Hello my lovely readers!

Yes you're probably like why did you write this when you've got New Beginnings and Nurturing the Darkness Within to post soon! This one comes from one of my friends Spencer! He messages me with ideas all the time and this idea actually stuck in my head! His idea came from the hip flask that Mad Eye Moody always carries! How did he get that hip flask? Why is it so important? Well here is the answer ;)

Thank you so much again to Katalina_Riddle for betaing for me! I appreciate you so much! Love ya Twinnie xoxo

Hope you enjoy xx

September 1, 1961

Alastor smiled excitedly down at the letter in his hands. It had finally happened; for over a year he had been trying to get into the Aurors training program, and with every rejection letter that came he could feel his dream slipping away. Constance walked in from the laundry, saw the letter in his hand first, and said, "Sorry, Love, Next time."

She was always encouraging him to keep applying and telling him she had full confidence in him. "Hon, I got in! Starting Monday at eight a.m I'm going to be a trainee Auror."

Next thing Alastor knew he had a screaming witch in his arms congratulating him. He had wrapped his arms around her only to find her pulling away and walking out of the room at a quick pace. Following behind his lovely wife to see why she had abruptly left him, he found her in their bedroom rifling through their cupboard.

Confusion spread across his features when she turned back to him with a black leather box, holding it for him to take, "I always knew you would be accepted and I've had this waiting from the day that you started applying. So you think of me when you're out in the field."

"I'll always think of you love, but thank you." He grabbed the box off her and opened it, inside was a medium sized flask. It was a darkish brown in colour and had gold inlays all around it. On the top of the lid to the flask was a carving of him. He pulled Constance into his arms and laid a soft kiss over her lips. "Thank you. I'll take it with me on every mission."

"Now let's get your best travelling robes out and get them ready for Monday." She said already heading to the cupboard.

"How about we go and celebrate with dinner and then come back and get me ready?" Tugging on his wife's hand. She followed easily letting the excitement of what was to come take them over.

oOo

September 4, 1961

Bright and early you could find Alastor Moody walking into the Ministry of Magic ready to begin his first day of training. On his hip was the flask that Constance had bought him. She had filled it with his favourite breakfast tea that morning, saying that it was charmed to stay hot enough to drink all day so that he could sip from it throughout the day and not have to worry about it getting cold.

It also catered to his job as an Auror in which he was sure to make enemies in where they would likely try and kill them in anyway. It was also charmed to send an alarm before he drank if there was any poison present.

Walking into the training facility he wasn't expecting his mentor to shout "Constant Vigilance" at him as soon as he entered, and he jumped in the air slightly.

"Auror Moody is it?" the gravelly voice questioned. Turning to face him, he saw chunks of skin missing from various parts of his body and he wondered if he would ever look that gruesome.

"Yes Sir, glad to be here!"

"Yeah we will see if you are glad to be here by the end of the day, won't we?" Raising his eyebrow.

Maybe training was going to be harder than Alastor imagined?

By the end of the day when he walked into his home he was exhausted. Yes training was going to be difficult but he wouldn't give up; he had worked so hard for this day.

oOo

September 6 1965

Four years into the Auror training program and Alastor thought he had seen everything;that was, until the day they went out on a routine patrol in Diagon Alley and came across a bunch of miscreants in long black flowing robes wearing silver masks, each mask with their own design. These people called themselves The Knights of Walpurgis; their leader, The Dark Lord. They were terrorising the shoppers and said it was their duty to the magical community to purge the world of all non pureblood witches and wizards, and any Pureblood that dared to stand in their way.

Training had gotten harder since they had come out of the shadows and were openly killing and torturing people.

Head Auror Thomas Dirk was harder on them than ever. He could constantly be found jumping out at the trainee Aurors and the full fledged Aurors making sure they were always alert and aware of their surroundings. He seemed to be harder on Alastor, and one of the older Aurors said this was because he saw potential in him.

Alastor didn't see this being the case but accepted the harder training as it would make him better, and he would eventually be the top Auror which was his goal.

Every day he went home, pulled his boots off, had dinner, sat on the lounge for a while with Constance and then they would go to bed and start back up at early hours of the morning. They had talked about having a family but with the current state of the world they couldn't see themselves as parents, especially with Alastor being called out at all times of the day for training or patrols or a case. There wasn't a moment where you would see him without his hip flask. He had begun to never drink out of anything but it unless he was at home.

Constance was his light in the darkness and he didn't know what he would do if she wasn't there to come home to.

oOo

August 5 1969

Graduation day had finally come. It had taken eight years but he had finally completed his training. Over the years the darkness had gotten worse and training was put to the side so they could help the war efforts. They hadn't actually called it a war yet but it was coming to a head and every day was worse and worse.

There wasn't a day that went by they weren't called out to another murder; the Dark side had renamed themselves to the Death Eaters and their leader had finally stepped out and shown himself. Voldemort, he called himself, and made his followers call him the Dark Lord. People were starting to fear him and the Ministry couldn't keep up with them.

Albus Dumbledore was producing more efforts to help them now that everything had come out and the Ministry had stopped hiding it from the public.

Now standing in Diagon Alley with the rest of his classmates and Constance he waited for the Head of their Department to call them up to give them their badges.

Alastor being called first happily went up grabbed his badge, saluted and walked back into the crowd to stand next to his wife, taking a sip of the Hip Flask that never left his side and smiled down at her.

The end of the ceremony was drawing closer when the screaming started, panic ensued and he forced Constance to apparate before erecting non apparation wards to stop the Death Eaters who were cackling as they moved through the crowd. Their first task as full fledged Aurors would be to get this situation under control, and that they did; banding together in groups of four they moved through the crowd quickly taking them down.

Alastor was about to stun one when one of his colleagues sang out "WATCH OUT MOODY" he spun around to the direction the voice came from and saw the Death Eater fling a curse at him, with a sadistic smile across their face. The most excruciating pain spread throughout his body and blackness surrounded him.

He woke up two days later in St Mungo's with his wife holding vigil next to his bed.

oOo

September 4 1970

Alastor was out on patrol when he got the call to return to the office. any other call he thought it was the same, there was Death Eater activity and he'd have to help deal with it, but this time was different. He could feel it deep down in his heart; this was different.

Immediately spinning and apparating, coming out of the fireplace in the atrium he could tell something big had happened. The level of activity around was pure chaos. Pushing his way through, starting to get panicked as the foreboding feeling was larger now, he started to get angry with people who crossed into his way.

Entering the Aurors office only for everyone to go silent as they saw him. The pitying looks gave him pause, why would they be pitying him? Shouldn't they be getting ready to go out to whatever disaster had required all Aurors to return? Why was everyone looking at him? Head Auror Dirk started to head toward him, when he felt something within snap and a deep sadness fell down on him. What was wrong?

"Alastor… why don't you come into my office? This would be better said there." The same pitying look that was on his colleagues faces was on his face.

Alastor followed him numbly, not knowing why he felt numb. "Sit my boy."

The usual abruptness of the Head Auror was all but gone in its place appeared to be a weight of despair. Whatever he had to say was bad and Alastor wasn't sure he wanted to hear it, especially after whatever had snapped inside of him.

"There was an attack in Hogsmeade, Death Eaters surprised the patrolling Aurors…" pausing and taking a deep breath in he looked down at his feet.

"And?" Alastor prompted.

"Some people were caught in the crossfire and there are fourteen dead, more in St Mungo's being looked over and in a critical position."

The constant pauses between each sentence was getting on Alastors taut nerves and he snapped, "Why does this concern me?"

"Constance was in Hogsmeade today, Alastor, she came by here first to let me know in case you went home and she wasn't there."

Weight crushed down on Alastors chest and he was struggling to draw in the necessary breaths, "No, no, no, she can't have been there she was staying at home this week!"

"I'm sorry to have to be the one to tell you this but I thought it best coming from me and not anyone else. Constance was hit with a curse that we've never seen before, a purple light hit her in the chest and she dropped instantly. I think she was dead before she hit the ground."

Alastor had heard what was said but the ringing in his ears and the emptiness inside of him wouldn't allow him to do anything but scream. Tears rolled slowly down his face.

"The autopsy is being performed later today if you would like to go and see her son."

Nodding he stood up and followed his boss out of the office and to the fireplace across the room. As he was walking he could hear his colleagues giving him their condolences, but he couldn't recall who was saying what and couldn't manage to say anything in reply. Walking through the fireplace and into the entry to the morgue he followed numbly behind until they stopped. Dirk talked to someone and then they were led through white double doors. Ahead there was a gurney with a white sheet over it.

Walking over, Alastor slowly pulled it back to see the cold and pale face of his love. She could have been asleep if you didn't look at the blue lips and the emptiness that filled her eyes. Sobbing he leant over her vowing that he would have his revenge.

Dirk pulled him away after a few hours and took him home. It didn't seem like a home now, it was too empty. Normally he would hear Constance's laughter filling the house but now there was no sound. Dirk stayed for a bit and then told him he had to get back and he'd be around the next day.

oOo

September 9 1970

Alastor pulled himself out of bed and numbly got dressed in his black dress robes. Placing his flask on his hip he moved through the house and exited to find all of his colleagues outside waiting for him. Dirk stepped forward, "We'll take you mate."

He let them take control and when they got to the cemetery he was glad that they stood with him. They didn't have many close friends. As he stood there he thought of all that he had lost in only a week, his happiness, his drive to do anything, his love, his wife and according to the Healer, their child. His descent into depression didn't take long after he had gotten that news and he had asked to take an undetermined amount of time off.

Of course Dirk had approved it without a pause and encouraged him to take his time and that he was always there if he needed anything.

Constance was lowered into the ground and with her she took all of that was good in Alastor. He steadily became more paranoid and bitter toward life and none of his friends could understand why.

oOo

September 4 1971

One year since the day Constance had been killed and Alastor had still not returned to work. Every week Thomas would come around and talk to him trying to get him to come back;they needed him, the war had started. Thomas would stay for a few hours and then get sick of Moody's silence. He would stand up, sigh and say "see you next week, mate, try and take care of yourself this week."

Alastor knew it was time to go back and enter the world, he knew that Constance wouldn't want him to waste away, and he knew that Thomas was only trying to help. Preparing for the weekly visit this time he got up early, showered, shaved and cleaned the house. Taking a swig of the firewhiskey from his flask he knew this would be the last time it was filled with the alcohol, starting tomorrow he would fill it with his tea and pretend that everything in his world wasn't despair.

Hearing the customary knock on the door he pulled himself off the lounge and opened it wide, Thomas had a look of utter shock on his face; they had a routine, he would knock and wait five minutes before entering. Not once had Alastor opened the door for him and not once had he looked so put together.

"Hey Thomas! You going to stand there all day or are you going to come in?" Thomas nodded and walked past, as he walked he looked around at the clean house and smiled; today might be the day he finally got his prodigal Auror back.

"Alastor, you look good today, are you doing better?"

"No not really, I have decided that I need to come back to work, I also need more training. I'm not good enough, I couldn't save Constance and I need to capture the scum that did this." He growled out.

Thomas sighed as he sat down, "You can't blame yourself my boy, you were nowhere near Hogsmeade when it happened."

"I bloody well should of been, she had been getting restless staying at home I should have taken her out more, maybe she would still be here if I had." The despair that was always below the surface was starting to deep into his voice and he quickly swallowed the lump down his throat so that Dirk would let him return.

"Are you sure you are ready to come back?" He asked eyeing the flask and looking at Alastor's bloodshot eyes.

"Come tomorrow I'll be sober, I'm going back to drinking tea. I'm ready."

"Okay, be at the office by seven a.m and we will do an hour of training each morning. Even though I don't believe you need it; you are one of my top Aurors." Alastor grunted his thanks and they talked for a while longer before Alastor politely told him to get lost so he could get sober and have an early night before work the next day.

Alastor was ready to have his revenge and no one was going to stop him.

oOo

November 5 1971

Alastor had been steadily increasing his patrols in Diagon Alley, trying to come across the Death Eaters that had killed his wife. Thomas Dirk, his superior, had tried to control the places he went but no way was Alastor having any part of it.

His shift was over three hours ago, but he wasn't ready to go home. The memories would flood in every moment that he was in their dark home. He never turned on the lights anymore, he didn't want to see what he had let happen to the home she had built. He couldn't even bare to hear or think her name again.

He had slowly gotten better but he would never forget the grief he felt when his world had been ripped away from him.

Peering around the dark alley, he realised everything had gone quiet in the time he was distracted with thoughts of his wife. Taking more notice of his surroundings, he saw the three masked death eaters down the path and started toward them in a non threatening manner to try and keep them oblivious to who he was until he was upon them.

Pulling out his wand at the last minute he fired off a quick incarcerous at one and then the second;the third was a bit quicker than the other two, and threw up a protego.

Alastor knew he was in for a fight and for the first time in a year a bubble of excitement started. He was ready, this is what he had trained so hard for. Getting Death Eaters off the street. Flicking his wand he cast a stunner, non verbally.

The death eater was quick though, and the duel heated up when he cast an obscure spell at Alastor.

Knowing the only way to end this duel was to get the upper hand, Alastor getting tired knew it had to end sooner rather than later.

"Avada Kedavra" fired at him and he ducked, rolling. Now was not the time to pussyfoot around.

Standing up and moving out of his hiding spot he aimed his wand and looked at the hooded and masked figure before calmly saying, "Avada Kedavra. " Green light flowed through his wand and hit the man in the chest; he heard the body hit the ground.

One dirtbag off the streets, he grabbed the other two and apparated back to the Ministry. With a holding cell in sight, he didn't notice Dirk coming toward him.

Flicking his hands to two Aurors, "Take them. Alastor my office now!" He yelled.

Alastor followed him through the main room and into his office, the door slamming behind him he sat in the chair in front of the desk.

"Why the hell, did I just get a report that not only were you out in the field alone but you killed one of them and left the body in the street?"

"Because I did. Sir. The duel was getting too complicated and there were civilians around. I had to do it."

"There were other options like not going out alone. You could have been killed!"

"At least I wouldn't be here dealing with the loneliness of losing my wife. Or did you forget?" He growled.

"Moody, you can't do this. It's not what she'd want. You know I'm going to have to suspend you, right?"

Alastor nodded. Standing he placed his badge on the desk and walked out. He couldn't deal with hearing how Constance wouldn't want him to be like this. No one knew what she'd want. She was dead.

Going home he pulled out a bottle of whiskey and poured it into his flask, waiting the allotted time he drank himself into oblivion for the night. He'd deal with the suspension tomorrow.

oOo

December 25 1974

Christmas had come all too soon. Alastor sat at his small desk in his study. Looking at the picture of Constance and himself, he lit the candle that always sat by it and started to think back to all the times he had taken her company for granted.

"It's been a while, my love. But I'm sitting here now on Christmas Day. The fifth one without you and I don't know how I'm still going on. You were the light of my life and when that was extinguished everything turned to black and white."

As a tear ran down his marred face he knew it was silly talking to a frame every night but it was the only way he could get through his days of chasing the Death Eaters.

He still hadn't captured all of the death eaters that killed Constance, but he had vowed to never give up until every last one of them took their last breath.

The frame and candle on his desk were the only way he could keep this vow and stay alive.

For her.

oOo

June 7 1980

Patrols had gotten more frequent and longer, and more time was spent at the office than at home. War had escalated and no one could see an end. Between his Auror and Order patrols he didn't get much rest.

Walking through Knockturn Alley at three in the morning on a summers evening wasn't his idea of fun, but the Order had received word that a big deal was going down in Borgin and Burke's so here he was.

Wand held aloft and ears tuned to hear the slightest of movements, Alastor was on edge. He had a feeling deep down, that something was going to go down tonight. What? He didn't know.

A slight scuff of cement behind him had him spinning and shooting off a quick stunner.

The cloaked and masked Death Eater was quick though and had a shield in place and a white light shooting toward him. Knowing it was too late to get a shield of his own up he tried to jump out of the way. Feeling a crushing pain in his leg and wetness starting to flow, he screamed.

A crack of apparition told him that the coward Snape had already run off. There was only one spell that Moody had seen that could cut so deeply in one move.

Sectumsempra.

Looking down at his leg, he saw not much was left attaching his leg to his thigh. Pressing a message into his skin directly to Albus Dumbledore and he let himself fall onto the cobbled street still listening for anymore death eaters wanting to take a crack at him.

Waking up hours later in St Mungos and feeling numbness and slight pangs of pain on his left leg, he pulled back the covers and saw a barely there stump. Snape's spell had hit harder than he had thought.

"They couldn't reattach it." Dumbledore's deep voice said from the shadows.

"I figured. Snape's blasted curse is a dark and dangerous weapon against us."

"So it was his spell, I had hoped it wasn't." He said glumly.

"He was too fast for me to defend against." Alastor said. "I need to start doing speed training again."

"Don't punish yourself, Alastor. He was always fast with his spellwork."

"Rubbish. Anyway I need to get back in the field. They are fitting me with a prosthetic, yes?" He questioned.

"Yes. They were waiting until you woke to talk to you about your options."

"Tell them I'm awake. You can go. I'll see you at the next meeting." Alastor hated people being around. Especially when he was vulnerable.

oOo

August 9 1981

Another patrol. Another night. Drinking the fire whiskey before patrol probably hadn't been a good idea but he had been missing Constance more than usual today, and he needed to keep his head during patrols and not focus on her, so the firewhiskey went well with his once piece of toast and he was off.

Hogsmeade this time. Normally he was left for Knockturn Alley, but since he lost his leg the previous year he had struggled with walking on the cobbled stone.

No one would join him on patrols anymore. preferred it that way anyway, and he got things done easier if he wasn't having to worry about someone else while trying to duel.

Hours had gone by and the village was quiet. Two more hours and he would be home free for a few hours and wouldn't have to be sober for a single moment. He knew he had a problem, but nothing got better than the oblivion that engulfed him under the influence.

Not really paying attention to his surroundings after hours of nothing, he didn't see the short plump man come out of the shadows. The unknown man brandished his wand quickly, and Alastor felt severe pain on his face and a pop sounded.

More worried about the Death Eater in front of him and unmasking the rat bastard he wasn't too worried about the blood or the lack of sight. He still had sight in one eye and that was all that mattered.

After a few more spells were cast and gouging into his skin some more the short man ran out of the street and a crack of apparation told Alastor he had gone.

Something white caught his eye and as he turned he saw it. An eye rolling around on the street. Going after it in morbid fascination he realised it was the same colour as his. Remembering the pain in his left eye at the beginning of the battle he reached up and felt the empty socket.

Gathering the lost eye and sending his patronus to Shacklebolt who lived nearby, he apparated to the entrance of St Mungos and walked in, not really phased by the fact he had lost another body part. It was bound to happen in the middle of a war and being such a prominent fighter for the light side.

oOo

May 25 1990

Alastor stomped through the Auror office to Dirks office. one of the trainee aurors tried to get in his way, he sent a stinging hex their way.

"Dirk. They are all useless miscreants that have no talent." He shouted as he entered the office.

"Alastor. Calm down and shut the door. You haven't liked a single one of the new Aurors and they are all perfectly fine. Especially Shacklebolt and Tonks but you don't seem to see that."

"Tonks is clumsy and Shacklebolt is too excitable. I want new trainees." Alastor grouched.

"You aren't getting anymore to scare off, we are running out of candidates, Alastor!" Dirk exclaimed.

"Well find more. I can't deal with the incompetence anymore."

"Deal with it or go. Simple as that. You are the best we have, we need them trained under you." Dirk pushed back.

"Fine. But I'm not going easy on the idiots."

"I wouldn't expect any less from you."

"What's that supposed to mean, Dirk?" Alastor growled.

"Only that you've become a bit of a tyrant lately and people are noticing. Now that we have that sorted get out there and train them." He said dismissing Alastor with a flick of the wrist.

Alastor walked back out into the main room and scowled at the pink haired witch tripping over his trash can. She was something alright.

oOo

January 3 1991

Alastor was sitting at his desk, growling at anyone who bothered to come near him. There were only three people who would approach him without being scared of repercussions and they were his two proteges Nymphadora Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt and the Head Auror who had never left him alone, Thomas Dirk.

He could see the black boots standing at his desk, the person wasn't nervously shifting so it must be Dirk. "What do you want?"

"The uppers have spoken Moody, come into my office."

Rolling his eyes he followed along, limping his way through the cubicles. Every eye in the area following his journey.

Once inside the office the door closed automatically and he took a seat across from his long time friend. "What's going on now? I thought we were clear of the Death Eaters?"

"We are, but that's not what I'm here to talk about. You have become paranoid Alastor, you can't even sit in the office without flinging curses at unsuspecting Aurors and people that come in."

"I've been through a lot." He growled out.

"I know that, Alastor, I'm sorry to have to do this but they are forcing my hand, they want you gone, I would rather you retire so it's honorable. They said either way it's time you go even if we have to fire you." Thomas said with sadness dripping through his words.

"Well. I guess I'm retiring aren't I? If I'm not welcome and I won't be sent out in the field then I need to go."

"I really am sorry Alastor" Thomas stressed.

"Yeah I understand, you'll still be around on Sunday right?"

"Of course, I'm not going to stop our ritual just because you aren't an Auror anymore."

Alastor nodded, stood and walked back to his desk quickly cleaning his desk into a box with a flick of his wand and going back to his empty house.

Alastor's Auror days were over.

oOo

August 15 1994

Alastor hadn't heard much since he had been out, he was still careful on where he went and what he did and he always had his hip flask on him to remind him of his lost love. Getting drunk was his new activity of the day and he welcomed the sweet oblivion it gave him.

Albus Dumbledore had been trying to get him to agree to a visit for months, and Alastor ignored every letter. Whatever the old man wanted from him was a load of codswallop either way.

The man moving out of his fireplace obviously meant he had given up on waiting for a reply and had decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Evening, Alastor. I expect you are well? Good good. I'm here to offer you a job. I find myself once again in the need of a Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor and I believe you will be the perfect candidate in the approaching year." Albus said as he took a seat on the chair across from Alastor.

"What makes you think I'd be fit for the job, Albus?"

"You've got the most experience. Please. I'm only asking for one year, enough time for me to find someone else and then you can come back into retirement."

Alastor looked up at his old friend, knowing he would only come to him in desperation, "Okay, Albus. One year and then you leave me to my peace and suffering."

"Thank you, Alastor. I'll see you on the first of September."

Alastor nodded and took another swig from his flask, knowing he would only be able to get drunk for another fifteen days and then he'd have to remain sober for a year.

oOo

August 27, 1994

The crash outside was what pulled him awake, on that hot August night, he never got visitors anymore. He had chased them all away years ago. Even his old captain in the auror department didn't stop by anymore.

It was three days until he had to go and start the blasted favour for Dumbledore and he had been trying to get his last peaceful hours asleep but whichever blasted kid or fool was crashing around outside didn't agree with allowing him that.

Standing and pulling a shirt over his head, he grabbed his wand from under his pillow and creeped down the stairs; there was no such thing as being too careful these days. Sending a quickly written missive off to his old friend Arthur Weasley and he continued outside.

Normally fast on the go, he was caught off guard by a stunner spell hitting him in the back, "Ruddy Coward." He said as he went down.

Waking up inside his home tied to a chair, he had never expected to see the face in front of him again. Barty Crouch Jr. who he had personally put in Azkaban was sitting in front of him twirling his wand.

Thinking he had finally lost his mind he began to laugh. "Of course I have to see you and not someone important to me."

"Shut up old fool. I'm going to slip you a bit of potion now and put you under the Imperius Curse to get some information from you, and then you can say goodnight for a while." Barty said in a calm tone.

Grabbing Alastor's chin, he forced it open and poured the clear liquid that was Veritaserum down his throat, "Imperio."

Alastor felt the calmness seep over him and didn't have a care in the world.

"Now Alastor, tell me the phrase you set up with Albus before agreeing to go to Hogwarts?"

"Constance Vigilance." Moody let slip.

"Ahh a nice play on your dear wife's name and your phrase you shouted at all the trainee aurors. Well done. Anything else I should know?" Barty questioned calmly.

"I'm to teach the students the unforgivables."

"I bet my good old father and his ministry mates are overjoyed at that fact." He said rolling his eyes. "Anything you want to add? How're you getting to Hogwarts?"

"Apparation." He spat. The potion was wearing off and the curse slipping after that slip of the tongue, and he felt like he could control his actions.

"Oh I see from the determination in your eyes you've joined us again. Time to sleep." Barty stood, and walking over to Alastor he removed a vial from his cloak and forced it down his throat.

Feeling the drowsiness take control, the last thing he took notice of was some of his hair being pulled out. That's what they were planning. Take over his position over at Hogwarts.

Darkness took over and the pressure that was always on his chest released.

oOo

June 24 1995

Alastor was slowly levitated out of his cases by Albus Dumbledore and escorted to the hospital wing. After many vials and spells were cast on him he drifted to sleep and, after what felt like weeks but was only a day, he awoke to find Albus Dumbledore sitting by his bed, twirling his flask between his fingers.

Groaning and sitting up he reached for the flask.

"I've got a lot of questions but those can wait until you are more with it and recovered. But I do have to ask, what does this flask mean to you and why do you carry it around so much that we don't suspect something when we see you drinking out of a flask?" He asked.

Alastor peered down at the flask and smiled, "Did you know for years before I actually got into the Auror program I was knocked back?" Looking up at Dumbledore he saw him shake his head, "My wife Constance, she always believed in me and when I finally received the letter saying I was in she gave me this." Shaking the flask he went silent for a moment. Lost in memory.

They sat there in silence until he was ready to begin speaking again and then Dumbledore was quiet until he finished.

"It allows the liquid inside to stay the same temperature and any liquid that goes inside is tested so if someone tried to poison me it would alert me. It was and is my last possession given to me by her and I cherish the thought behind it. It saved me so many times over the years." He said trailing off.

"I'm sorry Alastor. I never knew this small thing that we all look at as insignificant was so important to you, my old friend." He said solemnly.

"I'm past it now. So what are we doing to stop what's happening and when do we start?" He said changing the subject.

"Firstly, we are reforming the Order and recruiting new people and we will start once you are better. We have a lot to do and need you at your full strength." Dumbledore said and then stood saying his farewells and leaving Alastor to reminisce over his wife and his Auror days.

oOo

July 27 1997

Everything had gone as planned, they'd given the polyjuice potion to all of the volunteers, the take off went perfectly and then it all went wrong. Someone had betrayed them and Alastor knew it was the scummy man that he had charged himself with. Death Eaters surrounded them everywhere and were shooting curses off. Not actually hitting any of the people that were disguised as The Potter boy but trying to incapacitate the guardians.

They were holding their own until Voldemort himself entered the fray and came straight for Alastor as planned. The only thing they hadn't factored in was that Mundungus Fletcher was a coward, and as soon as he was faced with the red snake like eyes, he bailed and apparated away.

Alastor didn't have time to dodge the killing curse that hit him square in the chest and as his mind went blank and he fell to the earth below all he could think of was his hip flask and the fact he would be reunited with Constance.

As his eyes adjusted to the bright white that surrounded him, he saw Constance standing there with her brown curly hair blowing behind her and she looked as beautiful as ever.

"Hey love, I was waiting for you to join me. I'd have hoped you would be older but I'm glad to see you. You've made me so proud over the years."

Alastor stood slowly and tested his legs, realising that he had both his own legs and not the blasted wooden leg. He moved toward her pulling his wife into his arms for the first time in years. They stood like that for a while simply relishing being able to hold their loves again.

"I've missed you so much my gorgeous angel." Alastor said.

"And I you, how about we go in now and enjoy this second chance of being together?"

Happy for the first time in twenty years he followed Constance through the silver gates and relished being able to reach out and touch her.

Maybe death wouldn't be so bad after all.