The Most Unusual Teacher (Star Wars X Harry Potter)

[Lord_0f_Winter]

I guess it's time for the Death Eaters to learn how and why the entire galaxy came to fear the very whisper of Darth Vader's name

 

[Inv1ctus6243]

They're probably not about to be dead since Anakin has returned to the light, but they'll probably be spending the rest of their days at St.Mungo's.

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I don't know, in Legends, even Jedi have killed plenty. It's just the reason behind the deaths that seem to matter. Defending yourself and others or attacking/dominating others.

 

[Sixgun McGurk]

I don't know, in Legends, even Jedi have killed plenty. It's just the reason behind the deaths that seem to matter. Defending yourself and others or attacking/dominating others.

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The Jedi will chop deserving people into meaty little cubes just as fast as the Sith. They just aren't allowed to enjoy it.

 

[Lenderman]

I don't know, in Legends, even Jedi have killed plenty. It's just the reason behind the deaths that seem to matter. Defending yourself and others or attacking/dominating others.

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I'm aware. However to me it always came off as trying to avoid conflict and responding to the level of threat. If they were at war, fighting a Sith, etc. they'd definitely use lethal force. However if it was something like a common mugging they'd probably just snap the criminals wrist or knock them out. Majority of death eaters are child's play to Anakin. He'll probably keep them alive so they can be questioned.

 

[Valkorion510]

This is going to be a goddamn slaughter. What everyone seems to have missed in the rush to state Anakin's return to the light, is that he still wields a red lightsaber. That should tell you something.

 

[Mastersgt]

only complaints I have are MC(Anakin) not being able to keep albus out of his mind in chapter 1. As well as them not sensing the horcrux in Howarts. That and Vader not recognizing a soul anchor, since Darth Lords tend to use them.

 

[Naron]

only complaints I have are MC(Anakin) not being able to keep albus out of his mind in chapter 1. As well as them not sensing the horcrux in Howarts. That and Vader not recognizing a soul anchor, since Darth Lords tend to use them.

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Well, first of all, I do not know what a soul anchor is. Consequently, neither does Anakin; is that an EU-thing?

As for the other two, well, the first complaint assumes Anakin actually wanted to keep Albus out, while the second one felt appropriate to a place where hundreds of semi-Force-sensitive minds are gathered, and which itself is steeped in the Force on top of it.

 

[Gindjurra]

They're probably not about to be dead since Anakin has returned to the light, but they'll probably be spending the rest of their days at St.Mungo's.

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Killing with a lightsaber is something Jedi are perfectly okay with. Why should turning away from the Dark Side make him less likely to kill?

 

[Diraniola]

I'm aware. However to me it always came off as trying to avoid conflict and responding to the level of threat. If they were at war, fighting a Sith, etc. they'd definitely use lethal force. However if it was something like a common mugging they'd probably just snap the criminals wrist or knock them out. Majority of death eaters are child's play to Anakin. He'll probably keep them alive so they can be questioned.

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Unless you're obi wan in a seedy bar, then you cut a guys arm off at the slightest provocation.

 

[Mastersgt]

Well, first of all, I do not know what a soul anchor is. Consequently, neither does Anakin; is that an EU-thing?

As for the other two, well, the first complaint assumes Anakin actually wanted to keep Albus out, while the second one felt appropriate to a place where hundreds of semi-Force-sensitive minds are gathered, and which itself is steeped in the Force on top of it.

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Soul Anchors are literal. so, objects that anchor the soul to them, or more precisely. The physical world. Like Horcruxes, phylactory's. etc.
Darth Lords, Sith. On Dromund Kass, Moriband. The Sith Academy. They bound their souls to anchors in their tombs. To their Holicrons. Something someone who deals with sith holicrons would have to know. There are several scattered around throughout the galaxy. Several found in the old republic, before the clone wars, during the clone wars, after them...
They are described in the games, and in the books. Not sure if any were shown in the movies.

 

[saugo]

This is a story I didn't know I needed, but one I'm enjoying immensely. As a side note, how good are wizard prosthetics again? I feel the survivors are going to need some.

 

[Tomthebomb]

This is a story I didn't know I needed, but one I'm enjoying immensely. As a side note, how good are wizard prosthetics again? I feel the survivors are going to need some.

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An example of Wizard prosthetics would be Mad-Eye Moody's peg leg. So not that good.

 

[Naron]

Bellatrix raised her wand in glee, ready and almost salivating at the idea of finally getting to kill for her lord again. They were under strict order not to harm the students just yet, so she had to leave it at stunners. Teachers, though....

The moment she needed to think the appropriate spell however, an unseen wave of force hit the main group of Death Eaters like a charging dragon; a dozen shouted or grunted as they were thrown back, two crashing into the distant walls, wands flying this way and that. The rest did not falter and unleashed a volley of green killing curses at their enemy, who ducked and weaved past them at surprising speed.

She grinned and readied a tripping jinx to prevent him from dodging the next volley as everyone else changed their approach, too; they were a fighting force, not just brutes who only knew the one spell. Red and blue and yellow and purple were let loose, but he rolled to the side and out of them all, threading the needle as if he knew where the openings would be. Bella knew that was impossible though, just luck.

Sadly, his luck was enough to reach the first of her comrades; a single flick of his strange wand ran the buzzing blade through them from shoulder to hip, leaving only a body behind as he moved on. Bellatrix took aim and got moving, away from the threat while he was busy cutting apart two others in what might be a twirl. Those thrown back were starting to get back to their feet and the enemy sent a fourth Death Eater into one of the moving staircases with another wave of force; the cracking sound was inaudible under half the stone structure imploding, but they did not get up again.

Another volley of spells rushed in, green interlaced with red that their opponent dodged by not moving; Bellatrix blinked, caught off-guard for an instant by the fact no one aimed for where he was right now.

In that moment, he leaned back and threw his weapon; it surged forward like a boomerang, the blade taking off three arms and a head on its way. All those who still could took aim and this time their enemy jumped high, at least ten metres up to dodge their assault. Bella could see his weapon come flying back from where she stood, beheading one more and cutting a third in two before its handle slammed right back into the man's hand.

Some were screaming now even as he came down from his leap; Bella took aim instead and made to fire off her final killing curse for the night... when her wand was pulled out of her hand. She tried to hold on and lost her focus, then the greater force succeeded and left her dumbfounded while the impromptu projectile speared one of her allies through the back of their head. In that time, the errant blasts of green and blue failed to actually hit their descending target while two of their number made to flee.

She snarled under her mask and grabbed for the spare wand she carried just in case; the time it took to draw it saw three more dead when invisible hands picked them up and smashed them into the walls hard enough to crack the reinforced stone.

Bellatrix shot off another stunner while considering; he kept weaving through their attacks, sidestepping even the faster spells with little difficulty. Killing curse, stunning hex, tripping jinx, cutting hex, fire hex, all dodged with a deadly grace she knew even she could not match. Others threw the surrounding sets of armour and even the giant hourglasses counting house points at him, but he either ducked or hopped or weaved away. The hourglasses were used as springboards to reach another pair of Death Eaters to cut apart.

She was outmatched and Bella knew it. She half-turned and summoned the motionless Potter boy to herself; her lord wanted the boy, so even if all the rest died, getting him would be worth the losses.

As if they had read her intentions, the great main doors slammed shut. One of her allies who tried to run was crushed right in-between.

She was starting to get worried; dropping the boy to focus, Bella took aim and sent her strongest blasting hex at the doors, then another cutting hex at her opponent who kept paying her no mind aside from stepping aside so the spell missed. Two more blasting hexes were sent his way, but he dashed out of their way and beheaded one of the casters. Bella repeated her cast and the great doors, already cracked, finally broke down to the outside.

Then it grew quiet, the sudden silence only broken by a buzzing blade, her own errant heartbeat, and the crushing noise of the gates hitting the stone stairs outside.

One quick glance around told her what she needed to know. She was alone, the last one standing.

This battle could not be called that. It was a slaughter. And she would not escape.

The thought held a sudden clarity in a mind long since obscured by the atrocities she committed cheerfully. Over a decade in Azkaban wiped away the rest, yet in this moment Bellatrix Lestrange felt the clearest she had in a long time.

She calmly levitated the boy to the ground and turned to meet her end. She would not cower before anyone, not even death. Wand raised, she waited for her enemy to move.

Anakin Skywalker, meanwhile, took her in; he was breathing steadily despite all the acrobatics, a few trails of sweat the only sign of his being affected by the battle. Then he aligned the red blade at his side and made the first step, charging forward at speed she could barely follow.

Bella aimed her blasting hex at the ground right in his path and saw him crouch before it even left her wand. This was it, she knew. In a split-second Skywalker was high up and out of the blast range, flying right at her with his blade out-

. .
. .​

By the time Minerva managed to follow the ruckus, it was over; she had to weave through students that were drawn by the tremors, many of them Slytherin. Other teachers converged on the entrance hall, yet no one she passed seemed ready to disperse the students.

Once she actually saw the place herself, she could understand why.

Minerva had already known she was dealing with Death Eaters, having fought down two further up the castle. What she failed to realise was the number of them that made it inside. A number she would have to count instead being able to see on a glance, and which she could not count accurately because many of them were cut into several parts. The carnage was mostly bloodless and added a grim note to the hall's destruction.

For a moment, Minerva stopped to stare as well. For in the midst of it all knelt Anakin Skywalker, his actual wand in hand as he checked over the motionless form of Harry Potter. Her heart almost stopped at the sight, but the greatest worry was alleviated when Anakin quietly cast a charm to awaken the unconcious. A general, thankful sigh went around the room when the boy woke.

The old witch took another moment to calm herself, then she hardened her expression and met the eyes of the other heads of house. Nods were exchanged and the others began to herd the students away while Minerva strode into the devastated hall; glass cracked under her shoes and she accidentally kicked a ruby or sapphire at least once each, the stones having originally belonged into the great hourglasses. Walls and ground were cracked, staircases damaged, the great double door blasted out of its hinges. Cleaning this up would take a while.

If Anakin noticed her approach, he did not react; rather, he helped Harry to his feet and made sure the boy was alright.

"I got one, but the other must have gotten me from behind, sir." The boy explained when Minerva reached them. She could not help but raise an eyebrow at that and spoke up, gaining their attention immediately.

"Quite impressive, Mr. Potter. They were disillusioned during the infiltration, so noticing them ought to have been nearly impossible. Even I was nearly caught unaware." She let the implication stand and from the appreciative nod Anakin gave her, he understood. "Now, I would hand out a few points for handling the situation, but it seems someone demolished the hourglasses." She gave a pointed look to the likely perpetrator, who shrugged and eyed the mayhem all around.

"Whoa, what happened here?" And apparently, this was the first time Harry himself noticed his surroundings. Minerva had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. She rather turned them to Anakin fully.

It took a moment until her fellow professor began to explain: "They were going to take the boy, Minerva. I might have gotten carried away, but no one else made it to intercept them on time." He had a point there and Minerva was grateful that no student had been taken, but she had to keep up the stern appearance nonetheless; not that Anakin was bothered by it. "I didn't count how many exactly there were, but they are neutralised now."

"And you figured your best bet was to fight against," Minerva did a quick count while glancing around, "twenty experienced and merciless Death Eaters. On your own. A great example to the children, wouldn't you agree?" He could read her well enough to know she was not actually angry, of course. Minerva could not wipe the faint smile from her features anyway; she was just glad everyone was safe.

In turn however, he merely shrugged again. "I've had worse odds. They were good and disciplined, but that's all there was to them." She decided not to comment on what odds he might have been up against.

Instead, she took Harry by the shoulder and gave him a soft push to one of the intact staircases. "Now, please return to your dorm with the other students. We will need to clean this up."

"Actually," Anakin chimed in there with a glance around, "we might want to send him home for the rest of the weekend. Sirius' house is better protected and they wanted him in particular. I'll tag along just in case, there might still be some Death Eaters in the castle."

Minerva did not like it, but he had a point. With Albus still off for his meeting, the castle was not the safest place. Harry would obviously not object to be with his godfather for a few days, they got along wonderfully after all. "Very well."

. .
. .​

When the reports reached Lucius and by extension the entire board, together with the headmaster, there was silence in the room. The Malfoy patriarch sat quietly while they listened and knew his warnings had been correct. Sadly, they had not been enough to stop the fools from trying their hand at Skywalker.

From the sound of it, he made short work of them. Lucius was glad once more that his administrative tasks made him unsuited for fieldwork these days; he tried to have as little to do with the Dark Lord as possible, so when the call to arms came, he only did a token effort and hoped for the best. He would not make the mistake of following a madman again.

So here he sat, in his fine robes and comfy chair, while Albus Dumbledore's face grew further into a blank mask as the seconds passed. Lucius made sure not to meet his eyes, unwilling to risk his own involvement being discovered if Dumbledore's legilimency broke past his mental shields. Even if all he did was follow the orders given; remove the headmaster from Hogwarts for a few hours. He specifically only offered a short warning about Professor Skywalker; not actually knowing anything about his capabilities helped Lucius there.

"It seems," he finally broke the silence with forced calm, "that we can put the question of your staff's competence aside. Perhaps we should relocate this meeting to Hogwarts, in case these potential stragglers do exist?" He glanced around and received immediate agreement from most of the board; Dumbledore himself was not fooled, but they had a bit of an understanding these days. Lucius did not rock the boat too much and Albus left him be in turn. He would have to wait until the old man passed away until he could make proper waves.

Then again, recently, Lucius had been wondering what kind of waves he actually wanted to create. Anakin Skywalker was muggleborn and single-handedly destroyed a great many assumptions about the entire pack.

He would have time to think about this for years still and deep down, Lucius knew that the time might be needed. Even the short journey to Hogwarts he spent in thought, pondering whether he should put things to the test and keep a closer eye on the muggleborn graduates.

As those considerations swirled around his mind however, he knew that his service to the Dark Lord was well and truly over. Blood-traitor he would be called the moment these thoughts of his came to light, and executed he would be soon after. Hopefully soon, considering he might be made an example of and tortured beforehand.

Lucius could feel his Dark Mark tingle weakly, completely unlike the searing pain it once brought at times. Taking it in the first place had been the height of foolishness, but removing it was impossible once taken. A slave brand by another name.

Making up his mind, he quickly prepared a small note while the other governors were focussed on Dumbledore and, once it was found he led the school to their satisfaction, Lucius shook his hand as the last one out. An unusual move and they both knew it, though the old headmaster's expression gave nothing away even when he felt the texture of parchment on his palm. They exchanged minute nods and Lucius was off.

He wondered a little why turning traitor like he did felt like it lifted a burden from his shoulders. Perhaps it was the certainty that once two of the three most powerful men on the British isles knew where the third one's shade resided, they would end the threat once and for all.

. .
. .​

Elsewhere, Kreacher worked quietly and without more than the slightest trace of joy. Being a House Elf, he was born to work, but he absolutely disagreed with his current master; Sirius Black may be the last heir of House Black, one of the most influential houses of Wizarding Britain, but he was a traitor to everything the family once stood for. Nothing like his beloved master Regulus, his beloved late master.

The failure had his wretched godson present for some reason Kreacher neither knew nor cared about. He just kept working, slowly. It was the only form of dissent he could get away with.

Sadly, the quiet of the ancestral Black home was soon broken further as it often was when the Potter brat was present. The same evening that boy appeared, the array of oddballs he called his friends followed him. Kreacher saw but did not understand their reunion, or why some of the ladies present went on about being scared for him. The brat was in perfect health.

One of the ladyfolk present however, she bothered him. Blonde, with big, wide eyes and a thin frame that he knew hid a great mind and strong muscles respectively. She appeared the most odd and airy the few times Kreacher interacted with her, the only one who asked about the house's history and how he was doing. If nothing else, Kreacher found her acceptable if unusual even by his standards.

The girl-child's attention had gone from the Potter brat to one of the walls rather quickly and remained there, her expression pale and blank. It appeared Kreacher was the only one who noticed, though he wondered what she saw in that corner where the wall met the ground.

Then he considered what was behind, his mental map of the house quickly flowing by until he had the rough area. The kitchen was that way, including his small sleeping quarters. For a moment he considered what in the kitchen might make her so pale, but then a thought entered his mind. His secret stash was there. And that pendant. That horrible, horrible pendant.

He took a moment to realise that the girl was looking straight at him now, then back to the kitchen area. "Professor Skywalker! I found one!"

Her shout drew everyone else's attention and Kreacher immediately apparated away to protect the pendant. He had sworn his master Regulus he would destroy it, no one could have it.

 

[Lord_0f_Winter]

Heavy breathing noises intensify

[Current Objective: Survive]

 

[Inbetweenaction]

Heavy breathing noises intensify

[Current Objective: Survive]

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[Objective: Failed]

 

[PROTOTYPElu2]

Heavy breathing noises intensify

[Current Objective: Survive]

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[Objective: Failed]

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[Naron]

The silence was deafening.

Harry did not know where to look at; Luna whose gaze remained glued to the pendant, the horcrux, his shocked friends, the crestfallen form of Kreacher on the couch... nothing felt right in these moments.

They had scrambled to take the artifact from Kreacher's hidden stash after Luna's outburst, to the old House Elf's vocal despair. Now he just sat there, devastated, after Sirius made him tell the story of how his younger brother Regulus went and stole a piece of Voldemort's soul, sacrificing himself so Kreacher could escape.

The very concept of horcruxes made his head spin, too; Voldemort was still alive because he split his soul into several pieces and hid those away.

And apparently, his friend and favourite professor had been hunting after them for the better part of a year. Without telling him or anyone. Sirius was completely out of the loop, too.

No one spoke when Professor Skywalker finished his explanation, no one knew how to feel about it all. Harry was shocked about what Voldemort did, still reeling from the fact Death Eaters invaded Hogwarts to kidnap him, hurt that Luna did not trust him with this, angry with Professor Dumbledore for not involving him, and several more he could not even recognise.

In the end, it was Ron who broke the heavy silence: "What now?"

Everyone seemingly returned to life at that, Hermione and Ginny shaking themselves out of their horrified stupor while Luna's gaze left the cursed locket their professor still held onto. The man himself grinned humourlessly and shook the artifact slightly. "I will bring this back to Albus so he can destroy it."

"Truly?" The weak and scratchy voice drew their attention back to Kreacher, whose wide eyes were on the locket as well. "You knows how to break the horrible thing?"

Surprisingly, it was Luna who chimed in with a faint smile. "Yes, Kreacher. It will be destroyed, just like the other two we found so far." Then she paused and turned to their professor. "Can I have the fake, now that we don't need it again?" A second locket flew through the air before she even finished and Luna caught it without any trouble. Then she held it out to Kreacher. "I believe it belongs here."

The House Elf took her offer almost reverently, fingering the plain locket. Then his wide eyes went to Sirius as he clutched it to his chest, protective; Harry looked that way too, to see his godfather nod. "Yeah, that sounds appropriate. Never thought Regulus would do something like this. Shows what I know. Keep it, Kreacher."

Going by his wobbling lips and glittering eyes, the Elf was on the verge of tears. He muttered a quiet "T-thank you, Lord Black" and apparated away, as if afraid Sirius would change his mind.

Harry blinked. "That was the first time he called you that, wasn't it?"

"Well," Luna chimed in with a faint smile, "from what I heard, you weren't all that kind to him until now." She had a point and Sirius chuckled softly.

"You might be right there. I'll see about cutting him some slack and see what happens." Then however, his expression changed as the various lines hardened and he turned to Professor Skywalker. "But now we should talk about what next to do. Death Eaters came after Harry and you are hunting these horcruxes."

"Quite." The professor considered for a moment, then glanced at them. "But that would probably just exhaust the children after the evening they had. How about we reconvene tomorrow morning instead?"

Harry blinked and realised that he was tired. He still felt like protesting together with Ron, but Sirius pre-empted him. "Yeah, that might be for the best. Let's have a late dinner."

And with that, their meeting dissolved. Sirius marched off to the kitchen to find Kreacher while Harry and his friends formed a smaller circle. Luna would have to answer a few more questions. Before he could ask however, she spoke up with one of her usual airy smiles. "I'm glad you weren't hurt, Harry. I came running when I felt the battle, but it was already over when I arrived."

Her eyes were focussed on his, big but devoid of their usual curiousity. Something in her tone bothered Harry, a note of relief he never heard from her before. She had been worried, perhaps more than everyone else.

On impulse, he stepped forward and gave Luna a hug; it was something he slowly got used to, hugging the girls on occasion. Mostly Hermione; now that he thought about it, he could not remember ever doing this with Luna. Which meant it was high time.

His friend sat still for a moment before hugging back, lithe arms wrapping tightly around his back. Then Luna stiffened and remained that way even when he patted her back.

"Luna?"

Now he was getting worried; Luna started and broke their contact, eyes as wide as saucers, fearful. Her hands grabbed Harry's head before he could truly react, then she pressed her forehead to his; their gazes met from up close but no embarassment came as he would have expected. His friend was afraid of something.

Seconds passed in confused silence, then Luna let go. Her voice was little more than a whisper, face pale: "There is one in your head. A piece of him."

And once more, Harry felt cold.

. .
. .​

The mood had turned from somber to horrified once Sirius was informed of this new development. He immediately sent word to the headmaster, but Luna paid little attention to that; she focussed on her master looking Harry over, a lump of cold dread lying heavy in her stomach.

She never noticed it before. The handful of times she touched Harry were before she knew what a horcrux was and felt like; before her senses were tempered to perceive the wisps of darkness beneath his own presence. The now-familiar patterns she quietly cursed herself to not have seen before. Professor Skywalker always praised her superior senses, yet this threat to one of her few dear friends had remained unseen over almost four years.

She started when a hand gently grabbed and squeezed hers, eyes flicking to find Ginny give her a reassuring smile. "You couldn't know."

"I should have known," was her only response. Luna closed her eyes, unsure if she felt like crying, screaming, both, or neither. Ginny, having been her only playmate when they were little, knew her well and simply bumped her shoulder instead of arguing. Luna appreciated the contact and reassurance, leaning into it slightly and closing her eyes.

It took another minute or so as she sensed her master's presence faintly sliding around Harry's, prodding and probing. In the end however, she opened her eyes the moment he retreated and saw him sit back. "It is a horcrux indeed." He believed her anyway, but this needed to be made certain about. "Which leaves us with a bit of a problem unless you're in favour of killing yourself, young man." It might have been a joke, but no one laughed. Harry merely shook his head.

She did not want him to die.

Luna felt her eyes sting and quickly rubbed a few tears out of them, spurring her mind into motion; there had to be something they could do.

Ronald was the first to break into the developing silence: "Can you, I don't know, use your powers to take it out or something?" He waved his hands almost frantically, unsure of himself and the Force he did not truly understand. The Professor made to respond, then paused and considered his question. Luna did, too.

"Maybe. We are talking about a fragment of another's soul that was implanted on an infant; it grew along and is intertwined with the original soul, so disconnecting it safely is difficult at best." A glance went to Luna and she felt a wave of disappointment, both hers and not her own. "If we had a few more years, I would put good odds on Luna. Right now, she would be more likely to rip you in two. Delicate work like that isn't something I can do, either." She liked his blunt honesty, but sometimes Luna preferred if he lied.

"But we have time," Sirius chimed in with a calculating look. "The majority of Death Eaters still loyal met the fate they deserved; that they invaded Hogwarts to get at Harry shows that their master is getting desperate. We might have those years, you need to find the remaining horcruxes either way."

"I still want him out of my head," Harry muttered quietly, though everyone heard him. Luna pondered, then rose; the rustle of her robes garnered everyone's attention.

"I will meditate," she uttered before almost fleeing out of the room. The spark of pride from her master was almost drowned out by various amounts of worry, but she did not let that stop her. There had to be other options. She would find them, no matter what. The Force boiled under her desire to solve this without Harry's death.

For weeks, Luna spent every free minute in trance; the only reason her grades did not drop was that the school year was over; she noticed how her friends and father worried as she even skipped a few meals to meditate that little bit more, hardly leaving her room at all. She refused to just accept defeat and plunged herself deep into the Force, searching for insight and knowledge.

The Force answered, telling her of faraway lands and people, of star-spanning empires and lore as old as time itself. Of grand structures built to destroy a realm's enemies, long forgotten, of sages filled with light and darkness. Were she so inclined, she could have begun to learn how to prolong the body forever; how to ensnare the mind and twist it to her desire; how to cloud the inner eyes of a million seers. She desired none of this and neither anything else she found, rejected it, moved on.

Days flitted by barely remembered, her mind revolving around this singular conundrum at all times except when she slept. She knew she would not complete her summer homework if this continued, but did not care; her friend was in danger and Luna refused to do any less than everything she could. Harry had been kind to her, become her friend despite the oddities that pushed everyone else away.

Sometimes her friends forced her out of her room, to take walks with them or go into town somewhere she hardly registered after the fact. Even Harry tried to distract her, worried about her. It hurt that she worried him like this, but Luna could not just stop. She would not be able to forgive herself if she did and Harry died.

So she continued, her mind far distant as she saw beyond the very planet; a singular star meant little to the Force in its infinite spread. Her desire flowed forth and she followed in their wake, touching others that felt her plea but knew no answer.

Emotion, yet peace.

Her presence in the Force stopped as yet another touched it. A calm, friendly presence filled with kindness. A gentle rebuke to her frantic searching that had Luna's restless spirit calm. After a moment of focus, she answered with another sensation that was not truly words.

Passion, yet serenity.

A spark of humour followed while Luna continued to get herself under control. She did not know how much time exactly passed, but she thought clearly now. The other she found answered her once more:

Death, yet the Force.

She agreed and understood at the same time. Once more she projected her desire, the aching need to protect her dear friend, to find a way of saving him.

And the other spoke: "Aid, you desire?"

Luna blinked. Suddenly, she sat back in her room, hungry and tired. In front of her was another presence, translucent even to her eyes and suffused with the most gentle blue. A short form bent by age, a wrinkled face holding eyes that shone brightly nonetheless. And green skin all over.

The ancient Jedi looked Luna over with a faint smile and chuckled. "Unafraid of the dark you are. Warned you have been. Fear leads to sadness, sadness leads to hatred, and hatred leads to the Dark Side."

She herself slowly came to terms with the goblin-like creature that had appeared in front of her and bowed her head slightly. "Yet without fear we know not to live, without sadness we can not appreciate happiness, and hatred is as natural a part of us as love."

"Ah, yes." The old master rose to his feet in a fluid motion which belied his age. "Hard-earned but true, your wisdom is." He took her in once more and Luna felt the ancient presence ghost over herself, felt herself as small as she did the first time she felt her own master's presence in the Force. Yet this one was different; where Anakin Skywalker was a maelstrom, this being felt like a tranquil lake whose depths one would never know.

"May I ask your name, master?"

The green-skinned figure smiled once more and began to fade. "Yoda I am, and teach you I will. For now, eat and rest you should."

Only when he was gone from her view if not her other senses did Luna realise how hungry she was. Following the order given to her, she headed down for dinner.

. .
. .​

She did not look good, was the first thought Harry had when he entered the Lovegood home. Luna had called for him in a letter saying she found a solution for the Horcrux problem; something he really did not like thinking about ever since he found out. Instead, Harry had spent the last two months helping his teachers locate others. And they found one more, hidden right at Hogwarts itself and masked by the castle's own signature in the Force. Making it their base of operations over the Summer break was the right idea after all.

Yet, even with everyone offering their own talents to the cause, it was slow going; Harry knew none of them was special in a way that allowed to fasten the process. They researched Voldemort's past to find likely locations and items he would pick, having recognised a pattern in them; their enemy used several artifacts belonging to the founders of Hogwarts as horcruxes. Hufflepuff's goblet and Slytherin's locket were already found and destroyed. Gryffindor's sword safely sat in the headmaster's office and was untouched.

Their most recent find was Ravenclaw's tiara and Professor Dumbledore would be taking care of it soon.

But in all that time, Luna closed herself off and nearly meditated herself into an early grave; she was thinner and more pale than he ever remembered seeing her, yet the bags under her eyes and worried frown were now gone; instead she had returned to her usual serene smile, greeting him as he stepped in. "Hello, Harry. I'm surprised you didn't bring anyone else."

Professors Skywalker and Dumbledore were already there, but Harry had decided not to tell his other friends. He shrugged. "This felt more like a personal thing, you know?"

"I do. Please, sit with me."

He did as told and sunk into a comfortable armchair opposite Luna, with the professors having one each at the side as well and one more being empty. He wondered just what might happen. "So, what kind of solution did you find?" He also wondered if it might really work; Harry did not want to think of the alternative, tried hard not to.

It got more difficult by the day.

"More importantly," their Defense professor chimed in from the side, "are you sure whoever you spoke to didn't lead you astray?"

Harry felt the air shift even while Luna's gaze turned to the teacher; going from how the headmaster also made to glance around, it was not just him. "Yes, Professor." He could feel something, almost-see-but-not going on with the final, empty armchair. A high mix between chuckle and giggle filled the air but not and his eyes strained to perceive a fifth form lounging in it.

"Didn't lead her astray, hmmm? Know a thing or two about that, you would. No lies there are in the Force, only uncomfortable truths." Harry stared at the green gremlin perched there as he grinned at the paling professor. "Surprised to see me you are?"

An explosive exhale was the only proof of his surprise; then he smiled. "I shouldn't have worried. Thank you for guiding my apprentice, Master Yoda."

The new arrival merely nodded without losing his jovial expression, eyes wandering to Dumbledore and then Harry himself. "This one it is, then." That was not a question, Harry felt something wind around him for a moment, powerful yet tranquil. "Not easy, separating both will be. A strong apprentice she is, but still unskilled."

There was a pregnant pause as the room digested this; Harry still tried to see clearly and wondered just what actually was in front of his eyes. Thankfully, the headmaster saved them from any kind of silence: "I believe introductions are in order?"

All eyes went to the master-apprentice duo, though Luna's gaze went to Professor Skywalker a moment later as well. The elderly man huffed and leaned back in his chair, hands folded in his lap. "Before you sits Yoda, Grand Master of the former Jedi order. Nary a being is so in tune with the Force, and fewer still match his skill."

The gremlin chuckled again while Harry tried to make sense of this. "High praise that is. Age did you well, Skywalker. But you should teach caution to your apprentice; far she went into the Force, many old beings she met and passed."

"But she met you in the end." He was still at 'former Jedi order', unsure what that actually meant. Luna explained these things a little, some time ago, but Harry did not really remember them.

"Not a coincidence, it was. An old friend guided her the rest of the way." Going by the owlish look Luna held in response, she had not noticed. Yoda cackled at that. "Focussed you were. Never even noticed your old master's master lighting the path."

"He would." Neither of them elaborated on that and Professor Skywalker leaned forward again. "Let's not strain Albus' and Harry's senses too far with their limited sensitivity to the Force. It will take a while, but we have time."

"Wait, hold on." That was him speaking; it took Harry a moment to realise, but then he pushed forward while attention went to him. "Since when do we have time? Voldemort is still out there somewhere, right?"

The grin he got in response was almost feral. "Let us say I got a tip for where to find him right after that kidnapping attempt. Then I paid him a visit and took down another horcrux while I was at it. The only remains of him should be with you now, so we have time to do this properly."

Harry relaxed ever so slightly, unsure what to make of this; nobody had told him about this. Luna obviously did not know until now, but she had been basically out of commission. He exhaled quietly, inhaled, and nodded. "Alright. What do I do?"

 

[Mastersgt]

can we get a snippet/update on how far along in the hunt they are? I know they got the Diary, The Locket, There is the one in Harry... I do not remember if they got the Cup, the Diadem, or if they Snake has been made yet...

 

[Kreuzritter]

can we get a snippet/update on how far along in the hunt they are? I know they got the Diary, The Locket, There is the one in Harry... I do not remember if they got the Cup, the Diadem, or if they Snake has been made yet...

Click to shrink...

Anakin sacked gringotts to get the cup, Luna'd found the diadem, and Lucius just ratted out where to find Nagani

 

[Mastersgt]

Anakin sacked gringotts to get the cup, Luna'd found the diadem, and Lucius just ratted out where to find Nagani

Click to shrink...

thanks

 

[Gindjurra]

Anakin sacked gringotts to get the cup, Luna'd found the diadem, and Lucius just ratted out where to find Nagani

Click to shrink...

Which leaves me wondering which canon or fanon the goblins in the story are. Some versions of them would be creating shrines to Anakin after he beat them by force of arms, one warrior against a nation.

 

[Naron]

Six months it took. Six arduous months of patience and careful work. This time Anakin and Albus both made sure Luna would not work herself into an early grave to separate the last remnant of Lord Voldemort's soul from the realm of the living.

There was no great celebration once it was done; just quiet relief to the few who were in the know. All those children had since grown up into capable young adults, most of them in the process of completing their education.

For Anakin himself, it was a relief. Now that he knew his great task was completed, he could consider what to do next. There was still a life to live, one he had been granted despite all the mistakes he made. A world to explore and students to teach, the latter of which he had found he enjoyed more than he ever thought he would. Even if it was in a power he could barely access, he felt he added a great deal to Hogwarts' students.

Even if his only real achievement was to find and train Luna Lovegood. He had yet to find another child with any notable strength in the Force, though he was not looking so far.

"What I never figured out," Albus told him over a glass of firewhiskey during their small, private celebration of the Dark Lord's demise, "is how, or why, you would wake up here on Earth after your death. And perfectly restored, at that."

They both knew Anakin retained some scars, but Albus' meaning was clear; the arm and legs he lost so long ago, the disfigurement from being burned alive, it was all gone the day he opened his eyes on this world. Instead of answering him properly however, the younger man merely huffed. "The Force works in mysterious ways, Albus."

Of course he knew, had long since determined what the Force desired of him. To pave a path to the future for these children he first assumed, but since figured out he was wrong.

And while he continued to hold his most enigmatic smile, Anakin pondered about the genius and foolishness of Tom Marvolo Riddle, or Lord Voldemort. Of a man so brilliant that only a handful of men could compare to him, yet so torn apart by desire for the impossible that he lost it all. Of a man who began to play with forces beyond his control, who attempted to tear apart fate at the seams because he so wanted.

As the Jedi and Sith had learned, the Force did not like being treated that way. And once again, Anakin Skywalker had been the answer it gave. So it brought him to grind the Dark Lord to dust, and good riddance.

In the same breath however, the Force had offered him something he never felt he deserved after how far he fell. A second chance, a chance he wished to use as best as he could.

Even though his deeds were unforgiveable, he had persevered and could live on like this. Never to forget the sins of the past, and to guide others into a brighter future.

In the end, despite everything, through victory his chains were broken. The Force had set him free.

 

[Akuma-Heika]

An example of Wizard prosthetics would be Mad-Eye Moody's peg leg. So not that good.

Click to shrink...

His eye would also qualify, and that is quite a bit beyond mundane alternatives.

 

[Inv1ctus6243]

Great story!!! I like how you used the Jedi/Sith Codes in the last two chapters.

 

[dxdragon]

The End? No!!!!!!

Spoiler: Darth Vader No!

Was hoping to see Luna x Harry ship fly! Especially after these past couple chapters.


Thanks for the great story!