Chapter 16: Training

It had been a week since Fudge and Umbridge were sent thru the veil. Minister Bones had personally went through the entire Ministry and made massive changes. The first was the promotion of Arthur Weasley to the position of Vice Minister. The new position, which replaced all of the different undersecretaries, consolidated all the responsibilities into one office. The Vice Minister was the number two person in government, right behind the Minister. Arthur was now a major target for Death Eaters, but Arthur knew it had to be done.

He was directly responsible for many departments including Magical Law Enforcement, Obliviator Office, Child Protective Services, Muggle Liaison office, Care and the Control of Magical Creatures Department. Amelia also recognized the Order of the Phoenix as a covert organization that is charged with fighting for the light.

Arthur was also the principal architect of the new Goblin/Wizard treaty. The treaty stated that Azkaban Island and the fortress upon it were now owned by the Goblin Nation. Goblins were free to travel and do business freely as long as they conformed to the International Statue of Secrecy. In return the goblins would handle all security for the Ministry, St. Mungo's, and other high value targets. The Bones Estate and The Burrow were quickly added to the list of high value targets. It was the beginning of a new age.

Alastor Moody returned three days ago from Los Angeles and returned to active duty for the Aurors. He looked nothing like he had when he left. He had two human legs again; his magical eye was replaced with a new one that matched his natural eye. He then underwent a procedure that made his skin and hair look like her was 30 years younger.

It was a very normal looking Alastor Moody that arrived at Hogwarts for a meeting with Harry. Moody was impressed with the security he had to go thru in order to enter the castle grounds. The goblins had built a guard shack that also had a fireplace. The fireplace allowed the goblins to fire call people who were in the castle as well as allow people to floo to the castle. Thanks to wards Harry activated, only a small number of people were allows to enter the castle directly; the others were diverted to guard shack fireplace for security.

Alastor decided to walk up to the castle and enjoy the day. One thing many people didn't know about Alastor was that as a young man he wanted to become naturalist. That was until is wife and parents were killed by some of Grindelwald's supporters. From that day on, Alastor Moody swore he would any dark wizard that came along.

Upon entering the castle, Alastor was stopped by Dobby. "Mr. Moody sir, I is Dobby Potter; and I is supposed to escort you to Harry Potter's office."

Moody looked at the little elf curiously "Did you say your name is Dobby Potter? I thought house elves didn't take their master's last name."

Dobby looked insulted, "You is a friend of Headmaster Dumbledore and of Harry Potter so I will not hurt you this time. But Mr. Moody sir, I is adopted by Harry Potter and made a part of his family with my Winky."

Alastor knew he liked the Potter boy for a reason, they way you treat a subordinate is the best measure of man there is. "Sorry Dobby; I didn't mean any disrespect to you."

Dobby eyed the Auror closely for moment, "Dobby accepts your apology, and now we have to be going, or you will be late." A few minutes later Alastor Moody was sitting in a finely furnished office with one Harry Potter.

"Mr. Moody, I've never seen you look so…normal. Please sit down we have a lot to discuss." Moody sat down and eyed Harry for moment. Gone was the scrawny boy who got into more trouble then anyone he had ever known. Instead there was this young man with the brightest aura Moody had ever seen.

"Would you care for a drink, tea, coffee, water, Firewhiskey?" Alastor shook his head, "Very well Moody. Normally Albus would be sitting in on this meeting, but he has taken my advice and took Grandma Minerva away for a few days. I let them have the run of Evans Ranch in America.

"As you know, I am now running Hogwarts. I am the blood and magical heir of the four founders and have decided that the way the board of governors has been handling things is flat stupid. To that end I have created a number of new classes. I would like you to teach two of them. One is mandatory for all years; you'll be team teaching with Tonks. She is teaching Physical Education or PE me short. I want you to teach magical education. Think of it as a practical lab class for everything they learn in their other classes. I also want you to teach them the basics of elementary wand safety and care."

Moody thought about it for a moment. In truth he did enjoy teaching, it was one of the reasons he agreed to teach two years ago, before Crouch Jr. locked him in his trunk. "Alright Potter, I'm in. You also said there was another class available to teach as well, what is it?"

Harry smiled, "Beginning Auror Training. It's a pilot program that would allow 6th and 7th year students to begin their Auror Training while finishing up their Hogwarts education. I think it would be great for the great living legend to train a whole new generation of Aurors, Hit-Wizards, and members of the Magical Law Enforcement department." With all that said and done, Alastor and Harry went to find Tonks and find a suitable suite for the newest professor.

Tonks was with Remus helping to push Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Neville and Luna in their training. Since the Fudge's execution, everyone has been preparing for the coming war. Voldemort wouldn't stay quiet forever so everyone was doing what they could to help prepare.

Bill and the others were in the middle of dueling each other. They had all absorbed the memories Sirius had left for them and were now honing these skills with daily work outs. Harry was of course the best fighter thanks to the knowledge he received from Hogwarts and the founders when he became their heir. Ginny a very close second thanks to her astral projection abilities and her bond to Harry. Ginny was taking on Bill, Charlie, Fred, and Remus; Tonks was the referee for this fight while Percy was the referee for George, Luna and Hermione versus Ron and Neville.

The standard rules were anything goes but the unforgivable curses. Once you were disarmed or knocked unconscious you were done. Ginny had taken down all of her opponents except for Remus who had been conjuring rocks to hide behind.

Finally Ginny got upset and threw out a massive banishing spell which removed all the conjured items on the battle field. She then launched a major stunner right at Remus, he dropped a moment later.

Harry looked over to Ron who had just disarmed Hermione. George was tied up in magical ropes and Neville was knocked out cold. Harry and Moody both clapped loudly at the fighting they had just seen.

"That is some of the finest fighting I have ever seen. What exactly is Potter here doing to you all?" Everyone was released from their bonds and gathered over by Harry and Moody, "From what I have just seen, you all could take down many of the Ministry's best Aurors, including me and Kingsley. So I'll ask again, what have you kids been doing for training?"

Surprisingly it was Neville who answered, "Mr. Moody, we wake up at 5:30am and head out for our morning workout, everyone here joins us; it normally includes running six times around the lake, then we hit the weight room. 7:30am is breakfast in the Great Hall with everyone who is living here.

From 9:00am-1:00pm all of us except for Harry, Ginny, and those who have real jobs, are in lessons with Professors Flitwick, McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape. We cover Charms, DADA, Transfiguration, and Potions. Harry and Ginny normally join us about 10:00am or so, I think they are taking care of Hogwarts business.

At 1:30pm we head down to lunch. From 2:30pm-5:00pm we work on sword fighting, staff fighting, hand to hand combat, tumbling, and weight training. Dinner is at 6:00pm so we have an hour to ourselves. Then from 7:30pm to 11:00pm is our own time. This is when we work on homework, lesson plans since we are professors or assistant professors, private time, etc."

Moody looked at this group with new respect. He knew from Albus that Harry had started the DA, but he had no idea that the older Weasleys, Remus, and Tonks were working with them. He knew the oldest Weasley, Bill, could handle himself quite well and if he was helping in the training, then Moody wasn't too worried. However, there was always room for improvement.

"Thanks Longbottom, that was very thorough, just like your dad. He was one of the best Ministry Aurors I have ever had the privilege of training and working with. Frank and Alice Longbottom, James and Lily Potter, Sirius Black, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Tonks here, they are all the best Aurors I ever worked with in the Ministry.

"Then there are those like Remus, who would make a damn fine Auror except for his 'furry little problem,' Arthur Weasley, he actually completed two years of Auror school before he had to quit. It was damn shame that one, his parents were killed and Molly was injured by Death Eaters while carrying you Bill. He never made it back to finish."

Everyone was quiet, thinking about those people whom were just mentioned. Of course the Longbottoms were in St. Mungo's, basically vegetables. James Potter, Lily Potter, and Sirius Black were all dead. Kingsley and Tonks were Order members currently; Remus and Arthur would have made damn fine Aurors according to Moody, that in itself is a high complement, but couldn't because evil had reared its ugly head in two different ways; for Lupin it was being bitten by a werewolf when he was young, and for Arthur it was Death Eaters attacking his family. These injustices didn't sit well with anyone in the room.

Moody decided to push on with his questions, "I also understand that you are all working on becoming animagi are you? I think that a great idea; great for spying on the enemy or getting out of a tight spot. So what is everyone? I assume that you have the ability?" Everyone nodded and one by one they either changed into their forms or if they couldn't, they told Moody what they were.

Tonks turned into a chameleon naturally; Remus had just yesterday turned into a silver and black timber wolf. Bill and Ron were both large Lions, both had very red manes of hair, but Bill had somewhat shorter legs.

Charlie was a Welsh Green Dragon. Even though he was green, he still had a somewhat reddish tint to him. Percy was not able to completely transform yet, but he told Moody that was an owl, a rather regal looking eagle owl. Fred and George, being the twins they are were both leopards with reddish spots around their eyes and noses.

Hermione and Luna were both birds. Hermione was now a tawny owl while Luna was a Hawk. Neville was working on becoming Kodiak bear. So far he could transform, but only hold it for a moment.

Harry and Ginny were mated animagi, which meant that whatever one was, they other would the mate. They were also multi animagi, their forms included those of a phoenix, Lion, Eagle, Snake, Badger, Panther, Deer, Siberian Husky.

To say that Moody wasn't expecting this was an understatement. Moody however quickly regained his composer. "Well that is impressive, as I said, that was some of the best fighting I have ever seen. But you still need to work on a few things, and since I am your new magical exercise instructor, I see areas where you all can improve. Potter, can you get me a chalk board and a few other things…"