I own neither Harry Potter nor Star Wars. I promise to do nothing with other people's characters they wouldn't have them do themselves. Perhaps like having an authority figure object to Mad-Eye Moody's use of a magical eye that can see through clothes in a school with underage girls.
As soon as Harry had dashed out and the creature he had called Master Amani had left the Great Hall, a mass of students flooded out and took various routes to the courtyard. A spectacle was about to occur, and no one wanted to miss it. Four minutes later, almost every student that had been in the Great Hall had lined the edge of the courtyard or were peering through the support gaps on the top of the bridge. It was without question the fastest organization of the student body that any Professor had ever seen. Everyone was waiting for Harry Potter to arrive, and the time limit the strange creature had given was approaching. Many thought it was unfair that the man/creature that had called Harry out had perched himself on top of the stone frame to the main castle doors. He stood there like a gargoyle, waiting in ambush for Harry to emerge.
Master Amani was waiting for his student to arrive. He had insisted on being the first to test how much Harry Potter had let himself forget. He was not intending on being easy on his student, as he felt that coddling only produced weak and needy drains of resources. The fire of criticism may burn hot, but it left in its wake only that which was strong enough to withstand it.
He had always taught his students to do whatever they could to obtain the high ground. Fighting a duel when you had the high ground significantly increased the odds of winning. Your opponent on lower ground would have to dangerously overextend his reach to attack, which was nearly always a duel ending mistake. The lower opponent was also having to fight uphill, which increased their fatigue and the chance of making a mistake. Amani was planning on driving that point home in this lesson, which was why he had jumped to the frame of the doors Harry Potter would have to run through to get to the courtyard. This lesson would be ended swiftly and would teach Potter that to be predictable was to hand your enemy the advantage.
Neville and Hermione were at the front of a group of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws that had clustered in one corner of the courtyard. Both were chafing at the promise they had given to Master Toma that they not interfere. Neither of them thought that Harry would willingly allow this Amani character to order him around unless he truly meant no harm, though, so they waited. Hermione vowed to jinx him in the back if he hurt Harry.
Many of the Slytherin students, still livid over Harry's perceived leashing of Professor Snape, were grinning and gleeful at what looked to be a Harry Hunt in the making. Chief among those who were wishing for Potter to be humiliated was Draco Malfoy. He was burning to see his nemesis get punished. He still couldn't understand how Filch had caught Potter in the forbidden corridor after curfew, but it was Draco that had been given detention for it. He had written to his father about the injustice but had not yet heard back.
Malfoy, making sure that Granger could hear him, was gloating to Crabbe and Goyle that Potter had chickened out and must be hiding in his dormitory when he heard the smashing of glass from Far above. As Draco watched Potter fly to battle, he could not help feeling both angered at how much Potter was showing off and unwillingly impressed by how awesome it looked.
Harry Potter burst through the glass of the clock face. A moment of doubt swept through him that he quickly banished in his mind as gravity asserted itself. His brain working in overdrive, he calculated a quick estimate and came up with about fifty meters between his exit point and the ground below. In the three seconds or so he had until he reached the ground, he needed to find Master Amani, get into an attack position that would allow him to survive the drop, and cushion his fall.
He had barely cleared the glass when he found the horn headed Jedi Master. He also recognized that if he had exited the castle in the usual and expected way, then he would have been in a much more inferior position to defend himself. Using the Force to alter his trajectory so he could press his attack, Harry ignited his lightsaber. He knew that his small element of surprise wouldn't last long.
No matter, he thought. I'm not likely to win anyway, might as well put on a show. In the last second of his flight, he pivoted so his feet faced down. He let out a downwards push with the Force to break his fall. Positioned for his attack, he swung his lightsaber down to begin the duel!
Hearing the shattering glass drew her eyes to the sky. Hermione felt her heart jump into her throat at the sight of a figure diving headfirst to the ground! She couldn't identify him at this distance by sight, but she knew well enough it was her best friend.
Shards of glass were sparkling in the sunlight around him as he fell. With a flash, a green beam of light emerged from the cylinder in his hand. He seemed to alter somehow the direction of his fall to curve towards his target. Neville clutched at Hermione's arm, and she let out a high-pitched scream calling Harry's name as the young Jedi reached his destination.
Master Amani was impressed. It wasn't often that a student could get the drop on him. Literally, in this case. Perhaps he wouldn't need to reinforce the lesson of predictability after all, he mused, watching as his student streaked down to him like a missile. He lit his lightsaber and was able to bring the blue shaft of plasma energy up to block the downward attack, but it cost him his footing on the door frame.
As he dropped the twenty feet to the ground, he turned off his weapon and rolled to absorb the impact. He was pleased to see that Potter had also secured his lightsaber and rolled in the opposite direction. This allowed Potter to gain distance and regroup. As they finished their rolls and reignited their weapons, he saw that due to the increased momentum of Potter's much higher fall, the student he was supposed to be dominating had managed to roll up a small incline to gain the higher ground down here, as well.
Satisfied with Potter's unexpected strategy and with how successful it proved to be, he decided to test the Padawan's defensive tactics. With a Force enhanced leap, he somersaulted over Potter, their blades clashing with a flash of light and the snapping sound of the plasma discharge as the two blades met. Having gained even ground, a back and forth ensued, with Amani and his student trading offensive and defensive stances with every stroke of their blades.
Professor Flitwick, who had competed on the professional duelling circuit before accepting his teaching position here at Hogwarts, was professionally interested in how this duel would progress. He was particularly impressed with Harry's rather dramatic entrance and vowed to shield the young lad from as much flak as he could. Harry may not be in his house, but he was much pleased with his progress in the last few weeks and wished to encourage what he thought of as the 'Lily' side of his student's personality.
He had heard about this blade of light that Harry had fought the troll with, and was glad he was getting a chance to see it in action. As a half-goblin, he had trained in blades and was quite impressed with the skills both combatants displayed.
Harry was getting tired. He had already worked out his morning just before breakfast, and since it wasn't one of the days Hermione and Neville joined him, it was a full workout. He also hadn't been in a lightsaber training duel in months.
The adrenaline that had rushed into his system during his drop from the clock face had provided him with a reserve of strength that was rapidly being eaten into as Master Amani probed his defences. Several minutes into the duel, Harry had abandoned offensive moves. His was giving up yards of ground and being backed into harder to defend areas.
The duel had taken them to the middle of the courtyard, where a large flower garden sat in a raised stone planter. Harry's last reserves of strength ran out Just as he noticed what was on the garden wall right next to his trainer.
It's going to end in the next few seconds anyway, he thought. Might as well give magic a try.
Master Amani was satisfied with Potter's progress. There were still many improvements to be made that he noted in his student's performance, but there were always improvements to be found. His own performance had been less than perfect.
He was about to stop testing Potter and would end the duel the next time his student left an opening to exploit. Potter chose that moment to do the unpredictable again. The Padawan performed a backflip and landed on the stone wall of a flower garden which took him out of reach. Holding his lightsaber in his non-dominant hand, Potter brought out a stick. Amani had been briefed on how the locals used the Force in different ways, including the use of a wand, but he had not yet seen it in action. Potter pointed his wand at a barrel that stood on the garden wall next to Amani. The young Jedi said something that sounded like 'Defendo.' Without warning, the barrel fell apart, dumping its contents both into the garden and onto the ground where Amani stood! The barrel stored rainwater and enough had been spilt to cover Amani's boots with several inches of water. Before the deluge could drain away, Potter pointed his wand at Amani's feet.
"Glacius!" Potter yelled, and Amani felt something extremely cold pass in front of him. Almost losing his balance, he found that his feet were no longer standing in water, but trapped in ice! The tide had turned. Amani could either free his feet or defend himself from his student. The lack of mobility meant he could no longer turn as Potter slipped behind him, though, and he was unable to prevent the contact of Potter's lightsaber on his shoulder! The duel had ended. Harry Potter had won.
The courtyard erupted in cheers! Nearly every Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw joined every single Gryffindor in chanting Harry's name. Even some Slytherins joined in, unable to contain themselves.
The Gryffindor and Slytherin quidditch teams were near each other in other in the crowd. In a rare, civil moment they exchanged glances that communicated the same sentiment: How are we supposed to top this? Excited conversations were breaking out around the courtyard as the duel was broken down and reviewed play by play. A sixth year Hufflepuff girl was being told off by Professor Sprout for inquiring if Harry was still single.
Ron Weasley had watched the duel from above, looking down through the hole Harry had made. He missed Harry's descent, but Harry had clearly made to the ground unharmed. By the time Ron had made to the broken glass, the duel was underway. Green and blue shafts of light flashed one way and the other almost faster than Ron could follow. It was difficult to catch all the moves of the fight from this height, but Ron saw more than enough by the end of it to make one thing clear. There was no way he'd be getting on Harry's wrong side, no matter how many weird things the Jedi did. He was pretty jealous at the chants of 'Harry! Harry!' that he heard after Harry won the fight, but he didn't begrudge Harry his victory. Ron returned to the stairs and headed down. Breakfast was still waiting, after all.
Minerva McGonagall was marching up the walkway from the main doors as the Jedi trainer, and Harry Potter extinguished their lightsabers. Professor Flitwick was beside her and noticed the older Jedi was still immobilized. He brought his wand out and vanished the ice to free Master Amani. The Jedi Master thanked the charms Professor, then waited to see how these wizards would handle the situation. McGonagall turned on the panting Harry Potter like a cat surprising a mouse.
"Mr Potter," the Deputy Headmistress asked, "Why is it always you? What on Earth were you thinking? Jumping from the clock tower? You could have killed yourself!" she scolded.
"I'm sorry... for the damage... to the clock face... Professor," Harry said in between deep gulps of air. He sat down on the stone wall and started getting his breathing under control. "If someone can teach me how... I will repair it... or pay to have it repaired."
"But why?" asked Professor McGonagall. "Why did you do it?"
"it was the only way I could get here on time," Harry answered. McGonagall very nearly laughed out loud at that. It took an act of will to prevent the smile from showing on her face. Still, she knew her duty and as much as she privately enjoyed the display, had to uphold the rules.
"I appreciate punctuality possibly more than most, Mr Potter," replied Professor McGonagall, "but that does not excuse you from causing damage to the castle. I am sorry, but I will have to assign you detention."
"If you don't mind, Minerva, he can do that detention with me," said Professor Flitwick, "He can help me repair the glass that he broke. It would mean missing the quidditch game, I'm afraid, but he can always catch the next one."
"Thank you, Professor Flitwick," McGonagall agreed. "That's settled, then."
She turned back to Harry, now unable to keep a small smile from betraying how she truly felt.
"Oh, and Mr Potter," she said, "that will also be fifty points to Gryffindor for displaying every value Godric ever lauded in less than ten minutes. Please don't do it again." Harry smiled but was somewhat confused.
"To be honest, Professor," he said to his head of house, "I thought you'd be angrier than this."
"There's no need, Mr Potter," McGonagall answered, as she turned back to the castle. "I do not doubt that Miss Granger has that well in hand."
"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed, looking around for his best friend. She was not hard to spot. Students who had left the edges of the courtyard to celebrate found themselves in between Harry and Hermione. A line of them were diving to one side or the other to either make way for what was either a pretty, bushy-haired bantha or Hermione Granger. Either way, Harry was going to have some explaining to do.
Headmaster Dumbledore could only assume that Harry's decision to plummet into the duel from one hundred seventy feet above was an example of the reckless tendency that Toma Kendet had mentioned in their last meeting. While Dumbledore could appreciate the skill that went into the duel, he worried about the impact it would likely have on his students. Harry had been trained in some techniques that allowed him to pull off such a stunt. The Headmaster would have to take steps to ensure some of the more impressionable students did not consider the act to be something to emulate.
He had not prevented Toma Kendet from allowing Mr Longbottom and Miss Granger from attending the 'Jedi Class' as it was limited to only those two students and it wasn't an activity in which many others wished to participate. He had audited the informal class, though, to be sure his students weren't being placed in danger by the Jedi. He was also aware of the attraction that seemed to be acting on Harry and Hermione like low powered magnets, which also worked to further his plans for the young wizard. He needed Harry to remain in the wizarding world, and if Mr Potter were romantically involved with Miss Granger that could only help to steer Harry to the wizard side of the Wizard/Jedi equation. Albus was certainly not going to throw the two together, or even actively encourage them in any way. Still, he was not opposed to helping something that appeared to be occurring naturally anyway to take its course. The Headmaster's ability to manipulate events from behind the scenes was one of his talents, and he prided himself on his skill in persuasion.
Dumbledore's long-term goal of the defeat of Voldemort was unchanged, but his short term goals had been subjected to rewrite after rewrite in recent months, and this duel looked like it might force another alteration. Dumbledore foresaw that the 'Jedi Class' would have quite a few more applicants next week. He did not want to allow more than a handful of students to be involved with the visitors until he knew a great deal more about them. While he was still ashamed that he had left Harry on his Aunt and Uncle's doorstep, he had not forgotten that the Jedi response was to take the child off-planet.
Albus didn't think he was going to be able to prevent additional students from participating without also denying Hermione and Neville access to the Jedi. Thinking of an idea, he made a mental note to ask Toma if he would consider teaching the top students in Hogwarts. This would guarantee Hermione's inclusion, and with her driving Neville to focus, Mr Longbottom should not have any problem retaining his spot either. It would mean that the Jedi would influence a few additional students, but it was the only way he could think of to get everything he wanted without sacrificing any of his players.
Albus had watched the duel with a small, green Jedi representative from a balcony that overlooked the courtyard. Yoda gave, at first glance, the appearance of an incredibly old house elf. He was introduced as the head of the Jedi Order. Albus was impressed with the wisdom of the Grandmaster and began considering ways he could entice the Jedi to join the wizarding community in the fight against Voldemort. The small, green Jedi had made it clear that he was here to help Harry in whatever way he could but stressed that Harry had a good deal of training left to complete before the young man would be ready to lead the fight. Albus agreed wholeheartedly.