I'll begin at the beginning.

Not my complete beginnings, but if you truly wish to know I guess I could tell you. I was born the 29th of March 1945 to Tobias and Imogen Moody in the small village of Ballachulish, Locharber, Highlands, Scottland. Famous for it's shale quarry that put my home town on the map.

I was born into a pureblood, rich, wizarding family. First known auror in my mothers family was a Jacobi MacLeod in the year 1745 and a woman on my fathers side by the name of Agatha Moody in 1650, so yes, dark wizard catching is in my DNA. A phrase I've heard my muggle father in law use many times.

I won't tell you about my schooling at Hogwarts or the auror academy nor will I tell you the horrors I've witnessed during my time as an auror. I am not strong enough to recall those events in great detail. I would rather tell you about the woman who changed my life.

October 3rd 1989

I woke violently from my sleep breathing heavily, my hands were shaking. For many years I was plagued by vicious nightmares, memories from past events that haunted me as I slept, it almost felt as If they were happening again. It took me a few moments to remember where I was, my heart slowly stopped pounding and my breathing became regular again. I looked over at my alarm clock, 6:30am, the sun wasn't even up yet. I shook the fog from my head that gathered there each day, my eye rolled about in my head checking the corners of my dark room, nothing was there, I knew there wouldn't be.

I reached up and turned on the lamp that sat on the nightstand next to my bed, squinting slightly letting my right eye adjust to the light, I heard the soft snoring coming from my grandfathers portrait that sat on my dresser, he could sleep through anything. I slowly sat up, taking my time as pain shot up from my nonexistent leg, strange how you could feel pain in something that wasn't there, today it was bad, it felt like it was being lit on fire. I sat for a moment before slowly dressing. I grabbed the cold, heavy, metal leg and slid it on over my stump, I winced as the fabric from my pants rubbed against the tender flesh. I grabbed my staff and slowly stood, wincing, leaning most of my weight on my remaining leg and staff. I gained my balance slowly and placed my wand in a holster that was attached to the belt around my waste. I slowly made my way to the lavatory and then to the kitchen, my eye constantly sweeping around for intruders. None were there.

I sat at my kitchen table and had my breakfast as the sun came up and into my kitchen window with a warm and welcoming light. I hadn't much to do that day, cleaned house the day before and visited my parents the day before that. I sipped my tea as Adso, my owl, flew in with the post and the daily prophet.

"There's a good chap."

I said softly, stroking his grey feathers I gave him a bit of toast as a reward and looked through the post. I sighed as I came across a letter from the ministry, I opened it and read it. I grumbled, a fine I forgot to pay the month before, a broom violation of some sort, similar to a busted tail light on a muggle vehicle. Nothing too extreme.

I sat around most of the morning and early afternoon and then headed to Greengotts bank in diagon ally before heading to the ministry to pay that bloody fine. I felt myself become tense as I walked into the ministry building, aware of the vendors and the people around me, regular magical law enforcement on patrol a few fresh aurors strait out of the academe, they recognized me and saluted, I did so back. Most people kept their distance from me, I had gained a very unlikeable reputation in the last few years of my career, rewarding me with the nickname "Mad eye." I never really cared about what they thought, my job was to hunt dark wizards not to care what people called me or thought of me. By the time I retired I had no one on my side. The one friend I did have was a man by the name of Auther Weasly, he worked in the ministry, he was a good man had a wife and seven children. As for my brother, he all but disowned me, but I'll get to that later.

I made my way to the magical financial affairs office and went to the front desk. Woman with a red beehive hairdo sat behind the glass.

"Hello, what can I help you with this morning?"

She asked not even looking up.

"Ah have a fine tae pay."

Still not looking up at me she rummaged through some papers.

"Name please."

"Alastor Moody."

Her head snapped up quickly and looked at me.

"A-a fine?"

She asked, I nodded as my left eye rolled to the back of my head. She gathered the paperwork and the record that showed the date.

"15th of September 1989. Failure to register augmentations of broom."

She looked over another sheet of paper her hands shaking slightly, I was used to this. I was aware my appearance scared people.

"Uhh…That'll be s-six Galleons please.."

I reached into my pocket and paid the lady.

"H-Have a good day Mr. Moody."

I nodded and made my way out, people moving out of my way and staring like I was some circus freak. I ignored it. I checked the time, 3:30pm. The afternoon had gone by fast. I made my way out and apperated to an alleyway and walked to the end of it toward a run down looking building, the sign above it read "The leaky Caldron." I trusted the owner. I walked in and took a seat closest to the door, my back to the wall so I could see everyone and anyone come and go. I watched as Sam walked up.

"Alastor Moody…It's been a while old man. What can I get you?"

I chuckled.

"Aye it has. The usual, please."

He nodded walked over to the bar and brought over a bottle of 12 year old Glenlivet scotch whiskey and poured it in front of me, I always paid him extra for this and he didn't seem to mind as he left the bottle with me. I took a swig of the beautifully blended scotch and swallowed it, enjoying the warmth and auroma. You don't just take shot after shot of good scotch, you let it breath, sit and sip it, it's to be enjoyed. I wasn't much of a scotch drinker until I entered the academe when I graduated from Hogwarts, never really liked the taste until my father broke out a bottle of 18 year old Glenlivet to toast my brother at his stag party. Bernard married young, if you call 22 young, he is only five years older than me and has an 8 year old son. As I've said before, my brother doesn't wish to see me and in doing so I never got to meet my nephew until the year before where he randomly showed up on my doorstep. I was a bit shocked seeing the lad there, short red hair, a family trait, he looked like his father. I allowed him inside and quickly sent an owl to my parents to let them know. I didn't know how to deal with children, hadn't had any of my own and at that time I never planned to. My father ended up coming to get him.

I finished my first glass and poured myself another and again slowly sipped this one as well. I saw as the door opened, a muggle police officer stumbled in. It was a young woman, 19 years old, blood gushing from her nose. Sam rushed over to her as she sat across from me, she was breathing hard, her dark brown hair up in a tight bun, tears in her eyes as she pressed a cloth to her nose and yelped.

"Ye alright there lass?"

She jumped slightly when she heard me and looked over.

"I-I'll be alright…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude on your space. I'll move if you like."

I looked at the young woman sitting before me. She looked as if she would pass out, her nose was badly broken and she had lost a lot of blood from it but she seamed to handle herself very well.

"Dinna fash yerslef lass. Are ye alright?"

She looked at me a blinked a bit driving the new tears from her eyes.

"Uh…Yes…I'll be fine…Just uh…"

"Ya broke yer nose. Mind if ah mend it for ya?"

She nodded. I pulled my wand from my trench coat.

"1…2….Episkey."

A loud snap was herd along with a yelp as I didn't even finish counting before casting the spell. She sniffed some and whipped the blood from her nose, I already knew this young lass wasn't a threat to me.

"Bloody hell Lizzy, what happened?"

Asked Sam as he poured her a shot of Jack daniels whiskey, American rubbish if you ask me.

"Attempted arrest of a muggle vehicle thief…Uhh…Turned out to be a death eater…"

This caught my attention.

"Death eater? Would ye mind telling me what happened leading up tae ye bein hit?"

She sniffled.

"Why does it interest you?"

She blinked and then apologized for how rude she sounded. I shook my head and assured her that no offence was taken.

"It was once my job tae track down and arrest dark magic users."

"You're an auror?"

I chuckled.

"Was an auror. Mind tellin me yer name lass?"

"Elizabeth Smith. You?"

I was surprised that she didn't already know who I was. Again I detected no threat from this wee lass, I also couldn't figure out why her name sounded so familiar.

"Alastor Moody."

The look of shock slowly came over her face.

"Y-you where there…"

I looked at her confused.

"Where?"

"Dumbledoors office….October 31st 1981."

I sat there and gave her a puzzled look.

"Lass ah…"

And then it hit me.

"Elizabeth Potter…."

The sister of Harry Potter, her parents had been murdered by lord Voldamort that night. I had gone to the school with three other aurors to speak with the head master and to make sure she was safe. I had just gotten back to work after having to take sick leave from loosing an eye. I was placed at Hogwarts to watch over her for the rest of the year incase someone tried to come back for her.

She smiled at me and nodded.

"Yes. It's good to see you again Mr. Moody."

I chuckled.

"Aye lass. Ah'm glad yer doin well, a bit more talkative now then ye were back then."

She was in fact very quiet, even before her adopted parents were killed. She always had her nose in a book and was very polite. I was posted to watch her for three or four months, but it turned out to be more like six. Christmas eve that year was a lonely one for her, she was an orphan again and wasn't allowed to see her brother and I guess she sensed that I was alone too and unfortunately had to baby sit a child. She walked over to me, a tangerine in hand and offered it to me with a smile. I nodded to her and took it and placed it in my pocket and watched as she made her way back to the table.

I noticed the name on her badge.

"Smith…You were adopted?"

She nodded.

"Yes. A month after you were relieved from your babysitting duties."

I laughed at that one. We got to talking , I lost track of time. It was 10:00 at night when she said her goodbyes. I smiled and waved her goodbye. I left not long after she did, I made it home and got ready for bed.

"Yer oot late laddie."

Said my grandfathers painting.

"Aye."

"That's no like ye. Everythin alright?"

"Aye."

I said as I sat on the edge of the bed.

"Met a pretty lass?"

I laughed at that and shook my head.

"No…No.. Ah'm far too old for that."

"Oh come now son, 45 isn't old."

I shook my head and sighed.

"Good night gradda."

"Good night laddie."

((Authers note: TADAH! This is the first chapter of An Aurors tale. Book 4 in the diary series, please tell me what you think down in the comments and check out my other works. R&R!))