Chapter 82
Mad-Eyed Moody
"Albus, are you sure about this guy for a DADA professor? I mean he might scare the students more than teach them." Minerva McGonagall was putting out the concern that all of the Professor's have had about their new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor that the Headmaster had hired for this year. They all had known who Mad-Eyed Moody was, and were afraid that the students would be scared of his appearance.
"I know what everyone is going to be thinking about this assertion, but since Sirius and Remus weren't able to come back for the next couple of years to teach, I had to get someone to come and teach. He has agreed to teach these next couple of years, and this first year will be having him analyze what students that he will be bringing into his special program starting next year. I know that the students don't know about this yet, but that is one of the reasons that we have brought some of the third years up to fourth year this year. Yes that is one of the reasons, even tho from what I have heard, they are going to do good in the fourth year. Harry, Ron, Hermione and some of the other fourth years have been teaching them during the last week of the summer to help get them caught up. I think that this was a good idea. Now we need to go greet Alastar before breakfast this morning. He is sorry that he wasn't able to make it to the sorting feast last night, but he has sent me an owl saying that he will be here this morning."
Minerva McGonagall stood up and walked out of the headmasters office with a small smile on her face. She knew what Albus was talking about with next year, and she was looking forward to it. She was also looking forward to the Tri-Wizard Tournament this year. She knew that it was going to be interesting, and that the students will be looking forward to meeting their counterparts from around the world.
Alastar "Mad-Eyed" Moody was sitting in the three broomsticks waiting for his new employers for at least the next couple of years. He had his trunk with him, and nursing his hip flask while looking out the window through his ever revolving eye. He was an interesting site to behold when you first see him. He was scarred all over his body, had part of his nose missing, a wooden leg, and one of his eyes was a magical one that was swiveling around and looking all over the place. He was a retired AUROR, and people respected him along with fearing him. When he saw the headmaster and the deputy headmistress walk in he greeted them with a gruff "hello, your late. Well are you ready for me up at the school or not?"
"Good morning to you to Alastar. Yes we are ready for you, shall we get going. The students are awaiting their new DADA professor with great anticipation. They haven't been told that their last ones aren't returning, so this might be a bit of a surprise. I hope your ready to teach young ones." Albus had his sparkling eyes going, and he knew that the old Auror would be the best to teach the students.
"Sure am headmaster, do they know about what is going on next year yet?" He knew that they weren't supposed to know, but wasn't sure if any of them might have figured it out or not. He had heard about Harry Potter-Weasley, and his girlfriend Hermione Granger, being a couple of the smartest in their years. He also knew that if they were given any clues, they might have figured it out. It's bad enough that they will probably figure it out by Christmas. He had made up his mind that if they had figured it out, that they were going to be told everything. He also knew about the younger ones that are being advanced into the next year so that they could be eligible to qualify for his special training next year would be a bad thing, but then they are doing good from what he has been told. Of course he was in contact with the Minister of Magic, and he was the father of one of the younger ones, and he had learned about their extra training. "Ok, let's go and get this started. I am happy to be here, and am wanting to get things started." He gave one of his rare smiles as he said this, and followed them up to the school to get started. After all the introductions and his first day of classes, he knew that this was going to be an interesting couple of years.
The students were waiting at breakfast that morning, for they were told that they were going to be meeting their new DADA teacher this morning. They all looked towards the main doors when they opened, and were a bit surprised at the person that walked into the Great Hall with the Headmaster and the Deputy Headmistress. He was what most of them would call a grizzled old timer, and they hoped that he was as good at teaching them as their last teacher was. The most disturbing part of him that most of the students were looking at, was the swivelling eye that seemed to follow everyone's movement, and was trained on anyone and everyone at the same time. When dumbledore came to the front with him, he tapped his goblet and announced. "Students, may I have a warm Hogwart's welcoms for Professor Alastar "Mad-Eyed" Moody, he is going to be teaching your DADA class for the next two years." With the thunderous applause that was given to the old man, he bowed a bit, and sat down taking a swig from his hip flask before eating his breakfast.