Chapter Twenty-Five: Mad-Eye Moody

Saturday 6th March 1994

"Good afternoon, Sirius."

Sirius smiled as he glanced up to see an old friend standing in front of his table where he sat in the pub. "Hello Remus. How'd your meeting go?"

Remus pulled out a chair from the table in which Sirius sat at the back of the Three Broomsticks. He shrugged. "It went alright. I was hoping to remain here for a while, but Dumbledore wants me to continue with my undercover mission."

Sirius scrunched up his face. He hated the fact his friend was risking his life. If the werewolf community discovered that he was working for Dumbledore…that thought didn't even bare thinking about. He couldn't think the worst of something. "What's been happening?"

Remus cast a glance around the pub, and shuffled closer to Sirius. He whispered quietly in case anyone was listening in on their conversation. "They've been approached by a Death Eater on behalf of Voldemort."

"Who was it?"

"Barty Crouch Junior."

Sirius' eyes darkened. "He attacked me at the Quidditch Cup in the summer. He had orders to kill me."

"I know," replied Remus. "He boasted about nearly doing you in to. The werewolf community is keen to join Voldemort. Crouch is insane, but he's one heck of a convincing diplomat. I had to cheer at what he said, but I felt sick inside. What's worse is that Dumbledore actually wants me to go back! I don't know how long I'm going to be away for…" Remus bit his lip. "But I'd like to return to normality soon."

"If they're planning to join Voldemort, would Dumbledore really keep you undercover?"

Remus shrugged. "I don't know. He might do. He needs someone on the inside to feed him information. If he doesn't, Voldemort's army will just get stronger. He needs spies." He sipped from the drink Sirius had bought for him before he had arrived. "There is another thing. Crouch also mentioned that Harry would be dead come the third task. He stated that 'my master is confident that Harry Potter will be dead on the night of the third task'. Suggests to me that whatever happens will be then."

Sirius growled in his throat. "I knew it. The question is how can we prevent that from happening?"

Remus shrugged, unsure of what to suggest.

"Hey, Harry!" Hermione grabbed his arm, pointing to a corner in the Three Broomsticks. "It's Professor Lupin!" she hissed.

"I wonder what he is doing here," said Harry thoughtfully. "Sirius mentioned that he's been doing something for Dumbledore."

Ron frowned. "Maybe he's reporting back?"

"He could be…" Harry didn't know what to do. "Shall I go and say hi? They look a bit busy."

"I'm sure they won't mind if you go over." Hermione pushed him in their direction.

Before he could take another step forward Harry noticed that his Godfather was waving at him, enticing him to come forward. Shrugging, he quickly walked to their table while Ron and Hermione went to buy drinks.

"How are you doing, Harry?" Remus asked. "Is this nutter educating you well?"

Sirius looked mightily offended by his friend's description of him. "Thanks, Moony. Please continue to lower my Godson's impression of me will you."

"My pleasure Sirius," Remus laughed heartily.

Harry chuckled and patted Sirius' arm. "You know I won't listen to him."

"At least someone believes that I am capable."

"Although…" Harry continued, grinning nastily, "I would say you can be a bit of a nutter at times."

"But not all the time..." Sirius sat back in his chair, grinning madly at Remus. "Ha, the kid doesn't see me the way you do."

"He didn't know you when you were his age and besides this is not a competition between us," muttered Remus, shaking his head. "Anyway, enough of this, how are your lessons going?"

Harry frowned. "All right, I suppose. Potions is the only subject that frustrates me. I seem to be doing better in Charms. Defence is just easy, but that's because Sirius is such a brilliant teacher."

"Wow," Remus looked impressed, "and here I was thinking that Sirius would be teaching you how to prank the Slytherins." For his comment he received a punch in the arm from Sirius.

"Now that is an unfair statement," the other growled.

Harry began to laugh. "You two are acting like a pair of bickering teenagers!"

"What's funny?" Ron asked. He and Hermione had just arrived at the table carrying drinks.

"Oh nothing," grinned Harry. "Just these two saying things that make me laugh. You know how fun they are!"

Hermione raised her eyebrows and glared. "Hmmm, something tells me Harry's covering for you two."

"No, he's not," Sirius said carefully. He pulled up a chair for Hermione to sit on. "Here. Come and be with me."

Placing a drink beside Harry, she ventured over and sat down on the offered chair. Her eyes still showed her suspicions, however Harry was grateful she did not press the issue. Instead she turned her attention to Remus. "Professor Lupin, how is your mission going?"

He looked startled that Hermione would know of this.

"It was a guess," she confirmed.

"Ah." Looking slightly relieved the werewolf continued, "It is going alright. I can't really say. Risking my position by being here – and I had to report back anyway -, but I wanted to spend some quality time with a dear old friend of mine." He tapped Sirius on the back. "But, time is getting on. I should be making my way back."

"Do you have to go?" Harry asked. He felt disappointed that Remus was leaving so quickly. He'd barely spent ten minutes with him.

"Sorry," Remus shook his head, "I can't stay. If I'm not back by tonight, there could be trouble. I'll come this way again. I promise, Harry." They shook hands. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Harry whispered as he watched Remus depart.

"You're doing what?"

"I am asking Alastor Moody to watch over the Third Task."

"Mad-Eye Moody?" Sirius couldn't believe he was hearing this. "How'd you get him out of retirement?"

Dumbledore smiled; his eyes sparkling. "Let's just say that a lure of Death Eaters was enough to change his mind. He's not unstable as you might think either."

Was Mad-Eye stable before? Sirius shook his head, his mind taking him back to the time when James had visited him during one of his Auror training sessions. James had, unfortunately, made Alastor Moody dislike James, mainly because he was such an annoying idiot. James had been an Auror, but it had taken him a year to decide to apply, whereas Sirius had gone from Hogwarts straight into training. That encounter with Alastor had changed James' mind. Having played Quidditch professionally, and having boasted to Sirius, unaware that Mad-Eye was watching, that at least he was doing something fun had caused sparks to fly. Moody had practically made it his mission to convince James that they needed him. It was only after a Death Eater attack that James had decided that his skills were more suited to helping defeat Voldemort then enjoying his favourite sport in the world. Unfortunately that career choice had made James and Lily a target, and had led to their eventual deaths but Sirius couldn't blame Moody for that. They had needed good people to stand up to the darkness that had slowly been covering their world.

"When is he arriving?" asked Sirius.

"Two days before the Third Task. Harry will have to meet him and you two will have to decide what the best way will be to rescue Harry if he is taken. Remus' information from the werewolves could be accurate, but it might not be, but I'm not taking any chances in risking Harry's life. As long as Mad-Eye is keeping an eye on him, Harry will be safe."

Sirius couldn't say a word. Things were happening too quickly. In the end it would be up to Harry to defeat Voldemort but he was just too young to take on that burden now. As Sirius left the headmaster's office, he vowed that once Harry was safe at Hogwarts after the Third Task, he would tell him everything.

Harry needed to know about the prophecy.

That was the most important thing of all. He had to know how his path in life had been placed before him, all because of a prophecy made shortly before his birth.

To be continued...