Chapter Four: Introductions

As Anakin, Obi-wan, Mace and Yoda drew steadily nearer the Healers' Ward, Harry and Sirius sat in their beds, no closer to figuring out where they were. They both firmly agree that the veil was responsible for their…unplanned vacation as it was the last thing either of them remembered, but they couldn't for the life of them figure out where they were. For a few minutes, they jokingly suggested possibilities (America? Mars?) mostly because it kept their minds from wandering and touching upon much more serious thoughts like how would they get back? Would they ever get back?

Sirius had said wit little of his casual sarcasm, "Well, if this is death, it's not that bad." He didn't even try to smile. There were silent after that; both were unknowingly lost in thought about the same two people.

About a minute later, the silence was broken by several voices coming from the other side of the door, one female and at least three male. "They've been treated?" A deep voice asked. The female one replied, "Yes, Master, for the bruises and for shock." "Very good." The deep voice again. Sirius and Harry snapped out of their reveries and their eyes darted to each other. "Wait and see" their eyes said. "There's not much else we can do." They both grabbed their wands and waited.

The door at the end of the corridor slid open (yes slid, not swung, Harry and Sirius were too surprised by what came through it to ponder how it opened) and in waked the strangest quintet Harry and ever seen. Two men (one white, one black if it matters) and a boy, all dressed in the same heavy robes he and Sirius had been given. It was the last two members of the group that struck Sirius and Harry speechless; one was a three-foot tall, wrinkled, green (alien) creature. He was dressed the same as the three humans, and Harry would have laughed if he hadn't been so freaked out. The last was an average-height alien (it was now the only appropriate word, although on some level of Harry's shocked mind, he wondered if he and Sirius might be the aliens) with blue tinged skin and a tentacle-like growth sprouting from her head. It was decorated with ribbons and jewelry, curving gracefully from her skull to rest curled on her neck. The blue alien bowed respectfully and let herself out, palming open the door. It slid shut behind her with a whir and a snap. Then silence.

Four stared at two. Two stared at four, until, "Feeling better are you?" Yoda asked.

Harry barely swallowed back a shriek of terror and, startled, Sirius asked, "It talks?!"

Several things happened then. Obi-wan's eyebrows shot up, Anakin laughed behind his hand, Mace attempted to keep his face expressionless (and failed) and Yoda, weirdly resembling a ruffled hen, answered the question. "Of course do I!"

"And so do I," Mace said in an effort to diffuse the situation. Harry and Sirius realized he was the owner of the deep voice as he continued, "In fact, we all can speak," he added with the barest hint of a smile. "Well that's good, Sirius retorted, getting out of his bed and starting toward the three men and the alien, "because we've got a lot of questions and we want a lot of answers. Who are you and where are we for starters." It appeared Sirius would go right on interrogating, but Master Windu cut in smoothly, "You are in the Jedi Temple---Healers' Ward to be exact. I am Master Windu, this is Master Yoda, (he gestured to the green alien), Master Obi-wan Kenobi (the other man) and his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker (the boy). Kenobi and Skywalker each smiled and nodded when they were introduced, Anakin in a rather distracted way, as if his attention were elsewhere.

Master Windu continued, "Anakin and Master Kenobi will be your guardians (Sirius crinkled his nose slightly) they have already been briefed and will answer any other questions you most certainly have," Here he paused and inclined his head towards Sirius, the corners of his mouth upturned in a tiny smile. Sirius responded with more of a grimace.

"Right now, however, I'm afraid Master Yoda and I have a meeting we must be getting to." That said, Mace turned, palmed open the door and left, followed closely by Master Yoda. The door slid shut behind them.

As the two walked down the corridor to the council room, Yoda looked up at Mace and asked sagely, "Worried are you? Or curious?

"Both," Mace replied. "Didn't you feel it too?"

Slowly, Yoda nodded.

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Author's Note: So, there's a little bit of a longer chapter for you guys. And guess what: I have even more already written! This just seemed like a good place to end it. Next chapter, we'll see how Harry, Anakin, Obi-wan and Sirius get to know each other and possibly what Harry and Sirius think of the Temple. See you then!

As always, review!