"Demosthene," Moody barked from within as Tamblin approached the door to his office.
Tamblin opened the door. Moody stood with his wand out in front of a misty faced mirror. Tamblin glanced at the wand.
"Am I in trouble here, Professor?"
That electric blue eye rotated around to look behind Moody. He straightened a little and slipped the wand into a pocket.
"Not since you seem to be who you seem to be. What have I been saying about vigilance?"
"That it must be consistent?"
"Constant!"
"Was that what you wanted to see me about?"
"Course not. What do you know about dueling?"
Tamblin blinked.
"Dueling? Uh… Lockhart showed us the basics in second year."
Moody grimaced.
"Worse than I thought. Well you'll learn bloody fast enough now."
Moody took the wand back out of his pocket.
"Sir?"
A bolt of red light flew from Moody's wand and struck the wall just next to Tamblin.
"What are you doing, boy? Where's your wand? Do you plan to talk your way out of a fight?"
"Sir, do you think your office is a good place-"
Tamblin threw himself behind a chair as another red bolt flew.
"You don't choose the place to duel, boy! It finds you, and you better be ready."
Tamblin thought quickly. Had moody simply snapped? Was this another test to see how useful a tool he'd be to the ministry? He slipped the thick bloodwand from his robe pocket.
"About time, boy! Now stand up and let's do this proper."
Tamblin was still behind the chair but that eye was seeing him right though it. He stood up, wand held at the ready.
Moody was smiling and looking completely mental. He bowed slowly to Tamblin. Tamblin returned it. Neither took their eyes off the other.
"Expelliarmus," Tamblin shouted.
Moody blocked the spell.
"You'd best learn to incant silently," Moody snarled, "or your opponent will always be two steps ahead of you."
His wand flicked and a further red bolt flew. It missed and Tamblin wondered if it weren't on purpose. Surely Mad Eye had better aim. Why was he toying with Tamblin?
Moody flicked his wand again but no red bolt this time. Instead Tamblin felt his throat stiffen. He could make no sound.
"See what I mean, Mr. Demosthene?" Moody advanced on him menacingly. "Your opponent may not choose to play fair."
Moody was standing over Tamblin now. A strange play of emotions swept his face. Pleasure and suspicion mainly, but also contempt and disappointment. And then pain as Tamblin swung the heavy bloodwand into Moody's wand hand as hard as he could.
Moody yelled in pain and cradled his right hand in his left. Once the shock passed he laughed thinly.
"Obviously you've taken the lesson to heart. A good move that. I do believe you broke my thumb. Small price to pay in the name of education, eh?"
Tamblin's voice was coming back. He wheezed a question while watching Mad Eye carefully.
"Did you find out what you wanted to know?"
Moody grinned his damaged lopsided grin.
"Aye. That I did."
Tamblin didn't turn his back on Mad Eye as he left the room. It would seem to have been a test of some sort but to what end he wasn't sure. Moody's attitude toward Tamblin seemed neither worse nor better in his next DADA class.