Thanks to HammersNStrings for allowing me to use the character and maybe mutilating it beyond recognition! I sure hope I didn't!
Chapter 33: Standstill
"Dada!"
He practically had to pry open his heavy eyelids just in time to see Lyra running unsteadily to him from the door. She tripped over her own feet but managed not to fall to the floor. She scrambled into his lap, throwing her small arms around his neck.
Moody had just finished a night shift at the Auror Office and decided to take a short break on the couch before going next door to get Lyra. Next thing he knew, he had her in his arms.
Moody looked over Lyra's shoulder to see his kind-faced neighbour standing there with a smile. He still had on his Auror robes but his muggle neighbour didn't seem to take notice of it.
"She misses you," His neighbour spoke with a wider smile.
"Thank you for taking care of her through the night. I hope she wasn't too much trouble," Moody stood stiffly from the couch, cradling Lyra in his arms; who still refused to let go of him.
"She is an angel. It's no trouble at all, I have my little Russell to take care of anyway," With that, the neighbour left the house with a warm goodbye to both Moody and Lyra.
"Dada…" Lyra finally pulled away, her lips twisted into a pout as she toyed with a fray thread on the lapels of his robe, "No leave me," she whined pitifully. In fact, it was so pitiful and she sounded so downright miserable, Moody looked torn. He looked like he had half a mind to quit his job just because she asked.
"Lyra," Moody sighed, "I have to work. Or I wouldn't be able to get you new toys-"
"I wan Dada wid me!" She cried, propping her chin on his shoulder, indignant tears running down her face.
"Baby, you'll have me with you for the rest of the day," He smiled at her but the sulky teary faced girl only managed a pout, "come on, give dada a smile," He stroked her beautiful dark hair but the girl turned away; knowing her request was not met.
Moody sighed inwardly, pulling out his wand. With a small flick of his wand, her black hair turned bright pink; Lyra's most favourite colour apparently. Instantly, her small pouty lips twisted into a toothy grin as she grasped the tail of her hair to have a glimpse.
"You can even spot that colour for the whole day," Moody grinned, seemingly proud with himself for, once again, outwitting his ridiculously intelligent daughter. When Lyra clapped at his latest announcement, laughing; Moody's face twisted into a grimace. He knew he had lost again.
Remus folded his arms across his chest, his pursed lips concealed by his moustache; for which he was grateful for. It wouldn't do for Greyback to spot his disapproving look amongst the others.
He hardly grimaced as the man howled in pain. In the middle of the ring of werewolves was a young man, sporting dark brown hair but that was all Remus could see from where he was. The poor man was filthy, with blood or mud, Remus didn't think he wanted to know.
Greyback barked a laugh as one of his henchmen dug the toe of his boot into the young man's exposed rib as he rolled over to cough. The man cried out briefly before another sock him in the eye. His head snapped back into the mud, unmoving.
Remus glanced away from the unmoving body, to Greyback. He wouldn't be surprised if the man was beaten to death, it wouldn't be the first time after all. However, Greyback's reaction to each death varies and that would tell Remus quite a lot about the victim.
Greyback was smirking. This man was then surely not one of Greyback's favourite; and by extension, not one whom Remus would be interested in. Since his meeting with Dumbledore, Remus now kept both eyes sharp for anything. Whoever received special attention from Greyback or any of Greyback's closest, received Remus' attention; or harassment.
With a short grunt, Greyback stood from his position on the fallen tree and gestured to his henchmen. They seemed to get the cue and spat once more at the fallen (or dead) man before marching off after Greyback.
With Greyback's departure, the werewolves dispersed back to their tents. A few lingered but none paid the unmoving man any mind. He was lying face down in the mud. Curious and feeling some concern for the young man, Remus approached cautiously.
He didn't have his wand; it was tucked away in his sack in his tent. Remus didn't have time to bury it in the woods as he hastily joined the looting party. Standing right by the man's head, Remus prodded him with the toe of his shoes. He remained unmoving. Grimacing as he leaned over; feeling his shoulder twitch from the last moon, Remus flipped the man over.
The man was younger than Remus first expected. He looked to be in his twenties. Majority of his face was coated in mud and blood was seeping out from his nose which looked broken.
"Hey, wake up," Remus jostled him by his shoulder but the man remained unconscious. Remus knew he shouldn't be probing into this but with his conscience constantly niggling in his chest; Remus threw the man's arm over his shoulder and hoisted him up. Awkwardly, they made it to Remus' tent.
Heiser was lying on his cot as Remus entered, the young man in tow.
"Rescuing casualties now?" Heiser raised an eyebrow. Since the last time Remus commented bitterly about how girls and werewolves don't mix, Heiser had been cold and distant. But as a spy, that was one relationship Remus could live without.
Ignoring his bunkmate, Remus deposited the stone weight of the unconscious man on his cot. Drawing his wand from his sack, Remus leant over and murmured healing spells; concealing his wand from Heiser.
The man stirred and Remus hurriedly tucked away his wand.
"Wh-where?" His speech was slurred but not undecipherable.
"Generally the same place where you passed out," Remus replied in a dry tone, shoving his sack beneath the cot.
"Ah…hell…" The man rubbed his temple, sitting up with a grimace. He shook his head once, blinking. As he looked up at Remus, his eyes narrowed, "You're the… professor, aren't you?"
Remus raised an eyebrow, ignoring the snigger he heard from Heiser behind him, "I would prefer Lupin," He replied. He didn't take offense to being address as such but Remus would rather not be constantly reminded of what he did 3 years ago; to Harry and Sirius.
The man's bruised face broke into a grin, "I'm Bronson, professor-who-I-assumed-have-saved-my-life,"
Remus tried a small smile but was almost certain it twisted into a bitter grimace, "You're very welcome, Bronson."
Bronson stood, wiping his muddy hands on his worn out jeans before extending it in a handshake to Remus. Hesitating just slightly, Remus shook it, meeting Bronson's eye and seeing something he never saw in any of the members of the pack; courage.
Sirius gasped as the scene around him dissolved and he was thrown back into his wooden chair in the dingy kitchen. He carefully collected the memory back into the vial and tucked it safely into the sack. He glanced at the closed door of the kitchen when he heard soft footsteps. Sirius waited but the footsteps faded, cursing Kreacher, Sirius emptied another memory into the pensieve and rolled his eyes before plunging his face into it.
High pitched giggles pierced the peace of the house and Sirius turned to find the same younger version of Alastor Moody. He was leant over the couch he had sat on in the previous memory. Sirius frowned in puzzlement as he rounded the couch. Sat in the brown worn couch that was too big for her frame was Lyra Moody. She laughed again as Moody shot out and tickled her.
"Out of daddy's chair now!" Normally, a statement of such meaning would have been roared so fiercely such that the poor victim would leap to obey. However, this time, Sirius heard the light teasing quality of Moody's normally gruff voice which seemed to be reserved for his daughter only.
"I don't wanna!" The girl laughed, squirming away from the tickling fingers but remaining rooted in the chair.
Smiling, Moody halted, leaving Lyra breathless. She grinned toothlessly up at her father who smiled back.
"I like Dada's chair," Lyra stated with such seriousness, it was comical. Sirius laughed but Moody merely looked lovingly at her and eventually, he leant over, kissing her over the crown of her head.
"Then you shall have it," He whispered. All of a sudden, he lifted the girl out of said chair with a swoop. Lyra shrieked and laughed as Moody collapsed in the momentarily vacant chair, cradling the girl on his lap and pecking her again on her forehead.
Suddenly, the memory dissolved both Moody and Lyra disappeared. In the blink of an eye, the house was now old and dust was everywhere. But in the middle of the room, stood the Mad-Eye Moody which Sirius knew better; with his wooden leg and magical eye. Sirius followed Moody's line of sight to see Nymphadora Tonks standing in the doorway awkwardly.
"Have a seat," Moody said gruffly before he turned and kicked out a stool at the table for himself.
Sirius watched with bemusement as Tonks shifted from one foot to another before seemingly plucking up her courage, clearing her throat and speaking in a firm voice, "Where-?"
Sirius turned just in time to see Moody stiffen slightly. His magical eye whirled into his head to watch Tonks. After a moment, Moody gestured to the worn brown woolen couch, "there," he replied quietly as he took a seat at the stool and faced Tonks.
Tonks looked mildly uncomfortable before she sat down awkwardly in the chair, her back stiff; constantly vigilant. Her grey eyes darted around the house and at Mad-Eye all at once. Sirius sniggered but Mad-Eye didn't find the scene amusing at all as he watched Nymphadora Tonks. In fact, Sirius then had a glimpse of a flash of the Alastor Moody seemingly lost in the first war.
To be continued…
A/N: Finally got it up! This is really short…about less than half my usual I think but I wanted to try the update more often but shorter plan (: Tell me what you think!
More of Moody this chapter! I think it's about time I wrapped it up. Probably it would drag to about 2-3 chapters before the whole Moody story reveals itself! In the meantime, enjoy the ride!
Massive thanks goes to NymphaTonksLupin, tt crews, Lupinesence, Tonks23, Furionknight, Sarah1996, HammersNStrings and Professor Pang.
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