Chapter 2
"I know that name…" Astrid pondered, "Isn't he an order member?" Astrid furrowed her brows. Why would her father have her spying on a member of The Order of The Pheonix?
"Barely," Alastor Moddy grunted, "He was a death eater back in the day, Dumbledore trusts him, seems to think he's our spy in the you know who circle, but he's a dirty double crosser if I ever saw one,"
"So, you want me to what, spy on him?" Astrid asked. "You've gone from 'I need to keep you safe' to 'spy on a death eater for me' real quick aye?" Moody shot the girl an exasperated look as she took a small dig at her old man.
"I thought you wanted to make yourself useful, do more for the order? If you're not up for the ta-"
"No dad, I'll do it, I want to help, I want to serve, but I just want to know... how dangerous is he?" Astrid gulped.
"With Dumbledore around he'll be on his best behaviour, it's his death eater friends you need to be wary of… I don't want you to leave the school grounds, it's not safe for you," Astrid nodded to her father's words, a feeling of worry washed over her now the excitement was wearing off and reality was settling in, the reality that she was actually going to be out in the field, rubbing shoulders with a 'former' death eater and the children of you know whos supporters. "-just papers, notes anything like that really, don't be-" Astrids concentration faded in and out as her father spoke at her, her mind buzzing with sudden anxiety. "Are you listening Astrid?"
"What? Yes, no what was that last part?" Astrid breathed.
"I said don't be putting yourself in danger, just search his office a bit for papers, notes anything that looks a bit dodgey, don't be playing detective and following him about the castle, I may despise him but he's a smart man and very good wizard," Alastor spoke.
"Right, papers and notes, no risks," Astrid confirmed.
"Oh, and he's a skilled Legilimens, you've been keeping up with your Occlumency as I asked?" Alastors voice dropped low.
"Of course I have," Astrid nodded.
"Good, you'll need it, everything I've taught you," Alastor said, standing slowly. "Your whole life Astrid, has led to this, I know you think I keep you caged that I shelter you, so now is the time to prove you can do this, prove to me that I raised a strong, smart witch,"
Days passed by, Astrid had packed up her life for what felt like the hundredth time, her entire twenty-two years stuffed into one suitcase. She gathered herself in the kitchen, primping her blonde silky waves in the mirror, you can take the girl out of Beauxbatons, but not the Beauxbatons out of the girl as they used to say. Moody rolled his eyes as he entered the small kitchen of the thatched cottage.
"Just who are you gussying up for?" he smirked, prodding Astrid playfully in the ribs, Astrid squirmed and swatted the man away.
"Don't make fun," The young woman scolded. "You know I like to give a good first impression,"
"Well hurry it up, we have a stop to make on the way," Moody announced fetching the floo powder.
"Where are we off to?" Astrid asked as she smoothed out her dress, she looked to her father for an answer expectantly as she clutched her hard leather suitcase.
"First stop, Number 12, Grimmauld Place,"
Astrid arrived at Grimmauld Place with a sneeze and a splutter as soot got up her nose. Mad Eye had gone first, meeting her in the kitchen area of what looked to be a decently sizes house. A dramatically long dining table took centre stage in the room, shelves of plates and trinkets adorned the walls and Astrid was greeted by a group of witches and wizards with warm welcoming smiles.
"Here she is, I know you've been waiting for this Molly," Mad Eye gestured towards his daughter as Astrid hauled her suitcase out of the fireplace, patting the soot out of her dress. Molly pulled Astrid into a tight, warm hug, not even giving the girl a moment to ready herself.
"Oh heavens Astrid, it's been so long, look at you, look at your beautiful face," Molly gripped the girl by the cheeks, squishing them together slightly as she stared into the girls blue eyes. "The last time I saw you-"
"I was as tall as that table?" Astrid guessed.
"Why yes, yes you were! I never agreed with Alastor sending you to that French place, you should have been at Hogwarts with my Charlie and Percy," Molly said, narrowing her eyes on Moody playfully. "Let me introduce you to everyone," Molly insisted, guiding the girl over to a group of what Astrid assumed to be order members. Astrid was warmly introduced to Arthur, Remus, Tonks and Sirius Black. She had heard snippets about each person from her father, it was a relief to finally put faces to names, Sirius however was the exception, she had seen spied his wanted posters before, though he looked much younger now he was free of Azkaban.
"Astrid isn't it? You've been helping us a great deal behind the scenes with your research, quite an accomplished young lady, aren't you?" Sirius smiled.
"She gets that from her mother," Alastor laughed plonking himself down into a creaky dining chair.
"Clearly she didn't inherit your terrible looks Alastor, so what exactly did Astrid get from you?" Tonks laughed cheekily.
"Funny," Alastor growled, "But she's a fighter my girl, brave, strong, committed,"
"All noble qualities," Sirius commented with a smile directed Astrid's way.
"Are you excited to begin teaching at Hogwarts Astrid?" Arthur Weasley asked, sitting down next to Alastor with a cup of tea in his hand.
"Yes, History of Magic was always my favourite subject, I find it so fascinating and I can't wait to pass my enthusiasm for it onto my students," Astrid smiled sweetly.
"How noble of you Miss Moody," A deep nasally voice spoke sarcastically from a doorway. Astrid spun around to see the owner of the voice standing with his arms crossed stiffly across his chest, a map of black hair framing his pale face.
"Severus," Alastor sneered, pulling his flask out of his jacket pocket and swigging from it forcefully. A breath hitched in Astrids throat as she stared at the man in the doorway, so this is him she thought. She remembered what her father had said about his legilimency and put up her walls to keep the mysterious potions master out of her head.
"You must be Professor Snape," Astrid regarded the professor raising a single eyebrow as she held out her hand. Snape ignored her invite for a handshake and pushed passed her into the room towards the fire place.
"Going so soon Snivellus?" Sirius mocked. Snape gave no signal or sign that the mocking affected him, instead he stayed dead cool, his expression cold.
"I have errands to run at Hogwarts… I'll take my leave before the smell of…" Snape sniffed the air, "wet dog settles on my person," Sirius' lips perked up at the sides revealing the smallest of smiles. "Miss Moody, I will see you at the Welcoming Feast, tardiness at Hogwarts is inexcusable, 6 o clock, the great hall," Severus warned the young lady, despite his monotonous voice there was definitely an edge to his words.
"That's prof-" Astrid had begun to protest but Severus had already fizzled into green mist, "fessor Moody to you," Astrid finished her scolding with a murmur as she realised the man was no longer there to scold. "Is he always like that?" Astrid asked, looking around at the amused faces of the other order members.
"More or less," Lupin smiled as he played with his moustache.
"Professor Snape is a… acquired taste," Molly spoke truthfully. "Now how about I introduce you to the young-uns, they'll be your pupils in just a few hours. Molly shouted through the door that Professor Snape had appeared in, beckoning the young witches and wizards of the house. Two ginger twins apparated instantly into the kitchen with a chuckle. The boys introduced themselves as Fred & George. Heavy footsteps galloped down the stairs. One set, then another and then two more. Another Weasley boy and a Weasley girl, appeared in the door way, they squeezed in passed their mother and were followed hesitantly by a girl with a slight frame and a boy with round rimmed glasses.
"Blimey mum who's this?" The Weasley boy asked, he gawked at Astrid not so subtly, to the dismay of the petite girl next to him.
"Ronald, Ginny, Hermione, Harry," Molly addressed the quad, "this is Professor Moody, your new History of Magic professor," Molly beamed proudly as if she was Astrids own proud parent.
"Moody?" The boy that could only be the famed Harry Potter questioned.
"Yes, that's my daughter boy, and if you know what's good for your health you'll stick your eyeballs back in your skull," Alastor growled half-jokingly from his seat.
"Relax Alastor, if Professor Binns had looked like dear Astrid perhaps, I would have passed History of Magic," Sirius joked with a wink in Astrid's direction, it made her stomach flip, her interactions with men other than her father had been limited since she went to an all-girls school. Of course, she knew she was beautiful by social standards but had never received such attention before, it made her flutter with excitement but also brought out an uneasy self-conscious feeling.
"You'll nip that tongue of yours Black before I cut it off," Alastor joked.
"It's nice to meet you all," Astrid smiled at the teenagers, suddenly feeling quite awkward, not knowing what to do with her hands as the twin boys stared at her.
"Are you not a bit young to be a professor?" One of the twins piped up.
"Not that we're complaining, we're actually just grateful to have a History of Magic professor who's alive," The other twin added. The group chatted politely, asking and answering questions of each other before it grew time for Astrid to take her leave.
"Are you sure you don't want me to escort you there?" Alastor asked, always so protective.
"I'm sure, do you want to take a first day of school picture too hmm?" Astrid joked, taking her father's hand in hers and squeezing it. "I'm a teacher, I can't have my father escorting me to school," She laughed. Alastor squeezed his daughter's hand in return, wishing her strength and smarts on her mission.
"Enjoy your train journey, I will see you all at Hogwarts," Astrid smiled as she addressed the younger witches and wizards in the room. "Thank you everyone for your warm welcome, my father has kept me away from you all for far too long,"
"That he has! Good luck my dear, you will be fabulous," Molly brought Astrid in for a tight hug before the girl gripped her suitcase and disappeared into green smoke.
Astrid stifled a cough as she arrived at Dumbledores office, she stepped out of the chinney and exhaled cooly. She was there, at Hogwarts, the Hogwarts.
"Professor Moody, welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Dumbledore smiled from his desk as Astrid stepped out into the room, eyes wide. Whilst Beauxbatons School was a magical beautiful place, she had never seen a place quite as interesting as Dumbledores office, so many trinkets, devices, books, shelves filled with antiquities and artefacts she didn't know where to look.
"Wow," Was all she could whisper as she stepped further into the room, shaking herself from her wonderstruck state she stepped over to Dumbledores desk and took his hand, shaking it. "Professor Dumbledore, I'm humbled to be here, honestly, thank you for the opportunity, and thank you for helping ease my fathers… worries, and allowing me to come here,"
"You're welcome, Professor Moody, I want you to know you are in this position on merit, as an exceptional historian with great enthusiasm for the history of magic, not just as a favour from a friend," Dumbledore smiled, almost as if he knew her worries, worries that she was only there because her father needed her somewhere safe, worries she'd be a terrible teacher, worries she'd not be worthy of a position at the school.
"Thank you, professor," Astrid smiled. Suddenly their tender moment was broken up by the large door of Dumbledores office swinging open dramatically on its hinges. A man shrouded in self importance and arrogance flounced into the office and up the stairs to Albus Dumbledores desk.
"Did you forget how to knock Lucius?" Dumbledore asked the man with the slight cock of a greying brow. The man, Lucius, had long blonde hair pulled back into a black velvet bow at the nape of his neck, his robes were almost all black except for some streaks of silver and green running through the brocade fabric of his waistcoat. The mans lip snarled as Dumbledore addressed him.
"Albus, I hear Hogwarts is home to a new professor this year, whisperings of a ministry bureaucrat? Dolores Umbridge? When ever where you going to inform the governors of this post being filled? We feel terrible… left out the loop Albus," The blonde man quipped.
"In fact, Lucius, Hogwarts is home to two new professors this year, Professor Moody here will be taking over the post of History of Magic," Albus said motioning to the young woman.
Lucius had not even noticed the petite blonde who stood perfectly mannered with her hands clasped together in front of her, once he had however, he struggled to remove his eyes from her beauty. Astrid glowed with beauty from her perfect shimmering blonde waves to her clear slightly Sunkissed skin and her piercing aqua blue eyes. Lucius looked over the girl noting her small waist and round curves, full just-bitten lips and a nose adorned with little freckles. For a second his gaze almost softened, until he scoffed and turned back to the elder wizard.
"A girl? You hire a ministry paper pusher to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts, and then you bring on a…" The man glanced at Astrid momentarily before asserting his gaze on Dumbledore once more, "child… to teach History of Magic? I had an inkling you'd lost all sense professor, this just confirms it," Lucius spoke clearly, his words were sharp and stabbing, like small dagger to the gut with each syllable, this was clearly a man with a superiority complex, arrogance dripped from his words like blood from a wound.
"I assure you Lucius, Dolores Umbridge was not my choice of professor, the minister of magic believed her the best fit and assured me she would be teaching her with or without my consent, I'm afraid the governors had very little control over that decision," Albus spoke, "As for Professor Moody, it was a last-minute decision after Professor Binns decided to move on and find his peace, there really was no time to bring this to the governors and so I chose the best witch for the job." Albus glanced at Astrid with approving eyes as he carried on giving the conceited blonde a dressing down much to Astrids amusement. "I think you'll find Professor Moody a very accomplished young witch in her field, she comes highly recommended from Madame Olympe Maxine herself," Albus simply stated.
"I see," Lucius tutted. He tapped the cane in his hand against the floor frustratedly, the man glanced Astrids way one last time before speaking "Let's hope there's more to her than a pretty face then, I will be monitoring your lessons closely Miss Moody," Lucius spat turning on his heels and flouncing out the office just as dramatically as he flounced in.
"That's Professor Moody to you sir!" She called after the man as the door to Dumbledores office slammed itself closed after him. Astrid all but stamped her foot as she sighed in frustration. "Who was that god awful man?" Astrid asked, furrowing her brows, after hearing all her fathers' stories of Professor Dumbledore she couldn't imagine there was a person on this earth who would address him the way the blonde-haired man did.
"You just had the pleasure of meeting Mr Malfoy, a school governor and parent here at Hogwarts, whilst his power here is limited, you should take careful steps to avoid that man Professor Moody,"