Author's Note: Technically, they never found his body. He very well could be alive. I know that there's a lot of evidence to suggest otherwise, but come on. Moody's just that kind of awesome!
Author's Other Note: I have a question. Do wizards use paper-clips? I've never seen them use paper-clips, but they're so useful. In this story they do, but would any of you mind telling me what you think. I know that this doesn't really have anything to do with the story, but I'd still like to know. Thanks.
Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, would I wonder about the use of paper-clips thus write the above author's note? No, I don't think I would.
Minerva paper-clipped some papers together. It had been exactly three days, five hours and eight minutes since the end of the final battle and she, being the new Headmistress, had a lot of work to do.
Someone pounded on the door. Minerva didn't even look up as she said, "Come in." Whoever she had been expecting, it wasn't him/her. Even if Father Christmas walked through the door, she wouldn't have been more surprised.
Mad-eye Moody stumbled through the doorway looking as though he were close to passing out. Minerva conjured up a chair for him and he fell back into it. He was a mess. He looked as though he'd been in far too many fights (which he probably had) and like he'd been sleeping on the ground for months, though, he didn't look like he'd gotten much sleep. His clothes were torn and caked in mud and he had a few leaves in his hair. He'd always had many scars, but Minerva was pretty sure that he'd acquired some more recent ones.
"Alaster!" she cried. "What happened!"
He just groaned then he sat up straight and pointed his wand at her, alert as usual. "When and where did we meet?"
"On the train on our way to Hogwarts," she said dryly. "Do you have any other questions for me?"
"What did you confide in me that you told no one else and when did you tell me?" his eyes narrowed.
"In our fifth year, I said that I actually did fancy the irritating Head Boy who refused to leave me alone," she sighed. "Now, what happened? Where have you been all this time!"
"You haven't asked me a question yet!" he said sharply. "For all you know, I could be a Death Eater!"
"Alaster, the war is over. I highly doubt that you're a Death Eater. Even if you were, you probably wouldn't impersonate Alaster Moody as he has been proclaimed dead. But if it will make you happy, what did you say to me in our fifth year for which I never forgave you?"
"'Why aren't you in Ravenclaw?' I said this because you were top in Transfiguration. You got your revenge during Defense Against the Dark Arts when we were partnered for 'Defensive Spells'. I ended up in the Hospital Wing because I wasn't quick enough with my shield charm," he said gruffly.
"Now! What happened!" she asked firmly.
"Mundungus," he grumbled. "The idiot disapperated when the Death Eaters caught up to us. I fell off my broom and I've been on the run ever since."
"But how did you survive?" Minerva asked shocked.
He unbuttoned his coat and pointed to his vest. "Shield Vest. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes product. Got one from Fred. Or maybe it was George. Can't tell which. Figured you can't be too cautious when you're fighting a war. I used a Cushioning Charm to break my fall."
Minerva gaped at him. "Why didn't you show yourself after you fell? We've spent the past few months thinking that you were dead!"
"The Death Eaters were after me. They came back, thinking they could use me as an Inferi, but when they came back, I was still alive. Barely got out of there," he grumbled, opening his flask and looking to see if it was empty. He drank the last of the water in it, but was still thirsty. Minerva offered him something to drink, but being Moody, he declined.
"So where have you been all this time?" she asked him.
"I went abroad for a while. I went to Germany then to Russia. Spent a little time in Brazil. My Japanese isn't that great so I didn't spend much time there. I have a friend in Canada. Stayed with him for a while," he grumbled. "It threw the Death Eaters off track. Most of them can't speak more than one language. Few of them can even speak English," he added as an afterthought. "But they kept finding me. I had to keep moving."
"Why'd you come back?" Minerva asked.
"Word came to the Canadian Ministry that the Dark Lord had been defeated. Just in case they were wrong, I didn't Apparate; I flew. It'd be harder for them to track me that way," he took a deep breath. "Is it true, Minerva? Is he really gone?"
"Yes, he is," she still stared at him as though she couldn't believe he was really alive.
He grunted. "About time. Heard that he was using Horcruxes. Or is that just a rumor?"
"It's true," she nodded.
"And Potter was off destroying them for the past nine months?" She nodded again. He stared up at her. "Were there really seven of them?"
"Yes," she said. Her face held no emotion. "His diary, his grandfather's ring, Salazar Slytherin's locket, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem, his snake, and Harry himself."
"Potter?" Moody looked up at her.
"When he tried to kill Harry when he was a baby, he accidentally turned him into a Horcrux," she said quietly.
Moody nodded. "Where is he now?"
"The Burrow. He's staying with the Weasleys for the time being. They're all having a hard time with Fred dying," she said, sniffing.
Moody stared. "Fred's dead? I always liked him. Never took anything seriously, but he was always good for a laugh."
Minerva sat down next to him. "I still can't believe that you're alive!"
"It'll take more than a few Death Eaters to finish me off," he grinned, which to anyone else, would have appeared creepy, but to Minerva, who had known him so long, it was a little comforting. "I was actually expecting more than that to be there."
Minerva nodded. When she'd been told that he was dead, she couldn't believe it. She remembered the time when thirty dark wizards had been sent after Alaster and Albus. Albus had been knocked unconscious and Alaster had to fight all of them himself. Five of them had been killed, fifteen were caught and sent to Azkaban, and ten of them were still in St. Mungos.
"Well," she stood up. "We ought to announce that you're not dead. I'm sure that everyone will be looking forward to see you."
He stood up and almost fell over again. She caught him and he leaned on her as they hobbled out of her office.
Author's One-Last-Thing-to-Say Note: Soooo….Did any of you wonder who that irritating "Head Boy who refused to leave Minerva alone" was? Yeah, if you review, I will tell you. Though, I'm pretty sure that most of you will be able to guess.