Author's Note: Put Harry into this world, and it was bound to happen, our boy just can't help himself. Enjoy!
"Harry, where have you been?" Qui-Gon asked as he stepped into the younger man's path.
He grinned cheekily. "I'm not your padawan," he pointed out as he continued walking.
Qui-Gon fell into step beside him. "No," he acknowledged. "My padawan has become a Knight, and has a Padawan of his own." Harry hummed. "Ask," he prompted.
"I got the impression that you planned to train Ani," he remarked, expression questioning.
"Yes. However, without your intervention, I intended to ask Obi-Wan to oversee his training. It seemed only apt to continue with that course." He smiled. "I owe you a debt of gratitude, and find myself concerned about you. Indulge me."
Harry sighed. "Tattooine," he stated.
"What were you doing on Tattooine?"
"Freeing slaves," he announced with another grin.
Qui-Gon smiled in return. "And how did you accomplish this?"
"Some betting, some racing," he replied absently.
"Some advice, Harry," he remarked with an amused expression. "Never try to prevaricate with a Jedi."
He let out a put-upon sigh. "I started at the bottom, and worked my way to the top." He lifted a shoulder. "It depended on how much value each put in a particular slave, for how much effort I had to go to in order to free them."
"I doubt it took only that with the Hutts, or did you not free theirs?"
"I convinced them that loyal workers – that paid a portion of their earnings – would be more financially advantageous," he stated.
"And?" he prompted.
"Compensated them for the interim," he answered lightly. "Don't worry, I didn't use anything from the Jedi to do it."
"I would never accuse you of thievery," he stated. "Trickery, certainly, but not thievery." Harry laughed softly. "I take it you freed Anakin's mother?"
"She was who I started with," he answered honestly. Qui-Gon gave him a knowing look. "Yes, I went there specifically to free her," he spoke with a huff, "but I knew I wouldn't be able to leave the others when I could help."
"That is your nature," the older man remarked easily. "And what did you do, once you had freed them from their slavery?"
"Offered them a choice, to pick any location they wished to reside the remainder of their lives. Some chose to stay, but others chose elsewhere."
"And Shmi?"
"Coruscant," he answered. "Which doesn't surprise you."
"No," he replied. "She encouraged Anakin to leave with me, so that he would have a better life, however, I am not surprised she chose to be near to him."
"She can watch him grow, and visit whenever he is able." Qui-Gon's eyebrows rose, and the younger man huffed. "Of course I took her to Ani," he spoke. "Obi-Wan was kind enough to pause his training for the day so that they could have a visit."
"I could not deny him a chance to see his mother," Obi-Wan stated as he joined them. "The first visit is always the most potent."
"That it is," Qui-Gon agreed.
"How often will she be allowed to visit?" Harry asked curiously.
"No more than three times a year," Obi-Wan stated. "However, I will keep in contact with her, let her know his progress."
"She'll appreciate that," he murmured.
"Yes she will," Qui-Gon agreed. "At least now I understand why you were gone for so long."
"I wasn't going to leave them to make their own way across the universe," he stated. "I'd feel terrible if they got taken by slavers again."
"Much as we wish such people did not exist," Obi-Wan murmured, "unfortunately, they do."
"There are always those who thrive on the pain and subjugation of others," Harry stated.
"There is much you do not tell us of your past, my young friend," Qui-Gon remarked. Harry lifted a negligent shoulder. "Have you reconsidered my offer?"
"Yes I have, and the answer is still no," he stated.
"You would do well under Master Qui-Gon's tutelage," Obi-Wan stated.
"Not you too," Harry groaned.
"Your abilities might differ from ours, but honing them would only be to your advantage."
"I'm older than the other initiates," he pointed out.
"So is Anakin," Qui-Gon remarked.
"I'm over a decade older than Anakin," he stated flatly.
"Two years, or twenty years, it makes little difference, both would be older than the rest."
"What is it with teachers speaking in riddles?" he muttered.
Obi-Wan grinned. "Their teachers were the same with them," he joked.
Qui-Gon sent his former-padawan a quelling look. "Just because we know the answers, does not mean we should tell them," he stated. "You will learn the lesson far better if you discover it for yourself."
"Then why teach at all?" Harry retorted.
"Some lessons are too dangerous to learn through experience, and abilities are better encouraged through the attention of a teacher gifted with the ability themselves."
"He won't stop asking until you agree."
"I doubt you council will agree to it," he pointed out.
"If you already agreed, they would have little they could do. For they know, that if they tried to refuse, I would simply take you off of Coruscant for your lessons."
"Just because you miss having a padawan does not mean I'm going to indulge you."
Qui-Gon smiled. "My time is just as filled now, believe me. Free time is a sparse luxury."
"Then why do you wish to fill it?"
Obi-Wan leant in and whispered conspiratorially, "He is taken off the roster for many tasks, in order to accommodate the time necessary to train a padawan."
"Ah, now we get to it," he murmured with a grin.
"I would still have many duties to perform," he stated gravely. "However, it is true that the number of duties would lessen. Those without a padawan are put on rosters for tasks more frequently, as their time is not as taken up as those with a charge. Although, that is not my motivation. There is something satisfying about helping another to hone their skills, to become the best version of themselves that they can be."
"Then why not find a youngling to take as your padawan?" Harry asked.
"Because there needs to be a kinship for a true Master/Padawan bond to form," Obi-Wan stated. "If they are too different, both would suffer, the Padawan more so."
Harry opened his mouth. "Abilities do not need to match," Qui-Gon stated, and the younger brunet closed his mouth abruptly. "Padawans are often given specialist training by other masters, to help with those gifts their Master is not as skilled in."
"And how would you do that with me?"
"We would of course need to delve into the depths of your abilities, see which are similar enough that we can teach you the same way we do our own students, and adapt for those which are not."
"Not that I'm agreeing," Harry hastened to say.
"Why not?" Obi-Wan asked curiously.
"I'm not going to be here forever."
"That is no reason not to learn while you remain with us."
Harry's smile turned rueful. "I'll think about it."
HPSWHPSWHPSWHPSWHPSWHPSWHPSW
"Harry!" Anakin cried as he raced toward the brunet.
"Ani!" he greeted, scooping the boy up with a grin. "Did you enjoy the visit with your mother?"
"Yes!" he declared, wrapping his arms around the brunet's neck in a hug. "Thank you!"
Harry spun him around. "You're welcome Ani," he replied with a warm smile as he came to a stop. "Just promise me something."
"Anything," he replied with a grin.
"Enjoy the time you get to spend with your mother," he requested, ruffling the young boy's shorn hair. "You never know how long you'll get with her."
"Don't be so sad," he murmured, cuddling close. "Of course I will."
"Good," he replied. "Want to have some fun?"
"Yeah!"