Shadow of the Force

Chapter 23

-Harry-

The sky was clear and beautiful, not a cloud in the sky. The Capital City of Mandalore had been restored to full pristine glory though liberal use of repairing charms, a sight that had shocked all those who weren't in the know of his magic yet, the locals in particular.

After the battle had ended with the Imperial forces, unused to overwhelming force used against them, he'd begun focusing on restoring the planet. Those captive had been put on trial, those dead had been buried, and word was spreading throughout the galaxy about the liberation of Mandalore.

But right now, though, he was focused on something that had been put off for far too long.

His wedding to Oola.

They refused to keep putting it off, not wanting to let this war or the damned Empire control their lives any more than it already did. So here he stood at the Altar, Galen standing beside him as his best man with Luke and Kal as fellow Groomsmen as he waited with baited breath for his fiancé too appear, heart hammering in his chest.

"Relax Captain." Galen smirked as he whispered, "I can see you sweat."

"Really?" Harry worked to try and calm his nerves, "I hadn't noticed."

"Yeah, well you've always been a bit slow on the uptake." Galen chuckled; Harry stopped from whispering back a scathing remark when the music changed.

And then he saw her.

The world stopped existing around him in that moment, everything but the woman walking toward him ceased to matter. Oola's green skin stood out against the white of her wedding gown, silver jewelry adoring her lekku, the twin tendrils resting on her shoulders and sparkling with gemstones. When Oola smiled his way, she seemed to shine brighter than the sun itself.

He continued to focus only on her as she took her place with him at the altar. Her Maid of Honor Juno and the bridesmaids Marris and Merrin taking their places behind her.

Finally, Leia stepped up to the altar in the traditional garb of the Royal Family of Alderan, the position giving her the authority to perform marriages.

"To those gathered here today-"

-Luke-

Smiling, Luke watched as Harry and Oola shared their first dance as man and wife, the wedding ceremony having turned into the wedding party. He just wished Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru could have been here in more than just memory.

"Hey Luke." Leia stepped up beside him as they both watched the newlyweds spin about the dance floor, "Are you doing alright?"

"Yeah, just wishing my…our, Aunt and Uncle could have been here today." Luke gave his sister a sad smile, "They really cared about Harry and I know they'd have loved to get to know you as well."

"From what you've told me of them I'm positive I'd have loved getting to know them as well." Leia smiled as she gave him a hug before her expression turned mischievous "Still, I was rather expecting you to be nervous about your upcoming part."

"…Come again?" Luke felt a cold shiver go down his spine.

"Oh, you didn't know?" Leia gave a mock shocked gaps, "It's apparently a tradition where Harry's from. The Best man and maid of honor, along the Groomsmen and Bridesmaid's, share a dance after the Bride and Groom do. And since two of the three are already married couples, you'll be dancing with…"

"Marris." Luke paled even as his heart started racing. He knew he had a massive crush on the Zabrak that he served with on the Citadel. Or at least it had started as just a simple little crush and he wasn't even sure what it was anymore. Either way, he had no idea how he was supposed to dance with Marris and not embarrass himself.

"See, I knew there was a braincell in there somewhere." Leia laughed, digging her knuckles into his scalp playfully "Deep somewhere admittedly but it's still there!"

"Glad you find this so funny!" He hissed back, escaping her grip as he nervously glanced around.

"Oh, relax Luke, it'll be fine." Leia rolled her eyes, "Trust me on this. I know things." The last part was said with a smug smirk as the song currently playing started to wind down.

"Oh yeah?" Luke gulped, noting Marris approaching since their dance was apparently about to start, "Like what?"

"Oh, I think I'll keep the details to myself for now." Leia smirked, patting Luke on the shoulder, "Knock her dead Luke, you've got this."

Glad that she at least seemed confident that he wouldn't fuck things up, Luke gulped and approached to meet Marris partway, "Shall we dance?" he asked nervously, hoping he didn't sound as ridiculous as he felt.

"I'd love to." Marris smiled back as she took his hand, a bit of red forming around her ears as they stepped onto the dance floor, Harry and Oola sending him a thumbs up when Marris wasn't looking.

-Malcolm-

"Three Musketeers." Malcolm spoke the password to Dumbledore's Gargoyle, mildly amused that the Headmaster had apparently taken to muggle sweets as of late. It had been two weeks since he last spoke to the Headmaster. Knocking on the aged oak door, he heard the clear but decidedly happy sounding 'enter'. The moment he was inside he was being enveloped in a crushing hug from a sobbing Mrs. Weasley.

"W-what?" Marcus looked wide eyed between the bawling woman and the jubilant headmaster, Mr. Weasley standing at his side wiping away his own happy tears.

"You helped save my Ginny." Mrs. Weasley hugged him tighter, "She…she was…" the woman dissolved into unintelligible wails and just squeezed him tighter.

"Thanks to your suggestions were indeed able to locate the Chamber of Secrets." Dumbledore picked up as Marcus awkwardly returned the hug "We set a few charms down in the Chamber to alert us next time someone went down there, tied to some portkeys I made that would let them get through the school wards. Ginny Weasley was found in the chamber, her mind being affected by a Dark Relic containing part of the soul of Voldemort which attempted to possess her."

"Is she alright?!" Marcus felt sick to his stomach. He might not be on the best terms with Ron right now, but the redhead had been his best friend once, the Weasleys had always been good to him, and Ginny was still an innocent first year.

"She is now. Or will be." Dumbledore assured him quickly, "The aurors who Minister Bones sent in merely stunned Miss Weasley. The Dark Artifact reacted poorly and the shadow of Voldemort from when he was a student ordered the Basilisk to attack the arurors. He was not prepared for them to each open a Nab Sack and release close to a hundred roosters into the Chamber of Secrets."

"That got the Basilisk?" he asked dryly as Dumbledore nodded, eyes twinkling amused "I'm told that Voldemort's shade used some highly creative swears when that happened. To the point that if he was still a student I'd have been torn between taking points for the profanity or awarding them for the creativity."

"I have a feeling the other teachers wouldn't be as conflicted." Marcus chuckled dryly as Mrs. Weasley started to get control of herself again, even if she was still refusing to break the hug.

"You might be right about that." Dumbledore nodded as he ate a candy, "The Artifact has been taken to the Department of Mysteries to be studied and dealt with; the young Ms. Weasley is being given the best care at St. Mungos to recover from the partial possession; and the Basilisk is now dead."

"Shame about that though." Marcus sighed sadly, "If it was around since the time of the Founders imagine the things it could have seen and told us…if we could understand it."

"And if it wasn't so bloodthirsty." Dumbledore nodded, "Sadly there's a good chance that the creature went mad after all the centuries isolated in the dark and cold like it had been. That said, we've cut off access to that restroom from the rest of the school and will be having historians and curse breakers exploring the Chamber now that we can access it safely." Marcus felt a burning curiosity at that, an eagerness to see what was down there and learn more. His eagerness must have shown as Dumbledore laughed merrily.

"The students who have high enough grades in History of Magic are going to be offered chances to join the teams looking through the chamber." Dumbledore commented, "There's no particular reason I mentioned it of course. Just making conversation."

"Sure." Marcus finally let out a laugh of his own, "I can see why you weren't a Slytherin sir." Dumbledore almost looked affronted at that while Fawkes chirped mocking laughter at the old headmaster.

Tuning out the Headmaster's mocking grumbles about 'impertinent youths' he realized something "Wait, why tell me all this?" he blinked in surprise "I get letting me know that my ideas helped if you wanted to thank me but why all the details?"

At that, Dumbledore slumped in his seat, looking exasperated "Because there's no real point in hiding them. Turns out a now ex auror who was on the team that went into the Chamber thought nobody would figure out it was them if they sold the story and details to the prophet who already had the story printed and written. The Evening edition will have the story as it was shipped out before Amelia could find out and stop it."

"You just can't find good help these days." Marcus laughed, finally letting himself relax.