whole life.

Half an hour later, they pulled up to a burned out husk of the Jawa's Sandcrawler.

“It looks like the Sand people did this, all right. Look, there's gaffi sticks and bantha tracks.” Luke said as they investigated the wrecked machine. “I've never heard of them hitting anything this big before.”

“They didn't, but we are meant to think they did.” Ben said and pointed at the ground where the bantha tracks were in the sand. “These tracks are side-by-side. Sandpeople always ride single file to hide their numbers.”

“These are the same Jawas that sold us R2 and 3PO.” Luke said when he recognized one of the damaged droids they hadn't bought.

“These blast points are too accurate for sand people. Only Imperial Stormtroopers are so precise.” Ben said and tried to not laugh at the old joke of them only hitting what they didn't aim at. It was a falsehood that the Jedi had spread to make the stormtroopers less intimidating.

“Why would imperial troops want to slaughter the Jawas?” Luke asked and then he thought about it. “If they traced the droids to here, then they might have learned who they sold them to, and that would lead them back... home!” He gasped and ran for the landspeeder.

“Wait, Luke! It's too dangerous!” Ben exclaimed and watched helplessly as Luke drove off towards danger. He just hoped The Force would protect the boy.

Luke arrived back at the moisture farm he grew up on and brought the landspeeder to a stop when he saw smoke coming from the main house. “Uncle Owen! Aunt Beru!”

Harry watched as Luke hopped out of the landspeeder and run towards the front door of the half-buried house, only for Luke to skid to a stop when he saw the two charred skeletons in the doorway.

“Uncle Owen.” Luke said, sadly. All he could think about were the harsh words they had exchanged and now he would never be able to tell the man that raised him that he was sorry.

Harry walked over to him and took his hand. Luke looked down at the little boy and held back the tears he wanted to cry. He gave him a slight nod and the two of them went back to the landspeeder and climbed in. They were soon back at the Sandcrawler and saw C-3PO piling the little Jawa bodies onto a funeral pyre.

“There was nothing you could have done if you had been there, Luke.” Ben told him. “You would have been killed as well and the droids would be back in the hands of the Empire.”

Luke knew he was right. He would have been just one more body to throw onto the fire. “There's nothing left for me here. I want to go with you to Alderaan and learn the ways of The Force to become a Jedi like my father.”

Ben nodded at his decision and put a comforting hand on Luke's shoulder. Luke and Harry helped C-3PO finish up the necessary tasks policing up the bodies and disposing of them. Harry's idea to gather what little working electronics that they could was accepted with surprise and enthusiasm, because neither Luke nor Ben had thought of it.

With a bit of luck, they could sell what they found at the nearest town the next day and then sell the coordinates of the Sandcrawler to a junk dealer. That much metal had to be worth something. Just leaving it there to rot wasn't going to do anyone any good. Neither of the two men asked Harry if he wanted to come along. He just went with them and that was that.

*

After spending the night at Ben's home and retrieving his own lightsaber, they made their way to Anchorhead and sold off the electronics and parts they had scavenged. Because it wasn't a main trading hub, parts were much more expensive out that far and they made quite a bit of money. No one was interested in harvesting a Sandcrawler, though.

Another long trip by landspeeder later, the three humans and two droids found a junkyard full of starship parts and hulls in Mos Espa. The old Toydarian that owned the place couldn't fly anymore and his assistant, Wald, gladly paid a nice price as a finder's fee for the coordinates.

They left Mos Espa and made their way to the Mos Eisley Spaceport. Ben's comment about it being a wretched hive of scum and villainy almost made Harry laugh, because he knew that normal people didn't say things like that.

The Imperial Stormtroopers that were guarding the entrance to the city stopped them and asked about the droids. Ben waved his hand at them and told them that they weren't the droids they were looking for. Why all of the troopers fell for that, Luke didn't know. Harry on the other hand, had felt something tingle along his skin.

“The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded.” Ben said as an explanation.

Luke and Ben left Harry and the droids in the landspeeder and entered the seedy bar. They stayed together instead of splitting up and soon found a pilot that owned his own ship, thanks to the very tall Wookie that Ben had talked to.

“I'm Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon. Chewie here tells me you're looking for passage to the Alderaan system.”

“Yes, indeed, if it's a fast ship.” Ben said.

“Fast ship? You've never heard of the Millennium Falcon?”

“Should I have?”

“It's the ship that made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs. I've even outrun imperial starships and not the local bulk cruisers, mind you. I'm talking about the big Corellian ships.” Han smiled a smarmy smile. “She's fast enough for you, old man. What's the cargo?”

“Only passengers... myself, two boys, two droids, and no questions asked.”

“What is it, some kind of local trouble?” Han asked, curious.

“Let's just say we'd like to avoid any imperial entanglements.”

“Well, that's the real trick, isn't it? And it's gonna cost you something extra. 10,000. All in advance.”

“10,000? We could almost buy our own ship for that!” Luke exclaimed.

“Maybe you could.” Han said and his smile turned crooked. “Who's gonna fly it, kid? You?”

“You bet I could! I'm not such a bad pilot myself.” Luke said and started to stand. “We don't have to sit here and listen...”

“We can pay you 5,000 now plus another 7,000 when we reach Alderaan.” Ben promised.

“Twelve, huh? Okay, you guys got yourselves a ship. We'll leave as soon as you're ready.” Han said, pleased with the deal. “Docking Bay 94.”

“Ninety-four.” Ben agreed and handed over a credit chip with the 5,000 amount on it. He stood and ushered Luke out of the booth and they walked towards the door without speaking.

As soon as they were outside, Luke spoke. “That's going to use up all of our available money.”

“I know, Luke.” Ben said. “We need to sell your speeder for enough to buy some travelling supplies.”

“That's okay. I don't plan on ever coming back to this planet.”

They easily sold the working speeder for a reasonable amount of money and used it to buy food and things they would need for travelling through space and to stay on Alderaan.

*

Han didn't even bother trying to talk to Greedo when he showed up at the bar to delay him. He hustled him off into a corner and used his blaster to silence the green alien before he could make any demands or robbed him. He knew how bounty hunters like Greedo operated and he wasn't going to fall for one of his schemes.

Jabba's palace was Han's first stop and he met with the overweight slug-like alien face to face as he handed over the 5,000 credit chip without batting an eye or trying to negotiate for an extension on the loan. The surprise on Jabba's face was worth not keeping a single credit. It left Han strapped for cash; but, both Han and Chewie had hidden reserves that they could tap into if it was necessary.

Han left the crime lord's home with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. As far as he was concerned, having paying passengers that were wanted by the Empire had been the best thing to ever happen to him. He might even swindle them into paying his docking fees.

*

Luke, Ben, Harry, and the two droids showed up at the right docking bay, paid the outstanding fees for Han, and boarded the ship without comment. Heading out as soon as possible had made them grateful for the expediency that the ship's crew showed. That it was only a captain and his first mate, made no difference. The ship took off without incident.

Surprisingly, the port authority later vehemently denied to the stormtroopers that any kind of ship had been inside Docking Bay 94. Paying customers were hard to come by and even harder to keep, so they didn't want to piss any of them off and kept their secrets as if they were their own.

*

Over the ten days that the Millenium Falcon travelled from Tatooine to Alderaan, Ben Kinobi did his best to teach Luke Skywalker the basics of taping into and using The Force. It was slow going at first, because Luke was much older than a normal Padawan and was fairly set in his ways. Opening Luke's mind to the possibilities was taking longer than it should have.

This was not true for young Harry Potter. He had only just turned seven years old and his mind was full of wishes and nonsensical wants and needs that any child that grew up in such a restrictive household would have. He completely desired for something like The Force to save him from how he grew up and he secretly took to the lessons like a duck to water.

Harry always sat in the corner of the main meeting room when Luke did his lightsaber exercises with a training remote. His eyes were closed and he had opened himself to the flow of The Force so much that he easily 'saw' where the remote was and even felt the small laser blasts that caused stinging welts as they shot out and hit Luke.

A few days into the trip, Ben Kinobi let out a pained sound and slumped in his chair. No one noticed Harry Potter in the corner shiver and fall unconscious, because his eyes had always been closed.

“Ben? What is it? Are you all right?” Luke asked and stopped his exercises.

“I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced.” Ben said and gently rubbed his temples. “I fear something terrible has happened.” He said, gravely. After a few moments, he motioned to the remote drone. “You had better get on with your exercises, Luke.”

Luke stepped back from him and wasn't sure he should.

“Well, you can forget your troubles with those imperial slugs. I told you I'd outrun them.” Han said as he entered the room and sat down. “Don't everybody thank me at once.”

Luke rolled his eyes. Ben smiled as he motioned to the remote again and Luke resumed his lessons. Harry woke up on his own sometime later and felt extremely sad.

*

They were nearing the end of their trip when Han entered the main room again. He held in his laugh when he saw the droids playing a holotable game with Chewie. He was going to warn them and decided against it.

Let them find out for themselves to not piss off a Wookie that could rip your arms off when he's angry.

Han thought with amusement. “We'll be coming up on Alderaan at about 0200 hours.”

Luke let out a yelp when the training drone again shot him in the butt with a stinging laser. “Argh!”

Ben smiled at him. “Remember, a Jedi can feel The Force flowing through him.”

“You mean it controls your actions?” Luke asked.

“Partially. You can give yourself over to it fully in dire situations; but, it can also obey your commands.” Ben said, wisely.

Han Solo laughed. “Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.”

“You don't believe in the Force, do you?” Luke asked, even though he himself hadn't heard about it two weeks ago.

“Kid, I've flown from one side of this galaxy to the other and I've seen a lot of strange stuff. I've never seen anything to make me believe that there's one all-powerful force controlling everything.” Han told him as if imparting important knowledge. “There's no mystical energy field that controls my destiny. It's all a lot of simple tricks and nonsense.”

Ben waved Luke off from arguing with the man and handed Luke a helmet with the blast shield down. “I suggest you try it again, Luke. This time, let go your conscious self and act on instinct.”

“But, Ben! With the blast shield down, I can't even see. How am I supposed to fight?”

“Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them.” Ben said. “Stretch out with your feelings instead.”

Luke put on the helmet that completely blocked his vision and took several deep breaths. He held his lightsaber at the ready and did as Ben commanded. A few moments later, the drone activated and swished around him to shoot at him several times. Luke moved the lightsaber and caught each one before it hit him.

“Ha-hah! I did it!” Luke exclaimed and took off the helmet.

“You see? You can do it.” Ben praised him.

“I call it luck.” Han said, dismissively.

“In my experience, there's no such thing as luck.” Ben said, despite years of having Anakin's luck save his bacon more than a few times.

“Look, good against remotes is one thing. Good against the living, that's something else.” Han said and there was loud beeping from the cockpit. “It looks like we're coming up on Alderaan.” He said and left the meeting area and ran to the cockpit. Chewie followed him.

“You know, I really did feel something. I could almost see the remote.” Luke said, slightly awed.

“Congratulations, Luke. You have taken the first step into a larger universe.” Ben said and gripped his shoulder.

Harry opened his eyes in the corner and smiled, because he had taken that step almost two weeks ago. He barely needed to use his eyes anymore to navigate around the ship. This was very useful, because he sometimes forgot to put on his glasses when he had to get up to go use the bathroom. He made it to the cockpit just in time to witness the transition.

“Stand by, Chewie.” Han said and hit several buttons and switches. “Here we go. Cut in the sublight engines.”

The ship dropped out of hyperspace and several bangs came from the ship being hit.

“What the... Arrghh! We've come out of hyperspace into a meteor shower. Some kind of asteroid collision.” Han said and checked one of the screens. “It's not on any of the charts.”

“What's going on?” Luke asked.

“Our position's correct, except there's no Alderaan.” Han said, his voice worried.

“What do you mean? Where is it?” Luke asked.

“That's what I'm trying to tell you, kid. It ain't there. It's been totally blown away.”

“What? How?”

“Destroyed by the Empire.” Ben said, gravely.

“The entire starfleet couldn't destroy the whole planet. It would take 1,000 ships with more firepower than...” Han paused when a beep sounded. “There's another ship coming in.”

“Maybe they know what happened.” Luke guessed.

“It's an imperial fighter.” Han said when he checked the readings.

“It followed us!” Luke exclaimed.

“No, it's a short-range fighter.” Han said and checked a few things. “There aren't any bases around here. Where did it come from?”

“It sure is leaving in a big hurry.” Luke said as the tiny ship flew away at its best speed. “If they identify us, we're in big trouble.”

“Not if I can help it. Chewie, jam its transmissions.” Han ordered.

“It would be as well to let it go. It's too far out of range.” Ben said, wisely.

“Not for long.” Han said and poured power into the sublight engines.

“A fighter that size couldn't get this deep into space on its own.” Ben postulated.

“He must have gotten lost or been part of a convoy or something.” Luke guessed.

“Well, he ain't gonna be around long enough to tell anybody about us.” Han said, determination filling his voice.

“Look at him go. He's heading for that small moon.” Luke said and pointed.

“I think I can get him before he gets there. He's almost in range.”

“That's no moon.” Ben said, his voice barely above a whisper. “It's a space station.”

“It's too big to be a space station.” Han said and tried to get a better look at the thing.

“I have a very bad feeling about this.” Luke said. “Turn the ship around.”

“Yeah, I think you're right. Full reverse! Chewie, lock in the auxiliary power.” Han ordered and flipped a few switches and pulled back on a lever. “Chewie! I said to lock in the auxiliary power!”

Chewie growled and waved his furry hands.

“Why are we still moving towards it?” Luke asked.

“We're caught in a tractor beam.” Han said and held in his sigh as the ship started shaking like crazy.

“It's pulling us in! There's got to be something you can do!” Luke exclaimed.

“There's nothing I can do about it, kid. I'm at full power. I'm gonna have to shut down.” Han said and did exactly that, as did Chewie. The ship stopped shaking and seemed to jump forward with more speed. “They're not gonna get me without a fight.”

“You can't win.” Ben said and put a hand on his shoulder. “But, there are alternatives to fighting.”

*

“Sir, the ship is empty.” A stormtrooper said to his commander and Lord Vader. “The logs showed that they abandoned ship right after takeoff from Tatooine.”

“Several of the escape pods have been ejected as well.” One of the techs assigned to check the ship said.

“Were there any signs of droids?” The commander asked.

“No, sir. If there were any onboard, they must have been ejected as well.”

The commander nodded. “Send a scanning crew aboard. I want every part of that ship checked.”

“Yes, sir.”

Darth Vader shifted his head slightly. “I sense something.” He said and turned his head slightly to the right. “A presence I have not felt since...” He stopped talking and strode away from the ship with a purpose.

*

“It sure was lucky that you had these compartments.” Luke said when a floor panel opened up and he and the others stepped out of them.

“I use them for smuggling.” Han said and helped Chewie lift out C-3PO and R2. “I never thought I'd be smuggling myself in them.”

They went to the cockpit and stayed out of sight as Han checked a few things.

“This is ridiculous. Even if I could take off, I'd never get past the tractor beam.” Han said.

“Leave that to me.” Ben said with a knowing smile.

“Damn old fool, I knew that you were gonna say that.” Han said and Ben chuckled.

“Who's the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?” Ben asked and Han chuckled as well.

*

The scanner crew boarded the supposedly abandoned ship with their equipment and were quickly subdued. The guards at the bottom of the boarding ramp heard the scanner crew ask for assistance and they went up into the ship.

They did not come back out again.

*

“I can't believe this is actually working.” Han said as he and Luke walked out of the ship wearing the stolen stormtrooper armor. Luckily, all the stormtroopers were of a similar height, so both he and Luke had fit into them easily. Although, Luke was a few inches shorter than a normal trooper and they hoped that no one noticed.

Han, Luke, Chewie, Ben, and Harry walked into the security station and shot the two workers there. Harry frowned at that, because they could have secured them instead of killing them. He looked at Ben and wondered why the old man hadn't used The Force. Wasn't it supposed to be all powerful?

Chewie growled at not being able to kill an Imperial officer just as the door shut.

“Between his howling and your blasting everything in sight, it's a wonder the whole station doesn't know we're here.” Luke complained.

“Bring them on! I'd prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around.” Han said and locked the door.

“We've found the computer outlet, sir.” C-3PO told them.

“Plug in. He should be able to interpret the entire imperial network.” Ben said.

R2 made several beep and boop sounds before he whistled.

“R2 says he has found the main controls to the power beam that is holding the ship here. He will try to make the precise location appear on the monitor.” C-3PO said and the monitor showed it. “The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in seven locations. A power loss at one of the terminals will allow the ship to leave.”

“I do not believe either of you can help me with this.” Ben said to Luke and Han. “I must go alone.”

“Whatever you say.” Han said with a shrug. “I've done more than I bargained for on this trip already.”

“I want to go with you.” Luke offered.

“Be patient, Luke. Stay and watch over the droids. They must be delivered safely or other star systems will suffer the same fate as Alderaan.”

“But...”

“Your destiny lies along a different path from mine.” Ben reassured him and gave his shoulder a squeeze. “The Force will be with you. Always.”

Luke accepted his words and turned away, unsure why he suddenly felt a loss.

Harry had been completely ignored and hadn't been told to stay, so he followed the old man out through the door.

*

Darth Vader entered Grand Moff Tarkin's office. “He is here.”

Moff gave him a raised eyebrow. “Obi-Wan Kenobi? What makes you think so?”

“A tremor in the Force. The last time I felt it was in the presence of my old master.” Vader responded.

“Surely he must be dead by now.”

“Do not underestimate the Force.” Vader warned him.

“The Jedi are extinct. Their fire has gone out of the universe.” Moff paused when his desk beeped. “You, my friend, are all that's left of their religion. Yes?”

“Sir! We have an emergency alert in Detention Block AA-23.” The generic male voice informed him.

“The princess? Put all sections on alert.” Moff said.

“Obi-Wan is here. The Force is with him.” Vader reminded him.

“If you're right, he must not be allowed to escape.”

“Escape is not his plan. I must face him... alone.” Vader said, ominously. He left the office and let The Force guide his footsteps.

*

Ben Kenobi used some of his rusty training to make his way to the closest of the seven key points that powered the tractor beam. He did not notice his little shadow that was calmly walking behind him and copying everything he did.

They entered the surprisingly unguarded area and went over to the walkway that led to a gangplank that had to be crossed to reach the power controls. There were two guards on the maintenance access door at the far side of the room and they looked completely bored.

“Do you know what's going on?” One of the stormtroopers asked the other as Ben stealthily walked down the gangplank and around the generator.

“Maybe it's another drill.” The stormtrooper responded as Ben pulled a lever, turned the large dial that reversed the power flow, and pushed the lever back into position. “You seen that new VT-16?”

“Yeah. Some of the other guys were telling me about it.” The first one said and both guards turned to look right at the power generator.

Ben couldn't escape with them looking right at him, so he used The Force to make a sound across the room to distract them.

“They say the ship is quite a thing to see... what was that?” The first one asked and turned away from Ben's direction.

“Ah, it's nothing. Probably just some outgassing from the exhaust port. Don't worry about it.” The second stormtrooper said as he looked as well.

Ben quickly strode across the gangplank and back onto the normal walkway. He hid his smile at getting away so easily and left the large room. His little shadow had followed him the whole time and he had no idea that Harry had been right there with him.

While they had been on their little adventure, Luke and Han had rescued Princess Leia from her cell block and made it back to the hangar bay in one piece, albeit a lot more dishevelled than they had been before the adventure. Chewie was happy that he had shot several imperial stormtroopers, too.

*

Darth Vader followed the flow of The Force and it led him to a small area that was just off to the side of the main hangar bay of the space station. He wasn't surprised to see the Millennium Falcon or the group of stormtroopers there guarding it to stop anyone from boarding it.

“I've been waiting for you, Obi-Wan.” Vader said when he saw Ben Kenobi and activated his red lightsaber. “We meet again at last. The circle is now complete.”

Ben shifted his robe and slowly took out his own lightsaber and activated it. A blue glow came from the energy sword.

“When I left you, I was but the learner. Now I am the master.”

“Only a master of evil, Darth.” Ben said and swung his lightsaber at Vader.

The pair exchanged several blows and Harry was stunned at the amount of Force the two were using as their blades struck each other. It was more of a fight of wills than their skills with a light sword, even though they still parried, thrusted, and countered.

“Your powers are weak, old man.” Vader taunted.

“You can't win, Darth. If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” Ben warned him and they exchanged strong blows and blocked each other equally.

“You should not have come back.” Vader said and advanced with his lightsaber.

They fought on almost equal terms for almost a full minute before they gained the attention of the stormtroopers guarding the ship in the hangar bay. The troopers ran over to get a closer look just as Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie, and the droids entered the hangar bay to go to the ship.

“Ben?” Luke asked and moved over to see the fight better.

Ben felt a fluctuation in The Force and glanced over to see Luke staring at him. He couldn't stop the small knowing smile as he relaxed his fighting stance and lifted his lightsaber as if in prayer. Vader immediately capitalized on the mistake and swung his own lightsaber at the undefended man to strike him down... and his swing was deflected by Ben's lightsaber.

A child's small hand held it steady, as if it could never be moved. “I'm sorry. I just started learning all of this Force stuff. I don't want to lose my only teacher, even if he did give up and doesn't want to fight anymore.”

Darth Vader and Ben Kenobi stared at Harry standing there in defiance of both of them.

“You will not harm Ben Kenobi.” Harry said and raised a hand up to point the palm at Vader.

Vader gasped for breath as his chest computer was crushed and a blow of pure Force slammed into him and threw him across the small space. He slammed into the durasteel bulkhead with enough momentum to crack his helmet and he fell to the floor, unconscious.

“We need to go!” Harry said when he felt The Force urge him to run. He continued to let it flow through him like Ben instructed and it guided his actions. He grabbed Ben's hand and ran through the opening towards the squad of stormtroopers and the lightsaber swung faster than the armored men could react.

Their guns were cut apart and ruined as Harry dragged Ben behind him. They ran for the ship and the stormtroopers could only stand there and watch as the group of rebels easily boarded their ship and it blasted off into space.

There was a quick battle with a few tie fighters and the large star destroyers stayed out of the fight. Once the smaller ships had been dealt with, the Millennium Falcon jumped into hyperspace.

“That wasn't a bad bit of rescuing, was it?” Han asked rhetorically as he entered the main meeting area of the ship after leaving the cockpit. “You know, sometimes I amaze myself.”

“That doesn't sound too hard.” Leia said with a deadpan expression and then sighed. “Can't you see? They let us go. It's the only explanation for the ease of our escape.”

“Easy? You called that easy?” Han asked, surprised.

“They have to be tracking us somehow.” Leia guessed.

“Not this ship, sister.” Han denied.

Leia ignored him. “At least the information I placed inside R2 is still intact.”

“What's he carrying anyway?” Luke asked.

“The technical readouts of that battlestation we just escaped. I just hope that when the data is analyzed that a weakness can be found.” Leia told them and they all looked at the little droid that beeped at the attention. “This isn't over yet.”

“It is for me.” Han said and saw the disappointment on her face. “Look, I ain't in this for your revolution and I'm not in it for you either, Princess. I expect to be well paid.”

“I suppose we can give you the rest of your payment, since you did technically deliver us to Alderaan.” Ben said and handed over the credit chip.

Han pocketed it without checking it. “Yeah, that was for a simple job. That didn't include storming an imperial held battlestation or rescuing a damsel in distress.”

Leia gave him a nearly scathing look. “You don't have to worry about that. You will be rewarded for your help.” She said and sat up straight to show off her poise as a princess. “If money is all you care about, then money will be all you'll receive.”

“Good.” Han said with a pleased smile and stood, nodded at Ben for handing over the money owed without arguing, and returned to the cockpit.

“Are you really going to pay him for rescuing you?” Luke asked, a little surprised.

Leia's face changed to anger and she turned to start shouting at Luke, only for Harry's small hand to reach over to take her hand. She paused before she started her rant, because she suddenly felt relief and happiness. She turned back and couldn't stop her smile at seeing the boy's flushed face.

“L-Luke just wanted you to know t-that we aren't like Han.” Harry said, shyly.

“It was very brave what you did back there.” Leia said and knew that Harry was still being brave by trying to distract her. Harry blushed even more.

“Yeah, how did you do that?” Luke asked.

Ben reached over and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. His face showed surprise for a moment, then he smiled. “You let The Force guide you.”

Harry nodded. “I felt the disturbance in The Force that you were going to cause and I couldn't let that happen.” He said and held out the lightsaber. “I'm sorry I took this without permission.”

“Harry, my little friend. As you felt, I willingly gave up my right to use it.” Ben said and his smile didn't change. “It is yours now.”

“But...” Harry started to protest.

“Why don't we sit down and I'll show both you and Luke how to take it apart, clean it, and reassemble it?” Ben asked.

“Should we do that?” Luke asked, a little weary.

“Of course. Maintaining your weapon and keeping it in working condition is one of the basic lessons that a Jedi Knight learns.” Ben informed them and waved at the table. “Grab one of the small maintenance kits. We will check over both lightsabers and you can learn what you need to do.”

Luke nodded and walked over to the nearby maintenance locker, picked up the toolkit, and went over to sit down at the table. He was smart enough to not crowd the princess as he did so.

“I should rest.” Leia said and started to stand.

“You don't need to leave, your highness.” Ben said reassuringly. “I suspect that you are as curious about the inner workings of a light sword as young Harry is.”

Leia resumed her seat and didn't bother hiding how true that statement was. She had heard about the Jedi Knights for most of her life and let her curiosity roam free, now that they were mostly out of danger. She didn't realize she still held Harry's hand until he sat right beside her and placed the lightsaber on the table.

Ben saw how Harry almost clung to the princess and didn't try to discourage it. The boy seemed starved of any personal interactions and had kept to himself since Tatooine. In fact, he had been practically invisible since then. When Ben tried to remember what happened to the boy since they had boarded the Millennium Falcon two weeks ago, he couldn't remember any interactions at all, not even during meals.

The lesson on the construction of a lightsaber and its maintenance lasted for over an hour and none of the people at the table were bored, even when Harry asked what each part was and what it was for. Some history and background about the device was eagerly accepted and they listened as the old man explained in his patient voice.

Ben also shared a few stories of other Padawans and their attempts to do what Luke and Harry just did. That led to more stories and a few more lessons, and the time stretched to several hours. C-3PO served them meals at R2's suggestion, even though that wasn't his function, and R2 recorded it all.

*

It took about eight days to reach Yavin, since it was almost as far from Alderaan as Tatooine had been, only in another direction. The galaxy was a huge place and even with a ship that could go Point Five past lightspeed in hyperspace, it still took time to travel so far.

Ben shared many lessons on Jedi practises and taught both Luke and Harry, with Leia looking on from nearby. She tried to not intrude upon them as they learned the ways of The Force and was too curious to stay away. What she hadn't expected was that they didn't hide what they were doing or told her to give them privacy.

The ship landed after Princess Leia shared her command codes with the escort ships and they all disembarked and were greeted by the base commander.

“You're safe.” The man in charge said, his voice full of relief. “When we heard about Alderaan, we feared the worst.”

“We have no time for sorrows, commander.” Leia said and waved R2 forward. “We must use the information inside this R2 unit to plan the attack.”

The man was about to protest until he saw the pleading look in her eyes.

“It's our only hope.” Leia whispered.

The base commander couldn't deny the urgency, considering they knew the moon-sized battlestation was hyperspace capable. He nodded and called over some technicians to take the droid to a data extraction machine. They needed to get to work.

*

Several hours later, everyone on the base was called together for a briefing.

“The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half the starfleet. Its defenses are designed around a direct large-scale assault.” The commander said and the display changed from showing the full Death Star to zoom in closer to the surface. “A small, one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defenses.”

“Pardon me for asking, sir.” A random pilot asked with his hand up. “What good are snub fighters going to be against that?”

“The Empire doesn't consider a small one-man fighter to be a threat to their massive battlestation. Otherwise, they would have a tighter defense grid. An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station.”

The audince stared as the display changed to show what the man was talking about.

“The approach will not be easy. You will be required to manoeuvre straight down this subsurface trench and skim along the structure to this point.” The commander said and the display showed a larger hole above a smaller hole. “The target area is only 2 meters wide. It's a small thermal exhaust port right below the main port.”

The display changed as digital torpedoes slid into the bottom hole and the display zoomed back out to show a cross section of the Death Star.

“The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy the station.” The commander said and turned to face his audience. “Remember, only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray-shielded, so you have to use proton torpedoes.”

“That's impossible, even for a computer.” A pilot next to Luke said.

“It's not impossible. I used to bull's-eye womprats in my T-16 back home.” Luke said, almost bragging. “They're not much bigger than 2 meters.”

The commander smiled at the encouraging words. “Then prepare and man your ships.” He said and everyone stood up. “And may The Force be with you.”

*

For rescuing Princess Leia, Han Solo accepted half of his reward in goods and half in credits. With that, the pay from their last passengers, and already paying Jabba off, both Han and Chewbacca would be set for quite some time. They had packed up the Millennium Falcon during the briefing and the ship lifted off just before the hangar was filled with eager pilots, mechanics, and droids.

*

“Hey, Luke!” A male voice said from not far away.

“Biggs!” Luke exclaimed, happily. “I don't believe it! It's really you!”

Biggs smiled widely at him. “How are you?”

“I'm doing great.” Luke said and he wasn't lying.

“Hey, are you coming up?” Biggs asked and motioned towards the X-wing that Luke stood near.

“I'll be right up there with you and have I got stories to tell you.” Luke said, teasingly.

The commander of Red Squadron stepped close and interrupted their conversation. “Are you sure you can handle this ship?”

Before Luke could answer, Biggs spoke up.

“Sir, Luke is the best bush pilot in the outer-rim territories.” Biggs praised him and Luke stood a little straighter.

The man gave Luke a searching look and nodded. “You'll do all right.”

“Thank you, sir. I'll try.” Luke promised and turned to Biggs. “I gotta get changed.”

“We'll hear all your stories when we get back, all right?” Biggs asked.

“You got it.” Luke said and accepted a flight suit from a maintenance worker as Biggs started to walk over to his own X-wing. “Hey, Biggs.”

Biggs stopped walking and turned back to look at him.

“I told you I'd make it someday.” Luke said, proudly. He had wanted to get out into the galaxy years ago by going to the pilot academy.

“It'll be just like old times, Luke.” Biggs said, just as proudly. “They'll never stop us.”

Luke finished dressing and started to climb the ladder into the cockpit.

“Hey, this R2 unit of yours seems a bit beat up. Do you want a new one?” One of the mechanics asked as the other one used a small crane and winch to move R2-D2 into the X-wing's droid slot behind the cockpit.

“Not on your life. That little droid and I have been through a lot together.” Luke said and climbed to the top of the ladder. “You okay back there, R2?”

R2 beeped a couple of times.

“Luke.” Ben said and Luke looked down to see Ben, Harry, and C-3PO.

Luke climbed back down to talk to them. “I'm finally doing what I've always wanted, Ben.”

“I won't keep you but a moment.” Ben said and smiled as he placed a hand on Luke's shoulder. “The Force will be with you. Trust your feelings.”

Luke smiled as he remembered their last lesson and being told the motto of the Jedi.

There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony. There is no death, there is The Force.

“Don't worry, I will.” Luke promised.

Harry had felt Ben do... something. His own lessons hadn't progressed as much as he had hoped, like they did those first few days. Then again, it was probably because he somehow knew that the Jedi code was off somehow or missing something. He didn't know why he knew that, just that he did. He waited for Ben to let Luke go before he let The Force guide him and he put a hand on Luke's arm.

“The Force is a powerful ally. Trust in it as it trusts in you.” Harry said wisely and felt The Force reach through him and cover Luke in... something.

Luke missed the brief surprised look on Ben's face. “Thanks, Harry. I will.”

Harry let his arm go with a smile.

“Hang on tight, R2. You've got to come back.” C-3PO said and R2 beeped at him. “You wouldn't want my life to get boring, would you?”

That question made Luke and the maintenance guys laugh. Ben smiled and Harry grinned.

“All Hands! The Death Star has appeared on our long range scanners! I repeat! The target has appeared! You have to intercept it before it reaches us!” A slightly panicked voice said over the base's intercom.

There was a loud click and someone else spoke. “Gold squadron, begin takeoff procedure.”

“I gotta go! Red Squadron might be called next!” Luke said and scrambled up the ladder and into the cockpit of the X-wing. He started the pre-flight checks and R2 beeped at him. “You okay back there, R2?” He asked and saw his response on the small screen in front of the piloting controls. “I'm glad your interface is working without glitches, too.”

Ben and Harry led C-3PO back across the hangar bay and out through the door into the base. The guards there ignored them like they had when they entered.

“Can you teach me that mind trick thing?” Harry asked when they were far enough away from the guards.

Ben gave him a searching look before he nodded. If what Harry did back in the hangar with Luke happened because he felt what Ben had done, then leaving the boy ignorant of the dangers was too much of a risk.

The three of them entered the main command area and no one stopped them as they met up with Leia. She gave them a hopeful look and Ben nodded. Without speaking, she led them over to the main tactical display table in the middle of the room. She couldn't hide the worry on her face and felt a small arm go around her waist.

Leia looked down and saw Harry look up at her with that same hopeful look. She smiled and put her own arm around his shoulders and they stood there, comforting each other, as 30 brave men flew out into space to confront overwhelming odds.

*

The battle was nearly a complete massacre against the Rebels. Snub fighters were not meant to fight against a fully functional battlestation that was covered in turbolasers designed to bring down larger starships. There hadn't been enough time for the rebels to gather together enough capital ships to mount an effective defense against the battlestation, anyway.

After several bombing run attempts along the trench, it wasn't until there was almost no one left that Luke gained permission to lead two fighters for his own bombing run. He ignored his instruments and flew his X-wing down into the trench as if it was his old T-16 in Beggar's Canyon back home. He trusted in himself, he trusted his instincts, and after a brief thought about what Harry had said to him, he placed his trust in The Force.

Several shots from Imperial Tie Fighters grazed his ship and Luke didn't react. He lost one of his wingmen when they were hit and he ordered Wedge to flee. Even when R2 was hit with one of the stray energy bolts, Luke didn't panic. He knew... he knew... that he was going to succeed. It wasn't arrogance or boasting or anything like that. He just felt that it was true.

Luke's second wingman was shot down and he barely registered that he had just lost his friend Biggs. He was calm and collected and he felt like he needed to wait... and wait... and NOW!

Two proton torpedoes launched from his ship and slipped right into the proper exhaust port and disappeared.

“Two direct hits. Everyone clear out and return to base.” Luke said and his calm delivery unnerved a couple of people back at the base while a few others cheered. Ben and Harry opened their eyes and smiled at each other, because they had been right there with Luke. His X-wing led the last Y-wing and another X-wing away from the battlestation.

As soon as someone started to ask how long the chain reaction was going to take, the Death Star practically disintegrated on the viewscreens. The massive explosion blew out two of the monitoring devices from the sheer amount of radiation that the main reactor on a battlestation that large released when it blew up.

*

The celebration was base-wide and coded messages were sent to everyone that was involved with the rebellion. It was a phenomenal victory against the forces of the Empire and they had to evacuate Yavin as soon as possible. They also had to set up decoy bases so that the Empire's spies and informants would be led astray from finding their new base.

One such mission was on Ord Mantell, a planet in the mid-rim of the galaxy, where the brother and sister team of Luke and Leia laid a false trail for several weeks. Ben and Harry had gone along, even though Ben regretted that he couldn't continue Luke's lessons and training while on a mission.

Thankfully, their cunning plan was successful and they escaped the planet before the Empire's forces could swarm the place and capture them. It had been such a close call that they relegated themselves to only command the missions after that and left the riskier ones to more experienced operatives.

It took several months to have the entire Rebel Alliance move their main base to the remote planet of Hoth. It was on the other side of the galaxy from Yavin and would prove hidden enough to keep them out of the Empire's sights for several years, much to the Empire's chagrin and embarrassment. They never stopped their systematic search for the rebels, however.

*

“Ben, you can't leave yet.” Harry said, tears in his eyes. “I still have so much to learn!”

Ben smiled sadly as he relaxed on what he felt would be his deathbed. “Harry, you have been one of the most receptive Padawans I have ever taught. I can never thank you enough for allowing me to pass on as much as I have.” He held a hand out and the 10 year old Harry Potter took it, almost reverently. It made Luke chuckle and Leia smile.

“I think I have enough time left in me to help you start learning one more technique.” Ben said and Harry's eyes almost lit up. “It will take years of dedication and...”

“I'll do it, I promise.” Harry said and Ben almost gasped as The Force flowed through Harry and into him.

“I believe you, Harry.” Ben said and gave his hand a squeeze. “Now, listen closely.”

Luke, Leia and Harry listened as Ben imparted one final lesson to them. How to commune with Force Ghosts. Luke was at a loss for why he would need it, except to talk to Ben after his death. He knew of no other person he would want to contact, except for his father, and Ben had told him years ago that he hadn't transitioned into The Force.

Leia had listened to some of their lessons over the years and she had mixed feelings about it. It seemed to be both reassuring and scary, which wasn't something she wanted to have in her life. She had enough while running the Rebellion against the Empire's totalitarian regime.

Harry's Force-enhanced mind welcomed the new technique with complete openness. Over the last three years as he grew, he had found it easier and easier to not only access The Force, his strength in accessing it also increased. It felt like it was a part of him even more than Ben's teachings said it should be.

He had no real limitation when lifting or moving things with his mind, including himself. His memorization of the various lightsaber fighting styles was perfect and he could switch between them with barely a thought. He could also run in a sprint so fast that even Luke couldn't catch him.

“Do not... abuse it.” Ben said as his energy started to fade.

“Ben.” Harry said as tears rolled down his cheeks. “How long should I let you rest before I call you back?”

Ben couldn't stop his brief bark of laughter. “I said... not to... abuse it.” He said and took a deep breath. “I regret that... I had to abandon... all of my technological resources. I could have... taught you both... so much more.”

“You've done enough, Ben.” Luke said and put a hand on the man's shoulder. “More than enough.”

Ben smiled at him and looked at Harry. “More than I thought I was going to.”

“I'm still not going to apologize.” Harry said and wiped at his face. “I needed you more than The Force did back then.”

“You did... and I thank you... for allowing me to spend... my last moments... with someone... so...” Ben's voice trailed off.

Harry, Luke, and Leia watched with awe as Ben's physical form slowly faded away. His clothing and blanket fluttered to the bed, empty.

“Goodbye, Ben.” Luke whispered.

Harry clenched his hand into a fist. He had held Ben's hand and had felt The Force accepting him into its embrace. Ben was one with The Force and The Force was one with everything, which meant that Harry could have some of Ben's energy inside of him. That reassured him more than knowing he could call the old man back whenever he wanted. Well, after he practised the technique.

*

Life for the rebels on the planet Hoth moved on. After several more months of constant daytime patrols of the energy defense grid and travel beacons, the regular meteorite planetfalls had become a break in the monotony. What they didn't know was that one of those meteorites wasn't a meteorite at all. The outer metal casing broke away and the Imperial Probe Droid rose up on its internal repulsor lift and started its scanning programs.

The latest patrol out searching, came across the site and saw how wrong it looked and what was inside. They reported it back to base and it caused a huge scramble. They knew that something was about to discover them and Princess Leia and the General called for an evacuation. For some reason, Leia hadn't hesitated or argued to wait. She somehow knew that they needed to leave as soon as possible.

Several disguised patrols went out searching for whatever had landed and no one was surprised to find out what it was or that it was armed and armored. It killed three of the rebels before their combined fire broke through the durasteel of its hull and wrecked its repulsor lift. Once it was on the ground, they disabled its blasters.

In a stroke of brilliance, the patrol commander ordered the thing brought to just outside the base's outer defenses and called for the best tech crew on the base. If they could somehow trick the thing into thinking they were just a rogue settlement, their escape might not be so desperate or risky.

The General approved of the attempt, since destroying the thing would stop it from transmitting and that would immediately gain the attention of the Imperials. The longer they could delay discovery, the better. So, that's what they did.

The evacuation of the base happened in a relatively orderly manner and each of the capital ships hidden would retreat to the several back-up bases they had established over the years. The leaders would remain in communication as well, since their participation hadn't been discovered.

The only difference was that Luke had a feeling he needed to go somewhere. By the time the last of the smaller ships had been sent off and the final capital ship, a medical frigate was ready to depart, he knew where he had to go. Since he was taking his assigned X-wing, which was a single passenger spaceship, Harry couldn't go with him. Surprisingly, Harry was perfectly okay with this.

“We have different paths to walk.” Harry said, a bit cryptically. “Good luck, and tell Yoda not to pester Ben too much.”

Luke smiled and gave him a quick hug. “You keep my sister safe, all right?”

“I doubt Leia wants her adoptive son to stop her from enjoying her schemes against the Empire.” Harry said with a snooty voice.

“I heard that!” Leia shouted from across the room and both Luke and Harry laughed.

Luke let Harry go and gave him a pointed look. “Seriously, though. If anything happens...”

“I won't let mom come to harm.” Harry promised.

Luke smiled and put on his helmet. He boarded his X-wing and Harry went over to Leia. They boarded the shuttle and flew up with Luke out of the atmosphere. Luke set course for Dagobah that wasn't very far away from Hoth, barely a day's hyperspace travel, and Leia's shuttle docked with the medical frigate.

Both ships jumped to hyperspace with plenty of time to escape the fleet of Imperial Star Destroyers that showed up in the space around Hoth less than an hour later.

*

With nothing to interrupt their efforts, like rescuing a smuggler from his cheating boss, the Rebels continued their mission to discover all of the secrets of the Empire. It took almost a year for their missions to bear fruit, and it was the sourest fruit to ever exist.

The Empire was building another Death Star.

In that time, Luke finished his training under Yoda and passed his trial to become a fully fledged Jedi Knight, like his father before him... and then he was told the secret. The secret that had been kept from him for his own safety and that of his sister, Leia. Darth Vader was their father, Anakin Skywalker.

It would have been a devastating emotional blow to Luke if he hadn't completed his training. As it was, Luke looked at it objectively. He knew that the Jedi's code was what saved him from opening himself up to the dark side because of that secret. His father was a Sith Lord and he knew he had to face him. It was fate itself that called to him, as did The Force.

Yoda was as relaxed as Ben Kenobi had been when he passed away. Luke did as Harry had and held the Jedi Master's hand as Yoda gave himself over to The Force. Luke felt the passage and smiled, because he knew that if he ever needed their help, he could call upon them to talk.

*

“Luke.” Harry said as he brought himself out from his meditative trance. He left his room and went right to the command bridge of the medical frigate. He saw Leia in deep conversation with the ship's captain and they were talking about the recent and costly mission by the Bonthans to retrieve the details of the new Death Star.

Leia saw Harry and knew it was important, because he never interrupted any of her meetings. She excused herself from the conversation and went over to him.

“Luke's coming back to help.” Harry told her.

Leia's smile practically lit up the room. “I somehow knew he would, even though he's been out of communications range for so long.”

“I also had the feeling that you-know-who will be there as well.” Harry told her.

Leia's smile dimmed. “That could be good or bad.” She said and took Harry's hand and brought him over to the captain. “Captain, new information has just been brought to my attention.”

The captain listened to the surprising news and he didn't doubt that it was accurate. Princess Leia had been one of their more successful information gatherers for years. The fact that Darth Vader would be at the new Death Star would be a huge boost in morale for the Rebels, and it was entirely possible that the Emperor himself might arrive to oversee the construction.

“I will add it to the briefing personally.” The captain promised.

*

A week later, Luke was greeted warmly by his family and he accepted the condolences for Yoda's death. He gave Harry a significant look and Harry nodded. He knew that lessons to complete his training would start after the battle.

Harry was allowed to sit in on the briefing as they told everyone about the elaborate plan to have the entire Rebel Fleet show up to confront the Imperial Fleet to keep them busy, while another daring raid by snub fighters would go after the Death Star to blow it up.

It was also shown that the Death Star had an energy shield around it that was emitted from the nearby moon of Endor. A select group of infiltrators would be assigned to sneak in, take over the facility, and blow it up. Once it was out of the way, then the small space fighters could attack the target.

Harry felt a tremor in The Force and had to raise his hand. Luke saw this and didn't say anything.

“You there. Do you have a question?” The captain of the medical frigate asked.

“If you have an Imperial shuttle, old but valid codes, and the explosives to bring down the shield facility, why are you sending an infiltration team?” Harry asked him.

“They need to enter the facility to place the explosives in key areas...” The captain started to explain.

“Why can't you just load up the shuttle's cargo bay with proton torpedoes, set a spare protocol droid for communication and an R2 unit to pilot the thing, assuming it doesn't have an autopilot already, and fly the shuttle right into the facility instead of landing it?” Harry asked. “You don't have to blow up the entire facility, just the emitter.”

The surprised looks on everyone's faces let Harry know that no one had ever thought of such a thing.

“We will need at least an hour to discuss changes needed for that to work.” The captain said as the other rebel leaders started to gather around him. “You are all dismissed until eleven hundred hours.”

*

The plan was altered to allow a small intra-system A-wing to gently float into the area to act as a relay. The stolen Imperial shuttle would hyperspace in and go to the planet without any assistance or distractions.

When it reached Endor, even a partial success of the mission would work, because the shield emitter was massive. The A-wing would then jump through hyperspace and inform the waiting fleet, which would jump into the system and commence the attack right afterwards.

With the entire Rebel Fleet available as support, the smaller starships could assault the Death Star in relative safety. Luke would be the best distraction as he went ahead and confronted Lord Vader and possibly the Emperor on the Death Star itself. He would have to go alone as well.

Harry tried to sneak onto his shuttle and Luke had to use The Force to make the boy enter a meditative state against his will. He delivered him to Leia and told her that it wasn't Harry's time yet. That shocked Leia so much that she couldn't speak or plead with Luke to not go through with it. She had realized Luke was going to make sure that neither Darth Vader nor the Emperor would ever leave the Death Star.

*

The plan went off without a hitch at first. The shield went down, the fleet jumped into the system, and the battle had begun with the two opposing fleets engaging each other as expected... and then the Death Star fired its main particle cannon.

Losing a capital ship in an instant would have been bad enough. The problem was, the first ship hit was in the direct center of the Rebel Fleet. It was their most protected ship, the medical frigate, and it still had Princess Leia and Harry Potter as passengers.

Luke instantly felt the loss of both Harry and Leia. He actually stumbled from the mental blow, because he hadn't realized how deep his connections to both of them had been. That was the moment he realized why Jedi Knights never made such connections. It was devastating and took pieces of yourself when you lost them.

A stone-faced Luke Skywalker met his father in the main docking bay of the Death Star. Neither man said anything to each other as the aspects of The Force they controlled touched. Darth Vader looked into the eyes of his son and knew the battle was lost. Nothing he could do would save them, so he led his broken son to the Emperor's chambers.

“It appears that I have inadvertently struck at the very heart of the Rebellion and not just the Rebel Fleet.” Emperor Palpatine mused as Vader and Luke entered his throne room.

Luke didn't say anything and came to a stop twenty feet from the Emperor's thone.

The Emperor started to smile as he reached out with The Force and used it to probe Luke's own aspect. When nothing happened, his smile faded and he started to frown.

“We are too late, my master.” Darth Vader said and reached up to unhook his helmet.

“You would give up your life without a fight?” The Emperor asked, surprised.

“Give it up?” Vader's human voice rasped. “It is already gone.” He turned to look at Luke in the eyes. “You were always doing to do this, even before their loss.”

Luke nodded exactly once as he raised his hand, as if pleading, and Emperor Palpatine stiffed as if petrified.

“Not me?” Vader asked and took another raspy breath.

“Father.” Luke said and smiled sadly. “There is no good without evil. Each must exist, or neither will.”

Vader smiled sadly as well. As he suspected, Luke was going to bring back the balance that Vader himself had destroyed almost 25 years ago.

The two of them stood there and waited in silence for the end, one breathing calmly, the other raspy.

The bright white explosion from the reactor core consumed them and the Death Star.

*

The nice calm night in Little Whinging was interrupted just after supper near the elementary school when a loud sound cut through the air.

*CRACK-OWW!*

Two slightly charred figures appeared on the roof of the kitchens and huddled together. They shook and shivered after what happened and they didn't realize they were safe for several minutes.

Leia was the first to open her eyes and see that they were not on the bridge of the medical frigate. “H-Harry, we... we're somehow safe?”

Harry opened his eyes and looked around as well. He didn't recognize the place and had no idea how they had gotten off the ship that had been blowing up around them. He had trusted The Force and wished for himself and Leia to be safe.

“Where are we?” Leia asked and stood up. She knew they were on some kind of building, only it was very antiquated and there was no sign of air filtration units, power relays or regulators. As far as she knew, every building had them as standard equipment.

“I don't know.” Harry said and eased his hold on Leia only enough to take a better look around. After what just happened, he did not want to let her go. He led her over to the edge of the roof and his eyes caught the rundown jungle gym that many children had played on.

It took Harry several minutes to remember why the sight looked kind of familiar, as did the larger building next door.

“We're back where I came from.” Harry whispered, his voice full of awe.

“Wh-what?” Leia gasped.

“I know.” Harry said and looked down at the ground. He could easily jump down there and then lift Leia down to him, except he didn't want to let her go. Since that was not an option, he closed his eyes and felt out with The Force. It was significantly weaker here, as if he was in space and not on a planet, so he would have to be careful about overuse.

Leia watched as the jumble of climbing things tore out of the ground and floated over to them, then a metal rectangle that smelled like garbage floated to land in front of that. She didn't question it when Harry didn't ease his hold on her and started to walk. Like him, she did not want to let him go after what had just happened to them.

The pair walked together down the top part of the jungle gym and onto the dumpster, then the jungle gym moved around and gave them access to a different part, so they walked down to the ground without fuss or a chance to fall.

“I still can't get over how you can do things like that with your eyes closed.” Leia said.

Harry gripped her hip a little tighter. “I didn't want to lose my concentration by watching the things move.” He said and the jungle gym floated back over to where it had been and sunk back down into the ground. The dumpster slid back around the wall to where it had been before.

“Now what?” Leia asked and looked down into Harry's brilliant green eyes when he opened them.

“We go look for my relatives and hope we can stay there for the night. I'm not sure what we can do after that.”

Leia looked down at her outfit and was glad that she had opted to remain in her civilian clothes. A dress would be much more acceptable than pants on a woman on such a backwards planet. She lamented the charred edges to the hem, wrists, and back, however. Harry's robes were not in much better shape.

“What items do you have on you?” Leia asked and the two of them started walking.

“My lightsaber, a communications device, two datachips for my reader, and the reader.” Harry said.

Leia sighed at the Jedi's way of minimalism. “I knew I should have kept my pack on.”

Harry's arm tightened. “I didn't have time to summon it. I'm sorry.”

Leia brought them to a stop and she knelt to look into his eyes. “Harry, you saved my life. You don't have to be sorry that we left a few things behind.”

“But...” Harry started to protest.

“I doubt anyone around here will accept Imperial credits anyway.” Leia said to lighten the mood.

Harry smiled a little. “It really is a backwards planet compared to the rest of the galaxy.”

“I think you mean backwards compared to civilization.” Leia teased and Harry chuckled. She stood again and put her arm over his shoulders. “Now, noble Jedi Knight, lead me to our destination.”

“I can't become a Knight until I pass the trials.” Harry said and led her down the street. He surprised himself with how easily the memories came back to him.

“Can that happen if you don't have a teacher or someone to approve of it?” Leia asked.

Harry nodded. “The trials are usually personal and tests your skills. If Ben had died back on the first Death Star, Luke would have been learning on his own with the basics until Force Ghost Ben told him to go to Yoda.”

Leia accepted that explanation without question. “That would mean when you believe that you yourself are wise enough and have enough experience with The Force, you finish your training.”

“Pretty much. I know I'm not ready, even though I've had more training than I needed to succeed.” Harry told her. “I don't really have to master the skills, either. As long as I don't struggle with them and satisfy my own desire to be proficient in them, that's enough to qualify.”

“Your desire, hmm?” Leia asked with a smile.

Harry smiled right back. “Jedi still have emotions, we just don't let them affect our decisions.”

Leia raised both of her eyebrows at him and stayed silent.

“That doesn't count. I promised to always protect you.” Harry said to defend himself.

“So, you were just keeping your word as a future Jedi?” Leia asked, curious of what he would say.

“No, I... not just...” Harry blushed a little. “I love you, mom. I would give my life to save yours.”

Leia caught her breath and stopped walking again. She knelt once more and looked deep into Harry's eyes and hugged him close. “Harry, I... I can't deny you and say that you shouldn't give up your life so recklessly.” She leaned forward and placed her lips on his forehead and kissed him for several seconds. “I feel the same way about you, my little Jedi.”

They stayed there and held each other for several minutes before they resumed their walk to Privet Drive. Harry didn't recognize the car in the driveway at Number 4, so he ignored it and they approached the door. They hadn't seen a clothesline along the way, so they hadn't been able to cover up their odd style of clothing, either.

Harry took off his outer robes to hang them over his arm like a coat, then knocked on the door. It opened and a short woman he didn't recognize opened the door.

The woman looked at their odd clothing and took a step back. “What do you want?”

Harry waved his hand at her. “We're just going to a party and knocked on the wrong door.”

“You're going to a party and knocked on the wrong door.” The woman repeated without inflection.

“Could you tell me anything about the Dursleys?” Harry asked.

“Oh, them.” The woman said and went back to normal. “My husband and I bought this house for cheap. The previous owners went to prison for murdering their nephew about four years ago.”

“Oh, no.” Leia whispered.

“At least they never found a body in the house or in the yard.” The woman said and seemed to enjoy the looks of surprise on Leia's and Harry's faces. “I heard the son was sent to the St. Brutus Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys, too. They caught him nearly beating a boy to death because he looked like his murdered cousin.”

Leia's arm over Harry's shoulder tightened to the point it almost left a bruise. “We...” She paused and swallowed audibly. “We are sorry to bother you.”

The woman smiled at them. “Oh, it's no trouble. Have fun at your party.” She said and closed the door without saying goodbye or anything.

Leia and Harry stood there for several moments before they realized they should leave. They walked down the driveway and Harry led her down the street and up the block to the local playground. They sat down on the park bench and huddled together as they thought about their situation.

“You can't take us back, can you?” Leia asked in a whisper.

Harry closed his eyes and felt out with The Force. After a few minutes, he opened his eyes and shook his head. “Where we were isn't there anymore and neither is the Death Star.”

Leia took a shuddering breath and let it out as she held him tightly. They stayed there on the bench for another fifteen minutes in complete silence.

“I'm not going to worry about this anymore.” Harry said, suddenly.

“Harry, we're on a potentially hostile planet with a population that hasn't had their world incorporated yet. We have no local currency, we have no food, and we have no shelter.” Leia pointed out. “We don't even have anything to barter or trade with.”

“I know.” Harry said and reached up to rest his hand on her temple.

Leia let out a shuddering sigh as Harry's calm flooded through her. “I shouldn't let you do that.”

Harry smiled at her and stood as he dragged her with him. “I can't help but let The Force guide me when I'm in need. I've done it so often that it's like breathing.”

Leia smiled down at him. “All right, I'll follow you following The Force.”

Harry moved his hand from her temple and put it back around her waist. He led her out of the park and across several more streets until The Force urged him to turn. He followed its direction and came to a stop at a small house that had a handful of cats around it.

“This is the place where we can get help.” Harry said, absolutely sure of it.

Leia trusted him, in fact she had always trusted him, so she went with him to the front door and knocked. There was a sound of shuffling and mumbling from inside the house, several cats meowed, and the door opened to reveal an older woman wearing an old flowery dress that had seen better days. There were also about ten cats at her feet.

“Hello? What can I... do for...” The older woman trailed off when her eyes landed on Harry. Her mouth opened and closed a few times without sound, then her eyes rolled up into the back of her head and she fainted to the floor.

“Well, we can get help when she wakes up.” Harry corrected his earlier statement.

Leia laughed. “Help me keep the cats in and move her out of the doorway.”

Harry waved his hand at the older woman and she and all of her cats lifted up. Surprisingly, the cats didn't meow or protested. “I should bring in the others, too.”

The other cats lifted off the ground an inch and Harry marched them inside and Leia shut the door.

“Remind me later to get angry at you marching them like stormtroopers.” Leia ordered.

Harry grinned at her and set the older woman on her couch and piled the cats all around her. “Seven of the cats have been touched by The Force.”

“How can you tell?” Leia asked.

“I encompassed them with The Force and felt a little connection.” Harry explained.

“Keep an eye on our host and I'll go to the food preparation area to look for anything edible.”

Harry nodded and knelt by the couch. “Hello, there. It's nice to meet you all.”

“Meow.” “Mrow?” “Mew.” They all said at the same time.

Harry laughed and pet the ones that seemed to have asked questions and scratched the heads of the rest of them with his fingers. When he had them all purring, Leia came back from the kitchen with food items she kind of recognized.

“MEOW!” All the cats meowed loudly when they saw what she had and jumped off the couch to assault Leia's legs.

“She has an entire cupboard full of this reconstituted paste.” Leia said and held out several opened cans of cat food.

“I think I'll be in charge of food acquisition from now on.” Harry said and used The Force to lift the food out of the cans and spread it out over the many cat dishes near the front door. The cats swarmed the dishes happily and began eating like they had been starved.

“Oh! It's for them!” Leia said and looked at the empty cans in her hands. “I wondered why their pictures were on them. I couldn't read the labels.”

“I'll make up a primer on how to read the local language, too.” Harry said and went into the kitchen. “I don't see much more than things to make sandwiches. I'll have something ready in a few minutes.”

“All right.” Leia said and sat down on the saggy but comfy chair near the couch and she checked the woman's pulse. Thankfully, she was still alive and hadn't died for whatever reason that she fainted.

“Here you go.” Harry said and walked over to Leia with a plateful of sandwiches with various lunchmeats on them. “Those have ham and cheese on them and those are tuna salad and mayo.”

Leia played it safe with the ham and cheese, because it looked nothing like the cat food.

Fifteen minutes later, the older woman woke up and was groggy. She wondered how she ended up on her couch and then remembered what she had seen before she fainted. “Harry Potter is alive!”

“I have a few years left before I can commune so completely with The Force.” Harry said and held out the plate with two sandwiches on it.

Mrs. Figg sat up and took a tuna salad one. “How? How are you here?”

“The Force works in mysterious ways.” Harry said, cryptically.

Leia laughed softly. “Harry, you're confusing the poor woman.”

Harry grinned at her. “I can't help it. Ben's lessons really stuck with me.”

Leia shook her head at him and looked at the older woman. “Harry and I were...” She paused to think about the best way to explain what happened. “We were caught in an explosion and he hugged me and there was a crack noise. We appeared at the school not far from here.”

Mrs. Figg looked at their singed clothing and believed her. No one would willingly set themselves on fire to tell a story like that. “That sounds like...” She stopped herself before she mentioned wizards and apparition. She might be a squib; but, she was still subject to the Statute of Secrecy. “How did you find me?”

“Your house had cats in front of it.” Harry said and she looked surprised, which let him peer into her mind and he picked up a few things. “I remember you babysitting me.”

“We tried looking for the Dursleys first.” Leia added.

“Oh!” Mrs. Figg gasped, then she frowned. “Them.”

“The woman that lives at Number 4 told us what happened.” Leia said and Mrs. Figg nodded. “Would you mind if we stayed here for the night? We need to rest after... what happened.”

“Of course. I have a spare room and...”

“Thank you.” Harry interrupted her before she said anything else and stood. “We will repay your kindness as soon as we can.”

Mrs. Figg shook her head. “You don't have to worry about that, Harry. You stayed here for a night or two before and I don't mind taking up my old job again for a while.”

Harry smiled at her and nodded. He took Leia's hand and led her from the living room, down the hallway, and into the spare room. “She's a spy for someone named Albus Dumbledore. She will be contacting him as soon as possible.”

Leia sighed. “I thought you said she would provide help.”

“She will and is. It's just not quite the help I thought we were going to get.” Harry said.

Leia gave him a single raised eyebrow and he chuckled.

“Should we bother undressing?” Harry asked her and changed the subject.

Leia checked the bed and it was relatively clean. She turned down the covers and it looked unused for quite some time. “Depending on how quickly their response is, we should stay dressed.”

“Good point.” Harry said and waved for her to get in.

“Harry...” Leia started to say.

“I am the only one with a weapon.” Harry reminded her.

Leia sighed and climbed into the bed. She definitely regretted leaving her pack behind. Her pistol was in the holster inside it, along with her portable scanner, credit chips, medical supplies, a change of clothes, and her own data reader with dozens of digital technology books.

Harry didn't have to concentrate to see what she was thinking. “We'll make due with what we have.”

“We always do.” Leia said as Harry climbed into the bed. She tucked the blanket over them and almost refrained from holding back her needs. Her hands reached out under the blanket and pulled him close, while still leaving him facing the door.

Harry didn't protest as Leia hugged him close and spooned behind him. They both needed comfort right now and neither of them thought it would compromise their safety by expressing it.

*

Mrs. Figg had decided it was too late at night to try and contact the Headmaster of Hogwarts, so she went to bed and would call him by floo in the morning. She set her alarm and fell asleep, her mind full of the implications of having Harry Potter return from the dead.

It seemed like no time passed at all as the alarm went off and Mrs. Figg went about her morning tasks to take care of her cats with food, water, and scratches. Before she had a chance to go to the fireplace in the living room to use the floo, there was a squawk and several taps on her kitchen window.

Mrs. Figg saw the tawny brown owl and went to the window, wondering why anyone would try to contact her. She reached for the envelope attached to the bird's leg and it squawked again and nipped at her finger.

“What the...” Mrs. Figg asked and sucked on her cut finger. “It's not for me?”

The owl shook its head and moved its leg to show off the front of the envelope.

Mr. H. Potter
Spare Bedroom,
Mrs. Figg's House,
Little Whinging

“How in the world...” Mrs. Figg shook her head. “No, I won't question it. I'll go get him.”

“That won't be necessary. I'm right here.” Harry said as he and Leia entered the kitchen.

“AH!” Mrs. Figg gasped and put a hand over her heart. “You startled me!”

Harry smiled at her reaction and looked at the owl. “Do you have something for me?”

“Hoot.” The owl said and held its leg out for him.

“Thank you.” Harry said and took the envelope. He held a hand out to the refrigerator and the door opened and a single piece of sliced ham floated out and over to the owl.

“Hoot!” The owl said and accepted the meat. The bird held it in its talons and tore it into smaller pieces to eat it.

Harry opened the letter to read it and his eyes widened at the contents.

“It's not a joke, is it?” Leia asked as she read the letter over Harry's shoulder.

“No, I can feel this letter was touched by The Force, as was our little friend here, which was how I felt him coming here.” Harry said, sure of his answer. “How else could it find me?”

Mrs. Figg didn't tell him it was magic, because she was still staring at the refrigerator that had opened and closed by itself.

“Should we respond right away? What is today's date?” Leia asked.

“It's July 15, 1991.” Mrs. Figg said and came out of her mild shock. “You have two weeks before your birthday and the cut-off date to answer. When you do, someone will come to visit and...”

“There's nothing about that on here. Just the date.” Harry said and handed it to her.

“What? You were muggle-raised! They are supposed to make an appointment to send someone that should explain it all.” Mrs. Figg said as she read the letter. “This doesn't make sense.”

“It does if they want to keep Harry ignorant.” Leia said and Harry nodded.

“Then I know what my response is.” Harry told her and looked at Mrs. Figg. “Could I trouble you for a writing instrument and some paper?”

Mrs. Figg handed him his letter back and gathered what he needed. Harry wrote out a quick note, thankfully not in Galactic Basic, and informed them that if someone competent didn't visit to explain everything, he would not accept the invitation.

The owl accepted the note and hooted before it flew back out the kitchen window and out of sight.

“And now we wait.” Harry said and exuded patience. Both Leia and Mrs. Figg let out soft sighs as The Force flowed around them.

“It could be tomorrow or in two weeks on the last day for acceptance.” Mrs. Figg said.

Leia reached out to touch her arm. “Do you mind if we impose upon you until then? I'm sure we can come up with some kind of compensation to thank you.”

Mrs. Figg smiled at her. “I don't mind. Harry's fairly well off and just has to get to the bank.”

“What?” Harry and Leia said as one.

“Although, they might not give you access without your key and I don't know where that is.” Mrs Figg stated. “Also coming back from the dead might hinder you a little.”

“I wasn't dead. I went somewhere else and now I'm back.” Harry said and thought about the problem. “I will ask whomever they send if they know where my key is. I know my aunt and uncle didn't have it.”

“Why do you say that?” Mrs. Figg asked.

“They would have spent it all on themselves and bragged about it as they rubbed it in my face.” Harry told her.

Mrs. Figg wasn't sure what to say to that. She knew they were not nice people and spoiled their own son while ignoring and abusing Harry. She didn't know they would rob the boy if given the chance, though.

“Don't worry about it.” Harry said, dismissively. “Please sit and I'll make breakfast.”

Leia and Mrs. Figg sat at the kitchen table and watched as Harry easily made fluffy pancakes. There was no syrup, so butter and molasses had to do. Both women ate quietly as they thought about what Harry had said.

*

Minerva McGonagall stared at the hastily written note a few hours later and couldn't believe it. It had been almost four years since any sign of Harry Potter had been found and now he somehow threatened to not attend if someone wasn't sent to talk to him about everything. She pushed the note aside and went to check the sent letters registry and the school eligibility book.

To her surprise, there it was. Harry Potter's name. The address didn't make sense, though. How in the world did Mrs. Figg have the boy at her house after all these years?

Minerva shook her head and picked up the note. She was tempted to go to the headmaster with it and stopped herself. If her own reaction was to go and check to see if it really was Harry Potter as soon as she could, then Albus would probably leave immediately to kidnap the boy again. She shook her head and wouldn't let him do that to Harry again. She let it go once and they had lost him. It would not happen again.

Her resolve set, she ignored the rest of her paperwork and went to her closet. She grabbed her travelling cloak and used her floo to call Arabella Figg. It would be best to get information right from her. A flick of floo powder had green flames appear in the fireplace.

“Figg's Residence, Wisteria Walk.” Minerva said and waited.

Mrs. Figg's face appeared in the flames. “Well, that was fast.”

“What do you mean?” Minerva asked.

“I didn't expect to hear from anyone until tomorrow or next week.”

Minerva gave her a stern look. “Arabella, this is serious. Is Mr. Potter actually there?”

“He is and I don't know how. He showed up on my doorstep last night and spent the night.”

Minerva was surprised to hear that, because it meant her own thoughts about Arabella hiding him all these years to keep him safe was false. “Do you mind if I come through?”

“Not at all.” Mrs. Figg said and paused with her head turned. “Actually, do you know where Harry's vault key is? He said he's never had it in his possession.”

Minerva bit her tongue to stop herself from letting out several Scottish curses. “I will deal with that right now. I'll come through in a few minutes.”

“I'll have the tea ready.” Mrs. Figg said and her face disappeared before the flames died.

Minerva took off her travelling cloak and let out a shaky breath. She walked out of her office as she calmed herself down and went to the headmaster's office. By the time she reached the stone gargoyle and said the password, she was her normal stoic self and had hidden her anger well.

Albus was a little surprised when his deputy headmistress practically stormed into his office and held a hand out to him. “Minerva? What is it?”

“Hand it over.” Minerva said, her voice like ice. Perhaps she hadn't hidden her anger as well as she thought.

“Hand what over?” Albus asked, confused.

“Harry Potter's vault key.” Minerva said, her stern face looking almost hawk-like. “You know, the key you assured me was in a very safe place and being used to help Harry stay safe?”

Albus opened his mouth to say something to defend himself, then sighed and took the well used key out of his top drawer and handed it over. “I was holding it in trust.”

Minerva stared at the worn key and she knew her friend had abused it. “You knew he was still alive and didn't tell me.” She said and her glare was scathing as she put the key into a pocket. “Is there anything else of his that you decided to keep safe for him?”

Albus opened his mouth again to speak and stopped when Minerva's wand was suddenly pointed steadily at his face.

“My good friend Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. You wouldn't be thinking of lying to me again about something so important, would you?” Minerva asked as the tip of her wand glowed.

Albus sighed again and opened one of the bottom drawers of his desk and took out a brown paper wrapped bundle.

Minerva took it and it felt like there was cloth inside, because the package couldn't remain flat as she held it. “What is it?”

“James Potter's invisibility cloak.” Albus said.

“You... you...” Minerva had to bite her tongue once more to stop herself from cursing. For all the years since the Potter's death, he had their family cloak the entire time. Her glare completely disappeared and she looked at Albus as if he was less than nothing. She hugged the package to her chest and left his office without a word.

Albus had felt every ounce of his old friend's scorn and slumped in his chair. He would need to figure out something to make it up to her. It wasn't really a high priority, however. They had many arguments over the years and it would blow over soon, just like all the other times.

*

“I suggest you have the goblins audit your account, considering you've never accessed it yourself.” Minerva said an hour and three cups of tea later. She had already explained about the magical world and the danger Harry was in. “They should be able to reclaim all of the stolen money from Albus.”

“Madam McGonagall, are you sure you want us to do that?” Leia asked. “If Harry is as famous as you say, if it gets out that the headmaster and Chief Warlock of your government robbed him...”

“Of course it's going to get out. I'm going to tell everyone about it.” Minerva said, vindictively. “I just need Mr. Potter to let me know how much the old fool stole from him.”

“But, if I was considered dead...” Harry started to say.

“Mr. Potter, apparently both Albus and the goblins have ways to know if someone is still alive.” Minerva said, to their surprise. “It was a shock to me as well when I checked.”

“That means he used the money whenever he wanted, rather than leaving it for you.” Leia reasoned.

“Unfortunately.” Minerva said. “I will come with you and help if I can.”

Harry stood and walked around the coffee table. He took her hand and smiled at her. “Thank you, Madam. I appreciate your assistance and your diligence with your warnings.”

Minerva looked into his eyes and saw the sincerity there. “You are going to ignore them, aren't you?”

Harry's smile grew to a grin. “Would you rather I leave the country and go to another school?”

Minerva couldn't keep her emotions off of her face when he said that.

“With your help, I should be fine.” Harry said and Minerva felt reassurance flow through her.

“How are you doing that?” Minerva asked.

“Years of practice.” Harry said and let her hand go. “Shall we head out now? I have my letter and hopefully there will be enough money left in my vault for us to do the shopping.”

Minerva nodded and stood with Harry's gallant assistance.

“Mrs. Figg? Would you like to come along?” Harry asked her.

“Wh-what?” Mrs. Figg asked, cleary surprised.

“Depending on how much is left, I can repay you for your hospitality.”

“Harry, you don't have to worry about...”

“I'm not worried. I trust in The Force.” Harry said and helped her stand. “I know things will work out in my favor.”

Leia accepted his hand next and stood. “You're going all out with the wise ass act.”

Minerva and Mrs. Figg gasped at her words.

Harry chuckled. “Mom, I'm trying to project an air of tranquility.”

Leia rolled her eyes at him and hugged him. “Come on, Mr. Tranquil. We have a long day ahead of us and we better get to it.”

Harry put on his outer robes and thanked Minerva for repairing them. Mrs. Figg picked up her purse and she didn't speak up about her only being a squib and that she wasn't welcome in the wizarding world. The four of them went to the floo and Minerva went through first as she called out the name of the Leaky Cauldron.

Harry felt the flow of The Force as the woman spun like a top and disappeared. He wondered if that was a fundamental aspect of the travel experience and decided to see if he could change that. He stepped in and did as Minerva said, called out the Leaky Cauldron, and held himself steady with The Force.

To his slight surprise, Harry stayed facing forward as hundreds of fireplace exits passed him by. His trip ended and he was in the Leaky Cauldron, so he stepped out and didn't have any soot or anything on him. Minerva stared at him, because he hadn't been spinning and just slid into view.

Harry didn't explain what he did and turned to hold a hand back towards the fireplace. Almost as if it had been planned, Leia's spinning form appeared and slowed down just as Harry's hand reached hers. He took it and helped her step out smoothly, which made Minerva's eyes widen. She shook her head when he reached back and gently took Mrs. Figg's arm and helped her out.

Because of the way they were dressed, people noticed them and then ignored them. Harry hadn't worn glasses for years, thanks to a quick dip in a bacta tank to fix his eyesight, and the four of them went to the back of the pub to the small alley behind it. Minerva showed them the sequence to enter Diagon Alley and Harry felt it through The Force. He would have to research how they managed to imbue The Force into objects as soon as he could.

Both Mrs. Figg and Leia looked at every storefront and magical object they could see. They both felt odd feelings about it, one because it had been denied to her for all her life and the other because she had no idea how they worked or what use they would be.

The visit to the bank was both surprising and short. Ten minutes was all it took to prove that Harry never had his key or received any of their messages and account updates. All transactions done with the account violated the treaty the goblins had with the Ministry of Magic and Albus Dumbledore had interfered with Gringotts Bank business for the last ten years.

All monies, properties, and trusts that Dumbledore was in charge of were immediately confiscated and awarded to Harry Potter. The surprising part was that the Dursleys were being paid for his care, even after his disappearance, and a family called the Weasleys had also been accessing the vault because of a fake betrothal contract.

Any monies they had were given to Harry and he also owned the deed for The Burrow. By the end of the ten minutes, the four of them had been ushered out of the bank with a full money bag of galleons and a bag of muggle currency.

“I'm surprised by what just happened and I'm usually the calm one.” Harry said and the three women nodded in agreement.

“I would have preferred banking without the brash abruptness.” Leia said and put an arm over Harry's shoulders. “On the other hand, they were efficient.”

“I cannot wait to tell everyone how much Albus took from your family over the years.” Minerva said, her voice full of satisfaction. “Perhaps an exclusive interview about his mismanagement of funds.”

Harry chuckled. “If you want a copy of my account audit, just ask.”

Minerva gave him a pointed look and a smug smile.

“Close enough.” Harry said and the three women softly laughed.

The four of them went around the entire Diagon Alley to buy everything Harry needed for school, as well as the muggleborn and muggle-raised information packets. They gave a more in-depth introduction to wizarding society and would help Harry adjust to the change from normal living to how the magicals of Britain did it.

Harry bought everything he needed and then some. He also bought Arabella anything she wanted, no matter how frivolous. She tried to deny how much he was spending on her and he countered that he wasn't spending his own money, because it was money that Albus stole and she helped to return to him. With that argument, Arabella accepted his gifts and stocked up on potion ingredients and cat treats.

Minerva couldn't help but indulge the boy as he asked about everything. He was both curious and introspective, so after every question and answer, he would go silent for several minutes and thought about the implications of the information he had just gained. His insights gave her questions of her own and she would spend several hours in the school's library looking up the answers later.

After the whirlwind of shopping, the last stop was Ollivander's Wand Shop. Minerva told him it was usually a personal thing and asked both Mrs. Figg and Leia to sit with her outside. Harry accepted this as normal and entered the shop, only to gasp when he walked into an almost solid wall of Force.

“Curious.” Ollivander said as he faded into sight on Harry's right. “No one has paused when they felt the power from the culmination of wands in my shop before.”

“I suppose that's fair, sir. I have never encountered so many conduits of power before.” Harry said, respectfully.

Ollivander smiled. “I have a feeling you won't be adverse to using any of my wands, Mr. Potter.”

Harry smiled back. “I do have a healthy relationship with my own inner power, sir.”

Ollivander chuckled and took out a measuring tape that floated on its own and started measuring everything on Harry. He nodded after a minute and the tape wound itself up and jumped back into his pocket.

“Let's get started, shall we?” Ollivander asked and walked behind his counter to start gathering up wands. “We want to find one with the strongest connection, all right?”

Harry nodded and they spent the next twenty minutes trying a bunch of different wands. Ollivander wasn't surprised when they ended their search with the wand that Albus Dumbledore had warned him that Harry would be most compatible with.

The old wandmaker couldn't stop himself and told Harry about the brother wand match and how it had given him his famous scar. To his surprise, the boy wasn't surprised or showed any reaction to hearing about almost being killed. It was almost as if he expected it and had already accepted it.

Harry left Ollivander's and he, Minerva, Leia, and Mrs. Figg left Diagon Alley. They stopped in the Leaky Cauldron and had a nice meal, much to Tom's happiness, and they used the floo to go back to Mrs. Figg's.

Minerva gave them all a smile. “I need to return to the school and continue the work I put off to come here.”

Harry took her hand and bent over it to kiss the knuckles. “Thank you for everything, Madam.”

Minerva couldn't stop her blush at his gallantry. “I won't deny that I enjoyed it, Mr. Potter.”

“Please call me Harry, Madam. You did help me recover several hundred thousand galleons today.”

Minerva softly chuckled. “It should be in the paper tomorrow, considering how... loudly... I was complaining about it during our meal at the Leaky.”

Harry laughed. “I had a feeling that you were doing that on purpose. Well done, Madam. Well done.”

Minerva's blush deepened. “I look forward to seeing you on September first, Harry.”

“There's no need to wait for over a month and a half, Madam McGonagall.” Leia said and Harry nodded. “We won't be venturing anywhere except to Ottery St. Catchpole to see how big the property is.”

Minerva sighed. “The house there is quite large, if eccentric. Without magic, I doubt it would stand on its own.”

“If it is such a hazard, it will be removed and a proper home will be built.” Harry said. “You wouldn't happen to know any builders, do you?”

“I can get the information for you in a few days.” Minerva said.

“Thank you.” Harry said and motioned to the fireplace. “Would you like my assistance?”

Minerva nodded and accepted his hand to step inside. She held in her gasp as his magic flowed over her. The sheer strength of it astounded her. She dropped the powder down to the floor and green flames flared up.

“Deputy Headmaster's office, Hogwarts.” Minerva said and then... stayed standing still instead of swirling like normal and watched as hundreds of other fireplaces passed by her and she slid into view of her office.

Minerva was too stunned by the trip to remark on it and stepped out of her fireplace. She sat behind her desk and stared at the paperwork she had ignored all day and decided she did enough for today. A quick change from her normal clothes to her night things and she was in bed and dreaming of what was going to happen with such a different Harry Potter coming to Hogwarts.

*

Arabella had never had so much food in her house. She had always lived in the muggle world and received the Dole when she couldn't work as a maid anymore. That meant she lived from check to check and always had to be careful about her spending. Her occasional sales of half-Kneezle cats gave her just enough to not worry too much about starving.

Of course, having two other people in her house made it fairly crowded and meals were interesting, because Harry insisted on cooking himself. He claimed it was good practice to keep up with his skills and to relearn a lot of what he had forgotten.

That statement had worried both Mrs. Figg and Leia, because they knew it meant that Harry had been cooking for other people for a long time. They didn't let their feelings show or objected to Harry's actions, because he was so calm and seemed to enjoy it.

“Cooking for people that appreciate it, means a lot to me.” Harry said, out of the blue.

Leia reached over and ran her hand through his hair. “It means a lot to me, too.”

Minerva contacted them a few days later by owl and gave them the details on who to contact for building a magical home. That gave Harry and Leia a reason to travel to The Burrow and Mrs. Figg told them how to access The Knight Bus.

Leia conveyed the understatement of the year when they stepped off the bus. “Well, this place is quite the... ahem... sight.”

The Burrow was, to put it bluntly, a teetering mess of a structure that looked like a strong wind would knock it over. If it hadn't been held up by magic, it really would collapse under it's own weight.

“The goblins said the previous owners would have vacated already.” Harry said and walked over to the front door. He opened it without a key, which meant there either wasn't one or the owners left it open.

Leia entered behind him and saw that it was still completely furnished. “Are you sure? This looks like they still live here.”

Harry frowned slightly. He walked through the living room and went up the stairs, letting The Force guide him, and he saw that each of the bedrooms still had most of their things inside. A few drawers were open and several closets were half empty, too. He went back down to see Leia in the kitchen that was still packed with food.

“I think they left in a hurry.” Harry said.

“Or were forced to.” Leia said with a sigh.

“They did rob me for years.” Harry reminded her.

“I know, I know.” Leia said and opened the bread cupboard to show Harry several freshly baked loaves. They smelled delicious, too.

Harry didn't have to use The Force to know what she was thinking. “We can stop by Diagon Alley on the way back to Arabella's and you can send them a letter to let them move back in.”

Leia smiled and walked over to him to hug him. “You are such a considerate little Jedi Knight.”

“Yes, I am.” Harry said and hugged her back. “Now steal one of those loaves of bread, a knife, the butter, and the basket of fruit on the table. We can check out the rest of the property and choose a nice spot for the builders while we have a little picnic.”

Leia barked a laugh at Harry thinking that stealing a loaf of bread and some fruit was equal to stealing hundreds of galleons. She kissed the top of his head and they did exactly that.

*

That afternoon, Ginny Weasley was sulking as she stared out the open window of their room at the Leaky Cauldron, because she, her youngest brother Ron, and her mother had been left behind as everyone else went out to try and find jobs to pay back the rest of the debt that they owed and possibly for a down payment on another property.

Ginny gasped when an owl dropped an official looking letter on her lap that was addressed to the Weasley family. She opened it, because she was ten, and almost fainted at what it said.

“Mum! MUUUUUM!” Ginny yelled and waved the parchment.

Molly ran back into the room and over to her daughter. She was about to scold the girl for yelling in such a small space, then she saw the letter and quickly read it. The woman fainted at what it said and Ginny had to spend several minutes trying to wake her up by fanning the letter at Molly's face.

*

It took two weeks for the plans of the house to be drafted and the builders to start work. It had been Harry's idea to have the Organa home from Alderaan built to honor Leia's family and she cried at his thoughtfulness.

It would take a month before it would be finished and Arabella offered to not only let Leia and Harry stay there until school started, she offered to let Leia stay over whenever she wanted, just so she could have someone else to talk to. They were going to have a magical home with its own floo access, too.

Time seemed to fly by and Harry studied up on everything he had access to. He and Leia had made several more trips to Diagon Alley as well, which included Leia's own visit to Ollivander's Wand Shop. She had denied that she could qualify for one of the wands, despite her own growing feelings within The Force.

Leia was shocked to have one of them react to her and she felt a very strong connection form between her and The Force. By using it as an assistant, Harry easily imparted the first few basic lessons on accessing and using The Force, which Leia took to easily. With enough practice, she would be ready by Yule break for the next few lessons.

The day before September first, the house was finally finished and both Leia and Harry moved into it officially. Leia cried silent tears as she roamed around with a death grip on Harry's shoulders. He equally held onto her waist as he rode her feelings with her to help her deal with them. This was their home and they would be there as a family.

Surprisingly, the entire Weasley family of mother, father, two older men, four younger boys, and their only daughter, showed up that afternoon to apologize for what happened and brought over freshly baked bread and a bowl of fruit. Harry forgave them and Leia welcomed them into their home.

The Weasleys marvelled at both the innovations and the style of the house, because they had never seen anything like it before. Even using both wizard and muggle standards, the architecture was beyond anything they could imagine.

In fact, the builders had paid Harry half of the money back to build it, just for the exclusive rights to use some of their ideas in other structures. It was structurally sound and looked incredible at the same time, which meant they were going to make a lot of money.

The Weasleys went home that night after much revelry and after Harry had discreetly checked each and every one of them for hidden agendas and secret plans... and boy, was Harry surprised. Molly and Ginny both wanted to manipulate him into marrying the girl as soon as possible. Ginny had been groomed for the role since birth and was brainwashed to be in love with the boy-who-lived.

It would take several deep-probing sessions for Harry to use his mind-Force abilities to deprogram Ginny to the point that she could become her own person eventually. That was a project for later, however. Ron on the other hand, had been pretty much ordered to make friends with Harry by both his mother and Dumbledore. That was easy enough to counter with a couple mind tricks. It always worked easiest on the weak-minded.

The twins were obsessed with pranks and could ignore everything else in their lives, including the magic lessons they didn't like, to pursue their desires to learn what they wanted to instead. Those two he might tweak a bit later to expand their likes a little and it would get them a better education.

Their older brother Percy was so anal retentive that he had a difficult time walking with the proverbial stick so far up his backside. He would need more sessions than Ginny to fix his problems, so Harry would let it go for now. Charlie was a Dragon Wrangler and was pretty interesting while Bill Weasley was a curse breaker for the bank and worked mostly in Egypt and other countries with ancient tombs.

Neither of the two oldest had any nefarious plans against Harry, except to be as far away as possible. Apparently, taking their home was an insult they weren't going to forgive anytime soon. He didn't bother correcting them by saying he didn't get a choice and it was the goblins, which Bill would know because he worked for them.

The father, now that was an interesting conundrum. He was pretty much a doormat for his wife and would go along with anything she wanted, mostly because he didn't want her ranting and raving at him. His love of all things muggle and not understanding a single thing about it, had earned him a medium-level job in the Ministry of Magic and he didn't have a malicious bone in his body.

Harry easily copied the avoidance feelings that Bill and Charlie felt and put them into Arthur, Percy, and Ron. They wouldn't work on the twins, Molly, or Ginny, because they were too set in their ways to accept something so foreign to their thinking. He would have to be much more subtle about it.

Leia and Harry didn't go to their individual rooms that night to sleep and spent it inside Leia's cuddled together. They had slept like that all month and didn't want their last night together to be awkward or spent apart. It was going to be difficult enough for the two of them as it was with Harry at a boarding school.

The next morning came quickly and both Harry and Leia took their time as they ate breakfast and then packed up Harry's things in his trunk. They didn't rush, because they would soon part for almost four months and neither of them looked forward to that. It wasn't until Harry closed his trunk that he remembered The Knight Bus.

“I can leave the castle on Saturday and get here in about fifteen minutes. We can spend the whole weekend together before I need to be back on Sunday night before the meal.” Harry said.

Leia gave his shoulder a hug and Harry levitated his trunk behind them as they went to the fireplace. “What makes you think they will give you permission to leave once you're there?”

Harry smiled at her. “Who said I was going to ask?”

Leia softly laughed and kissed him on the forehead. “If they assign you detention, make sure you have it with Minerva. For some reason, she likes you.”

Harry laughed and nodded. “I'll go first with my trunk and then help you out.”

Leia waited as Harry stepped into the fireplace and tossed down some floo powder.

“King's Cross Station.” Harry said and he slid out of view instead of spinning.

“I need him to teach me how he does that.” Leia said and stepped in after he disappeared and used the floo powder and swirled like a tornado as she travelled. She reached out when she stopped spinning and Harry took her hand and helped her step out.

They were at the platform they needed to get to and Leia used her wand to clean her robes and then Harry's. It was a very handy cleaning spell and she had read through all of Harry's spell books and had bought a few more of her own. She had a lot to catch up on if she wanted to be proficient enough to take the qualifying exams in a few years.

“Put your trunk into one of the compartments and come back out.” Leia ordered.

Harry didn't let her hand go. “There's no rules about parents not helping students board the train.”

Leia smiled and ignored people commenting about the floating trunk as she and Harry boarded the train. It was fairly early, so they had some time to spend together before the train left. They found an empty compartment in the middle of the train, Harry put the trunk in the overhead rack, and the two of them sat down and held each other.

“I'm really going to miss this.” Leia whispered and kissed his forehead a few times.

“I'm not supposed to admit that I will, too.” Harry whispered back.

Leia turned his head with her hand on his cheek to look him in the eye. “You do realize that there is no Jedi Order here, don't you?”

Harry nodded.

“You know that also means there's no Sith Order, too?” Leia pointed out.

Harry blinked his eyes at her. “But... what about... Voldemort?”

“He and his followers are evil wizards, not Sith. They might act the same with their crimes; but, we both know how much stronger things are within The Force.”

Harry took a deep breath. “There cannot be good without evil, for balance is what The Force strives for.”

“And we felt it achieve that when we came here.” Leia said and Harry reluctantly nodded.

“It took weeks for me to work that out.” Harry said, sadly. “I'm sorry, mom.”

Leia wiped at her face before she could cry again about losing her brother. “You felt Luke's resolve, just like I did. He knew it was coming to an end.”

Harry sighed. “I can't commune with Ben anymore, either.”

“Those exercises you taught me are dependent on me using my wand, so your personal connection to The Force has to be much weaker. We are either very far away from where we were or the living things on this planet haven't developed enough to count in the wider universe.”

Harry hadn't had much chance to look into the muggle-side of things. What little he could check on, showed a lot of pollution, industrial complexes that burned fossil fuels all over the world, and trash and garbage gathering everywhere. The planet was a mess and it wasn't getting better, probably because the people that lived on it were not united like they should have been.

“Earth is sick.” Harry said in sudden realization. “The reason The Force isn't as strong is because the planet can't provide more than it already is. It's an energy field that's produced by all living things.”

Leia was startled by that. “Could that... do you think...”

“We can't do anything until we figure out what technology we can recreate or at least simulate.” Harry said, a plan forming in his head. “I'll have to wait until next summer before we devote the time to look into the current technology level. Maybe if we're lucky, we can find something to help.”

“I'll study up as much as I can in the meantime.” Leia said. “Try to not get too far ahead of your classmates.”

“I haven't been able to cast spells with a wand until last night, so I'm at just about the same level as someone that's read this year's books in anticipation for school with no practical applications.”

Leia gave him a crooked smile. “And who has been locking and unlocking doors, windows, and repairing things all over Arabella's house the last month?”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Harry lied, badly.

Leia laughed and kissed his forehead again. “You're too honest for your own good.”

“I'm too used to being completely open an honest, since Jedi don't really have any secrets when we're around each other.” Harry said. “Emotional conflict is very easy to read when it's nearby.”

Leia gave him a pointed look. “Is that what happened with the Weasleys yesterday?”

Harry nodded. “I easily sussed out their secrets and real personalities.”

“I don't want to know, do I?” Leia asked.

Harry chuckled and spent the rest of their time together telling her all about the Weasleys. The whistle blew to let everyone know they had five minutes before the train pulled out of the station, so Leia gave Harry one more kiss on the forehead and wished him luck, then left at a fast walk. Harry closed his eyes and 'followed' her to the floo and Leia used it to go back home.

When Leia sad down on the living room couch and felt like crying, she felt The Force touch her mind.

Leia... Mom... I love you. Harry thought to her through The Force.

Harry, I love you, too. Leia thought back. So very, very much.

I don't think I will make a good Jedi Knight, because I feel the same way. Harry thought to her and Leia felt his nervousness. Maybe I can just be a Jedi that has a strong emotional connection that he will never give up, no matter what.

Leia sent her feelings of love and acceptance to him. I think we could both live with that.

Harry sent back the same feelings, along with relief, and slowly let the connection fade into the background.

*

Hermione quietly sighed again after the last compartment's occupants had rudely pushed her out and told her to mind her own business, even though she was only looking for a boy's lost toad. She reached for the door of the next compartment and slid it open with the question on her lips to ask for the twentieth time about the toad, only to pause at the sight of someone sitting in a meditating pose.

“Trevor the Toad is in the prefect's compartment hiding under the right seat.” Harry's soft voice told her.

Hermione opened her mouth to ask how he could have known that.

“It would take half an hour for me to explain how I know, Hermione.” Harry said without opening his eyes. “You should get him before he makes another break for it. Toads can sense people coming for them, which is why Trevor is so effectual when he hides.”

Hermione stared at him for moment, nodded, and closed the door. She started to walk, then she walked faster, then she jogged. She soon reached the first train car and knocked, asked about the toad under the right seat, and the Head Boy dug out Trevor and handed him to her.

He was right! How as he right? Hermione asked herself and tried to ignore how disgusting it was to hold a huge toad in her small hands. She walked back down the train and found Neville as he was shoved out of a compartment and told off.

“Trevor!” Neville gasped and scooped up the big toad from Hermione's hold. He pet and stroked the thing until it croaked at him, either to tell him to stop or that he liked it, Hermione wasn't sure. “Th-thank you, H-Hermione. I was a-afraid that I'd never f-find him.”

“You're welcome.” Hermione said and the pair went back to their compartment. She had barely sat down before she decided to go and ask that boy how he had done what he did. Her curiosity was just too strong to ignore and it always had been. “I need to go ask a boy about something, Neville. Do you want to come along?”

Neville nodded and put Trevor in his carrier before he followed her out of the compartment and down the train.

Hermione didn't knock this time, either. She opened the door and stepped inside. “Excuse me, do...”

“Both you and Neville may enter and sit.” Harry said calmly and kept his eyes closed. “Please remain quiet for the next ten minutes while I finish my mental exercises.”

Hermione was going to refuse and ask her questions anyway, until Neville stepped by her and sat as ordered. His Gran said similar things in the same tone of voice many times and he knew if he didn't do what was said, things would be bad for him later. So, Hermione sat as well and the two of them waited.

At the very moment the ten minutes were up, Harry opened his eyes and smiled at them. “It's nice to meet the both of you, Neville and Hermione. I'm Harry Potter.” He said and stood up, then he did several impossible stretches right there in the compartment.

Both Hermione and Neville were too surprised by his name to respond and stared at him exercising in those odd-looking robes. It wasn't until Harry was done and adjusted his robes that Hermione found her voice again.

“How did you do that?” Hermione asked, because she hadn't seen a boy do the splits before.

“Years of stretching exercises and practice.” Harry said and sat back down. “Training to kick out to the sides, either at the same time or individually, is a more intense technique than either of you would enjoy learning at your age.”

“I would say so.” Hermione said. “Our bodies have developed to the point that puberty is just around the corner.”

“Not to mention your magic is a bit set in its ways after years of not really using it.” Harry added.

“Madam McGonagall said we weren't allowed to use magic until we received our wands and only when in high magic areas like Diagon Alley.” Hermione said. “Our bodies didn't develop enough to accept magic use properly until our eleventh birthdays.”

“Ah, and now we get to the heart of the matter.” Harry said and smiled at her inquisitive look. “I've been consciously using my abilities since I was seven.”

Hermione caught her breath and Neville looked really sad.

“Please don't compare your own experiences to mine. I was in a much different place when I started to learn from a master. With his lessons and constant supervision, my knowledge increased much faster than it should have.” Harry said and reached over to pat Neville's hand.

Neville felt a tingling up his arm and then felt something flow over him. He stared at Harry and then looked down at his hand where Harry's still rested.

“I'm glad you felt that, Neville. It proves you have a very healthy dose of magic.”

“B-b-but... my wand...”

“Oh, that?” Harry asked and held his other hand out for it.

Neville dug it out of his robes and handed it over without a word.

“Hmm. I see. I see.” Harry said and closed his eyes. “This was your father's wand. He was a good fighter... strong... really good at transfiguration.”

“H-h-h-how did y-you know th-that?” Neville asked.

“His connection to this magical foci told me.” Harry said and opened his eyes to look into Neville's. “It's not as strong with you, because you don't have the same connection to it.”

“I... I don't... my Gran said I had to use it.” Neville said, defeated.

“Neville? Would you like for me to assist you to form your own connection to the wand?”

“YES!” Neville gasped and then blushed with embarrassment. “S-s-sorry.”

Harry chuckled and handed the boy his wand back. “I know how much this means to your family, so grasp the wand with your dominant hand.”

Neville did so and didn't feel anything.

“This might tingle a little.” Harry said and wrapped his fingers of his right hand around the end of the wand and then put his left hand on Neville's forehead.

“What are you doing?” Hermione asked.

“Any magical foci can be used by anyone. The problem is, the connection is different than a wand that is more suited to accept your personal magic. However, if you create a mutual connection...” Harry closed his eyes and whispered a chant under his breath. It was the same one that Ben had used to ensure that the lightsaber really had chosen him as its new owner.

Neville shivered as he felt a very strong pulse of magic. It started at his forehead and flowed down his neck, through his arm, and into the wand. Another pulse started at the wand and flowed up his arm, his neck, and to his forehead.

The wand suddenly emitted bright gold sparks and Neville's hair floated for a few seconds.

“There we go.” Harry said and let both the wand and Neville's forehead go. “How does it feel?”

“It... it feels... like it's mine.” Neville said with awe as he held the wand that had fought against him for months.

Hermione stared at Harry as if he had just performed a miracle and she couldn't believe it.

“I would do that with your wand, except it's already a solid match for you.” Harry told her.

It took another few minutes before Hermione remembered why she had come to this compartment in the first place.

“How did you do that with Trevor?”

Harry gave her a knowing smile. “I think the more important question is how I've done it with everyone on the train and excluded Trevor.”

Hermione's mouth dropped open and she didn't know what to say.

“Case in point, here comes someone I have been looking forward to meeting.” Harry said and stood to open the compartment's door before the blond boy could grab it and slam it. “Hello, Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Crabbe, and Mr. Goyle.”

The three boys were shocked that whoever this was knew their names.

“Come in and sit. We have a lot to discuss.” Harry said and waved them in to sit where he had sat previously.

The three of them entered the compartment and sat, unsure what was going on.

“First, yes. I am Harry Potter.” Harry said and Malfoy opened his mouth to speak. A hand wave and all three boys were held immobile. “Second, I will not accept your bigotry or slander against the delightfully cute Miss Granger.”

Hermione blushed from the compliment. Only her father had ever called her cute and she didn't believe him.

“Third, you will tell your fathers that although I did not accept your hands in friendship, I hold no animosity against you. Our ideologies are too fundamentally opposed, which they and you already know.” Harry said and he saw the understanding on their faces. “Fourth and finally...” He waved a hand over their faces and their eyes clouded over. “...you will not look for me or muggleborns ever again.”

Hermione and Neville exchanged worried looks when the three boys nodded, stood up, and left.

“Well, that was unpleasant.” Harry said and sat down with a sigh. Their minds were surprisingly weak and their willpower barely existed. They were fully products of the ambitions of their fathers.

“What did you do to them?” Hermione asked.

“I forced them to leave me alone.” Harry said, sadly. “They were going to use my refusal of friendship as an excuse to constantly cause trouble for me. It's an underhanded tactic to perform in public and prove how I reject the wizarding world and it citizenry. No one would object to them keeping me in my place below them after that.”

“That... that's horrible.” Hermione whispered.

“It is, which is why Malfoy shouted mudblood so loudly when he met you the first time. It made everyone categorize you as lesser in their eyes and unworthy to be in polite wizarding society.”

“Wh-what? Why... why would he...” Hermione almost felt like crying until Harry's hand took hers and she felt reassured.

“Psychological torture, of course.” Harry said and Hermione's eyes widened. “You see, even people that don't agree with their ideology will have you classed as a mudblood in the backs of their minds. The subconscious is a powerful tool to use against others. It is quite insidious.”

“H-how do you know that?” Neville asked.

“The people I stayed with had suffered the same thing. The ruling elite classed them as rebels because they didn't agree with how the elite ran things. Once anyone is called a rebel, even if they aren't...”

“It doesn't matter if they are or not. Everyone will believe they are and will treat them that way.” Hermione said in understanding.

“Yes, which means I'll need to subtly do the same thing to all of the Slytherins over the next few days and hope it sticks. I usually don't try to influence people like that; but, Malfoy planned to deal with a few of the muggleborns he knows of in the other houses with the help of some of the older students.” Harry said and gave Hermione's hand a light squeeze before he let it go.

“Deal with them.” Hermione said, her voice flat.

“To put them in their place, usually quite publicly, so everyone knows they are easy targets to pick on and ostracize.” Harry explained.

“That... that... arsehole!” Hermione spat. She had that happen to her at every school she attended.

Harry and Neville looked surprised at her cursing, then they both started chuckling. Hermione blushed from embarrassment and lightly smacked them on their arms to get them to stop. When they didn't, she huffed at them. After a few moments, she smiled and started laughing, too.

*

“Firs' years! Over here!” A giant of a man said from the front of the train. “Firs' years!”

Harry, Neville, and Hermione joined the gathering first years and they went down a winding path to a huge lake. The waters were calm and reflected the night sky like a mirror.

“Only four to a boat!” The giant man said and climbed into one himself.

The three friends entered one and a dark skinned boy joined them.

“Hello, Dean.” Harry said when the boy sat down.

“Do I know you?” Dean asked.

“Of course you do.” Harry said with a smile and both Neville and Hermione chuckled. “I'm Harry Potter.”

Dean's eyes widened and he stared at him.

“That's Hermione and that's Neville. Despite their natures, they are going to choose to be in Griffindor.” Harry said. “How about you?”

Dean chuckled, too. “My mum thinks I'm nuts for throwing away a football scholarship to Manchester to come here to learn magic.”

“Definitely a Griffindor.” Harry said.

“What about you?” Hermione asked.

“I could go into any of the Houses. I'm cunning, brave, smart, and hard working.”

“That didn't answer my question.” Hermione pointed out.

“I know.” Harry said and she glared at him. “I suppose declaring this boat's name is Griffindor's Pride might answer your question.”

Dean laughed, Neville looked happy, and Hermione lost the glare and smiled widely.

They were soon across the lake and up the stairs to be met at the side door of the castle by Madam McGonagall.

“The firs' years, perfessor.” The giant man told her.

“Thank you, Hagrid. I'll take it from here.” Minerva said.

Hagrid nodded and left. Minerva gave her welcoming speech and led them all inside for the sorting. It went well, even when Harry's name was called. Everyone saw him without glasses and he was wearing oddly cut robes, long hair in a ponytail, and a weird braid behind his right ear.

The hat touched Harry's head and sat there for a full sixty seconds before it let out a braying laugh. “I haven't laughed that hard in years, Mister Potter. I won't waste any more time on my decision. Better be... Griffindor!”

The Griffindors cheered, especially Hermione and Neville. Harry thanked the hat and Minerva, whom looked quite pleased. He went to the table and several people patted him on the shoulders to congratulate him.

“We got Potter! We got Potter!” The Weasley Twins chanted.

“Yes, yes, settle down.” Minerva said, even though she had a smile on her face. She cleared her throat and kept sorting the rest of the students.

The food was served and Harry felt several Force probes try to peer into his mind. He easily blocked them and found the sources. One was a greasy haired man and the other was a man wearing a turban. He would have to keep an eye on them.

The announcements were made and Dumbledore's warning about staying away from the third floor corridor was laughed at. Only a few looked intrigued while Harry was worried, because Dumbledore tried to use a Force probe to poke at his mind. That was the third time in as many minutes and Harry grabbed it with The Force. He squeezed it and Dumbledore cried out in pain.

“Albus!” Minerva gasped when Albus sat down on his chair and blood started to flow out of his nose.

“I'm fine.” Albus said and used his wand to wave at his nose and the blood disappeared.

Harry pretended he didn't know what just happened and joined his classmates when the fifth year prefects called the first years to follow them. The trip up to Griffindor Tower was a long one, because the entrance was on the seventh floor of the castle. They were shown their dorm rooms and told their trunks would be delivered.

When the boys went up to the top level, Neville asked to switch with Ron and took the bed next to Harry's. They changed for bed and Harry closed his curtains and fell into a meditative trance. He felt Leia's presence in The Force and her patiently waiting for him. Harry opened his mind for her and they shared the day's experiences with each other.

It was going to be a long first week for the both of them, because it would be the first time in years that they had been apart for longer than a few days.

*

The first day of classes was a long one. Transfiguration was first and Harry had already memorized the book, as did Hermione, so Minerva's lecture was mostly repeating what they already read in the book. When they moved on to casting an actual spell, matchstick to needle, Harry was the only one to get it on the first try.

“Mister Potter, have you cast the spell before?” Minerva asked.

“No, professor.” Harry said.

“Could you do it again, please?” Minerva said and handed him another matchstick.

Harry waved his wand at it and the matchstick easily morphed from wood to metal.

“I want you to try adding different details to it.” Minerva said and handed him another matchstick.

“Why?” Harry asked.

“Excuse me?” Minerva asked, unused to students questioning her orders.

“You spent twenty minutes warning us to not fool around in your class because it was dangerous. Why are you asking me to do so now?” Harry asked her.

Minerva held in her sigh, because he had pointed out her mistake in front of the entire class. If she told him to just do it, then she undermined her warnings. If she explained that she wanted to see if he could do it to gauge his ability, it also undermined her warnings. She had inadvertently warned them to never be creative in their spellcasting and she couldn't correct it without telling them to ignore her entire lecture.

Harry changed the matchstick to a regular needle and handed it to her. Minerva accepted it gave him another matchstick before she walked back to her desk to put the needles down. She avoided looking at Harry when she resumed her observation of the rest of the students.

“Why did you embarrass her like that?” Hermione asked Harry in a whisper.

“I wanted her to realize she stopped everyone in class from performing well, because she warned them to never be creative.” Harry whispered back.

“No, she didn't. She just said...” Hermione paused as she thought about it. “Oh. Never mind.”

Harry smiled at her and put a hand on hers. “Shall I show you how to cast the spell?”

“Yes, please.” Hermione said and felt magic flow up her arm, across her body, and down her other arm. It flowed out through her wand and the matchstick she was pointing at was encompassed by that magic and changed from wood to metal seamlessly. “I... I actually felt it.”

“Good. Can you try it on your own? You know what it feels like now.” Harry said and Hermione nodded as he put his matchstick in front of her and let her hand go.

Hermione duplicated the feeling and cast the spell. The matchstick changed in the same way as Harry's had and became a perfect needle. “I did it!”

“Yes, you did.” Harry said and opened their transfiguration book to the right page. “Do you think you can reverse it?”

Hermione had a determined look on her face. “I'll try.”

“Hmm. Do, or do not. There is no try.” Harry said with a raspy voice in a fair imitation of Yoda.

Hermione clamped her mouth shut and barely stopped her giggle. “What... what was that?”

“My adoptive uncle's second teacher said it to him when Luke tried to levitate something big and heavy.” Harry said and she gave him a questioning look. “It means that if you doubt your ability, you will fail, because that's what you expected to happen.”

Realization filled Hermione's face and she nodded. She read over the passage about undoing a recent transfiguration and practised the wand movements before she concentrated on one of the needles and cast the spell. The needle flowed back from metal into wood.

“Thank you.” Hermione said and looked at his face. Her eyes caught his and she blushed a little.

“Try changing it back to a needle.” Harry suggested.

Hermione nodded and did so, then reversed it, and cast it again. Class ended and they went to Charms class. Hermione sat with Harry again and gave him a pointed look.

“Yes, I'll help if you need it.” Harry promised and Hermione smiled happily.

*

Defense Against the Dark Arts after lunch was inside a classroom that stunk of garlic and other things. Hermione wanted to sit right at the front, so Harry and Neville were pretty much dragged to the first table and sat down. Neville went because he was used to taking orders from strong bossy women and Harry went because he could feel Hermione's excitement.

Unfortunately, that was when Professor Quirrell decided to introduce himself with the worst stuttering that any of them had ever heard. You could barely make out every second word the man said and he gave a speech on the Dark Arts that lasted for a very long ten minutes.

When he turned to the blackboard to start writing on it, Harry's scar flared in pain and he hissed as a very strong Force probe slammed into his head. Like with Dumbledore, Harry grasped it with his own formidable mental powers and squeezed. Unlike with Dumbledore, Harry squeezed as hard as he could and Quirrell screamed when the back of his head exploded.

The turban caught most of it as it flew off and landed on the front desk in front of Neville. The boy threw up onto it and fainted to the floor. Hermione screamed incoherently at the gore and everyone else in the class started yelling and screaming, too.

Harry watched as a black smoky cloud floated out of Quirrell's head and showed him a face. He could feel it in The Force and knew it was evil. Pure evil. He couldn't stop himself as he reached out with a hand and The Force to grasp onto the spirit. The thing let out an unholy scream at being trapped and struggled to get away.

Someone in the class finally realized they could leave and ran for the door. They slammed it open and ran down the hall, screaming about a demon spirit loose in the school. This action caused a massive exodus from the classroom and they left Hermione, Harry, and an unconscious Neville behind.

Harry knew this thing felt much different than a real Force Ghost and then suddenly remembered what it felt like within The Force when someone died. This was a disgusting perversion of that sacred ritual and he asked The Force to help him cleanse it and have it move on. He devoted himself to the task and he closed his eyes and let The Force guide him and his actions.

Surprisingly, Harry recognized the dark energy in the being. It was similar to what was in his scar that Ben and Luke had helped him purge years ago. It cleansed him in the eyes of The Force because the foreign energy was hindering his advancement in his lessons.

That gave Harry the clue as to what to do and he poured out his energy to purge the thing of evil that had attacked him. He used The Force technique that Ben and Luke used and the spirit screamed for several minutes before the sound died out and the thing faded away.

Harry suddenly felt exhaustion fill him and he slumped to the floor, unconscious.

“HARRY!” Hermione gasped and dove for him. Her own hysterics about what just happened were forgotten as her concern for her friend snapped her out of it.

Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick, and Severus Snape rushed into the nearly empty room and paused at the sight before them.

“Professors!” Hermione called and gained their attention. “We need help!”

The three professors walked over to her and saw Neville and Harry unconscious on the floor. Neville had blood on his face and hands and the gore filled turban was on the desk in front of his stool.

Severus looked into Hermione's eyes for several seconds while Minerva and Filius checked Neville and Harry. He somehow kept his face blank at what he saw in her mind. “I will get the headmaster.”

Minerva ignored him and felt relief when Harry's pulse jumped under her fingertips. “Filius, we should be able to move them safely and levitate them to the hospital wing. Miss Granger, you should return to the Griffindor common room and...”

“I'm staying with Harry.” Hermione said, determinedly.

Minerva saw her face and nodded. “Pack their things and come along.”

Hermione jumped and did exactly that, faster than the transfiguration professor thought possible, and the girl carried all three school bags as Minerva and Filius levitated the two unconscious boys out of the classroom and up the stairs to the hospital wing.

*

Albus looked upon the gory scene and sighed. He had no idea what happened, even after looking into Miss Granger's head like Severus had. He couldn't explain why the man had died like he did or why Voldemort's spirit had decided to show himself to all of the students in Griffindor and Slytherin. He could easily have stayed near the floor and not floated upwards into view and then screamed like a banshee to get everyone's attention.

The dark mark on Severus Snape's arm was still faded, so Voldemort was still around after escaping once more. That meant the plans Albus had for that year were pretty much ruined. He would have to wait for Voldemort to possess someone else before he could begin scheming again.

Then again, Albus was sure he could convince the new muggle studies teacher, Professor Babbage, to take a fully funded sabbatical this summer to learn about the world like he had with Quirrell. He just hoped that Voldemort would return to the forests of Albania to recover. In the meantime, he had a cover-up to enact and a few useless traps and puzzles on the third floor to dismantle.

*

Harry groaned when he woke up in the hospital wing. He had barely opened his eyes when a bushy-haired missile was launched at him.

“Harry! You're okay!” Hermione exclaimed and hugged him tightly.

Harry couldn't resist saying what he said next. “I'm not so sure, Hermione. I seemed to have developed a cute bushy-haired growth on my chest.”

Hermione blushed and let him go. “You prat.” She said and sat back on the chair beside the bed.

Harry smiled and held a hand out to her, which she took without hesitation. “You stayed with me?”

“As did I.” Leia's voice said from the other side of the bed.

“Mom? How did you...” Harry stopped talking when he felt agitation in The Force. “I'm sorry. I hadn't realized...”

“I rushed right here as soon as I felt you starting to fade from my perception.” Leia said and her hand reached out and rubbed his head. She pet his long hair and sighed. “Don't scare me like that again.”

“I didn't meant to do that this time.” Harry said and explained what had happened. It was news to Hermione as well, because she didn't feel anything like that going on and she had been right there.

“Are you sure it wasn't a perverted Sith ghost?” Leia asked, concerned.

“Positive. It was undeniably evil and twisted with anger and hate. It didn't feel like a Sith, though.” Harry said and sighed as he checked his connection to The Force. It was weak and would need time to recover. “I wish I had thought to use my wand for a stronger connection. It would have helped a lot.”

Leia nodded in understanding. She had to get used to using it more as well. “We've only just started this part of our lives, Harry. We'll get through this like we've gotten through everything else.”

“With stubborn determination?” Harry asked with a smile.

“Exactly.” Leia said and leaned in to kiss his forehead.

“I'll tell Madam Pomfrey you're awake.” Hermione said and stood.

“I already know, Miss Granger.” Pomfrey said as she walked over to them. “Step back, please. I don't want you interfering with my diagnostic spells.”

Both Hermione and Leia moved back from the bed to leave Harry untouched. A few waves of the healer's wand and she smiled.

“You are recovering from magical exhaustion quickly, Mister Potter. Another evening of rest and you will be fine.” Pomfrey said.

“Another evening?” Harry asked, surprised.

“You've been asleep for about 18 hours.” Pomfrey confirmed and looked at Leia. “You can stay again, as long as you don't disturb the other patients if I have any.”

“Thank you.” Leia said.

“Miss Granger, with Mister Potter awake, you can...”

“I've already arranged delivery of our missed homework with Professor McGonagall.” Hermione interrupted her. “We haven't missed much so far and Harry won't feel up to doing any work until tomorrow anyway.”

Madam Pomfrey gave her a raised eyebrow, shrugged slightly, and nodded before she walked away.

Hermione didn't see the appraising look that Leia gave her as she pulled her chair back close to the bed. “Tell me about The Force.”

“I'm exhausted in the hospital wing and you want me to give you lessons on a fundamental aspect of the universe?” Harry asked her with a smile.

“Well, you could lay there and stare up at the ceiling to count how many tiles it has instead.” Hermione said with a straight face. “What else are you going to do?”

Leia hid her laugh and pulled her own chair back close to the bed and started to pet Harry's hair.

“You make an excellent point, Miss Granger. Class is now in session.” Harry said with a stern voice that was a fairly good impression of Severus Snape's. He had plucked Snape's class speech from Percy Weasley's organized mind. “There will be no foolish wand-waving in my class, except when it is necessary to prove me wrong, and it will be as non-foolish as foolishness will allow.”

Leia didn't stop her soft laugh this time and Hermione beamed a smile at him. If Harry could make Snape sound funny, Hermione knew that Harry's lessons were going to be eye-opening.

When Hermione tried to go to sleep that night, she realized she had severely underestimated Harry.

*

Severus Snape was not a stupid man. He had quickly put together the evidence and knew Harry Potter was a very dangerous individual. The initial mental probe he knew Albus had used against Harry had hurt the older wizard in a way that neither of them were familiar with. When he investigated Quirrell's death and saw what happened in Hermione's mind, he reported it to Albus, and the old fool ignored him.

When Albus asked him to probe Harry's mind during the start of Potions class that Friday, he refused. The old man proved to be an even bigger fool than Snape thought he was, when Albus called upon the man's oath to protect Lily's child and then ordered him to do it, with his wand if necessary, to make sure it worked.

Snape spent the next three days getting his affairs in order before Friday morning. He looked around his tiny office and realized that he wasn't going to miss the place. He hated teaching, hated giving his hard-earned knowledge to dunderheads that didn't deserve it, and despised that he couldn't expel the idiots that melted or blew up cauldrons.

He stepped out of his office and walked several paces to the waiting students and waved his wand at the classroom door. It opened and they went inside. He waited and made his usual dramatic entrance to gain their attention. He flicked his wand at the wall sconces to reduce the light even further, to cover up his upcoming crime, and went to his desk.

“Most of you won't believe that Potion brewing is actually magic...” Severus started his speech and made it through without meeting Harry's eyes. He wanted to avoid that until roll call and would use his targeting technique to find the students that hadn't studied ahead.

When it was time, he asked three random questions, which Harry immediately answered correctly. Snape threw in a NEWT question to throw the boy off and Harry answered it perfectly. The entire class stared at Harry and not Snape, so he took the opportunity to use his wand and cast the spell he knew would end his existence.

“Legillimens.” Snape whispered and he expected to cry out in pain... and nothing happened. He gathered his magical power and cast again, his strongest ever attempt, and then... his mind seemed to float out of his head. Instead of snuffing out like he expected, it briefly dispersed into everything.

Everyone in the class watched as their Potions Professor's empty body slumped to his desk, his face showing surprise. No one moved or said anything until a wispy ghost-like shape started to form at the front of the class.

“What's that?” One of the Slytherins asked.

They all watched as the thing finished forming and revealed the ghost of Severus Snape. Ghost Snape looked down at his ghostly body and slapped a hand over his face.

“Bloody hell!” Ron Weasley exclaimed and everyone agreed, especially Ghost Snape.

“The potion is on the board. Get to work.” Ghost Snape said and floated across the classroom to the door, then sighed. He turned his head up at an angle towards the right wall and floated up through the air and disappeared through the thick stone ceiling.

“Did that just happen?” Lavender Brown asked, shocked.

“Shouldn't someone go and get another professor or something?” Dean Thomas asked.

The other Griffindors sat there for several minutes, until they saw the Slytherins start preparing their ingredients.

“If they let Binns teach History of Magic, I doubt they'll bother trying to hire someone else to take over potions.” Hermione said, wisely.

“Agreed.” Harry said and they started working themselves. The rest of the Griffindors soon followed their example.

“You know what happened to him, don't you?” Hermione asked him in a whisper.

“Yes, and I can't explain it here with so many witnesses.” Harry whispered back and Hermione nodded. She would ask him again when they were alone.

They would learn during lunch that Albus had a mild heart attack when Snape's ghostly head stuck up through his office desk and scared the old man half to death. It was also the first time that anyone had seen a real smile on Severus Snape's face in over twenty years.

The Department of Magical Law Enforcement would report later that Severus Snape died from magical exhaustion. He had used too much magic when casting something and that he had nothing left to keep his body alive.

It scared the majority of the student population to the point that they all cut back on how much they tried to push some of the more powerful spells. Snape's mistake and the results would become a cautionary tale taught for many, many years.

*

Over the next couple of months, no one in authority figured out that Harry went home during the weekends. He did tell his friends, however. Neville declined the offer to go home to his Gran because she was too strict. Hermone was all over Harry when he offered to take her with him and her parents loved that Hermione not only had a friend, their little darling was breaking the rules!

Harry also let The Force guide his steps and actions while in school. It brought him to more open-minded students that wanted to hear about The Force and would be willing to learning about it. By the time Yule break arrived, Harry had six students that had started the first preliminary lessons on attuning themselves and accessing The Force.

Leia welcomed Harry home for the three week break and they spent all of their time together. Even with the weekend visits all year, they were almost starved of each other's presence and didn't want to waste any time doing anything that wouldn't help them have a happier life. Leia's lessons in The Force and magic were also progressing quickly, despite her age.

Harry found a present on his bed Christmas morning and opened it. The card said it was his father's and he picked up the Force-connected cloth of an invisibility cloak. He laughed when he put it on, because it was the same as his own ability to hide himself with The Force. He handed it over to Leia and told her to practice with her own abilities to mimic it. It would soon become a great learning tool.

The rest of the year at school passed by without further incident. Snape had calmed down a lot after becoming the latest castle ghost and everyone liked seeing his smug smile every time they mentioned Dumbledore being afraid of him.

That summer was one of more lessons, visits from friends and converts, and Harry and Leia working on trying to replicate some of the everyday technology that they were so used to using. Their first breakthrough was when Harry raided a muggle electronic parts store and recreated a lightsaber, except for the kyber crystal. That would take a lot of research and even more luck to duplicate.

With a base technology that could be recreated, for the most part, finding and making more basic things was going to be that much easier. It would still take time and a lot of effort, however.

*

The next year started at Hogwarts and Harry made his way onto the train with Leia. Once again, neither of them wanted to leave the other's presence until it was absolutely necessary. They also didn't question their feelings or their need to remain in physical contact. Why would they? They loved each other and only had each other left.

“This way.” Harry said when he felt a tug on The Force.

Leia followed her son in all but blood along the train and stopped at a compartment that had a quite small blonde-headed girl that looked frail and thin. The two entered the compartment without knocking and the girl looked up in surprise at the intrusion. Without saying a word, both Harry and Leia sat on either side of her and snuggled in to hug her carefully between them.

Luna Lovegood felt their feelings of love and affection flow over her and she started crying because no one had willingly shared anything like that with her since her mother died two years ago. Why she would let strangers hug her, never crossed her mind, because she was so starved for attention.

The three of them stayed huddled like that until it was time for Leia to leave. She gave Harry's forehead a kiss and then did the same to Luna, which made the little girl cry more. Leia promised to see her again on the weekend.

For some reason, Luna didn't question this and agreed, her eyes full of tears. Leia left them, her heart buoyed by the reinforced love of a sad and lonely little girl. She hadn't fought the feelings she felt in The Force and accepted both Harry's direction and Luna's affection, because she knew that little girl was very strong in The Force.

When the Weasleys made their appearance at the last minute again, they scrambled onto the train and barely pulled their trunks into the hallway when the train's whistle blew and it started to leave the station. They almost passed by Harry's and Luna's compartment as they looked for their friends when Harry's hand reached out and opened the compartment door.

“Oh! Hiya, Harry.” The Weasley Twins said as one. “Mind if we drop our things here?”

“Not at all.” Harry said and levitated their trunks up onto the overhead luggage racks.

“Thanks, Harry. See you around.” Fred and George said and left to look for their friend, Lee Jordan.

Ron left his trunk and walked away without saying anything. Percy gave Harry a questioning look and Harry nodded. He added his trunk to Ron's and lightly touched his little sister's shoulder to ease her into the compartment and went to go find his own friends.

“Hello, Ginny.” Luna said softly as the door closed.

“H-hi.” Ginny said, embarrassed. She had ditched Luna for the last month of the summer because of the interesting journal she had been given after shopping in Diagon Alley. “H-how are you?”

“Really sad.” Luna said and wiped at her wet face. “Harry and his adopted mum helped me some.”

Harry smiled at her and used The Force as he moved Ron's and Percy's trunks up onto the rack and left Ginny's on the floor in the middle of the compartment.

“What do you mean?” Ginny asked.

“They let me feel what I had with my own mum.” Luna said and took a deep breath. She didn't say anything else, though. Her eyes went to Ginny's trunk as it glowed with a black light.

“Interesting.” Harry said and flicked his fingers at it.

“Hey! You can't open my...”

“Hush.” Harry said and Ginny fell silent.

The two girls stared as Ginny's things floated up and out of the trunk as if weightless. Ginny blushed with embarrassment at the clothes that had been thrown in hastily and then gasped as the clothing folded itself and stacked neatly onto the seat beside her. The next thing to float out of the trunk was the journal and it was the source of the black light.

Ginny stopped breathing at the possibility of having her secrets revealed. She didn't try to snatch it out of the air, though. In fact, she felt like she couldn't move at all.

“Harry, what is that?” Luna asked. “It's infested with wrackspurts.”

“That, my dear Luna, is a piece of dark magic that is an insult to The Force.” Harry said and closed his eyes. He had to ignore the blush on Luna's face and the strong sense of envy from Ginny. Intense concentration was needed for this part and he couldn't be distracted.

Harry had gone over his memory of what happened with Quirrell and the abomination of a Force ritual and picked it apart. He had exhausted himself and wouldn't make that mistake again. Thankfully, this so-called journal was only partially sentient, unlike the full spirit, so it wouldn't take most of his energy to deal with the thing.

Neither Ginny nor Luna interrupted Harry as he seemed to pour pure magic out of his hands and into the journal. The black light flickered and grew, flickered and reduced, then flared. It was a fight unlike anything they had seen before and both wondered what was going to happen.

The black light flickered once more and a small ball of it jumped out of Ginny's chest and merged with the journal before the light faded away. A black smoke-like thing rose from the journal and dissipated into the air silently.

“Whew!” Harry gasped and the cleaned journal flopped down into Ginny's open trunk with her other things. His strength left him and he slumped to the side.

Surprisingly, Luna shifted him and he laid right down on the seat to rest his head on her lap, as if she had always meant to do that and had just been waiting for him to accommodate her.

Harry smiled up at her when she started petting his head and combing his hair with her fingers. “I need to sleep for a few hours to recover.”

Luna smiled back. “Don't worry. I won't play with your cute braid too much.”

Harry lightly chuckled and closed his eyes. His breathing evened out almost immediately.

“What... what just happened?” Ginny asked and her hand went to the spot above her heart where that little ball of black light had come from.

“I think Harry redeemed a heliopath.” Luna said as her hands moved on their own as they caressed Harry's face, head, and long hair. She didn't try to stop herself, however. She had never felt like she felt and she didn't want it to ever go away. “I've never seen one in person before, so that's only a guess.”

Ginny wasn't sure how to respond to that. It was one of the reasons she hadn't felt bad about ignoring her old friend. After her mother's death, Luna had become... strange. Ginny packed her sorted and folded clothing back into her trunk and closed it before she shoved it against the wall under the window. She would check the journal later to see if Tom was okay.

About fifteen minutes later, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger, Susan Bones, Hannah Abbot, Morag MacDougall, and Millicent Bulstrode entered the compartment.

“This is going to be a bit crowded.” Hermione said and the girls nodded.

Neville solved the problem by sitting on the end of Ginny's trunk.

“Great idea, Nev!” Hannah said and sat beside him, which made Neville's face flush red.

“I'll take his feet.” Millicent said and easily lifted Harry's legs and sat on the other end of Luna's seat. Harry didn't stir at all.

“We kind of felt him doing something.” Susan said as she, Hermione, and Morag squeezed onto the bench seat beside Ginny.

“It was kind of like what happened in Defense class last year.” Millicent pointed out.

“You felt that, too?” Hermione asked, surprised.

“I think most of the class felt that blast of magic before we ran out of there.” Millicent responded.

Hannah put an arm around Neville to hug him. “Don't feel bad that you weren't awake to feel it.”

Neville blushed harder at Hannah's forwardness and he sputtered and mumbled without actually saying anything.

“They aren't even dating and she already has him under her thumb.” Susan teased her friend.

Hannah only blushed a little before she smiled happily and nodded. Neville looked faint, which made Morag and Millicent chuckle.

“Harry said he's going to be recovering for a few hours.” Luna told them.

“Why couldn't he wait for us to come here and help him?” Hermione asked with a huff. “He needs to look to us more instead of trying to tackle things like that by himself.”

“We could mention that when he wakes up.” Neville said when his blush finally faded.

“Yes, mention.” Hermione said with a stern tone and Susan smirked at her.

“While we wait, I think we can do exercise two without too much trouble.” Morag suggested.

The others exchanged looks and nodded. Each of them fell silent, closed their eyes, and entered their meditative states almost instantly. Ginny stared at them and felt a little uncomfortable in the eerily quiet compartment that had more people than should be in there.

“I'm so glad Harry chose me.” Luna whispered into the silence, not realizing the impact those words would have.

Ginny bristled at her statement and looked down at Luna's lap. Her spike of jealousy flared as Luna's small hands gently petted Harry's head and a smile formed on his face. He's going to be mine! Tom said so! She thought and fought to not show her anger. Harry was supposed to pick me, not you!

Harry's smile faded and his eyebrows twitched downwards, then a flow of complete and utter calmness flowed out from him and filled the compartment. Luna closed her eyes and wallowed in it, her hands never stopping their movements.

Ginny gasped when she felt the admonishment for getting angry and dropped her head in embarrassment. She had jumped to conclusions and let her passion for the boy-who-lived rule her thoughts, which wasn't how things were supposed to be. At least, that's how it felt, anyway.

Three hours later, Ginny was the only one that didn't sigh as everyone else in the compartment came out of their meditative trances and opened their eyes.

“I felt you all reaching for me.” Harry said, his voice pleased. “Thank you.”

“Someone didn't have to reach very far.” Susan Bones said with a giggle.

Luna didn't stop petting Harry. “Would you like to have a turn after Millicent has hers?”

Neville made a coughing sound and Millicent blushed.

“I'm not sure we're both talking about the same thing.” Susan said.

“You're not talking about snogging Harry?” Luna asked, slightly confused.

Susan blushed and closed her mouth before she answered that she was. Everyone knew it, though.

“Shouldn't I have a say in the order?” Harry asked.

“I thought you wanted to let the magic guide you?” Luna asked and looked down at his face.

Harry opened his mouth to answer, thought about it, and nodded. “Fair enough.”

Luna bent down with her lips puckered and Harry reached up to pet her hair as the two of them kissed. The others in the compartment watched, clearly surprised, as Harry and Luna snogged each other right there in front of everyone... then they felt it. It was small at first, like a tiny fire, then it started to grow. Tongues became involved and Luna started making cute little noises.

The magic started to build even more and spread out. Millicent caught her breath, because she was the closest, then Hannah felt it. It spread to Neville and then to Susan, Hermione, and Morag. Luna broke the kiss with a small sucking sound and the magic pulsed and settled in the compartment. To everyone's surprise, it didn't go away.

“Am... am I really next?” Millicent asked in a whisper.

Everyone felt her self-doubt with them all immersed in whatever Luna and Harry had done. Harry sat up and gave her the look she never expected to see on anyone's face, let alone a handsome boy's. Desire.

Millicent threw caution to the wind and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and dove right into the kiss with reckless abandon. The magic built up twice as fast as it had with Luna and everyone felt the sheer strength of Millicent's emotions as she poured them out and into Harry. Even Ginny was feeling it now and she wasn't sure what to do about it.

Millicent broke the kiss as she sucked in a huge breath of air, as if she had forgotten to breathe that whole time, then she took another deep breath and dove right back in.

Neville couldn't stop his soft laugh at Harry's surprised expression, then he felt Hannah turn to face him. He turned automatically towards her and the look on her face made him blush. He felt a very strong urge to do it and didn't wonder if it was his own urge or someone else's. It didn't matter, because he closed that distance and their lips met.

The both of them were filled with whatever magic was going on and their snogging went from chaste to something that should have been reserved for a broom cupboard.

Millicent came up for air again and she was panting, as if she had run the length of the train. She was pleased to see that Harry was blushing just as much as she was, which made her feel proud of herself.

“My days with him are Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays. He has flying lessons on Tuesdays, so that leaves Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays for you.” Luna said.

Millicent looked into the first year's eyes and didn't see any deception. She hadn't heard a joking tone, either. When she looked into Harry's eyes, she saw no objection, so she nodded. Harry sat back into the bench seat between the two girls and both looked happy at the arrangement.

Hermione stared at the three of them. “Did you just... did you...”

“I apparently have a thing for strong intelligent women that know what they want.” Harry said, which made both Luna and Millicent blush.

“Can you... um... stop whatever this is?” Susan asked as she moved her hand through the slightly thicker air that was full of magic. “It's a little tingly.”

Harry motioned to Neville and Hannah still making out. “I think we only need to wait it out.”

“At least they're breathing through their noses.” Morag pointed out.

“I nearly fainted after both kisses.” Millicent said and smiled. “It was wonderful.”

Luna giggled and Harry grinned.

A few minutes later, the snogging session ended between Neville and Hannah and the thick magic flared a little before it slowly faded away.

“I'm pretty sure you're going out now.” Susan said to them.

Neville and Hannah blushed from embarrassment. They didn't duck their heads, though. They felt what the other felt and that had made their decision for them. Being together felt right and that was all that mattered.

“Us, too.” Harry said and lifted his hands. One was clasped with Luna's and the other was clasped in Millicent's. Neither girl had felt him take their hands and were pleased at how sneaky he had been.

“Is that even legal?” Hermione asked.

“If we were married, I would be the adoring and ignorant wife and Millicent would be the scandalously temping mistress that caught Harry's attention.” Luna said right away.

Nearly everyone laughed, except for Ginny and Millicent, both of whom blushed. Ginny because she wanted to be the wife and Millicent because she was extremely flattered by the compliment.

“Th-thank you.” Millicent whispered.

It was quiet for several moments before Hannah spoke. “How long do you think Gilderoy Lockhart is going to last as the Defense professor?”

“At least a month for everyone to find out how big of a fraud he is.” Hermione said.

“I'll bet a few weeks for the same reason.” Susan said.

“I can't judge, since I haven't met him.” Harry said.

“Then how did you buy your school things?” Hermione asked.

“I didn't.” Harry responded. “My mom bought several copies of all seven years of books for Hogwarts last year.”

Everyone in the compartment turned and stared at him.

“Why are you just telling us this now?!?” Hermione exclaimed, clearly agitated.

Harry smiled and waited as she figured it out.

Hermione's agitated state slowly faded when she figured it out. “I'm not that bad about finding new information.”

Several of her friends barked laughs.

Hermine huffed and crossed her arms. “Fiiiiine, I am.”

“Never change, Hermione.” Harry said and her friends nodded.

“Your mom wanted us to stay within our peer group.” Susan reasoned. “If we showed too much advanced knowledge, it would ostracize us faster than being friends with people from other Houses does.”

“Technically, I've never chosen sides and people still judge me because I became a Griffindor.” Harry said and glanced at Millicent. “Imagine if I went into Slytherin.”

Millicent gasped and put a hand over her heart. “You would have taken over in under a week!”

Harry leaned over and briefly kissed her. “Tempting, the Dark Side is.”

Millicent blushed again, because she knew he was genuinely complimenting her.

“I might need to limit you teasing your mistress to private time.” Luna said, absently.

Millicent caught her breath. “I can be Harry's dirty little secret!”

Everyone laughed, because they could all feel how happy she was at the thought.

Harry chuckled at Luna figuring the Slytherin girl out so quickly and leaned the other way to briefly kiss her. They had only just started dating and she had already made both him and Millicent happy.

Luna's trunk opened on the top rack and a magazine floated down to land on her lap. “Thank you, Harry.” She said and he let her hand go so she could read it. “Back on my lap, please.”

“Yes, dear.” Harry said and he slid down and resumed his spot across Luna's and Millicent's laps. He also held her magazine upside down for her, so she could easily read the runic puzzles her father had hidden in the article titles.

“I can't wait to take runes next year.” Harry commented as he 'listened' in on Luna's deciphering.

“We could be studying it now if someone wasn't holding certain information hostage.” Hermione said.

Morag laughed and hugged her friend. “You run yourself ragged on what we have access to now. Why in the world would you want to add even more things to study before you're ready?”

“Because I want to.” Hermione defended herself.

“Temping, the Dark Side is.” Harry said and their friends laughed.

Ginny sat there and she wanted this, whatever it was. She wondered how these people from different houses could all be such great friends, even a Slytherin, and none of them fought or were angry at anyone else for any reason, even if they all had different opinions. Her mind was occupied for the next several hours as it tried to come up with how to gain access to their group.

About fifteen minutes before the train approached the station, the two boys left to allow the girls to change into their school robes. They came back in when they were done and were also changed.

“What House are you going to choose?” Harry asked Luna.

“I'm not sure. I'm really studious and I thought Ravenclaw would be my only option.” Luna told him.

“You are only limited by what you think your limits are.” Harry advised her.

“Then Griffindor or Hufflepuff. I can't go Slytherin.” Luna said.

“Why not?” Millicent asked, a little offended.

Luna gave her a dreamy smile. “It's kind of difficult to have you be the other woman for Harry if we are both in the same House.”

Millicent's eyes widened. “Oh! I never thought of that.” She said and then smiled. “That's a good point. Why don't you be a Griffindor and we have to be antagonistic in public and then make up in private?”

Luna's dreamy smile changed to a genuine one. “We might need Harry to arbitrate, too.”

Millicent beamed a smile at the much smaller girl. “I'm okay with that.”

Harry chuckled at them making plans with him not having a say. “I'm still not being consulted?”

“Don't worry, you will be.” Luna said and leaned in to softly kiss him on the lips. “You... will... be.”

Harry felt a tremor in The Force and he let it wash over him. Luna was going to be a powerful practitioner after he trained her up and he knew that his life was going to become very interesting over the next few years. Very, very interesting.

*

Gilderoy Lockhart only lasted a day. He had Harry Potter in his class the first afternoon and announced his crimes in the Great Hall during supper that night. He had called the Aurors to turn himself in and promised to become a much better man in the future after his stay in prison. He would eventually be sentenced to six months in a Ministry holding cell and paid a fine for unlicensed obliviations.

With no possessed Ginny running around the school, there was no danger from the basilisk in the unopened Chamber of Secrets and it would remain a mystery for another century.

A replacement teacher wasn't needed, because Ghost Snape took over and quickly became one of the best Defense Professors that Hogwarts had ever had. His regular scares conducted on Dumbledore kept that smug smile on his face, too.

Luna took to using The Force almost as quickly as Harry had when he was younger. She wasn't as strong without having to rely on her wand; but, she was moving along at a much faster pace than any of Harry's other friends. She had soon caught up to them and astounded them with her proficiency and power. Thankfully, Luna's progress didn't discourage them.

Hermione ended up becoming the younger girl's mental duelling partner as they discussed magical theory and dove into meditation and Force exercises with enthusiasm and eagerness. They soon became the ones the other friends consulted when they had a problem, which made both girls happier than they thought possible. They had actual friends and those friends actually needed them.

Harry kept both Luna and Millicent happy by treating one as a precious jewel and the other as the dirty secret she so enjoyed being. Nearly everyone was convinced that the two girls hated each other with a passion, when it was exactly the opposite.

Luna was publicly shown to be strong and no one wanted to mess with her, because she stood up to the biggest and meanest girl in Slytherin without flinching or retreating. People respected that and no one thought about ever picking on her for her eccentricities.

Millicent on the other hand, was a completely different person in private. She was loving, and caring, and she doted on Luna as if she really was the mistress making it up to the wife. It was the perfect cover for the both of them being Harry's girlfriend and Harry made sure to thank them both properly.

Harry wasn't surprised that during one of their consultations in the empty common room near midnight, when he would snog Luna for a few minutes and then snog Millicent, the two girls paused and stared at each other. The three of them were fully sharing their feelings and had gotten very good as sharing their thoughts as well.

“Yes, please.” Luna said, as if Millicent had asked her something, then they leaned in and the two of them kissed each other just as passionately as they had kissed Harry. The Force surged and engulfed them and the three of them were almost carried away by the strength of it.

“Is this what love feels like?” Millicent asked when she broke the kiss.

“Yes.” Harry and Luna answered.

“I think this is why the Jedi Knights were against forming emotional attachments.” Harry added.

“We could lose ourselves to this.” Luna commented.

“I'm okay with that.” Millicent said. “Even if this power could kill us if one of us dies.”

“I believe that was the danger. If one of us is removed, we will fall almost immediately to the Dark Side to get revenge for our lost love.” Harry said.

Luna and Millicent exchanged looks and looked at Harry and spoke as one. “We're okay with that.”

“Who would want to stay good if we ever lose this?” Millicent asked, rhetorically.

Harry remembered his decision to only become a Jedi and not a knight, for exactly this reason. He didn't want to give up the love he had for Leia, his adoptive mother, and now he had two more people in his life that he didn't want to give up.

“I think we need a new pledge.” Harry said and felt resolve fill him. He opened his mouth and let the words flow out unimpeded. “I will do what I must to keep the balance, as the balance is what holds all life. There can be no good without evil; but, evil must not be allowed to flourish.”

The two girls in his arms were enraptured by his words as they resonated inside of them.

“There is emotion, yet there is peace. There is serenity, yet there is passion. There is chaos, yet there is order. There is no life without death, for neither can exist without the other.” Harry said and The Force surged through him. “We will serve to maintain the balance, and through it, The Force shall guide us. Always.”

Luna and Millicent felt the surge and the three of them floated up into the air. The two girls knew what Harry said was true and they both recited the pledge together. The three of them cried out as a bright light encompassed them and an extremely strong bond formed between the three of them.

It seemed like they floated there forever before the light faded and they slowly lowered down to the floor. Their hair and clothing stopped fluttering and they collapsed onto the common room sofa.

“I am the good that can't exist without the evil.” Luna whispered.

“I am the evil that can't exist without the good.” Millicent whispered back.

“I am the balance between you, for I love you both, and through me, you love each other.” Harry whispered to the two of them, kissed them both, and they kissed each other.

“Bloody hell.” Someone said from across the room.

Harry, Luna, and Millicent turned their heads to look over at the voice, only to see the entire population of Griffindor House staring at them.

“This... is exactly what it looks like.” Harry said. “Millie.”

“Strategic withdrawal.” Millicent said and flipped up the hood on Harry's invisibility cloak and she disappeared.

“Merlin's balls! She has an invisibility cloak!” One of the Weasley Twins exclaimed.

There were suddenly ten rainbow color spells cast at the couch and near it, and nothing was revealed. The spells were soon cast all over the common room and no one could find the invisible girl they knew had to be there.

“She's either really fast or she's hiding.” The other twin said.

“Couch bomb?” The first asked.

“Naw, Harry and Luna are there. No need for overkill.” The second said.

“Right you are.” The first said. “So, Harry. How long have you been sneaking a girl into the tower?”

“Only since school started this year.” Harry said and they looked mollified. “I still sneak out on the weekends to go home and visit my mother like I have since first year.”

Everyone in the House stared at him like they had never seen him before.

“You didn't have to tell them that.” Luna said and kissed his cheek.

“It was a great distraction. No one noticed the common room door.” Harry said and the entire population whirled around to stare at the still closed door as they cast the color changing charm. He did that so none of them would ever guess that Millicent had gone up the stairs of the boy's dormitory instead of trying to leave.

“We apologize for waking everyone up.” Luna said and stood, a bit wobbly. “Harry, I might nap in your bed tonight. That was a bit draining.”

“Of course, dear.” Harry said and stood, scooped her up into his arms, and went up the stairs to the boys dormitory. They never did anything but kiss, since none of them were ready for anything more than that. Not yet, anyway. The three of them knew with their newfound and much stronger connection that things might progress much differently than any of them had expected.

Word about what happened would be all over the school the next day. Most of the students dismissed it as rumors, as did the teachers. It was very difficult to make someone believe in something they had no experience with or proof of. You would think magic users would be a little more open-minded about things like that.

*

The year passed by, the budding Jedi friends took the new pledge to heart, and their progress in their lessons and learning increased. Leia herself was about halfway through Harry's teachings and had also enjoyed a stronger bond with her adoptive son. The new philosophy fit their lives perfectly and everyone prospered with it.

Each of Harry's friends had accepted their own flaws, and that easily fit the pledge they swore to uphold. Hermione no longer felt guilty about being passionate about books and was happy to have found a companion in learning with Luna. Neville no longer felt guilty about being passionate about Herbology and easily shared it with Hannah, whom shared her passion for Neville with Susan.

Harry's example about having a wife and a mistress had caught their attention, mainly because Susan needed to continue the Bones Family name and she didn't want to abandon her friend Hannah by marrying someone that didn't share her own passion for law and order. She was a lot like her Aunt Amelia that way.

The summer was filled with fun, visits with friends, and saving Millicent from her family home. It had been the first time Harry had unleashed his lightsaber upon the evil in this world and he didn't regret it.

Twelve death eaters had tried to induct her into their club as a party favor and Harry had apparated directly into her home, straight through supposedly impossible wards to pass through uninvited, and slaughtered them all in a completely one-sided fight.

Millicent had stared as Harry moved like lightning and with grace, his form exact, and he batted spells away with his lightsaber. It didn't take long before twelve heads rolled to a stop in a perfect circle around Millicent's feet where she stood.

“This might cause a lot of problems.” Millicent said and looked down at the faces of prominent and wealthy families like Malfoy, Knott, Carrow, Mulciber, Yaxley, and their retainers and bodyguards.

“No, it won't.” Harry said and sliced off the left sleeves of the men's and one woman's robes. “They corrupted themselves with part of a soul bonding ritual keyed to Voldemort. It's almost like the diary Ginny had at the start of the year, only it's just the connection and no actual soul piece is inside.”

“How did you know they all had it?” Millicent asked.

“I've experienced it a few times and I was there when Professor Snape passed over. I know what the connection feels like.” Harry said and Millicent held her arms out to him. He went to her and gave her a tender kiss and held her as she cried on his shoulder for several minutes. “No authorities have arrived yet?”

“Mother is hiding in the bedroom with the rest of the wives and probably hasn't dropped the protective wards.” Millicent said. “I'm sure the notice of magic overuse and spellfire registered at the Ministry when you appeared and they tried fighting you.”

Harry nodded and closed his eyes as he let Millicent go. He felt for the ward anchor and disappeared. There was a loud crack sound and Millicent felt the wards shatter and fall apart just before Harry reappeared.

“You destroyed the wardstone?” Millicent asked, surprised.

“I melted it with my lightsaber...” Harry paused when there were several loud cracks of apparition. “...and there's the immediate response we've been waiting ten minutes for.”

Millicent giggled at his deadpan delivery and the two of them stood there, looking as unthreatening as possible, as a group of Aurors entered the house and rushed into the living room.

“WANDS DOWN! HANDS UP!” One of the Aurors yelled into the complete silence and the rest of the Aurors aimed their wands at the two clearly unarmed teenagers.

Harry couldn't resist playing a joke on the idiot and used The Force to have the revealed arms of the twelve dead bodies lift into the air as he and Millicent lifted their own arms. The Aurors stared at the headless corpses that had obeyed the order.

“Oh, Merlin!” One of the Aurors gasped when she finally looked at the heads around the couple of teenagers. She had bubblegum pink hair in a shaggy cut. “That's Yaxley! He's a senior Auror!”

“This is going to be a long day.” The tall black Auror said with a sigh.

So, Millicent now lived with Harry and Leia at the Organa Mansion. All of the death eater wives had been arrested and spilled the secrets of their dead husbands, since they were no longer vowed to remain quiet. Most of them ended up in prison and served several years for the crimes they assisted in.

*

Third year started and nothing of note happened. Even after the stories and rumors of what Harry, Luna, and Millicent did the previous year, no others were open-minded enough to accept that magic was just an extension of The Force. It was dismissed as a muggle thing and ignored. Because of the Jedi way, none of the budding Jedi would force their beliefs on others.

Hermione did buy a cat that had a healthy appetite that helped solve the castle's persistent rat problem. Every few days, Crookshanks would bring her another offering to earn his keep and Hermione always gushed over him being so smart and a good provider for their family. It made her friends laugh, because Crookshanks would preen at the praise.

The Jedi performed their studies well, thanks to their mental techniques that let them retain information and to sort their own memories. It worked for everything and Hermione was the only one that took physical notes, mainly because she wanted a representation of her progress. They all passed their exams with Outstanding marks.

The summer saw the Quidditch World Cup come to England and it was a huge thing for British Wizards, as it had been a decade or so since the last time the event had made it to their country. None of the Jedi went, because they felt nothing was going to happen. It didn't, for there were no death eaters left to cause trouble.

*

Fourth year began and Albus Dumbledore introduced the Triwizard Tournament. Harry and his friends felt a tremor in The Force and exchanged knowing looks. They non-verbally agreed to watch out for him and his welfare.

The day before Halloween, two other magical schools arrived with a large group of students. Beauxbatons was from France and Durmstrang was from somewhere near middle Europe, possibly Scandinavia. Their main student was Bulgarian and he was a famous Quidditch star.

The impartial judge was brought out and everyone saw it was the Goblet of Fire. Dumbledore's assurances that his age line would stop anyone underage from competing, reassured nearly everyone, except for the Jedi. They resolved to watch the cup for the next 24 hours and made sure no one approached it to change anything or add Harry's name to it.

On Halloween night, the contestants were chosen. The Jedi felt the tremor again, because it felt like Fate itself was not going to be denied. Victor Krum the Quidditch star was called for Durmstrang, Fleur Delacour was called for Beauxbatons, Cedric Diggory was called for Hogwarts... and Harry Potter's name was called for no school.

Harry rose from his seat and ignored the other students that called him a cheater and a glory hound. His eyes found Susan and Hannah at the Hufflepuff table and they nodded. They would work on their housemates to remove their irrational hatred at Harry for stealing Cedric's spotlight. Harry entered the back room where the other three champions waited for the judges and tournament hosts.

“What is it, Harry? Do they need us back in the Great Hall?” Cedric asked.

Harry opened his mouth to respond when the headmasters of the three schools, Bartemus Crouch, Ludo Bagman, Minerva McGonagall, and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher Professor Moody, entered the room in a rush. Ghost Snape hung in the corner, silently laughing at everything.

Ludo Bagman, the overweight man for some reason was dressed as a wasp, motioned to Harry. “Extraordinary... absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen and lady, may I introduce... impossible though it may seem... the fourth triwizard champion!”

Victor stood straighter, as if to give Harry a better look. Cedric just laughed.

Fleur tossed her hair over her shoulder in a well practised move and softly laughed as well. “That is a vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman.”

“Joke?” Ludo asked and shook his head. “No, no, not at all. Harry's name came out of the Goblet of Fire.”

Fleur frowned. “Then there has been a mistake. E's too young to compete.”

“To be fair, this was the first year that an age restriction was put in place and...”

“Madame Maxime!” Fleur interrupted him and strode over to her headmistress as a wave of something flowed off of her. “Zey are saying zat zis leetle boy is to compete also!”

Harry wasn't sure why her comment had struck a chord within him, then his years of calmness were seemingly forgotten and he felt a surge of anger as he reacted to her insult. “Shut your mouth!”

Everyone in the room suddenly froze when the room was filled with magic. It pressed down on them, even Ghost Snape, and they all dropped to the floor on their knees.

“You will keep a civil tongue in your head...” Harry said, his voice low and very threatening as he reached for his hidden lightsaber. “...or I will remove it!”

The door to the room slammed open and Luna and Millicent ran inside. They tackled Harry and stopped him from revealing his weapon. They soon had his face and lips covered in kisses and their love for him flowed into him unimpeded.

“H-Har-ry.” Albus managed to whisper as he fought against the oppressive magic.

Harry's anger at Fleur lessened and he seemed to regain control once more. He took in a deep breath and let it out as he let that anger go. He gave Luna a soft and tender kiss and turned to give Millicent a passionate one, just how they liked them.

“Thank you both for your help.” Harry said and tried to let them go.

“Harry...” Luna tried to warn him.

“It's all right. I know what happened.” Harry said and she nodded. Both Luna and Millicent reluctantly let him go. Everyone in the room stared as he walked over to Fleur and looked down his nose at her.

Fleur felt like she was being judged by something much more powerful than her.

“You used your magic to disrupt my connection to my loves.” Harry said. His voice was calm but it was also filled with malice. “Normally, I wouldn't interfere with someone's natural gifts, as that will diminish their own connections. However, I can tell that you've never used your gifts to help others and only to hurt and belittle them.”

Fleur couldn't fight off the pressure to speak in her defense.

“I have a feeling that you will no longer have to worry about that.” Harry said and reached down to lightly touch her forehead. He pulled on Millicent's side of their bond and let her sadistic side deal with the thing in front of him that had hurt him.

Fleur cried out when she felt the pressure change from outside to inside. Her allure, something that she had ruthlessly used to keep unsuitable people away from her by making them into near-mindless drones that obeyed her commands, was crushed and ripped away from her.

The room suddenly went back to normal as the immense pressure that held everyone disappeared. Harry didn't catch Fleur as she slumped to the floor and started crying. Instead, he walked back over to his loves and both hugged him tightly. Luna wiped at his face to remove Harry's tears after what he had just done.

“What did you do?” Minerva asked and tried to not freak out about what just happened.

“Fleur's Veela magic interfered with my own and caused me to lose control.” Harry said and turned to face the adults as they stood. “No one will have to worry about that happening anymore.”

“You took it from her?!?” Madame Maxime gasped.

“No, I don't have that power. I let The Force judge her.” Harry said. “It found her lack of faith... disturbing.”

“She only used her powers for evil and balance must be maintained.” Luna said before any of the adults could ask what The Force was.

“Perhaps her little sister won't be such a bitch when she hits puberty?” Millicent asked.

“Do you think we should step in to help her?” Harry asked her.

“Not right now.” Luna said. “We will have an opportunity in February to talk to her.”

“In February?” Harry asked and then smiled. “Ah, I see. Thank you, Luna. This tournament won't be the burden I first thought it was going to be.”

That seemed to be the cue for the adults to come out of their surprised states.

“You have interfered with another champion.” Bartemus Crouch said as he smoothed his robes. “Therefore, you will be fined half your points for the next task.”

“So, you intentionally favor Krum to win. How very unbiased of you.” Harry said and the man bristled. “If you fine me for interference, then you must fine Fleur as well, since this was her fault for interfering with me in the first place.”

“There is no proof she did anything!” Madame Maxime exclaimed.

Harry continued to talk as if she hadn't said anything. “Also, you seem to falsely believe I am a champion for Hogwarts when Cedric was assigned that role. No school was said for my name.”

“The lad's right.” Mad Eye Moody said. “I checked the Goblet and it was confunded to believe there was a fourth school and only his name was submitted under it.”

“That's not possible.” Crouch said.

“Your logic is flawed, since it did happen and here I am.” Harry said.

Albus Dumbledore was silent for several moments before he nodded. “Barty, I leave this up to you.”

Harry, Luna, and Millicent immediately lost all respect for the man, as did Minerva. Ghost Snape mumbled about how blind everyone was.

“The known rules of the tournament are clear. Any name that is ejected from the Goblet of Fire constitutes a binding magical contract.” Crouch said and looked at Harry. “As of this moment, Harry Potter is the fourth triwizard champion.”

The other two headmasters loudly protested this decision. Their arguments of submitting more names would not work, because they already had champions for their schools and the fire in the Goblet had already gone out.

“I suggest the champions head to their common rooms.” Dumbledore said and cut everyone off. “I'm sure there will be quite the celebrations among their peers.”

Harry gave the man a blank stare and Albus did his best to ignore it.

“Go on.” Minerva said and ushered Cedric, Harry, Luna, and Millicent out of the room. “I'll try to do something about this, Harry.”

“Don't bother, Madam.” Harry said. “If the headmaster sees no reason to intervene on my behalf, you have no hope to affect anything.”

“She could dispose of him and become Headmistress.” Millicent said.

“Miss Bulstrode!” Minerva gasped and Millicent laughed.

“I don't think it would matter.” Luna said and leaned into Harry's side. “You need to compete.”

“Then that's that.” Harry said with finality. “Madam McGonagall, you will have my school transfer papers on your desk first thing in the morning.”

“Mine as well.” Luna said.

“You're not leaving me behind.” Millicent told them.

“Now hold on. There's no need to make hasty decisions.” Minerva said to try and reason with them.

“I won't be accused of interfering with the tournament and the other champions by attending a school I can't represent.” Harry informed her and she sighed. “It's all right. This is the best way to deal with everyone's hatred for the cheating liar I have instantly become in their eyes.”

Minerva could do nothing except nod. She knew that her own House would both celebrate him being a champion and believe he was a cheat and a liar. Why none of them could understand that Harry didn't need any more fame was beyond her.

Harry, Luna, and Millicent walked up a set of staircases and entered an abandoned classroom on the second floor to find their friends waiting for them.

“Harry, we couldn't convince anyone.” Susan said, sadly.

“I know.” Harry said and hugged her. “Thank you for trying.”

“What are you going to do?” Neville asked him.

“I'm transferring schools.” Harry said and his friends looked surprised, then they all smiled.

“We're going with you.” Hannah said and gave him a quick hug.

“I can't ask you to do that.” Harry said in denial.

“You never have to.” Morag said and hugged him as well. “We can feel it's the right thing to do.”

“We just have to decide what school to transfer to.” Millicent said.

“I heard Australia is nice this time of year.” Luna said. “They are entering their summer months.”

“Should we try for a big named school or should we reward one of the smaller lesser known ones?” Susan asked, getting into the discussion.

“Now that's an interesting idea.” Harry said and closed his eyes to delve into The Force. He wasn't surprised that it held no judgment against him for what happened with Fleur, even though he had lashed out in anger. He remembered the creed he had pledged to and let The Force guide his thoughts.

The others could feel Harry delve deeply into The Force and waited patiently for him.

Harry came out of his meditative trance and smiled. “We should avoid the largest one, the Melbourne School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There are too many students to even contemplate trying to make any difference there.”

“Where should we choose?” Susan asked.

“I have the best feelings when I think about the Cairns Institute of Magic.” Harry said.

“Oh, me too! They have the best sea life on the planet.” Luna said with a smile. “I spent a month there two years ago and explored the Great Barrier Reef. Father helped the locals repair some of the damage the muggles have done to the ecology and we even found some bouncing plimpies.”

That comment brought smiles to everyone's faces.

“So, are we all agreed?” Harry asked and they all nodded. “Hermione, can we rely on you for the paperwork and to have it on Madam McGonagall's desk in the morning?”

“Of course. I know all your details and will have it ready in time.” Hermione said.

“And she can copy all of our handwriting flawlessly.” Morag said with a smirk.

“Would you rather I wake you all up at three in the morning to get your signatures?” Hermione asked with a smirk of her own.

Morag laughed and hugged her. “Don't you dare interrupt my beauty sleep. I need all I can get!”

Everyone knew she was joking and decided to reassure her anyway.

“You're beautiful, inside and out.” Harry said and hugged the girl. “Never doubt that.”

Luna said it next and hugged her, then Millicent did it, then Neville, Susan, Hannah, and Hermione.

Morag was blushing by the time they were all done. “You guys...”

“It's Millie's turn!” Luna exclaimed and went first to hug the taller girl and told her the same thing.

Millicent blushed the whole time as all of her friends did the same to her. “H-Hermione's turn.”

Hermione blushed as well, because even though she knew she was loved, she had always felt self-conscious about her appearance. Soon, all of the girls had received the same treatment and it was only Harry and Neville that hadn't had it happen to them.

Harry, in a bout of humor, turned to Neville with a grin on his face. “You're beautiful, inside and out.”

“No!” Neville shouted and dodged Harry's hug. “Guys are handsome, not beautiful!”

“Get him! No one can dodge our reassuring hugs forever!” Harry ordered and all of the girls let out squeals or laughs of happiness and ran after Neville.

Neville successfully dodged for three whole minutes as the girls tried to Force Grab him or pushed things in his way to trip him. He was soon tackled and suffered the indignity of being told he was beautiful by all of the girls and given reassuring hugs. The kisses from Susan and Hannah at the end had reduced his embarrassment from epic to only normal proportions.

“Now it's Harry's turn.” Neville said, to try and get some payback.

All of the girls turned to look where Harry had been and no one was there. A piece of parchment was stuck to the wall and Hermione walked over to it to read it out loud. “Good cannot exist without evil. Neville believes he has suffered from your kindness, therefore to maintain the balance, I must not. Love, Harry.”

Millicent barked a laugh and Luna giggled.

“Smart ass.” Hermione said with a smile and crumpled up the parchment.

*

Minerva sat at her desk in her office and was surprised by the small stack of transfer papers on her desk. She had expected only three of them and there were eight, which were all of Harry's close friends that believed in his hokey religion. After the way the students in the Great Hall reacted to his name coming out of the Goblet, she suspected that they were technically the only real friends he had left.

Of course, Minerva had no idea that the Cairns Institute of Magic existed or where it was. Then again, she had to approve Harry's transfer anyway, since his view about violating the rules of the tournament was a valid one. She processed each of the applications and copies were generated. She stuffed them into a single envelope and called for a house elf.

“I suspect this will be an international delivery. Would you make sure this gets to the Owl Post Office and sent off?” Minerva asked and handed the envelope to the elf.

“Ayes be doings that, Miss Kitty.” The little being said and popped away.

With her task done, Minerva made several copies of the forms and carried them with her to breakfast. She had a feeling that it was going to be quite the shock to everyone to not have the boy-who-lived be a Hogwarts student anymore.

*

Harry and his friends had spent one final night in their dorms and packed up their things. Each of them used reverting charms to change their school robes back to plain black and their scarves and ties to grey. They also took their trunks out of their old dorms and down to the Entrance Hall. Instead of going into breakfast, they gathered in a group off to the side and waited.

Minerva sighed when she came down the main staircase and saw the group of eight waiting for her with their trunks. She handed each of them a copy of their processed transfer papers and thought about where they could sit.

“What we did was bold and foolish, so sitting at the Griffindor table as a visiting school would be appropriate.” Hermione told her.

Minerva smiled and nodded. “I'll have everyone move up to make room at the end by the first years.”

“Thank you, Madam.” Harry said and the others nodded. “About our trunks...”

“Jinky.” Minerva said and a male house elf appeared. “These students need the visitor's suites on the third floor opened and their trunks placed inside.”

“Jinky bees doing that, Miss Kitty.” The elf said and snapped his fingers. The trunks floated up into the air and then he and the trunks disappeared with a pop.

“Follow me.” Minerva said and the eight students followed her into the Great Hall. Since it was a Tuesday, it was a school day. She wasn't going to worry about what they would be doing, mostly because they were no longer under her scholastic jurisdiction.

None of the people already present had missed them coming in or that Professor McGonagall placed them at the very end of the Griffindor table like they were a visiting school. The plain robes and accent clothing stood out as much as the French students and their fancy blue robes.

“It's so nice to be able to sit together with our friends.” Susan said and Hannah nodded.

“Everyone's starting to notice us, too.” Hermione said.

“I was tempted to make a grand entrance and announce our changed allegiance.” Harry told them.

“Why didn't you?” Neville asked.

“I didn't want more negative attention before Madam McGonagall could explain it to everyone.”

“That's a good point. If we had waited in the Entrance Hall for everyone to pass us and start eating, then entered, it would look like we were intentionally trying to stand out.” Hermione reasoned.

“We're going to gain a lot more attention when we change into our official school uniforms.” Luna said, wistfully.

“What do you mean?” Hermione asked.

“Cairns is a tropical school.” Luna said and started eating.

Hermione waited for Luna to elaborate and then sighed when she didn't. “What does that mean?”

“Airy t-shirts with bikini tops underneath, beach shorts, and a waist sash for year recognition.” Luna informed them.

“We're going to freeze our butts off if we wear that here in Scotland in winter!” Morag exclaimed.

Harry thought about the problem. “What if we wore something like long-johns and underclothing in solid black? We could be completely covered and won't have to rely on warming charms all the time and still wear the school's uniform to be true representatives.”

His friends looked thoughtful and a couple of the girls nodded.

“It wouldn't take much to extend our tights or use other fabrics to cover our legs like when we wear skirts.” Hannah suggested.

“We could owl Madam Malkin and see if she has anything like that.” Susan responded. “We don't have official classes to attend until we send for information packages for Cairns, so we have some time before we have to conform completely.”

“I could borrow a few of the fashion magazines that Lavender has. With Luna's experience near the school and with Lavender's help, it should be enough for us to figure out what we can safely wear and not freeze to death.” Hermione said and looked up the table for the other girl and saw her enter the Great Hall. “There she is. I'll be right back.”

To say Lavender was surprised by Hermione's request would be an understatement. Parvati had to hold the girl up when she almost fainted because the studious bookworm had asked her for fashion advice. She recovered quickly and the three of them rushed out of the Great Hall and disappeared from sight.

“Did we just unleash a monster?” Neville asked Harry in a whisper.

“We'll find out in a few minutes.” Harry whispered back, even though they both felt a slight tremor in The Force and knew it to be true.

The three girls came back with huge smiles on their faces, stacks of magazines in their arms, and huddled near Luna as they talked and ate breakfast.

About halfway through breakfast, when all of the students and staff had arrived, Minerva stood up and asked for everyone's attention. Because it was such an odd thing to have one of the professors ask for their attention in the middle of a meal, they all stopped chatting and eating to give her their full attention.

“I won't bother you for long. This is just a quick announcement that deals with the incident from last night.” Minerva said and the attention from all of the students intensified. “Mister Potter did not put his name in the Goblet. However, since his name did come out of the Goblet, it still counts as binding. Therefore, he must compete or suffer the consequences of either losing his magic or his life.”

Those words shocked a lot of people, especially the girls that had developed secret crushes for the handsome boy-who-lived.

“Because no school is allowed to have more than one champion, and Mister Diggory was chosen as the champion for Hogwarts, Mister Potter has withdrawn from this school and transferred to the Cairns Institute of Magic in Australia.”

“WHAT!?!” A lot of people yelled and a few jumped to their feet, especially those in Griffindor and Albus Dumbledore himself.

“Yes, it was a shock to me as well.” Minerva said, sadly. “Mister Potter does not want to violate the rules of the tournament by being enrolled in a school that another champion represents, because he would suffer the same penalty. I approved his transfer earlier this morning.”

“Minerva! How could you do that without consulting me!” Albus nearly shouted at her.

“As the Deputy Headmistress, it is my duty to look after the students when such problems arise. You know that.” Minerva said.

“You will reverse the decision and...”

Minerva looked over the Great Hall and the shocked faces of the students and back at Albus. “I did not fight against Mister Potter's decision because nearly everyone here turned on him and were angry he stole Mister Diggory's spotlight and accused him of cheating and being a liar. I was not going to let that stand.”

“A little adversity would refine Harry's character and...” Albus started to say.

Minerva squinted her eyes at him. “A little adversity, yes. Everyone needs some to overcome. Having nearly the entire school against him and seeking revenge for being the second Hogwarts champion? That's too much, Albus. I will not have the hallways of this school filled with spellfire and accusations for the rest of the year!”

Albus thought about how he could handle this disaster. “As headmaster, I have final approval of...”

“Admittance, yes. Removals, yes. Suspensions and transfers? No. Those are my responsibility.” Minerva said and turned back to the Great Hall. “That was all I had to say. You may return to your meals.”

No one moved as she sat down and it took a few minutes for them to realize that Harry Potter, the savior of the wizarding world, was no longer a Hogwarts student.

“He's such a coward.” Someone said into the silence.

“He abandoned us.” Someone else said.

“He couldn't face us.”

“He ran from his responsibilities.”

“How pathetic is he that he can't take a few harsh words?”

The comments became louder and more insulting. Soon, most of the students were openly mocking him and the Slytherins were having a grand old time about it.

Suddenly, a strong oppressive force filled the entire Great Hall and everyone struggled to breathe as it pressed down on them.

“That. Is. Enough.” Harry said and stood... and went higher... and everyone stared as he floated in the air ten feet above the Griffindor table. He softly glowed as well. “How can you be so petty and vindictive when you don't get what you want? First I am a target for scorn because I was chosen as a champion with Cedric and now you scorn me for fixing that problem?”

No one could gather enough breath to answer him, not that any of them would at the sight of a flying Harry Potter. The only ones not affected were his friends, Lavender, Parvati, and the teachers.

“I feel that you are all little babies that need to be coddled and taught a lesson on basic human decency.” Harry said and raised his hands. All of the affected students in the Great Hall were lifted up into the air five feet. “Listen to me and listen well. YOU have NO RIGHT to judge ME or my friends. Anyone saying anything at all about me or them, will be insulting foreign students visiting your school, and I will respond accordingly.”

They all cried out as that pressure squeezed them all over.

“Harry!” Luna said to gain his attention and Harry looked down at her face to see tears there.

“My love, balance means more than being good all the time and accepting unfairness from those that would prosecute us for it.” Harry said to her and saw her understanding, so he smiled at her and looked back at the floating students he held up effortlessly. “You all need to thank Luna for sparing you the punishment that you all know you deserve.”

All of the students were lowered down back to their seats and the pressure on them eased.

“Remember this. You have been warned.” Harry said and released them completely.

A collective gasp came from everyone as they all sucked in sharp breaths.

“I'm glad we transferred out already. You would be serving detention for the rest of the year and cost Griffindor the House Cup by losing hundreds of points.” Hermione said and started eating as Harry landed and sat down.

“I can't believe you held yourself back.” Millicent said and leaned over to kiss Harry's cheek.

“I didn't want to upset Luna too much.” Harry said and reached over to wipe at Luna's face.

“I know it was necessary. I just didn't like how much you liked doing it.” Luna said and leaned into his hand.

“That's Millie's fault. She is my evil half, after all.” Harry said with a smile.

“You being our balance is kind of fun.” Millicent said and reached around him to cup Luna's other cheek. “You can corrupt him with your good later, okay?”

Luna knew what she meant and blushed. “You really are evil.”

“I am.” Millicent said and let her cheek go. “Now finish eating and working out our new school uniforms. These robes are getting heavy and obstructive.”

Luna smiled and nodded. None of Harry's friends missed the scared and nervous looks on everyone's faces, especially on the faces of the teachers. The teachers had been so shocked by Harry's display of magic that none of them had attempted to stop him.

When breakfast was over, the Great Hall cleared out as if the place had been on fire and everyone was trying to escape. That hadn't really been the result Harry had wanted with his display of The Force; but, since he wasn't a student there anymore and there were no other students willing to learning about it, he didn't try to mitigate the fallout.

“Mister Potter.” Minerva said as she walked over to them. “Jinky will show you to the visitor's suites.”

Harry looked at her face and knew she didn't approve of his heavy-handed tactics. “I'm sorry about how I acted, Madam. A grand gesture was needed to stop everyone from hexing myself and my friends in the hallways.”

Minerva held in her sigh, because she knew he was right. “Please be more careful in the future.”

“Don't worry, they won't mess with us now.” Millicent said with a grin.

“No, I suspect they won't.” Minerva said and left them to go to class.

Harry and his friends left the Great Hall behind her and the house elf met them and led them to the right place. The suites were nice and Harry didn't object when Luna and Millicent changed where they were sleeping with the other girls to have Jinky move their trunks into Harry's suite. Susan and Hannah also switched and joined Neville in his.

That left Hermione and Morag sharing a huge suite by themselves and both girls loved having all that extra room. All of the Jedi felt the envy from Lavender and Parvati and did their best to reduce it by inviting them to visit as much as they wanted and to keep helping them with normal casual clothes that people in the tropics would wear. It worked and they were happy to feel needed.

It took several days for the school uniforms and compromises to be reached. The funny thing was, after they placed their orders at Madam Malkin's, they received the new student packages from Cairns Institute of Magic and their choices had been spot on. Lavender and Parvati were delighted their expertise had worked so well.

The Jedi were assigned one of the unused classrooms for their own use and to learn the subjects they were going to be taught when they transferred physically. They had a bit to catch up on, mainly because they had muggle subjects as well to learn and qualify for. It wasn't a full muggle education, just enough for a pureblood to pass safely when travelling in muggle areas.

*

The wand weighing ceremony was a chore, since the other three champions wanted nothing to do with Harry when he showed up. He was fine with that, because that meant they had taken his lesson to heart. The Daily Prophet reporter hadn't tried to talk to him at all, which portended a bad article that would cast Harry in a bad light. There was nothing he could say to change that, except to make it worse.

Harry sometimes hated it when he was proven right. He was vilified by the press, proclaimed the next Dark Lord, and Rita Skeeter called for him to be arrested for hundreds of cases of assault on the other students.

A group of angry Aurors showed up at the school the next day, led by a man named Dawlish, and he brandished his wand threateningly and ordered Harry to surrender. The man suddenly froze, as did the other Aurors, and Harry stood up to look into his eyes.

“I see. You wanted to make a name for yourself and came here without official orders to take me in.” Harry said and the man started sweating. “Tell everyone the truth.”

Dawlish yelled at the pressure he felt. “The Minister and his undersecretary suggested it! I'll advance to Auror Captain if I arrested the boy-who-fled!”

“It doesn't matter about the charges, does it?” Harry asked.

“Once you're in custody, we can claim you fought back and you'll be in prison for years!” Dawlish shouted as the pressure increased. “STOP! Please!”

“Why are they doing this?” Hermione asked.

“You can't be allowed to leave Britain!” Dawlish exclaimed and then yelled inarticulately and passed out.

“Morons.” Harry said and released the man to let him drop to the floor. “We didn't leave Britain. We only changed schools.”

“You... are under arrest for... assaulting an Auror.” One of the other men said and tried to raise his wand arm, only it was shaking too much to be threatening and he couldn't raise it.

“You are here illegally to arrest a triwizard champion by any means necessary. How will the Goblet of Fire judge you?” Harry asked and felt a huge pull in The Force from the Gobelt. He allowed it full access to his own connection and it judged him, then it judged the Aurors. The three conscious Aurors cried out as their wands snapped and Harry's hold on them disappeared before they dropped to the floor.

“Harry, what was that?” Hermione asked him.

Harry felt the rush of magic flow into him as compensation. He knew then that they would have kept him locked up and he would have missed the first task, making him forfeit by default.

“Direct interference with a champion is against the rules.” Harry said and turned to Minerva. “Madam? Could you call the real Aurors and report this? Magic itself judged them unworthy.”

“That wasn't you?” Lavender asked.

“No, the Goblet of Fire found them guilty and stripped them of their magic.” Harry said and that set off a lot of chatting and muttering.

Minerva and Madam Pomfrey walked over to them and the school's dedicated healer checked the Aurors and swished her wand over each of them, a frown on her face.

“Mister Potter is right. They don't have any magic at all.” Madam Pomfrey confirmed.

“No!” “I don't believe it!” “Merlin's saggy y-fronts!”

“Fred!” Angelina gasped.

“He's Fred. I'm George.” George said.

“Oh! I'm sorry, Fred.” Angelina said and glared at George. “George!”

“Yes, what is it?” George asked, as if he had no idea what she was talking about.

Angelina opened her mouth to respond, then sighed. “Never mind.”

Fred barely held in his laugh at his brother's antics.

“I'll report this right away.” Minerva said and strode out of the Great Hall with purpose.

Albus sat there at the head table and contemplated what to do next. It appeared that any direct interference with Harry would cause a near immediate backlash. That was not what he had anticipated when he had entered Harry's name into the Goblet.

The problem he could clearly see in hindsight was that after two fairly powerful displays of magic, Albus wondered if Harry's name would have come out of the Goblet if he had added him under Hogwarts school like he wanted to in the first place.

A group of real Aurors stormed in with Minerva right behind them and a powerful witch wearing a monocle was in the front. She directed her own people to take charge of the unconscious Aurors on the floor and then she conducted a fairly quick and precise investigation that led her to Harry.

“Mister Potter, I can't say it's nice to meet you again under these circumstances.” Amelia said.

“Madam Bones, I apologize for making your day so much harder.” Harry said and then explained exactly what had happened. He also offered copies of his memories as evidence and said to not be stingy with the veritaserum, because the guilty no longer had magic.

“Do not worry, Mister Potter. Several people are going to be in trouble over this.” Amelia promised.

Harry shook her offered hand. “Now that you're here, perhaps you would like to investigate Susan's living arrangements?”

Susan let out an 'eep' sound, Neville blushed, and Hannah smiled happily.

“That sounds like a wonderful idea, Mister Potter.” Amelia said and turned to her squad. “Get the trash out of here and into a holding cell. Constant guard and no visitors, not even the Minister himself.”

“Yes, Madam!” Her Aurors said and scrambled to get the disgraced Aurors out of her sight.

“Mister Potter, please lead the way.” Amelia said and waved him forward.

“It would be my pleasure, Madam.” Harry said and took her arm as if he was formally escorting her.

Amelia held in her chuckle at the brazen young man using her in such a blatant political manoeuvre to associate himself so closely with her and her department. Harry gave her a discreet wink and led her out of the Great Hall with the other Jedi following them, with a reluctant Susan and Neville behind them.

As soon as they were gone, everyone started talking loudly about never interfering with Harry or they would lose their magic as well. It was a very potent deterrent, not that his previous one hadn't been enough on its own. Being scared was one thing. Becoming a muggle was quite another.

*

A week before the first task, the Jedi felt a huge disturbance in The Force. They all gathered together and stealthily made their way to where they felt the largest concentration of magic was. They saw the dragons and gave Harry worried looks and he felt their emotions.

“I trust in The Force and it trusts in me.” Harry said and they all hugged him, then they retreated back to their suites to discuss what to do.

“Should we tell the other champions?” Neville asked. “Is what we did considered cheating?”

“No, anyone near the woods would have either seen or felt that much magic being used. I have no doubt that Hagrid knows, considering he's the groundskeeper.” Hermione said and the others nodded. “I've never seen so many portkeys being used at the same time.”

“It was a huge disturbance.” Harry agreed and made his decision. “Even in this, I believe the balance should be maintained.” He said and smiled. “I won't be able to approach them myself, however.”

“I'll let Cedric know.” Susan offered.

“I'll tell Victor.” Millicent said. “The Slytherins won't mind me being nearby.”

“I'll tell Fleur.” Morag said. “I have the same reason as Millie. The Ravenclaws don't mind me.”

“Thank you.” Harry said and his friends felt that he appreciated them doing that for him.

“What should we do now?” Hermione asked. “Handling a dragon is no small task.”

“I thought it was supposed to be much safer this year. How is a dragon safe?” Hannah asked.

“You're asking the wrong question.” Morag said and everyone looked at her. “What do they consider not safe?”

A collective shudder went through everyone.

“We don't want to know.” Harry said and they all nodded. He waited a few seconds before he said the magic words. “Hermione, it's library time.”

They all felt Hermione's happiness and determination flow around them. “Let's go, everyone. We have important research to do and Harry's life depends on it.”

Their own determination joined hers and they rushed to the library to get it done.

*

The day of the first task had three nervous champions and one calm one standing in the champion's tent. Ludo Bagman was there and waited for the spectators to pass by and gather in the stands around the enclosure that had been built for the first task.

Ludo gave them a half-assed explanation as to what they would be doing and offered a small bag to Fleur. She reached in and pulled out a model of a Swedish Short-Snout with number 1 on it. Victor went next and drew the Welsh Green and number 2. Cedric pulled the Chinese Fireball and number 3. Harry wasn't surprised when he pulled out the Hungarian Horntail and number 4.

“There we are!” Ludo said, forcing a happy tone to his voice. He regretted betting on Harry Potter winning the event, now that he saw the boy had drawn the biggest and meanest dragon. “When the whistle blows, enter the arena in the proper order.”

The champions nodded and Ludo decided to give the boy a few tips.

“Harry, can I speak to you for a minute? In private? Perhaps outside?” Ludo asked.

“No, I won't accept you trying to help me cheat to win your bet.” Harry said, calmly. “I do hope that you don't judge me unfairly as well. I wouldn't want you accused of manipulating things like those Aurors were.”

Ludo blanched at that. He had thought the article had been an exaggeration. “I'll... keep that in mind.”

Harry smiled. “It might not matter much, I don't think. Karkaroff is going to vote unfairly anyway.”

“You accuse my headmaster of cheating?” Victor asked and gave Harry a pointed look.

“Of course not, Mister Krum. The previous death eater is going to be completely unbiased when he judges the boy-who-lived in a competition that he wasn't supposed to be in and had filed a formal objection to his participation.”

“How did you know that?” Cedric asked.

“Madame Maxime filed one as well.” Harry said without answering him. “Isn't it funny that the only one that didn't was Albus Dumbledore?”

The other champions didn't say anything else as a whistle blew.

“Good lord, I need to go!” Ludo exclaimed and ran from the champion's tent.

“Good luck, Miss Delacour.” Harry said to the French champion.

Fleur tried to not glare at the calm boy and strode from the tent with a purpose. She couldn't figure out why he was still calm after finding out that they were to face dragons. The bad part was she could no longer rely on her Allure to help her and nothing she, her mother, or her family could do would give her that ability back.

The three males stood there in the champion's tent and listened to the crowd's boos with Ludo's commentary about how tired he was from all of the area effect Sleep spells that Fleur had cast. Soon, a light snoring sound was heard and someone slapped him. Ludo woke up with a start and said that Fleur had left the arena and left a sleeping dragon behind. The whistle blew and Victor went next.

After several minutes, Harry felt a spike in The Force. “No!”

Cedric stared with wide eyes as Harry blurred and practically disappeared.

Harry had used his connection to The Force and ran out of the tent and into the enclosure with the dragon instantly. He watched as Victor dodged the rampaging and blind dragon and Harry held his hand out to the dragon's nest. The real eggs floated up and away from the danger just as the dragon stomped right into the middle of the nest, which would have crushed them all.

The audience stopped cheering as Victor easily grabbed the sole remaining egg that was a gold color and ran away from the dragon.

Harry slowly walked over to the still angry dragon and let The Force flow through him and into the dragon. “Please calm down, Madam. Your eggs are safe and I am approaching from the right.” He told her and let his calm emotions flow out. He didn't try to push them, because the dragon's mind was not weak and a mind trick would not work at all.

The dragon slowed down its movements as it felt the calm emotions and heard Harry's voice.

“I can feel your pain and distress. If you will allow me to touch you, I can fix your eye.” Harry offered and let The Force tell the dragon where her eggs were and that they were both warm and safe floating on her right.

The dragon calmed down and it tried to glare at Harry with its sole remaining eye.

“You see? Your eggs are right here. You didn't stomp on them and your babies are fine.” Harry said and floated the eggs into her view. “Your nest is wrecked and will need some work to fix. Can others approach to do so?”

The dragon gave him a squinted eye and nodded exactly once, which shocked everyone in the audience, the judges, and the dragon handlers.

“You there!” Harry said and motioned to the handlers. “Get that nest repaired immediately!”

One of the men started to protest being ordered by a kid and Harry pushed him away with The Force.

“No idiots allowed.” Harry said and he thought he felt the dragon's amusement. “Hurry UP!”

The handlers rushed into the enclosure and Harry concentrated on the dragon.

“May I?” Harry asked and held up a hand towards the damaged eye.

The dragon lowered its head and huffed at him. The near blast of air ruffled Harry's loose-fitting t-shirt and made it bellow out like a sail.

Harry couldn't stop his chuckle. “Yes, I know you can swat me away, which is why I am very politely asking for your permission.” He said and definitely felt the dragon's amusement as he touched it right above the damaged eye.

The dragon groaned with relief as The Force poured into it and Harry performed a healing technique.

“You're going to be tired for a while afterwards.” Harry warned her and she growled at him. “Your nest is done. Where would you like your eggs?”

The dragon blinked her eyes a few times and realized her eye was working again. She gave him a glare, glared at her eggs, and turned to face her nest.

Harry followed her desires with The Force and placed each egg where they were supposed to be and then he very slowly backed off and held up his hands in a clearly non-threatening way. He walked backwards the entire time to leave the enclosure and her sight.

“What happened out there?” Cedric asked him when Harry entered the champion's tent.

“Victor blinded his dragon and it rampaged.” Harry said and Cedric looked sick. “It's all right, I made it in time and saved the eggs.”

“Thank Merlin.” Cedric said and Harry nodded.

Ten minutes later, the whistle blew and Cedric left to retrieve his golden egg. Ludo's commentary was both informative and lacking essential details, so Harry followed it using The Force. Distracting the dragon worked well and Cedric took his egg into the medical tent.

The whistle blew twenty minutes later and it was Harry's turn. He walked out of the champion's tent and down the short hallway and into the dragon's enclosure. It was only slightly different than the last time he had been inside and the dragon was different. It was also nearly twice the size of the last one and it roared angrily.

“Mister Potter is warned to not cheat and use whatever levitation trick he used that ignored the anti-summoning charms on the eggs and nest.” Ludo said, thanks to the Sonorus spell on his throat.

Harry cast the same spell on his own throat. “So, it's cheating if I use my abilities? Did you really just say that I can't try my best in front of all these witnesses?”

“The judges have agreed that you can't use it and you will be disqualified if you do.” Ludo said.

Harry saw that the judges really did agree that he had to limit himself. “I suppose that means I can't float myself over as well.”

Ludo looked at the judges and they nodded. “No tricks like that are allowed.”

Harry smiled at them. “Thank you for admitting in front of everyone how biased you all are against me.” He said and the judges lost all the color from their faces. “You're lucky that I don't need what you call tricks.”

Everyone stared as Harry calmly walked down the enclosure. He didn't even have his wand out, because he fully trusted in The Force. He walked right over to the dragon and held his hand out. The Hungarian Horntail picked up the offending golden egg and dropped it into Harry's hand.

A second later, the egg imploded with a crunching metal sound as it was crushed down into two coin-sized discs. Harry handed them back to the dragon and the creature bit into them with two small fangs. That made holes in them and Harry graciously accepted them back and walked over to where his friends sat in the stands.

“My loves, I know this is a few years before you expected it...” Harry started to say.

“YES!” Luna and Millicent yelled and held their hands out for the rings.

Harry tossed them instead of using his trick that the judges said he wasn't allowed to use. Both girls slid the somehow perfectly-sized rings onto their fingers and were extremely happy.

“I'll be Mrs. Potter.” Luna said to the bigger girl.

“I'll be Mrs. Black.” Millicent said. “Although, we should discuss switching to confuse everyone.”

Luna giggled. “The bad girl as the good wife and the good girl as the bad wife? I love it!”

Millicent laughed and hugged her.

Harry beamed a smile at them and turned to face the judges. “Should I go to the medical tent first or do you have my biased scores ready now?”

“The medical tent while we remove the dragon from the arena.” Ludo said, his voice flat. They had wanted to remove the simple solution that Harry had for their task to get the boy to give the audience a good show. He couldn't even comment that Harry had retrieved the egg the fastest.

Harry walked over to the medical tent and went inside. The other three champions saw he was empty-handed and each made sounds of ridicule, even Cedric.

“It seems the leetle boy was unable to complete the task that of age wizards easily could.” Fleur said with a superior tone of voice.

Harry didn't bother responding and let Madam Pomfrey examine him. When she didn't find anything, she had him sit on a chair to wait.

“Champions, please return to the arena.” Ludo said a few minutes later.

Fleur, Cedric, and Victor rushed out and tried to shoulder Harry out of the way as they passed. They felt like they hit a brick wall and bounced off before they fell to the floor.

“I'll go first, shall I?” Harry said to their surprised faces and walked out first. The other three scrambled to their feet and followed him out.

Madame Maxime raised her wand into the air first and a silver four appeared above it. No one booed or thought it was unfair. Bartemus Crouch was next and he showed a three. Albus Dumbldore gave Harry a disappointed look and showed a two. Ludo looked a little worried as he showed a four. Finally it was Karkaroff's turn and he showed a zero.

“Those are some of the worst scores for the first task in history.” Cedric said, surprised.

“I am surprised they gave him anything.” Victor said.

“He should have all zeroes for not retrieving the egg!” Fleur almost shouted.

“Who said I didn't get the egg?” Harry asked them and forgot he still had the Sonorus charm on his throat.

The three champions winced as he pretty much yelled in their ears.

Harry cancelled the spell. “You're lucky I didn't deem you worthy to respond to in the medical tent.”

“HARRY!” Luna and Millicent yelled and ran over to Harry, whom was immediately covered in kisses.

“Thank you both for accepting and I apologize for the improvised rings.” Harry said.

“Are you kidding? The reporters are going wild over you having the dragon make the egg into wedding rings and proposing to us.” Millicent said and gave him a passionate kiss. “Our friends are already heading up to the castle, so we need to run to catch up to them.”

Fleur stared at their backs as they left at a jog and didn't know what to say. He made them rings from the egg? How?

It would be in the newspaper the next morning. Fleur stared at the picture that replayed what happened and she still couldn't believe it. It was officially recorded as the only dragon-assisted marriage proposal in history.

*

Surprisingly, none of the other Hogwarts students made any mention of wanting to join the school that Harry and his friends were members of, even though they never went to class, had no monthly tests or end of term exams, or had to do anything except be physically present in the school for the duration of the tournament.

Of course, the other students didn't mention wanting to join Beauxbatons or Durmstrang, either. Harry figured they all had the mentality that everything that wasn't British was to be ignored or not important enough to pay attention to, even with their light and airy clothing of bright colors that made Dumbledore's normal robes look drab.

Harry made no secret about how he liked both Luna and Millicent wearing those bikini tops over their black bodysuits and that their loose t-shirts would give him brief glimpses of them. It pleased both girls that he would look at them that way and they would make sure he had several opportunities to peek at them. They might have been Jedi; but, they were also teenagers and had raging hormones.

The Yule Ball had Luna as Harry's official date, just so she would be allowed to attend. Millicent met them inside after the first dance and the three of them had a great time. No one said anything about them not wearing traditional formal robes for the occasion, since foreign schools were exempt from the rules the Hogwarts students had to follow.

All of the Jedi girls went all out and they all looked very pretty in their fancy muggle dresses that made the female students of the other schools jealous. The only two that didn't have official dates, because none of the boys had the guts to ask them out, Hermione and Morag, chose to go together.

It was a huge scandal and the two girls laughed and played it up as they danced, even though they didn't feel that way about each other. Their playful kiss at the end of the night made one of the professors and several of the students faint. They had a ball shocking everyone.

Harry saved the kisses for his dates until they were back in their suite. He took his time and let the girls feel how much he loved them, how much he cared for them, and how beautiful he thought they were. Luna had an epic blush on her face when Harry was done and Millicent only blushed a little as she half-growled that she didn't want him to ever stop.

“It's all right, Harry.” Luna whispered and gently kissed him, then she kissed Millicent. “I think a little playing will be okay.”

Harry's eyes widened when Luna, a very conservative girl, dropped her dress to the floor and showed off that she had only worn a pair of frilly pink panties underneath her dress.

“They're too perky to ever need a bra for support.” Luna said, almost teasingly.

It was Harry's turn to make a half-growl sound and he kissed her passionately and one of his hands gently cupped one of her tender bits. Luna's cute moan almost drove Harry crazy.

“My turn.” Millicent said and her dress joined Luna's on the floor. Since she was a much bigger girl, her chest was quite a bit larger than Luna's.

“You're both magnificent.” Harry complimented them and then he did the same hand move and kiss to Millicent. She made a huskier moan and it had the same effect on Harry.

“Your turn.” Luna and Millicent said and Harry's suit joined the two dresses on the floor.

“Why didn't we do this before?” Millicent asked and her hand went to Harry's straining erection.

“We weren't ready.” Luna said and her hand joined the other girl's. “Ohhh, it's so firm and hot.”

“It's your fault.” Harry accused her and Luna giggled, then she moaned as Harry's hand went to her breast and his other hand went to Millicent's.

The three of them stood there, feeling each other, and they closed their eyes and delved into The Force. Their connections to each other strengthened and their hands moved. Harry's hands dropped down to between their legs and both girls gasped as he explored them and let The Force guide him and his fingers.

Luna wasn't sure how she had somehow ended up on the bed with Harry's tongue between her legs. She didn't tell him to stop, though. She was in heaven!

Millicent wanted Harry badly and they both knew it wasn't time yet, so she had to satisfy herself by using her mouth instead. Oh boy, did she use it!

Harry had no idea that having someone you love doing something like that, could feel so good. He almost couldn't think as Millicent did... whatever she was doing down there... and he barely had enough mental capacity to make sure Luna reached what he knew she was very, very close to achieving.

“AHHHH!” Luna screamed with pleasure as she came for the very first time.

“Ohhhh!” Harry moaned as he came as well.

“Mmm!” Millicent sucked down the Force-infused goodness that was coming out of Harry and she loved it. Without realizing what she was doing, she had flipped Harry over and straddled his waist to rub herself all over him. Her hips ground into him and both she and Harry panted as Luna watched them going at it.

A few minutes later, they both cried out and came together. Millicent collapsed to the bed and Luna somehow slipped between her and Harry and cuddled them both.

“How... how did that... feel so good... and we didn't have sex?” Millicent asked, panting for breath.

“Wait, that wasn't sex?” Harry asked, confused.

“It was, just not all of it.” Luna informed them as her hands caressed their chests. “Can you kiss my boobies like you kissed me down there?”

Millicent and Harry decided they needed to make it up to her for doing what they did. Luna was lost as both of her breasts were suckled and played with and she felt things she never thought were possible. She came again and drifted off to sleep on a cloud of happiness. Harry and Millicent kissed and fell asleep as well. It was a great night and they would remember it for years.

*

February 23 was the day before the second task and the judges had a problem. The hostage they chose as the person Harry would miss most was Luna Lovegood and she refused to be used to cause Harry distress.

When they tried to have Minerva force her by using spells and a dreamless sleep potion, Minerva ended up in the hospital wing in tears and she refused to try again. Being accused of kidnapping and torture of an underage witch had hit the elderly woman hard, especially when Luna let her feel the emotions of the young French girl that Minerva had already done it to.

“What are we going to do?” Ludo asked the other judges as they left the hospital wing.

“I suppose I will have to step in and let Miss Lovegood know how important this is.” Albus said.

“Then we will leave it to you, Meester Dumblydore.” Madam Maxime said and strode away. “You can hand her off to the merpeople with the other hostages before breakfast.”

Albus nodded and made his way through the castle to the third floor and the visitor's suites. He knocked on the door and a female voice gave him permission to enter, so he did so and took two steps in and saw a head of blonde hair on someone sitting on the couch. Without hesitation, Albus raised his wand to stun the girl.

*WHHHNNNNN!*

Albus cried out in pain when his whole right forearm, with his wand still clasped in his hand, dropped to the floor.

“You made me reveal one of my biggest secrets.” Harry Potter said as he appeared from under his invisibility cloak. He bent down to grab the knobby wand.

“No!” Albus gasped and reached with his left hand to stop the boy.

*WHHHNNNNN!*

Albus cried out in pain again when his left forearm joined the right one on the floor.

“Bad headmaster.” Luna said and stood up from where she sat. “We might need to take him to the hospital wing.”

“In a minute.” Harry said and didn't try to reach for the wand this time. He held a hand out towards it and let The Force touch it for him. When it did, he felt the evil connection it had and the corrupting influence it would have had on him if he used it. “I see why you didn't want me to finish claiming it, Mister Dumbledore.”

Albus stared at his two cauterized arm stumps and didn't respond.

“I also have a feeling that destroying it would be bad, so I will store it away to hide it.” Harry said and levitated it out of sight. “I'll take his arms. Millie? Can you guide him and make sure he doesn't fall too many times on the way to see Madam Pomfrey?”

Millicent let an evil smile grow on her face. “Of course, Harry. Leave his care to me.”

The three students took the disarmed headmaster to the hospital wing and Minerva shook her head at the state her boss was in. It took Madam Pomfrey several hours to clean the stumps of charred material and then twice that long to reattach the severed forearms. There was nothing she could do about the two inches of bone, muscle, and tissue that had been disintegrated.

“You are going to have a very difficult time doing anything with your arms two inches shorter, like eating and holding a book.” Madam Pomfrey told the elderly man when she finally finished that morning. “Your spellwork should be fine, if a little sloppy. Some practice should get you back to acceptable levels fairly quickly.”

Albus hadn't said a single thing since Harry had cut off his arms.

“What are you going to do about Mister Potter's hostage?” Minerva asked, unable to resist poking the man's ego.

Albus didn't say anything in response and just sat there.

“Poppy? Is he all right?” Minerva asked.

“He's just in shock.” Madam Pomfrey said and gave Albus a potion to drink, that he couldn't because his arms were too short, and she forced it down his throat. She shot him with a stinging hex to wake him up.

“AH!” Albus gasped and rubbed the spot on his thigh.

“You have a tournament task to tend to this morning.” Madam Pomfrey reminded him.

“Yes, I... I need...” Albus looked down at the charred line and clearly mismatched skin and muscle on his forearms. “I will have a house elf bring me Harry's favorite book.”

Minerva and Poppy exchanged worried looks as the old man climbed out of bed. Albus dressed in a new robe and left the hospital wing to retrieve the other three hostages. Unfortunately, he only found two of them, Cedric's and Victor's dates for the Yule Ball. He asked for a house elf and told it what he needed.

The house elf popped in with two books and Albus took them and the hostages to the Black Lake.

After breakfast, everyone from all four schools made their way down to the Black Lake and settled in the stands. It didn't take long for the start of the task and the four champions walked down to the Black Lake and took up positions along the dock.

Ludo explained that there would be something to retrieve from the bottom of the lake that they would miss the most. They only had an hour to search and come back with it or it would be lost forever. Harry wasn't allowed to do his levitating trick, because he would complete the task too quickly if he could fly out there, grab his hostage, and come back without struggling.

Harry gave each of the judges a pointed stare with that explanation. “Let me just clarify what you just said.” He said and looked at the newspaper reporters. “The judges, in their infinite wisdom, have ordered an unprepared fourth year student that was forced into this competition against his will, to not do his best or use all of his abilities, just so that the seventh year competitors would have a sporting chance.”

The reporters looked like Christmas had come early this year.

“That's twice that they have interfered with a champion of the tournament. I wonder what would happen if I called for justice from the Goblet of Fire?” I asked them.

“That object has been returned to the Department of Mysteries and to storage for the next tournament.” Bartemus Crouch said. “It is much too far away now for it to affect anyone like that.”

Harry gave him a smile. “You do realize that we are dealing with Magic itself, don't you? The Goblet is just the impartial judge you idiots chose to arbitrate the tournament.”

“Go ahead, then. Call upon the contract and let's see who will suffer the backlash.” Bartemus challenged, as if he knew something Harry didn't.

Harry saw in the man's mind what they had done. “I have to assume you've blocked the Goblet's magic behind powerful wards and a magic suppression field for you to be so confident that it won't work.” He told the man and Bartemus Crouch's face drained of color. “That would be three times you've admitted that you interfered with the tournament.”

“Just get on with it.” Madame Maxime waved at Ludo to start the task.

Ludo motioned with his wand and made a canon sound.

The other three champions performed spells and dove into the freezing water. Harry held a hand out towards Hermione and a small device the size of a cigar flew out of her pocket and into his hand.

“What is that?” Karkaroff asked.

“It's a muggle device called a re-breather. It lets someone breathe underwater indefinitely.” Harry said and hit the release on it to extend the mouthpiece from the center of the tube and hopped into the water. He stayed near the surface and swam faster than a dolphin as he trusted The Force to help him. It was the first time he tried to use Force Dash in water and it worked wonderfully.

Harry reached the merpeople village and saw the two hostages and the two books. He didn't let his anger blind him because Dumbledore had ruined his favorite book by leaving it submerged in water for hours. The small cloud of ink in the water let him know it was beyond repair and that was going to work for Harry's plan perfectly.

The book was retrieved easily and Harry swam back to the surface and all the way back to the dock. He climbed out of the water and held up the ruined book. “I hope you treated the other hostages better than you treated my favorite book. Even though I'm back long before the time limit, it... it's ruined and can't be repaired.”

The reporters had their photographers take pictures of the book, both closed and opened, to show the horrible state of it. Harry's next statement would make them feel like it was every holiday of the year combined, because of the implications.

“They didn't use stasis or preservation charms on it. It was just sitting there in the merpeople's village like a discarded piece of trash.” Harry said and tears came to his eyes. “I'm very glad I stopped Albus Dumbledore from kidnapping my fiance Luna last night. Who knows what would have happened to her if he had succeeded?”

Albus tried to slap a hand over his own face and only managed to slap himself on the chin.

Harry walked over to the medical tent and Madam Pomfrey gave him hot chocolate and a blanket. He needed neither, for he was using The Force to regulate his body temperature. He hadn't felt the freezing cold water at all. His friends entered the medical tent and Hermione used several drying charms on his clothing so that Luna and Millicent could hug him without getting wet themselves.

Fleur was back next and she held up the book that was her hostage, nodded to him, and her little sister ran into the tent with her parents behind her. They hugged and talked so rapidly in French that even Hermione had a hard time following what they were saying.

Victor Krum was back next and his boyfriend was not happy about being a hostage. They would be filing an official protest with their government against the tournament judges. He forgave Victor because their trick to hide him hadn't worked. Victor had taken their best female friend to the Yule Ball instead of him.

Cedric was last and well outside the hour time limit. His girlfriend Cho Chang wasn't happy about that. They didn't break up, though. Cedric was going to have to do a lot to make it up to her, however.

The scores were given out and Harry was dead last again, probably because he still didn't struggle with the task, despite the judges and their restrictions. It didn't matter, though. He knew it was going to be completely unfair towards him and he made sure to let the press know that. He also told them that there was another aspect that the judges completely ignored and that they would find out about it during the last task.

Harry's words made the judges nervous, because they didn't know what he was talking about, which was why he told them. They had completely missed a very important fact and wouldn't figure it out. Their shortsightedness had blinded them to the truth.

*

The next few months went by and everyone except Harry's friends seemed to forget Harry's warning. He had planned for that and waited until it was time to start sending the champions into the maze for the third task before he spoke.

“Now that the final task is about to start and the judges have seen fit to penalize me yet again by not allowing me to use my abilities, it's time to reveal why I haven't asked for any judgment against them until now.” Harry said.

That gained everyone's attention.

“The aspect the judges failed to consider, even after myself and my friends changed schools the next morning after my name came out of the Goblet of Fire, was that I was a member of a fourth school.” Harry told them and several of the judges looked confused. “Shall I spell it out for you?”

“You are delaying the start of the third task, boy!” Bartemus Crouch spat at him.

“It's simple, really. The headmasters of each school serve as judges on the panel. Can anyone here guess who has not been invited to participate as a judge to keep things fair on behalf of their student?” Harry asked them.

Someone cursed and Harry was pretty sure it was Karkaroff.

“I call upon Magic itself and The Force to judge this tournament and everyone involved in it. I ask it to deal an appropriate punishment to those that have conspired to interfere with me, a tournament champion, from competing fairly.”

An oppressive force spread out and engulfed everyone there. It squeezed in on them for only a few seconds and everyone that wasn't guilty felt it disappear. There were not many of them. Those that were guilty of persecuting Harry for an entire year felt that pressure increase and then a burning sensation seemed to fill them.

Most of them cried out as their magic was ripped from them, the penalty that Harry would have suffered if he had broken the rules of the tournament. He was granted exactly half of their magic and the rest went to the Goblet Of Fire. It smashed through the bindings and wards placed upon it and disappeared from the Department of Mysteries, never to be seen again.

Harry glowed with the sheer amount of power that had been granted to him and everyone stared at him, even those that had lost their magic, which was most of the students, most of the professors, and all of the judges. He would later learn that half of the employees at the Ministry of Magic had also lost their magic.

With a snap of Harry's fingers, the entire twenty foot tall hedge maze collapsed in on itself. Another snap had all of the creatures carefully lifted out of the way and sent back to the various cages and containers they had come from. Harry reached out towards the center of the maze and a final finger snap had the Triwizard Cup disappear from the middle as its portkey activated and it landed in Harry's outstretched hand.

“Oh, look. I win.” Harry said and the other three champions stared at him. “Things might be changing at Hogwarts next year with so many students and teachers without their magic.”

“It's a good thing we won't be here for that.” Hermione said as she and the rest of Harry's friends gathered around him. “You were going to do that with the maze anyway, weren't you?”

Harry gave her a smile. “Two simple spells and a portkey activation? Ron Weasley could have done it after a bit of your coaching.”

Hermione was pleased by the praise.

“You can't have another wife.” Luna said and gave him a kiss.

“What about a mistress?” Harry asked, teasingly.

“Only if Millie and I can try her out first.” Luna teased right back.

Hermione blushed and made a squeak sound that had all of their friends laughing.

“Come on, let's go pack up. Our plane to Australia leaves in the morning.” Harry said and waved a hand at Minister Fudge. The sack of 1,000 galleons floated over to Harry and he grabbed it, handed it to a very happy Millicent, and the Jedi left a lot of shocked people behind as they went to the castle.

*

Surprisingly, no one tried to stop them from leaving the country. They had applied for and received temporary citizenship in Australia and Leia had already purchased a huge parcel of land near the Cairns Institute of Magic and another Organa Mansion had been built there. Several house elves were bought and inducted into Harry's family to take care of both properties.

The Jedi passed their placement exams with Outstandings and were welcomed into their new school with open arms. There were a lot more people there that were open to learning about The Force and the philosophy of maintaining balance. It fit well into the lifestyle there, especially with the huge environmental habitat of the coral reef for them to take care of.

Harry, Luna, and Millicent finally went all the way when Luna turned sixteen and felt like she was ready and the three of them lost their virginity together. It cemented their bonds like never before and their love for each other would become the core of the new Jedi Temple.

Hermione eventually met a like-minded young man and she entered a relationship with him and Morag. Their teasing everyone during the triwizard tournament years ago had left them open to actually sharing feelings for each other. It wasn't really sexual and more like a sister that shared everything, including their soon to be fiance.

Leia also met someone that met the extremely high standards that she hadn't known she had. He slipped into their lives as if he had always been there and the pair wed in under a year. She gave birth to twin boys less than a year later and she named them Luke and Ben, in honor of her brother and the old Jedi Knight that had saved her.

With their happy example that proved it was possible, Harry, Luna, and Millicent were married and had children not long afterwards. Both had girls and Harry couldn't have been happier. His bonds with his wives expanded to the children and he loved them just as fiercely. Those giddily happy little girls had Harry wrapped around their little fingers and he did everything for them, to the amusement of his wives.

The Jedi Temple soon had hundreds of members and their creed was embraced wholeheartedly by everyone. They helped those that needed it without reward or compensation, hunted down the criminals that needed it, and maintained the balance. Their children and their children's children would continue to do so for centuries to come.

Good and evil would always exist, and so would they.