The street was still and quiet with nothing but trash blowing in the wind. No one was out tonight except an old man that walked with a hunch. Each step was punctuated by the sound of a loud ‘clump’ not entirely from the large staff he was using as a walking stick. The ratty hat was pulled low over his face and didn’t do much to hide the mechanical eye swirling in every direction looking for threats even as his head didn’t move.
He finally stopped in the middle of the street at Grimmauld Place Number 12. To anyone watching, this would seem strange, for the Muggles in the area have long since accepted that Number 12 simply didn’t exist. Little did they know, the place just couldn’t be seen by mere Muggles. Number 12 was the ancestral home of the Black Family, a magical family of wizards and witches, who hid their home and all the abnormalities from sight.
The man grunted as he stomped up to the dark appearing building, leaning forward to get over the large step out front. He rattled on the door twice with the blunt end of his staff and the door croaked open on its own recognizing him.
Inside was drearier than the street with a faded dust covered carpet and stuff of black and death cluttered at every corner. He sidestepped the troll leg stand and shuffled past the black curtains knowing of the horror it contained within was best left undisturbed. He only needed in through the third door and wasn’t much impressed when he did come upon it.
Inside he could see his fellow members of the Order of the Phoenix, all of which looked up and smiled upon seeing him. "Alastor! Glad to see you made it!"
The man now known as Alastor frowns. They hadn’t heard him come in. What if he was a Death Eater come to kill them all? He snarls at them about being more cautious and grits his teeth at the almost patronizing smile Molly Weasley sends him. Man, he hates that woman.
His eye swirls around the room taking them all in sitting at the table including Harry Potter, Ronald the 6th Weasley, and Hermione Granger. He notes where their wands are and makes sure there is no one hidden in the room somewhere before he even considers stepping into the room. When he does, he keeps to the edges not putting anyone at his back and slides into an open seat near the end of the table.
They had a meeting tonight and all, but Albus has arrived. This wasn’t too strange. Albus is a very busy man and often is late to such things. Truthfully however, Alastor Moody knows his old friend does it more to draw attention to himself and to make himself look more important. Or at least, he honestly believes. He is a busy man himself apart of the Auror Crop and he knows there cannot be an honest reason to possibly be late every time exactly by 6 minutes after the official meeting starts without doing it on purpose. He refuses to believe it.
"Would you like something to eat, Alastor?" Molly asks kindly.
Moody grunts. He doesn’t eat someone else’s food. Never has and won’t start now even if it was his best friend offering. The woman sighs heavily but Moody notices she did not actually think his answer would have been any different.
Chatter fills the room, Sirius Black’s voice being the most noticeable. They seem to be all light-filled and pointless conversations probably due to the kids in the room. Alastor knows the others have some misconceived notion about keeping the children out of it all. Alastor agrees children shouldn’t be involved but things are different considering the Potter boy. He is a target and should be fully aware of the situation in the very least to better avoid the situation. He wouldn’t mind training the boy either, but Albus puts his foot down every time.
Molly had just put the soup down when Potter’s whispered question caught their attention. "Has anyone noticed Dumbledore is acting strange?"
"There is a war going on out there, Laddie." Alastor answered.
Potter jumped and turned to stare at him wide-eyed. He apparently didn’t want anyone to overhear him. However, it is pointless to ignore it now, everyone is paying attention.
Potter still attempts it. He looks down shyly and his hand plays with his spoon in his soup attempting to avoid what he must know is coming.
"Harry," Lupin calls out softly, his brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"
"Nothing." Potter answers too quickly.
Granger hits his arm and gives him a look and a not-so-subtle nod gesture towards the adults around the room all paying them special attention. Weasley the 6th is ignorant as he shoves the soup into his mouth, slopping bread into it and shoving that in too. There are times like this Moody is not grateful for his ever-reaching gaze.
"Harry?" Molly presses.
Potter’s eyes flint up caught in her gaze before his eyes skirt over to Black. Black is silent and watching him like the others with his hand on his chin. He is not helping him get out of this Moody can practically read across Potter’s face as he accepts defeat. He sighs heavily and looks down.
"It’s just Dumbledore-."
"Professor Dumbledore, Harry!" Granger interrupts in a superior tone.
Moody almost cringes having to listen to that as it is clearly a habit. He can tell it annoys the Potter Boy too if the clenching of his jaw and ploughing on is any indication.
"-has been acting very strange lately. I was wondering if anyone else noticed or knew why?" The last part he directs to the adults around the room, his gaze flickering over them.
Lupin smiles and leans into it patronizingly. "Harry, the war has restarted. It makes sense that Albus is extremely busy at the moment. Things aren’t going to be the same way as before."
Sirius nods his head in agree and Molly hums in approval. Moody wonders how any of them miss the flash of anger in the boy’s eyes. It causes Moody to focus both of his eyes on him. He hasn’t got to spend much time with Potter yet and he is curious about him. Now more than ever.
"Yes, I am aware of Voldemort being back." The boy doesn’t spit but the desire is there. Everyone flinches instinctively. "I meant his odd disappearances, his secretive nature, his avoidance, and his mumbling!"
None of this sounded worrying to the Order concerning Dumbledore until that last point.
"What do ya mean about mumbling?" Dung, the smelly Rat, asked.
"Quiet you!" Moody snarled. He hated that man and wished Albus hadn’t stopped him from arresting the cretin. A thief like him deserves to be put away.
"I hear him mumbling whenever I come across him. Stuff about dark artifacts, not failing, and repeatedly references of looking for something." Harry grasped seeing they are actually listening now, sitting straighter.
Moody felt his spine stiffen. That sounded… not good.
Granger rolled her eyes. "I told you Harry. You’re overreacting."
"Yeah mate. Ain’t nothing to worry about." Weasley the 6th stated finally leaning back from his meal. There was soup splattered everywhere in front of him around the bowl all the way out to his elbows. Moody was surprised he didn’t start licking it with the way the boy seemed so obsessed with food.
"I suppose I was overreacting last year too then with someone wanting to kill me then?" Granger and Weasley immediately looked down from Harry’s hard glare, but he didn’t stop there. "Or perhaps the year before? Hearing voices?"
"Hearing voices?" Moody growled jumping on that.
Potter looked at him slightly surprised to see him. "Wha? No! I am telling you something is going on with Dumbledore!" Potter was practically a flashing light stating, ‘Focus Elsewhere!’ in a way only a guilty child could do. Moody was not going to forget.
"Professor Dumbledore." Granger corrected automatically but cowed under Potter’s quelling glare.
"I know it sounds crazy but there is something going on with him." Potter looked at the adults, this time looking to judge their reaction. They hesitated. Potter sighed. "Look, forget it."
"No! Harry. Pup. Just-just hold on a minute." Black said raising his hands in a calming gesture. "You have to admit this sounds a little farfetched. There isn’t any evidence really of weird behavior going on with Dumbledore. Besides what do you think is happening? Impostor?"
Potter’s silence was answer enough. Immediately everyone in the room broke into denials even from Potter’s two little friends. Some were even placating towards Potter. Potter glared at the table with pinched lips and a clenched jaw. Moody stayed silent waiting for the boy to explode. He didn’t have to wait long. It was the comment about Hogwarts wards stopping such a thing that did it.
"OKAY! Let’s just forget about what happened to Moody then shall we? What about Pettigrew? The man hid in Hogwarts under Dumbledore’s nose for nearly 3 years."
The reminders were a harsh reminder for the Order that Hogwarts--and Albus-- weren’t infallible. They looked a bit shamefaced, and Moody was glad. What happened to him was not something easily done or forgotten.
Minerva looked at the others around the room upset. Hesitantly she announced, "Albus has been going away a lot lately. At odd hours. I had assumed it was for the war effort and dealing with the Ministry. They had not been kind to his proclamations of You-Know-Who’s return."
Another silence settled for a moment. Kingsley broke this one. "I haven’t seen him much at the Ministry." He admits. "Fudge is on the warpath and his presence would definitely have been noticed."
"How often?" Lupin, ever the practical one, asks.
"Five, maybe six, times since June." Kingsley answered immediately.
"He is gone far more than that." Minerva states, looking genuinely worried now.
Molly huffs. "Come now. There is no need to panic. Albus has more duties than dealing with that man."
Moody cut in. "He was fired from the ICW."
"If he ain’t at Hogwarts or the Ministry, where is he at?" Dung’s voice was laced with suspicion.
"I haven’t seen him beyond the official Order meetings." Black jumped in.
"Bloody hell." Weasley the 6th breathed. His eyes widened making his big head seem even larger. "He is an imposture."
Granger turned in her seat and hit the redhead hard on the shoulder. "It’s impostor. Not that it matters because he is not an impostor! Albus Dumbledore is a great man. There is no way anyone could pretend to be him and not be noticed. There would be signs! There would be a noticeable change in his behaviors or patterns. Something! Harry is just overreacting, completely reasonably, because of what happened to him." She finished with a huff.
The glare the Potter boy is aiming at the Granger girl makes Moody think their friendship isn’t going to last long.
"But his behavior has changed." Weasley persisted. "Remember we saw him coming down from the Astronomy Tower of all places when we were running from Filch. When he came across Filch, he was acting really spotty. Said he was just stretching his legs."
Potter made a ‘there you go’ gesture towards the other boy, a bit smug. Minerva wiped it away right quick. "What were you three doing running from Filch?" Her tone suggested she knew very well what they were up to. Black burst into laughter and the three teenagers stumbled over excuses. "10 Points from Gryffindor."
Weasley the 6th grumbled immediately, and Granger looked like Minerva kicked her puppy. Potter didn’t look to care all that much. Moody agreed that House Points are a bit beneath this conversation at hand here.
Black disagreed apparently and immediately whined. "Aw Minnie! Come on. You have no proof. Besides you can’t give them trouble for something they did at school while on vacation. That’s a rule." Black smirked smugly. Minerva sighed exasperated and retracted the points to Black and Weasleys joy. Moody is not surprised Black would know something like that.
"I think we got a little off topic." Lupin said.
"Yeah. Get to the point." Moody grunted.
"Look, even his robes are different. Toned down. You have to admit that’s weird at best and worrying at worst!" Harry states.
The adults share a look. They notice that too now that they are thinking on it. They hadn’t really cared before however beyond being thankful.
"He’s got a lot of attention on him right now." Lupin tries uncertainty. "Maybe he toned it down do to it?"
"Since when has Dumbledore-"
"Professor Dumbledore, Harry! Honestly it is not that hard to remember."
"-ever cared about other’s opinions?" Harry shouts over Granger.
Molly puts her teacup down roughly. "I just- I don’t believe it. It’s not possible."
"Okay but what if it is?" Harry presses. "Imagine the type of damage someone can cause wearing the all-powerful Albus Dumbledore’s face?"
It was almost too horrible to imagine. Albus’ reach is far reaching and, in anyone else’s hands, would be considered a threat to society. And not just in Britain but international wise as well. Alastor’s hand automatically clenches his wand tight.
"If he really is an impostor…" Kingsley starts looking at the others.
"Ain’t no harm in taking extra security measures." Moody snarls rocking slight in his seat, antsy.
Black nodded. Molly however shook her head. She scowled at them all. "I can’t believe you are actually considering this! They are children!"
Potter’s back went up at that comment and so did Grangers. Arthur spoke in before they could, however. "We will just ask him a few questions. Things that only Albus would know. That way we can all be certain and put everyone’s mind to rest." Arthur looked at Potter at that second part, but Moody could see him fingering his wand under the table. He was as suspicious as him now.
Black nodded viciously at this almost bouncing in his seat if it wasn’t for Lupin’s hand coming to rest on his shoulder.
Molly huffed angrily and stood up. "FINE! Do what you must but you will not be indulging the children with this foolishness." She waved her arms and clapped her hands. "Up. Up. Come on, you three. It is time for you all to go upstairs anyway."
Weasley the 6th grumbled and whined to his mother but stood dutifully. Potter silently snarled but pressed his lips to suppress it before Molly noticed and stormed from the room. Molly looked worriedly after him and then to Granger. Granger nodded and stated she will take care of it. She then left pulling the taller boy behind her with a growl of "Come on, Ron!"
Moody didn’t know what but there was something going on there.
Moody snapped his attention back onto the faces of his colleagues and they all seemed to lean forward on the table.
"We will have to be quick. Albus will be here soon." Moody growled.
"Order phrases are out. We don’t know how long this has been going on and have to assume they know everything." Kingsley stated. They ignored Molly’s frustrated huff.
Arthur spoke up. "Something only his longtime friends might know then?"
"That’s good." Black muttered pointing at Arthur. "But what if he realizes what is happening?’"
Moody slammed his fist on the table. "I say we jump him when he arrives. Ain’t no escaping if he’s trapped."
"That’s barbaric!" Molly shrieked in horror at the same time Black crackled, "That’s brilliant!"
"No." Kingsley stated. "There is no need for such extreme actions. We don’t know anything, and this is only a precaution."
Lupin and Arthur nodded in agreement. Moody growled unimpressed. "I still think we should just jump him."
"No!" The others shouted.
"We will wait for him to sit down and then cautiously ask him about an old story for clarification."
The others all nodded in agreement. Even Molly nodded firmly. Moody said nothing until Kingsley looked at him pointedly. Even then, Moody nodded like a sulky child.
Before anything else could be said, the Floo flared green, and a sharp crack announced Albus' arrival. Albus walked out with his head down already walking towards the table. "I apologize for being la- AHHH!"
Albus screamed as Moody tackled him to the floor shouting a snarled war cry. His pale purple robes tangled around his legs preventing him from being able to effectively move much more than his arms that Moody immediately pinned.
The others cried out in shock and immediately stood up. Black started laughing and fell back into Lupin nearly knocking them back into the chairs at the sight of the old, grizzled man laying and wrestling with the older and whiter wizard. Molly was shrieking and ranting without breath. Kingsley and Minerva sighed and were attempting to move Moody off of Albus.
Moody allowed them to pull him to his feet, tucking Albus’ wand into his pocket while his own snapped sharply to Albus’ shocked face. His hands were on either side of his head from where Moody held them painting quite the image that sent Dung into a fit of laughter next.
Moody didn’t even spare him a glance. Useless. "Who are you and what have you done with Albus?" He snarled.
"What?" Albus was beyond confused.
"Answer me!" Moody leaned closer.
Kingsley grabbed his arm and pulled him back much Moody’s incredulousness. He sighed. "Albus. It has come to our attention you’re behavior of late is… rather odd. We thought it best to question you just to be on the save side."
Albus’ face flashed with relief before his kind grandfatherly smile came up. "I understand completely, my boy. However, if you could be so kind as to allow this conversation to happen while I am standing, I would gratefully appreciate it. I am not as young as I used to be."
"No!" Moody deadpanned.
"Oh Albus." Molly shrieked. "Help him up. Alastor! How could you! You could have seriously hurt him."
Moody grumbled. He has seen Albus fight off You-Know-Who himself. The man is anything but fragile. He stands back however when Minerva glared at him obviously of the same opinion as Molly.
"Right. What did you tell me the first time we met?" Lupin asked.
Albus smiled. "Hogwarts is glad to have you."
Lupin smiled back and lowered his wand, tucking it away. Moody was unimpressed. "How old was I when we first met?'
"Ah, time flies, doesn't it? My that must have been nearly 60 years ago. You were just an Auror Trainee then."
"There. See Alastor? There is nothing to worry about." Minerva stated irritated.
"Likely answer!" Moody snapped his eyes back onto Albus. "What is the name of my daughter?" He demanded.
"Alastor, you don’t have a daughter."
"AH-HA! You’re an impostor!"
Albus sighed. "No, Alastor, you don’t. You once told me that you haven’t got the time or stamina for such a task and you would leave the rug-rats to me to contain."
This was of course true. Alastor never wanted kids. "What have you been doing?" He pressed.
"I can’t tell you that just yet. When it’s time."
Moody grumbled but put his wand away. "It’s him." He stated though everyone else just looked at him having long ago put their wands away or didn’t draw them in the first place. "No one else could be so annoying." He grumbled.
Albus chuckled.