Magic? || Years 1-5

Durmstrang: Year 4/Summer

Mr. Weasley groaned, closing his eyes for a brief moment. "And what about the intruder?"

"Arthur, you know Mad-Eye. Someone creeping into his yard in the dead of night? More likely there's a very shell-shocked cat wandering around somewhere, covered in potato peelings. But if the Improper Use of Magic lot gets their hands on Mad-Eye, he's had it -- think of his record -- we've got to get him off on a minor charge, something in your department -- what are exploding dustbins worth?" Mr. Diggory rolled his eyes once more.

"Might be a caution. Mad-Eye didn't use his wand? He didn't actually attack anyone?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"I'll bet he leapt out of bed and started jinxing everything he could reach through the window, but they'll have a job proving it, there aren't any casualties," Mr. Diggory sighed.

"All right, I'm off," Mr. Weasley got to his feet, shoving his notes into his pocket and running upstairs.

"Sorry about this, Molly, bothering you so early and everything... but Arthur's the only one who can get Mad-Eye off, and Mad-Eye's supposed to be starting his new job today. Why he had to choose last night..." Mr. Diggory rambled.

"Never mind, Amos. Sure you won't have a bit of toast or anything before you go?" Mrs. Weasley waved him off with a hand.

"Oh go on, then," Mr. Diggory nodded as best he could, being a floating head and all.

Mrs. Weasley picked up a pair of fire tongs and secured a piece of buttered toast in them before moving it into Mr. Diggory's mouth.

"Fanks," His voice was muffled as he spoke around the toast, and then his head disappeared with a pop. Mr. Weasley was calling his goodbyes to everyone and was back downstairs and running a comb through his hair.

"I'd better hurry -- you have a good term," Mr. Weasley smiled at them, fastening on his cloak. "Molly, are you going to be all right taking the kids to King's Cross?"

"Of course I will. You just look after Mad-Eye, we'll be fine," Mrs. Weasley reassured.

"Did someone say Mad-Eye? What's he been up to now?" Bill asked, walking into the kitchen with Charlie.

"He says someone tried to break into his house last night," Mrs. Weasley informed him.

"Mad-Eye Moody? Isn't he that nutter -- " George began, spreading marmalade on his toast.

"Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody," Mrs. Weasley scolded, hands on hips.

"Yeah, well, Dad collects plugs, doesn't he? Birds of a feather..." Fred mumbled as Mrs. Weasley left the room.

"Moody was a great wizard in his time," Bill replied.

"He's an old friend of Dumbledore, isn't he?" Charlie added.

"Dumbledore's not what you'd call normal, though, is he? I mean, I know he's a genius and everything..." Fred pointed out.

"Who is Mad-Eye?" Harry asked finally.

"He's retired, used to work at the Ministry. I met him once when Dad took me in to work with him. He was an Auror -- one of the best... a Dark wizard catcher. Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him. He made himself loads of enemies, though... the families of people he caught, mainly... and I heard he's been getting really paranoid in his old age. Doesn't trust anyone. Sees Dark wizards everywhere," Charlie explained.

He and Bill would be coming with them to Kings Cross, Percy was staying behind.

"I just can't justify taking more time off at the moment. Mr. Crouch is really starting to rely on me," He explained after an excessive amount of apologies.