Chapter 2: Missing Member
Tonks had a deep look of worry combined with extreme anger on her face, and her normally bubblegum-pink hair was an uncharacteristic black. In her hand was a crumpled copy of the Evening Prophet. At her side Kingsley looked just as worried, but not nearly as mad.
All conversation seemed to stop as they looked over at the two, and by their expressions everyone could tell the news they brought wasn't good. Harry only glanced quickly at Ron and Hermione before jumping to his feet and ran over to Tonks. She smiled sadly, worry showing more in her eyes.
"Wotcer Harry."
"What happened? Why did you leave? What did the Ministry want?" Harry asked without introduction.
She exchanged a glance with Kingsley, and before she could answer Lupin strode up to them.
"Is he alright?" he asked quickly.
Alright? Who is Lupin talking about? Harry thought.
"Who? Is who alright?" Ron asked, as he came up behind Harry along with Hermione.
Tonks sighed softly and shrugged to Lupin.
"We don't know, there was no body. Right now they say kidnapping, they think he's alive but they're just saying that. There's no proof either way. No one knows for sure."
This was met with a slight wave of relief through the Order members, but Harry was still lost.
"What's going on?" he asked shaprly.
Mrs. Weasley, in her wedding best, looked ready to protest, but Tonks cut her off.
"It's in the papers Molly. They'll find out, they may as well find out from us."
"Why won't you tell me what's going on?"
Tonks sighed sadly. "It's Moody." Harry tried to interrupt her but she didn't let him. "Read the paper first. It basically true, I want a break from talking about it."
Hermione had just paid the owl that had brought her copy, and Harry turned and really ripped it trying to take it from her hands. On the front page was the article they were looking for. Harry quickly read through it.
Evening
Prophet Tonight,
He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his followers struck again, this time
going after retired Auror, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody. Thankfully he
is still believed to be alive, but kidnapped and in the custody of
He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and his Death Eaters. "The Dark Mark was
discovered over his house by a Ministry official who went there to
check on him after he did not arrive at an appointment," said one
Ministry official. "There were signs of an intense struggle, but
there was no body found, so we have every reason to believe he has
been kidnapped. We think You-Know-Who may have been there as
well." The reason for this attack is not yet known to the
Ministry, but several theories have already started circulating. The
first theory, revenge. In his prime the retired Auror sent many Death
Eaters to Azkaban, many of whom have now escaped. Revenge may also be
the answer as to why he was kidnapped, rather than just killed.
"Sadly," the same Ministry official said, "it is entirely
possible that there are so many of them that want revenge, that they
kidnapped him so they could all get their shot at it, before likely
finishing him off." Another reason for kidnap, rather than
murder is the theory that Moody has some type of information. Moody
had been close friends with the late Albus Dumbeldore, and is rumored
to be a part of the resistance group started by the late Hogwarts
Headmaster. This raises the question, is it possible that Moody knows
something He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named wants to know as well? The
Ministry says its entirely possible. "We're not ruling anything
out, it may even be a combination of the two. We don't know, we are
working as hard as possible to bring him home alive, and in decent
shape. We already have people on it, but right now we have no leads
as to where he is. The only thing we have to go on is that it looked
like his house had been ransacked. We are still working to find out
where You-know-who had him taken." In a time when murders
have become a common place, the question of is he even alive has been
aroused, but the Ministry stresses that it is still a rescue mission
at this time. "We still think he's alive…we hope he's still
alive." Some people are actually laying the blame with the
Ministry, saying that they ignored a change to stop the attack. "It
wouldn't surprise me," said a source that preferred to remain
anonymous, "if they didn't pay attention to signs of a struggle,
thinking it was just Mad-Eye being Mad-Eye. They're still convinced
that Mad-Eye's too paranoid to pick up on a real attack. You think
they'd figure out he's still able to pick out the real thing
three years ago. They didn't pay any attention to that either and
he ended up locked in a trunk for nine months with a maniac walking
around Hogwarts impersonating him. He is paranoid, but still, you'd
think in these times that they would take any threat seriously. It
wouldn't surprise me at all. If this is how the Ministry treats the
best Auror they've ever had…I just pray they find him alive, for
his sake." At this time no other details surrounding the
case are being released to the public. The Ministry has stressed that
they do not believe the public to be in any more danger than before.
And have said that it was likely that they subdued Moody and then
left immediately after that, and that they do not think that
He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named of any of his followers are still in the
area. If
Death Eaters Strike Again