So this is a little one shot that hit me while I was re-reading my Lupus Equitibus story. While I was looking it over I realized that...I'm not happy with it. At this time I have not decided if I am just going to rewrite the whole thing or just write a sort of prequel story to cover the first big time jump and just continue the main story after that.

I can however say I am not going to abandon it!

With that out of the way this particular story Balance is an idea of what would happen if you mixed magic and the Force together on a single planet where both Sith and Jedi factions are found living.

This is just the basic idea of a start that features a Harry raised by Snape, Good Snape, manipulative Dumbledore, Hufflepuff Harry, and a few other things that will come up if I do continue this. There are no pairing for this story so far because it is too new to see that far ahead.

Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Balance

Prologue

October 31st will forever be a haunting day. For many it is a day where the walls between the land of the living and the land of the dead are so thin that the dead walk the world once more.

For others it's a silly celebration where children dress up and walk door to door begging for sweets. Teenagers have been known to use that night to pull off stunts and pranks meant to scare but ultimately are seen as cruel.

But for one man…it will always be the day he held the lifeless body of his former friend/crush while her son cried along with him.

Severus Snape was a man of many talents. Spy for the side of light, youngest potions master in over a century, knighted Jedi of the balance faction, and most recently a title he never thought would be his.

"Father?" Severus looked up from his desk to see his ward of eight.

The young boy had his mother's emerald green eyes, her nose, and her smarts. The rest belonged to his former tormentor but he had long let go of such anger.

"Harry. I didn't know you were back." Severus said as he placed his pen down next to his datapad.

"Did you have fun with Narcissa?" He asked as he rose to his feet to properly greet his adopted son. Harry Potter smiled at his father in all but blood and nodded.

"Aunt Cissa took me to see the duck pond, and then to Fortescue's for ice cream!" He said with a tone that sounded happy but Severus could still spot the signs of sadness on the boy's face.

"I'm glad." Severus said as he pulled his son in close and held him for a moment. After breaking from the embrace he looked at the young boy. "Now then. Why don't you go see if Dobby has something healthy for you to snack on before we get ready to leave? Eh?" Severus asked making Harry nod.

"Okay Father." The eight year old nodded before he made to leave.

"Oh and Harry…" The boy paused and looked back at him. "…I love you son." Harry smiled at his father.

"Love you too…Dad." He said before he turned and continued on his way. Severus smiled hearing the more informal title.

Harry only called him 'Father' when he was feeling really emotional, and the anniversary of his mother's death certainly fit the bill.

Not long after the young child left his sight Severus heard the sound of rustling robes making him turn and see the blond haired with blackened roots woman who lived with the father and son duo.

"Thank you for taking him out today Cissa. I doubt I would've been good company today." Severus said making Narcissa Black formally Malfoy nod.

"You know I've come to care for the boy Sev." Severus nodded as he was reminded just why the pair had such a bond.

After the fall of the most recent Sith Lord Voldemort Severus had revealed his true stance as a member of the Balance faction and his role as a spy against Voldemort.

It also came out that Narcissa…who at the time was Lady Malfoy…had been aiding him in his mission.

The Malfoy's along with other followers of Voldemort were able to escape justice with the exchange of credits and other such heirlooms but it hasn't stopped Lucius Malfoy from divorcing his wife and throwing her into the streets.

Thanks to Sirius Black the head of her former house she was able to retake her maiden name and her bride price for herself.

However Luscious had made it impossible for her to have any contact with their son Draco.

Seeing another of his friends were devastated by the war Severus had opened his home to Narcissa, and to mollify the woman's pride had hired her to act in the capacity of nanny/auntie figure to his adopted son. A job Narcissa took too like a fish to water.

Funny enough Lord Black of the now Light Faction Blacks had originally been the first guardian named for Harry.

However with his constant traveling as a Guardian Jedi that left him in fights just as frequently Sirius had passed guardianship to Severus and advocated for the man to adopt the son of his first and truest friend.

As a Consular Jedi that focused on the study of potions Severus hardly ever had to leave their home world of Korris…a planet once under the control of the long dead Sith Empire now neutrally ruled…making it a better environment to raise a child.

"His training will need to start soon Sev." Narcissa's voice brought Severus once more out of his thoughts making him sigh.

"I know. Tonight we'll take the first steps, but he'll need tutors."

"You can handle his training in potions, plants, and healing. I'll handle politics, and history. I'm sure Remus wouldn't mind helping with lightsaber combat as well as other defensive knowledge." Severus smirked slightly at the mention of Narcissa's newest love interest.

True the man had been part of the group of bullies/pranksters known as the Marauders with Harry's biological father, but the Werewolf had always been one of the group that stopped the others before things went too far.

"The rest he'll have to wait till he reaches Hogwarts for." She said speaking of the Force sensitive training school on Korris.

Korris has a rather…unusual…outlook when it came to training in the Force. As a former Sith Empire world on the fringes of Imperial space the planet was resettled by both Sith and Jedi families along with a large number of refugees from war torn worlds.

In order to survive both factions had been forced to work together under the guidance of a Force master named Merlin.

Merlin according to history hadn't been a Jedi nor a Sith but instead followed the path of Balance. Learning about the Force and using it without labeling it as Light or Dark.

He was also the first recorded magic user in the galaxy. It was through him that the Force users of Korris a few other planets learned the mystic arts. Eventually as he reached an advanced age he took in four students to train in both the Force and Magic.

Those students eventually became known as the Four or the Four Founders. Godrick Gryffindor was the epitome of a Jedi Guardian. His greatest focus being in Lightsaber combat, magical combat…honestly just combat in general.

Whereas his opposite Salazar Slytherin was the embodiment of a Sith Inquisitor cunning, powerful, and filled with the darkness that the Sith teaches.

The final two students were also the ones to follow their teachers' path…to a point.

Rowena Ravenclaw didn't believe one should limit themselves to sides in the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom.

However her thirst for said knowledge would at times turn into obsession and more than once she had come dangerously close to becoming a Dark Lady of the Sith. So while she was technically Balanced…she favored the darkness.

While the final student Helga Hufflepuff was kind, loyal, and a healer above all else. She didn't see sides when it came to the Force because she believed all deserved the chance to grow and learn.

That is until her sense of neutrality was questioned when an act or idea brought forth by Slytherin or Ravenclaw went against her moral fibers. So while she too was Balanced…she favored the Light.

With Merlin's passing the four created a castle where all Force Sensitive children near and far would train together.

With they themselves taking on students that fit their ideas of requirements. Gryffindor taking those that he felt to be brave and true like Jedi should be.

Ravenclaw taking those with she felt had a thirst for knowledge making her house the most commonly known to release Consular Jedi or Sith Inquisitors both being the branches of knowledge seekers.

Slytherin only took those that he felt were cunning and ambitious while also focusing a bit more on the purity of Sith blood.

All the others went to Hufflepuff who while focused on Loyalty and Hard Work she was also too kind hearted to leave any behind.

With their passing the school turned their ideas into dorms or houses where students would be sorted into and would train as they saw fit.

However there were still problems.

Severus sighed at that thought. As a teacher at Hogwarts himself as well as a former student he very aware of said problems.

Gryffindor students tended to follow in their founders footsteps being Jedi of the Light and refusing to move from that standpoint. Minus the odd student or two that is. Lily…Harry's mother…being one of the few that came to mind as she was a Consular instead of a Guardian class Jedi to graduate from Gryffindor.

Ravenclaw students seemed to view themselves higher up on the educational level than the others and more times than not wound up chomping at the bit when a chance to prove so came up.

Slytherin students more times than not traveled down the path of the Sith and still held to the ideals of the Empire.

Hatred of all species minus humans, those that could trace back Sith blood for generations…or Purebloods for short…were believed more powerful, and they had a great hatred of those that were blessed with both Magic and the Force with no bloodlines to show how they gained such power.

As a former Slytherin himself Severus had hated the fact that so many had wanted him to turn his back on Lily since she was both a Gryffindor and First-Gen or 'Mudblood' as they called her.

Hufflepuff house was believed by most to be seen as the house of duffers or leftovers that couldn't fit into the other three houses. It didn't help that of the four houses it was the one to receive the less ample time to exhibit their worth.

"Are you worried about the house he will be sorted into?" Narcissa asked after a few moments of silence. Severus sighed with a nod.

"We both know the Jedi will expect him to follow in his biological fathers' path of being a Guardian Jedi…they might even be able to accept a Sentinel Jedi." He said making her nod.

"But he's too much like his mother and adopted father to walk those paths." Snape added.

"He does seem more like a Claw or a Puff than a Lion or a Snake." Narcissa agreed with one of her few friends.

"You could just take him to Coruscant as your personal Padawan and avoid Hogwarts all together." She added making Severus snort at the idea.

The Jedi Council of Coruscant barely acknowledged the Jedi of Korris. Especially those like Severus that learned both the Light and Dark sides of the Force.

Taking Harry there only to have them turn their backs on the pair because they were too 'emotional' and 'attached' wouldn't solve anything.

Korriban wasn't an option either while true the Empire didn't hold as much power there were those there that have their own ideas towards Force users and students on that world. Ideas that Severus refused to expose Harry to.

"You're right bad idea. Plus no doubt Dumbledore would never allow such a thing." Narcissa said making Severus sigh.

Albus Dumbledore is the leader of the Jedi faction on Korris, head of the government voting body of Korris, and headmaster of Hogwarts.

He also happens to have been the one to constantly try and remove Harry from Severus' guardianship. He never stated why, but the man constantly talked about sending Harry to live with his remaining blood relatives on his mothers' side.

"Over my dead body!" Severus growled internally. Petunia Dursley nee Evans was a hateful jealous woman who has long shown contempt towards those able to use the Force or Magic.

It didn't help that on top of being a Jedi and Witch her younger sister also happened to be good looking, married rich, and constantly praised for her brains. Whereas she was bony with a horse face, middle class, and often overlooked when it came to her accomplishments…not that she had many.

Severus also knew her walrus of a husband and small whale of a son were far worse bullies than James Potter could ever dream of being.

Harry would've been ignored and emotional abused at best, and…Severus refused to think of the worst case scenario. Still the old fool tried again and again to try and make Severus turn over guardianship to him.

That fact that the man was responsible for defeating one of the two most recent Dark Lords of the Sith on Korris didn't help. Nor that Harry was the one being credited with the destruction of the second.

On all Hallows Eve seven years ago Voldemort had attempted to kill Harry because of a prophecy that was made declaring that a child would be born that would bring about his downfall.

There had been three candidates for said prophecy. Harry, a boy a day older named Neville Longbottom, and a girl born at midnight the day after Harry named Susan Bones.

Voldemort for some reason had seen Harry as the one that fit the bill despite all three having been born as the seventh month dies. Why Severus didn't know, but Lily had been prepared just the same.

In a ritual that none could explain she had combined the use of the Force and Magic to protect the life of her son. At the cost of her own no less.

When Severus had realized that his friend and former love interest was dead he had rushed to her home and found her and her husband dead. With only Harry alive. After a time spent grieving the loss of Lily he realized that the boy was in danger and took him out of the room and to Lord Black.

It was because of this that Lord Black didn't go chasing after the traitor named Peter Pettigrew…who had been the one to betray the location of the Potter home…thus stopping any attempt by Law Enforcement to arrest him for said crime.

With his named fully cleared Sirius began the hunt for Pettigrew when he wasn't handling missions for the DMLE under Amelia Bones.

"The old fool has too much pull." The sound of Narcissa speaking once more woke Severus from his thoughts.

"I agree. Still we should contact Black and see if he is willing to help, or at least point us towards any other tutors we haven't thought of."

Narcissa nodded as she made to leave and handle the communications between Lupin and Black. After she left Severus reentered his study walking towards the safe hidden behind a set of fake books on his wall.

After entering the combination as well as giving both voice and thumbprint verification it opened revealing the only other thing Severus had taken with him that night.

There on a maroon pillow was a single metal cylinder. The handle was longer than average saber while ribbed with finger holds to make it easier to hold.

It was also silver mainly in color except for a single section that was black and decorated with a single flower mark near the wide filter top. A stargazer lily in point of fact.

Severus picked up the lightsaber and activated the blade making the almost aqua green blade show itself for the first time in seven years.

The hilt was built for one wanting longer reach than the average saber offered. Severus also knew Lily had built the hilt with the intent to one day turn it into a saber staff a weapon that had fascinated her for some time.

"I doubt he'll continue to use this after he constructs his own Lightsaber, but I'm sure he'll be more than happy to use this until then Lily." He said into the air before deactivating the saber and placing it inside his black robes.

After shutting the safe Severus sighed as he turned and walked out of the room. Tonight the man would take his adopted son to continue their tradition of visiting the grave of the boys' mother.

Where they would both thank her for saving him as well as ridding the world of Voldemort, then they would sit for a late dinner picnic, before Severus would tell his son stories of his childhood friend. One day Severus would have to tell his son about his part to play in the death of his mother, but not yet.

September 1st three years later

Severus watched as the doors of the great hall opened allowing the newest branch of first years to enter. He almost smirked at the sight of his son talking away with a brown haired Cathar student that had an almost lions mane of hair surrounding her face.

The pair seemed to be lost in what was no doubt an academic conversation, while the two humans behind them were busy looking around Hogwarts Castle.

The auburn haired human was Susan Bones while the only other male close was Neville Longbottom both had become Harry's friends after he had begun training his son.

Surprisingly it was Black who had suggested getting all three children of the prophecy together to build an alliance to stand up against the Government and their ideals for the trio.

Amelia Bones was all for it, but the Dowager Longbottom had taken longer to convince since she believed she and she alone knew how best to raise her Grandson.

It had taken her seeing him open up to both Harry and Susan to allow her to let go of her pride and allow her grandson to join in on the tutor sessions.

The trio as well as a few other students were the only ones with Lightsabers.

Younglings (First and Second years) more often than not had to wait until they were at Hogwarts to receive their training sabers while it was allowed for students to bring their own blades with them it wasn't common outside of the rich families.

As all three were heirs of Most Ancient and Most Noble houses it was expected for them to bring sabers. However unlike the others high in political power each wore a blade they had inherited.

Harry wore his mother's blade, with Susan wearing the simple blade of her mother as well, all while Neville had the crossguard blade of his father.

The sorting hat had just finished its song before the Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall unrolled a long parchment in her hand.

The stern Cathar looked down at the students before her. "When I call your name step forward and take a seat. I will then place the sorting hat upon your head and you shall join your house once its name has been called." She said holding the hat aloft.

McGonagall was the head of Gryffindor house, while Severus was the head of Slytherin, and two other colleagues were the heads of the final two houses.

While their houses were often at arms against one another Severus quite liked working with the grey haired Cathar who wore a pair of square specks over her yellow eyes.

Unlike the first year in the group to be sorted McGonagall didn't have a mane around her face but a bun that held the loose grey…with black stripes…hair.

"Abbot, Hanna." Severus refocused as he watched the first Youngling to be sorted mainly because he knew who was next.

"Bones, Susan." Sure enough the auburn haired human walked up from behind Harry and took her seat. Severus noticed that his son, Neville, and the Cathar all seemed to be paying close attention to the young girls sorting.

After a few seconds the hat called out. "Hufflepuff!" Making the house under the yellow and black banners clap. Each house wore black robes with the usual tunic and pants of their stations of Jedi/Sith.

However each robe was also trimmed with the color of their house as well as a badge on their chest to signify which house they belong to. That is of course after they have been sorted.

Severus watched the sorting applauding when a student headed to their table until a name was called that once more called his attention. "Granger, Hermione."

When the Cathar student that had been by his son walked up Severus made sure to remember her name now that he knew it. The hat took a moment to look through the mind of the young Cathar before it's brim opened up.

"Hufflepuff!" Its voice called making the house clap and cheer as Hermione went and sat next to Susan who smiled while introducing the Cathar to Hanna Abbot.

Severus looked towards the boys before he blinked at the pair of them nodding to one another before he realized what was happening.

Severus almost smirked at the little prank being played by the younglings but kept the smirk off his face as he made sure to be in a position where he could see Dumbledore later.

Once more time passed before…"Longbottom, Neville."…was called making the slightly pudgy boy walk up and take his seat.

The hat was barely upon his head when it cried out. "Hufflepuff!" Much to happiness of Susan and Hermione.

Severus almost sighed at the sight of Draco Malfoy being sorted into his house. Narcissa had hoped beyond hope the boy didn't end up being a clone of his father, but only time would tell.

Eventually the moment Severus had been waiting for arrived when he heard Minerva call. "Potter, Harry." Harry walked up ignoring the whispers from the other students and allowed the hat to cover his eyes.

The hat seemed to take longer to sort Harry until Severus noticed that someone was trying to warp the hat to where they believed the boy should be.

He didn't have to look far when he noticed the bright twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes. Severus was about to call out in anger at the man only for the Hat to speak up.

"Hufflepuff!" It called making Dumbledore blink his eyes his face turning into complete shock.

Severus didn't both to hide the smirk this time as his son rose to his feet and walked over to join his friends at the long table sitting next to the pink haired seventh year.

Severus smiled at his son as he slightly tipped his cup to him.

He had known that there was no chance Harry would be sorted into Slytherin or Gryffindor, but it was nice to see he would be with the one house that didn't treat him as anything but Harry Potter.

So that's all for now. Let me know what you all think and I'll try and let you all know what I decide to do with Lupus.

R&R Ja Ne