Harry stared at the progress in Elysium one last time as it was time for him to return to Earth for a brief time. The summer vacation was ne
Harry stared at the progress in Elysium one last time as it was time for him to return to Earth for a brief time. The summer vacation was nearing its end, and the new academic year was about to begin.
Harry and his crew had spent the last month and a half exploring the closer star systems to Elysium, searching for resources. Their seeking led to the discovery of some hycean planets and moons rich in Naquadah and other vital resources.
But those missions were now put on hold as a professional team was set up to gather intelligence using stargates. The plan was to chart a course through viable planets in the galaxy after using magical means to scan the planets for their habitable conditions and resources. It was supposed to save them time instead of blindly searching using the Spitfire.
Of course, Harry would not attend his final year at Hogwarts.
He found his time was better suited for Elysium rather than wasting it on another year of magical studies. While he wouldn't be arrogant enough to call himself all-knowing in the disciplines of magic, he was less attracted to the prospect of passing NEWT-level exams.
After all, he was no longer dependent on the prospects of magical Britain.
However, he was not callous enough to completely turn his back on Hogwarts. The youngsters in the school were his fresh recruits for Elysium's continued progress. To that effect, he devised a revised curriculum for Hogwarts students after long hours of discussion with the Ministry and the Board of Governors.
To streamline the process, he allowed Professor Aurora Sinistra, Septima Vector, and Bathsheda Babbling to acquire some basic training in Elysium using Alteran technology. The data crystals were a phenomenal technology for learning purposes, and they were to be employed in Hogwarts to build a more tech-savvy wizarding populace. The summer was enough time for the three professors to be competent in using data crystals to impart some basic knowledge into the minds of Hogwarts students.
An introductory Occlumency course was also devised to complement the whole process.
Though the Ministry had approved the use of the technology to educate the seventh-year and sixth-year students, there were still some things to be cleared with the newly appointed Hogwarts Headmistress. That was why Harry was going in person. It was in his interest to keep McGonagall on his side and soothe some of the ruffled feathers that might arise due to the overreach of the Ministry and the Board of Governors.
"We have stable conditions for engaging an event horizon, Marshall." One of the officers in charge of the stargate informed him.
"I'll be there in a minute." Harry said absently while keeping his eyes trained on the horizon.
He watched the sun slowly hover over the horizon, dimming the light and plunging the world into twilight.
'I guess, it's time to face an angry old cat.' Harry thought with some amusement before apparating straight outside the fortress housing the stargate, surrounded by a ring of mountains.
The wards allowed him entry only after the basic security scan. The stargate was moved to this new facility, considering the device was a double-edged sword. While assuming they'd ever lose control of their stargate was unthinkable, Harry insisted on keeping the gate in an area with natural defences under the most powerful wards.
Inside the fortress built by the elven magic and heavy enchantments, there were various floors upon which different types of research were going on under the Unspeakables. Then, there was a permanent base for security personnel to defend the base in case of an invasion attempt through the stargate. The fortress had different layers of security dedicated to keeping the stargate operation safe.
So, Harry had to go through those different layers of scanning before he finally reached the stargate holding room. Upon his arrival, he saw the event horizon already formed.
Harry walked through the portal and arrived on the other side without further ado.
The stargate on Earth was safely stored in an underground chamber beneath the Potter Manor under the protection of British Unspeakables. They were studying ways to remove the Earth gate from the stargate network. It was the only way for them to use the Earth stargate without restriction. Now, they could only access the Earth gate whenever the US Stargate Command was not using their stargate.
After going through some security checks, Harry was allowed to apparate away.
Harry appeared with a pop on the edges of the Forbidden Forest, where Hogwarts' apparition wards ended. From there, he walked through the grounds straight towards the castle.
The portraits inside the corridors whispered excitedly and ran from one frame to another upon seeing him. So, he was not surprised to see the gargoyle leading to the Headmistress' office had already moved aside, anticipating his arrival.
"Well, this will take some time to get used to, but I believe congratulations are in order, Professor." Harry opened the door upon walking into the office and saw McGonagall sitting in the seat that used to belong to Dumbledore.
"Hmm. Thank you, Mr Potter." McGonagall said, tilting her head an inch, with a thin smile. "Please sit."
Harry looked around the office to check whether anything had changed. But no great changes were made except for the addition of Dumbledore's portrait.
Harry's eyes didn't linger on the portrait for more than a few seconds, and he was back to staring into the grey eyes of his former Head of the House.
"How are you doing, Mr Potter?" McGonagall asked, her stern expression giving way to a softer look.
"I'm quite enjoying the freedom in the wake of Voldemort's fall. It seems having no psychotic murderous wizard after you keeps you in a relaxing mode."
"That's good to hear. Though I'm less enthusiastic to learn that your free time is dedicated to interfering in the matters of Hogwarts," said McGonagall with a pointed stare.
"I do what I must only for the benefit of my fellow wizards and witches." Harry said with an easy smile.
"Really! Was it in their interests when you tried to poach Professor Slughorn from Hogwarts?" McGongall's glare turned up a notch.
"Believe it or not, it was for a good cause. But Professor Slughorn made it clear that he liked imparting knowledge of potions to the young. So, we came to a mutually beneficial deal stipulating that he works full time for us during the summer holidays and in any free time he might have during Hogwarts' academic year as a consultant on some of our research projects." Harry informed the older woman in the spirit of full disclosure.
"And that brings me to the most important question." McGonagall took a deep breath and steepled her fingers over the table. "Exactly what have you gotten yourself involved in, Mr Potter?"
"Something that will benefit us all in the long run, enabling our society to thrive and expand beyond your imagination." Harry answered somewhat cryptically. "If you need to learn more, I'm afraid I must insist on a secrecy vow, Headmistress."
"Really, Mr Potter." McGonagall leaned forward in her seat with a firm stare, but Harry was not the least bit moved.
"I'm afraid so." Harry said with a smile. "You must realise that you're not your predecessor. The times when the Ministry or anyone else, for that matter, just rolled over and showed their belly in this office have come to an end."
For a moment, there was silence, which stretched for a long time, but Harry was comfortable standing his ground. He no longer had to pretend to be a good little Gryffindor who stood down under McGonagall's glare.
"Keep in mind that you'll be returning in September to start your seventh year, Mr Potter." McGonagall growled like a cornered cat.
"Ah, yes, about that… I won't be returning to Hogwarts come September." Harry dropped the bombshell, and it had the effect he was looking for.
******
Harry took a sip from the butterbeer he brought from Earth as he stared off into the distance from a cliff.
There, in the distance, he could make out a couple of Tornados chasing after the newly modified fighter prototype developed by the engineers. The former RAF pilots were engaged in a dogfight with the prototype fighter. After a couple more tests, Harry hoped to make the prototype a standard fighter for a new class of ships planned for the Elysian fleet.
Nothing was wrong with the modified puddle jumpers, but he wanted different classes of fighters in different classes of capital ships.
There were three types of capital ships planned for the Elysian Fleet. The current Dreadnought class was already in production, and a dedicated fighter group was assigned to it. The other two types were the Destroyer and Cruiser class ships. Their design was not yet completed, considering their sole Dreadnought-class ship's performance data was still being analysed.
There was also the simple fact that they had yet to engage in a serious conflict, so their data on what works with their navy was minimal.
"This 'eez a good spot." Fleur said as she joined Harry by the cliffside.
"Hi, Fleur." Harry greeted the French woman with a friendly wave.
"I thought you'd be gone by now with the others. Didn't you 'ave classes in 'Ogwarts?" Fleur asked.
"I have decided to skip the classes this year." Harry said with a shrug.
Fleur was surprised to hear that.
"You can do 'zat?"
"Normally, no." Harry chuckled while stretching his arms. "But I've decided to skip it nonetheless. There are far more important matters in Elysium that need my attention."
"But 'ow will you complete the NEWTS?" Fleur asked curiously.
"I have made some alternate arrangements. The Ministry conducts the exam, and if I have a tutor with NEWTS level qualifications for the subjects, I can take the exam without attending Hogwarts."
"Huh! That 'eez rather convenient." Fleur said with a thoughtful look.
"So, tell me about your time in our newest colony. What have you and your team found?" Harry asked curiously.
"The locals 'ave started to call the planet Isaalridr. It means the garden that blooms under the moon."
"Poetic." Harry snorted. "It took them only a hundred years to develop a name for their home world."
"Oh, they knew little other than to mine for the Goa'uld. This 'eez the first time they've even had visitors and started to think for themselves." Fleur became a little defensive of the local population.
"I shall send a postcard congratulating their choice of name." Harry said sarcastically. "What I want to know is about the defensive infrastructure your team was supposed to install."
"The ordinance factory provided us with only one orbital plasma cannon. We 'ave installed it near a naturally fortified area under some of the best wards to keep it out of the enemy's sight." said Fleur.
"That's it?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.
"For now." Fleur shrugged helplessly. "There was a proposal to use a barrier camouflaging the natives' village, but we've not made a decision."
"You might want to expedite that decision because Spitfire will launch from Isaalridr on a mission to explore a new world."
"A new world… so soon!" Fleur was surprised. "I thought new missions were put on hold after the confrontation with the Goa'uld Isa."
"That was the case, but we found a deserted planet with a hospitable environment and a lost civilisation."
Fleur's interest was immediately piqued.
"The Alterans?" she asked eagerly.
Harry shook his head. He understood Fleur's excitement and eagerness. Ever since he brought the puddle jumper production facility with a functioning Potentia, there were a lot of eager Elysians hoping to unearth more Alteran trinkets.
"This is something else, but the mission might be more dangerous than you think. Something obliterated the civilisation, and we need to find the cause before we explore the planet for its resources." said Harry, not hiding the danger lurking in the mission from Fleur. "If you're up to the task, you'll have a spot in the crew."
Fleur considered the offer.
"I'll think about it."
******
Harry waited patiently in his command seat for the engineering division to give the green light.
Harry had to fill the open spots in the original Spitfire crew with all his friends back in wizarding Britain. Cedric and Fleur were the new prominent additions he made. He had hoped to rope in Nymphadora but was unsuccessful in pulling her to Elysium. She was too stubborn and wanted to continue serving in the Auror Corps.
He was also tempted to ask the Ministry to release Severus Snape into his custody. With Slughorn staying back at Hogwarts, he was tempted to pull Snape into Elysium to use the man's skills for a better purpose. But then, he was reminded of the greasy git's annoying character, forcing Harry to abandon that particular idea.
So, he did the next best thing and snagged a couple of good potion masters from the list Professor Slughorn graciously gave him. The gentle professor was also kind enough to arrange a meeting with the recruits, and the man didn't disappoint.
When Harry returned to Elysium, it was with a couple of good potion masters for his crew. He hoped the potion masters would study the samples from new worlds and devise new uses for them in potions.
"Marshall, this is the engineering. Spitfire is ready." Cedric's voice came from the comms.
"Marshall, shall we?" his second in command, Commander Henri Dumas, asked.
Harry just nodded at the new addition to the crew brought by the Flamels.
"Let's sail, Commander Henri." Harry said.
The engines of the Spitfire fired, and they were off the planet with the hyperdrive coming online.
A ripple tore through the fabric of space above the planet holding a dead civilisation. With a groaning hum and a golden shimmer, the Spitfire emerged—sleek, enchanted, and bristling with the most powerful weaponry. The dreadnought floated in space and positioned itself in a geosynchronous orbit.
"The planet looks like an abandoned ghost town." Officer Parks commented once they saw the magnified live feeds from their ultra-high spatial resolution cameras.
"We will make sure there are no hidden surprises when we land. Transmit a friendly message announcing our arrival on all frequencies. Let's see whether there is any response." Harry ordered.
"Perhaps, it might be prudent to recover any artificial satellites orbiting this planet. We might gain valuable information from them, Marshall." Officer Perks suggested.
"Good idea. Send a jumper if we find any satellite from which data is worth extracting. You have the operation's oversight, Officer Perks."
"Yes, sir."
Harry nodded at his former second in command before turning to Commander Henri.
"I want you and your team to be ready for a ground reconnaissance. How will you be proceeding, Commander?" Harry asked, staring pointedly at the man assigned to him as per his deal with the Flamels.
"I'll take three teams, Marshall. Team 1 will secure the stargate of the planet. Team 2 will be doing the scavenging, and Team 3 will be on standby to support either Team 1 or Team 2. I also require three jumpers for the mission, sir."
"You'll have it, Commander." Harry nodded.
The Frenchman immediately left the command bridge to whip up the team for ground reconnaissance.
"Activate radiation dosimeters and scan the planet. Launch our satellites for geological analysis. I want as much of the terrain mapped as possible and to know whether there is any life signature on the planet." Harry ordered.
The officers on the bridge immediately jumped to work.
They spent an entire day gathering surface data, weather patterns, radiation levels, mineral deposits and whatnot. The Spitfire's scanners did not reveal any contributing factor to the fall of the local civilisation. There were some signs of warfare in some of the abandoned cities of the planet, but the damage was well below the threshold to indicate a global massacre. The radiation levels were normal, and the atmospheric conditions were conducive to carbon-based life forms. Their scanners also picked up on a vibrant marine ecosystem on the planet, but the land was another story. They searched for herd patterns or even any sign of human population centres, but nothing stood out. It was as if something wiped out the terrestrial organisms from the landmass, leaving only a marine ecosystem.
This early revelation made Harry suspend any ground reconnaissance until they understood what they were dealing with. Along with the fact that they had yet to recover a satellite with intact data drives, Harry was forced to choose the inevitable option of a limited ground reconnaissance using jumpers.
Just as he was prepared to greenlight the launch, one of his officers gave him a bit of good news that stayed his hand.
"Marshall, one of our puddle jumpers, recovered an intact satellite. It was out of orbit around the planet. That's why it evaded our efforts so far."
"Are the data drives intact?" Harry asked immediately.
"Yes, sir. We're receiving the data as we speak."
"Good. Analyse the data and see whether we can find anything related to this civilisation's demise."
"Yes, sir."
Harry leaned back in his seat and pulled the datapad synced with his command chair. He sifted through the surface data, which was constantly updated by the Spitfire's scanners to see whether anything stood out. The mineral deposits picked up, but his advanced scanners showed promising results. However, he had to confirm the validity of the scans by sending a deeper probe to the locations. If proven correct, the planet could become another source for vital resources.
The good news was that most of the structures on the planet were intact. It had not fallen to a condition where it was non-salvageable. Harry was also interested in the local technology, and if possible, he hoped to salvage some new technology for Elysium. The presence of satellites indicated the civilisation could access their cislunar space. Whether they were a proper space power was yet to be seen.
A new data packet emerged in his datapad, and it was the first file recovered from the satellite.
"Svoriin." Harry read the name of the planet from the file.
He read further, and the more he read, the more he became certain the planet once hosted a technologically advanced human population.
'Jackpot.' Harry thought as he read more.
AN:
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