Chapter 4: A Leader's Doubts

"You guys picked him to be leader with his paranoia?" George asked skeptically. "Was that a good idea?"

"Of course it was!" Tonks snapped glaring at George.

"Well he is a bit of a nutter…" Fred muttered.

"How dare you say that?" Tonks yelled. "How can you say that when he could be dead, or if he's alive the Death Eaters are torturing him. How can you even say that?"

In truth, Harry agreed with the twins. He certainly didn't want Moody to get hurt, let alone die, but he didn't think he was the best choice for leader of the Order with his paranoia. He didn't dare say anything with Tonks on a bit of a tirade though.

"We don't want him hurt Tonks!" George said defensively.

"Yeah," Fred said. "We don't want the guy to die or anything. We just don't think him being leader is a good idea!"

"It was a good idea, but it wasn't ours." Bill said. "It was Dumbeldore's. He said if anything was to happen to him that Moody was to take over leadership of the Order."

"Why did he want that?" Ron asked.

"If you ask me it makes perfect sense for him to be leader," Hermione, who had been strangely quiet, said. "He has to have the most experience in Defense Against Dark Arts of anyone here. Tonks and Kingsley might be Aurors, but he has years more experience and with the same Death Eaters that are out there now. He is a bit paranoid, and he can be a bit strange but he has to be the best choice. Besides Dumbeldore wanted him to take the job. I think that's enough."

"Those were Dumbeldore's same reasons," Mrs. Weasley said.

"Yeah well Dumbeldore trusted Snape too." Fred said coldly. "And he turned out to be a murdering bastard."

Harry's hand clutched his wand at the mention of Snape's name. He wanted to see Snape thrown off a cliff, and that was only if he was feeling nice. Ginny felt him tense, and held his free hand.

"Fred!" Mrs. Weasley scolded. "Watch your language. As true as that may be there is no need for that kind of language!"

"That's nothing compared to this Fred," Hermione said.

"Alastor has never been, nor will ever be a Death Eater, or support You-Know-Who in any way." Mr. Weasley said coldly.

"That's not what I mean!" Fred protested. "I know the guys completely loyal to our cause. I just mean that well, Dumbeldore wasn't right about Snape, he trusted him and look what happened because of that. His judgment wasn't right about that maybe it isn't right about this either."

He looked over at George who nodded. "He has a point!"

"The Order agreed on this Fred." Mr. Weasley said. "Alastor didn't even want the job, but he reluctantly agreed, because it was Dumbeldore's wish."

Fred glanced back at George and shrugged.

"I see we're out numbered, but I'm just making a point. As hard as it is for us to admit it Dumbeldore wasn't prefect, he wasn't, and it got him killed. I'm sure if Moody comes out of this alive he'll do fine, I'm just saying that we can't accept Dumbeldore's word as law..."

"Moody's actually been better lately Fred." Lupin added. "He still won't get rid of that hipflask, or eat anything without seeing if it's poisoned, but he's been less jumpy. He hasn't been hexing things left and right. People make it out to be worse than it really is. Even though he'll probably be set back after this."

He wasn't saying it, but Harry knew and was thinking the same thing. There'd only be a set back if he lived.

"So he got kidnapped because he was the new leader?" Harry asked.

"It's the most likely reason Harry." Lupin said sadly.

"So they'll keep him alive, at least for while to try and get some information out of him…" Ron added hopefully. "So there's time to try and find him..."

Harry bit his lip thinking about this. Would under torture Moody be able to keep the secrets of the Order?

"We hope we have time Ron," Kinsley said, "The Ministry is working extremely hard to bring him home."

"And Moody will hold out Harry," Tonks said confidently seeing the look on Harry's face. "He won't tell even under the threat of death."

Harry raised an eye brow skeptically. Not sure if Moody would be able to do as Tonks said.

"Either way that doesn't leave us with a ton of time." Ron said. "If he doesn't talk, once they figure this out they're not gonna keep him alive."

"That's why we're going to find him quickly."

"I have another question…" Ron said. "How did the Death Eaters find out he was leader?"

"Snape, has to be." Tonks muttered coldly. "He was still part of the Order when Dumbeldore told us Moody should be leader if something was to happen."