Alastor Moody

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Alastor Moody
Biographical information
Born	Pre 1959-1960 Scotland, Great Britain
Died	27 July, 1997 South England, Great Britain
Blood status	Pure-blood
Marital status	Single
Nationality	Scottish
Also known as	Mad-Eye
Physical information
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Height	6'2"
Weight	183 lbs
Hair colour	Grey
Eye colour	One dark, one electric blue
Skin colour	White
Relationship information
Family members	Mr Moody (father) † Mrs Moody (mother) †
Magical characteristics
Boggart	Lord Voldemort
Wand	Unknown length, wood and core
Patronus	Non-corporeal
Affiliation
Occupation	Auror (Retired) Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (1995–1995)
Loyalty	Order of the Phoenix Advance Guard Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry British Ministry of Magic Auror Department

"Are you quite sure it’s him, Lupin? It’d be a nice lookout if we bring back some Death Eater impersonating him. We ought to ask him something only the real Potter would know. Unless anyone brought any Veritaserum?"

— Moody's paranoia and overly suspicious nature

Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody (d. 27 July, 1997) was 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 Auror, 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.

In 1994, 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 Jnr, 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, Jnr, 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 in 1996 and the Battle of the Seven Potters in 1997, 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 in 1997, 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.

Biography

Early life (pre 1960s)

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. He eventually became an Auror and had three years of training like every traditional Auror.

First Wizarding War (1970-1981)

"Half the cells in Azkaban are filled thanks to him."

— Ron Weasley discusses Moody's track record

Moody with original Order of the Phoenix members

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 in 1980 and possibly Wilkes around the same time. However, he did not kill if not necessary and having spent six months tracking Igor Karkaroff managed to capture him alive around the same time.

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 Rosier.

Between the wars (1981-1995)

Harry Potter: "Professor Moody?"

Moody: "I don't know so much about 'Professor'. Never got round to much teaching, did I?"

— A discussion on Moody's teaching career

Moody at Igor Karkaroff's Ministry hearing

Igor Karkaroff was sent to Azkaban and held there until he offered to give up the names of a number of his fellow Death Eaters in exchange for a lighter sentence. Moody was present at Karkaroff's trial held sometime after Voldermort's fall on 31 October 1981, where he made his dislike of the defector very clear. The former Death Eater offered in vain the names of Antonin Dolohov, Evan Rosier, Travers, Mulciber, and Severus Snape, all of whom seemed to have already either been killed, captured, or defected. However, he successfully named Augustus Rookwood, 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.

Meeting Jacob's sibling

In June 1989, he Apparated to the Three Broomsticks Inn and told Jacob's sibling they had much to talk about. He then Disapparated with the student, and swore them to secrecy. The two returned to the Three Broomsticks several hours later, when everyone except Rowan Khanna had left to the graduation.

After the summer holidays, Moody and Jacob's sibling met up at Hog's Head Inn, where Moody revealed more information about R, including Patricia Rakepick's in it and the group's goal to locate the final Cursed Vault. Later, Moody heard about the student's plan to sneak into the Ministry of Magic with an invisibility cloak to get to Rakepick's artefacts, and went after them to stop them. Moody found Jacob's sibling in Hog's Head Inn under an invisibility cloak, and informed them that it would not be enough to fool the Ministry. Moody told Jacob's sibling to prepare to fight for their life.

Kidnapped by Bartemius Crouch Junior

"Alastor Moody. Ex-Auror. Ministry malcontent. And your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

— Bartemius Crouch Junior impersonating Moody in his first DADA class

Barty Crouch Junior (disguised as Alastor Moody) hired as the DADA professor, drinking Polyjuice Potion

In 1994, 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. Around this time, Moody's violently tore apart a birthday present paranoid that it may be a cleverly disguised Basilisk egg; it turned out only to be a carriage clock.

Before the school year began, however, Moody was attacked in his home by Barty Crouch Jnr 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 Jnr used Polyjuice Potion to take on Moody's form to replace him at Hogwarts, successfully fooling staff and pupils alike. Barty Crouch Jnr 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.

Alastor Moody as he is discovered down in the trunk

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 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 in time to sit at the staff table for the End of Term Feast as he was the designated DADA teacher, but obviously never taught. He 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.

Second Wizarding War (1995-1997)

Reforming the Order

"Stay in formation, everyone. Don't break ranks if one of us gets killed."

— Alastor Moody talking to the Advance Guard before taking off

The Advance Guard preparing to escort Harry Potter to safety

In 1995, Moody joined the reformed Order of the Phoenix. He was part of the Advance Guard, that took Harry from 4 Privet Drive to the Order of the Phoenix's Headquarters in 12 Grimmauld Place. While in 4 Privet Drive he remarked that his magical eye had developed a tendency to stick. He later showed up for the party Molly Weasley threw for Ron and Hermione to celebrate their becoming prefects. He mentioned that Albus Dumbledore must have assumed Ron was good at resisting spells or he would not have put him in authority. He, along with Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, checked that something inside a writing case in a spare room was indeed a boggart. Moody also showed Harry an old picture of the original Order of the Phoenix and described the members. He seemed to think it was very interesting, although Harry was a little disturbed.

Moody and Tonks accompanying Harry to the Hogwarts Express

Later on in the summer Moody was one of the guards that was tasked with escorting Harry Potter to the Hogwarts Express along with Tonks in order to ensure Harry's safety, as Lord Voldemort had returned to power.

During Christmas, Moody along with Tonks accompanied Harry, Hermione, and the Weasleys to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries to visit Arthur Weasley, who had been attacked by Lord Voldemort's snake, Nagini.

Battle of the Department of Mysteries

"Then, high above them, two more doors burst open and five more people sprinted into the room: Sirius, Lupin, Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley."

— The Order arrives in the Death Chambe

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and Ginny Weasley all went to the Ministry of Magic in 1996 in an attempt to rescue Sirius Black, who they believed was being tortured by Lord Voldemort. This was actually a lure to get Harry Potter into the Department of Mysteries to retrieve a prophecy, and after discovering this, the members of Dumbledore's Army fought back against the Death Eaters and attempted to escape.

Alastor Moody during the battle in the Department of Mysteries

After his friends were injured, Harry Potter was about to surrender the prophecy to Lucius Malfoy, who had been leading the group of Death Eaters, but then Sirius Black, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Alastor Moody himself, all members of the Order of the Phoenix, arrived and the battle resumed. During the battle Moody duelled with Antonin Dolohov and was injured. Sirius Black was killed by his cousin Bellatrix Lestrange when she hit him with a spell that knocked him through the veil in the Death Chamber. Following this battle, Albus Dumbledore arrived and duelled Voldemort himself. Cornelius Fudge witnessed Voldemort fleeing the scene and was forced to finally admit the Dark Lord had returned.

Battle of the Astronomy Tower

"An extraordinary assortment of people had already settled into half of the chairs: shabby and smart, old and young. Most Harry did not recognise, but there were a few that he did, including members of the Order of the Phoenix: Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad-Eye Moody...."

— Moody attended Dumbledore's funeral along with several others

The funeral of Albus Dumbledore

In June 1997 Hogwarts was invaded by Death Eaters in an attempt to assassinate Albus Dumbledore, although they were once again opposed by several members of Dumbledore's Army and the Order of the Phoenix. Severus Snape was believed to be a traitor after killing Dumbledore (although it had actually been on Dumbledore's own orders) and Moody personally put extra protections on 12 Grimmauld Place to prevent Snape and the other Death Eaters from entering. Moody also attended Dumbledore's funeral along with several other members of the Order of the Phoenix, various Hogwarts Students, and other employees of the Ministry as well. After the funeral, he became the new leader of the Order of the Phoenix.

Battle of the Seven Potters and death

"The one thing we've got on our side is that You-Know-Who doesn't know we're moving you tonight. We've leaked a fake trail to the Ministry, they think you're not leaving until the thirtieth. However, this is You-Know-Who we're dealing with so we can't just rely on him getting the date wrong."

— Alastor Moody briefing Harry before the battle

Moody right before the sky battle, preparing for the seven Potters plan

As it turned out, Moody's over-protectiveness of Harry Potter would be his doom. Shortly before Harry's seventeenth birthday, Moody and a team of seven Order of the Phoenix members tried to move Harry away from 4 Privet Drive to the Burrow, using broomsticks, Thestrals and a flying motorcycle to reach a network of carefully-placed Portkeys, when the original plan proved useless following Pius Thicknesse's subversion. Moody was partnered with a reluctant Mundungus Fletcher who didn't want to participate in the move out of fear.

Alastor Moody moments before his death

The team was ambushed by Death Eaters on take-off. Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour witnessed and reported what had happened: Moody and Fletcher were heading north, close by Bill and Fleur, after the Order members scattered. Voldemort, using his ability to fly, went straight for them as he believed Harry would be flying with the most skilled witch or wizard in the Guard, which was Alastor Moody. Fletcher panicked, crying out, and Moody tried to stop him, but Mundungus Disapparated, leaving Moody vulnerable to attack. Voldemort fired a Killing Curse the second that Mundungus disapparated, and hit Moody in the face. Moody fell backwards off his broom and down to the ground, and even if he survived the curse (which is almost impossible), Moody fell about one thousand feet with no wand, making his death a certainty. Because half a dozen Death Eaters were on their own tail, Bill and Fleur could do nothing.

Post-mortem and legacy

"Harry could not quite comprehend it. Mad-Eye dead; it could not be... Mad-Eye, so tough, so brave, the consummate survivor."

— Harry Potter's reaction on Moody's death

The Ministry, meanwhile, did not report Mad-Eye's death, as Rufus Scrimgeour did not want to admit the truth about Voldemort's power, or the recent Azkaban breakout (which had resulted in the large numbers of Death Eaters attacking the Order).

Moody's broken body was quickly retrieved by the Death Eaters, who were prompt in tidying up after themselves. Bill and Remus Lupin left to recover it but failed, as it had been difficult to know where Moody might have fallen, given the darkness and the confusion of the battle. As a result, the Order could not hold a funeral for Moody. Ron Weasley held out hope for Moody's survival, but Harry and Hermione promptly pointed out the flaws in his logic, and so all, in the end, accepted the truth, but the shock and sadness were great for all.

Moody's eye on Umbridge's office door

Mad-Eye's magical eye was salvaged by the Death Eaters and then, after the fall of the Ministry, given to the Muggle-Born Registration Commission's Head, Dolores Umbridge, possibly as a gift. It was set in the wood of her office door and used to aid her in spying on her workers. When Harry, Hermione and Ron infiltrated the Ministry to find the locket Horcrux, Harry discovered the eye and, disgusted by how it was being used, stole it. Doing so, however, raised the alarm. After escaping, Harry, early the next morning and before the other two were awake, left the tent they were staying in to search the woods around them for the oldest, most gnarled and resilient-looking tree he could find. Then, in its shadow, he buried the eye and marked the spot by gouging a small cross in the bark with his wand. While it wasn't much, Mad-Eye Moody was given a proper burial.

As a result of his influence, the members of the Order seemingly adopted Moody's paranoia-based caution, as Lupin asked Harry and others a security question after they made it to The Burrow, and Harry later did the same on Lupin in 12 Grimmauld Place. Ron also thought there was nobody else they could trust when Xenophilius Lovegood betrayed them.

Ironically, after the defeat of Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter followed in Mad-Eye's footsteps by becoming an Auror.

The Calamity

During the 2010s, Mad-Eye appeared as a Foundable during the Calamity. Volunteer members of the Statute of Secrecy Task Force were able to free him, allowing Mad-Eye to return to his original time.

Physical description

Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody's mangled face

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.

Personality and traits

Molly Weasley: "Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody."

Fred Weasley: "Yeah, well, Dad collects plugs, doesn't he?"

— Discussing Mr Weasley's high regard of Moody

Barty Crouch Jnr, disguised as Moody at the Yule Ball

Alastor Moody was tough, brave and a consummate survivor, as well as an excellent fighter. He had a gruff, surly disposition. Having encountered many dangerous experiences throughout his career, he was hyper-paranoid and thought of by many as being delusional.

Moody prepared all of his own meals and drank only from his personal flask in case someone tried to poison him. He was also very distrusting of most people, being very careful of whom he relayed facts about his personal life to. He kept what he considered to be important information back even from his colleagues and superiors in the Ministry of Magic, such as his birthplace and which house he was sorted into during his attendance at Hogwarts. The latter probably with keeping in mind that the house could identify some of his more essential personality traits, making it easier for the enemy to find weaknesses in his psychological defences.

Despite his paranoia, Moody was a brave individual. He never hesitated to go up against powerful dark wizards, including Lord Voldemort himself. Indeed his plan for getting Harry to safety involved using himself as a decoy knowing that Voldemort would likely go after him. This demonstrates both confidence in his own skill and a willingness to protect the rest of the Order members from Voldemort. It's likely that he knew that he could easily be killed during this encounter suggesting that he didn't fear death. Indeed he seemed to see being killed in battle as something to be proud of, as shown by his proud descriptions of the deaths of members of the previous Order of the Phoenix. At the same time, he was far from being devoid of attachment towards his allies and comrades: He was visibly saddened by the insanity of Alice and Frank Longbottom, noting how being dead would have be better than having to live the rest of their lives insane, and openly acknowledged he was never able to find it easy to get over the loss of a comrade and only by turning the sadness he felt into motivation to get justice was he able to move on, as seen by his expressing sympathy towards Jacob's sibling after they lost Rowan Khanna and even acknowledging he should have trained them well enough.

He also had a well-known habit of being set off by sudden noises or movements in his presence and even attacked a witch who shouted “boo” at him on April Fool’s Day. He even destroyed a birthday present carriage clock, believing it was a cleverly disguised basilisk egg, and was described in a Daily Prophet article as having left the Ministry when deemed "Unable to tell the difference between a handshake and attempted murder." This only intensified after he was freed from nine months of being imprisoned inside his own trunk.

Moody was a great wizard in his day and the most effective Dark Wizard hunter that the Ministry of Magic ever had. Nearly half of the cells in Azkaban were full because of Moody. He had the ability to think like a Dark wizard, which helped him track so many down. This also allowed him to outwit Voldemort during the Battle of the Seven Potters where he accurately predicted that Voldemort would believe Harry to be guarded by the most powerful members. He was also a staunchly loyal friend and supporter of Albus Dumbledore and one of the Order of the Phoenix's most powerful and reliable allies. He despised those who practised the Dark Arts, labelling such people as "filth" and relished the idea of Dark wizards being left at the mercy of the Dementors.

Magical abilities and skills

Alastor Moody was said to be the most skilled Auror in the British Ministry of Magic. Despite his skills being somewhat diminished by the Second Wizarding War, he was still a highly valued and respected member of the Order of the Phoenix. Even Lord Voldemort acknowledged Moody as one of the most powerful members of the Order following Dumbledore's death.

• Magical mastery: As a Hogwarts student, Moody had excelled in his studies, and developed an extraordinary skill in many disciplines of magic, qualifying for Auror training at the British Ministry of Magic. This speaks for his versatility and his extensive expertise in many magical disciplines, which is a very big accomplishment for a sorcerer. After all, while most wizards are skilled in different areas of magic, but are best at one specific kind, Moody reportedly had fully mastered several. Ultimately, through his work as both an Auror and an Order of the Phoenix member, Moody became widely known as one of the greatest wizards of modern times.
• Auror skills: Alastor Moody completed the Concealment and Disguise, as well as the Stealth and Tracking portions of Auror training with excellence, with him eventually becoming considered by many to be the most powerful Auror of all time. Moody was thus extremely capable in both offensive and defensive magic, the hallmarks of the Auror's trade, which he employed so effectively that Moody personally ensured that half the cells of Azkaban were filled with Death Eaters during the First Wizarding War, and was trusted by the British Ministry of Magic with the most important missions. Also, Moody somehow managed to keep his birthplace and Hogwarts house a secret even from his colleagues and Ministry superiors. Additionally, Moody was an expert on Dark Detectors, owning a Foe-Glass, Secrecy Sensor, and Sneakoscope, among others. These skills also allowed Moody to be by far one of the most prolific members of the Order of the Phoenix in both the First and Second Wizarding Wars. In fact, Moody's Auror reputation was enough to intimidate even Severus Snape, who avoided bullying (who he thought was) Moody like he did to all other Defence Against the Dark Arts professors. Moreover, Moody was capable of placing immensely powerful protective enchantments and curses on the headquarters of the Order as a means of warding off Death Eaters, wards of such strength, that not even Lord Voldemort himself could penetrate them. Moody's immense skills allowed him to later mentor Nymphadora Tonks, helping her become a highly skilled Auror in her own right.
• Duelling: Alastor Moody was an extremely skilled duellist, since in the midst of the First Wizarding War and in its aftermath, Moody utilised martial magic to fight and defeat dozens of skilled Death Eaters, Igor Karkaroff and Evan Rosier being among them. Moody's ability to switch from offence to defence made him an immensely formidable opponent. He was also known to cast spells with his Walking stick, which gave Moody an extra advantage in case he was deprived of his wand. Moody often restrained himself from inflicting fatal injuries, and tried to take his opponents alive, which may have resulted in his permanent physical injuries: mutilated face, loss of an eye, and loss of a leg. Indeed, Moody's reputation as a duellist was enough to intimidate even Severus Snape, himself a master duellist. After years of retirement, Moody's duelling skills had apparently grown rusty, which diminished his effectiveness when he once again began participating in magical combat during the Second Wizarding War. Hence, Peter Pettigrew and Barty Crouch Jnr were able to subdue Moody at his home, despite his owning several Dark Detectors that could warn him of danger, and they beat Moody before British Ministry of Magic agents could arrive on the scene. Despite this, Moody evidently managed to put up a considerable fight against the two Death Eaters, as Crouch later stated that he and Pettigrew had difficulty subduing Moody, and only managed to do it just before the Ministry agents arrived. During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Moody fought two Death Eaters simultaneously, defeated one of them with a single nonverbal spell, and later survived a duel with Antonin Dolohov, among the most powerful of Death Eaters, although Moody was injured and beaten by him. Despite this, Lord Voldemort himself considered Moody to be the most skilled Auror during the Battle of the Seven Potters, and the one most likely guarding the real Harry Potter. He personally targeted Moody, and killed him, before pursuing Kingsley Shacklebolt. It should be noted, however, that the Killing Curse Voldemort cast only hit Moody because Mundungus Fletcher, the intended target, had Disapparated. Given that he seemed certain that Voldemort would go after him suggests that he felt confident enough in his abilities to hold off the most powerful dark wizard at least long enough to get himself and Fletcher to safety.
• Defence Against the Dark Arts: Being considered the greatest Auror of all time, Moody would have received either an "Outstanding" or "Exceeds Expectations" in his O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. for this subject, with Moody's capability and knowledge in defending against the Dark Arts being extreme. This mastery can be seen by his ability to defeat many Dark Wizards and witches as an Auror. He may also have been considerably capable in breaking and countering curses, so as to be able to negate the dark spells performed by his enemies. Even though Moody's duelling abilities had grown rusty during his retirement, his mastery of defending against the Dark Arts was still exceptional, as Dumbledore (himself formerly a professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts) held Moody's abilities in high enough esteem that he hired Moody to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts for one year, and Moody was skilled enough in defensive magical wards that he personally set up the defences on 12 Grimmauld Place, defences powerful enough that even Lord Voldemort could not penetrate them. Moreover, Moody was an expert at fending off dark creatures, with him volunteering to get rid of a Boggart for Molly Weasley.
• Dark Arts: While Moody usually refrained from using dark magic, inflicting fatal injuries on his opponents, and killing them if it could be avoided throughout his time as an Auror, since the use of Unforgivable Curses and other forms of Dark Magic were legalised by Bartemius Crouch Snr, to torture or kill Death Eaters rather than capture them in the First Wizarding War, Moody was one of the few non-Dark Wizards capable of practising dark magic. Although he was never seen using Dark Arts, there are pieces of evidence to prove that Moody had a rather considerable amount of ability and knowledge, as shown by the fact that he killed Evan Rosier when the latter resisted capture, likely by either the use of the Killing Curse or another curse which could inflict fatal injuries on his opponent, and by the fact that Moody attacked a witch who startled him during an April Fool’s Day celebration (although the type of curse he used is unknown). Moody may even be powerful enough in the field of magic to be capable of performing the Unforgivable Curses, considering that Barty Crouch Jnr while disguised as Moody, was able to demonstrate the Unforgivable Curses while teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts and practise the Imperius Curse on his students to build up their resistance, without arousing suspicion from even Albus Dumbledore. This also hints that Moody was willing to demonstrate the effects of Curses on people if he taught them about the dangers of dark magic, as long as the curses did not harm people seriously in the process. However, this is ultimately debatable, as Crouch Jnr managed to temporarily fool Dumbledore of his true identity, thereby possibly deceiving Dumbledore into believing that he just taught the Unforgivable Curses, rather than directly demonstrating them, and practising the Imperius Curse on his students. Nevertheless, Moody's knowledge of dark magic was likely great, which aided Moody in his time as an Auror to counteract curses from opponents, as well as setting up Dark Detectors at his home.
• Charms: As an Auror, Moody was highly proficient in charm-work, since as an Auror, he would received at least an Exceeds Expectations in his O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. for this subject, and was capable of performing the Disillusionment Charm, an extremely advanced charm that very few could cast. Moreover, Moody did not require an Invisibility cloak to make himself and Harry Potter invisible when acting as a member of the Advance Guard, and he was an expert on the Boggart-Banishing Spell, given his offer to take care of the Boggart in 12 Grimmauld Place. Moody was skilled enough in charms to cast them from his Walking stick, which gave Moody an extra advantage, in case he was deprived of his wand. It's also likely that he himself applied the powers to his magical eye and his magical trunk as they seem exclusive only to him. In addition, Moody could also conjure a non-corporeal Patronus, a mark of superior magical ability and testament to his expertise and talent in charms, given the immense difficulty of casting such an advanced and powerful protective spell.
• Transfiguration: As an Auror, Moody was proficient in transfiguration, as he had to have received at least an Exceeds Expectations in his O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. for this subject. When Barty Crouch Jnr easily transfigured Malfoy into a ferret, McGonagall was not suspicious, meaning Moody would have likely been capable of doing the same feat.
• Potions: As an Auror, Moody was proficient in potion-making, as he had to have received at least an Exceeds Expectations in his O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. for this subject. Indeed, Moody was capable of brewing the highly complex Polyjuice Potion, making enough of it to disguise all seven of the willing participants of the Battle of the Seven Potters as Harry Potter, to ensure the latter's safety, showing his great talent in this field.
• Herbology: As an Auror, Moody was skilled in Herbology, as he had to have received at least an Exceeds Expectations in his O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. for this subject.
• Apparition: Moody, like most accomplished adult wizards, could Apparate at will. He originally intended to bring Harry away from the Dursley's through side-along apparition.

Moody flying his broomstick over London

• Flying: Moody was an accomplished broomstick flyer, as he flew his broomstick while acting as a member of the Advance Guard, and fought in mid-air during the Battle of the Seven Potters, which requires a high level of flying skill. However, Moody was ultimately not skilled (or fortunate) enough to escape Lord Voldemort, and was blasted off his broom by the Dark Lord's Killing Curse, though this could've partially been due to Mundungus Fletcher's desertion.
• Wandless and nonverbal magic: Despite being somewhat rusty from years of not applying his magic in his retirement, Moody had evidently remained an extremely powerful and skilled wizard, as he could effectively perform nonverbal magic, was able to summon brooms, duel Death Eaters, and even cast the highly advanced Disillusionment Charm without saying the incantation. Moody also demonstrated powerful wandless magic with his Walking stick, as it gave Moody an extra advantage, in case he was deprived of his wand.
• Occlumency (possibly): Moody, being such a paranoid survivor, was most likely an excellent Occlumens, as he naturally would do to prevent Legilimens from learning any information about him. Indeed, when Crouch Jnr used Occlumency to prevent Dumbledore from reading his mind for several months, Dumbledore was not suspicious, meaning Moody was too capable of effectively concealing his thoughts from a Legilimens as powerful as Dumbledore.
• Leadership skills: Moody had exceptional leadership skills, evident from his status as a very prominent Auror in the British Ministry of Magic, from the fact that Moody lead the Advance Guard, and from Moody being the one to lead the Order of the Phoenix following Albus Dumbledore's death.
• Teaching skills: While Moody never had the chance to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, since Bartemius Crouch Junior did his best to convincingly imitate Moody's behaviour and habits, it can be deduced that Moody would have been a very effective professor, since Harry Potter learned from the fake Moody to resist the Imperius Curse, Dean Thomas noted that the fake Moody had taught them a great deal, and Dumbledore was not suspicious of Crouch's success in teaching the students. Moreover, Moody mentored his protégée Nymphadora Tonks in becoming a highly skilful Auror in her own right, showing him to have been an excellent teacher himself.
• Indomitable willpower: Moody possessed immense willpower and bravery, being considered the greatest Auror of all time, having great respect in the British Ministry of Magic, and fighting in both Wizarding Wars on the front lines, thus showcasing an unbreakable spirit. As such, Moody excelled at intimidating others, notably Vernon Dursley, Igor Karkaroff, and even Severus Snape. Harry Potter also admitted that (who he thought was) Moody "scared him slightly." However, this would also induce Moody to come off as a hyper-paranoid consummate survivor, with him often bellowing his mantra "constant vigilance" at people, scanning his surroundings with his magic eye, preparing all of his own meals, drinking only from his personal flask, keeping his birthplace and Hogwarts house a secret even from his colleagues and Ministry superiors, and being set off by sudden noises or movements. Indeed, Moody even attacked a witch for shouting "boo" at him during April Fools Day, and destroyed a birthday carriage clock when he thought it might have been a disguised Basilisk egg.

Possessions

Moody's wand

Moody's Foe Glass

• Magical Eye: Moody's most notable possession was his magical eye, which is electric blue and earned him his nickname "Mad-Eye". This eye allows him to see through anything, such as wood, invisibility cloaks (including Harry Potter's invisibility cloak which was one of the Deathly Hallows) and the back of his head. Ever since it was worn by Barty Crouch the eye tends to get stuck in its socket.
• Wand: Like most wizards and witches, Moody carried a wand. If he was ever deprived of his wand he would use his staff instead.
• Invisibility cloaks: Moody possessed two invisibility cloaks, though he lent one to Sturgis Podmore, which was never returned. Though it is unconfirmed it is possible that Moody's travelling cloak was one of his invisibility cloaks.
• Magical trunk: Moody possessed a magical trunk, with seven compartments (one in which Barty Couch Jnr hid the real Moody during his year at Hogwarts), along with the keys for each compartment.
• Foe-Glass: Alastor's Foe-Glass showed the images of foes when they approached him.
• Sneakoscope: Moody's Sneakoscope was large, and Barty Crouch, impersonating Moody, said that he disabled it because it was constantly spinning and whistling due to the large number of students who were practising untrustworthy behaviour in the vicinity. In reality, it was constantly signalling that Barty Crouch was committing a deception.
• Secrecy Sensor: Moody's Secrecy sensor would detect secrets and lies.
• Walking Stick: Moody's walking stick had magical capabilities and if he was ever deprived of his wand he would use his staff instead.
• Silver Drinking Flask: Moody's paranoia led to him believing an enemy may be poisoning his food behind his back, so he drank from his personal flask to prevent that from happening. Barty Crouch Jnr filled it with Polyjuice Potion during his year in disguise and was able to drink without arousing suspicion.
• Broomstick: Moody flew his broomstick while acting as a member of the Advance Guard and fighting during the Battle of the Seven Potters.
• Wooden Leg: At some point during his career, Alastor lost one of his legs and therefore relied on a wooden leg to replace his lost one.

Relationships

Nymphadora Tonks

Nymphadora Tonks, his protege and friend

Moody was Nymphadora Tonks's mentor during her time training as an Auror, and later during their time together in the Order of the Phoenix. Despite Moody's surly attitude and behaviour, Tonks was always at ease with him, making jokey comments at his opinions and lectures, such as the one he gave Harry on elementary wand-safety the night the Advance Guard escorted him to Grimmauld Place. For his part, Moody was openly fond of Tonks; Harry Potter once noted that she had been his favourite during their time together at the Ministry.

When Tonks was injured during her duel with Bellatrix Lestrange in the Department of Mysteries, Mad-Eye crawled his way to her side in an effort to help her regain consciousness, despite having been injured himself by Antonin Dolohov. Tonks was devastated by Moody's death in 1997 and was seen crying.

Albus Dumbledore

"He's not Alastor Moody. The real Alastor Moody would never remove you away from me, after what had happened [...] "

— Albus Dumbledore to Harry Potter about Barty Crouch Jnr's impersonation of Alastor Moody

Albus Dumbledore, one of his closest friends

Alastor Moody was one of Albus Dumbledore's closest friends. They fought alongside each other in many battles, but Moody teased Dumbledore for hating Dementors. In 1994, Moody accepted Dumbledore's offer to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts for a year, but was captured and imprisoned by Barty Crouch Jnr, who impersonated him during the 1994-1995 school year, in order to send Harry Potter to Lord Voldemort. Dumbledore was able to deduce the impersonation once Crouch lost his composure from over-excitement. Dumbledore and Moody fought together in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. Moody was the next member of the order to die after Dumbledore.

Harry Potter

"Don't put your wand into your back pocket! Better wizards than you have lost buttocks from it!"

— Moody's advice to Harry regarding wand safety

Harry Potter, an ally

Harry originally met Moody a year after he was impersonated by Barty Crouch Jnr, when Moody came to 4 Privet Drive with other Order of the Phoenix members known as the Advance Guard. Upon first meeting the real Moody (which made Harry felt strange due to having spent so much time with an impostor), Harry thought that Moody was a little mad and overprotective, as he suspected everybody, and didn't even let Harry carry his wand in his back pocket, saying that better wizards than him had lost buttocks.

When Moody was murdered by Lord Voldemort during the Battle of the Seven Potters, Harry was devastated by his death, as were the other Order of the Phoenix members. Later, when Harry, Ron and Hermione went to the Ministry of Magic in order to steal Salazar Slytherin's Locket from Dolores Umbridge, Harry found Moody's magical eye in Umbridge's office door and buried it under a tree and marked the spot by gouging a small cross in the bark with his wand. While it wasn't much, Harry felt that Mad-Eye Moody was given a proper burial and would have appreciated this act of kindness. Harry avenged Moody when he killed Voldemort at the end of the Battle of Hogwarts.

While Harry's first impression of the real Moody was that he was overly paranoid with the extra security, he would later adopt this mentality during the rising stakes of the Second Wizarding War, questioning those around him to ensure they are not impostors.

Weasley family

Weasley family, his allies

Alastor Moody was always on good terms with the Weasley family. He was friendly with Arthur Weasley, whom he had met through the Ministry of Magic. Arthur had a high opinion of Moody and thought he was a little mad, but he was a great wizard and the most famous Auror of his time. Arthur and Moody fought together in the Battle of the Seven Potters. When Moody was killed by Lord Voldemort, Arthur was very sad.

Moody also seemed to be friendly with Molly Weasley. Although they didn't have a close relationship, Molly knew about him and knew Moody was a great Auror. It could well be that, as a member of the original Order of the Phoenix, he had at least known her brothers, Fabian and Gideon Prewett, reasonably well, whether or not they were truly friends. Fred and George and Ron also thought Moody was a great wizard and thought he taught them great magic. However, in fact, it wasn't Moody, but Barty Crouch Jnr, who was disguised as Moody. It is also possible that it was the kind of magic that the real Moody would teach.

He was also friendly with Bill, Charlie, and Ginny. After he was killed, the Weasley family was devastated. Bill, along with Remus Lupin, went to search for Moody's dead body.

Order of the Phoenix members

Order of the Phoenix, his allies

Moody was a member of the Order of the Phoenix in both wizarding wars. He was friendly with his most fellow members of the orders, despite his overprotective behaviour and his madness. Except Nymphadora Tonks, Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter, and the Weasley family, Moody was also a friend of Remus Lupin. Lupin and Moody met each other during the First Wizarding War, but they also fought in several battles of the Second Wizarding War. When Moody was killed, Remus was devastated and attempted to search for his dead body.

Moody was also a friend of Kingsley Shacklebolt. They fought together at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries and the Battle of the Seven Potters. Kingsley was also devastated by Moody's death and became the leader of the order after the battle.

Sirius Black also spoke highly of Moody, respecting him for his abilities and for not killing Death Eaters unless necessary. The two fought together in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries where Sirius was killed. Moody was likely saddened by his death.

He was also friendly with Hermione Granger. Hermione and Moody fought at several battles together, but, when Moody was killed, Hermione was devastated.

He might have been also a friend of: Dedalus Diggle, Emmeline Vance, Hestia Jones, Sturgis Podmore, Elphias Doge, Mundungus Fletcher, Rubeus Hagrid, Arabella Figg, and Fleur Delacour. Sirius was murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, after he, Moody and three other attempted to battle the Death Eaters, in order to save Harry and his friends.

Vance was killed by Death Eaters in 1996, while Podmore was imprisoned in Azkaban for attempting to open the door of the Department of Mysteries. Moody didn't know it and was angry with Podmore, because he had taken his Invisibility Cloak.

Mundungus was paired along with Moody during the Battle of the Seven Potters. When Voldemort attacked them, Mundungus was frightened and disappeared, abandoning Moody, who was killed by Voldemort.

Some of the members of the order were killed during the First Wizarding War. These included Marlene McKinnon, who was killed along with her family, Caradoc Dearborn, who was murdered by Death Eaters and his body was never found, Benjy Fenwick, who was killed and mutilated, Edgar Bones, who was killed along with his family, Dorcas Meadowes, who was murdered by Voldemort himself, Gideon and Fabian Prewett, who were killed by five Death Eaters, and James and Lily Potter, who were killed by Voldemort. However, Alice and Frank Longbottom were tortured into insanity by four Death Eaters; Bellatrix Lestrange, Barty Crouch Jnr and Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange. Moody was evidently saddened by their fates and noted that death would have been better and much easier to handle than the lack of sanity with which they would have to live until they die.

Most members of the Order of the Phoenix were devastated after Moody was killed, and many of them were killed, too, by the end of the Second Wizarding War.

Although originally some members of the Order thought Moody was being overly paranoid with his extra security, and simply humoured him passively, during the rising stakes of the Second Wizarding War, especially after Alastor was killed, the other members took after his methods, mainly asking questions that only other members would be aware of; Lupin even acted violently and cautiously when asking Harry such a security question.

Death Eaters and enemies

Igor Karkaroff, an enemy and former Death Eater

During his years as an Auror, Moody captured and defeated many Death Eaters, such as Evan Rosier. According to Sirius Black, Moody was very cruel with the Death Eaters he fought against, but he never killed if he could avoid it.

Moody captured Karkaroff after Voldemort's downfall. He also participated in Karkaroff's trial and told Dumbledore that they should take information from Karkaroff and then send him back to the Dementors. However, Dumbledore refused. Moody and Karkaroff met again in 1994, during the Triwizard Tournament. In fact, he wasn't the real Alastor Moody, but Barty Crouch Jnr, a Death Eater. After Harry Potter was chosen for the Tournament, Karkaroff got very angry, because Hogwarts had two champions. When Barty (disguised as Moody) told him how the Goblet of Fire might have been fooled, Karkaroff told him that he thought like a Dark Wizard. Barty answered that it was his job to capture Dark Wizards and perhaps he remembered, meaning that Moody and Karkaroff knew each other well. It is unknown how the real Moody reacted when he learned that Karkaroff was killed by Death Eaters.

Moody also held a grudge against Barty Crouch Jnr for abducting, imprisoning and impersonating him, and was furious that Crouch ruined his magical eye by wearing it, causing it to get stuck from time to time.

Peter Pettigrew was another Death Eater who attacked and subdued Moody. Both Peter and Moody fought against the Death Eaters together during the First Wizarding War, though it's unknown what kind of relationship they had. It's also not known how Moody reacted upon learning that Peter was alive and actually a Death Eater.

Media

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - The Order rescues Harry part 1 (HD)

The Advance Guard

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 - Seven Harrys (2010) HD

The Seven Potters

Etymology

• "Alastor" is Ancient Greek for "he who does not forget", thus (1) "avenger", "persecutor", "tormenter", (2) "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.

Behind the scenes

Bredan Gleeson as a somewhat overweight Moody

Alastor Moody as he appears in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite

Moody as he appears in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Moody as a LEGO minifigure (old edition)

Moody as a LEGO minifigure (new edition)

• Moody is portrayed by Irish actor Brendan Gleeson in the film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows: Part 1. His son Domhnall Gleeson played Bill Weasley in Deathly Hallows: Part 1 and Part 2.
• In the films, Moody is portrayed considerably different from his literary counterpart. Differences between his description in the book and his portrayal on film include his magical eye being held in place by an eye patch-like strap and brass ring, having a less mutilated face, including a full nose instead of a piece of it missing.
• In the film adaptation, the magical eye replaced Moody's left eye. The illustration in the Goblet of Fire shows Moody's magical eye replaced his right eye and his nose is intact (see drawing under physical description above). The back cover illustration of the Order of the Phoenix also shows it in the right eye socket, while the bridge of his nose looks damaged. There's no written description of which leg and which eye were lost.
• In the films he has hair that is blonde but greying rather than hair that is completely grey, and is somewhat overweight. His artificial leg in the films is made of metal rather than wood.
• He also speaks with Gleeson's natural Irish accent, although his nationality appears to be Scottish, seeing as his impostor wears a kilt in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire during the Yule Ball. His nationality is never identified in the book, although Moody is a surname common in both Ireland and Scotland, while Alastor (sometimes spelt Alistair) is a Scottish first name.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Moody has a specialised broom and his wand is either concealed in his walking stick or is the stick itself.
• Also in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries scene, Alastor Moody can be momentarily glimpsed in the background duelling two Death Eaters wielding not only his staff in his right hand, but what appears to be a wand in his left.(Exact time in reference 1:53-1:57)
• The Noble Collection also made a replica of Alastor's wand, as seen in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
• Alastor Moody is the only Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts never seen before the start of the academic year, as Barty Crouch Jnr, disguised as Moody, first appears on 1 September, and the real Mad-Eye Moody appears only at the end of the year.
• A keychain replica of Moody's magical eye was also released.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it is Sirius, not Moody, who gives Harry the picture of the original Order of the Phoenix members.
• "Constant Vigilance!" is Moody's supposed catchphrase. However, the phrase is never actually uttered by Moody, only by Barty Jnr when impersonating him. In the film adaptions, the phrase is omitted altogether (aside from one use that was edited out).
• The scenes of Moody's magical eye being taken and used by Dolores Umbridge, as well as Harry recovering and properly burying it have been omitted from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (footage of this may have been filmed, however, seeing as it is seen on Umbridge's door with no mention of it being used.)
• According to his file, Alastor Moody was 6' 2" and weighed 183 lbs. Whether this weight accounted for his prosthetic leg (which, in the films where the file is seen, is made of metal and thus would presumably be significantly heavy) or not is unknown.
• He says in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 that Polyjuice Potion "tastes like goblin piss" before the Battle of the Seven Potters.
  • To this one of the Weasley twins says "Have a lot of experiences with that, do you Mad-Eye?", either referring to their 6th year and well aware that this was not the real Moody or joking that he knew what "goblin piss" tasted like, or both.
• It is possible that Moody took part in the capture of the Lestranges and Barty Crouch Jnr following their attack on Frank and Alice Longbottom. During the trial for the former, Moody is conspicuously absent despite being present during both Igor Karkaroff and Ludovic Bagman's trials. It may be during this skirmish that he lost his eye as he had both eyes during the former trials and he is said to have lost it in a battle against Death Eaters. It's possible that his absence during the Lestrange trials was due to suffering an injury to his eye, forcing him to replace it with his magical one.
• Moody may have been currently the only wizard to know a Boggart's true form: in fact, in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, he was asked by Molly Weasley to check if there was one inside a drawer. Since he used his magical eye, which can see through objects, it is possible the Boggart did not realise his presence and thus did not transform.
• On Pottermore, in the Moment "Grimmauld Place", the image of Alastor Moody is incorrectly identified in the page source as "dumbledore.png", though this filename could possibly refer to the fact that Moody is giving Harry a note from Albus Dumbledore in this scene.

Appearances

Alastor Moody as a POP! Vinyl

Moody and the Advance Guard in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7

• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (video game) (Polyjuiced body only)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game) (Mentioned only)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Building the Magical World (Polyjuiced body only)
• LEGO Harry Potter (Polyjuiced body only)
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• LEGO Harry Potter
• The Making of Harry Potter
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault
• Pottermore
• Wizarding World
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite