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It was only a week before he returned to Hogwarts.
After the fiasco at the Quidditch World Cup Harry made sure that every single moment was dedicated to securing those he cared for.
A witch call crossed his mind as he was looking out from the Donjon spire. It was quite relaxing viewing the world from that location. Apparating to the infirmary he found Moody up and awake being tended to by Veta.
"Aye, I was attacked specifically with intent for capture, it was Malfoy I know it was, his wand and the way he cast at me." The old Auror stated.
"For capture?" Harry queried drawing a seat next to the bed.
They had moved him from St. Mungo's to the Donjon's infirmary and placed him under care there with Veta.
"Aye, group of them skeleton masked assholes worked in tandem to take me out, would have worked had the goblins not diverted their attention."
"But why? What was their goal?" Harry queried
"I have been offered the post as defence professor this year at Hogwarts. Lupin quit after parents found out he was a werewolf."
"You're thinking they were going to replace you with polyjuice or the like?" Nym posed appearing beside Harry.
"Aye, it was a capture not kill attack. Stunners and binders only. Took a cutter to the wrist when I pulled out my backup wand, then when they went on the retreat they triggered the Meat Dolls."
Harry nodded "They would need fresh hair or such to keep up the charade."
"But why go to the effort?" Nym asked "Even under the juice the headmaster would know their real identity same as he knew it was me even when I looked like another student in my fifth year."
"True." Harry agreed "but masking wards or identity amulets could be used to bypass that and being Moody it would seem normal as Moody already uses masking wards that's why he had to apparate into the back garden of the Bastion like the rest of the guests."
The matter was discussed but without further information the conversation was put on hold for now.
After spending so much time with Nym over the summer the return to Hogwarts was rather mellowing.
He spoke with Neville and Luna, discussed the incident at the Quidditch World Cup mostly what he had done and he had witnessed.
They finally resorted to gossip concerning Draco Malfoy and Ginny Weasley.
"I heard Molly Weasley is against the idea of Ginny dating Draco." Luna informed the group.
Hermione looked up from sketching Jasper for her final care of magical creature's assignment of the summer.
Much to Harry's relief she had given up half her classes and the time turner but had still wanted to finish all the set summer homework anyway.
"But why, I mean they are both so cute together you should have seen them last year."
Harry smiled "Molly is, or was a Prewett, a very light oriented family, Draco's father was and I be live still is a Death Eater. To have them get together formally as both are purebloods would mean her family was no longer pure of light thus she would be forced to denounce and maybe even renounce her daughter."
Hermione sniffed "That's barbaric."
"That's a pure-blood's life, it's rare for any pure-blood to not already have a marriage contract established" Neville pointed out.
"Mummy didn't believe in them and daddy couldn't stand the idea of signing me over to another person." Luna added.
Harry nodded, several marriage proposals had been sent to the Goblin Nation with offers but each had been politely declined on his behalf.
"I gather because the Weasley's are a poor family that no one had accepted any or made any proposals as any dowry for Ginny would be minimal."
Neville winked at him "You could probably nab her yourself"
Harry looked at him and said very pointedly "No she is not my type and I dislike all but three of her brothers and…" He deliberately shivered "I am also scared of her mother."
There were giggles all round.
While the others had gone to change Harry took the opportunity to speak with Jasper privately.
"Jasper?" Harry hissed
The snake uncurled from around his wrist and looked at him from his sleeve "Yes master?"
"Do you think it will be a quiet year this year?"
"As it is you I think not." The snaked snickered in his disturbing manner.
"I didn't think so either."
Nym reread the orders that had been placed on her table before getting up and walking into Alastor office.
"So I'm going back to Hogwarts?"
Alastor looked at her and smiled.
"You could have sounded a bit more happy about the whole thing, I would have thought spending as much time with Harry as possible would have been top of your list of things most desirable."
"It's just every year something terrible has happened at Hogwarts."
"Your no longer a rookie, you're a full-fledged Hit Wizard and the higher ups liked how you handled the Sirius Black debacle. They recognise Lord Potter is not a threat at this time but he is quite threatening in general. They want eyes on him at all times."
"If I don't take the case who will get it?" Tonks asked.
Alastor nodded "It would normally be odd to have a Hit Wizard especially one with so few years of experience take control of a Department of Magical Law enforcement outpost. We are more into solo work after all so the post would revert to Senior Auror Shacklebolt."
Nym sucked her bottom lip before sighing "Fine I'll take it."
"Good, the Magical Patrol watch house at Hogsmeade has thirty two officers eight on at any one shift. Four overlapping eight hour shifts; morning, afternoon, night and graveyard. They look after Hogsmeade and the surrounding estates. They patrol the far side of the forbidden forest all the way around Hogwarts itself and are responsible for most of the northern section of railway."
Nym whistled "That's a lot."
Alastor smiled "For all that area it's not really much work; a few bar fights,the occasional theft. It used to have triple that number but now days it's mostly about making sure that the school is protected. Extra patrols on Hogsmeade weekends to curb any vandalism you will have an Auror patrol pop in on those days three man team. Two will walk up and down the street looking menacing while the third will guard the entrance to the estates. Population fifty seven and they get an Auror to stop school kids walking on the grass."
Nym giggled remembering the times she had morphed to sneak by the Auror at the gate so she could pinch candy apples or sherbet lemons straight off the tree of one of the rich pure-bloods had growing in their front yard.
"So I understand WHAT my role is, but what is my role at the watch house?"
"You will be 'Watch Commander', it's not a liaison post but a FULL command you will be doing exactly what Shacklebolt had been doing during the Sirius Black manhunt. You will run the Department of Magical Law enforcement outpost, it is your responsibility, run it as you see fit."
"Won't the Magic Patrol be annoyed I'm in charge."
"Not really, most are rookies fresh out of the academy the shift sergeants who actually look after the place may be second year veterans but they are used to having regular changes in command. Just give an order and they will follow it or make it happen in the best way they can. "
"Why so many new commanders?" Nym quired picking up on something left unsaid.
"Two reasons, it's a boring post with very little real chance of progressing up the ranks, most as I said are rookies but some are veterans that have gotten on the bad side of their former commanders."
"And the other reason?" Nym prodded.
Alastor sighed "The job is as cursed as the Defence Against the Dark Arts post of Hogwarts, just a lot less lethal. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in the war came to the gate of Hogwarts one night but was rebuked by Dumbledore, unable to invade Hogwarts he went to Hogsmeade where out of all those present the Watch Commander was the only one to stand before the Dark Lord. In a fit of rage He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named tortured the Commander to death and had his body used for target practice by the Death Eaters. The commander was awarded the order of merlin first class post-humorously, for a 'Heroic Confrontation' his sacrifice saved the lives of all present."
"My god" Nym gasped "Who was it?"
Alastor looked at her "Baron Alastor Moody's father... Ever since the post has been held for short and long periods of time the key reason most leave is a guilty conscious for personal reasons or actual crimes. It is said only a pious, virtuous and moral person can hold the post."
"Well I'm fucked" Nym thought to herself leaving the office.
