Disclaimer: still the same.

Sorry it's been so long since the last update. Sorry it's so short, consider it a tide-you-over chapter.

Chapter 6

Luke ducked behind the table as his cauldron once again exploded. He mock glared at Harry as the older man laughed. They'd been at Harry's home for two months and he still couldn't brew a single potion without it exploding.

"Relax Luke, you'll get the hang of it eventually. Be thankful I'm teaching you and not my old potions teacher."

"What was he like?" Like began to carefully clean up the mess.

"He spent most of his time trying to get me expelled because he hated my father and his friends when they were in school. At the end of my sixth year Voldemort captured me. Snape was working as a spy within his inner circle. The others took turns doing the whole torture thing. When it was his turn he risked his life and got us both out of there using a portkey. We landed on the school grounds and there was Albus looking about as mad and worried as I'd ever seen him. Then he started yelling for Poppy, the two of us were a bit of a mess. I ended up with three cracked ribs, a broken wrist, a mild concussion and several nasty cuts. Severus had a severe concussion, was unconscious and five broken ribs, a punctured lung and was bleeding internally as well as various cuts and bruises. The two of us were the only ones in the hospital Wing so once he woke up we started to talk. He died in the final battle, fighting side by side with my godfather. Four hundred years later and I still miss his insults. " Harry was smiling sadly as he watched Luke set up to start the potion again. He was doing quite well. In the seven months since he'd rescued him he'd learnt a lot. He was already part way through the work of a second year in all but potions. Once given the resources and motivation Luke had a very quick mind and an intuitive grasp of piloting that was staggering. Harry hoped that at the end of their year in the castle Luke would be up to third year work. He was being very careful to go nowhere near anything that could be considered even borderline Dark Arts, he really didn't want Yoda to lecture him again. Luke's weapon training was going well, they sparred daily with practice swords since Harry didn't use a lightsaber, as well as staffs, knives, hand-to-hand and blasters. Harry wished his own weapon training had gone as smoothly.

Flashback

"Keep your guard up Potter!" Harry struggled to raise his practice sword as he faced Bill. Moody's yelled instructions were more distracting than helpful. The eldest Weasley was clearly enjoying the mock fight as he continually got through Harry's guard. The younger wizard groaned as Bill once again landed a 'fatal' hit while he hadn't managed to even scratch him. Harry slumped to the ground and stayed there, panting.

"Don't worry Harry, you're not bad for a beginner." Bill commented as he took a drink of water.

"Thanks. Fighting you is harder than that Basilisk in second year."

"Probably because a snake doesn't use a sword to fight back."

"No just incredibly big teeth." Harry grinned tiredly.

"Come on Potter, get up. We're not finished yet."

"Give him a break Mad-Eye, he's not used to this." Harry struggled back to his feet and headed for the track to run his required laps.

End flashback

Harry watched as Luke focused solely on the potion in front of him. The young wizard in training had gotten very good at ducking since they'd started potions lessons. Harry couldn't figure out where he was going wrong. Perhaps like Neville his talents simply lay in other areas. Unlike Harry Luke seemed to actually have a talent for divination, although it could simply be some of his Force abilities coming through. Luke grinned as once again the cauldron began to smoke. Luke was slowly but surely breaking down the last of Harry's emotional barriers in a way no one had since Aille and Yoda. He was glad now that he'd taken the jedi as his student, he hadn't realised how much he'd missed having someone around that he could just be himself with. He just hoped that Yoda's training wouldn't strain their easy relationship. The jedi after all scorned attachment and they had become rather attached to each other. He knew he couldn't take Solo's place as an older brother and he wasn't particularly looking to be a father figure but he liked being the person Luke came too with everything, Of course, they were the only two people around, if you didn't include the portraits. He knew that eventually Luke would return to his friends and he dreaded the day. While Luke was with him he could protect him, he doubted the Alliance would trust him near their precious jedi once they realised he was the reason Luke had been missing.

Harry sighed softly, he was getting too attached. Luke was an excellent student but the odds were still against him for the final confrontation. Two against one was just bad odds. Unless something was done to ensure Vader couldn't interfere Luke would be outnumbered. He had been toying with the idea of confronting the Sith himself and doing it before Luke learnt the truth, but was it his place? But could Luke live with himself if he committed patricide? Could Harry live with himself if he did nothing and Vader killed Luke?

Luke watched Harry as he once again cleaned up his work area. The closer it got to the time he'd go to the mysterious Yoda the more often his teacher would drift off into his own sad world. He loved living in the Castle and learning magic. Harry had a way of teaching that made everything so much more real and fun than any of his teachers on Tatooine had. Part of him wished they could stay this way forever but then he'd feel guilty for abandoning his friends to the Empire. For two months now they'd been completely cut off, the war could be over and they wouldn't know until they left. He frowned as Harry's expression became pained.

"Harry?" Emerald eyes focused on him.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Luke, just thinking. How about we give up on this for today and work on DADA?"

"Tired of explosions?"

"Actually it reminds me of Neville. Never thought there'd be anyone worse at potions than him. Guess I was wrong." They laughed and Luke was glad Harry seemed to have pulled out of his mood.

TBC...