Title: Way of the Force
Author name: Icy Manipulator
Author email:
Category: Action/Adventure
Sub Category: Romance
Keywords: Harry Jedi

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Harry goes home.

DISCLAIMER:

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling and/or George Lucas, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, Lucas Books, Del Rey and Randomhouse, Lucas Arts and Lucasfilm Ltd., and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Author notes: I need a Beta.

Home,Love,Family.
There was once a time I must have had them too.
Home,Love, Family.
I will never be complete until I find you.

- Journey to the Past

Theme from Anastasia

Chapter 2 – Journey to the Past

For once, Harry James Potter woke up feeling refreshed. In fact he was quite surprised that he felt… alive, for lack of a better word. "Was it a dream?" he asked himself.

"Well dream or not, Sirius is right. I can lie down now and admit defeat or I could face whatever fate life has in store for me head on. As Hagrid would say, 'what will come, will come; we'll meet it when it does." He further mused.

As he thought about his past adventures, he again remembered the prophesy…

'One cannot live while the other survives'

As he thought more about this and what he considered Professor Dumbledore's folly of not telling him earlier, he remembered the deaths of his parents… of his godfather and of Cedric, but then he also remembered the words of comfort and wisdom that he had received from the old headmaster as he thought back to the time he met Sirius …

'You think the dead we loved ever truly leave us? You think that we don't recall them more clearly than ever in times of great trouble? Your father is alive in you, Harry, and shows himself most plainly when you have need of him. How else could you produce that particular Patronus? Prongs rode again last night … You found him inside yourself'…

And then again the headmasters words continued. This one harking back to the events after the Chamber of Secrets.

'It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities'

Realization dawned.

An epiphany that lit up against the darkness that was trying to pull him down, and it filled him with unmatched resolve.

'No! I refuse the prophecy, I rebuke it, and it will not have control over me! It is my choice and on my choice alone is how I will live my life.' Aloud he said as if to affirm his new found determination.

"This I swear to you Dad, Mum…Sirius…Cedric, I will live my life as you would have yours. I will not go quietly into the night; I won't give up without a fight. I will live on and in that way you will live on. I choose to Live!"

Then, he felt it. Kind warmth he had not experienced before. A sense of peace… belonging, the drumroll of thunder and the fiery flash of lightning, the cry of a newborn baby, the power of the leviathan as it glides effortless under the sea, the sound of a thousand voices singing a hymn he could not understand, the scent of spring, the beating of a butterfly's wing, a blinding flash of red and brown and gold… Life!

All around him…offering refuge and strength…Life at its most raw. Timeless it seems, from past and future no end.

Energy that says it will not be denied, Life would always find a way. Power freely given to anyone who could use it…

And again the voices, like that of a thousand, maybe even millions, singing in hymns of praise and joy, said together in a deafening whisper that he felt both in his heart and mind 'Our Gift and Pledge, you will never be alone'.

As quickly as it came, the sensations were gone and he staggered to remain upright. But, somehow Harry could tell that it was still there, around him and in him, though he didn't know what it was.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Boy! What's going in there!" came Vernon's bellowing voice as his fist kept pounding repeatedly at Harry's door.

"N-nothing Uncle Vernon, just…mmm… fell off the bed. That's it, I fell off the bed" replied Harry, his quivering lie sounding lame even to his ear.

His previous thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind.

"Well, get down now and have breakfast ready. Your Aunt and I are going to treat Dudley out for his Birthday. While you better get ready for your first day at work."

"Y-yes sir" Harry replied. 'Great, I forgot about that.' Harry thought with a sigh.

Ever since the 'situation' with Harry has been 'explained' to the Dursleys, Vernon got this idea that perhaps some work would keep Harry busy enough to occupy his mind about other things. Aunt Petunia wasn't so pleased about this, saying that Harry could just do Chores around the house and it would be the same thing. But Vernon replied "Well see here Petunia darling, its good for all of us. That boy would be working, keeping him busy (a busy bee is a happy bee) and keep those other freaks satisfied enough. His pay would go to us as rent and board, mind you. And we won't see him for the entire day. Everybody wins!!"

After a quick shower and a light breakfast, Harry left #4 Privet Drive with just his wand and directions from Uncle Vernon on how to get to the Grunnings warehouse where he would start his job in stocking drills, bits and its other accessories.

In his mind however, he thought it rather convenient that the Dursleys promptly told him that they would take a different route and that he should walk the rest of the way.

'Couldn't even spare me two quid for the fare' Harry grumbled as he began his trek. It was a good thing that he still had two hours before he was expected and 10 miles doesn't seem that far. 'Well, I do need the exercise anyway'.

As he voiced this in his thoughts, a voice, the same but not as the one earlier this morning, said to him 'Yes, strength of body and strength of mind you need'. Harry whipped his head about but saw no one there. "I must be going mad" he murmured and continued on his way.

His walk was uneventful until reaching the intersection his uncle had told him about where he should take a right and continue straight on until he reached the warehouse.

It was here where he felt that indescribable warmth again. This time however, he just saw a flash of red and brown, but the gold seems to remain. As he thought about the color, he was amused to find that it seem to be a thread of some sort or a string that comes from himself and stretches on as far as he could see, in the few moments that he saw this it vanished and the voice (he started calling it that) again whispered something to him.

"Take the left one…" it said.

"But the warehouse is to the right…" Harry said aloud, all the while considering his sanity.

'It's time to prepare for your Fate… to find your future…and face your Destiny'

"Ok... If I go right, I'll just be the same, pawn of this war, bleedin' boy-who-lived… same old do this and do that Harry…but if I go left, I have a feeling…" his thoughts were again interrupted by a voice. Although different from the first in tone, this one still has that same sort of timbre that exuded power. "trust your feelings, follow your heart…"

"Do not fear…" a third voice whispered. This one seems young, but the power behind it the same.

For some reason Harry could not understand, he trusted these voices. He somewhat knew that these individual voices that where whispering to him were part of the multitude he heard earlier.

"Ok, ok. Trust my feelings, follow my heart. Time to make the stand and make well on the promise I made this morning…Well, here goes everything… I sure hope Professor Dumbledore doesn't flip out when he realizes I'm gone from the Dursleys."

Harry did set out towards the left, and in every step he made he felt a bit better with himself. Though he did not know yet, the Force is already guiding him as he walked. The Force steered him to the right people as he asked for help and directions to where he needed to go and giving him a boost while he was lost in thought.

Although he was alone in body, Harry knew that someone was always with him. He still could not comprehend on how this could be. Barring the voices that ushered him when he felt lost, he felt the presence of something… not a person… no, it was an emotion so powerful that as he trying to contemplate on it further his mind touched upon its fringes. The burst of warmth and belonging was again there.

The effect this time though was so powerful that he didn't realize his eyes were wet with tears. Tears of utmost joy fell from his emerald eyes. Again, he saw that flash of red and brown and gold.

As he started to think it through, a woman's voice this time said 'your destiny...'. Harry frowned at this.

"My destiny is to fight Voldemort" he said, but another voice countered

'That is your fate, yes…but your Destiny lies with another…'

He didn't have time for further contemplation for soon he arrived upon his objective. A small town in the North of England nestled between two hills amid the valley. It was a scenic place. In that early morning as the faint glow of sunlight was starting to peak over the hills, one could see that billows of smoke rising atop chimneys and the air smelled sweet of freshly baked bread.

Peaceful, and in Harry's mind he thought that he wouldn't mind settling here with a family of his own someday.

'Now where did that come from?' he asked himself.

He chuckled when he realized that he really didn't mind at all. If he could find a wife, that is. 'must be growing up or my mind suddenly decided to age 10 years' he silently mused.

At this, one of his guide voices said 'it is not wrong to think about the future, but you most focus on the here and now…'

Again the woman's voice spoke 'Head down the path, through those two trees in the distance…'

Upon arriving next to the two trees, he thought he heard talking from the other side of the bushes. He found an old path leading in, but it was overgrown in shrubs. Deciding that he didn't want any trouble for using magic, he forced his way through. The talking voices got louder as he neared but stopped as he stepped upon a large twig. A distinct crack could be heard from it as he pushed the final way out of the bushes.

He gazed upon the last place where he and his parents once lived. What surprised him though was to see it standing. He's come to the impression that it was burned to the ground when his parents were murdered, but here it was seemingly untouched. It was a two level house with what he surmised as an attic, owing to the large round window.

It had an ample yard for children to play in and on the left he could see an octagonal gazebo painted white and surrounding it where gardens of flowers of different colors and type he could not guess from this distance.

Further on he could hear running water which he correctly guessed must be a stream. On his left he saw an orchard filled of fruit bearing trees. Although he considered Hogwarts as his home, he instinctively took to the place like salmon to the river they are born to.

He fondly stared at what once was his home… 'I'm home!'

Then, his breath caught in surprise as someone from behind him said in a voice filled with warmth and love.

"Your home is where your heart is, my son, and at one time, our hearts beat as one here."

It was then followed by another voice which broke that dam that was threatening to burst earlier.

" We've missed you, Harry, Welcome home."

Slowly, he turned wishing that what was happening isn't a dream. Although he expected what he would find, he was still surprised by the two figures standing before him.

Shimmering with the same soft blue glow as Sirius earlier, were his parents.

"Mum, Dad…"

No words can say what he felt. His parents were here! And as if his elation weren't already enough another voice broke in, a voice he knew from the previous night.

"What about me Bambi? Don't I get tears of joy too?"

Harry looked over and saw his godfather. Harry smiled a smile he taught he never would again and to the delight of everyone quipped

"Nah, I already did that for you the other night. How about we chase cars or the milkman instead?"

-----------------------------------

For the next few days Harry was living a dream. He was able to speak to his parents and Sirius about the thoughts that still troubled him, hear their voices as they gave him advice and comfort. It was almost perfect but for the fact that he could not touch them or hug them.

He was by the stream that morning, it was a Sunday and his fourth day at the Hollow. He has learned that the place was one of his parents many holdings and it served as the summer home for many generations. In the distance he could hear the church bells ringing, calling the congregation to gather for Mass.

He was lost in thought when he felt his parents.

"Is something wrong Harry?" Lily asked and James added

"You know you can tell us anything…"

Harry looked up, eyes burning with longing.

"It's just that… It's great that you're here and all but… I don't know how to explain it… I just…I just want to hug you sometimes and then I remember that I can't. I know it sounds childish but…"

Lily Potter then smiled knowingly and interrupted Harry's further rambling

"I know you can't touch us, but there is something that we could do"

Before Harry could answer he felt the warmth again. This time it was specific, it was coming from his mother. His closed his eyes which were once again shinning from brimming tears. Growing up not knowing what love was, he was drawn to his mother's love for him. Opening up himself further, hungry for more, trying to comprehend the depth of his mother's love. A love so strong it could turn back even the most feared curse of death. He then felt the presence of another's love for him. This one was filled with pride for him. His father's love poured unto him Courage and Honor. Another joined and this was a love that supports, through thick or thin it will understand and never leave your side even in death. From distant places it seems, he also felt the love of friends and comrades, trust and kinship, all for him. But then, seemingly from a far off place another presence joined. This love was the same intensity as his parents and Sirius, caressing, protecting, comforting… but underlying it all was a passion that almost drowned him but still he welcomed it and found that it was right, that somehow it fit him. Slowly he opened his eyes and although he no longer felt the intensity, he knew that it would always be there.

That was way… way better that a hug.

And Harry said so as he echoed Ron's words. "That was bloody Brilliant!"

"Language Harry" Lily admonished although she smiled.

"What surprised me…" added Sirius.

"…was the fourth presence" James continued.

"…and that background hum" Sirius finished.

"You two sounded like Fred and George" remarked Harry.

"Really you two, those are all the people who love Harry. The more powerful the feeling that more Harry would sense it… especially if there already is an existing connection…there would be a resonance…" Lily explained as she frowned in contemplation.

"But what about the fourth?" Sirius persisted.

"Lils, I know you're more attuned to the Force, But it feels like…" James started and Lily glared at him but Sirius again finished the sentence, once again in tease Harry mode.

"…someone's truly, madly, deeply in love with our little Bambi here."

Harry ducked his head as he flushed a deep red on hearing this, but remembered what his father said and suddenly asked "Mum what's the Force that Dad was talking about?"

"Ooops. Sorry Lils" James said in apology.

"Oh well. We were planning to tell you tonight anyway in a much more favorable way." She told Harry as she again glared at James.

More to reduce Lily's irritation that to save his best friend Sirius added "I think its Movie time!" to which James said "I'll get the Popcorn!"

"Honestly! Besides, you can't eat the popcorn!" Lily said

"Yes, that true, but Harry can. That reminds me, Padfoot could you show Harry where the stash is!" James answered back winking at Sirius.

"Don't you think I don't know what you're talking about Mr. Potter!"

"But Lils, an ice cold beer and popcorn is the best for watching movies" James pleaded, looking at Lily with his patented puppy dog face.

"But, it's only eight in the morning!" Lily argued, though knowing that when the two Marauders ganged together, they could get away with almost anything.

"Good, we'll be done with Episode Four and Five by noon. Harry here can have his lunch while we watch Episode Six." Sirius was jumping in anticipation as he rubbed his ethereal hands together.

Lily gave up once again at the immature behavior of James and Sirius and could do nothing but sigh. "OK. Let's do it."

Harry just stared and wondered what the fuss was all about. All thought of who the mysterious fourth person could be was pushed to the back of his mind. He was now made excited by the fact that he was going to be spending the entire day watching movies with his family and for once thought that he would be doing something a normal teenage boy would do. Well, that is to say, as normal as Harry can be.

Journey to the Past

Theme from Anastasia

Heart, don't fail me now.
Courage, don't desert me.
Don't turn back
Now that we're here.
People always say
Life is full of choices.
No one ever mentions
Fear.
Or how the world can seem so vast
On a journey
To the past.
Somewhere down this road
I know someone's waiting.
Years of dreams
Just can't be wrong.
Arms will open wide.
I'll be safe and wanted.
Finally home where I belong.
Well, starting now, I'm learning fast!
On this journey
To the past.
Home, Love, Family.
There was once a time I must have had them too.
Home, Love, Family.
I will never be complete until I find you.
One step at a time.
One hope, then another.
Who knows where this road may go?
Back to who I was,
On to find my future.
Things my heart
Still needs to know.
Yes! Let this be a sign!
Let this road be mine!
Let it lead me to my past.
And bring me home
At last!