Secret Santa Fic

This is to wish a good friend, Magpie, aka QuickSilverFox, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I hope I did Kingsley/Moody justice :D

The Stakeout

The cobble-stones of Diagon Alley wound round bends, continuing into the much darker Knockturn Alley. It's shops weren't neat and orderly, and there at the end of the street was a pub, the White Wyvern. The windows of the pub were dirty or broken, and everything was black with a thick layer of grime.

The pub was a well-known drop point for the Delfino Family's hallucinogenic potions. This included a new recreational potion which had caused a number of deaths. Rufus Scrimegeour, the Head of the Auror Department, wanted to put a stop to it. That meant that Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shacklebolt were on the case.

Moody and Shacklebolt sat on uncomfortable, lumpy stools at one of the rough wooden tables, which was covered in stains and was unnaturally sticky. They huddled together in the dim candle light. The Auror's, surprisingly, didn't stand out amongst the more unsavoury clientele. There were hags, dark wizards, and they even saw an old Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor—and vampire—Professor Trocar. Each wore a glamour, which helped them to fade into the background.

'Frank Delfino at three O'clock,' Kingsley said, nudging Moody's knee with his own.

Frank Delfino, was a fresh out of Hogwarts, seventeen-year-old and already taking an active role in the family business. The tall boy had been Prefect, and he'd gotten nearly all O's in his N.E.W.T's. Dark-haired and blue-eyed, he was extremely handsome. He wore dark blue robes with a stiff white collar and cravat that matched his luxurious robes. Moody didn't have to turn, his magical eye swiveled around, eyeing their target.

'Does he have anything on him?'

Moody shook his head, it was barely noticeable, but Kingsley knew Moody very well. They had worked together for at least ten years, and they had lived together for seven.

'Argh, it looks like there are a few more joining him,' Moody said, his voice rough and his eyes narrowed.

Kingsley leant back, stretching his neck. 'Fuck, McNair and Greyback are here, too. I told Scrimegour that he was their enforcer.'

McNair was a scrawny man with a skinned head, and his thin-lipped sneer with his sunken cheeks gave him a cruel look. He wore dirty robes and always stood behind Greyback, who was far heavier set. The werewolf grinned, his sharpened teeth and yellow eyes standing out in the low light. He always stood at the front, his shoulders squared and ready to take on whoever opposed their operation.

Moody's good leg tensed beside Kingsley, who reached out for his partner's arm.

'Don't do anything,' Kingsley said. He glared at Moody. 'We need to see the drop. We have to keep at least some of these bastards inside.'

Moody rolled his good eye. 'Fine.' The other was still taking in the details of the gang.

Delfino was sitting at the back of the pub. None of them drank, and Fenrir and McNair sat on either side of their boss, each one had a wand grasped on the inside of their robes, and glared at passers by.

They had been sitting there for over an hour when a very sheepish Ludo Bagman walked by. The Quidditch star wore surprisingly low-key, dark robes with a pointed hat on his head, though the brim wasn't wide enough to hide his bright apple cheeks and his childish blue eyes. He was physically fit, despite his young face, his thick arms were folded across his broad muscular chest. He pulled the hat down as he sat down at a table near Delfino's.

'You see who I see?' Moody leant in as he whispered into Kingsley's ear.

Kingsley sniggered. 'You owe me for that bet against the Wasps. It's a loss if their star player is caught taking performance enhancing potions!' He reached an expectant hand across the table.

Moody just pushed the hand away. 'We don't know what he's taking yet. I'm sure they won that game fair and square.'

'Just shut up, and get the PRT?'

A PRT was a Pensieve Recorded Testimony. It was a new invention that Aurors used to record the testimony of witnesses and what they witnessed in the field, that way they could use it to convict in court. The device was a small golden orb and it was filled with the same liquid-like smoke that memories were made of. Once activated, it would capture the owner's memories as they happened.

Moody had the device and twisted the golden sphere until the smoke started to glow, a visual queue that the artefact had started working.

Bagman sat at the table beside the The Delfino family, and a leather pouch was placed on the table. Bagman dabbed his forehead as he got up and went to the bar.

Delfino sat back while McNair passed over the pouch of coins. Defino looked in the bag, testing the weight in his hand, before nodding to his goon, McNair. It wasn't long before three vials of bright blue liquid were placed in the same spot that Bagman's money pouch had been just moments before.

'You ready?' Moody said.

'We need backup.'

'The big brave Gryffindor isn't scared, is he?' Moody's good eye gleamed, his body tensed, poised to jump up from the table and dash into action as fast as his prosthetic leg would carry him. His magical eye seemed brighter, more excited than usual, darting around the room, but nearly always focused on one of the individuals they were watching.

'No, don't do that. Things never go well when you say shit like that. This is how you lost your eye.'

'Losing my eye was the best thing that happened to me. This one,' he taped his head, 'is far more useful.' Moody patted Kingsley's hand, his maniacal grin stretching out his scars. 'Think of the shame you'd feel if a Slytherin jumped in and you didn't.'

'No one knows you're a Slytherin, Moody.'

'But you'll know,' Moody said, winking. 'We got a recording of the drop. You take Delfino and McNair. Greyback is mine.'

'Fine, but I'm going to send an alert for backup to the office as we go.' Kingsley pulled out a sleek ebony wand and with a complicated twist of his wrist and non-verbal incantation, he sent out an alert.

Moody waved his wand, and the glamour fell away, revealing his wooden leg, his distinctive face, and the silver Auror badge that hung around his neck. He stomped over to the back of the pub, various criminals that they weren't stalking scarpered from the pub. He stood in front of the Delfino gang.

'Boy's, I'm afraid I'm gonna have to take you in for distribution of illicit potions,' said Moody, his smile more than unprofessional.

Defino stood up, his hands balled into fists at his side, glaring at Moody, he said. 'You've got no evidence!'

Kingsley was already behind him, a wand trained on McNair. 'What is it you always say, Al? Constant vigilance? You guys should try that.'

Moody held up the PRT. 'We got it all, boys!' He flicked the wand in his left hand.

Ludo Bagman fell to his knees. Whatever the spell was, it forced his head down and his hands behind his back.

'Ludo Bagman, you're being arrested on the suspicion of buying illicit substances. You are entitled to Wizengamot representation, if you decline to get representation, or are unable to get representation, the Auror division will provide you with a lawyer. You're free not to provide a statement, and any statement you give will be used against you in your wizengamot trial. If you don't provide a statement or comment on something you would rely on in court, it will not be counted. Do you understand, Bagman?' Moody read the rights to Bagman, who squirmed on the floor.

Everything happened so fast. Moody was just about to pull up Bagman while Kingsley had started to read McNair his rights. There were two detained and two more to go. Moody was just pointing his wand at Fenrir, when he pounced, knocking the wand out of his hand.

'Stupefy!' Kingsley shouted.

Delfino was knocked from his seat, and laid unconscious on the floor.

Kingsley turned just in time to see Moody knocked to the ground, Fenrir on top of him, foaming at the mouth. He lunged at the werewolf, pulling him off Moody, but Fenrir turned around, his clawed hand slashing across Kingsley's chest.

There was a shot of red light, and Fenrir collapsed in the pool of blood that now spread beneath Moody's fallen comrade.

The bright lights of St Mungo's stung Kingsley's eyes. The mattress that he laid on was soft, unfortunately he was covered by itchy blankets. The room was barely visible, blurry around the edges, a familiar feeling he had whenever he had been given the Morphinum Potion.

'Kingsley?'

Turning his head to the sound of a familiar voice was difficult. Despite the strong potions in his system, searing pain spread across his chest and neck.

'Ouch,' he said.

'Ouch is an understatement.'

A face appeared in his line of site. The man had scruffy, dirty blond hair, and the crooked nose that had a chunk missing from the end of it. One brown eye and the other bright-blue eye was just as wide, focused intently on Kingsley's face.

''Ello, Moody,' he said. 'Did we get em?'

'Yeah. Only because you called for backup. Just after he got you, the Longbottoms showed up, all of them are in custody.'

'We got enough to put a stop to Defino?' he asked, sinking into the pillows.

'Yes, I handed over the PRT.'

Kingsley pushed his hands down, shoving himself up the bed. Red seeped through his bandages.

'You're an idiot! Just sit still, will you?' Moody, flicked his wand, magically changing the bandages. 'Why did you do that?'

'I'm uncomfortable, you insensitive pillock.' Kingsley let out a weak laugh though, but Moody wasn't laughing.

His lip shook as he spoke. 'I don't mean that, I mean jumping in front of Greyback, are you insane?'

'H-he was going to bite you.' Kingsley managed a weak smile, his hand reaching for Moody's face. He winced, somehow whenever he moved, the pain shot through his chest, regardless of how he moved. 'I couldn't let that happen.'

A pale, scared hand reached and cupped Kingsley's face. 'You think I wanted him to bite you? Scratch you? You idiot man.'

Kingsley managed to laugh a little. 'It's what I do,' he said. 'I look after you because you're a risk taking maniac. Of course, you would be the one to take on Greyback, of course, you dive in before you can get any help from me. I'm your partner, Moody, not just in work, but in life.'

Moody's expression softened; it was a rare sight. He wore a gentle smile and his usually hard eyes were half lidded and tender.

'Why do you think I did all that? I took on Greyback so you don't have to. I am trying to protect you, you ridiculous Gryffindor.' Moody lifted Kingsley up, cradling him in his arms. He puffed the pillow behind his head and settled him back into the bed. 'I've got everything you need. I even smuggled in your favourite salted taffy.'

'I could get used to being looked after like this.'

'Well, I learnt from the best.' Moody leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss on Kingsley's lips. 'This time, I'm looking after you.'