Chapter VIII
The Return of the Master

Tall, bearded, and his step regal, Harry Potter - in disguise as Master Syfo-Dias - commanded the attention of every single Jedi who saw him as he walked through the grand halls the person he was currently impersonating, once presided over.

Having studied every Jedi Master to have ever lived gave him the ability to pull off the idiosyncracies of this specific, revered Jedi Master. The man was certainly odd, Harry would give him that, as he had exhibited behavior unbefitting of a normal Jedi. Where Jedi often only learned how to act around diplomats, this man, Syfo-Dias, had learned how to push them or sway them towards the ideals the order sought to spread throughout the Galactic Republic.

An enigma for certain, as no person had received a position on the High Council that young (nineteen) and no one had certainly attained Head upon it as quickly as he.

Harry went over the notes in his mind, remembering that Master Syfo-Dias was perhaps the weakest lightsaber duelist amongst the High Council though made up for it by rivaling Master Yoda with mastery over the Force he commanded. The man's tongue was quick when need be but he would often deliver short answers to questions asked of him.

Intelligence and wit were key, as were a very warm appearance, as Syfo-Dias had never been given a chance to grow a cold exterior like the rest of the cranky Masters before he was thrust into the position of leader amongst the revered Jedi Knights.

It was something that had baffled him, until he confronted Yoda, as to why such a young person had been entrusted to such a position. As always, it was Yoda who was responsible for it, having seen a person who worked hard, had matured at an early age, had excelled in the living Force, and could produce well-delivered answers when asked to.

It was another point for Yoda - an indirect shout at the Masters, that they had lost touch with what was right and wrong. That now, even ones many times younger than they could manage the council better. A silent point that, once you left the High Council chambers that lay on the highest level of the temple, you would see the world as it really is and experience it and know the real answers to the questions they discussed daily.

He had managed well, increasing productivity and beginning work towards having the Jedi Council serve as moderators and mediators during Senate sessions. He pushed prior Chancellor Finis Valorum, who caved quite easily, especially during the Naboo incident to have Jedi deal with the Trade Federation, and then Palpatine, who proved far more resilient - or stubborn as Harry preferred to term it.

"Moron," muttered Harry, thinking on Palpatine. 'Another Fudge if I ever saw one,' he thought bitterly.

He had noticed the typical "I've got my own agenda" stance he exhibited. The way he talked smoothly, and followed the passions and prejudices of the majority. As he rounded another corner in the expansive and never-ending halls of the five-spired Jedi Temple, he remembered all the bills the Chancellor had passed to keep himself at the position, forgetting to look around as the Republic lost more of its luster due to the greed and corruption he easily put up with.

He would ask how Palpatine got that position over Finis Valorum, who at least had the population's concern at heart, though was slow and would buckle on occasion, but he remembered - Palpatine had got the sympathy vote when he brought the very senator Harry had just saved, who was at the time Queen of Naboo, to the Senate Halls to deliver quite a moving speech about how her planet had been besieged by the Trade Federation... and eventually the Sith Warrior, Lord Maul.

Harry could not help but admire her, for she was only fourteen at the time, and on top of that she was forced into the career and seemed to care deeply for her family - her planet, it seemed. He had almost wanted to say she was an honest politician. Then he remembered that Cornelius Fudge had seemed nice until you got too close to him, and then he would show his true form.

Moving on, Syfo-Dias disappeared only months after the new Supreme Chancellor took office. 'All too convenient...' thought Harry, 'Sympathy vote to get in... Sith Lord appears... Master who is pushing for Council to take charge in the political arena... wait that -'

"Master Syfo-Dias!," shouted a voice behind him, and it startled him so much he jumped and yelped while his lightstaff clanked to the floor. Harry pivoted around to look down the hall, breathing heavily, to see Master Mace Windu who was now laughing. 'Oh hell... not even five minutes in and I'm done for...'

Mace Windu caught the stray thoughts the Padawan, who had let his mental shield down, was giving off. 'Who would have known Potter could be caught off guard?,' thought an amused Master Jedi who was walking up to him. He put on a stern face, and stopped a meter in front of the wide-eyed, fake Syfo-Dias.

He leaned forward, "Is that... uh... your lightstaff, Syfo-Dias?," he whispered, pointing downward and looking as seriously as he could under such a condition as this. Mace Windu had to usually deal with a very serious Potter who was, only on occasion not so worried over how he was doing and how well he was living up to their expectations.

Harry looked down at the very symbol of his training - the tool that marked him as Harry Potter and looked back up to the stern face of Mace Windu. 'Oh hell... wing it!'

"Ya, Master Windu," he said nervously, schooling his features, trying to resume his facade, "You see, very interesting thing...," he coughed, "Along the Rim Worlds, you see, large... big... beasts," he said, trying to show him with his hands.

"Ferocious, very hard to fight," and Mace Windu lost it, and began laughing, "That..." Harry said, puzzled as he looked at the in-hysterics Master Jedi, "That required me to build an exact replica of Harry Potter's lightstaff," he said, sighing, as he caught on; Mace Windu had been told by Master Yoda of his disguise.

"I hate you old man," he muttered to the smiling Master Jedi, his exhaustion catching up to him once more. Harry pivoted, and began walking off with Mace Windu following in tow.

"I do hope you can pull off a better performance than that, Syfo-Dias," exclaimed Mace, who was laughing once more, "Large... big... big beasts!" he cried, waving his hands around.

Mace Windu, had indeed been told everything and that meant everything.

Most surprising to him, though, was the bonding between a certain Padawan and Senator, and now that he felt through the Force he could sense two tendrils of the Force whipping out away from the energy that Harry radiated - one being Yoda's and the other Senator Amidala's, the much stronger and wider one.

As they moved towards the training room, Mace took in the young man's appearance, and noted quite respectfully that he was not in the least shocked to hear that Harry Potter was a wound in the Force. That Harry siphoned energy to him, could develop bonds and break people effortlessly if he wanted to, as well as sever and destroy entire worlds if he practiced hard enough really did not shock the man as it had Master Yoda.

Then again, Mace Windu had given up on trying to figure out the enigma that the lad was.

"Mace, I connected with the Force today," Harry said, trying to change the subject, "I saw it... it was wonderful - all the energies and the different shades of blue that they are made of was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen."

"Indeed, but you are not getting away from our previous subject so easily," Mace replied, trying to steer the conversation away from that subject.

You do not see the Force, you feel it flowing through you. That Harry was a Miraluka and could watch the waves of Force the objects and sentient-beings gave off was an amazing ability lost long ago by his ancestors.

"What had you so wrapped up that a simple greeting could startle you, that much? Your new girlfriend?," he inquired, gauging his reaction, which was one of confusion.

"What?," asked a baffled Harry, who stopped, abruptly, "New girlfriend?"

"Why the Senator, Amidala, of course," he said simply, inwardly smiling and stopping as well.

"Senator Amidala?"

"Oh, so you didn't even know her name? You sly dog, and here we didn't even think you'd ever break out of that shell of yours," he continued, now smiling.

"Didn't even know her name?...," Harry the confused Padawan, trailed off, "What are you talking about, Master Windu?"

Mace Windu faked being puzzled, "You mean to tell me you aren't hitting on Senator Amidala?"

"No," he said, calmly, regaining his composure, "What gave you such an idea?"

The old Master Jedi just smiled, "She was moaning your name while she slept."

Priceless was the one word that fit the moment.

Mace Windu just smiled, nodding his head at the best Padawan in the temple, who now lay sprawled out on the floor, face down, with his royal blue hood ruffled and on his head at an odd angle - he had tripped.

In actuality, the Senator Amidala had been thrashing viciously at her sheets, screaming for the young lad to run. He had taken charge of watching over her while Yoda scoured the Archive and to say it had taken the Head of High Council by surprise would be an understatement. The shrill screams had nearly sent him into cardiac arrest. He had learned the truth after contacting Yoda, and resolved not to tell Harry that the Senator was most likely having nightmares where Harry was in some sort of danger.

He would catch on too quickly.

That was what really took him by surprise: Master Yoda not wanting Harry to know he was bonded to someone.

The diminutive Jedi Master had simply said it would not be appropriate, for it could be nothing more than a short side affect of being healed by a wound in the Force. Mace Windu knew lying was apart of being an effective Jedi, and he knew a cunning and guileful mind was necessary to keep the Galactic Republic from being destroyed by hungry politicians but he hated lying about the Force, and he hated lying to Harry Potter.

They were two of the three members of the order of thousands that followed an ancient code and that was the equivalent of being related in blood, to the Master Jedi.

Mace focused once more on Harry who was sitting on his rear with widened eyes. He was not able to discern the emotion Harry felt nor gave off when he spoke.

"She was moaning my name?"

Mace Windu grinned and continued his charade, "Yes, yes..." he rubbed his chin, "Looks like you were thinking of her if you're falling all over the place just because she had a nice little dream about her savior... well, I guess it probably wasn't a nice, cleandream," and with that, Mace began to walk a short distance away before he turned around and reached inside his robe.

"Oh yes, I seemed to have forgot momentarilywhy I came toto you in the first place," he said, tossing a shiny and well-designed metallic cylinder - a lightsaber - towards Harry which hit the dazed, confused, and speechless young man right in the head.

"That's a lightsaber specifically made by Master Syfo-Dias..." Mace just shook his head as he continued towards the training room.

Harry scowled, 'What... what the hell just happened?' He got up shakily and quite simply said, "Force, I hate politicians." He reached down, placed his lightstaff within his robes and clasped the new hilt he was given on his sash and took off down the hall, trying to catch up with Mace.

If he would have attuned himself to the whisperings of the Force as he rushed towards the training room, he would have heard it laughing, softly.

Master Yoda, Knight Kenobi, and Padawan Anakin were also making their way towards the training room, discussing the issue of Harry Potter.

"He did well, as always," commented Anakin. He was thankful for Harry for many things, and this was another - him saving who he was increasingly becoming in love with.

"I have not seen him around, Master Yoda... is he injured?"

"In route to the Senate Building, he was, but contacted him, I did, and told him to head to the space port. Sent, in his place, I did, Master Syfo-Dias."

"Master Syfo-Dias? Really? He's back?," inquired Kenobi, instantly in a good mood. He thought highly of Syfo-Dias, as well as Yoda and Mace Windu as they appeared to be more laid back than most, while still effective and capable of handling their duties.

Then again, if he recalled the conversation some five years ago in the training facility, then the three were most likely followers of the Old Jedi Code... and he was quite unsure of himself as he still believed he was much too young to be training the "Chosen One."

"Indeed, worked very hard, he has, these last ten years," commented Yoda, "Managed, he did, to delay the Cloning Bill. Returned he has, only just recently, to the Temple. Believe, I do, he is in the training facility with Master Windu."

"Excellent, I think I need a few tips -" but Anakin cut his master off.

"So what of the situation with Pad- I mean, Senator Amidala?"

"Lead, we have, that Nubian moon space miners were responsible for the recent assassination attempt," lied the Master, "Discovered it was, that threatening her, they were. Enacting many laws prohibiting their polluting operations, she was responsible for. Sent my Padawan, I have, to the moons of Naboo to investigate. Believe, I do, it is a false lead but concerned I am, about the Senator's survival. Very important, she is."

"She's asleep, isn't she?," inquired the eager Padawan. Obi-Wan felt ashamed, and Yoda caught it. Yoda inwardly sighed, knowing how dangerous this was becoming and especially since his own Padawan was being forced into an inevitable confrontation with the comely Senator. Whether the bond was between one of Master and Apprentice, or one meant for pushing two together in love was unknown but it was nonetheless dangerous.

"Indeed, she is. But arrived another friend, has on the planet. Eager, I am certain he is, to meet you once more."

As if on cue, the oddest looking creature stepped through an opened door near them.

Very tall, and very lanky, the odd alien's body looked like you could flex it in any which wayyou wanted to. He had a rather long bill upon which large nostrils resided and the ears the creature possessed were colossal, for they reached down to the thing's shoulder blades. On top of that, they were quite fin-like and seemed as flexible as the rest of the body.

The light-brownish hued creature took one look at them, and his amphibian like eyelids shot open in surprise as he rushed forward.

"Obi! Obi! Obi! Mesa so smilen to see'en yousa!," chanted the creature stopping in front of Obi-Wan Kenobi, and rasping his hand from his body and shaking it repeatedly. Master Yoda smiled, and moved away from the two, continuing on his way to the training room.

Obi-Wan smiled, "Its good to see you, too, Jar Jar."

"Oops! Wheresa mesa manners? Excuse-ah me, Master Obi-Wan. I completely forgot myself for a moment dere. I have had to learn Diplodialect - speak it like a native now. Don't really see the point, actually, but members of the Senate seem to prefer it," rambled on the strange creature.

Suddenly the creature stopped when he noticed the person next to Obi-Wan. He gave the smiling young man a look over and his eyes widened once more, "No! Annie? No! Little bitty Annie? No! Yousa so biggen!" he shouted, grasping the startled Chosen One in a hug.

"Yiyiyiyiyi!," he said crazily, "Annie! Mesa no believen."

"Hi, Jar Jar," Anakin replied oddly, not quite sure what to say.

"Lets take this discussion into the training facility, shall we?," offered Obi-Wan opening the door. Both Jar Jar and Anakin stepped in with Obi-Wan following shortly behind, and just in time to see a large blue blur shoot across the air.

Two Jedi Knights moved across the mat towards the blur, each with a green lightsaber in hand. When the blur landed gracefully, the three new arrivals caught sight. The man's stance towards the two was confident, a silver hued lightsaber in his left hand and his eyes a fierce blue blaze.

"Who's the guy with the wizard lightsaber?," inquired Anakin. Wizard was often used to describe things that were immensely cool.

"That, my Padawan, is Master Syfo-Dias," replied Obi-Wan, watching with much interest as the revered Master moved across the room, extended a hand in a fluent motion, and sent one of his opponents to the ground as he caught the other who swiped at him with his lightsaber.

"Not bad," commented Anakin.

Obi-Wan snorted, "Anakin, you wouldn't stand a chance against him."

"I could and would beat him."

"You do know he was once the Master of the High Council? Seriously, Anakin, the man's been along the outer rim for the last ten years. He's undoubtedly seen tons of fights with wild animals and I can ascertain from when I last saw that he has improved greatly with the lightsaber. He's a solid all around Jedi. You wouldn't stand a chance."

"Did you want to date him or something?" asked an incredulous Padawan, "I swear, you're hanging around Harry again, aren't you Master?"

Obi-Wan sent the Padawan a shrewd glance as Syfo-Dias threw the Jedi who had been toppled and unwise enough to get up into a wall, "It'd be wise to take after him. Learn from History, my Padawan. Learn of earlier Master's techniques and you can use it in constructing your own. No harm comes from it."

Jar Jar Binks remained quiet, staring at the Master Jedi who was once again moving in a blur and working the Jedi Knight he was fighting with quick and rapid slashes. He was entranced, not by the beauty nor out of any like but just entranced by the person for some odd reason. It was like he was commanded to watch every parry and thrust but one thing was for certain:the poor creature could not help it.

The Jedi who had been quite easily slammed into the wall shook his head and ran at the Master. Syfo-Dias flipped over the other Jedi's head, shot to the ground and swept his foot and tripped the man he had been fighting. He lifted his lightsaber just in time to catch the man he had sent into the wall's lightsaber. With his other hand he picked the other one up, pushed him away several yards while an invisible energy field encased the man, and he was no longer able to move.

Soon two blurs once again swept across the training floor. More Jedi began piling in and watching, having heard rumors of a certain Jedi Master returning. High Council members also showed up, having come up with the lie that the Jedi Master was on the outer rim, not really knowing what happened.

All were impressed, and quickly believed he was the real deal for his use of the Force was quite good.

"Amazing," whispered a feminine voice behind Jar Jar, Anakin, and Obi-Wan. All three turned around to see the stunning Senator of Naboo - standing next to Captain Panaka - dressed in a gorgeous outfit.

She wore a silver chiffon taffeta blouse under her sturdy, black, buckram bodice that had a high collar. Her sweeping skirt of a rich gray color reached all the way to the floor and had several pleats and ruffles throughout. Senator Amidala's hair was, as usual, of an eccentric design; the silky brunette hair was sleek and shiny, tied into two oddly shaped patterns that hung in midair on each side of her hair and resembled a croissant.

Draped along her head was a single silver chain that led to two silver pendants that covered her ears. On the chiffon taffeta blouse wrapped around the sleeve near the shoulder blades were four white gold bands with sapphires encrusted into them. She wore nothing on her lips save a translucent coat of gloss that made her all the more appealing.

"It's a great pleasure to meet you again, M'lady," spoke Obi-Wan. Anakin Skywalker could do nothing but stare.

"It has been far too long Master Kenobi. I'm glad our paths have crossed once again," she spoke, her high tones quite ethereal. She cast her glance once more to the fight which ended quite humorously, at least to her, when the Master, Syfo-Dias, leapt into the air over the last Jedi's head. What was funny was the Jedi twirled around looking for him and searched back and forth until he finally looked up to see Syfo-Dias, who had been hovering above him, drop down on him and topple him to the ground.

Several Masters nodded their approvals while Knights and Padawans gave polite claps. She saw Master Yoda approach Master Syfo-Dias and she focused her attention once more on the three in front of her. She gave Obi-Wan a small hug and resumed her elegant stance.

"So, who is that handsome man?" she inquired.

A voice startled all four of them, which was quite cheerful, "Why, Syfo-Dias, Senator Amidala. And I thank you. Its quite nice to hear such comments after having dealt with sentient beings along the outer rim, who wanted to viciously dismember me bit by bit and feed me to Teranteks."

Padmé's cheeks tinged just slightly before she recovered and gave the man who had stepped up a small smile, "That was quite funny what you did against your opponent, a few moments ago, Master Syfo-Dias." He gave a winsome smile and a bow before turning his attention to Obi-Wan and striking a conversation with him. She finally caught sight of the person staring at her from next to the Gungan, Jar Jar,and she raised an eyebrow before she smiled.

"Annie?" Anakin winced, "My, you have grown. You must be giving the women here a hard time."

Anakin, trying to be smooth, replied, "So have you... grown more beautiful I mean... and much shorter - for a senator, I mean."

Obi-Wan and Master Syfo-Dias heard that.

Obi-Wan looked disapprovingly at his apprentice, while Master Syfo-Dias inwardly sighed wondering how his friend could be that tactless. Padmé laughed softly and shook her head.

"Oh Annie. You'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine."

Anakin was really embarrassed and quickly looked at the ground. Obi-Wan let a smile form on his lips, and Master Syfo-Dias could not help but chuckle. Anakin threw him a withering glance and schooled his features, looking back up.

"How long do you plan to keep me locked up here?," she asked with a smile. She hadn't meant to embarrass Anakin but she was still too caught up with being embarrassed by the Master, Syfo-Dias.

"That, I can answer," spoke Syfo-Dias, "Yoda has just informed me that I, along with your friends Anakin and Obi-Wan, will be your guard for the duration of your stay here, which will be until the Senate convenes once more."

"I am very grateful we are allowed to stayhere, Master Syfo-Dias. The situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit," Captain Panaka interjected before Senator Amidala, who's mood changed suddenly, could argue.

"I do not need more security," she said testily, "It would be a waste of your resources... certainly you could be spending your time more purposefully by tracking the people who want to dispose of me and those opposed to the Cloning Bill?"

Master Syfo-Dias, remembering how he had often said something along those linesto a certain old man when he was holed up at his aunt and uncle's, agreed, "That would be the wisest move but, alas, I am no longer the Head of the Jedi Knights, nor am I even upon the High Council as I have just recently been informed."

Obi-Wan Kenobi frowned, and Anakin threw the man once more, a withering look but Master Syfo-Dias just smiled.

"If we are assigned to protect, Senator Amidala, then that is all we can do," said Obi-Wan.

Anakin paid him no heed, "We will protect you and we will find out who is trying to kill you, Padmé, I promise you." Obi-Wan sent him a dirty look, and Master Syfo-Dias, who was inclined to agree that that was wise, spoke instead like a stern Master who followed the decisions of the High Council.

"You are not going to exceed the Council's mandate, young Padawan learner."

"I meant in the interest of protecting her, Master Syfo-Dias, of course," Anakin defended, slightly ashamed of himself.

"You won't be going through this exercise again, Anakin. You will pay attention to the lead of Master Syfo-Dias and myself."

"Why?"

Obi-Wan's eyes widened, and both Syfo-Dias and Padmé let smiles form on their lips.

"What?" asked Obi-Wan, incredulously.

"I mean, why else do you think we were assigned to her, if not to find the killer? Protection is a job for local security, not Jedi. It's overkill, Master. Investigation is implied in our mandate."

Obi-Wan looked ashamed of himself, standing here in front of a revered Jedi Master and having an out-of-line Jedi Padawan who questioned his every move. It was Syfo-Dias who spoke up, and his voice was quite commanding to the others, and intoxicating to a certain Senator.

"We will do as the Council has instructed, which is to serve as guards, and you will learn your place, young one."

Padmé gave a rueful smile, "Perhaps with merely your presence, the mysteries surrounding the threat will be revealed," she then turned to Syfo-Dias, "Now, I would very much like to meet the person who saved my life this day."

"I am afraid he has left, Senator," informed Syfo-Dias, "He has been dispatched to investigate a suspect on the moons of your homeworld."

She sighed, "Very well... that is what I came down here to do in the first place,and now,if you'll excuse me I am still feeling quite a bit a pain and am going to retire for the night."

"I wish you a speedy recovery, Senator Amidala," bowed Syfo-Dias, "May the Force be with you."

Panaka lingered only momentarily, "I feel a lot better having her here. I'll be in room seventeen, which Master Yoda gave me as a command center of sorts, if you need me." With that, he rushed to the departing Senator.

Harry Potter - 'Syfo-Dias' he mentally groaned, let his weariness show through. Today had been the most action filled day since the final battle with Lord Voldemort and he had enough of pretending to be lively and robust. He bowed slightly to Jar Jar, Obi-Wan, and Anakin and said tiredly, "I too, am weary. My travels have caught up with me, and I must retire for the night. I bid you fond farewell Knight Kenobi and Padawan Skywalker." He looked at the strange creature - a Gungan he quickly noted and smiled, "Ah, and you as well Jar Jar Binks," recalling the General who served for the Gungan army against the Trade Federation.

He walked as regally as he could and left towards a new room assigned to him by Master Yoda which would serve as his place of stay until he no longer needed to disguise himself.

Jar Jar looked over at a slightly depressed Anakin and slung an arm around him, "Mesa busten wit happiness seein yousa again, Annie." Anakin made a very sarcastic mental note to kill anyone who called him 'Annie', "Deesa bad times, bombad times."

Anakin sighed - they were bad times but not for the reasons Jar Jar mentioned, "She didn't even recognize me Jar Jar. I thought about her every day since we parted and she's forgotten me completely."

"Shesa happy. Happier den mesa see-en her in longo time," disagreed Jar Jar.

Obi-Wan sighed, "Anakin, you're focusing on the negative again. Be mindful of your thoughts. She was glad to see us. Now lets do a perimeter check around the Temple."

"Yes, my master."

It was a short time later, elsewhere in the temple that both Senator Padmé Amidala and the now-disguised Jedi Padawan, Harry Potter, tossed and turned in their sleep, each reliving horrible moments of the Boy-Who-Lived's life.