Ten Hours, Thirty Seconds
Chapter 27 of 35
White EyebrowAlastor Moody's defining battle will not be fought without, but within.
Chapter 27
Ten Hours, Thirty Seconds.
Moody bolted out of bed upon hearing a loud rapping on his door. He traversed his small flat in silence; the glowing tip of his wand cast its dull red light along the walls as he stepped lightly on the creaking floorboards. He stood off to the side of the front door, holding his wand at the ready. He waited for another knock before answering, “Who’s there?”
“It’s me,” Shacklebolt said from the other side. Moody cracked the door slightly and peered at her from behind his Shield Charm. “Are you going to let me in?”
Moody lowered his wand. “Of course.” He uttered the counterspell to allow her entry.
Shacklebolt ventured inside, keeping her back to him. “Are you in the habit of letting your defenses down without verifying the identity of your guests?”
Moody closed the door and turned on the lights. “Pardon?”
“How do you know that I am the true Queenie Shacklebolt?”
He smiled. “How do you know that I am the true Alastor Moody?” She turned and thunked him on his wounded shoulder, and he winced. “Right.”
Shacklebolt regarded the quaint little abode. It was sparsely furnished but arranged efficiently. The art that decorated the walls, along with the various arrangements of plants, lent to the room a particular warmth. “This is your flat? You live here alone?”
“Yes, sir,” he replied with a yawn.
“It’s… tidy.”
"You sound surprised."
She faced him. “I hope you managed to get some rest; it’s going to be a long night.”
“I was able to get a catnap in,” Moody said. He ran his fingers through his mussed hair. “So, what’s the plan, sir?”
Shacklebolt stooped to examine the exotic plant by the windowsill and absent-mindedly replied, “When in the field, in order to protect superior officers from being targeted, we all assume the base rank of Auror. Therefore, I would appreciate it if, for tonight, you would call me Queenie.”
“Yes, sir—"
"Queenie."
"Right... heaven forbid they should zap the right Auror,” he muttered under his breath.
“We should get going, Alastor,” she said aloofly. “After you put some clothes on.”
Moody felt a of flush of heat rush through his body. It had completely slipped his mind that he had been wearing nothing but his pants all this time. Portraying an air of nonchalance, he excused himself and retreated to his bedroom.
He turned on the light in the loo and examined his shoulder. Fortunately, the salve Shacklebolt gave him earlier had done a good job of accelerating the healing process. Satisfied, he splashed some cold water on his face and dressed the wound.
He glanced through his wardrobe and grabbed the first hanger off the rack. Shacklebolt’s voice sounded muffled from the other side of the wall.
“You should dress Muggle style.”
He cursed, replaced the suit and made another selection. After getting dressed, he gathered his field provisions and joined Shacklebolt in the living room. He found her reclined on his divan and engrossed in one his writing journals. Her free hand unconsciously caressed the smooth skin along her leg.
He cleared his throat.
She didn’t bother to look up from the page. “Well, Alastor, this certainly explains your reports with all their flowery, unnecessary words.”
“It was an adolescent hobby; one that I don’t engage in anymore.”
“Pity.” She turned the page. “So, this ‘Druella’ is the one that got away, I take it?”
“That’s a bit personal, don’t you think?” Moody said, standing over her.
Shacklebolt rose and handed over the journal. “Yes… unfortunately, we don’t have time for a honeymoon.”
Moody snorted. Honeymoon? He replaced the notebook in his desk and locked the drawer. “Does this mean I get to learn something personal about you, Queenie?”
“Absolutely.” She smirked. “I’ll have you know that I’m rather fond of truffles.”
They left his flat. He followed her down the stairs to the exit in silence. It was windy outside; he couldn’t even hear her soft footfalls over the breeze that rolled in from the east just over the Thames. They walked up to a lone car that was parked next to a lamppost. Moody stopped in his tracks when the driver's side door magically opened.
Moody walked a full circuit around the strange contraption. “Is this an automobile?”
“Yes.” Shacklebolt snapped her fingers, and the passenger’s side door opened for him. “Get in.”
Moody sat himself inside with care. He shifted uncomfortably in the small confines of the cabin. “I take it there’s a reason why we’re operating this conveyance rather than teleporting properly?”
“Theoretically, the Ministry has the capability to track us if we were to Apparate. Without knowing who we’re up against, this way is safer.” Shacklebolt pulled what looked like a belt out of the seat cushions. “Have you ever ridden in one of these?”
“Yes, from my Muggle Studies courses.” With piqued interest he watched as Shacklebolt tapped the steering column with her wand, and the car came to life. She grabbed the metal stick embedded in the dashboard. “As I recall, you have to depress the clutch first.”
“This car can change gears automatically,” she replied.
“Ah, how clever.”
Shacklebolt pushed the pedal and yelped when the car unexpectedly lurched backwards. The edge of the bumper scraped the base of the lamppost. It echoed loudly in the late night hour. She straightened and regained her composure, muttering under her breath, “That’s right: ‘R’ must mean ‘reverse’.”
“I thought you said this was an automatic,” he said, trying in vain to hide his amusement. “Are you sure that this thing is safe?”
Shacklebolt appeared not to notice. “It got me here in one piece, didn’t it?” After shifting into the appropriate gear, the car lurched forward, and she revved the engine.
“Do I want to know how you came by this vehicle?”
“It’s probably best if you dont.”
Story Actions
To follow, favorite, like, and more either log in or create an account.
Leave a Review
Log in to leave a review.
Latest 25 Reviews for Prisoner of Hope
84 Reviews | 6.06/10 Average
Aw wow. Nice angles u explored there. Very entertaining. Did u answer all the ther asked questions?
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
I think so. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Chances are that stuff that seems to be a plot hole is actually a twist that will be revealed at a later time.
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
I think so. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Chances are that stuff that seems to be a plot hole is actually a twist that will be revealed at a later time.
Ahhh no wonder JKR said alastor moody was a ladies' man! Thanks! I begin to see it now.
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Yes, what spurred me to write this was to tell Alastor Moody's story. I figure someone who got so chopped up must've had in interesting life.
wow.... You introduced so many great elements. But it rivals JKR in effort and talent but maybe not money. Please do not let me discourage you. God bless!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
money???
Absorbing. Totally absorbing. This chapter was quite unexpected though....! But still very very interesting.
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Yes this chapter kicked off the next act of the story (marked by a discrete passage of time)
You wrote really well. Especially the first chapters and this one. Wonder if you have the whole story finished?
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
I do, but it's all in my head.
You could have made it simple with a happy but creatively fresh ending ... Remember that if you ever feel the need to wrap up this ambitious but fully plausible story.
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Well, there's still a lot of story left to go. Afterall, Moody is still in his mid/late twenties at this point.
"Are you sure this thing is safe?" Oh, funny! I kind of like the touch of Hepburn/Tracy reparte going on here, even if I'm a bit worried about what will happen next.
I do love the feeling of "police procedural" you give us. It makes it all seem somehow real and plausible in a way lots of HP fic doesn't.
Looking forward to seeing how the mystery plays out.
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Thanks. I'm sure being an auror is a thankless job; we never get to see things they have to put up with.
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Thanks. I'm sure being an auror is a thankless job; we never get to see things they have to put up with.
The Wolf Squadron gone rogue- 
- brilliant sabatoge, brilliant action writing, just everything brilliant and engaging! It nags me that Maestro isn't miffed by the Wolf Squadron's agenda and mutiny/assination mission as much as he could be - I understand he must be cool, collected, all-controlled, unless... Love the deadly danger and brutal revelation of the ultimate means of dealing with a 'problem' is by the Operation Green Purge: extermination...
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Thank you, and, yes, the maestro is a hard one to read, isn't he?
Hmm... it seems the inner politics of the giants are their own worst enemies, leading further to their own extinction if some inner coup has indeed occurred, rather than dubious Wizarding interference; wonderful description and dynamics!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
What's life without a little mystery and political intrigue, I always say.
Ozymandias - PB Shelley's poem and another poet wrote one with the same noble title - flits through my mind bringing this epic meeting with the giants to another place- surreal and divine! Have a feeling that things may come full circle regarding the earlier giantess Moody saved from Ton's further humiliation and abuse - but something gives me the feeling that Ysbaddaden has his own agenda... Great chapter!!!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
The plot will thicken. 
So moved, can barely type, hope this makes sense: your skill of touching on powerful emotions and unspoken feelings through the dialogue and actions of all of your characters is an incredibly powerful, and so very fulfilling for the reader. With this scene between Minerva and Alastor on the balcony, entire lives are filled in and sweeping us along with them. I've always felt that the stalwart Gryffindor shielded her sensitive, noble heart, especially from painful experiences in earlier years of her life, and am gaga and entranced with you flushing this out in your story, and the intertwining of these two amazing characters (along with all the others!); you've got me hopelessly in love with Alastor (another notch on is belt- hehe!) and my heart breaking for Minerva, stuck in an abusive relationship, with Billings as the perfect personification of corruption and smug abusers under the disguise of Law and propriety ... love the fierce passion and honour of Alastor, among so many things. Thank you for sharing your talent, vision. time and creativity with us!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
This was a hard one to write; I didn't know how people would react to Minerva being a victim. I agree with you that she developed that Gryffindor-inspired shield as a defense mechanism of sorts. But even then, we see glimpses of a gentle soul peek out from time to time.
Response from nagandsev (Reviewer)
For me, it was 'wonderful' having Minerva's character depicted this way due to the universality and, sometimes, the irony in real life of victims being of her 'profile', the ones you least expect to have been victimised - it makes it all the more profound, and regarding Minerva, as well as others, it doesn't 'weaken' them in our eyes, only engages us more passionately in their story, in identifying with very 'real' life occurrences, and their overcoming, or not, of situations. (Also, on a side note, besides being a very poor typist, always in a rush, my keyboard must be one of the oldest in the world, some keys are not working/getting stuck, etc. - please forgive my spelling mistakes and hope you can make out most of what I mean! Best wishes!)
..have you send my wand?- Hah! LOL! Love the naughty, but charming, rascally Alastor having fun with Pomfrey (thank you, I adore Madam Pomfrey - have you written more of her back story? If not: *nudge, nudge* :-)), the Aurors in their Ministry environment; Maestro is perfect - anytime he makes an appearance he's a zinger with so few words but so powerful. Also, love the mysterious atmosphere surrounding Minerva and Moody's keen observations - he doesn't miss thing, does he? yum!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
I think all of the staff have a worthy back story. They're an odd, intriguing assortment of characters, yeah? Pomfrey will return.
Wonderful dynamics and twists, love the succubi, and Moody and Reuben's banter and teamwork, as a Tolkien fan, thoroughly enjoyed the details of the succubus' attack and gloating - intense, blood-sucking lengths of darkness the succubus will go to, ensnaring poor Moody - Druella -oooh, that was a low blow - poor Alastor!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Alas, some scars never heal completely...
Mmm... love the undercover work and scenario, Moody and Reuben in action, hardened and in full swing; but, have a bad feeling about the two missing students and the illegal wand trade
Great chapter!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Heh, they had to start somewhere right? 
Love the flow and action; poor Moody, but you can't keep a good man down... Druella's fate has been sealed with another, and Moody lost no time to move on; nice, effective back-to-reality-slap to the horrid captivity of the trunk and Crouch Jr !
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Yep, I figure this to be one of those personality-shaping life experiences, for good or ill.
So glad that all's well that ends well regarding that - teamwork and the kovely reminder that people need each other to survive on a fundamental core - so 'happy' that Moody and others are bonafide Aurors - but know the nitty-gritty duties will now begin - wonderful tale!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Yep, no more playing around.
Wonderful, breath-taking, action-filled chapter! Brilliant, just brilliant - I guffawed (needed some relief from the suspense!) at Moody's brilliance in ensnaring the Medusa squad with the vines - HA! Everything was clear, second-by-second like a film flitting in the mind - and the ending - yes Maestro is peeved, isn't he? Being bested by the best! Great work!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Don't count the old codger out yet. 
Yes... the mirroring of the real-life, nazi Aryan purity requirements is quite effective. Poor Moody, he doesn't realise what he's up against yet. Something worse than the Dementors attack.
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Druella's one saving grace I think is at least she's willing to look past the 1% rule for Moody's sake (as long as nobody finds out of course.) 
So the caste system flexes it muscles more and more and it's money and ghastly 'artwork' - poor Moody, the signs are all there of a pending, detrimental heartbreak; that said, I loved the private training & drilling he's recieved from Shacklebolt - I know it's purely professional 
but he wasn't able to produce another Patronus without her... hmm... Great chapter!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
One thing's for sure: Alastor still has a lot to learn.
LOL! - I thought for sure Moody had met his match with the wonderful, wiley Ollivander; but, Alastor knew how to handle him! Love the wand lore and the sly Olivander and his custom made services!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Thanks, I always found wandlore interesting and wanted to draw it out to see where it leads.
Mmm... love the hints of something with Minerva and her special *medical* touch - hehe! Compared to Druella's touch; both causing a slightly frustrated Alastor at their Mercy - love all of the cheek & cheeky jokes/play on words with the other cadets jibing at him; yes, Dumbledore ina a bikini...
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
I tell you, once you get that image in your head, it's hard to get it out. Moreso if it was a two-piece. 
This was an unusual treat - I love how you used the Biblical book of Genesis here - a great chance to take history and religion of the real world and work it into fiction - and a great take on the nephilim - really.Some bits of confusion in the discussion first between Moody and Ozy - and then between Moody and Tia - the Giantess - but then, you know I tend to get lost in some of your dialogue scenes.I'm still not entirely sure what Dumbledore was intending... but it seems like he took Moody to meet with the giants hoping he would breed with the princess - and that... doesn't sit entirely well with me - but then not everyone writes/sees Dumbledore the way I would - I kind of feel he wouldn't just "throw" Moody into that, if he was even going to consider something like that, he'd have discussed it with Moody before hand - but that's assuming you write Dumbledore the way I would, or such like canon, and I know that's not always the case in fanfiction.I should also point out that I love how Ozy used magic to tell the history of his people - the nephilim - and grinned when Dumbledore explained - after Moody asked the question - that Ozy wasn't using magic - though I tend to disagree - but still, that was really vivid and amazing - and beautiful.Great chapter - perhaps the best so far in the fic - loved it!
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
No, the reason, as Moody pointed out, was political. The king of the giants extending the olive branch to his son's killer, all to spearhead Ozy's "peace and reconcilliation" theme.Yeah, Moody sleeping with Titaiaja probably wouldn't sit well with neither Dumbledore nor Ozy.
(Well, unless they were very quiet... but I digress.)
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
By the way, giving you a heads up, details in this chapter will be relevant for the next nine chapters. Don't worry, I'll repeat them as the narrative goes along, but since I like to make the reader work, if anything throws you, the source was most likely from this chapter. I promise it will have a huge payoff.
Response from Fishy (Reviewer)
You like to make the reader work (chuckles) you wouldn't by chance be an English teacher, would you? 
I remember doing that to my students - well not in my writing, but in the assignments.Looking forward to the pay-off - and I'll refer to this chapter should I get lost in the next bunch - thanks for the heads up! And great job!
Ouch... I can't seem to remember who Holly - aka Pomona is - is she a prostitute??? Sheesh....And McGonagall with an abusive, self-important prick like that? Really? *shakes head* That's difficult to see on any day... but especially after she's already back at the school.... what made you want to bend Minerva that far? I'm curious.
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Hi
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
.I'm glad you asked that question. I am very sensitive to the fact that McGonagall is a fan favorite, and I, therefore, cannot take as much liberty with her as I can with Moody. That being said, my thinking is thus: In canon, McGonagall, like Moody, is a person in her "golden years". As such, you shouldn't expect her to be the same person she was in her youth (heck, I'm not the same person I was just ten years ago.) Therefore, In my treatment of her as a three-dimensional character, I would grant her the right to grow as an individual. In order to grow, you have to start from someplace lower than where you are (things that I hope you will trust me to flesh out and explain later on, because EVERYTHING I do will have a basis in canon.)In the case of McGonagall, there is a very rigid perception of her as having an oftentimes aloof, flinty and otherwise unshakable personality. HOWEVER, with her there are glimpses of vulnerability in the novels if you read carefully enough. I'm not going to go into details because this will be the narrative's job to explore, but I will leave you with this as an example: the end chapters of "Goblet fo Fire" gives some poignant insight into McGonagall's character. Around chapters 35 and 36 (I don't remember exactly) Dumbledore chastised McGonagall for leaving Barty Crouch Jr. unguarded. In fact, I had Moody use similar verbage that Dumbledore used in canon, "Minerva, I'm surprised at you..." I think her reaction in that brief exchange spoke volumes (at the very least her "unshakable" facade was visibly shaken.) This is not an isolated incident with her character. My personal take away from those incidents paint a picture--in my mind anyway--that there is a gentle soul hidden behind that flinty exterior. A defense mechanism, maybe? I don't know.Long story short: she's human.(Can you tell I was prepared for that? LOL!)BTW, Holly/Pomona is the girl that slapped Alastor while he was undercover for the black-market wand deal.Thanks for reading, fellow Moody lover!
Response from Fishy (Reviewer)
Aye - you WERE expecting that kind of question - and thank you so much for such a well thought out answer - and I will trust you to flesh all this out - and of course, tis true - McGonagall wasn't born a Titan - we all go through changes in life - you are so very right.I swear I'm going to go back when you are finished and read this anew - I seem to get so lost - not entirely sure if its due to the sheer number of characters, the time between chapters or just that I'm getting senile - hehe - but I do seem to forget pieces here and there and it must aggrivate you to no end, how often I'm asking who is who - but anyway.Thanks so much for this update - just in time for Thanksgiving! Hope yours was awesome! And tis true, McGonagall is one of my favorites, but so is Mr. Moody! Thanks for doing a piece focusing on him!
I think I've decided that the reason I get so confused, forgetting who is who, must be because this story only updates once every few weeks or so - and I can't seem to wait to read this through completely, at last, when you finish it, because I'm so anxious to see what comes next - ARG!That said - I enjoyed seeing Poppy Pomfrey and was intrieged and a bit confused seeing McGonagall.... what was that all about? Or did you intend to leave the audience wondering about what she was doing and who she was talking to, not to mention how cool she was toward Moody.
Response from White Eyebrow (Author of Prisoner of Hope)
Correct 
Response from Fishy (Reviewer)
Arg! Tease!~