Author's Note: So, it's been a couple of days since the last chapter. Longest update wait to date. Sorry bout that. Hope the chapter makes up for it… I doubt it…
Chapter Five: Strange Things
Mace and Yoda left in their wake another brief awkward silence. "So…Obi-wan is it?" Sirius finally asked. The Jedi Master nodded and asked, "And you are?" For a moment, Sirius hesitated, but then he figured the boy and man in front of him surely weren't wizards and his name wouldn't mean anything to them. Anyway, he had a creeping suspicion he was a long way from home... "Sirius Black" he said finally, moving forward to shake Obi-wan's hand and Anakin's. "Charmed."
Happy they were finally making progress, Obi-wan smiled and asked, "Who is this young man?" Coming from almost any other adult, it would have come off as chastising, but Obi-wan only sounded enthusiastic. Some part of Harry's shocked mind to a liking to Obi-wan, even though they'd just barely met. Harry's eyes quickly flicked to his wand, almost unconsciously. Anakin noted this with vague interest. What's so special about a stick?
Harry kicked his feet out of bed, finding they were already clad in boots, and walked to Sirius' side, shook Obi-wan's hand and said, "I'm Harry Potter."
Harry had grown used to people's eyes flicking to his forehead when they met him, even those with the most self-control couldn't stop their eyes widening in surprise, but Obi-wan merely smiled. Anakin didn't even acknowledge him. N o raised eyebrows. Nothing. Interesting.
"Anakin, right?" Harry asked the boy. He nodded once in response. There was another silence, but before it dragged on too long, Sirius said, "Well, now we all know who we are, where did you say we are again?"
"The Jedi Temple," Obi-wan answered. He was surprised to see no hint of recognition on the strangers' faces. It might've been vain of him, but he liked to think the Jedi and, by association, the Jedi Temple were rather popular throughout the galaxy, or at the very least well known. But it appeared neither stranger had even heard of the temple; both Sirius and Harry stared back at him blankly. "Would you like to see more of it?"
Sirius glanced at Harry who gave a small shrug. "Might as well" the shrug said. "Sure, why not?" Sirius replied.
"Sure, why not?" Anakin thought. "These strangers are being offered a tour of the Jedi Temple and all they have to say is 'sure why not?'"
Both Sirius and Harry back-tracked to pick up their sticks Anakin noticed. Then they followed Anakin and Obi-wan out the door and into the Temple.
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Harry was well accustomed to being stared at, and he, Sirius, Obi-wan and Anakin got more than their fair share of stares. Sirius and Harry hardly noticed – they gave as well as they got. Both wizards wished they had about eight more sets of eyes. As soon as they were in the hallways, they were bombarded with people and…things. Things neither thought they'd ever see. Never in their wildest dreams. The only thing Harry could compare with was how he'd felt when Hagrid had first brought him through the Leaky Cauldron and into the magic world.
Aliens. There were aliens everywhere! Tall ones, short ones, skinny ones, fat ones, some with extra arms and legs and eyes and ears. There were a few humans thrown into the mix, and all of them were dressed in versions of the same clothes Ani, Obi, Sirius and Harry were wearing, and all of them composed and…at peace? Harry and Sirius didn't quite have the words to describe the calming pulse waves that everything in the Temple seemed to be radiating. They had a different word for the Force. As if the aliens weren't enough, there were also machines and robots everywhere. Short little rounded ones beeping and whirring with flashing lights followed aliens and humans here and there. Taller, gleaming human-like robots walked to and fro with stiff strides. It was all Harry and Sirius could do to keep Obi-wan and Anakin within sight. They walked with a steady, brisk pace, apparently totally unimpressed by things Harry and Sirius thought they'd never see outside a movie screen. And they hadn't even looked outside yet.
Sirius managed to overcome his sensory-overload first. He caught up with Obi-wan and asked in a strangled and weak tone, "But…but they're aliens!" Everywhere!" Obi-wan only looked vaguely bemused. "Well, I suppose we're all aliens. None of us were born on Coruscant. You two are off-worlders for certain, and Anakin here was born on Tatooine.
"Tatooine?"
"Off -worlders?"
Obi-wan faltered for a second, trying to decide whether to answer Harry's or Sirius' question first. "Tatooine is my padawan's home-world. Ghastly hot ball of sand if you ask me. 'Off-worlders' are people from different planets, like you."
"From different planets?!" Sirius and Harry asked simultaneously.
"Yes. You two certainly have a lot of questions, don't you?" Obi-wan said.
A lot of stupid questions, Anakin thought.
Harry's mouth hung agape in shock, he'd reached his limit it seemed, and his brain had simply refused to accept any more information.
"Okay, let me get this straight," Sirius started, "We're not on earth?"
Obi-wan's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "No. Is that your homeworld? I've never heard of it. Have you, Anakin?" His padawan shook his head.
Harry and Sirius faced each other, eyes full of a look that can only be shared by people very far from home.
Author's Note: So there it is. Next chapter, we might get to see what's going on on the other side of the veil. Until then,
La Nanita
