A few minutes later, Hodge Blackthorn and Dedalus Diggle were walking toward the Ministry of Magic's temporary encampment.
Dedalus had mentioned that Mad-Eye Moody wanted to see him, and Hodge's curiosity was piqued. He'd long been intrigued by the legendary Auror, so he readily agreed to go along.
The camp had originally been set up at the Quidditch pitch but was later moved next to Greenhouse Five. During lessons, Hodge and his classmates would often catch glimpses of people coming and going from the camp in the distance. Second-year students only had access to Greenhouses One, Two, and Three, and rumor had it that Greenhouse Five housed Professor Sprout's most prized—and dangerous—collections. This lent the camp an air of mystery, as Sprout and Hagrid shared a certain philosophy: "most prized" often meant "most dangerous."
At the entrance to the camp, Hodge studied the tent flap emblazoned with the Ministry of Magic's crest before stepping inside.
The interior was surprisingly spacious. A large circular area greeted him, its floor covered with a thick carpet. In the center stood a table and a noticeboard, surrounded by a scattering of armchairs and sofas, some strewn with personal belongings. Toward the back of the space, several curtains in different colors hung. Dedalus gestured for Hodge to take a seat and disappeared behind a jade-green curtain.
After a moment, Dedalus returned, shaking his head in confusion. "He's not in there. Probably out on patrol."
"Isn't that all scheduled?" Hodge asked skeptically, pointing at the noticeboard where a patrol roster was pinned. "He's not on the list," Dedalus replied.
Just then, a voice interrupted. "What's going on—oh, hello, Hodge!"
Tonks stumbled out from behind a violet curtain, her expression dazed as if she'd just woken up. She was dressed in thick, fuzzy pajamas, her hair a mess.
She quickly changed into proper clothes and emerged holding a large pot of coffee. "Want some, John?" she asked Dedalus, yawning.
"No, thanks," Dedalus said.
Tonks plopped down in the armchair next to Hodge, looking around for a place to set the pot. Hodge waved his wand, and a small tea table zoomed over to rest in front of them. "Oh, thanks," Tonks said, setting the pot down. With a flick of her wand, she pointed at the violet curtain and said, "Accio cups." Two cups zoomed out, and she poured coffee into both, handing one to Hodge.
"So," she said, taking a sip and looking marginally more awake, "what's up?"
"I'm here with him," Hodge said, nodding toward Dedalus, who was busy sorting papers on the table. "He said Moody wanted to see me, but I haven't seen you in days either."
It was odd—Hodge hadn't caught sight of Tonks during the daytime at all lately.
At this, Tonks let out a dramatic sigh. "Night shifts for days on end. You know, guarding the school gates, the edge of the Forbidden Forest, castle patrols…"
"The castle?" Hodge asked.
"Yeah," she said, yawning again. "Other places might have gaps, but the castle? That's where Sirius Black is most likely to show up, right? It's his target. So, we've got people patrolling after lights-out. Me and Shackle—"
"Nymphadora," Dedalus cut in sharply.
"Call me Tonks," she snapped, visibly annoyed.
"Alright, Tonks," Dedalus said. "Mind the confidentiality rules."
"I'm being careful," Tonks shot back. "But this stuff? Anyone could figure it out with a bit of eavesdropping. I don't believe for a second that Black would see the Dementors outside and assume the castle's unguarded."
Dedalus shook his head in disapproval but said nothing more.
Tonks sipped her coffee, and Hodge took the chance to ask, "What's the deal with Umbridge? Is the Ministry planning to replace Lockhart? Have you got a plan to catch Black?"
Tonks nearly choked on her coffee, spluttering. "Oh, sorry!" she said, flustered, quickly waving her wand to clean the spilled coffee from the carpet. "As for that—" She caught Dedalus's sharp glance and straightened up, adopting a mock-serious tone. "No comment. That's classified Ministry business, and I'm definitely not spilling any details. You could ask Umbridge yourself, but she's back at the Ministry reporting. Come on, let's head outside and see what new spells you've learned."
"Happy to oblige," Hodge said with a shrug.
The two soon found themselves in a clearing near the greenhouse, wands raised for a friendly duel. Hodge knew Tonks was no pushover, and after a brief probing exchange, the duel heated up. Spells flashed through the air. With a flick of his wand, Hodge caused the grass beneath Tonks's feet to grow wildly, vines snaking toward her legs. Tonks leaped back, firing a brilliant red spell that blasted the entire patch of grass into the air, dirt raining down. Seizing the moment, she conjured a flock of tiny, sharp-beaked birds that zipped toward Hodge.
Hodge timed his move perfectly. "Bombarda!" A burst of orange-red flame erupted, reducing the birds to dust midair. He spun his wand and shouted, "Tergeo Profundis!" (A fanfiction spell meaning "dig deep").
The ground in front of Tonks suddenly sank, forming a shallow pit. She jumped to the side but slipped and fell, only to find the ground unnaturally slick—Hodge had cast Glisseo to turn the terrain into an ice-like surface.
"Silent spell?" Tonks asked, rubbing her arm as she struggled to her feet.
Hodge nodded.
"You didn't use that last time," she said, pouting slightly.
"That's the spirit!" a gruff voice bellowed. Hodge turned to see a man with a wooden leg, a magical eye, and white hair, his face scarred and his nose partially missing. No mistake—it was Mad-Eye Moody.
"Mr. Moody?" Hodge asked.
"That's a new one," Moody said, limping forward, his wooden leg leaving shallow divots in the grass. "You're Hodge Blackthorn, eh? I've heard plenty about you."
His eyes—one natural, one magical—swiveled wildly, and Hodge felt uncomfortably exposed. Instinctively, he cast Protego to shield himself.
"Oh?" Moody barked, noticing the spell.
"You stare at everyone like that?" Hodge shot back, unimpressed.
Moody let out a silent chuckle. "The magical eye works differently. It doesn't just—" He paused, flashing a grim smile. "Want to see for yourself?"
Hodge considered it for a moment. "Sure—"
A red jet of light shattered his shield, and Hodge dove to the side, the spell grazing past and leaving a scorched smell on the grass. He spun around to see Moody holding a wand thicker than most—sturdy enough to double as a club.
Moody asked calmly, "Well? Want to have a go with me—"
Whoosh!
A spell shot toward him.
————
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