ALASTOR 'MAD-EYE' MOODY, THE MOST FAMOUS AUROR

Today, The Weasleys and The Grandma have attended to a Defence Against the Dark Arts masterclass offered by Alastor Mad-Eye Moody, a Scottish pure-blood wizard, considered to be the most famous Auror of all time.

Defence Against the Dark Arts, abbreviated as DADA, is a subject taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 

In this class, students study and learn how to defend themselves against all aspects of the Dark Arts, including dark creatures, curses, hexes and jinxes (dark charms), and duelling.

The class is a core subject at Hogwarts. The position of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at the school was once rumoured to be jinxed, as no teacher could hold the post for more than a year without suffering an unpleasant fate. Tom Riddle jinxed the position because Albus Dumbledore did not give him the job when he applied for it. The fact that no teacher has lasted longer than a year meant that the subject has had numerous Professors. Ilvermorny began teaching the subject in the 17th century.

Before assisting to the class, The Grandma has offered The Weasleys another Cambridge Key English Test A2 Example.

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Alastor Mad-Eye Moody is a Scottish pure-blood wizard, considered to be the most famous Auror of all time. He was a pivotal member of the Order of the Phoenix during the First and Second Wizarding Wars.

Moody served with distinction during the first conflict, gaining a reputation as a skilful battler against the Dark Arts and sacrificing an eye, a leg, and part of his nose during the conflict. As an Aur or, he played a role in the imprisonment of many of the inhabitants of Azkaban. This activity led to his gaining many enemies and resulted in his becoming overly-cautious and paranoid about his security later in life.

He agreed to Albus Dumbledore's request to become the new Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts, however he was kidnapped just prior to taking up the position by Barty Crouch Jr, who subsequently disguised himself as Moody as part of a plan to kidnap Harry Potter on the instructions of Lord Voldemort.

Following his rescue from Barty Crouch, Jr, Moody joined the second Order of the Phoenix and fought in a number of the Second Wizarding War's battles, including the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and the Battle of the Seven Potters, dying during the latter.

 

His magical eye was later used by Dolores Umbridge to spy on her subordinates in the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. It was later retrieved by Harry Potter when he infiltrated the Ministry of Magic, and was given a proper burial by Harry in the forest close to where the 422nd Quidditch World Cup had been held three years prior.

Alastor Moody was born into the pure-blood Moody family. The precise date is unknown. His father and mother were both Aurors, as were many of his ancestors, the Moody family gained a reputation for producing many renowned Aurors.

Moody bought or inherited his wand at some point before his formal magical education began. He attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but his house is unrecorded in Ministry records. He was known to be an excellent student however, gaining at least an Exceeds Expectations mark in five N.E.W.T. subjects.

More information: Wizarding World

Moody, during his time as an Auror, served the Ministry of Magic, fighting Death Eaters under Lord Voldemort's command. He was a key member of the Order of the Phoenix, led by Albus Dumbledore, in the struggle to defeat Voldemort, and his efforts were said to have led to half the cells in Azkaban being populated by Death Eaters he captured.

As the war continued, and the situation grew more fraught, the Ministry of Magic authorised their Aurors to use Unforgivable Curses against Death Eaters, a practice which continued for a time after Voldemort's fall from power.

Moody was known to have killed a number of Voldemort's followers, including Evan Rosier, however he avoided doing so where possible.

At some point during his life, Moody violently tore apart a birthday present, paranoid that it may be a cleverly disguised Basilisk egg. It turned out that it was only a carriage clock, though it is unknown if he rectified his mistake.

It is believed that his activities during the First Wizarding War and his time as an Auror that led to Moody losing a leg, replaced by a wooden prosthesis, and an eye, replaced with a magical prosthesis. His work also led to significant facial scarring, including losing a piece of his nose in his fight with Evan Rosier.

At some point Moody retired from active service, though by this time he was considered the greatest Auror of all time. In addition, he took Nymphadora Tonks as his protege.

Mad-Eye captured Igor Karkaroff and the Death Eater was sent to Azkaban, until Karkaroff gave up the names of a number of his fellow Death Eaters in exchange for a lighter sentence.

Moody was present at Karkaroff's trial, where he made his dislike of the defector very clear, when the former Death Eater mentioned the names of Antonin Dolohov, Evan Rosier, killed by Moody personally, though at the cost of part of his nose, Travers, Mulciber, and Severus Snape, all of whom seemed to have already either been killed, captured, or defected, until he called the name of Augustus Rookwood.

Rookwood was an Unspeakable, and a double-agent, spying on the Ministry for Voldemort. This was news to the Ministry, but Karkaroff was sent back to Azkaban, pending a review into Rookwood's case; when Karkaroff's allegations proved true, he was released, and went on to take the position of Headmaster of Durmstrang Institute.

More information: Screen Rant

Moody was convinced to come out of retirement by Albus Dumbledore and serve as Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's latest Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.

Before the school year began, however, Moody was attacked in his home by Barty Crouch Jr and Peter Pettigrew, at Voldemort's order. Moody proved more difficult to overcome than initially thought, and put up a significant fight which alerted his Muggle neighbours, but was overpowered and imprisoned in his own magical trunk. This was done as part of Voldemort's plan to regain power.

To this end, Barty Crouch Jr used Polyjuice Potion to take on Moody's form to replace him at Hogwarts, successfully fooling staff and pupils alike. Barty Crouch Jr drank Polyjuice Potion out of Moody's hipflask regularly, in imitation of the real Moody, and expressed many of Moody's normal habits. Doing this allowed him to impersonate Moody for almost the whole year without raising suspicion. 

All the while, Crouch did his part in Voldemort's plan. Moody's life was spared due to Crouch needing his hair to create the Polyjuice Potion, and wanting to question Moody for his behaviour, patterns and such, so Crouch could successfully imitate him, all the while keeping Moody captive under the Imperius Curse. Working hard and using all of his cunning, Crouch-as-Moody ensured that Harry Potter would get into the Triwizard Tournament and ascend to the Third Task. Upon doing so, Voldemort used Harry Potter to return to life in a body of his own with all its powers once again.

When Crouch learned of this upon Harry's return, he tried to murder him, but Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Severus Snape stopped him. The professors waited patiently for the Polyjuice Potion to wear off, revealing Crouch's true form.

Under the influence of Veritaserum, he admitted everything and Moody was freed from his trunk. After recuperating in the Hospital Wing, Moody returned to health, but was, if possible, even more paranoid for his safety than before; and his eye occasionally got stuck as a result of Crouch having worn it.

More information: Screen Rant

Moody was described as having a growling voice and looking as though his face was roughly carved from wood. Due to injuries from his long career as an Auror, it was covered with scars, and a chunk of his nose was missing. He had dark grey, grizzled hair. He also had a wooden leg that was described as having a clawed foot.

His eyes, however, were described as his most shocking feature: one was small and dark while the other was a vivid, electric blue magical eye that moved around independently from his normal eye, giving him the nickname of Mad-Eye Moody, or simply Mad-Eye. This eye could see through objects, Invisibility cloaks and the back of his own head.

Alastor is Ancient Greek for he who does not forget, thus avenger, persecutor, tormenter, one who suffers from divine vengeance. It gives him, therefore, certain similarities to Alecto Carrow, whose name is that of the first of the Furies, or Erinyes, and means implacable anger. It is similar to Alastair, which is the Scottish form of Alexander, which means protector of mankind, and also evolved into Alistair.

Moody means temperamental or tending to quickly change moods.

More information: Screen Rant

I don't know so much about 'Professor'.

Never got round to much teaching, did I?

Alastor Moody