Author's Note: Harry starts to open up about his past. Enjoy!
"Ani, you've had a growth spurt!" he declared as he entered their quarters. Anakin flew to his arms and he enfolded the younger boy in a hug.
"I could be taller than you," he spoke with a grin, his head shoulder height on the brunet.
"Not difficult," he replied with a grin. He stroked the boy's hair gently. "Being tall is not in my destiny," he stated.
"Height is not as important as some people make it," Qui-Gon stated as he entered behind Harry.
"Look at Master Yoda," Obi-Wan added as he appeared from deeper within their quarters.
"There are none as skilled in combat," Qui-Gon agreed.
"I've known those like him," Harry stated, "that happily let others believe that they are harmless, when really they're anything but."
"There is no better camouflage," his Master remarked. It still seemed strange thinking in those terms. "Is there something on your mind Padawan?"
"When isn't there?" he muttered, causing Obi-Wan to grin. "It can wait," he stated easily. "Why don't you tell me about your trip," he spoke, giving Anakin a squeeze. "If you can of course."
HPSWHPSWHPSWHPSWHPSWHPSWHPSW
Harry was sat in what he would class as a living room, on a sofa. He gazed toward the window, lost in thought. Anakin stepped out of his bedroom. Harry lifted his arm in invitation. The young boy scurried over and snuggled close. "Nightmare?" Harry asked softly, stroking his hair.
"You have them too?" the younger padawan asked.
"Of course," Harry replied easily, kissing the top of the blonde's head. "Why do you think I'm often up before you?"
"Will you tell me a story?" he asked softly. "The one you told the babies?"
"They weren't even two, they got a very tame version," he stated. "I think you can have a bit more detail," he added with a grin.
"Good," he replied happily.
He stroked the blonde's hair as he let go of his nightmares and thought it through. "In a world very different from this one, where no one knows of the Force, a small portion of the population is able to do magic," he began, his voice falling into a storytelling cadence. "Like the Jedi, they are able to accomplish feats those not gifted would deem impossible. They can levitate objects, foresee the future, read minds and control the actions of others-"
"Sounds like the Force to me," Ani murmured.
"And many more besides," he continued with a smile. "In this world, there was a Dark Lord. He decided that he should be in control of not only his own people, but all the non-magical too." Anakin froze and Harry ruffled his hair, causing the pre-teen to grin. "He amassed a great deal of power and followers. He would pick a family and either convert or kill them. Then he targeted a young family, a man, woman and their one-year-old son. He decided that the son was a threat he must eliminate-"
"But why?" Anakin asked.
"Bear in mind his sanity was on a sliding scale," he pointed out. Ani snorted. "They went into hiding, but he found them. The father stood against him, to protect his wife and child. The Dark Lord made his way to the Nursery, where he bade the woman to step aside, as he only wanted the child. She refused, and then the impossible happened."
"What?" Ani asked breathless.
"The baby survived…and the Dark Lord was vanquished."
"How?" he breathed.
"In sacrificing herself for her child, she created a protection that stood against the death spell."
"Death spell?"
"One of the three worst magics; taking over another's will, torture, and death," he informed. "The first is not like yours, few can fight against it, and it could be used to make someone do anything."
"Anything?"
"It could be used to make someone torture or kill. The Force doesn't let you do that."
"No it doesn't," he murmured with a sigh of relief.
"This isn't the end of the story," Harry stated and Anakin perked up. The brunet smiled. "The boy spent the next ten years with non-magical relatives, with no idea of what had happened, or even that magic existed. Until, on his eleventh birthday, he was presented with an invitation to a school of magic, by one of its staff. Said person took him to buy his school things, and in the first shop he went in by himself and met another boy. Who spent the entire visit going on about things the boy knew nothing about, and then at the end came out with an unpleasant comment about the staff member the boy was with."
"What a-"
"Brat?" Harry finished for him.
"That'll do," he muttered.
Harry grinned. "It got worse from there. They met again on the train, after the boy had befriended another boy called Ron."
"What did he do?"
"He insulted Ron's entire family, and offered to show the boy 'the right sort'. It didn't go well," he stated. "And from there, the two were at odds. They competed fiercely against each other in sport, and were constantly verbally sparring, with the odd physical bout thrown in," he continued. He paused, then made the deliberate choice to skip sixth year. "As all of this was happening, the Dark Lord was slowly amassing power."
"He didn't die?"
"No, he had taken steps to prevent himself from dying," he stated, "losing parts of his soul in the process." He shook his head. "The Dark Lord was able to get his followers into key positions within the ministry, so that once he was at the height of his power, he was able to take over by proxy. You know what that means?"
"Through someone else," Anakin replied dutifully.
"Right," he acknowledged with a smile. "A rebellion, the same one the boy's parents had been part of, began again to combat him and his followers. The boy and his two best friends went on a quest to find and destroy all the artifacts the Dark Lord was using to make himself undefeatable. They were captured." Anakin tensed. "The boy was in disguise, and his rival was brought out to identify him, for surely he of anyone else would be able to." Anakin tensed further. "He didn't."
"What?" he gaped.
"The boy's rival, the bane of his existence in school, from a family that were staunch followers of the Dark Lord, said he couldn't say for sure that it was him. If his rival's family delivered the boy to the Dark Lord, they would be rewarded greatly, but if they summoned the Dark Lord and they were wrong, they would be severely punished. So that hesitation, gave the boy and his fellow captives the chance to escape."
"Good," Anakin said with satisfaction.
"It's not over," he reminded. "The end of the trio's quest ended at the school they had been attending for so many years, and that was where the final battle of the war was staged."
"Final?" he breathed.
Harry nodded. "The remaining members of the rebellion, many of the teachers and students banded together to battle against the Dark Lord's followers, while the trio fought to finish off their quest to ensure the Dark Lord was able to be defeated."
"What about the Dark Lord?"
"He was determined to face off against the boy and kill him once and for all. After many skirmishes, all of the artifacts were destroyed…and the boy faced the Dark Lord." Anakin tensed again. "The boy won."
He blew out a breath. "Good. What happened to his followers?"
"They were defeated or fled," he stated. "One of the rebellion was made temporary minister, and went through the process of putting those that had sided with the Dark Lord on trial. His rival, and his mother, were pardoned." Anakin's eyes widened. "Because he spoke on their behalf, as they had both helped him in a critical moment, which had ultimately led to the defeat of the Dark Lord."
"But-"
"His rival had recognised him instantly, Ani, but he hadn't said anything."
"Oh," he breathed.
"And his mother had told the Dark Lord he was dead, when he was alive, which gave him the chance to attack again at the ultimate time."
"Playing dead."
"Exactly, if done right, it can work very well," he spoke sagely, causing Anakin to grin. "His rival's father, who looked rather pitiful at the trial, was not sentenced to incarceration. Instead, he was given a hefty fine, and a designated number of hours he had to serve the community, fixing what he had helped to break. His family joined him for his allotted number of hours, and when it was over, he decided to continue. His wife chose to visit with the sick and injured who had no family."
"And his rival?"
"Went to him," he murmured softly. Anakin's eyes widened. "They put their past behind them…and fell in love. They decided to spend the rest-" he came to a stop with a fond smile as he realised Anakin had fallen asleep.
"Let me," Obi-Wan spoke softly.
"I can-"
"I am his Master," he reminded gently. "It is my duty and honour to take care of him," he spoke as he scooped up the pre-teen and took him to his quarters.
"I had thought you had better things to do, than listen to me," Harry murmured.
Qui-Gon set up a force-shield, ensuring their words would not be heard. "The boy is you," he stated.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Yes."
"And there is more to your story than what was said."
"Of course there was, I covered sixteen years in a few sentences," he retorted.
"Did your relatives treat you well?" he asked gently.
Harry licked his lips. "No," he admitted, trying for neutral.
Qui-Gon nodded sagely. "If you ever wish to speak of it, I am more than willing to listen."
"I'll keep that in mind."