November 1994
Chamber of Secrets, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
After the 5 elves vanished, Harry slumped on a wooden chair. When his mind should have been wondering about the attack, or about Voldemort or what the dark lord's next course would be, he was not able to get Alastor Moody out of his mind.
His mind was not accepting, Alastor's absence and the attack on the same time as a mere coincidence. After Minerva, the legendary mad eye Moody was definitely the best wizard Hogwarts currently. If he had been present, then the losses that Hogsmeade had suffered could have been minimised even further.
The fact that for past three consecutive years, Harry had had a complex kind of situation with Defense against Dark Arts professors, with the professors in the first 2 years outright trying to kill him was constantly floating in his mind. His instinct was screaming all these facts to him. He felt restless about the whole situation.
From the time, Narcissa had mentioned about someone in close proximity to him carrying information to Voldemort, he had seen every person around him with a glance of suspicion. He himself believed, someone other than Snape in Hogwarts was involved with Voldemort and that person was responsible for his name coming out of the goblet.
Harry closed his eyes and his mind started to wander the memories from the very first time he had encountered Moody. His dramatic entry in Hogwarts's great hall on the first day of this Hogwarts year, his act of turning Draco into a ferret, him trying to teach the unforgiveables and Moody looking at him with wicked eyes when Harry had mocked Igor Karkaroff.
Harry was replaying all the memories in his mind repeatedly, when his eyes snapped open in alarm. Moody taking sip from his small tin can at regular intervals. Be at breakfast or dinner in the great hall or during classes or even while walking during the corridors… everywhere.
While Moody was a known paranoid and an alcoholic, he definitely must not be that gone to be drinking everywhere. With his motto of 'constant vigilance', how was it possible for him to be drunk every time?
Harry's mind snapped to his own memory when he along with Ron had used the Polyjuice potion to disguise themselves as Draco's lackeys, Crabbe and Goyle, to find out the truth about the heir of Slytherin business in the second year.
His mind went into a frenzy of calculation about the possibilities of his doubt being true? And if Alastor Moody wandering in Hogwarts all this while was a fake one as Harry doubted, then the real Moody should be somewhere close. The real Alastor Moody was very much needed for his hair, so that a continuous supply of the Polyjuice potion could be brewed.
Although it was entirely possible that the real Moody might also be hidden somewhere else but that would be a difficult task to manage.
He whipped his hand a parchment came flying to him. The Marauder's map.
"I solemnly swear, I am up to no good," muttered Harry with a tap on the map and it came alive.
In an instant his eyes wandered towards the Moody's office and his widened in surprise on finding the name 'Alastor Moody' being displayed on the map. He gazed at the map for few seconds and observed that Moody was completely still.
Harry did not hesitate further and vanished from the chamber of secrets and in next moment he appeared inside Alastor's office.
Gazing the map, he pin pointed at a magical trunk on one side of the room in which Moody must have been stored.
Harry closed the distance with the trunk and found it to be locked, which was not an obstruction for someone of his calibre of wizard.
The lock was breached in moments and Harry discovered an unconscious Moody lying in the trunk.
Seeing the real Moody, a grin appeared on Harry's face.
"It seems, I will one up you this time, Voldemort," chuckled Harry.
"Now, who are you?" Muttered Harry thinking about the imposter.
Even so he did not rescue the real Moody and simply locked the trunk. His primary purpose was to first find out what was the imposter's aim and by extension Voldemort's aim?
He was sure by now that it was the imposter who had put his name in the goblet. But what purpose did Voldemort wanted to achieve through this method?
Only after finding out the real plan, Harry decided, that he would make his next move. Till then Moody would remain, where he was.
Now, he had to wait for the imposter to arrive.
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November 1994
Ministry of Magic
While Harry was waiting for the imposter 'Alastor Moody' in Hogwarts, Amelia Bones had just returned to the ministry after dealing with the immediate issues at the Azkaban.
Her face was stiff and her min full of thoughts about the implication of what had happened.
She shuddered to even think in one particular direction and forced her mind to shut its thoughts about the possibilities of his return. But even if she remained all positive, the mere criminals that fled Azkaban would unleash a terror on the wizarding world.
Blood would flow as smooth as water.
She was on her way to her office when a particular variety of toad interrupted her way. It was a humanoid toad.
"Madam Bones," said Dolores with a smile and almost a glee. "Minister wants to see you in his office immediately."
The previous lost colour of Dolores' face after Harry had declared the blood feud with her was now gone. Instead, she appeared rosy than ever and was almost gazing directly into Amelia's eyes as if provoking the DMLE chief.
Already in bad mood, Amelia stared placidly at Dolores and toad subconsciously took a step back.
Satisfied, Amelia said, "I will be coming in few minutes."
With this Amelia tried to walk towards her office, when Dolores stood in her way. Amelia felt her anger rising and she raised an eyebrow.
Dolores back to her confident self, smiled in glee, "Madam Bones… the minister wants to see you… immediately."
"It is an order," she added with a smirk.
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