AN: The winner of the Poll regarding 'Son of the Moon' will be revealed in the next update of that story.

AN2: The next Poll, regarding which Harry Potter story will be the next focus, is already up on my profile page.

Shadow of the Force 9

Chapter 9

-Dumbledore-

"Where did I go wrong Nicholas?" the Ancient headmaster asked his old friend and mentor, the two sharing a brandy and trying to enjoy some time together before the Flamell family dies out with its two most renowned members.

"You couldn't have seen this coming Albus," the ancient Alchemist sighed, refilling their glasses "no-one could have. You weren't alone in guessing what the 'power he knows not' could have been." Sighing in acknowledgment Dumbledore sipped his drink, remembering that very instance. Years ago, he and Nicholas had been part of a group of Wizards, dedicated to serving the light and helping their brother members around the world with keeping the Dark at bay. The group had poured over Sibyl's prophecy and decided that given Voldemort's origin and capacity for hate perhaps magic fueled by love would be the counter needed to stop the snake faced monstrosity.

With Voldemort's first fall he had given the groups theory to Lily and James, that the power of prophecy might come from love, to ensure that Marcus had what was needed to stop the Dark Lord one day. To have love, training, and a good heart.

"I just never expected them to neglect young Harry," he sighed, running a hand down his face "I thought better of the both of them." He had intended to aide in Marcus' training in the beginning and had he done so then he might well have noticed how Harry was treated. He would have if one of the other members of his group hadn't had their own Dark Lord problem he needed to help with. By the time that situation had been handled and the Dark Lord put down, for good, Harry had already given up on getting attention and so the situation passed right under his ancient crooked nose.

"How are they handling the news?" Nicholas asked before coughing, the man's body failing him with the loss of the elixir of life.

"Lily and James still have their faith in me but perhaps it is too much faith. They don't seem to acknowledge that what they did was wrong. Sirius has been drowning his sorrows in Firewhisky since young Harry left. Remus has become something of a hermit and is refusing all contact with anyone."

Nicholas sighed, throwing back his drink with a gulp and a shiver, "They held such promise too, I had rather hoped they might one day join our little brotherhood against the Dark."

"We both did Nicholas," refilling his mentor's drink he continued "Tonks has disappointed me more than I could have expected. A few weeks ago, she went to St. Mungos ward for obliviations and said she believed someone had used mind magics to influence her decisions and eventually forget her friendship with young Harry."

"Did they find anything?" Nicholas asked, likely already having guessed the answer.

"Nothing, no sign of any mind magic used against her. These people have found spells over a decade old so ones less than five would have been easy to find. Best I can guess from what I know is that she was blinded by opportunities and her own dreams along with the fact that Harry wasn't willing to forgive and forget. Despite what the healers found though she refuses to accept it and is insisting that I memory charmed her to try and make Harry's life miserable."

"Blaming everyone but herself." Nicholas groaned, far from impressed with the young witch "What about Marcus though? How's he handling all this, not well I assume."

"You would assume wrong actually." Chuckling softly at his old friend's surprise, Dumbledore continued "From what I've seen Marcus has taken all of this in stride. I believe he spent the time since the revelation from Voldemort to do some self-discovery and now seems determined to improve himself. While I know he might not have welcome my aide or advice I was able to sneak a few books of spells and such onto his path that will hopefully help."

"At least part of the next generation has their head on straight." Nicholas raised up a glass "To the next generation, to the hope that they can fix our mistakes and don't ruin the world with their own."

"Here's hoping." He echoed, tapping his glass to his mentor's as they drank, Nicholas unable to hold all of the drink down. "How long do you have left?"

"A year or two at the least," Nicholas coughed, whipping his mouth tiredly "no more than five though before Perenelle and I are off to the next great adventure."

"I will miss you my friend." tears pooled at the corners of his eyes as he gave his friend's should a squeeze, "No matter how long you live, how many times you go through it, the pain of losing a friend never changes."

"We both knew this day would one day come," Nicholas gave a dry laugh "after so many centuries I think it's finally time I should move on, regardless of the stone's loss. What of you, what do you plan to do given what's going on?"

"I…I think I should begin the steps to my retirement." Easing back into a chair he winced as his old bones protested movement "I've been at this game for too long Nicholas, been doing too much. The Wizenagamot, the ICW, Hogwarts, and leading Britain's Light against the Dark for these decades? It's too much to handle anymore. I think I'll give up the political positions and focus on being a Headmaster until this war is over, maybe offer what I can to young Marcus to help his training. After that," he gave a tired smile "Alchemist Dumbledore does have a nice ring to it, I suppose."

"That it does my young friend," Nicholas Flamell chucked and leaned back, eyes closed "that it does."

-Luke-

"I…hate…you…" the once farm boy wheezed in agony, his every muscle protesting so much as breathing as he lay on the cold metal floor of the ships training area, the others chuckling down at his suffering.

"Oh, you wound me." Harry chuckled the raven-haired monster in human form sat down, whipping away the thin layer of sweat upon his brow "Truly you do. Why if your skill with a saber was as viscous as your tongue you might be able to give me a paper cut."

"Ignore them," Marris smirked, causing a flush to appear on his cheeks, thankfully hidden thanks to his exhaustion "you did well for your first time. And the only ones I've seen keep up with Harry in lightsaber combat are Galen and Grievous but those two are just as much monsters in combat as Harry is."

"It's me being a monster that's kept us alive more often than not Marris." Harry pointed out seriously "And it's going to be needed if we're going to war against the empire fully now."

"Do you mean to simply hunt Imperial vessels, their supply lines and smaller outposts?" Old Ben asked the group "Or join the resistance?"

"Depends on what we feel after we meet the resistance." Galen shrugged "If we feel they're just as bad as the empire then we'll-" before he could find out just what the group would do all those in the room collapsed, their knees giving out from underneath them.

"What was that?" Luke demanded, having felt something even if not to the extent the other force sensitives in the room had.

"A great disturbance in the force." Oola shivered, clutching her arms as if she was freezing as Harry pulled her into an embrace "As if billions of voices were crying out in fear, in desperation, in panic…only to be snuffed out in an instant."

Luke watched as Harry forced himself to his feet and over to an intercom panel "Juno!" the captain barked into it "I want you to pull us out of hyper speed a click before we reach Alderan. I'll be taking the rogue shadow along with a few of the others to the planet from there. I want the forgotten Squadron ready for deployment as a precaution."

"Has there been a development captain?" the voice of Galen's wife asked through the intercom, sounding nervous at the drastic change of plans.

"There was a disturbance in the force, something colossal happened either at Alderan or close enough to it that I'm concerned. If my group and I give the order or lose communication for more than half an hour without a good reason then bring in the Calvary to get us back out. Understood?"

"Sir yes sir." Was the only reply as the orders were relayed through the ship, the sound of troops moving beginning to echo throughout it as the soldiers within prepared for what could very well be the first battle of a war.