CHAPTER TWO: Mad Eye Returns



Between schoolwork and working next door, this summer was going by much more quickly than most of Harry's others had. Although Ella Figg was much more careful in what she said about Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, her eyes danced with satisfaction every time she gave Harry something to do and then used magic to do it for him. The food situation was better this summer than last because, besides the food Harry's friends had sent, Ella Figg was also giving him plenty to eat. So, despite the very thin rations next door, Harry felt reasonably well fed.

Ella seemed happy to follow most conversations where Harry wanted them to go and waited for Harry to bring up the topic of his parents which he did only occasionally. Much though he wanted to hear everything Ella could tell him about them, Harry found his nightmares were much worse after he heard about his parents.

For her part, it seemed Ella enjoyed telling tales of her old school days. She had a few particularly good ones about Hagrid and Harry very much enjoyed sharing the story of Norbert, the baby dragon Hagrid had hatched in Harry's first year. It usually wasn't until he had returned to the Dursley's after an afternoon next door that Harry realized how deftly Ella had turned the subject away from herself and from Voldemort.

Meanwhile, after he had written to Hermione and Ron about his new next door neighbor, Hermione wrote back that she had asked Madam Pince to look her up in the Alumni directory. Harry could almost hear the breathless awe with which Hermione must have written back:

"The directory notes when someone received a high number of either O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s. Madam Pince says Arabella Figg got ALL her O.W.L.s and almost all her N.E.W.T.s! That's very unusual, Harry. Most witches who did that well would be tapped for a job at the Ministry of Magic but the directory doesn't say. Perhaps you can ask her for some advice on taking our O.W.L.s. Please let me know what she says."

Harry couldn't help smiling. Nothing would have impressed Hermione more than doing well on any sort of exam. Ella Figg could have invented the flying broomstick and Hermione would probably have been mildly interested. But getting all her O.W.L.s... that was a different story.

Hermione's letter got him thinking about how Ella really hadn't said much about what and where her work was. She had neatly deflected most questions about that. Had she worked for the Ministry? Did she now?

The next day, while they watched a paint roller and brush give the living room a fresh coat of paint under their own steam, Harry brought up the subject,

"Ella, where do you work?"

"Oh, you wouldn't be interested in that, Harry. Tell me, what do you think you'd like to do after Hogwarts?"

This time Harry was not to be deterred, "I am interested. My friend Hermione looked you up in the Hogwart's Alumni Directory and she said that with all the N.E.W.T.s and O.W.L.s you got they would've asked you to work for the ministry."

Ella's eyebrows had risen in surprise when Harry mentioned Hermione looking her up in the Directory but Harry could see her thoughts were swiftly turned toward his question. She scowled for a moment then looked at Harry,

"I was asked to work in the Ministry. I worked doing research for the Department of Mysteries for a time... but of course you understand I can't really say more about that."

"But you don't anymore?"

"I still do independent work for the Department, but I had to give up my position a good while back."

Later on that evening, when he lay awake reflecting on the conversation, Harry would wonder if he should have asked his next question.

"Can I ask why - you gave it up, I mean? The Department of Mysteries always sounded kind of, well, cool."

"Well, I did enjoy it, Harry. It was getting paid to do what I wanted to do anyway, and that kind of job is hard to come by. But I had to give up my position after a few years." She said this quite matter of factly, although a bit grimly. Harry was surprised at her frankness but curious to know more.

"Really?"

Again, Harry had the sense that Ella was weighing something in her mind as she took the measure of him. She seemed to be chewing on her lip a bit, deep in thought. Finally she asked,

"People haven't told you a whole lot about Voldemort's rise and fall, have they?"

Harry was startled. What did Voldemort have to do with it?

"They always say I'm too young to understand. But I found out a lot about when- when he lost power from Sirius and Lupin. Everyone says how horrible it was... I guess they don't like talking about it." Harry paused, then said in a low voice, "I guess I can't blame them."

Harry spent a moment looking a the curlicues in the pattern of the Oriental rug on the floor. Ella said nothing for several minutes, either. When she spoke her tone was resigned.

"No, no one enjoys talking about it but if we want to stop it from happening again it is important for us to remember what we're up against." Harry looked up at her and saw that her gaze was fixed on the opposite wall as she sat with her arms crossed and brows furrowed. She bit the inside of her lip for a moment and then took a deep breath and looked Harry in the eye.

"Aunt Elspeth and her husband Uncle Theodore were my legal guardians from the time I was ten. Uncle Ted's brother was my father... the first wizard in the family. But when my parents died under mysterious circumstances I was sent to live with Aunt Ellie and Uncle Ted."

"Here?" Harry asked surprised.

"No. Aunt Elspeth, er, inherited this house when Uncle Ted died. He died two days after Voldemort murdered your parents." Ella's voice was harsh with bitterness, and Harry winced at the bluntness of the words. Her face was set and determined as she continued, "A death eater blasted the house apart looking for me. Naturally he didn't care that my Uncle was still in it. We knew Voldemort was looking for me and we had assumed it was to get me to tell him where your parents were. That's why I left the ministry and went into hiding. But when this happened after- I realized there must be something else he had wanted... something his remaining supporters still felt the need to get. It wasn't until later when we found out one of the Wizards in my Department was spying for Voldemort that we figured it out."

Ella lapsed into silence as Harry tried to digest this new information. When she continued she was almost brusque,

"Dumbledore arranged for Aunt Elspeth to inherit this house as a favor to me. I suspect he figured it might come in handy some day. I guess we shouldn't be surprised he was right. We've got a lot in common, Harry, and I suspect Dumbledore thought of that, too."

Harry had a thousand questions he wanted to ask, he wished he could think of something to say to Ella, but he felt inadequate to the task.

"Did you know your parents?" He asked, finally.

"Yes. Yes, I did. I was lucky. I still miss them even all these years later."

Later, Harry wished he hadn't asked, but the moment seemed to take on a life of its own and so he found himself speaking,

"How did they die?"

"They both had heart attacks - at the same time. No one will ever know for sure what happened, but-" here Ella stopped short and paused for a moment studying her hands, "It was reckoned that the stress of an unforgivable curse did it."

Cruciatus... Harry thought. He had seen it, and even experienced the seemingly unendurable pain of it at Voldemort's own hands. He had felt his heart would surely burst when Voldemort had done it to him so it made horrible sense. He suddenly realized he didn't want to know any more, not right now, maybe never.

Ella was looking at him with concern, "I'm sorry, Harry, I shouldn't have told you all this. It's an awful lot to take in."

"Nae, Lass, he's got to know!" Said a gruff voice in the vicinity of the front door.

Harry started violently and Ella jumped to her feet. Standing in the doorway was Mad Eye Moody... still looking gaunt after his own ordeal the year before.

"Dammit, Alastor! Don't do that!" Ella said with real vehemence, but Harry saw that even as she did she was moving to pull him into the room. Harry felt a bit odd looking at Moody. For most of the last year a Death Eater using polyjuice potion had impersonated Moody so he could arrange to deliver Harry to Voldemort. Harry knew the real Moody had nothing to do with what happened but that was hard to remember when staring at someone who looked exactly the same as the imposter who had betrayed him. No, Harry corrected himself, the imposter had looked exactly like Moody.

Moody settled heavily into a chair easing his wooden leg into a more comfortable position before taking a sneakascope out of his pocket and placing it on the coffee table. He took in his surroundings carefully and finally spoke,

"Think the walls are done, lass."

Ella rolled her eyes at this but she was smiling as she rose to dis-enchant the paint roller and brushes. As she left to carry the paint tray into the kitchen Moody turned his eyes (the real one and the magical one which had replaced one lost catching a dark wizard) onto Harry. Harry had said absolutely nothing since Moody's appearance; a fact that Moody had obviously noted.

"Bit strange isn't it?" he asked gruffly.

"Well, yes it is. Sir." Harry added the last bit hastily. Moody only nodded. Harry, uneasy with the silence asked, "Are you feeling better sir?"

"Aye, and leave off calling me sir." Moody responded, still gruff.

Ella had returned and sat down on the edge of the couch regarding Moody with a level gaze. "So," she asked, "What's wrong?"

"I've come to collect Harry." Both Harry and Ella started a bit at this. Harry wasn't sure he was ready to be alone with Moody, real one or no, and Ella's surprise made him uneasy.

Ella's voice was level when she asked, "Why?"

"Dumbledore's orders. That lot," Moody jerked his head in the direction of number four, "Are in danger. Apparently someone thinks that they can get around Dumbledore's protection spell by doing away with them."

Harry was stunned. He had no particular fondness for the Dursley's but he certainly didn't wish them harm. He also wasn't keen on being the cause of any more deaths in the family.

Ella was speaking again, "I'm sure you'll appreciate that this comes as a bit of a surprise, Alastor. I'm afraid I need to ask you for some confirmation."

Moody was nodding appreciatively, "Would've been disappointed if ye hadn't asked, lass. For starters, lets just note the time, shall we? If I'm still myself in an hour that will make a start," he said handing her his hip flask. "Meanwhile, why don't you two give these letters a close look." With that Moody handed each of them a parchment envelope. Harry recognized Dumbledore's loose script as he opened his letter.

Dear Harry,

Certain facts have come to my attention which make it necessary to remove you from your relative's care. I have sent Alastor Moody to bring you to Hogwarts. Naturally, neither he nor I will be offended if you demand proofs from Professor Moody. I have sent a letter to your Aunt and Uncle and trust they will not object to your early departure.

- Professor Dumbledore

Harry didn't know whether to be relieved or dismayed. Certainly the Dursley's would be pleased. They had asked Harry to try and stay at school over the summer every year he had been there. Ella's letter was longer, extending to two pages. She read it with brows knitted, nodding occasionally. When she was finished she had a wry smile on her face.

"Well I can't say looking after the Dursley's well-being is the way I had hoped to spend the rest of the summer, but it makes sense."

After an hour had passed with no change in Moody, Ella questioned him quite closely while Harry listened. He didn't understand everything she asked, but she seemed satisfied when she was done. It seemed Moody would be escorting him to Hogwarts, awkward though it might be.

Ella left the room for a time, then returned holding a chain with what looked like a bit of stag horn dangling from it.

"I'd hoped to have more time to work on this," she sighed, "but it will do as is. Harry, I know guys aren't much for jewelry but I need you take this and wear it until you arrive at Hogwarts and see Dumbledore. You can remove it then, if you like, but you should wear it anytime you are away from Hogwarts or the Dursley's until Dumbledore tells you otherwise. You should also wear it if you are at Hogwarts and Dumbledore is not."

"What does it do?" He asked.

"The stag horn can produce a Patronus and will send an alarm to people who can help you if you wind up in trouble or feel you are in danger." She held the chain up. "Use the incantation 'subvenio' and as long as part of you is touching the horn it should work. Although it will work better if you grasp it with your wand hand."

"Subvenio. Got it." Harry said. Ella nodded at this and gave him the chain which he put on tucking it under his shirt.

"There is no telling how long it might take for help to arrive, Harry, so you must be careful." Ella said earnestly

Moody was nodding appreciatively, "Nice. Very nice, Ella."

"Well, everyone needs a hobby, eh? It's just a little something for the Department of Mysteries was interested in. Of course, I haven't given it to them yet. Probably won't. By the way, Harry, you two and Dumbledore are the only ones who know about this and it would be better to keep it that way."

Harry nodded patting his shirt to feel the small bit of staghorn under it. Moody's reaction told Harry this was a pretty good piece of enchantment. Harry wondered if this was the sort of thing Ella usually did for the Department of Mysteries.

"How are you going, then?" Ella asked Moody.

"Blasted Knight Bus," Moody said. "'S why Harry needs an escort. I say teach the lad to apparate and apologize to the ministry after, but Dumbledore wasn't anxious to raise their ire."

"Well, I expect Harry had better nip next door and pack." Ella had risen and was holding out her hand to Harry. Harry took it and found his hand enfolded in both of hers, "Take care, Harry." she said

"I'll meet you out front at 10 p.m., Potter." Moody growled.