The path wound through the mountains of Elysium like a silver thread glinting under the light of the moon. Harry Potter sat in silence beside Nicholas Flamel, his emerald eyes darting over the jagged cliffs as they flew over the mountain ranges far west of Elysia City. The hover car sped through the mountain passes with ease, and they sailed past the deep forests now inhabited by various Centaur clans, Unicorns and other magical creatures in comfort.
The hover car was an idea conceived by the Weasley twins, drawing inspiration from their father, Arthur Weasley's, work on the enchanted Muggle car. Sirius happened to hear about it, and he became immediately interested, starting the whole process rolling with a substantial initial investment. After all, Sirius had already taken a shine to Muggle transportation in the form of his flying bike long ago. The idea of a flying car had the old grim's eyes sparkle like a kid in a candy store.
With the three Weasleys and one Black pushing the idea forward, it didn't take long for the hover car to manifest in reality.
Harry's only contribution was smoothing things over with the administration, granting the newly formed WB company its license and expediting the formulation of regulations for the production lines.
Right now, he was the proud owner of the first hover car, even though the current one was still undergoing field study. He had volunteered for it, to be honest. He couldn't help but jump at the chance when Sirius mentioned they were about to conduct trials.
"You know, I'm liking this hover car the Weasleys came up with. This is far better than brooms and flying carpets." Nicholas said with palpable enthusiasm.
"It is quite wicked." Harry agreed with a wide grin as he increased the speed by pulling the steering console towards him.
The hover car hummed and punched through the air, easily crossing 300 Km/hr without the slightest turbulence or pressure. The entire metal used in the construction of the hover car came from Dwarven forges, enchanted with wards and barriers that replicated the effects of the Titan tank to a lesser degree. The interior, on the other hand, was a tapestry of charms performed by wizards and witches to host a conducive environment for comfort.
"I still marvel at the ingenuity of wizards. Even after all these years, they never stop to surprise me." Nicholas said with an appreciative laugh.
"The Weasley twins are a pair of outstanding inventors. Pairing them with the Dwarven arts makes them a formidable entity." Harry commented, proud of the twins' accomplishments.
With Voldemort and his band of terrorists dealt with quite succinctly, the Weasley family remained intact, like most wizarding families. The potential of the Weasley twins was not stifled thanks to an early end to the war. It was little things like these that made Harry sleep soundly in the night despite the brutal way he finished the war against the pureblood supremacists. He had torn apart families and made many orphans directly and indirectly. Seeing the rapid progression of Elysium made many of his actions in the war justifiable.
"Harry, right there." Nicholas pointed to a cliff in the distance.
Their surroundings changed as more snow started to cover the ground. The greenery was absent in the area as they neared the mountain ranges. The snow-capped mountains glittered under the morning sun as if they were covered with crystals.
Harry nodded and guided the hover car straight towards the cliff, where the snow was noticeably absent. He set down the hover car on the cliff, and the doors folded open as if a curtain was drawn up.
A stone platform appeared from the side of the cliff, shimmering into existence as Flamel tapped a rune hidden within the rocks. The stone beneath their feet glowed faintly and slowly descended into the earth, carrying them down into the mountain's heart.
The elevator shaft opened into a vast underground chamber filled with softly glowing walls etched in Ancient script. The runes pulsed in synchrony with the ambient hum of energy beneath the floor, forming conduits of magic and science fused into harmony. At the far end of the chamber stood a crystal lattice suspended between three golden arches. Floating in the air, spinning ever so slowly, was a multifaceted shard—about the size of a knut—engraved with microscopic runes that pulsed in blues and violets.
Perenelle Flamel stood beside the crystal, her hair braided and bound with living ivy, her robes trimmed in starlight thread. Despite her age, she looked radiant and powerful. She turned as they entered, her eyes alight with excitement and a sense of accomplishment.
"Harry," she said warmly. "You're just in time. The Heart of Ashhera is ready."
Harry stared at the crystal closely.
"That's it? The Goa'uld Control Matrix?"
"It's far more than that." Perenelle smiled.
Nicholas approached the lattice, placing a hand on the surrounding arch.
"Over the last month, we've taken apart over a dozen captured Goa'uld symbiotes. With the help of Ancient biological archives and a few unwelcome volunteers—" his mouth twisted at the memory "—we've isolated the neuro-command pathways the Goa'uld use to suppress host consciousness."
"We've then encoded rune-laced resonance sequences that mimic the control impulses, only inverted. Instead of enabling domination, the Heart of Ashhera severs it. And, more importantly, it can command the symbiote to shut down its neural interface altogether." Pernelle said gleefully.
Harry's eyes widened at that.
"It can render a Goa'uld inert?" he asked excitedly.
"Inert?" Perenelle smirked. "I'm talking about total control. We've already tested the Heart of Asshera with the Goa'uld Isa, and it was a total success."
"It seems we must thank the Alteran crystal printing technology we recovered from their outpost. It has facilitated complex runic inscriptions to be symmetrically aligned within a crystal structure." Nicholas said, after observing the floating crystal with an enchanted magnifying glass.
"The commands in the crystal can be modified, yes?" Harry asked.
"Of course. Once a crystal is synced with a datapad, verbal commands are all that is necessary to make a Goa'uld obey. And if the Goa'uld has outlived its usefulness, I've also imprinted a death trap. A rune-enforced exploding curse is placed within the crystal. It can be remotely activated with a timer." Perenelle said.
"How soon until we can replicate more?" Harry inquired, impressed by the crystal's versatile functions.
"We have a functioning template now. So, the only delay will be the time it takes for crystal printing and the surgical procedure to implant the crystal into a Goa'uld's nerve nodes." Perenelle said.
"So, what do you think?" Nicholas asked, turning his brown eyes on Harry. "Is this enough to move our plan forward with Heru'ur?"
"This is more than enough." Harry said, his mind already on plans to use Heru'ur as a front while Elysium enriched itself by subsuming the resources of Heru'ur's empire.
*******
Harry watched from a safe observing point as the stargate in the secret facility came alive. After extracting every shred of intel from the captured Tok'ra, they were useless. So, Harry had a team track down the current Tok'ra hideout and establish contact.
Of course, he made sure the team was under the heavy guard, dissuading the Tok'ra from taking any of them prisoners. Once the information was relayed to the Tok'ra leadership, their whole attitude changed. The Tok'ra have only come into contact with the human population, either as slaves under the Goa'uld or weighed down by their societal failures. This was the first time the Tok'ra were engaged directly with a human political entity capable of going toe to toe with the Goa'uld.
It had taken an hour, but the Tok'ra were finally responding. Frankly, he was surprised they took this long to respond. After all, he was aware that the Tok'ra were not in a position to abandon three of their brethren, considering they were very few to begin with.
He watched from behind a glass pane as his people scanned the Tok'ra for weapons and any other tracking devices. He saw the scanners feed the information on the projected screen one by one.
"Have their communicators blocked and ensure containment wards in place around the guest chamber once the doors are closed." Harry ordered.
After all precautions were taken, Harry moved to the chamber, where the negotiations were to take place.
The chamber was carved from obsidian and veined with glowing crystals, humming faintly with arcane power for those blessed with keen magical senses. To the Tok'ra, it might as well have been a plain, unamusing room. Great banners of the Elysian Federation hung on either side of the doorway to the chamber.
Harry sat behind a rectangular table already arranged for this meeting. He was joined by two more High Council members, Nicholas Flamel and Oscar Truman.
He sat tall, cloaked in navy robes streaked with gold thread, his wand holstered in a dragonhide holder. Harry looked neither relaxed nor hostile as the three Tok'ra representatives joined them in the chamber.
"My name is Thalan," said the foremost Tok'ra, his voice a blend of two tones, one masculine and alien, the other soft and human.
"This is Leriss, and this—" he gestured to the two dark-haired women to his left— "is Sevin. We have come in the hope of establishing good ties with the people of Elysium as per the wishes of the Tok'ra council."
"My name is Nicholas Flamel, and these are Harry Potter and Oscar Truman. Despite the circumstances that led to this meeting, we extend you salutations of the Elysian High Council." Nicholas said with a gentle smile.
While they exchanged pleasantries, Harry observed the three Tok'ra. Thalan was the sole male Tok'ra host amongst the representatives. The other two, Leriss and Sevin, were female.
"We understand that you have captured three Tok'ra operatives." Thalan said, leading with the most critical issue from their perspective, the release of their brethren.
"They were captured when one of our bases was attacked by Heru'ur. They're war prisoners." Harry said sharply.
"They were our spies in Heru'ur's court under Amshak's leadership. Surely, you must understand they hold no hostility towards your people."
"What were Tok'ra spies doing aboard Heru'ur's vessel?" Harry asked.
"Whatever they were ordered to do by Heru'ur, they obeyed to the letter to keep their cover as spies." said Thalan.
"They were firing massive plasma bolts into our base. After capture, they refused to cooperate." Oscar said blandly.
"If they didn't cooperate, then how did you find us?" Thalan asked warily.
"You tortured Amshak and the others!" Leriss accused with a cold stare.
"There has been no torture," Harry said sharply, insulted by the implication. "We are not Goa'uld. We do not use such crude methods to extract information from enemy combatants."
"Nor do we believe you are," Thalan interjected. "But understand—our people have been hunted, exterminated, used as puppets. We fight the same enemy, but from different shadows."
Harry tapped his fingers on the table while observing the three Tok'ra.
"Your shadows cross into ours too easily, and we'd like for that to stop in the future."
A silence settled. The Tok'ra shifted, exchanging glances.
Finally, Sevin stepped forward and bowed her head.
"Your actions against Heru'ur were... unprecedented. His flagship has not been seen by any of his trusted Jaffa. Your power remains unknown to the System Lords. Power that could tilt the balance."
"You want our power?" Harry asked coolly.
"We want an alliance through which we could use our combined strength to bring the Goa'uld Empire to its knees. Surely, you see that we can both benefit from cooperation." Thalan offered.
He looked at Sevin, then at Thalan.
"You want your people freed, in exchange for what? Information?"
"Access," Thalan said. "To mutual defence. We offer all the intel we have on the System Lords and their forces—names, operations, and hidden supply lines. In return, we ask not only for the release of Amshak and the others, but for a lasting treaty that solidifies our cooperation."
Harry exchanged a look with Nicholas and Oscar.
"We are interested in gaining intel on the System Lords, and we can further avoid mistakes like this. A treaty ratified by both our people with mutual benefit in the interest of liberating the galaxy from Goa'uld tyranny will be ideal." Nicholas said with a serene smile.
"In that case, may one of us talk with our captured brethren before we discuss the terms of the treaty?" Thalan requested.
"That can be arranged." Nicholas agreed with a nod.
Harry ordered his men to arrange the meeting with the Tok'ra prisoners. As the Tok'ra representatives huddled together and spoke with their brethren in hushed tones, their entire conversation was being recorded and monitored by a team of officers through the aid of discreetly placed devices in the room, concealed by magic. It was not an honourable thing to do, but they had to take such precautions because the Tok'ra were not allies yet. The Tok'ra were spies of the highest order.
Therefore, it fell to Harry that no valuable intel was leaked to the Tok'ra. He also disliked surprises, and that was why he monitored the conversation. If there were some unfortunate information leak from the Tok'ra prisoners, then he preferred to know now so that he could act swiftly.
As a matter of fact, he didn't even want to host this meeting in Elysium. He planned to host the meeting at Zoria. The moon base would've been a perfect spot. He argued that giving their planet's location to the Tok'ra was a risk. It was only because of the High Council's insistence that he invited these rebels into their home.
The council had come to the conclusion that the Tok'ra could be valuable allies in keeping their hold over Heru'ur's empire. The argument was that the Tok'ra were already skilled enough to work under the noses of the Goa'uld. Their experience in blending in with the Goa'uld made them the perfect allies to depend on, keeping Elysium's hold over Heru'ur's territory.
At the same time, one of the planets from Heru'ur's territory could be offered to the Tok'ra as a permanent base to sweeten the alliance. This would give the Tok'ra the protection of the Elysian Federation, and the Tok'ra would be beholden to the alliance.
The Tok'ra representatives returned from their brief discussion with their fellow brethren.
"Marshal Potter?" Oscar Truman looked at him in askance.
"There is nothing to worry about. There seems to be no danger." Harry reported, knowing they could only proceed if the Tok'ra were genuine in their approach to the alliance.
"In that case, let's proceed as planned." said Nicholas.
Harry nodded at the alchemist.
When the Tok'ra representatives were escorted back, the discussions started in earnest. The focus of their treaty was the Goa'uld and how they were to move forward. The Tok'ra were already informed of Heru'ur's capture, and Harry was not hesitant to share what they intended to do with the Goa'uld.
"It's a bold plan." Thalan said as he stared at them with a serious look.
"Do you truly believe you can pull off something like this?" Lerissa asked sceptically.
"We have a method to keep Heru'ur under our control. As for keeping up the appearance with the other System Lords, I believe that'll require the Tok'ra's help." Nicholas said.
"Our help?" Sevin asked with a raised eyebrow. "How?"
"The Tok'ra have specialised in infiltrating Goa'uld ranks. We're merely hoping that your people can replace all minor Goa'uld present in Heru'ur's empire and establish total control over those planets."
"That's an ambitious plan." Lerissa said.
"We know. But think of the advantages. Your people can get a safe sector of space to operate from and infiltrate the other Goa'uld holdings with the protection of our military power." Harry pointed out.
"What you are proposing is a radical change in our current operation principles. This will require some deeper discussions in the Tok'ra Council." Thalan calmly said without giving any of his thoughts away on the matter.
Harry couldn't discern whether the Tok'ra were happy or concerned with the offer they put forth. After all, the offer may look appealing to some while also coming off as an attempt to take over the Tok'ra operations.
"We'll discuss that in detail after you discuss this with your peers." Oscar nodded, and they moved on to the next point of discussion.
"What we mostly need are willing hosts. If Elysium can provide…"
"No." Nicholas said firmly, even before Harry or Oscar could refute the Tok'ra.
"No?" Sevin blinked slowly, exchanging a wary look with her fellow Tok'ra.
"No. No Elysian will ever form a symbiotic bond with a Tok'ra or a Goa'uld. Our mind must be our own." Nicholas said firmly.
"You do not trust us." Thalan said with disappointment.
"It has nothing to do with trust. Our people value the sanctity of our minds far more than anything else. Purity of mind is essential for us to become one with the energy that binds us to nature." Nicholas said.
The Tok'ra exchanged wary looks and confused stares.
"We don't understand," Lerissa said, frowning at them from across the table.
"You must understand, though we look similar to the Tau'ri, we're not them. We're an entirely different species." said Harry. "Observe."
Harry raised his right hand, and with a thought, his fingers glowed with bright white light.
"We are the descendants of the Gate Builders. I believe you call them the Ancients."
"You are the Ancients?" Thalan asked with wide eyes, his eyes briefly straying from the light emanating from Harry's eyes to look into his green eyes.
Harry conjured a sizeable stone in mid-air, startling the Tok'ra.
"No, we're not the Ancients. We're the second evolution of the Ancients or Lanteans as we know them." Harry said, while transfiguring the stone into a hawk.
The hawk flew around the chamber, attracting the eyes of the Tok'ra, tracking its movement with slack jaws. When the hawk finally settled on the table, Sevin reached out hesitantly with his hand and ruffled its brown feathers.
"It's real!" Sevin said, her eyes wide as saucers.
"We have been blessed with the gifts of imposing our will on reality, shaping it to our imagination." Harry said, transfiguring the hawk into a squirrel and then a snake.
"Come, noble serpent." Harry hissed in Parseltongue.
The snake slithered to his side on the table and coiled obediently on his right arm.
"Our body interacts with planetary and cosmic energies in ways unknown to most other species. Because of this, our body hosts energies hostile to the likes of Goa'uld or Tok'ra." Harry explained.
"The powers that allow us to tap into manipulating the material universe require us to maintain the sanctity of our mind. To share our mind with a symbiotic lifeform would either cause damage to you or one of our own." Nicholas said, with a serious look.
By the looks of it, the Tok'ra ate it up with Harry's supplementary tricks to reinforce the bullshit story they just spun. It was decided beforehand that any attempts at taking one of their own people as a host to the Tok'ra were forbidden. Even if they valued an alliance with the Tok'ra, the High Council was unwilling to compromise any citizen of Elysium.
But instead of a blunt refusal, they thought making up a believable excuse was the best option forward. And it seems to have worked because the Tok'ra representatives ate it up and seem to be more eager to continue the talks.
They discussed the treaty for nearly an hour until it was time for a break in the discussion. The Tok'ra wanted to return to their home and discuss the progress they had made so far with their ruling council.
Harry watched the three Tok'ra leave through the Stargate. Just as they were about to shut down the gate, a single plasma bolt came out of the gate from the other side. A massive explosion occurred within the hangar hosting the stargate.
Alarms blared across the hangar, and barriers were erected around the stargate immediately. The three Tok'ra rolled out of the stargate with looks of panic and horror etched on their faces.
Harry immediately activated the wrist device on his left hand and assumed control of the stargate. An energy barrier suddenly formed over the gate, shielding the event horizon from affecting their side.
"What happened?" Harry asked once he apparated into the hangar and came face to face with Thalan.
"The Goa'uld have somehow tracked our base's location. We're under assault by a Death Glider." Thalan said grimly.
Harry exchanged a look with the crew handling the stargate.
"Are any of you hurt?" he asked.
"No, sir. Merlin bless us, we were lucky."
Harry looked at the raging fire inside the stargate hangar, where one of the crates had disintegrated from the plasma bolt. He looked at his people and then the Tok'ra.
"I believe you three should take some rest. Leave this Goa'uld incursion to us." Harry said to the three Tok'ra before he sent a notification for the jumper crew through his wrist device.
He was not one to back down from a challenge, and the Death Glider just gave him a chance to test a Jumper in an aerial fight.
AN:
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