Disclaimer: I don't own Potter or Starwars. I did change them to fit this AU that I created in those aforementioned universes. I'm not going to make money on any of this. Just enjoy the story because if you've stuck with it this long, you're enjoying it.

x Chapter Fourteen x

Traps

Anakin was pacing in the Chancellor's office, tears evident on his cheeks and his eyes. Palpatine had been in a meeting but had allowed Anakin to remain there. A door opened and the Chancellor entered, "I can't imagine what you're feeling right now, my boy. My networks are trying to determine who was behind this attack..."

"I know who was behind it!" Anakin's voice was laced with hate now as Palpatine showed a little surprise and concern.

"You do?"

"It was the Jedi council. I overheard them discussing...discussing how Padme had been collateral damage. They were going after Potter, something about how she was fixing to betray them or something. She's the one they were using to force their agendas into the Senate." Anakin spat out his Master's name with more venom and anger than Palpatine had ever felt, 'the boy is ready'.

"Then you must protect your children, Anakin. The Jedi will stop at nothing if they feel the Potters are out of their control. You left them with Potter, didn't you?"

Anakin's face paled, "What have I done? If Harry fails to protect them...I'll tear him limb from limb!"

"Wait, Anakin!" Palpatine stopped the man from running out, "I can help you get your revenge on the Jedi. I can teach you things you can't and won't learn from them."

"Teach me? What are you talking about?" Anakin mixed his confusion with curiosity, Palpatine bought it.

"You're powerful, Anakin. But alone even the Council could get you. I can help. My knowledge will be open to you, I want you to learn from me, to obtain even more power to get your revenge on your wife's murderers."

"What kind of power?"

"Power the Jedi would try to keep you from." Palpatine smiled at the thought of how close he was to getting Anakin on his side, but calmed his excitement enough to continue, "My Master taught me for many years, and I can do the same for you."

"You're the Sith!" Anakin drew his lightsaber and ignited it, "The Council, they've been hunting you. You're responsible for this war!"

"No, Anakin. Dooku betrayed me! He built the Separatists and was going to use them to kill me. He was the one who placed the order for the Clones and was going to use them against us. The Jedi weren't supposed to find them and since then, they have been planning to overthrow the Senate with the army behind them." Palpatine paused and dropped his voice, "Are you going to kill me?"

"I certainly would like to." Anakin hesitated, "I'm going to turn you over to the Council." he was pacing, broadcasting anger, confusion and a dark rage that Palpatine was nearly salivating over.

"I can feel your anger, Anakin. We can end the Jedi together and bring peace to the galaxy."

"I need...to think." Anakin wanted the power, he could feel the dark side calling him, easy to reach out and use, "Give me some time."

"Without me, you'll never achieve your true potential." Palpatine called out as Anakin turned to leave, apparating to the Temple the second he was out of sight.

x x x

"We're playing a dangerous game." Mace said to the gathered Council, "What if the boy gives in to his emotions?"

"Palpatine is going to play the revenge and power card." Harry shook his head, "Anakin knows that our training is more powerful than the Darkside or even the Jedi, no offense. Then there's no need for revenge since Padme didn't die."

"Who's going to confront him then?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked, his hologram flickering slightly.

"Anakin must." Harry said, "He's the Chosen one to defeat the Sith, isn't he?"

Mace shook his head, "This needs to be the job of Jedi Masters. Fisto, Kolar, myself..."

Harry cut him off, "You don't trust him? Unbelievable!"

"If the boy does get the intel and forces Palpatine's hand, I will trust him." Mace frowned at Harry.

"Your arrogance is going to alienate him, Mace. How can you call him the 'Chosen One' for years and then when push comes to shove, you deny him? If there's a prophecy saying he's to bring balance to the Force, then anyone else, even myself, will fail and only he will succeed."

"And if Palpatine kills him?" Mace asked.

"He wasn't the 'Chosen One'."

"That's a little cold, Potter." Master Gallia remarked with a frown.

"My prophecy said 'neither can live while the other survives', that meant kill or be killed. His at least says that he'll succeed in bringing balance to the Force."

A crack sounded outside the chamber and Anakin walked in, "Wow, that was...intense!"

"Breath, Anakin. Reinforce your occlumency. Remember Padme is alive, your children are safe and we're on your side!"

Anakin closed his eyes and took several calming breaths. A minute later he opened them and grinned, "He bought it. Everything! He believes I'm back here wanting revenge on the Jedi and desiring the 'Power' he's offering."

Harry laughed, "As if he could have taught you any of the things that I did. You'll have to show us the memory later." he turned to the rest of the Council, "We have our answer. I'll contact Master Yoda and notify the other Jedi on the front lines to be wary of their clones. Palpatine might get the Order out regardless and it'll get messy."

"Good work, Anakin." Mace stood, "You've proved yourself to be a fighter for the light many times over and...I thank you."

Anakin stared at Mace open mouth, looking in disbelief between Windu and Potter before stammering, "No problem, Master."

"You are the Chosen one, Skywalker. It's your destiny to defeat the Sith Lord. Will you allow us to join you?" Kit Fisto asked from the side, "You don't have to face him alone."

"He'll be expecting you." Anakin smiled in appreciation, "He believes you'll keep me back. He's very good, don't underestimate him."

"Anakin and I will apparate ahead of you all. We'll mask our approach and remain invisible until we're needed." Harry stood and looked around for any disagreements. Nobody said anything until Galia announced that she would alert all of the Jedi of the situation and alert the Temple guard.

x x x

"You got here fast." Palpatine looked up from his desk as four Jedi Masters entered.

"Chancellor Palpatine, you're under for treason to the Republic." Mace ignited his lightsaber.

Palpatine chuckled, "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, Master Jedi. I've done nothing but try to keep this Republic together."

"You were in league with Count Dooku from before the war and you've been plotting against the Jedi. You've used this war as your own personal vendetta against the Jedi Order, Darth Sidious."

"I was elected by the governing body and have never betrayed the people, Master Jedi."

"Will you come peacefully?" Mace asked as the other Jedi ignited their light sabers.

"It's treason then." Palpatine cackled, and before the Jedi could react, he leapt from his desk, igniting his lightsaber and slashing Master Tilin across the chest. The other three attempted to react, but Palpatine spun around and cut down Mater Kolar, bringing his blade back in time to deflect blows from Windu and Fisto.

He swung his blade against Mace and hit Fisto with enough push to expose the Jedi to his weapon and stabbed the Nautolan Jedi in the chest. Mace dropped back from the office and the Sith Lord pursued.

Their duel continued through the chambers and into another office, Palpatine was unable to gain the upper hand, before a quick riposte disarmed the Chancellor and Windu knocked him to the ground besides an exposed window. Anakin strode into the room, his robes billowing. He spotted Palpatine at the tip of Windu's blade, "Anakin! See what did I tell you? The Jedi are trying to take over!" Palpatine cried out desperately, "The time to have your revenge is now, Anakin! I can give you the power to avenge your wife. Help me!"

"Don't listen to him, Anakin." Windu called out as the level of wind seemed to increase from the shattered window, "You are defeated, Sidious. The rule of the Sith will not continue."

"What about the Senate?" Anakin asked, "His crimes have to be brought to light or he becomes a martyr."

"He's too dangerous to be left alive!"

"Anakin?" Palpatine frowned, this was not the same boy who had come into his office hours before, "I can get you the revenge..."

Anakin laughed and stood next to Mace, "I can't believe you fell for it, Palpatine. Did you really think Ginny would have let my wife die? From a speeder bomb? Your lackeys hired certainly weren't subtle. I mean, right after a vote to get you out of office wouldn't have the Jedi trying to kill her. And you know the Jedi don't covet power."

A disembodied chuckle sounded from the still open door and Palpatine stared in surprise and disgust as Harry appeared with a shimmer, "You've been played, Sidious. I'll admit, you almost got us."

"Then you'll be devastated on your return to the temple to find my best Legion slaughtering the Jedi Order. I sent them the minute I watched Windu and those Jedi corpses back there enter the building. Of course, I had hoped Skywalker would lead them." Palpatine sneered as he seemed to regain his composure, trying to show that he had faked his defeat at the hands of Windu.

"Call them off!" Mace ordered.

"DO IT, Windu!" Palpatine growled, "You want to kill me so badly for every friend, every pathetic Jedi killed in the war. Of course you had no chance of winning in the end."

"Mace, step back from the Chancellor." Harry cautioned, "We can't let him goad us into murder. Anakin was right about keeping him alive to stand trial. If we kill him now, the Senate will crucify the Jedi and turn us into the enemy."

"I can feel your anger." Palpatine continued, "Your hate can make you powerful, Windu. I am defenseless. Strike me down with all of your hatred and your journey towards the dark side will be complete."

Anakin frowned, "You will be quiet, Sidious! Silencio!"

The spell hit Palpatine and in a flash he jumped to his feet and caught Windu with two handed lightning, completely encasing the Jedi before Harry or Mace could react. Windu was tossed out the window, his screams of pain following as Sidious pulled a secondary lightsaber to his side and ignited it.

Harry and Anakin engaged their blades, throwing spells at the Sith, who, managed to deflect each one, "You will all pay for your treachery!" Sidious broke the silencing spell with a powerful surge from the Force, charging Harry and throwing Anakin across the room with a push through the Force. Harry easily countered the Sith, but failed to notice the table coming at him. Harry was struck and the blow knocked his wand out of his hand.

He allowed the blow to send him under a kill strike from Sidious and summoned his wand back, preparing for a second blow to follow. It never came as Anakin attacked in flurry of body strikes that the Sith could barely contain. Harry was about to reengage the Chancellor, but six red armored guards of the Senate entered to defend Palpatine.

"Guards! The Jedi have betrayed the Republic!" Palpatine shouted, ducking and getting a strike on Anakin's blade before falling back on the defensive again, "Contact the army and alert them of this treason!"

Harry shot a reductor at the guards and the lead man took it in the chest. The power from the explosion knocked both Anakin and Sidious off balance, but the latter was able to strike. With a leg sweep from his blade, Darth Sidious severed both of Anakin's legs while coming up through Anakin's wand arm.

Anakin went down and Harry threw a dozen hexes at Sidious backing him from finishing off Anakin. The surviving guards had left to follow Palpatine's order, but Harry was more concerned with his friend. Grabbing Anakin's body, he apparated them both away as Palpatine cackled gleefully.

Harry and Anakin reappeared in the Jedi medical ward, "I need a healer!"

Two Jedi rushed over, "What happened?"

"Sidious."

"The Sith?"

"Yeah. Windu, Fisto, Kolar and Tilin were with us. They're all dead." Harry summarized, "We don't have time for new limbs. Stabilize him and get him to a transport. I have to get the Temple defenses ready."

"Master Windu's dead?" the other finally asked in shock.

"Yes. Tend to Skywalker and get to a shuttle. This place is going to be crawling with Republic clones, very soon!" Harry watched them begin to stabilize Anakin, who was still conscious, "Stay with us, Anakin."

"Harry?"

"I'm right here. We're getting you off Coruscant. Sidious got you this time, but we'll be back, all right? We'll get him later."

"Padme..." he groaned.

"She's going to be waiting for you, all right? So will Luke and Leia." Harry gripped his only good arm, the mechanical limb that he had acquired from the battle on Geonosis, "I need to organize the Temple defenses, all right? I'll see you back at headquarters."

Anakin cracked a smile, "Thanks for saving me."

"I have a 'saving people' thing." Harry chuckled and with a nod from the healers, he hurried out, following a patron us that found the Corp commander faster.

x x x

Outside the Temple, the ten guards stationed outside noticed a large number of military transports inbound from the Senate building. A second later, a volley of rockets were launched, "Incoming!"

His shout did not come in time and even though they threw up a shield, the rockets slammed into the temple without mercy. Eight of the ten were killed instantly, while the other two were thrown into the debris, their shields shattered. The first wave of clone troopers began to land in front and lasers poured into the breach. One of the survivors went down while the other managed to get his lightsaber up and another shield erected.

However, as the fourth ship landed, his shield failed and a laser struck him in the chest. Four squads of clones charged the breach as more transports approached the temple. A team of four Knights apparated in front, the first response team and opened fire with their blasters, knocking most of the front squad down.

Laser fire thickened and they ducked behind cover, drawing their light sabers. Apparation cracks signaled the arrival of more Knight reinforcements while more Republic clones continued to arrive. Spells and lightsabers engaged the attackers while the blaster fire continued to pour into the Knight ranks. As the initial charge stalled, the clones reformed their approach and pulled back in time for a fresh volley of rockets to slam into the defending Knights.

Only a few were able to raise shields strong enough and in time. Before the dust could begin to settle, the clones were advancing again. More Knights apparated into the fight landing in the center of the clone formation with their lightsabers ready, spinning and slicing through the enemy until a laser broke through and knocked one down. One of them grabbed his companion and apparated to safety.

Another volley of rockets cleared out the defenders again as a third wave of troops started to land. The Clone and Knight bodies were beginning to pile on top of each other as reinforcements continued to pour into the fight from either side.

A squadron of Knight star fighters launched from the Jedi hanger, while two transports with padawans and Jedi took off. Clone escort fighters broke off and pursued the escaping Jedi, rockets trailing the retreating ships. Dogfights broke out while four clone transports attempted to land inside the open hanger.

Explosive hexes erupted from within the hanger, slamming into the lead shuttle's cockpit, causing it to tumble into a pair of banishing hexes knocked it into the ship behind it. Four rockets were fired in retaliation before the third transport took five reductors, blowing it out of the air.

The fourth dropped onto the deck in the dust of the rockets, and a squad of clones jumped into battle. A dozen light sabers ignited and Jedi charged the squad. A padawan was struck in the chest while the boy's lightsaber sliced through his killers armor. Two more Jedi fell in the next minute but the rest of the clones were cut down.

A soft crack echoed in the room and Harry ducked a swinging blade, "Sorry about that, sir."

Harry laughed, "Shouldn't have shown up so close. Get aboard the transport, our next squad of fighters are ready. We're sending four out this time because the clones just got a foothold."

"What about..."

Harry cut the Jedi off, "Time's short. We've already lost five hundred Knights and several dozen Jedi. And that's only twenty minutes of fighting. I'll keep the hanger clear for the final group to get on their ships."

They nodded and Harry noticed Captain Reese and a group of twenty Knights running into the hanger, "General Potter! We lost contact with our team here and..."

"They tried to gain a foothold and clone rockets killed them before I could get here. Besides, Jedi aren't completely useless." Harry cracked a smile, "Most of them were fighting the Seps before you were all cloned and your purpose is to help protect the Jedi."

"Yes, sir. We're going to reinforce the entry."

"Leave three with me."

Reese nodded and pointed to three Knights before apparating with the rest of his squad out of the hanger. He reappeared behind the clone lines where he had left his Knights. His men were caught off guard and the clones opened fire. Reese deflected four shots, noticing that five of his men went down.

Enhancing his speed through the Force, he ran at the closest formation of clones. They shot at him, but he deflected the necessary bolts back at the clones, killing two before launching himself into the air and brought himself down in the middle of the formation, his lightsaber striking the ground. A Force Shockwave erupted from his landing and the squad was scattered.

He brought his lightsaber up again and managed to deflect several lasers back at his attackers. Three clones went down and Reese noticed his men were trying to rally behind him, pushing back against the countless waves of Republic clones trying to purge the Temple.

Reese yelled for his group to charge and through a hail of lasers they advanced, some running, others apparating into the clone ranks, devastating the Republic numbers despite their own continuing to dwindle. A banisher into the body of one clone drew Reese's momentum into an upper slash through the body of another. He heard a vibroblade engage itself from a sheath and watched a clone trooper launch an attack at him. He could not protect himself in time and felt the sharp cold blade bury itself into his wand shoulder.

Falling back from the blow, he countered with his lightsaber and cut the clone down, but the wound was too much for him to regain his fighting fervor. A warning through the Force allowed him to defect a volley of shots at him, while throwing up a weak shield to stop another until a second bolt ripped through his shield and struck him in the thigh. He was knocked to the ground and fought to gain his feet.

Around him, the last push from his men was weakening, while more Republic clones arrived. Clone Commandos were marching into the temple with rockets and heavy weapons while two clone walkers had landed and were pushing through the breach. Explosions continued to shake the temple as the clones fought to widen the gap for a Juggernaut to join the assault.

Reese heard a crack next to him and saw Harry launching a furious attack on the clones. Spells, hexes and conjured creatures assaulted the clones, with three reductors and a banisher annihilated both walkers, "Get out of here, sir!"

Harry grinned at the Captain, "I'm here to get you out! Your men are pulling back to their fighters and we're going to my ship."

He paused, conjured a twenty foot dragon, releasing the beast against the clones before taking aim at the Juggernaut and released a full powered confrigo hex. Grabbing Captain Reese, he apparated them both from the Temple a second before the curse landed. With the force of a five hundred pound bomb, the hex detonated and engulfed three fourths of the vehicle, including half of the clones on the ground.

Under the cover of the confusion that followed, the remaining two hundred Knights pulled back to minimize their losses and regrouped with General Potter.

x x x

Ginny Potter watched from the cockpit of the Marauder as the Republic fleet began to position themselves above the Jedi temple. Already dozens of clone transports were headed to the surface and clone fighters had been launched to begin patrolling the skies.

"Padme! Get up here!"

The senator entered the cockpit, holding Leia in her arms, "Is it happening?"

There was a trace of fear in her voice and Ginny knew what she was thinking, both of their husbands were on the surface, in the thick of it all. Ginny could sense that something had gone wrong in their attack on the Chancellor, it was the only explanation she could come up with that would stir the clones up like they were.

"I can still sense them." Ginny said, closing her eyes and focusing for a moment, "The temple is under attack. Thousands of clones. Harry's leading the defense, but...Anakin, he's hurt. Alive but hurt, Padme."

Padme gasped at the news and held her tongue from asking question that she knew Ginny could not answer, "Look, coming from the planet!"

Ginny turned back to the stars and saw the clone formations breaking towards the surface, "I'm detecting a ship coming from the surface. Two of our transports. Can you get into one of the guns? Or get Ahsoka and another Knight into them. We're going to run a little cover for them."

Padme nodded and left the cockpit as Ginny accelerated towards the approaching transports. Both ships were light on their weaponry, but the four Jedi fighters had already broken off and speeding to delay the intercepting Republic forces. Missiles launched and lasers flashed from the approaching ships. They were only five minutes away from their jump spot, but a Republic cruiser was nearly there to stop them.

She armed a torpedo and flipped her ship towards the cruiser, "Turrets, stand by to fire. I'm going to soften them up with a missile. Focus on the bridge. I want them thinking about us, not our transports."

"Got it." "Understood."

Waiting until minimum range, Ginny painted the target and launched immediately. It struck the shields seconds later with a full barrage from her freighters laser batteries hitting the shielded bridge. Enough damage was done and she banked away from the answering volley of lasers. She cloaked the ship again and was satisfied that the cruiser was unable to track them. She turned the ship again and repeated the action, coming at the bridge from another angle that threw off the second volley enough to allow her to escape unscathed.

"Marauder, this is transport one. We're through the blockade. Thanks for the distraction."

"No problem. Meet you at the rendezvous."

"Understood. We're tracking four more transports launching, Marauder." the captain of the transport continued, "We're picking up more cruisers on intercept. May the Force be with you."

"Appreciated, one." Ginny turned the ship to find four more transports breaking from the planet's atmosphere and dozens of Jedi and Republic fighters engaged in dogfights. She uncloaked her ship and took it towards the battle. She could feel the warning in the Force before it happened, only able to watch a deadly volley hitting the shields of the lead transport. She could do nothing as the shields failed and the Jedi transport was cut apart by the Republic's turbolasers.

Arming two more torpedoes, Ginny locked onto the cruiser responsible and fired. Both warheads made it through the lasers trying to shoot them down and struck the shielded bridge with a brilliant explosion of energy. For a moment, she thought that the shields failed, but the flickering stabilized and she muttered a curse under her breath, "Padme! Get up here!"

Without waiting for an answer, Ginny cloaked the freighter again and moved it closer to the bridge, "What's wrong?" Padme asked, surprised at the proximity to the cruiser as she entered the cockpit.

"Get me Ahsoka and one of the Knights. Then take the helm." Ginny answered, still maneuvering the Marauder into position next to the bridge. Padme called for the mentioned Knights and they both entered, "Hold on!"

Before they could say anything, Ginny grabbed both and apparated them onto the bridge of the Cruiser. Her wand snapped up and before the crew could register she was there, Ginny hurled a bone breaker at the captain. It struck him in the chest and she heard the satisfying snap and sickening crunch of his body hitting the wall. A laser passed her head, and she conjured a fire whip which cracked through the air taking the head of a clone trooper. Next to her, Ahsoka and the Knight had engaged their lightsabers and attacked ferociously, the crew just beginning to respond against the threatening Jedi.

Ginny engaged her lightsaber and batted three lasers back to their origin while apparating into one of the crew pits and cutting down the half dozen men within it, "Find the helm, Ahsoka!" Ginny shouted, "Direct the ship into one of the other cruisers and disable the weapons!"

She jumped over two clones and cut their legs out from beneath them then looked around. Everybody was dead on the bridge and she noticed a boarding alarm had been sounded during the fight. No surprise, but it might complicate things if they discovered where she had boarded. Ginny took out her communicator and keyed it to her ship, "Marauder, you still out there?"

Padme's voice came back clear, "Right where you left us."

"Be ready to uncloak. I'll have to see the cockpit to make it back."

"Ready for your signal."

Ahsoka walked up beside her, "Course is set. They took out another transport though, Master."

"We need to get to the rendezvous point." Ginny looked out at the battle that had already turned against them, "Uncloak now!"

Padme uncloaked the ship and a second later, Ginny reappeared, "Let's get out of here."

As she spun the ship around, they watched another transport take a crippling hit to their engines and list violently to the right before a volley of lasers finished it off, "Course is laid in."

"Punch it."

The Marauder jumped away from Coruscant seconds before two Republic cruisers collided and erupted into a giant fireball above the planet, giving the remaining Jedi and Knights an opening and time to escape the system.