"From what I can gather from Lucius today, the blame for their capture is being attributed to the Aurors being on high alert after the reported fire and realisation that there was an anti-transportation ward erected." Severus informed them. Lucius had been smug during breakfast that morning. Travers was a fanatic and he would have hindered the pureblood nobility's scrambling to achieve some kind of neutrality agreement with Black.
"Excellent." Albus said brightly.
Moody glared at him, his magical eye spinning. "Don't get bloody cocky, Albus. Yesterday was an obvious attempt to snatch Potter, possibly for this ritual you think is in the works. It'd be easy enough to terrorise and challenge the kid for the requisite nine months if you have him in your possession."
"An attempt that was thwarted." Albus pointed out serenely.
Severus and Moody both looked at Albus with identical derisive glares.
"Only because Potter has sheer dumb luck on his side!" snapped Severus.
"I'd disagree with that," Moody said, waving at him, "boy has to have some talent to last against a powerful wizard long enough for help to turn up, but my point is this: if this attempt failed, that means they'll want to make sure their next gambit succeeds."
"They will try harder to get Potter into this blasted tournament." Severus caught onto Moody's point immediately. He pinched the brow of his nose.
Albus slumped back in his chair. "Alas, I had not thought of it in those terms."
"Which is why I'll say again that we should cancel the damn thing." Moody said firmly.
Albus shook his head. "It's not possible, Alastor. We shall just have to be vigilant." He smiled at Moody as he said the last and Moody gave an amused huff. "Sirius has requested permission to continue Harry's duelling tutoring while he is here at Hogwarts. He has offered to open up the sessions to the entire fourth year so there can be no suggestion of special treatment."
Severus harrumphed.
"It'd be a good idea to run a duelling club for the other years since Hilliard will be running the elective for fourth years only." Moody suggested. "Hilliard himself could take the sixth and seventh years, I could do the fifth, Sirius and Remus the fourth, and Filius the lower years."
"A wonderful idea!" Albus beamed at Moody. "I'll make the request to Filius and Tobias." He glanced at Severus. "Perhaps you could also lend a hand, Severus?"
"Perhaps." Severus said non-committedly. He had no interest in the duelling club. He had only participated previously because he'd wanted to put Lockhart in his place.
"Well, I think that's all for tonight, gentlemen." Albus said, rising.
Moody and Severus made their way out of the office and down the spiral staircase.
"Drink?" offered Moody.
Severus nodded, understanding that it was a request to talk without Albus's presence.
They went to the staff room – their mutually acknowledged neutral ground. Severus was pleased to see it empty. They sat in the small seating area where they had first talked and Moody poured them both a glass from his flask while Severus erected a privacy bubble.
"Have you made any progress on your memory issue?" Moody asked bluntly.
Severus shook his head. "I have isolated the affected memories but nothing beyond that." It was slow work. The block was a good one – excellent in fact. He would admire Bella's handiwork if it wasn't for the fact that it was his memory she had played with. He gazed at Moody, his eyes sweeping over the magical counterpart. "I don't suppose…"
"Nope," Moody said succinctly, tossing back his drink, "leglimency has been out for me since I lost the eye. You need two good 'uns as you very well know." He gazed at Severus thoughtfully. "You could ask Albus."
Severus raised an eyebrow. "Would you want him rooting around in your head?"
Moody gave a short barking laugh and conceded the point. "How about a Healer? I know someone who works on the Memory ward at St Mungo's."
He did actually consider the offer but regretfully shook his head. He wouldn't wish his mind on anyone. "I shall endeavour to continue with my own efforts."
"And if the answer to who is hiding You-Know-Who is buried in there?" Moody said with incisive insight. "The LeStranges covered up Crouch's involvement with them. Perhaps what you saw was some other bugger."
It was a possibility.
Bella and Rodolphus had a good working partnership as a couple but he didn't think that they'd shared a bedroom the entire time Severus had stayed with them. It was entirely possible that just as Rabastan had taken Crouch Junior as a lover, Bella or Rodolphus themselves had a surprising paramour hidden in the closet – one like Crouch that the Dark Lord himself had marked and approved of as a liaison.
"If Potter is entered into the tournament and I have not removed the block by then, I will request assistance." Severus compromised.
Moody grunted but seemed satisfied with the answer. "Let's hope our security can keep Potter out."
Severus nodded but he wouldn't put it past the brat to enter himself.
Filius wandered into the staff room and smiled at them both. "Goodness, I thought I was the only one about this evening. Everyone else seems to have deserted the place."
Severus hurriedly took down the privacy bubble.
"Have you spoken with Minnie?" asked Moody, shifting forward to welcome Filius into the seating area with a wave of his hand.
Filius nodded. "I've had an owl. She was released into the care of the House of Potter. She says she'll be fully recovered and back on Sunday to deal with the final preparations for the new school year." He sat down with a small sigh and accepted Moody's offer of a drink (a small silent wiggle of his flask) with a nod. "She says she needs duelling practice."
Moody smiled as he poured Filius his drink. "There's a duelling club proposed."
Severus knocked back the last of his drink, set his glass down and stood up. He had no wish to listen to Filius and Moody discuss a duelling club nor to get pulled into any commitment to help. "I believe I will retire for the night." He inclined his head, allowing his dark hair to fall forward before turning abruptly and striding out, aware his robes were billowing behind him.
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