“Well, are you so surprised to see me that you won’t ask me anything to verify who I am, Alastor?
I could have killed you by now.” My mum said, acting glib before lowering her wand.
Moody actually looked stunned, but even still his magical eye was doing its job, sweeping the room, looking for threats.
Finding none, and seeming to take my mum’s words as confirmation of her identity, he nodded and looked at me.
His gruff voice grunted out: “So you are William, you had not been born when I last saw your mother.
How old are you, boy?” I was sure he knew around when I was born, but I guess not the exact date, maybe unsure if I was one or two years old.
“I’m two!” I said looking at his nose instead of his eyes.
I found it surprisingly easy to look a little scared.
I then lowered my eyes completely before looking back up toward my mother like I was looking for comfort.
My mum knew I was acting, we had actually talked about how I should act in front of others.
We had decided that at least for now I would try my best to act my age.
She went to pick me up and I held up my hands playing into the act of wanting to feel the safety of my mother’s embrace.
She turned to Moody, who was now sitting at the table watching us calmly.
“I’ll put him to bed so we can talk.” She took me to the bedroom and set me down on the bed we now always shared, the crib long forgotten.
I gave her a look to which she nodded before walking back to the kitchen.
She would tell me later.
As she left I noticed I had gotten several prompts from the system: “You have had your first exposure to dark magic” “Quest issued: The darkness has many sides- Objective one: Perform dark magic to harm.
Objective two: Perform dark magic to aid.
Reward: 1.
EXP.
2.
Trait: Dark Magic affinity- Increases the effect (output) of all Dark Magic by 20% and decreases the cost (input) of all Dark Magic by 20% 3.
+7 Magic.
4.
+7 Spirit.” “Host has witnessed death caused directly by magic” “Quest triggered: Death and its many forms: Gain a basic understanding of death.
Reward: Unknown.
Unknown.” “Understand death?
I thought I did… I mean at least on a basic level already.
This feels important, far beyond the other quests I’ve received so far, ill circle back to that.” The other quest surprised me.
“Exposure?
That was a low bar for exposure.
I only witnessed it, but I won’t complain over some good coming from this.” I was more surprised by the objectives of the quest than the prompt itself though.
“Dark magic that aids?
I thought the very definition of dark magic was that it required you to want to harm someone?” “You have to mean it Potter” played in my head with Voldemort’s voice from the fifth movie.
Thinking further, I quickly realised an inconsistency with my view of dark magic from canon.
Harry uses Sectumsempra on Malfoy without knowing what it would do.
Sure he could have wanted to hurt Malfoy in that moment after he threw Crucio towards him, but it was unlikely Harry had wanted the spell to slice him open, almost causing his death.
Harry was shell-shocked when he saw the spell’s effect after all, having only read that it was for enemies.
“Maybe intent can be so layered into a spell when it is created that it only needs the basic intent of being cast at an enemy to come out with full effect?
Could dark magic maybe be used to heal through sacrifices?
The primary intent wouldn’t be to harm, but it would still involve intentionally causing pain or death to a living creature…” My thoughts were turning sluggish and my last thought was of the snake and the prompt it had given me on ritual sacrifice before my two year old body could not take more and I passed out.
Diana’s point of view: As I entered the kitchen, Moody was sitting at the table.
He looked quite calm, but his magical eye was still twitching, doing sweeps in all directions every few seconds.
“He appears to be even more paranoid than last time I saw him” I thought as I moved to put the kettle on.
Before taking a seat opposite him, waiting for him to start the conversation.
He took some time to just look at me before grunting and then said: “So you are still alive.
I was beginning to wonder if you had been killed.
Leaving without a word, not leaving an address or way to contact you.” “Michael died” was all I said.
Despite the pain those words made me feel I did not drop my eyes from his, eventually he looked down for a second before answering.
“Yes, yes he did.
On top of that you were pregnant.
I do not blame you, no I respect your decision to leave.
I’m just sad you did not say goodbye.
It has been over two years with zero contact.
I had assumed the worst, thinking you both had been killed.” That made me feel bad.
He was not wrong, I had left without a word to anyone.
All my friends, what little family I had left, all left behind without so much as a goodbye.
“I’m not sorry for leaving, but I am sorry for not saying goodbye.
I was so caught up in my own pain and with little William on the way I was in survival mode.
I’m sorry Alastor.” I looked him in the eye, a tear fell from my eye, not from anything but the sorrow of leaving everyone behind.
I had never viewed tears as weakness.
Feelings were important, both as a human and even more so as a witch, I felt no shame crying in front of Alastor.
“You do not need to apologize to me Diana.
I understood why you left and like I said do not blame you for that.” He looked a little uncomfortable with all these feelings and rolled his shoulders a bit like he was trying to get rid of all those pesky emotions, and said a bit louder than necessary: “So you witnessed a Death Eater raid huh?
An attack on two muggles right outside where you live.
Are you really safe here?” I drew in a deep breath, focusing on the facts of the situation.
“Safe, is hard to say.
I am well hidden.
We are a little outside London central areas, with a lot of people around, with zero witches or wizards living nearby.
There are no wards on the property to give away that a witch or wizard is living here, but I do have wards set up on all entrances to the house.
Only alerts since they are harder to detect unless you are right next to them.
I did consider moving further, but a city this large has excellent potential when it comes to blending in.
Moving abroad might have been better, but I really want Will to grow up here, in my home.” Alastor looked at me for a bit.
“You are not wrong that you are well hidden, the only risk I see to you is that you are unlucky that random attack is what gets you and your boy.
I could not find you after all, until you sent me your patronus of course.” The kettle started to whistle so I went up and poured each of us a cup of tea.
He took a sip before speaking again.
“Well for now, let us move on to the more official stuff of my visit.
Tell me what you saw, leave nothing out.
I will keep your name out of any reports don’t worry.” I took some time to let my mind go back to the horrific encounter feeling a slight chill settle over me as I relived the moment of that first scream.
“Me and Will were walking back from the library,” I began… After I had finished my full retelling including my thoughts on the likely curses used.
I also mentioned the quick exit that followed from what seemed to be the only interaction between the Death Eaters themselves.
Moody just sat there humming for a bit after I finished the story, seeming to put his excellent memory to use.
“Well, it is not much to go on as you know.
You heard no voices from the Death Eaters themselves, you saw no faces or identifying marks.
Still helping to catch them is not your job, it is mine.
I think you handled the situation well.
You made sure William was safe, which is exactly the right priority.
A Gryffindor that had not been hit with the hard lessons of life might have tried to intervene, getting both themselves and their child killed.
I’m proud of you Diana.
Doing nothing can be much harder than running head first into danger.” He looked me in the eyes as he said that.
Ironically, that was the second time today I heard that, first time from my two year old child… Still something settled in me as I heard it again, a bit of my guilt left me leaving plenty behind.
Moody stood up his wooden leg thudding against the floor.
“I’ll leave you now.
It is getting late and I’m sure you are tired after your experience.” He hesitated as he moved toward the door, turning back slightly toward me still facing mostly away.
“Would it be okay if I visited every now and then?
I would be very careful not to let anyone know I went here, not even Albus.” He was not looking at me but away.
A smile broke out on my face.
“That would be lovely Alastor.
If there is anyone I trust to not accidentally bring trouble to my home it is you.
I think William could also use some company that is not me.” Pausing slightly before adding: “Can you swear to me you won’t reveal our location or anything you learn from William, not even to Albus.
I know your Occlumency is excellent so if you don’t speak of these things no one will know.” As he heard the first part of my answer he turned fully toward me and I could almost see a smile sneaking up on his face.
That turned to slight surprise as I continued.
“Why would you want me to keep what I learn about William a secret?
Not that I mind, you know I trust you more than almost anyone I just don’t understand why you would ask.” A hundred memories flashed through my mind.
To me, the question was almost absurd, and I smiled before answering: “He will have to show you himself, I won’t give away his secrets.
Given of course that you give me an oath” Moody pulled out his wand and said.
“I will swear on my magic if you want, I see no issue with those oaths, assuming he is not a hiding murderer you are pretending to be your son?” He actually looked like he was considering that might be the case, his paranoia rearing its head.
“No need for a magic oath Alastor, and no, who you saw is my son not a hiding murderer” He gruffed: “Good, then I swear to you that I will not give away your location to anyone without your express permission and I won’t reveal anything about William I find out from talking to either of you or being here.” I smiled warmly toward him.
“You are a good man Alastor, and like I said you are welcome at any time provided you are careful.” He looked at me a second, seeming to consider saying something, but instead simply nodded toward me and walked out.
Hope you like it.