Title: Defender's Path
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Phantom Menace for Star Wars. New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi are all ignored. At least the first three or four Harry Potter Books, there will be some changes.
Rating: M
Disclaimer: Don't own em, if I did, I would be worth millions.
Summary: When an accident occurs with a potions experiment, Harry and Hermione wake up in a strange place, but that is not all that is different. Set in Seventh Year, Cross with Star Wars.
" " denotes speech, ' ' denotes thought.
AN: There is no correlation between the HP Verse Timeline and the SW Verse Timeline. Time does move faster in SW than HP but each storyline is told semi independently. The placement in the story had no significant meaning.
AN2: No, the Susan Bones that is Minister for Magic is not the one that went through Hogwarts with the gang. It is her Mother.
The Assault Transport from the Cruiser let Harry, Hermione and a squad of clones off at the Jedi Temple, parking in one of the bays. The Clones formed a combat wedge behind the two Jedi as they moved through the main hanger, their blasters held at their hips but ready to draw a bead and fire at an instant. They were met at the entrance to the temple by another squad of Clone Troopers, these ones in white armour with green on their left shoulder-pads.
"General Potter, General Granger. General Yoda has requested your presence for a debrief." The Squad Leader said. "Generals and Senior Commanders Only."
"Sergeant Blade, take the squad back to the AT and keep it secured." Harry ordered. "Colonel Thrust, Major Rush, with us."
The squad started moving away.
"I heard the pilots want to mark up the ships too, not just their armour." One of the clones said to another as they started back across the Hanger.
"Sprint." Hermione called out.
The clone who had spoken turned around while the rest of the squad carried on.
"Yes, General."
"Tell the pilots they have permission. Ship damage and max of two armour markings from each crew." Hermione said.
"Yes, General." Sprint replied, before living up to his name to catch up to the squad.
When the squad reached the transport, Sprint spoke to the crew. A commotion ensued as the Pilot and Co-Pilot, their red streaked armour making them look fierce, harassed the ground crews demanding that red paint be found. Not even pilots had been exempt from the ground fighting against the Bugs.
Harry and Hermione, dressed in black cargo pants and long sleaved shirts, moved off into the temple proper. They stopped after a minute to speak to their old friend Jasmine. They had not seen her since before their under-cover mission, just after Marcus' Wake. She seemed a bit down but happy to see them. They both figured that her negative mood was adjustment to the prosthetic left leg she had been fitted with after being injured in the Arena on the first day of the war.
"Look, we have got to get to a debrief with the Council. Maybe we can talk later." Harry said after a few minutes.
"Sorry. I just wanted to say goodbye." Jasmine said softly.
"Maybe we can talk when you get back." Hermione said.
"Maybe." Jasmine said, turning back the way she had come from.
They moved on down the corridor, rounded a corner and found Anakin heading towards them.
"Hey. What's been keeping you, the Council is waiting." Anakin said, falling into step.
"We were just talking to Jasmine." Hermione said. "She seemed a bit down."
Hermione had always been closer to Jasmine than Harry or Anakin, although Jasmine had always spent more time with Marcus that the others.
"Yeah. She took Marcus' death hard. I don't think she ever really got over it." Anakin said. "Then when she both lost her leg and her Master in that Arena… Well, the replacement went fine but they only let her out of Medical yesterday."
Both Harry and Hermione pulled up dead. Her Master dead. Discharged from Medical yesterday. Goodbye.
"Oh no." they both breathed together, turned and bolted down the corridor.
By the time they reached Jasmine's room it was already to late.
Harry, Anakin, Hermione, Thrust and Rush walked into the briefing room. Most of the Council were there, along with a few other Jedi Knights and ten Clone Commanders.
"Apologies for being late." Hermione said. "But Padawan Bores is dead."
"Was it some kind of accident?" one of the Jedi Knights asked.
"No. I wouldn't call putting your Lightsabre to your temple and turning it on an accident." Harry said, his voice hard.
Hermione put a calming hand on his shoulder. She knew well that Harry took the death of anyone close to him very hard, but this was a new level of emotional torture for him. Jasmine had Suicided. Hermione was the only one that Harry had ever fully confided in, including just how bad his upbringing was and that he had frequently considered Suicide. Before Hogwarts, he had twice attempted it. Once successfully. At age nine, Harry Potter had been clinically dead for one minute twenty-three seconds. He had never said how he had been saved, or by who, only saying that in the Muggle world there was at least one person, besides Hermione's parents, who gave a damn about him.
"Let's get on with the Briefing." Hermione said.
This may have seemed callous but Harry and Hermione focused on the briefing as a way of getting their minds off Jasmine's death. They related a summary of their battles on Geonosis and then listened as the other Jedi and the Clone Commanders related what had been happening in other theatres. In most theatres the Clones had, to varying degrees of success, been engaging almost entirely droid Separatist forces.
"Potter, Granger, what is your opinion of the status of the war." Master Windu asked.
Hermione took a look at Harry, and he nodded to let her answer the question.
"Simply, the clones are all doing extremely well. The problem is their Jedi commanders." Hermione said, causing a murmur of concern among most of the gathered Jedi. "The problem is that they are thinking like Jedi."
"And what is the problem with that?" one of the Jedi asked.
"Nothing." Hermione replied. "As long as you are trying to be a Jedi. The problem is thinking like a Jedi when trying to be a General. Jedi are very insular, where everything is centred around the individual. Generals need to be aware of the everything that is going on around them."
"I would recommend a training seminar on Military strategy." One of the Clone Commanders said. "Generals Potter and Granger would make good instructors."
"I would be willing to do one or two seminars." Harry said. "But I would recommend that the majority of the seminars are hosted by a rotational roster of Clone Commanders. They are extremely capable and they know the capacity of the Clones better than most Jedi would."
"I concur." Hermione added, earning nods from Thrust, Rush and four other Clone Commanders.
Hermione walked into the Grand Ballroom, surveying the crowd. Senators, System Delegates, a few Jedi and local security, and other dignitaries. The evening was both a political gathering and a social event. Hermione took a non-alcoholic drink from one of the roaming waiters. She noticed a number of familiar faces around the room. Senator Amidala. Anakin. Chancellor Palpatine. Duchess Satie of Mandalor.
As she patrolled she noticed something and changed her course but was intercepted by one of the Senators.
"Master Granger. How goes the war?" the senator asked.
"It goes." She replied simply. "Excuse me, but I need to speak to Senator Amidala."
Hermione deftly manoeuvred her way through to crowd.
"Good evening, Padme." She said, stepping up beside the Senator.
"Hermione." Padme said, giving her old friend a hug. "It's been… what? Three years?"
"Yes. I was on assignment and then the war started." Hermione responded.
They exchanged small talk for a while until Hermione decided to drop a bomb-shell.
"So. You and Anakin huh?" The Jedi asked.
"Uh… Anakin and I what?" Padme stammered.
"When did you start dating? When did you get married?" Hermione asked. "Cause if that boy didn't ask you yet I'll have to kick his ass."
"What makes you think…" the flustered Senator started.
"Oh please. I've know Anakin since he was ten. I've know you almost as long. To me it's obvious, but I doubt anyone else would notice. So spill. I want to know all the details."
Padme just stared at Hermione for a moment, before sighing.
"We got Married just after the incident on Geonosis. So, are you going to report us?" Padme asked, fully expecting to be turned in.
"If I did, I would have to turn myself in." Hermione replied, earning a shocked stare from Padme. "I married Harry just over three years ago."
Padme drained her drink in one gulp.
"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." Hermione said with a grin.
TBC…