Harry Potter and the Phantom Menace
By: Tellemicus Sundance
#1—Trade Dispute
BACKGROUND HISTORY
Several millennia ago, Wizards and Muggles came to an agreement: in exchange for protection against prosecution from a superstitious populace, wizards would support the monarchy or government as their elite bodyguards and/or the military's Special Forces. With this agreement, the Magical and Muggle communities slowly began to coexist. But due to the influence of wizards, certain events in history never happened or were fundamentally changed.
The Roman Empire, though tragically losing power, never truly fell and still rules the Mediterranean Sea. Persia expanded to control the entire Middle East and vast portions of the Sahara. The French Empire ruled much of Western Europe, including northern Spain and western Germany. Poland and western Russia never formed, they are little more than numerous feuding city-states that are too rebellious or dangerous for either the French Empire or Soviet Union to take advantage of. Because of that, central Europe is also considered the heart of Dark activity (creatures, wizards, and governments). England is a center of magical cooperation due to its iconic history of being the birthplace of Merlin and the Hogwarts Founders. Hogsmeade is the heart of the wizarding community. Nottingham became the new London when King John came to the throne after Richard the Lionheart's death. Norway, Sweden, and Finland all remained as the homelands of marauding Norsemen who had slowly changed from conquerors and invaders to mercenaries and assassins. Ireland and Iceland are both extremely protective of their homelands due to the numerous Norse, British, and French invasions that have occurred over the centuries. Ireland possesses an intense isolationist view of international issues. The Oriental countries keep to and fight amongst themselves unless provoked.
Columbus' plan to sail west to reach the Orient never happens because magical Seers and prophecies warned of a great nation being born and eventually taking over the world should Columbus' voyage (or any voyage to the west) take place; the Americas remained a lost and dangerous world known only among the Norse and Icelandic peoples.
Over time wizards slowly became the iconic figureheads of monarch rule and government enforcement. Though they did have their Pureblood beliefs, it was somewhat lessened by the fact that many Muggles usually saw them as social superiors and that it was a great honor for them to have Muggleborn children (especially because it usually offered the family a degree of protection and social elevation). Of course there were groups who took extremist views and wanted nothing more than total enslavement or extermination of the other, be it Muggle or Wizarding. Ireland and Portugal are among the few countries that actively support the extremist view, with Ireland vying for Muggle dominance and Portugal for wizard dominance.
Whispered among wizards is a prophecy of a wizard who'll be born and bring balance and order to the world. There have been many witches and wizards through the centuries that have risen to power claiming to be this mysterious 'Chosen One'. Though they did offer drastic changes and incurred savage wars, none of them ultimately fulfilled the role of bringing balance to the world. The most recent of these was the Dark Lord Grindelwald who was able to temporarily unite Poland, Austria, and Germany. Allied with the Roman Empire, Grindelwald fought a massive war against the French Empire, Soviet Union, and England. Though Poland, Germany, and Austria remained united as allies and individual countries afterwards, Grindelwald was eventually defeated by the soon-to-be headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. As a result of the massive Great War, many Muggle families quickly began building strong resentments and heightened existing fears of all things magical, even in the generally more 'tolerant' areas of the world.
STORYLINE
Because of a trade disagreement between the ICW and the Union of Goblin Banks, the Union places a blockade around the city of London. This blockade traps not only all people inside, but also prevents magical travel through it. Fleur Delacour, an aspiring ambassador of the French Empire who was visiting before the blockade, becomes trapped inside London and quickly takes the role of spokeswoman for the people, demanding the immediate removal of the blockade and requesting assistance from the ICW. The Wizengamot sends a pair of Aurors to negotiate an immediate settlement of the trade dispute and to end the blockade. But the Goblins (as ordered by their mysterious Dark Lord) quickly attempt to assassinate them, but the Aurors are able to escape. They are confused and angry to realize that the Goblins had been secretly marshaling an army of Dark Creatures and were preparing to unleash them into London to massacre the populace. Stalling away on one of the transports, they enter London and seek out Fleur's troupe to bring her to safety and then bring the news of their discoveries to the King and ICW's attentions.
When the wizards and representatives of London were able to break through the blockade and go into hiding in the suburbs, their source of transportation (flying carriage and winged horses) was damaged and the horses injured. They needed to purchase special ingredients for the potion to heal the horses, but the only store that had the ingredients sold them for prices that were too high for their current funds. They had to rely on the flying talent of a previously undiscovered wizarding family (Lily and Harry, no one knows who Harry's father was) to win a race and the prize money to pay for them. As part of the bet, they were also able to win Harry his freedom of the Dursleys' servitude. However, as they were fleeing the suburbs, they were suddenly attacked by a Dark wizard who fought with a beastly savagery. They had only just barely escaped with their lives because they were already in the midst of fleeing.
At Hogwarts, it would be decided whether Harry would be given schooling in magic. It was initially decided that despite his natural talent, he wouldn't be because he didn't have anything but the clothes on his back to pay for the schooling. Meanwhile, Fleur meets with the British representative for the ICW who gives her a basic outline of the situation at hand. After they had made their escape, the Goblins took complete control of London and removed the blockade since it was no longer needed. But with exceedingly powerful wards that they'd erected around the city, no one has been able to escape since and the Goblins' demands are growing increasingly more demanding. At the meeting of the ICW, Fleur, disgusted with the way the government was being run by Cornelius Fudge calls for a vote of no confidence and the immediate election of someone more capable. Among those elected as candidates are Tom Marvolo Riddle of London, Claude Poetsy of Paris, and Johann Kinte of Madrid. Riddle ultimately wins the election thanks to the sympathy vote he receives from his hometown being held hostage.
Unable to sit by while people she'd come to know were being persecuted and dominated by the Goblins, Fleur decides to return to London with the intention of stopping the Goblins herself. Remus and Sirius continue to be her bodyguards on request of Dumbledore. As they were returning, Fleur had an inspiration and, with Dobby's help, located the hidden enclaves that House-Elves and various other Magical Creatures had fled to when the Goblins came. She was able to talk them into helping them reclaim London from the cruel Goblins who were unjustly oppressing them. Meanwhile, Dark Lord Voldemort had sent his faithful henchman, Fenrir Greyback to handle the Aurors who were accompanying Fleur.
Harry accompanies the representatives back to London in an effort to find his mother, but he gets drawn into the battle between the rebels and the Goblins, playing a key role in destroying the Goblins' blockade and freeing London. He was unable to find his mother in the confusion. Afterwards, he gets accepted into Hogwarts to receive the beginner lessons of magic, his schooling being funded by the gold of the late Sirius Black as part of his last request before dying. When he reaches the age of 13, Harry gets apprenticed to Remus Lupin to continue his schooling to become an Auror.
Characters
Anakin = Harry
Artoo = Hedwig
Jar-Jar Binks = Dobby
Jedi Academy instructors = McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick, Pompfry, Hagrid, Sinistra, Sprout, Vector, Babbling, Trelawney
Jedi Knights = Aurors, wizards
Jedi Padawans/Younglings = Hogwarts students
Mace = Kingsley Shacklebolt
Obi-wan = Remus Lupin (non-werewolf)
Padme = Fleur
Qui-Gon = Sirius Black
Yoda = Dumbledore
Watto = Vernon Dursley
Sebulba = Piers Polkiss
Shmi Skywalker = Lily Evans
Boba Fett = Draco Malfoy
Jango Fett = Lucius Malfoy (Norse raider)
Clone Troopers = Death Eaters, Muggle soldiers
Count Dooku = Augustus Rookwood
Darth Maul = Fenrir Greyback
Grievous = Bellatrix
Senator Palpatine/Darth Sidious = Tom Marvolo Riddle/Lord Voldemort
Battle Droids = Dark Creatures, Norse raiders
Viceroy Nute Gunray = Peter Pettigrew