Constant Vigilance

Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody decides to slack off on the constant vigilance just a teensy bit before Harry Potter's fourth year at Hogwarts. He's actually going to try to live a life (!) Not much romance... just pathetic attempts at it with tips from Nymphadora.

Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, this probably wouldn't be posted on this site. If I owned Harry Potter, this probably wouldn't be labeled as fanfiction. If I owned Harry Potter... I probably would have a life.

Nymphadora

Alastor Moody was getting tired of his catch phrase. He could feel that his fellow Aurors were, too, especially the ones he had been working with for thirty-some years. He could hear them mocking him behind his back. Of course, most of the wizards in the world revered him for his constant vigilance.

That was why he still had his head on—even if he had lost an eye and a leg and many portions of his skin that had later resolved in severe scarring—especially since he had made so many enemies by filling up Azkaban.

Alastor had decided that he would finally slack off on the constant vigilance a bit—he would always be careful, but no need to be so paranoid… right? After all, there weren't many Death Eaters around anymore, and the few that were were too scared go back to their Dark Lord (cough, Igor Karkaroff, cough).

The other Aurors had always been allowed to live their normal lives. Why couldn't he? That youngster, Nymphadora Tonks, had answered that question within one week of knowing Alastor.

"Because you're too paranoid that you're going to lose a buttock with that eye and leg… sir."

Or maybe she hadn't said exactly that. After all, only Alastor knew one of his Aurors had lost a buttock maybe ten years ago. Bad images.

Alastor rather liked Nymphadora. She was a funny sort of girl, even though she was way too clumsy to ever even attempt to be an Auror. He was surprised Nymphadora had even passed her Concealment and Disguise exam since she was expected to trip and shriek all over the place, but she had passed with flying colors. Later he learned she was a Metamorphmagus. That would definitely explain it… though she still had had difficulty with her Stealth and Tracking exam because her Metamorphmagus powers would not have helped there.

He knew he would miss her most when he retired from his Auror life. He was going to teach at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in a few months.

One day, totally out of the blue, she had asked, "Hey Mad-Eye, have you ever had romance troubles?"

Alastor Moody could tell you that he was quite appalled at this point. No one had ever asked him any personal questions. No one had ever even tried prying into his personal life.

Or maybe that was because they knew he didn't have one. He would have to poll his co-workers on that one.

He had answered, "Constant vigilance, girl! No time for love!"

He could still remember the look on her face. Her eyes had grown wide, not just wide like most people's would, but her Metamorphmagus powers had helped her convey the fact that she was surprised across. Her mouth formed into a huge O. Alastor could not help but think of a huge Cheerio, for he had yet to eat that day—he did not, in fact, have that many meals since he had to make all of his own.

He couldn't help but wonder if the steak he grilled yesterday had mad cow disease...

"Slack off on the constant vigilance, Alastor," he muttered to himself.

Nymphadora appeared out of nowhere. "First sign of madness, talking to yourself, Mad-Eye."

"Oh shove it, Nymphadora."

"Oh no you didn't!" she gasped.

"Er… constant vigilance!" Alastor replied as he popped a mint into his mouth. He didn't really know what to say to that teenage phrase.

Nymphadora gasped again, slightly too audible this time for the whole Atrium had turned to look at them two. "IMPERSONATOR!" she declared. "MAD-EYE WOULD NEVER EAT SOMETHING HE DIDN'T MAKE OR CHECK! AH! DEATH EATER ON THE LOOSE!"

Half the people in the Atrium ran in circles, throwing papers in the air and hustling out the doors. Alastor could hear a few cracks from Apparition.

The other half just looked at the Auror trainee suspiciously and continued their conversations.

"So, Mad-Eye, as you call yourself, what jail cell number did Sirius Black escape from?" Nymphadora questioned uneasily in an undertone.

"Three hundred and fifty-four. I'm sorry to say cells one through two hundred and sixteen were all filled by me."

"And your barking mad constant vigilance…" she mumbled.

"Actually," Alastor said matter-of-factly, "did you know that I was going to get myself a social life? a personal life? a love life?"

Nymphadora gasped loudly. Alastor glared at her, so she managed a quick, quiet gasp and pretended to faint.

Alastor exclaimed, "Oh no, must be poison! I knew I shouldn't have used you as my food tester!"

"Ha… ha… ha!" Nymphadora managed while nearly rolling on the floor, laughing.

"Wha?" Alastor looked thoroughly confused. "I thought you were a goner…"

She choked, "Wow, you're funny, Mad-Eye!"

Somebody Apparated into the Atrium close behind Alastor. He immediately jumped on reflexes and brought around his wand to face…

"Hey Remus!" Nymphadora shouted gleefully. "I was wondering when you'd be coming!"

"Tonks!" the man shushed her. "No one wants a werewolf here… especially that Lucius Malfoy…" He ended the sentence with a shudder.

"Ooh, sorry, Remus," Nymphadora whispered, "forgot for a moment there."

Alastor proclaimed, "Well, I'll be on my way now…" He nodded curtly and made his way to the elevator.

"Later, Mad-Eye, sir!"

"Wait, Mad-Eye, I—"

Alastor heard Nymphadora shush Remus and say, "Cut him some slack. Did you hear? He's starting a love life! Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody! A love life!" And then she doubled up with laughter. He turned around to glare at her, but he only saw Remus Lupin chuckling along with her. He seemed to not believe her as he was saying, "You're—ha—joking!"

Well, Alastor would just have to show them wouldn't he?

He turned his back on them… smack into a surprised-looking young lady. "Sorry, ma'am, no harm meant, ma'am," he mumbled apologetically. The pretty young woman looked at him nervously and hurried along, glancing at the floor. Out of the back of his head, he could see Nymphadora wheezing, bent over her stomach. Remus seemed to have been too busy laughing before to watch Alastor's little tragedy.

Show them he must…

A/N: This was a sort of random idea, but I really felt like Mad-Eye needed another story since there aren't many out there. People even tend to forget that he died during the seventh book. That's just sad. Sorry this was kinda boring, but much more exciting stuff coming very soon! Please review.