Meeting Of Swords and Wands

Chapter 10: The Cruelty of Monsters, Wizards, and Demigods pt. 1

I heard it once be said that wars make monsters of heroes. I never really stopped to think on that phrase and its meaning and warning. I never really thought of how the phrase applied to me, at least up until my first class with Mad-Eye Moody.

Ever since that encounter with Fred, George, and Lee, it seems like Harry and Ron were excitedly waiting for the day where it was our turn to experience the "brilliance" of  Professor Mad-Eye Moody, the renowned ex-Auror. When I asked Ron about the accomplishments of Moody, I half-regretted asking the youngest Weasley boy as he talked about the years of service Moody put in; the dark wizards he helped to put away; and his role in the Wizarding War. On the other half, I was generally glad that I asked Ron about Moody as it gave me insight on the old wizard's credentials.

The week was uneventful save for a very exciting accident caused by Neville melting a cauldron during Potions. Snape, who Nico and I have been warned was a vindictive bully who loves to torture all students but his Slytherins, especially Harry and Neville. Nico was generally irked, but I especially took offense to the story where Snape insulted Hermione for answering a question correctly. I hate bullies, period, full stop. But, a bully with legit power who abuses that power? Nemesis help me, I will pay the motherfucker back!

At any rate, Hermione was helping teach poor Neville a spell to clean out his space under the fingernails after Snape, in a stroke of pure vindictiveness, had the toad-owning Gryffindor gut out horned toads.

"You know why Snape’s in such a foul mood, don’t you?" Ron asked

“Yeah,” said Harry. “Moody." Harry, Ron, and Hermione told Nico and I that Snape had wanted the position of DADA professor for almost as long as he was a teacher. However, every year, Snape gets turned down. It's no real surprise to hear that he had shown overt hatred of every DADA proffesor. This year, according to the three, Snape seems to be wary of crossing Moody.

When thinking on it, it does make sense. The only time I've seen the two professors together was passing each other in hallways or at mealtimes. Even then, Snape seemed to be making a determined effort to avoid Moody's eyes, magical or not.

“I reckon Snape’s a bit scared of him, you know,” Harry said thoughtfully.

“Imagine if Moody turned Snape into a horned toad,” said Ron, his eyes misting over, “and bounced him all around his dungeon. . . .”

"BATTER-UP BITCH!!!" Nico yelled as he faked hitting a home run. The we all nearly dropped dead laughing.

The Gryffindor fourth years were looking forward to Moody’s first lesson so much that we all arrived early on Thursday lunchtime and queued up outside his classroom before the bell had even rung.
The only person missing was Hermione, who turned up just in
time for the lesson.

“Been in the —”

“Library.” Harry finished her sentence for her. “C’mon, quick,
or we won’t get decent seats.”

We all hurried hurried into the front row desks and took out our copies of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Defense, and waited, unusually quiet. Soon we heard Moody’s
distinctive clunking footsteps coming down the corridor, and he entered the room, looking as strange and frightening as ever. I could just see his clawed, wooden foot protruding from underneath his robes.

“You can put those away,” he growled, stumping over to his desk and sitting down, “those books. You won’t need them.” We returned the books to our bags, Ron looking excited. Moody took out a register, shook his long mane of grizzled gray hair out of his twisted and scarred face, and began to call out names, his normal eye moving steadily down the list while his magical eye swiveled around, fixing upon each student as they answered.