Alastor Moody

Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody is an ex-Auror working for the Order of the Phoenix.

As an experienced Auror, who has lost an eye, leg, and part of his nose while fighting the Dark Arts, Moody is cautious&mdash;some might say paranoid&mdash;and refuses to eat or drink anything which he himself has not prepared. He is particularly conspicuous because of his peculiar magical eye which can see through walls, doors, and the back of his own head (hence the nickname "Mad-Eye").

Brendan Gleeson plays Moody on screen in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. "Moody" means "temperamental" or "sulky."

In Harry's fourth year, Moody was appointed as the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts. Before the school year began, however, he was locked up in a chest by Barty Crouch Jr, a follower of Voldemort, who used a Polyjuice Potion to take his form in order to replace him. Moody owes his life to the fact that one ingredient of the Polyjuice Potion is a part of the person whose form is to be assumed, such as a tuft of hair. Moody's habit of carrying his own drink allowed Crouch to take the Potion regularly without raising suspicion.

On the night of the final task, Crouch attempted to kill Harry, but was stopped by Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall. Having neglected to take his hourly dose of potion, Crouch returned to his own appearance and, under the influence of Veritaserum, he admitted everything.

Harry first meets the genuine Moody just prior to his fifth year at Hogwarts. Moody has joined the newly reformed Order of the Phoenix, and is usually accompanied by fellow Order members Nymphadora Tonks and Remus Lupin, especially while protecting Harry. Moody was part of the Advance Guard that took Harry form Privet Drive to Grimmauld Place. Moody was one of the many people who attended Dumbledore’s funeral.

Dark Detectors and other items
Along with his magical eye, wooden leg, and wand Moody has many useful items in his possession. He had two invisibility cloaks, though he lent one to Sturgis Podmore, which was never returned. He also had a magical trunk with seven compartments, along with the keys for each compartment. He had many items known as dark detectors; among these detectors were a foe glass, a Sneakoscope, and a secrecy sensor. He also had a black traveling cloak, a long staff, and a drinking flask. In the films, Moody has a modified eye patch to help hold his magical eye in place, also in a review of a test screening for the Order of the phoenix film, it is mentioned that moody has a specialised broom.