Chapter Four—Alastor Moody
I don't trust him. I don't trust anyone, but least of all a former Death Eater hoping to escape Azkaban. But Dumbledore will hear nothing of it, speaking of redemption and second chances. There are no such things as second chances in my mind. There's life, and that's it. Either you do it right or you don't. And Severus Snape has gone as wrong as a wizard can go.
As he stands before us, I wonder how long it will be before he betrays us like he betrayed You-Know-Who. Once a traitor, always a traitor. He is obviously a selfish man. How is it that he fulfilled the most basic requirement of membership? When Dumbledore approached Minerva McGonagall and me three years ago, he proposed a resistance movement made up of the most powerful witches and wizards in Britain. But not just anyone would be invited. Oh no! We extended invitations only to those who exhibited a strong love—not just proclamations of romance, fuzzy hearts, and moonlight serenades—but through their actions, through their commitment. Couples like the Longbottoms and the Potters were easily among our first choices, and they eagerly agreed. Potter's friends displayed true loyalty both to each other and to Dumbledore, and so we inducted them as well. In the end, a motley group of witches and wizards was assembled, maybe not the most powerful in Britain, but certainly the most dedicated, the most honorable, the most true—until now.
Albus claims my love of justice and fairness was what convinced him to come to me in the first place. He always was impressed that I refused to use the Unforgivables, even when it was allowed. Once someone starts down that road, it's impossible turn back, in my opinion. It's one reason why I have a hard time swallowing Snape as a spy. However, that cold, blustery night in the Hog's Head I touched my wand tip to that of Dumbledore's and McGonagall's and I swore to fight. We elected Albus our leader, and no matter how much I think he's gone off his rocker, I won't fight him in this decision. But that doesn't mean I'll sit back and watch as all our efforts are destroyed from within.
"I'll be watching you, Snape," I snarled at him at that first meeting.
"I suppose you will," he responded blandly. This seeming nonchalance about the gravity of the situation rankled me.
"I don't know what story you told Albus to win him over, but in my opinion, 'once a dark wizard, always a dark wizard.'"
"Then fortunately for me that your opinion doesn't matter." I grabbed him by the neck with my bare hands, throwing him up against the wall.
"Watch yourself, or you'll be locking lips with an Azkaban dementor faster than you can draw breath. Understood?" He nodded weakly, and I let him go. He tried hard to regain his composure, brushing off his robes and trying to recover his breath. When he entered the meeting several minutes later, he was the paragon of control, just as he is now, standing before us.
I don't trust him, but Snape holds us hostage with his flow of information. He is invaluable, and if letting him escape punishment means that innocent people will live, then that is the way it has to be. But I will keep my eyes on him. 'Constant vigilance,' that's my motto.
A/N: Thanks for the lovely reviews. I know this isn't what I normally write, but I really enjoyed piecing it together. Next chapter: Severus Snape.
