I do not own anything to do with Star Wars and Harry Potter, rights are currently held by Disney and Warner Bros respectively.
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Activation
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"My Lord, we are ready to activate the Imperious Field."
Lucius nodded at the cloaked figure's announcement as he gazed upon the tall structure of stone and crystal that was the key to his total control over both the muggle and wizarding worlds.
"You may commence activation."
The figure bowed and strode off and Lucius smirked as the knot of people scattered to various points. After several moments, the air began to feel heavy as the inner section of the three-dimensional crystal runic tower began to gently glow, a pulsating, flickering glow that soon solidified.
"What's going on, father?" Draco asked, looking up at the glowing array.
"We are casting a low-level variation of the Imperious across the entire planet, using the ley-lines as conduits." Lucius said, his eyes still fixed on the activities amongst the pillars. "The runes on our arms protect us from the field, but everyone else should be affected by it."
Draco nodded and Lucius's expression betrayed nothing of his thoughts. Although his family and allies had indeed received received their own runic clusters, those clusters were not the same as his own. They granted only partial immunity to the Imperious field, although they could still be used to command those fully under the thrall of the Imperious. The partial immunity, however, meant that he could command them and they would obey.
Not that he would ever tell them that. After all, they might be able to find some way to counter his control if they knew. Even his wife, as much as he adored her, wasn't aware of that detail.
He would be in command, himself and himself alone.
"It will take almost a month for the field to reach its full strength." Lucius said instead. "The field is designed to slowly reduce the ability to think independently above a certain level, increasing the urge to simply let others make the large-scale choices. Those affected will still do their jobs, look after their families, have fun with their friends and so on, but they will obey us without realising that they might not want to. Just think, you will be able to claim any girl you want in Hogwarts while your control over your house will be enhanced. Just be aware that a few of the others have the rune arrays as well, you will know them when you are near them."
"What about the Jedi? What about Potter?"
Lucius smirked. "Potter is no longer on Earth. I used a special scrying spell that would find him anywhere on Earth, even behind a Fidelius, so long as he was alive. There was no sign of him."
"He might be on that space station the muggles built, or even on that new moonbase that made the papers a while back." Draco countered and Lucius gave him a surprised look of respect.
"That was an aspect of the situation that I gave quite a bit of thought to. Not that it matters, once the field is fully established, I'll have the muggles evacuate that station and abandon it. Without access to Earth for air, food and water, if he is up there, he'll die up there."
Draco nodded slowly, glancing up at the lightly-clouded sky, his face pensive.
"Be happy, Draco." Lucius said jovially. "In a month's time, whatever you want will be yours to take."
Draco nodded again, his thoughts dark. How would he prove himself now?
"Father," Draco said suddenly. "If you had intended to use this all this time, why did you spend so much time setting up the government as you did? I don't understand why you wasted so much effort on it."
Lucius glanced fondly at his son. "I only intended to use this soon after the final demise of Riddle, when the opportunity arose. I kept my other main plan going in case this one failed, one should never rely on a single plan, it means you have nothing to fall back on. Always plan, plan and plan, and never forget to prepare an escape route in case something goes wrong. While what we are doing here trumps everything, abandoning my other plans would have raised suspicions. Everyone was concentrating on the Wizengamot and the Ministry, meaning that no-one knew about this place and now that it is activating, no-one ever will."
Draco nodded slowly. "I… think I see. Will you be keeping your other plans going?"
Lucius returned his attention to the crystal tower and the lights that were starting to trace complicated paths between the spars. "Of course. If something goes wrong here, if a thousand-to-one event removes this tower despite the wards and the shields, I will be able to escape before anyone can move against me. It is almost impossible for anything to fail now, but I believe in being prepared for all things. Even if the odds are a million to one against something happening, you should never truly discount that one. It is a lesson that Riddle failed to learn before his first demise. Besides, there will be no noticable effects for a couple of weeks, so in the meantime, my original plan gives me something to distract myself with."
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"Report!" Sirius snapped as he strode into the circular control room located at the apex of the WolfTech dome. At the center, a large holographic Earth floated, looking almost identical to the one floating just above the lunar horizon, except that the real Earth didn't have floating screens of almost-indecipherable symbols and runic readouts surrounding it.
"Unknown magical field has now covered ninety percent of the planet and the rate of coverage is increasing." One of the watchstanders said. "Scrying scopes report no direct physical damage to the environment around Stonehenge. We are expanding the search radius now."
"Drop-drone is uploading preliminary sensor readouts now." Came another call. "We are getting arithmancy feed… runic resonance confirmation… computer is looking for a match… possible match found… seventy-nine percent…Imperious?"
Sirius found himself standing at the console in question without any memory of having moved.
"Shit! Full evacuation now! Get Alice and Frank Longbottom up here if they aren't already! Someone contact Augusta and tell her to get her tushie up here as fast as possible!"
"Dowager Longbottom is not, I repeat not, answering her mirror. It is possible that the field is affecting communications."
"Dammit!" Sirius swore. "Someone find out if her manor is shielded and if it isn't, get a guard on the Door with orders to break it if anyone other than her tries to get through."
"Already on it, sir!"
"And evac everyone else we still have down there! Omega level emergency!"
"Yes sir!"
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The clashing of lightsabers echoed across the dome as the two figured leapt and wove through their dance of combat, the blades that they held describing complex shapes through the air.
"Wow, she's good." Harry said, watching as Asajj Ventress seemed to flex underneath a whirling attack before lashing out with a strike that barely missed the evading boy.
"She's holding back." Ahsoka noted. "I think she's concentrating on teaching Abraham Jar'Kai rather than simply sparring with or beating him."
"Dual lightsabers." Will breathed in amazement as Asajj suddenly linked hers base-to-base and spun to the attack again, using her combined weapon in a manner similar to a quarterstaff.
Nicola frowned. "That weapon she's using, the two blades… it seems… I think that I should learn it."
"A double-bladed lightsaber?" Ahsoka queried, receiving a nod in return. "I don't really know much about that fighting style, I think it's based on Juyo, perhaps mixed with Niman."
"Jar'Kai…" Hermione mused. "That's the art of using two blades, right?"
Ahsoka nodded. "Several Jedi were known to use a shorter lightsaber as their offhand weapon, those weapons were known as Shoto's. Normally they were between a third and half the length of a regular blade and were used for defence and blocking, although some like Master Yoda used them as their primary weapon."
The two figures froze, then Abraham deactivated his sabers in recognition of his defeat. Exchanging bows, the mismatched duo walked over to the other Jedi.
::He's not too bad.:: Asajj stated. ::For a learner, anyway.::
Abraham blinked several times as he thought through the statement, then he gave Asajj an amused glance.
::Thanks… I think.:: Abraham returned and Asajj briefly smirked.
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Sirius stared at the group standing in the middle of the concourse, then he turned to where a very embarrassed Wolfalorian was standing.
"Themyscerans."
"Yes, my lord." The man replied, his eyes fixed on a point about a foot above Sirius' head.
"In the Concourse."
"Yes, my Lord."
Sirius noted that while most of the Themyscerans were still staring at the sight of the Earth, Lucy Walker had spotted him and was striding over, her face set in a frown of determination.
"Do you have an explanation for this?"
The Wolfalorian hesitated for a moment, his face frozen in an agony of indecision. Before he could marshall his thoughts, Lucy had stopped beside them.
"Mr Black."
"Miss Walker." Sirius replied, inclining his head to her in a manner somehow reminiscient of a formal bow. "Welcome to the Potter Alliance Concourse."
"Looks to me like we fell down the rabbit hole." Lucy stated and Sirius nodded. He had been introduced to the many muggle tales by the Grangers and thus caught the reference.
"I see that you brought your entire team, even the reserves." Sirius noted and Lucy shrugged.
"We were training up for first Pro season at the WolfTech Stinger Arena since we hoped to field two teams rather than just one. Give everyone a better chance at becoming famous, you know? Anyway, we were setting up when suddenly the Wolfalorians all clapped one hand to the side of their helmets, then grabbed everything they could and ran like hell. We thought something really bad was happening, so we followed them and... well, I'm not entirely sure what happened, but here we are… wherever here is."
"Long story." Sirius sighed. "Dare I hope that any of you are familiar with the roleplaying game Tales of the Old Republic?"
Lucy nodded, then looked round again, her eyes wide as realisation started setting in.
"Oh my god." She whispered. "The game, it's based on reality, isn't it?"
Sirius nodded.
"Aliens are real and they're here."
Sirius nodded again and Lucy stared at him… then collapsed bonelessly towards the floor. Only the enhanced reflexes of the Wolfalorian prevented her from hitting the ground.
"I think she took that well." Sirius shrugged.
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"Good morning. I hope the accomodations met with your approval."
Augusta Longbottom spun round to face the source of the condescending greeting, her fingers twitching for a wand that she no longer had.
"Malfoy."
Lucius' smile widened at her growl and he stepped forwards, stopping just before the magical ward that bisected the room and prevented Augusta from leaving.
"It must have come as a real shock when you got diverted mid-floo." He noted, ignoring the heated glare that Augusta bestowed upon him. "You have no idea of how many favours I had to use to make it happen, but it will be worth it. You see, you are the key to the total defeat and destruction of the so-called Potter Alliance."
"I don't know what you are planning, but it won't work." Augusta snarled and Lucius laughed.
"Oh no, my dear, it most assuredly will work. You see, I intend to use the Imperious on you."
"I can break it." Augusta said smugly. "I proved that during the war."
"Not the one I'm going to use." Malfoy countered. "You see, the Imperious is based on the strength of ones will, but my people found a way to cast it with just runes and rituals. Impossible to defend against by any means."
Augusta stared at him in horror and Malfoy held up a jewelled necklace and an odd crystalline sceptre covered in runes and inset gems.
"You see, this sceptre focuses the ambient field that is even now being generated to overwhelm the target, while this necklace keeps the effects going. All I have to do is order you to wear the latter once you are caught under the Imperious and your much-vaunted willpower will not matter in the slightest."
Augusta helplessly stared at Malfoy in mounting horror as he pointed the scepter at her. The wall hit her back as he levelled the sceptre at her.
"You should be honoured, you are the key to my total victory. You will provide the path for my army to seize the Potter Concourse and from there, all of those in the Alliance, making them serve me as you will. The powers of the Jedi will be mine to command, the technology from the stars likewise. Imperio sine mortifi!"
Augusta's world vanished in a flash of light and she knew no more.
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Draco covertly looked round at the other students at the table, especially the female ones. In a couple of weeks, he would be able to have any of them as his girlfriend, doing whatever he wanted. Heck, he could even have a harem if he so chose.
But the prospect seemed… empty.
Draco had participated in the conversations about which of the girls in their yeargroup was the hottest. He'd suffered through The Talk from his father and knew about his responsibility to continue the Malfoy line once he reached adulthood. His father had managed to make it so that he could simply command a girl and she would almost fall over herself to please him. She would show him all her secret places and let him do to her whatever he wanted.
Draco sighed.
It all seemed so… pointless.
He wanted to prove himself as being worthy of claiming the best. He had just started to notice girls as being more than odd beings and his eavesdropping on the older students had clued him in on many of the things that he himself had not considered. Once he was old enough, he could find it out for himself without any problem.
And that was the problem.
Draco sighed again.
He wanted to prove himself, to overcome the obstacles before him using his own wits and skills. He had realised that relying on his father's name made him weak, and so he needed to forge his own path.
But his father had taken that away from him.
Even Daphne Greengrass, whose acerbic put-downs he admired despite him being her target on far too many occasions, would be his to command soon.
Draco looked down at his plate, unable to continue eating.
How could he prove himself capable if his father had removed all the obstacles? How could he shape himself into a revered leader if all he had around him were mindless sheeple?
He had seen the arms of the few friends he had and none of them had the runic array that adorned his left arm. Once the field reached full strength, they would become his minions.
He would be alone.
Draco closed his eyes.
He had dreamed of being in command, of being able to give any order and have them followed.
Now he knew.
It wouldn't be paradise.
It would be hell.
