Chapter Eleven: Reunions, Forgiveness and Decisions

Harry was lying in the hospital wing, eyes closed. Around his bed sat various Order members, most of the Jedi, and three surprising new additions.

James and Lily Potter sat on opposite sides of the bed, stroking Harry's hair and just looking at him. Hermione was gripping her best friend's hand and praying that he woke up. The Order had been utterly shocked at their arrival among the living but after proving that they were who they said they were, the Order settled down and accepted that any more explanations would wait until Harry woke up. The entire assembled group refused to consider the possibility that he might not wake up.

A few minutes later there was a small groan and then Hermione squeaked as her hand was gripped tightly by Harry's strong grip. Green eyes opened slightly, blinking in the bright light until they focused and became accustomed to the light level.

Slowly he sat up, not noticing who was sitting by his bed until he'd drunk the glass of water that James handed him. Green eyes met hazel, and narrowed in disbelief, before Harry's head swiveled to meet Lily's gaze. Identical eyes met and Harry blinked in shock. Looking down at his hand, he registered who was holding it.

Abruptly, he dropped Hermione's hand and leapt out of the bed, drawing his wand and pointing it unerringly at James. Keeping Lily and Hermione behind a Force shield, he shoved James into the wall and then lifted him up into the air with the Force.

"Who the hell are you?" he snarled quietly. Lily had got over her momentary shock at Harry's actions and now her temper was rising swiftly. The Order members, along with the Jedi backed away just as swiftly, both groups recognizing the similarities between the tempers of mother and son.

From his position on the wall James croaked, "Harry, it's us. It's your Mum and Dad. And Hermione. Could you let us go now?"

Harry growled and replied, "I don't know who you think you are but it's a low trick to impersonate my dead parents and dead best friend. I'll repeat the question, who are you. Answer truthfully!"

Lily had had enough by this time. Eyes flashing the same way that Harry's did when he was truly at the end of his tether, she shrieked, "HARRY JAMES POTTER PUT YOUR FATHER DOWN THIS INSTANT!"

The onlookers winced and Ron muttered, "Geez, she's worse than Mum and I didn't think that possible." He turned a nasty shade of green when Molly Weasley turned on him and began yelling at him. Snape put up a privacy shield round them, being far more entertained by this first true argument between Harry and Lily, to listen to Molly's ranting.

Harry turned round to face Lily, blinking in shock. An old memory, fuzzy round the edges and indistinct, was trying to make itself known. Still holding James pinned against the wall he looked at his mother with an odd look in his eyes.

"Would you mind repeating that please?" he requested. Lily gladly obliged, at even greater volume and intensity than before. Harry nodded, before letting James down and vanishing the shield. He holstered his wand and then held up a hand.

"One more thing before I truly believe you" he said. Turning to face James he said, "Mr Goldshadow humbly requests that Mr Prongs shows him his animagus form as final proof."

James blinked, unraveling the sentence before he grinned and then transformed. The next second a stag stood in the hospital wing. Trembling now, Harry whispered, "Expecto Patronum." The Patronus trotted over to the real Prongs and Harry finally accepted the truth. His parents were alive.

Turning to Hermione he asked, "What did you turn into in second year due to that Polyjuice Potion?"

Hermione blushed before hitting him in the arm and replying, "A cat. Now will you believe us?"

Her answer was non-verbal as Harry hugged her so tightly she thought her ribs were going to break. He let go of her and hesitantly approached James and Lily.

"Er, sorry about attacking you Dad" he said sheepishly. James smirked at him and was about to reply when a new voice entered the conversation.

"Um, Master, how do you know that they're your parents?" Anakin asked. Harry smiled at him and replied, "Well, Dad's animagus form is a giveaway; no other wizard would have Prongs for an animagus form, and Mum, well,"

Turning to look at Lily he grinned and said, "No Death Eater would have bothered telling me off in such a parental tone." There was a moments silence before Lily started laughing, followed by James, followed by the rest of the group. Once she'd recovered, Lily swatted Harry upside the head before hugging him tightly. James joined in the family hug and Harry was almost overwhelmed as he received the first hugs he could remember receiving from his parents. A few tears leaked from the corners of his eyes but anyone that saw them wisely kept silent.

James let go first but Harry sat back down on the hospital bed, taking Lily with him as she didn't want to let go of him. Harry just sat, looking at his father, before commenting, "When people say that we look alike Dad, they weren't joking. You were going to say something before Anakin asked his question?"

James smirked. "Yes Harry I was. I was going to say that that isn't the first time you've done that to me, lifted me into the air I mean. When you were one, I put you in your playpen so I could help your mother with dinner. You screamed for me to continue playing with you but I said no. The next thing I knew I was floating in the air, and my privates were right above the pointy end of a Quidditch trophy. If your mother hadn't come in and levitated me away from there herself, I might not have been able to have any more kids."

Harry dropped his head into his hands and groaned while the room erupted in laughter around him. "Just kill me now" he muttered to the amusement of the entire group, especially Remus and McGonagall.

"Hmm yes James, I seem to remember coming into the house once and finding you as a Snitch" McGonagall commented. Seeing the confusion on the faces of everyone there, she elaborated, "Harry somehow turned James into a Snitch and was playing with him, and Lily couldn't undo the transfiguration. She finally called me in to help."

The room exploded with laughter again as Harry looked curiously at his old Head of House. "If that's true Minerva then why did I find Transfiguration so hard at school?" he asked.

"Partly because you were sent to live with those Muggles and as such weren't much better off in terms of magical knowledge than most muggleborns, and partly because you were, shall we say, disinclined to study?"

"Oi, I did study, I just got confused with all the steps" Harry protested, not daring to look at Anakin who was looking highly entertained at the knowledge that his master hadn't been a perfect student himself.

Silence descended on the room before Snape broke it. Looking directly at James and Lily he said, "Now that the family reunion and reminiscing is over can we please have an explanation as to how you three are back among the living? I was under the impression that no magic can raise the dead, no matter how powerful the wizard performing it is."

Remus broke in with, "Yes and how the hell did Harry survive that killing curse as well?"

James, Lily, Harry and Hermione looked at each other before Lily answered the question quietly. "We've been pestering Merlin for years to let us go back and help Harry but he wouldn't allow it. However his decision was rendered null and void when Harry took that curse for Anakin."

Seeing the puzzled looks on everyone's faces she elaborated, "On Halloween, when Voldemort killed us and tried to kill Harry, James died to protect us both, and I deliberately stepped in the way of the killing curse in order to save Harry. The similarity between my sacrifice and what Harry did, along with the power that he and Anakin, as well as Wraith had, was enough to bring us back. Only those with a strong emotional connection to Harry could be brought back and unfortunately Sirius wasn't with us at the time so he couldn't come back. Hermione is like his sister so that is why she's back, and we're self explanatory."

Nods signified the acceptance of this fact, but the Jedi were still confused about one point. Qui-Gon decided to ask in order to clear the matter up.

"Mrs Potter", he began. Lily turned to him and smiled. "Lily, please, we're all friends here" she replied. Qui Gon nodded and began again. "Lily, you said that Harry's actions sufficiently mimicked yours that you could be brought back but why didn't Harry die?"

"Prophecy" Harry responded. Enquiring looks were turned his way and he continued, "The first time round, it was my parents' sacrifice and a prophecy that saved me and now, it was a prophecy that saved me again. The prophecy states that I had to live in order to help Anakin later so I did. Otherwise it would have killed me."

He looked thoughtful for a moment before looking sharply at his parents and then at Anakin. "What is it Harry?" James asked, unsettled at seeing such a piercing look being directed at him from the Jedi Knight. He still had trouble remembering at times that Harry was a Jedi Knight, with an apprentice as well, and not the cute little baby he remembered him being.

"Mum's sacrifice left me with blood protection," Harry said slowly. He seemed to be thinking out loud, running facts through in his mind. Mace and Anakin recognized this and kept silent, both having seen this before. The rest started to ask questions but were silenced with an absent wave from Harry's hand.

"That blood protection, could it have been somehow transferred through me to Anakin?" he mused. "I did the same thing as you did Mum so is it possible?"

Now the witches and wizards looked intrigued and Lily was frowning as she considered his question. "It is possible I suppose, we don't really know much about blood magic given that it's supposedly Dark magic. I wouldn't want to test it though."

Harry shook his head vigorously. "No. Anyone that dares fire a killing curse in either mine or Anakin's direction will end up like Wraith. Dead. And not from a curse either. We won't be conducting any experiments along those lines at all."

Seeing reluctant nods from the still silenced group, Harry looked round and frowned.

"Why are you all silent?" he asked. James chuckled. "When you waved for them to be quiet you accidentally used your magic to reinforce it. You did a silent silencing charm and very well done it was too. Undo it though, before McGonagall goes ballistic."

Harry grinned and concentrated on ending the spell. A few minutes later there was a babble of voices as the Order tried to make sense of what had happened recently. The Jedi slipped out of the room, leaving Harry alone with his family, Anakin being firmly pulled out by Obi-Wan. They were almost out when Harry looked up.

"Obi-Wan why are you dragging Anakin outside?" he called. Obi-Wan looked at him and then replied, "You need time to get to know your family without us interfering Harry."

Harry shook his head and got off the bed, ignoring Poppy's demands for him to get back in it and walked over. Gently but firmly detaching Obi-Wan's hand from Anakin's arm he said quietly, "We will be moving the family reunion to our suite Obi-Wan, I want my parents and my sister to know the rest of my family, so trying to remain invisible won't help any. Let's go."

Turning slightly he raised his voice. "Mum, Dad, Hermione. Do you want to follow me to our suite?" The three he'd addressed wasted no time in following him out the door and when the Order came to their senses and followed, they found the portrait hole shut and locked against them. They grumbled a bit before dispersing, realizing that Harry did need to get to know the parents he'd never known and that he had more of a right to speak with them now than they did.

Inside the suite there was an awkward silence. James and Lily didn't quite know how to relate to the people who had taken their son and turned him into the adult they saw sitting across from them. Hermione was bursting with questions about the Jedi and the Republic and what his life was like now. Harry was just sitting silently, staring at his parents and imprinting their images on his mind and replaying the memory of the earlier hug in the hospital wing. Anakin was looking between Harry and James, Lily and Hermione and was struggling to quash the growing fear that Harry would return to Earth and forget about him now that he had his parents and surrogate sister back. Mace, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Syra were studying James, Lily and Hermione and were also wondering whether Harry would stay in the Jedi Order or not.

Harry coughed before saying, "Well, I think we'd best make introductions so we all know each other and we don't have to sit here silently staring all day." Seeing nods from his now increased family he quickly made the introductions before sitting down beside Anakin and simply staring at his parents and Hermione, imprinting their images on his mind. Hesitantly he reached out to them, still half-believing that this was all a wonderful dream and they were still dead. The firm grasp of his father, and then the hugs from his mother and Hermione convinced him otherwise though. Beside him he felt a small flare of jealousy and fear from Anakin, and filed that away for later discussion. He had an idea as to what was bothering his Padawan and wanted to sort it out but that discussion was not for in public like this.

James, Lily and Hermione were busy staring at Harry too. For Hermione, it was less of a stretch to make the connection between the sixteen year old boy she'd last seen him as, and the handsome, well-built Jedi Knight that was now sitting across from her. For James and Lily however, it was more of a struggle as even though they'd had several conversations with Harry as spirits, seeing him in the flesh made it more real that their baby boy was now an adult, and they'd missed out on him growing up.

The rest of the Jedi were silent, recognizing what was going on. Mace, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were wondering what Harry would do now, would he continue as a Jedi or would he stay on Earth, while Sora and Hikari were busy analyzing the possible effects this might have on Harry. Syra was merely wondering what would happen to Anakin if Harry chose to stay on Earth. It would not be nice if he did.

After another awkward silence Harry let out a breath. "First of all," he started, "I think I should say that while I'm stunned and very pleased that you've all somehow come back to life, it won't change who I am now. I will still be leaving Earth and going back to Coruscant."

Standing so he could see the whole group, he continued, "I am a Jedi, and that is what I'll stay."

Before he could go further James stood as well. "We had no intention of trying to force you to stay Harry, all we'd ask is that you came by from time to time to visit, or allow us to visit you. I'm sure that a way can be worked out, without resorting to long space flights in order for us to visit."

A long silence greeted this before Obi-Wan broke the silence. "What were your jobs before you died?" he asked. James and Lily looked to Harry and said, "Aren't you going to answer Harry?"

Harry growled and replied, "I know nothing about the two of you beyond the fact that you Dad were a good Quidditch player and Mum was brilliant at Charms and that was when the two of you attended Hogwarts. Oh and Dad was a prat up until 7th year and formed the Marauders."

Seeing the shocked and angry looks on his parents' faces he shrugged and said, "Hey don't blame me, blame Dumbledore and everyone else that didn't tell me a thing about you even when I asked. Not even Sirius was willing to tell me much, he seemed lost in the past half the time. I loved the guy but even I could see he was slightly unstable due to Azkaban."

James snarled and then replied quietly, "I was an Auror, and Lily a Healer with St. Mungo's, specializing in paediatrics. May I ask why you asked Knight Kenobi?"

Obi-Wan shrugged. "We always need more security and Healers. If you like you could help with security at the Temple James, and Lily could be one of the Healers. Ginevra too if she wishes to accompany us as well."

Harry glanced round the group. "This is OK with you all?" he asked cautiously, not wanting to get his hopes up. A firm nod from Mace and Qui-Gon reassured him. They may not be the entire Council, in fact, Qui-Gon wasn't on the Council, but they were senior Masters.

"OK then that's settled. Now what?"

"Now I think we should tell your girlfriend that she is able to accompany us if she wishes, and I think James and Lily look like they want to go somewhere" Hikari said, entering the conversation. Harry blinked, and then saw the looks on James and Lily's faces.

"I assume you want to speak to Dumbledore" he stated. Seeing twin nods he stood out of the way. "Go for it. Just leave him alive, I want to tell him something later."

James and Lily nodded before walking out of the room, twin looks of fury on their faces. Harry couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for Dumbledore, even though he knew he probably should be.

"Hermione, what about you?" he said. His once best friend looked at him, and then said, "I think I'll stay here Harry, I have my life to reclaim, and my parents to visit. What am I going to say to explain this?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know Mione. Better make up a good story though."

He hugged her hard again and whispered, "I'm going to miss you but at least I know you're alive. Stay safe for me will you?"

Hermione nodded. "Of course Harry. By the way, fatherhood really suits you. You'll be a good father one day, I can just see it, you and Ginny, with a lot of little Jedi running round, with Anakin as the big brother."

Harry blushed and said, "Not so fast Mione, no kids till the current political climate has cooled somewhat. Besides, I'm not even sure if Ginny still wants a relationship, and if she does then we'll still take it slow. Calm down a bit."

Reluctantly Hermione nodded and then headed off to the library. "I'm off to do some research and catch up on what's happened since I died. See you later."

As she headed out the portrait hole Harry looked after her and then sank back onto the couch laughing. Anakin looked puzzled, as did Mace, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon. Syra had left earlier to finish his assignments, while Hikari and Sora had left to chew out Dumbledore while they had the chance.

"What's so funny Harry?" Obi-Wan asked. Harry stopped laughing and looked at him with a grin. "It's such a Hermione response, if she doesn't know something then she'll head to the library to research it. It's her alright, only she could have that enthusiasm for research."

Nodding, the three Jedi left it alone. Anakin though, had one more question.

"Did you really mean it Master, are you really staying a Jedi?"

Sensing the upcoming serious discussion, Obi-Wan retreated to the bedroom where he found his own Padawan struggling with his Politics assignment. Casting a look to the now unnaturally silent lounge he shut the door and focused on Syra. Mace and Qui-Gon also retreated, this time out the portrait hole where they had a fun time exploring Hogwarts, and getting caught in the trick steps along the way.

Harry focused on Silencing the area around them, so they could have privacy and then focused his attention on Anakin. Speaking quietly and intently he replied, "Yes Anakin, I meant every word of it. I didn't ask for this to happen, I'm just as shocked as everyone else is. To be truthful, I'm not sure how to relate to them, they're my parents yes, but they haven't been that in reality since I was one. I don't really know them, and they truthfully don't know me. It's an awkward situation all round. I call them Mum and Dad because that's what they are to me, but I wouldn't accept it if they tried going all parental on me now."

"What about in the hospital wing?" Anakin asked. Harry laughed and playfully ruffled Anakin's hair, ignoring the protest from his Padawan. "That was shock Anakin, that and the fact that Mum reminded me of Molly Weasley. If Mum tried yelling at me now, well, I'd yell back. I won't abandon you Anakin; can you please stop thinking that I will?"

Anakin flushed slightly and looked at the floor before muttering, "I just couldn't help it, watching you be hugged by your Mum and Dad, it brought back memories. That comment about you and Ginny as well, it just piled on top of me."

Harry slipped a finger under Anakin's chin and exerted upwards pressure to force Anakin's head up so Master and Padawan were looking straight in each other's eyes.

"First of all, Ginny and I aren't even in a proper relationship yet and we don't know if we ever will be. Second, if we do have children, you will be their big brother, you might not be my son by blood but you are in everything else. Third, by the time I have children, you might well have children of your own, and we'll be able to swap babysitting duties."

He broke off while Anakin chuckled at the thought of lots of young Potters and Skywalkers running round. "The Temple wouldn't survive the onslaught" the Padawan said with a laugh. Harry smiled and shook his head, agreeing with the thought.

"Finally," he continued, drawing the conversation back on track, "how do you think I felt when I first met you on Tatooine?" I'd never known my parents and I walked into a family situation. I didn't let it show Padawan, but I'd never missed my own mother more than when I witnessed your mother hugging you. I know how hard it was for you to leave her, that's why I told you about my childhood. Now I have a chance to get to know them, and you'll get a chance to see your Mum soon as well."

Anakin looked at Harry questioningly. Smirking, the Knight said, "What did you think that bag of Galleons I gave you was for? We're taking a side trip on the way back home."

"How, the rest of them will want to go to Coruscant?" Anakin asked. Harry grinned and said, "Remember I said not to go into the second cargo hold?" Getting a nod from Anakin he continued, "The Marauder is in there, I'm fairly sure that the rest don't know, and we, along with Mum, Dad and Ginny will be taking her to Tatooine and then back home. I won't leave your mother in slavery as long as I can do something about it, and this way you'll know that she's OK."

Anakin looked at his master in shock, he'd been expecting a lecture on not feeling sorry for himself, and here Harry was, telling him that he was going to keep a promise that he'd made years ago, and telling him that he wasn't going to go away. He then noticed the concentration on Harry's face and straightened.

"Master?" he asked. Harry shook his head and muttered, "Nothing Anakin, I thought I felt something testing my shields but it's nothing. Let's go see if we can persuade the others to have dinner, it's getting to that time and I'm sure you're hungry." As if on cue, Anakin's stomach rumbled, followed a minute later by Harry's.

Grinning, the two made their way over to the portrait, Anakin leaving first, while Harry turned back and yelled, "Obi-Wan, Syra, we're going for dinner. You coming?" Two heads popped out of the bedroom where Obi-Wan had just finished helping Syra with a particularly difficult part of the Politics assignment.

"We're coming Harry, have you finished talking with Anakin?" Obi-Wan called back. Seeing a nod from his friend he smiled and said, "Put that assignment away Syra, we can finish it on the journey home. For now, let's go eat."

The Padawan heartily agreed with that sentiment and threw the datapad back in his bag, before he and his master walked out to find Harry and Anakin waiting outside the entrance for them.

They made it to dinner where they found James, Lily and Remus discussing old stories, and laughing occasionally. Snape and Draco were also quietly talking and glancing over to the trio, with Snape staring at James with a look of loathing that Harry knew all too well. Sending Anakin to sit with Ginny and the rest of the Weasleys he silently hoped that James wouldn't try anything. He didn't think anything would happen but he stayed alert in case anything did. Sensing Dumbledore drawing nearer he looked in the old wizard's direction and sighed. It would seem that all the chewing out had taken it's toll on him and now he looked in Harry's direction with a sort of longing look, as if silently begging Harry to step in and stop the seemingly endless parade of people who wanted to yell at him. Harry waited until Dumbledore had sat down before rising.

Shaking his head at Anakin to indicate that the Padawan should remain seated, he walked over to where Dumbledore was sitting. Dumbledore turned to face Harry as he approached, and was unsettled that the Knight gave no clue as to what he was feeling inside. Stopping by his chair, Harry said quietly,

"Dumbledore, you and I haven't got along since I came back, but I think you've been yelled at by enough people over the past few days without me adding to it. There's just one thing I want from you before I forgive you and that's a full, sincere apology, with no evasions or rationalizations."

Dumbledore stood to face the man that he'd wronged so horribly and replied, "You have it. I am sincerely sorry for the hell I put you through, and for not believing in your innocence. I further apologise for your terrible childhood, if I'd known it was so bad, I never would have left you there, and it is my regret that I never thought to investigate why you didn't like returning home. There's not much I can do to correct it now but I am sorry."

Harry nodded before saying quietly, "Then I forgive you Headmaster. Can we perhaps, start over?"

Dumbledore nodded, almost speechless with happiness that Harry had finally forgiven him for what had happened between them. He replied in a slightly shaken tone, "Of course Knight Potter."

Harry smiled and shook Dumbledore's hand. "It's Harry, Professor" he said with a quick grin. Dumbledore smiled and shook Harry's hand back before replying, "Only if you call me Albus dear boy."

Smiling now, wizard and Jedi exchanged a quick hug, before Harry turned and walked back to his seat, taking in the shocked looks on the faces of the Order of the Phoenix, and the slight scowls on James and Lily's faces. He sat near them and leaned over to say in a quiet tone, "Let it go guys, I'm the one he hurt most, and you've had your chance to yell at him now so just let it go. There's no point in holding a grudge."

James and Lily sighed but acquiesced to Harry's wishes and the shocked muttering around them died down after Harry glared at the offenders. Dumbledore had never looked happier, the twinkle in his eyes was almost blinding as he promised himself that he would be available to help Harry if needed in the future.

Later that evening, Ginny turned up at the Jedi suite, with her possessions packed in a trunk and shrunk in her pocket. At Harry's enquiring look she stated, "I'm coming with you Potter, and don't you dare try to stop me."

Smiling, Harry pulled her inside, and kissed her, breaking it off before it went any further. James, Lily and the rest of the Jedi were asleep in preparation for the early start to the journey back to Coruscant in the morning.

The next morning, the wizards and witches gathered to farewell their visitors, and also to farewell James, Lily and Ginny as they left with Harry and the rest of the Jedi. Neville, Frank and Alice Longbottom were there too, with Neville looking much more confident and happy now that he had his parents as well. Like Harry, Neville would have to adjust to getting to know his parents from an adult perspective, while Frank and Alice would have to do the same adjustment as James and Lily. Remus was looking wistfully at the ship, wanting to go with his friends, but knowing that his Lycanthropy would be too much of a danger around the Jedi Temple. He hadn't told his friends either, but he was dying. Each transformation took more and more out of him, he'd already lived much longer than the average werewolf did and one day soon, the transformation would kill him. James and Lily knew this already, due to them knowing the physiology of werewolves and their average life spans which is partly why they were leaving, Remus had reqested that they not stay to witness his death, and that he'd be able to watch over them from Heaven and play pranks with Sirius.

Harry removed the Marauder from the cargo hold of the ship the Jedi had come in originally and grinned at the startled faces of his companions.

"We're taking a side trip on the way home Mace, and then after the debriefing, Anakin and I have some vacation time scheduled so we'll take it, and the Marauder here, and take this lot, (indicating James, Lily and Ginny) on a galactic tour, mostly Naboo and Alderaan I think."

Mace groaned but nodded. "Very well, but remember that when you come back from vacation, James, Lily and Ginny have to get settled into their new lives." Harry nodded and the two groups split up, each heading into their ships. Hermione was standing with Ron, and Harry was amused to notice that they had their arms round each other. The age thing wasn't a problem, James, Lily and Hermione had returned to life at the ages they would have been had they lived.

The engines started up and a few minutes later they blasted off the ground, leaving Earth for the last time.

Author Note

OK guys here is the next instalment. Thank you for your patience, this was a real bitch of a chapter to write, the characters weren't coming out right at all, and add that to ill health, family events and general R/L concerns and you have an overstressed, tired author with little to no inclination for writing. Still, I hope you like this and no flaming me for the choices I made regarding James, Lily and Hermione, James and Lily will be important later on and Hermione was there to be with Ron, as he wouldn't fall in love with anyone else, regardless of what J K Rowling might be writing for their future. Chapter Twelve will be out whenever I get it written, R/L hasn't calmed down yet, and I need to work on various things, namely keeping my finances in reasonable shape.

May the Force be with you

Padawan Lynne