2
Moody stood shivering in the cold of winter, the snow swirling around him. He peered up at the little house in Godric's Hollow, with its picket fence and garden covered in banks of snow it looked picturesque, its yellow walls inviting.
The little living room was bustling with people, most of them grim and stony faced, an entirely different character than the fire cosily burning in the hearth. By now everyone knew of the Prewett's deaths and had gathered for the emergency meeting Dumbledore had called. Slowly Moody made his way down the stairs to the basement.
A large table and two dozen chairs were the only objects of furniture in the room. A dozen candles floated in the air giving an eerie look to the room. Moody sat down at his accustomed place, two seats down from the right of the head. Slowly everyone began to file down to the bare room, many of their faces streaked with tears that gleamed in the fire light. Last came Dumbledore, somehow he seemed older, as if he had aged ten years since Moody saw him yesterday. It's the death, it's Voldemort, tearing apart families and friends destroying a world.
Dumbledore had moved to the head of the table. As he started to speak his voice shook, "We all feel the loss of the two fine gentlemen who were recently killed. But we must continue. We may consider ourselves lucky that the sole witness of this crime was one of our members who I will now ask to speak."
Tentatively Marlene McKinnon stood up from their midst. She was trembling and her face had a look of pure terror on it. "Traumatized" Moody heard someone whisper close by. She gulped and voice trembling began to speak.
"I-I had been with Gideon and Fabian at the time, when five Death Eaters approached them. He had seen th..them com-coming and t-t-t-told me to h-h- h-hide." Large tears welled up in her eyes. "It was aw-awf-awful, they- they didn't ev-even give them a chance. The-they just s-s-s-t-tarted to fight, I-I had t-t-to close my eyes. It was terrible." She broke down crying.
Moody was impatient, and he wasn't the only one. The rest of them had gotten over their grief numerous times. Too many. They needed her information.
Dumbledore walked across to her and spoke to softly for Moody to hear. His words seemed to help Marlene though since she calmed down and took large gulping breaths. Dumbledore turned back to the waiting group.
"Does anyone have questions they wish to ask Miss McKinnon?"
Moody stood. "Miss McKinnon, or rather Marlene, do you know what curses were used during the fight?"
She turned tear streaked face to him suddenly angry.
"Not really, although as you probably expect it was Avada Kedavra that finished them off." Everyone in the room flinched at the name of one of the Unforgivable Curses, the use of which was enough to put anyone in Azkaban for a lifetime.
Frank Longbottom stood up.
"Do you have any idea who the Death Eaters may have been?"
Moody had always liked Frank. He and his wife Alice were kind and generous, well loved by all wizards, the good ones. Frank was a superb auror, Moody loved to work with him. You never felt like you could give up when you were with Frank, he always said that the answer was "just around the next corner" and that corner was "just past that next spell" or "just pass that next investigation" or "just one more day searching". He was a wonderful optimist.
Moody turned his attention away from Frank and back onto Marlene.
"No, I couldn't recognize any of them, although, I remember their voices clearly. If I ever heard one of them talk again, anything, especially some curse or spell, I'm positive I would recognize the voice." There was shifting among the people gathered, perhaps they could still trace the attackers.
Next to stand was Sirius Black.
Moody-well- he wasn't sure about Black, after all he came from about as bad a family as possible, everyone of them Voldemort supporters. But early on he had shown a dislike for his family and their values. He was the first Black in ages who had not been in Slytherine, and that was enough to make 1% more trustworthy.
As he stood he brushed some of his black hair from his eyes. Marlene smiled, every woman was always swooning over him, he was tall and spectacularly handsome. Moody liked him better young, all of his women were too old for Black.
"What did you do after the attack?"
"Well," Marlene started in a suddenly flirtatious voice, "afterwards I looked up and saw the Death Eaters moving toward two shapes on the ground. I nearly screamed with fright when I realized that it was Gideon and Fabian. I watched them kick there bodies to make sure they were dead and then apparated. After they were gone I apparated and told Dumbledore as soon as I could find him."
Again the tears came to her eyes and her wispy frame shook as she sobbed.
"Thank you Marlene," said Dumbledore rising and diverting the attention, "well as you can see we still have much to do. We are all to be on the look out for anyone suspicious in the murders, Marlene, maybe you should try to reach a few who may be death eaters, and listen to their voice, perhaps you will recognize one. Meanwhile we are all aware that we must continue with our duties, Alastor could I have a word afterwards. Oh, yes, and please would you be so kind as to take note if you hear of anyone who may make a good Divination teacher? The position will be empty next year."
As everyone turned to leave Moody sat slumped in his chair. Looking up he saw Dorcas Meadowes glum faced getting up. Her long blonde hair swished elegantly around her shoulders as she stood. He caught her eye and she smiled briefly and was gone with the crowd.
"Now Alastor, I have some serious business indeed." Dumbledore sat down again heavily as if exhausted. "Gideon had recently reported that he had knowledge of where Rosier is and what he's up to, I need you to trace his work, we need to find Rosier." Moody nodded to show he understood. "Do you have any clue where to start?" This would be a big job, Rosier was an expert when it came to Dark Arts and hiding. Moody knew why he had been chosen for this job. Not to avenge his friends, but since he was already tracing Rosier anyway, for work, it would be inconspicuous if he was looking for him.
"Thank you," Dumbledore smiled kindly, eyes full of unshed tears, "I know what a loss this is for you. I hope that you can continue your friend's work and do him great honour."
Moody stood to go, and turned so Dumbledore wouldn't see him cry.
Moody stood shivering in the cold of winter, the snow swirling around him. He peered up at the little house in Godric's Hollow, with its picket fence and garden covered in banks of snow it looked picturesque, its yellow walls inviting.
The little living room was bustling with people, most of them grim and stony faced, an entirely different character than the fire cosily burning in the hearth. By now everyone knew of the Prewett's deaths and had gathered for the emergency meeting Dumbledore had called. Slowly Moody made his way down the stairs to the basement.
A large table and two dozen chairs were the only objects of furniture in the room. A dozen candles floated in the air giving an eerie look to the room. Moody sat down at his accustomed place, two seats down from the right of the head. Slowly everyone began to file down to the bare room, many of their faces streaked with tears that gleamed in the fire light. Last came Dumbledore, somehow he seemed older, as if he had aged ten years since Moody saw him yesterday. It's the death, it's Voldemort, tearing apart families and friends destroying a world.
Dumbledore had moved to the head of the table. As he started to speak his voice shook, "We all feel the loss of the two fine gentlemen who were recently killed. But we must continue. We may consider ourselves lucky that the sole witness of this crime was one of our members who I will now ask to speak."
Tentatively Marlene McKinnon stood up from their midst. She was trembling and her face had a look of pure terror on it. "Traumatized" Moody heard someone whisper close by. She gulped and voice trembling began to speak.
"I-I had been with Gideon and Fabian at the time, when five Death Eaters approached them. He had seen th..them com-coming and t-t-t-told me to h-h- h-hide." Large tears welled up in her eyes. "It was aw-awf-awful, they- they didn't ev-even give them a chance. The-they just s-s-s-t-tarted to fight, I-I had t-t-to close my eyes. It was terrible." She broke down crying.
Moody was impatient, and he wasn't the only one. The rest of them had gotten over their grief numerous times. Too many. They needed her information.
Dumbledore walked across to her and spoke to softly for Moody to hear. His words seemed to help Marlene though since she calmed down and took large gulping breaths. Dumbledore turned back to the waiting group.
"Does anyone have questions they wish to ask Miss McKinnon?"
Moody stood. "Miss McKinnon, or rather Marlene, do you know what curses were used during the fight?"
She turned tear streaked face to him suddenly angry.
"Not really, although as you probably expect it was Avada Kedavra that finished them off." Everyone in the room flinched at the name of one of the Unforgivable Curses, the use of which was enough to put anyone in Azkaban for a lifetime.
Frank Longbottom stood up.
"Do you have any idea who the Death Eaters may have been?"
Moody had always liked Frank. He and his wife Alice were kind and generous, well loved by all wizards, the good ones. Frank was a superb auror, Moody loved to work with him. You never felt like you could give up when you were with Frank, he always said that the answer was "just around the next corner" and that corner was "just past that next spell" or "just pass that next investigation" or "just one more day searching". He was a wonderful optimist.
Moody turned his attention away from Frank and back onto Marlene.
"No, I couldn't recognize any of them, although, I remember their voices clearly. If I ever heard one of them talk again, anything, especially some curse or spell, I'm positive I would recognize the voice." There was shifting among the people gathered, perhaps they could still trace the attackers.
Next to stand was Sirius Black.
Moody-well- he wasn't sure about Black, after all he came from about as bad a family as possible, everyone of them Voldemort supporters. But early on he had shown a dislike for his family and their values. He was the first Black in ages who had not been in Slytherine, and that was enough to make 1% more trustworthy.
As he stood he brushed some of his black hair from his eyes. Marlene smiled, every woman was always swooning over him, he was tall and spectacularly handsome. Moody liked him better young, all of his women were too old for Black.
"What did you do after the attack?"
"Well," Marlene started in a suddenly flirtatious voice, "afterwards I looked up and saw the Death Eaters moving toward two shapes on the ground. I nearly screamed with fright when I realized that it was Gideon and Fabian. I watched them kick there bodies to make sure they were dead and then apparated. After they were gone I apparated and told Dumbledore as soon as I could find him."
Again the tears came to her eyes and her wispy frame shook as she sobbed.
"Thank you Marlene," said Dumbledore rising and diverting the attention, "well as you can see we still have much to do. We are all to be on the look out for anyone suspicious in the murders, Marlene, maybe you should try to reach a few who may be death eaters, and listen to their voice, perhaps you will recognize one. Meanwhile we are all aware that we must continue with our duties, Alastor could I have a word afterwards. Oh, yes, and please would you be so kind as to take note if you hear of anyone who may make a good Divination teacher? The position will be empty next year."
As everyone turned to leave Moody sat slumped in his chair. Looking up he saw Dorcas Meadowes glum faced getting up. Her long blonde hair swished elegantly around her shoulders as she stood. He caught her eye and she smiled briefly and was gone with the crowd.
"Now Alastor, I have some serious business indeed." Dumbledore sat down again heavily as if exhausted. "Gideon had recently reported that he had knowledge of where Rosier is and what he's up to, I need you to trace his work, we need to find Rosier." Moody nodded to show he understood. "Do you have any clue where to start?" This would be a big job, Rosier was an expert when it came to Dark Arts and hiding. Moody knew why he had been chosen for this job. Not to avenge his friends, but since he was already tracing Rosier anyway, for work, it would be inconspicuous if he was looking for him.
"Thank you," Dumbledore smiled kindly, eyes full of unshed tears, "I know what a loss this is for you. I hope that you can continue your friend's work and do him great honour."
Moody stood to go, and turned so Dumbledore wouldn't see him cry.