IV

It was Halloween, a time, apparently, of celebration. Harry didn't quite get the idea of celebrating Halloween, which seemed to revolve around celebreating being scared out of ones wits, but he was determined to join in anyway. He hadn't told Ron yet. He had been quite annoyed when, earlier that day, Ron had insulted Hermione openly. She had heard, but he had been unapologetic.

"That was unnecessary," Harry had said.

"Yeah well," said Ron, "she's a stuck up little bossy boots. She must have noticed she's got no friends."

Harry had decided to politely ignore Ron for a couple of days. Nothing major, but enough to let him know that Harry was annoyed. Hermione was still in the girls bathroom crying, apparently.

He was startled out of his thoughts by the defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Quirrell, running into the hall, yelling at the top of his voice.

"Troll! In the dungeon! Troll in the dungeon!!"

The entire hall stared at him for a full five seconds. And then he added: "Thought you ought to know," before he passed out.

Harry stayed sat down, as did Castor and Kara. They knew running like scared chickens, as the rest of the school was, would be futile and pointless. Dumbledore, to his credit, took control, and sent everyone off to their common rooms. Harry walked up to his Jedi friends, and they stayed at the rear of the line.

"We have to find Hermione," said Harry. "That troll could kill her with a flick of it's arm."

"You're quite right," said Castor. "Gotta get her out of the firing line."

Ron ran over to them, looking as worried as they were.

"D'you think we should go find Hermione?" he asked them, his concern evident in his voice.

"That's just what we were going to do," said Kara. "You're welcome to join us."

Ron nodded emphatically, and they set off, running as fast as Ron could.

--

When they finally got to the girls bathroom, they were in for a nasty surprise. The troll entered the bathroom just as they got there.

"Damn," said Castor. "Now we're going to have to fight that thing."

"Doesn't look so tough," said Harry thoughtfully, so Ron couldn't hear. "A quick jump slice with the sabre should do it."

"What about Ron and Hermione?" said Kara. "We can't reveal our nature to them."

"Why not?" said Harry. "It would only be them, and who would believe them if they started spouting off?"

Kara and Castor nodded slowly, accepting his logic, and the four of them entered the bathroom.

They entered the bathroom in time for the troll to try and crush Hermione.

"Diversionary tactics!" yelled Harry, activating his sabre.

Kara and Castor nodded, then drew their sabres. Kara's was orange and Castor's blue.

Castor stood in front of Hermione, feet apart, classic fighting stance. The troll brought it's club down, but Castor's lightsabre sliced it in half.

Kara used the delay to take position behind the trolls' legs, which she then cut off. The legless troll collapsed, smashing several cubicles to dust.

Finally, Harry stood in front of the whimpering creature, and put it out of its misery.

The three Jedi clicked their sabres off, and led the shocked Hermione and Ron out of the bathroom before the teachers arrived.

--

"Jedi?" asked Hermione, scepticism evident in her voice.

"Jedi," replied Harry, confidently. "Me, Castor and Kara, are Jedi."

Ron was looking at them, still in a semi state of shock. They had come back to the common room, where they had been docked five points each for wandering. Harry had then told them about the lightsabres, and the Jedi. They had had to explain - after all, what else could they do? Say "oh no, you hallucinated the whole laser swords thing - we used glowy sticks!" No, the truth was better.

"Can anyone become a Jedi?" Hermione asked.

Castor shook his head slowly.

"You have to be pretty talented with the Force, and you have to start young," he said. "It's a pretty gruelling training too."

Hermione nodded comprehendingly.

"Can you test us out to see if we have – you know, that 'Force' thing?" asked Ron. "Just out of curiosity, you understand..."

Harry nodded, slowly. Couldn't hurt, he thought to himself.

"Castor, go get the midi-chlorian counter," he said. "I'll test you mentally, first."

He reached out with the Force. Ron was powerful with the Force, yes, and so was Hermione...

Castor came back with the midichlorian counter, and tested them. 9000 each - quite high.

Harry started thinking. If they weren't too old, then they would be pretty good Jedi - then again, age was a barrier he had never really understood. He thought for a long moment...

"You know," he said to Castor at last, "Hermione has an instinctive ability to pick things up by reading about them, and she could easily tell Ron. And Ron has a sort of natural ability to use the Force..."

"I know what you're thinking Harry," said Kara. "It's really dangerous. What if the council found out?"

"What if they didn't?" asked Castor. "It'd be good having more Jedi around."

Harry nodded. He turned to Ron and Hermione.

"We could teach you the basics of the Jedi order, so that you could become at least part Jedi," he said. "If you're willing, then meet us here tomorrow, and we can discuss it further."

Hermione and Ron looked shocked, but they nodded.

"Now," said Harry, "I think we should all go to bed."

They all agreed with that idea.

--

"Peace is a lie; there is only passion.

Through passion, I gain strength.

Through strength, I gain power.

Through power, I gain victory.

Through victory, my chains are broken.

The Force shall free me. "

They recited together, as they prepared to go into battle. Tonight, they would duel a worthy foe.

Their Master had ordered them to kill the Master Jedi that hid in the dark forest, and they were eager to get on with it.

Araphis was meditating, when he sensed his foes.

He was up in an instant, his blue blade drawn and his fighting stance prepared. There were two of them, tall, young, pale skinned with moustaches.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice taking on a threatening tone.

"Ah, you must be the Jedi Knight Araphis," said one. "I am Vinoc..."

"... and I am Karoc," finished the other. "We hope you have enjoyed your existence, Jedi..."

"... for now it is about to end!"

And with that, they drew their sabres (both blood red) and leapt to combat.

Araphis dodged Karoc, and leaped over Vinoc, landing behind the two. Vinoc brought his sword down in an arc, which Araphis blocked. As he kicked the Dark Jedi away, he blocked a crude blow from the other, before spinning into an assault that sent both flying.

"You are good, Jedi," said Vinoc.

"But we're better," said Karoc.

They leapt at Araphis, who blocked blow after blow. He spun his blade in an arc, forcing Karoc to jump back, before attacking Vinoc and slicing his lightsabre in half. Believing him to be no further threat, Araphis turned to Karoc, and launched an assault that had the Dark Jedi on the defensive. He spun, swung, thrust, uppercutted and jump sliced, each blow being blocked only just by the panicking Dark Jedi. Vinoc however, had an ace up his sleeve. He drew a second lightsabre, and attacked from behind. Faced with this sudden onslaught, Araphis couldn't block every blow, and Vinoc impaled him in the stomach. Araphis stared at the Dark Jedi's blade, in disbelief, then he stared at the face of his killer, remorseless and cruel as it was.

"W-what's the p-point?" he managed to ask.

"With you out of the way, we can kill those Padawans at our leisure," replied Karoc.

The Jedi Master stared at them, and in his last moments, he sent a message that he hoped Harry would hear...

"The Dark Jedi are coming. I am dying. Prepare yourself."

Then the blade was retracted, and his limp body fell to the floor.

--