Astra

LXVII - The Imposter

ASTRA WAS FOCUSING on letting the spirits talk to her, though it was quite hard as her brain was way too distracted. Finally, Lily and James appeared in front of her, and James quickly looked at the trunk.

No words were said as the two Potters went over to their son, reminding Astra that she probably looked incredibly confusing right now, but she went to the trunk in the corner of the office.

She checked behind her, but luckily, the imposter was still stunned. Clicking the locks, the trunk opened and inside, surely enough, there was the real Alastor Moody.

Stupid, she thought. Marlene could have been stalking him and she would have figured it out, all of this could have been stopped.

She had to remind herself it wasn't her fault. She couldn't take the blame. It was Voldemort.

"Mad-Eye," she breathed, looking down at the slumped over figure. However, a movement behind her made her alert.

She raised her wand as the door busted open, Dumbledore casting a "Stupefy!" immediately. Luckily, Astra cast a shielding charm before he could do anything.

Dumbledore looked severely confused, something that Astra thought could never happen, though there were more people behind him. Minnie and Snivellus, the first moving quickly over to Astra and pulling her into a quick hug.

"Barty Crouch Jr.," Astra choked, pointing at the stunned Moody, "Polyjuiced into Moody," she looked at the trunk, hoping it made some sort of sense. "Crouch Jr.'s dead, Voldemort's back."

She was proud that Dumbledore seemingly understood, though obviously not how Astra knew.

"Severus, please fetch me the strongest Truth Potion you possess, and then go down to the kitchens and bring up the house-elf called Winky. Minerva, kindly go down to Hagrid's house, where you will find a large black dog sitting in the pumpkin patch. Take the dog up to my office, tell him I will be with him shortly, then come back here."

If either Snape or McGonagall found these instructions peculiar, they hid their confusion. Both turned at once and left the office. 

Dumbledore climbed into the trunk, lowered himself, and fell lightly onto the floor beside the sleeping Moody. He bent over him.

"Stunned - controlled by the Imperius Curse - very weak," he said. "Of course, they would have needed to keep him alive. Harry, throw down the imposter's cloak - he's freezing. Madam Pomfrey will need to see him, but he seems in no immediate danger. "

"You don't need Winky," Astra was finally calming down slightly, "I know Crouch's story. He broke his son out of Azkaban, put him under the imperius curse..."

She continued, repeating exactly what Barty Crouch Sr. had told her, quite glad that Dumbledore didn't interrupt her.

"Now, at one point I will be asking you how you know of this, though I suppose now might not be the time."

Astra nodded, taking a seat next to Harry who was looking dazed but in awe.

"I think, in the excitement of tonight, our fake Moody might have forgotten to take it as frequently as he should have done. . . on the hour. . . every hour. . . . We shall see. "

Dumbledore pulled out the chair at the desk and sat down upon it, his eyes fixed upon the unconscious Moody on the floor. Astra stared at him too. Minutes passed in silence. . . .

Then, before their very eyes, the face of the man on the floor began to change. The scars were disappearing, the skin was becoming smooth; the mangled nose became whole and started to shrink. The long mane of grizzled gray hair was withdrawing into the scalp and turning the color of straw. Suddenly, with a loud clunk, the wooden leg fell away as a normal leg regrew in its place; next moment, the magical eyeball had popped out of the man's face as a real eye replaced it; it rolled away across the floor and continued to swivel in every direction.