Harry Potter and the Dark Lord of the Sith

Chapter 64.

Harry didn't know how long they had spent at the funeral pyre, but evening was already settling in. Fireworks erupted in the sky above them.

"Harry?" He turned, but he hardly needed to do so to recognize that voice.

"Ginny!"

"You're back! Where were you? Everyone's so worried!"

"Luke, will you be all right?" Harry asked.

"Sure, go ahead," he said.

He led Ginny away. "Yes, Ginny, I'm back."

"Did you--"

"Did I defeat Voldemort?" Harry asked, a twinkle in his eye. "Not without help... can't even take most of the credit, really... but yes, he is gone."

"Is the emperor is dead too? I've heard rumors, but--"

"Yes, he's gone too. And Darth Vader. So both our worlds can celebrate now."

"Oh, Harry!" she yelled, and gave him a very fierce kiss. "I knew you could do this!"

"Ginny..." he whispered, but then his mouth was smothered in another kiss.

"Harry, promise me you won't leave me like that again."

Harry breathed. "I may have to leave you sometimes," he said. "But no... not like this. I doubt there will ever be anything as dangerous as this... and I'm glad of that."

"So am I," Ginny replied.

"I love you, Ginny Weasley."

"I love you."

XXXXXXX

"Yes, Wedge. I will," Hermione answered, tears in her eyes. "I love you."

Wedge slipped the ring onto her finger. "And how about we join the festivities?" he suggested. Fireworks began exploding overhead.

Hermione nodded. "Interesting place," she commented as they headed into the tree village.

"Hermione!" she heard Ron's voice.

"Wedge!" Luke shouted.

They approached, and Ron encased Hermione in a hug. "We won!" he said.

"Hey, Hermione," Neville greeted her.

It took quite a while for everyone to greet and congratulate them. Listening around, Hermione already learned that Luke and Leia were siblings, and that Snape had showed up. Both of these facts surprised her. Ron just began telling them about the chase when she suddenly stopped.

"Ron? Did you just say Roganda Ismaren was here?"

"She was."

"Damn, my trap wasn't effective."

"It was the best you could do," Wedge assured her. "Don't worry. It turned out all right."

Ron nodded. "I doubt I would be able to do as much," he said. "But here's a shock: Roganda and Snape were married."

"What?!"

"I'm not kidding. She told me that herself. Apparently, it's been quite a while."

"But that means we're not the first people from our world to come here, right?"

"No, it's not."

"Speaking of that," Hermione said, "we have an announcement to make."

"Go on, Hermione," Wedge said.

"Wedge and I," she said, "are getting married!"

"Is that supposed to be a surprise?" Ron asked. "Congratulations!"

"You too?"

"What do you mean?" She turned to see who asked the question. It was Terry Boot.

"Well, Hannah and I... got engaged today as well."

"Congratulations," a new voice interrupted them, "both of you."

"Harry!" Hermione shouted as Harry and Ginny walked towards them, hand in hand.

Ron looked at them. "He didn't..."

"Not yet." Harry smiled cryptically. Ginny blushed.

"Sure, mate." Ron patted him on the back.

"That reminds me," Harry said. He reached into his pocket and took out Ron's wand.

"You got it? But you said--"

"That I'd ask Darth Vader to return it. Well, that's... sort of what happened. But it's not my place to tell the full story. You'd have to ask Luke for that."

"But You-Know-Who--"

"Voldemort, Palpatine, and Vader are gone. That's certain. Mara... is dead." He turned grim for a few seconds. Then he leaned down to and kissed Ginny.

"Hem, hem."

The reaction from those who knew Umbridge was instantaneous. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione reached for their wands. Harry turned and ignited his lightsaber. They all blushed, since the person standing behind them was Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, students find you scary enough as it is," Ginny said.

McGonagall gave her a stern look, but then smiled. "Mr. Potter, did you say that... Voldemort," she finally breathed out, "is dead?"

"That is correct, Professor. He is. And all of his... items are gone as well," he said. When they went through the portal, only he, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and McGonagall knew about the Horcruxes. The last thing he wanted was for the nature of Horcruxes to become common knowledge.

"Professor?" he asked. "What happened back--"

"There was just a Death Eater attack on Hogwarts. I got most of the Order to fight them, while sending Dumbledore's Army,"--she smiled at him at this moment-- "to help you. And then, all of a sudden, the Death Eaters just broke. Like they had no spirit left anymore. We captured many of them. Their arm marks turned white."

"Let me guess. This was about seven hours ago."

"How--"

"When Voldemort died."

McGonagall nodded. "Hard to believe all this... the other world. The technology here..."

"That reminds me, Professor. We weren't the first wizards to enter this world."

"Snape and his wife," McGonagall said. "At least one of them had crossed to meet the other."

"And my mother was cloned here," Harry said. "The clone died in the battle." He frowned. "Strange coincidences, Professor. Last victim of the first war--my mother. Last victim of this war--her clone."

"I cannot offer a theory on that, Mr. Potter."

Harry sighed. "Neither can I. So what will we do now? I don't think we can consider our worlds separate anymore."

"Harry! You can't mean--" Hermione tried to protest.

"Hermione, you're marrying Wedge. If that's not proof..."

"Snape married Roganda."

"And had to keep it a secret from everyone. Previous contacts have been few and far between. Snape, Roganda... probably Palpatine, and whoever worked on cloning my mother. All of them are dead now. Here... we just have too many witnesses. On both sides. Unless you plan to use Memory Charms on everyone here--"

"Okay, okay, I get your point." Hermione smiled. "Wedge and I will visit home, but I doubt we will make our lives there. You can't fly fighters on Earth."

Ron nodded. "Same here, I think. Our planet is too small for Jan."

"And you, Mr. Potter? Which world will you live in?"

"Ginny..." he whispered.

"I'm with you, Harry. Whatever you choose."

"You worked very hard to become a Healer, I don't want to deprive it from you. So, at least for now, I think I'm going back."

McGonagall nodded. "I thought about this world since we were informed of it. And I realized there may arise complications that influence both worlds. In which case, we will need people familiar with both to deal with them. People like you, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger."

Ron and Hermione looked at each other, then nodded. "Jan?" Ron asked. "Are you okay with this?"

"Okay? You think I'll let you go off alone to chase some dark wizard?" Ron grinned.

Wedge hugged Hermione, indicating his agreement.

"I understand, Professor," Harry said. "Luke and I also discussed this issue, and agreed that if I go back, he could always call on me if he needs a fellow Jedi."

"But since you are going back, Potter, I have an offer for you."

"Professor?"

"A job."

"What--oh."

"Yes, Mr. Potter. I want you to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts."