Chapter Fourteen: Politics

Star Wars + Harry Potter Crossover

A/N: Chap 13 review responses are in my forums. Thank you all for reading.

Chapter Fourteen: Politics

Although Harry never admitted it to anyone but Ginny and Hermione, when the Deathly Hallows returned, his dreams changed. Before the Empire scorched Earth into a snowball, he often dreamed about Cedric, or Tonks and Lupin. Even Sirius...

He dreamed of talking to them; of telling them about his life and having them tell them about events from theirs. Most disconcerting was when he found evidence that what he dreamed actually happened. Though no Marauders lived to confirm the story, Dream Sirius told Harry of a time in his fourth year when he managed to convince the first year Slytherins that Herbology was actually held in Hagrid's midden field which he used to fertilize his pumpkins.

When he later attended Minerva McGonagall's 95th birthday party and mentioned the odd dream, she laughed uproariously and confirmed that in fact it did happen. Though it would be disconcerting to most, in a way Harry found it comforting that he alone was able to carry a part of those he loved with him past their deaths in a way others could not.

But after the Earth died, and he dreamed almost exclusively of Ginny and his kids, the dreams became so painful he woke up with tears in his eyes almost every morning. He dreamt of them now, laughing in the park across from Grimmauld Place. He and Ginny worked for six months straight to completely gut and refurbish the old house when they first found out she was pregnant with James. Those months were probably the happiest months in his life. It was before he really began to notice how he had not been aging like other people, and being just the two of them neither gave a second thought to eating out every night, or pub crawling with Muggles. And every night they would come home and make love and sink into a deep, restful sleep secure behind their wards and each other's arms.

He dreamed of that happy young couple now. He stood on the sidewalk by the park, looking into the windows of the house at the shockingly young couple. He was nineteen, she only eighteen, and they were so deeply, profoundly in love it hurt to look at them. And yet it was a precious pain, and one he could never imagine going without.

Suddenly the dream blurred and changed into something he'd never dreamed of before. He was in a sterile room of silvers, tans and whites. A table rested in the middle of the space, and on it lay a short, rounded body. The sheet that covered the body was soaked in blood from the waist down.

Curious, the dream Harry lifted the sheet back to reveal a woman once beautiful in life, made less so in death. The face was swollen, like her belly, with a late pregnancy. The swelling had sunk with her passing, leaving her face mottled and misshapen. Her hair looked lank with sweat, and like in all his dreams he could smell the stench of blood, shit and sweat that the antiseptics in the room could not quite cover.

Given who and what he was, it did not surprise Harry at all when the figure opened her eyes. "You were not her future," the woman said. "You changed everything."

Harry nodded as if he understood, when he really didn't. "For the better?"

"Only the Force knows," the woman said. "Her destiny was so heavy for such small shoulders. Her brother cannot be for her what she needs. Can you?"

And suddenly Harry understood. He was talking to Leia's and Luke's mother. "I don't know," he admitted. "I'm not sure what she needs."

"Until you do know, she will not be yours."

He woke up then, but only because of the stinging slap to his cheek.

~~Revenge~~

~~Revenge~~

Harry's eyes popped open to see Maria De La Rosa standing over him while rubbing what looked like an artificial hand. "That was a stupid plan, Potter!" she growled. "It cost me my arm!"

Harry had to blink several times to get the tears out of his eyes, though he couldn't tell if they were from his dreams or the slap. With effort, he sat up in the ship's fully automated med bay, where he and Maria were the only two living beings present. A nearby droid said, "Madam, it is unwise to strike a patient until your nerve-mapping is complete."

"Shut up, montanha de merda!"

"Mountain of shit?" Harry translated.

"You, shut up. I'm not done with you yet."

Harry shook his head and tested his magic. He wasn't up to normal levels, but he appeared to be better off than he was. "Yes, you are."

"Who do you think…?"

"I'm your commanding officer, De La Rosa, or did you forget that?" Harry snapped angrily.

She stiffened. "This is a volunteer crew."

"Volunteers in a time of war. From the day you volunteered, your arse was mine. You were an Auror, you know how it works. I'll give that one to you for free—you lost an arm, and I'm sorry. That guy almost had my head on three occasions, and I fucking beat Voldemort. But we did it—we got the ship, we saved the Wookiees, and we did a world of hurt on the people who killed our world. Most importantly, limbs aside, we didn't have any fatalities. That's a win and you know it!"

She gripped the artificial hand. The Immobilizer medical bay did not have the resources for synthflesh, and so instead her new arm was covered in a clear polymer that left the complex servos of the arm exposed for all to see. It reminded Harry of the conjured quicksilver Voldemort used for Pettigrew years ago. Maria looked down and flexed her new fingers before making a fist.

"I've been an Auror for twenty years," she admitted slowly, as if the words hurt. "And I've never been that scared before, except maybe when the Imps burned the world. Even then, once I made it to the school, I thought I'd make it because those were the strongest wards on Earth. But yesterday… meu Deus, I thought I was going to die."

"Yesterday?" Harry cleared his throat. "So, I've been out all day?"

"Yeah. Mr. Veela's been in charge. Bill."

Harry snorted. "Mr. Veela?"

"You think he wears the pants in that family?"

At her incredulous look, Harry could only shake his head. "You see those scars he got?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Fenrir Greyback, the most notorious werewolf in Britain. Happened before they were even married. Know what? She didn't care. She's not the boss, and he's not either. They're partners, as perfect for each other as anyone I've ever met." Almost as perfect as Ginny and I were. "Come on, let's go see what the hell's going on. Are you just now getting out too?"

"Yeah."

"Then let's go. I need food, then a bath."

The two of them wandered aimlessly through the ship until they found one of the new conscripts who, blushing furiously, led them to the mess hall.

"It's like a Sasquatch convention," Maria muttered.

Hundreds of Wookiees filled the space so thoroughly it was all the two humans could do to squeeze through to the food, which the ship's droids prepared. "Do you recognize any of this merda?" Maria asked.

"I'm so hungry, I don't care." Harry took a tray and began piling food on. His magic might have been restored, but he had not had a meal in over a day and the hunger gnawed at him. He finally found a table with a pair of witches and one of the Brazilian away team members. He made his way over, and the three stood abruptly.

"At ease," Harry said without a thought. "It seems crowded. Mind if we join you?"

"No, please do," the man said. Harry sat and delved into his memories. "Mary, Samantha and Sabatian, right?"

"You remembered!" the British witch, Samantha said.

"I try," Harry said. "You've met Maria De La Rosa?"

They all nodded while Harry ploughed into his food with abandon. Maria did not hesitate either. Finally, all fed, he listened to the happy roars from the Wookiees. Most were drinking what smelled like beer, and were singing songs from home.

Some, though, looked and sounded angry as they recounted a litany of ills wholly as bad as what the magicals had suffered. Their home world, Kashyyyk, had been ravaged by the Empire almost as badly as Despayre, and their once great and numerous people were now on the brink of extinction.

What worried Harry, though, was that the Wookiees he was listening to did not blame the Empire. He blamed humans in general. Moreover, he was looking right at the lone human table in the room.

"That's trouble," he muttered. "Maria, the rest of you, head on out alright? Maria, go to the bridge."

"Why?"

"Those Wookiees are lumping us in with the same people that raped their world."

Wide-eyed, Maria nodded and left the table with the other three on her heels. The angry Wookiee watched them go before locking eyes with Harry, who stared right back.

Harry knew from his time on Despayre that direct eye-contact was something to be done carefully. In the wrong circumstances, it could be considered a challenge. That's how the Angry Wookiee took his stare now. With a roar, he jumped to his feet, grabbed the table, and threw it right over Harry's head.

It was meant to be a show of strength and a warning. Harry magically caught the table and threw it right back, forcing the Wookiee to dodge out of the way. The other Wookiees saw what happened and most jumped to their feet, but did not interfere.

The furious Wookiee charged Harry. Harry cast a mild stunner, but it bounced off the Wookiees fur as if it were a real Sasquatch or other magical creature. So, Harry did something else. He cast a powerful banisher that knocked the Wookiee clean off his feet and left him seeing stars in the middle of the floor.

Only then did Harry stand and walk closer to the stunned Wookiee. "You hate humans," he said to the creature. "I see it in your eyes, and I understand why. I hate the humans that burned my world and killed almost eight billion of my people. But there is something you need to know right now. I'm not human. I am a mage. I may not be as strong as you, but I have magic that can turn you into a rock, or rip your soul from your body and use it for potions. I and my people want to be your friends. We saved you because it was the right thing to do. But don't ever think because we're small that we're weak. There aren't many of us left, but though we are few, we are mighty."

The Wookiee stared up at him, and in a growl that for a human would by a cry of pain, said, "The ones that killed my mate and younglings looked like you!"

Harry squatted down and looked the creature in the eyes. "So did the ones who killed my mate and my younglings. I had three kids. How many did you have?"

"One," the Wookiee said. "Only ever one, at a time. It is the way of our bodies."

Harry rested a hand on the Wookiees shoulder. "I am Harry Potter. I was a friend to Shewtalla the Wookiee on Despayre. She taught me of the pain your people suffered. I share your pain, because my people have suffered as well. I suffered. If you must fight, then fight with us against those who did harm. Don't harm my crew. Don't make me hurt you."

He stood, and though it felt as if it might cost him his arm, Harry helped the much larger, heavier being to his feet. "I am Akallaah. I will not hurt any of your people, Harry Potter."

"Thank you, Akallaah. Stay here and rest. I must return to the bridge. If you need anything, contact your Elder." With that, Harry Apparated directly to the bridge.

His appearance interrupted an animated conversation between Maria, Charlie and the Elder Wookiee. The former dragon wrangler's face was alight with something approaching professional joy as he learned Shyriwook with a speed and skill only a wizard could hope for. The older Wookiee laughed with humorous barks as Charlie not only learned what their language meant, but actually learned to speak it as well.

The Elder saw Harry and called out a greeting which Harry returned as best he could. Despite knowing the language, Harry's best attempt at hello came out as, "Help I am a hello yes."

The Elder laughed uproariously at this while Harry grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, Harry, don't even try," Charlie said. "They understand Basic perfectly. I think they might be a touch magical, though. I'm learning their language pretty fast, and my polyglot tendencies only apply to magical creatures."

"It might explain their long lives and technical expertise," Fleur theorized from her station.

"And the fact their fur is immune to stunners, like a real Sasquatch," Harry said. "Had a bit of a tussle with a Wookiee named Akallaah."

"Yes, Akallaah is poisoned by hate," the Elder said with a wise nod. "The Empire killed his mate and child. Newly bonded they were, and it was a blessing to produce a child after only one cycle. Do I need to speak with him?"

"I think I handled it," Harry said. "Speaking of, though, are we en route to Avalon?"

Charlie nodded. Harry looked back to the Elder and said, "Are you going to speak for your people when we arrive?"

The old Wookiee grunted his agreement.

"Good. I think for all our sakes when we land it would be best to draw up a formal treaty. My people have suffered as much as yours under the Empire and are hesitant to trust again. With a treaty, we can ensure you have lands available for as long as you need them, and will be ensured your rights and freedoms in our world."

The Wookiee agreed, and then snorted in amusement when he saw long, pale arms reached around Harry and gave him a hug. Harry turned, surprised, to see Fleur smiling at him. "We were worried about you, 'Arry," she said. When not in danger or stress, her English was immaculate. "You look better. But you smell worse. Go shower."

"Yeah, no arguments there. How long until Avalon?"

"Two more days," Fleur said. "And if you have any more problems with the Wookiees, let me know."

"This one is dangerous," the Elder said with a nod to Fleur, though without any hard feeling. Instead, he seemed amused.

"They understand I am not like the rest," Fleur said. She gave a wistful smile. "The last of my kind, I suppose. It did not breed true with Victoire or Dominique."

Harry took her hand and held it a moment, before smiling. "Now you really are one of a kind. I'm tired and dirty. Someone woke me up with a slap. I'm going to go shower and finish recuperating. Call if anything comes up."

"We will, 'Arry."

~~Revenge~~

~~Revenge~~

They were gone a total of five days. When Harry left, Lady Sofia's people were harvesting the first magically accelerated crops and Madame Rosmerta was supervising the construction of temporary housing for the colonists. They had almost a dozen of the herbivorous 'grass runners' in a transfigured pen and evidence that they were not only edible, but actually quite tasty, and they had the foundations of a future government in place.

Harry had good feelings when he left.

When he took the Portkey down to the planet's surface, leaving the newly rechristened Phoenix Redux in orbit, he found himself staring at fallow, blackened fields in the centre of the ward circle. In the distance, he could see crumbling housing. The school appeared mostly finished, if the ramshackle transfigured earthen buildings could be called a school. The civic centre was the only thing finished.

"What the hell happened?"

Someone must have noticed his arrival, because he heard a "Harry!" and turned just in time to receive a missile in the shape of Victoire Lupin neé Weasley in his arms. "Oh, Harry, you're finally back!"

"Victoire, what happened?"

"I'll tell you, but come see Teddy first, please!"

Harry allowed himself to be pulled along, though he did reach into his pocket to grab the charmed credit chit and signal others to come down. The two went into the civic centre, which he saw immediately had been expanded enormously inside. Nor was the space wasted—every inch was crowded with angry, filthy, hungry looking people.

It took Harry only a moment to notice that they were all British—he could not find any of the Brazilians. Before he could ask any more questions, they cleared a corner of conjured stone where a series of cots were laid out on the floor. Each cot was filled with an obviously cursed person. At the end, Harry was stunned to find both Rosmerta and Teddy Lupin.

"Merlin's saggy nutsack, what happened?" Harry demanded.

Teddy was at least conscious, though he sported a nasty-looking curse on the meaty part of his thigh. He sighed with relief when he saw Harry. "Hey, glad you're back. Did everything go okay?"

"Teddy, what did Andy tell you about ignoring questions? What happened?"

"Bloody war is what happened," Rosmerta snapped. Her shirt was pulled down so that her entire shoulder could be wrapped in a poultice. "The Brazilians are all holed up in that so called school. Merlin knows where those bloody Yanks and Aussies are."

Harry knelt down between them. "I need the full story."

"Either one of the Yanks or Aussies attacked a Brazilian girl," Teddy said. "We think it was one of the Aussies, personally, but we're not sure. The Brazilians blamed one of our kids, though. I did a Legilimency scan, so I know they had the wrong kid. When I refused to turn him over so the father could have his justice, it started a bloody riot. Lady Sofia and I agreed to keep our populations separated until we could calm the nerves. But yesterday, someone stole the stored crops and burned the fields. We're looking at a war."

Harry shook his head. "There aren't enough of us alive to fight a war, what you're describing is racial suicide. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll heal."

"How 'bout you, Rosie?"

"My bloody shoulder hurts, but it'll heal. I've had worse."

"Oh, don't listen to her," Victoire said with a forced smile. "She's been flashing her breasts at the boys for two days now."

"Had to get the bandages on, now, didn't I?"

"Hell, I'm sorry I missed that," Harry laughed, but like Victoire's efforts it felt forced. "Whole generations of Hogwarts students have been dreaming about that."

Rosmerta snorted. "Hogwarts boys don't care who's they are, they just want to see 'em."

Harry walked back out of the building just as more of his crew appeared. Fleur and Bill arrived with Maria and Booker, whose real name was Tom Hemsworth. They looked around with the same alarm Harry felt.

"Harry, what's going on?" Bill asked.

"Stupidity," Harry growled. "Bill, Fleur, Teddy's been cursed. Victoire is holding up, but I bet it would make her feel better for her parents to be there. They're in the civic centre."

Alarmed, the two made their way to their son in law. Harry, meanwhile, looked intently at Booker and Maria. "The Brits and Brazilians are on the verge of open fighting," Harry said. "Over something that an Aussie likely did. Do you think any of us will survive if we let this continue?"

Maria shook her head. "No. I don't."

"If I step in, I won't be working for the British or the Brazilians, but for our race. Stupid or not, can I count on you? Because I'm going to need Brazilians by my side to make anything work."

Maria didn't hesitate a second. "I'm with you. Call the away team too. They'll be with us too."

"Right. Lady Sofia first."

The rest of the away team joined them, including the three Harry met in the mess hall for his first meal after awakening. He nodded to the twenty Brazilians as Maria quickly filled them in on what was happening and why even as they walked toward the school.

Harry stopped at the edge of a wand-based ward. "Maria, you recognize this magic?"

She performed a standard Auror scan and nodded. "It is Lady Sofia's. It is keyed only to those who had been in her school. It would not let you pass."

"Yeah, see, that's not going to work." Though he was still recovering magically, Harry easily had twice the magic available that the headmistress did. She was a true expert in magic, but she was no Dumbledore in terms of sheer brute power. He raised both hands, and with a grunt pulled the ward down entirely.

It didn't surprise him when wizards poured out of the front door with wands drawn, only to come up short at Maria's angry, Portuguese shouts to stand down. Seeing that Harry was backed by twenty one of their fellow Brazilians, the handful of angry, frightened wizards surprisingly complied.

"Take me to Lady Sofia," Harry ordered.

The primitive, transfigured buildings, like the Civic Centre, had been vastly expanded magically to allow for the thousands of Brazilians living there. Harry noted that, like the Brits, there were a disproportionate number of children among them. They looked as hungry and angry as the Brits did, but made no effort to stop him as he made his way through the various rooms until he reached Lady Sofia.

He recognized Jose Carvalho and Adriana Melo from the Wizenmeet he tried to establish, but he did not recognize the furious Brazilian man with the thick moustache and five-day shadow on his face, nor the young girl they were gathered around.

Lady Sofia's eyes blazed as she saw him enter. "You have no business here, Harry Potter."

Harry dismissed her entirely and looked at Adriana Melo. "Is this the girl Teddy Lupin told me about?"

"Leave her alone, Branquelo!" the angry father shouted.

"This Branquelo saved your life, Tolo!" Maria snapped right back. "And your daughter's too."

The other Wizenmeet member, Carvalho, said a few words to Harry's people he didn't bother to translate, but they shook their heads. Harry, meanwhile, leaned over and looked into the girl's wide, haunted eyes.

The memory wasn't just at the forefront of her mind—it dominated her thoughts. She was caught in the middle of a riot of children, most of whom were obviously not Brazilians judging by their complexions and language. But there were a few British boys around, if Harry could judge from the memory.

It sickened him to live through her assault, and he exited the memory as soon as he had the pertinent information on her attack her. The Legilimency was done so fast she did not even realize it. While her father and Lady Sofia exchanged insults, he conjured a teddy bear for her and imbued it with some calming charms.

"This is Pietro," he told her. He could see from her eyes that she understood. "He's a guard bear. He can protect your dreams at night. When the bad dreams come, squeeze Pietro tight, and he'll protect you. Okay?"

Wordlessly she nodded and accepted the conjured bear. He then stood and looked at the angry father. The man was flushed with blood at the tongue-lashing Maria just gave him. With him under control, he looked finally at Lady Sofia.

"It is obvious you are not fit to be a leader to our people," Harry said.

She stiffened. "How dare you! I am leading my people right now!"

"No, you're leading Brazilians. That is less than half of our people. And that's why you're not fit to lead. You can't understand that there are no more Brazilians or British, Americans or Australians. There is just us, against this world and the Galaxy as a whole. And until you realize that, you will remain nothing but a school teacher."

He turned to Melo. "Talk it over and pick a replacement for her. You have one hour, and then come to the Civic Centre. The Wizenmeet is going to convene again."

Lady Sofia started spouting curses, but Adriana Melo merely nodded. "We'll be there."

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Author's Note: Once again I just wish to stress just how much I appreciate Teufel1987, JR and Miles for beta reading yet another of my stories. As always, they make everything better.