"I used the Echo Charm to pinpoint their location," Alex explained. "It's a spell Professor Bone and I developed together during his time teaching. It's like a magical sonar. Tailwind gave me the heads-up, and I knew I didn't have much time."
Moody raised an eyebrow. "The Echo Charm… Ah, yes. Edgar bragged about it during an Order meeting, saying he'd perfected it with your help." He smirked briefly before gesturing for Alex to continue. "What next?"
"I knew I had to act fast. Time wasn't on my side," Alex said. "I cast an Invisibility Charm on myself, then threw a 'Dazzling Charm' into the mix. It's a spell I designed to create a blinding flash of light, perfect for disorienting opponents."
Moody frowned. "Dazzling Charm? Never heard of it."
Alex reached into his pocket, pulling out a button. "I'll show you." He channeled magic into the button and tossed it high into the air. A sudden burst of brilliant light flooded the area, even in broad daylight. Moody squinted and shielded his eyes.
"Impressive," Moody muttered, rubbing his temples. "You made this?"
Alex nodded. "It's an optimized spell using glowing runes. Back then, it lasted long enough for me to break out of their encirclement. I hit Yaxley with stupefy, used him as a shield, and blocked their spells with his body."
"Smart move," Moody grunted approvingly. "That must've thrown them off balance."
"It did," Alex said, his voice steady despite the memory. "Yaxley took several hits from their own spells. Once I realized using him as a shield wasn't enough, I levitated him toward another Death Eater, using the distraction to cast a Ground Curse on the big guy—Crabbe."
Moody snorted. "Crabbe? That one's a joke. All muscle, no brains. But managing a precise Ground Curse under pressure? That's not easy. It takes sharp reflexes and skill."
"Thanks to my phase shoes and protection ring." Alex tapped his shoes and held up his ring for Moody to see. "At that time, I noticed through the echo spell that someone was casting magic on me. So, I immediately activated the acceleration feature of my phase shoes to dodge to the side and used the protection ring to cast the Shield Charm. That blocked the explosion's shockwave and let me close in during the chaos. I managed to knock a Death Eater down with a close-range spell."
To demonstrate, Alex pointed at Karkaroff and activated the protection ring again. A shimmering, arc-shaped barrier radiated from the ring on his left hand, enveloping most of his body. "Not bad, Alex. You've got yourself some impressive tools," Moody remarked with a rare smile.
Alex chuckled shyly, scratching his head. "You're too kind. Anyway, with only two opponents left, their attacks became relentless. They even threw Unforgivable Curses at me multiple times. I used the agility of the phase shoes to dodge as many as I could."
Moody chuckled, his magical eye spinning with amusement. "Interested? That's an understatement. These are way more practical than some of the rubbish we've been using. If you start selling these, let me know. I'll place an order in advance!"
"Don't worry. I'll send you a trial batch first," Alex said confidently. Then, his tone turned conspiratorial. "Actually, I'm working on something new—a pair of enchanted handcuffs I'm calling 'Forbidden Shackles.' They'll drain a wizard's magic while they're wearing them. Perfect for capturing dark wizards, don't you think?"
Moody's eyes gleamed with excitement. "If that works, it could be a game-changer. Tell me more about it!"
Their conversation shifted into a detailed exchange. Moody described the daily challenges Aurors and Ministry enforcement staff faced: delayed responses to emergencies, difficulty tracking dark wizards, poor coordination during arrests, and a lack of effective detection tools. Alex soaked up the insights, his mind buzzing with ideas for future alchemical inventions. It was clear that Moody's experience had opened up a wealth of potential directions for his work.
Just as their discussion hit a stride, a series of sharp cracks filled the air—Apparition echoes signaling the arrival of Ministry officials. A group of Aurors appeared on the battlefield, taking in the scorched ground, shattered trees, and unconscious Death Eaters.
Unaware of the situation, their wands shot up immediately, aimed squarely at Alex. "Lower your wands! Do you even know who you're pointing at? This young man is a hero!" Moody barked, his voice thunderous. "He took down five Death Eaters singlehandedly!"
The Aurors froze, exchanging sheepish glances before reluctantly lowering their wands. One of them stepped forward, his gaze flicking between Alex and the defeated Death Eaters. "Are you serious, Mr. Moody? This kid handled all of them by himself?" the Auror asked, incredulity dripping from his tone.
After listening to Alex recount the battle, Moody no longer doubted Alex's ability to take down the Death Eaters. In fact, he seemed more interested in Alex's remarkable equipment. "What are you standing around for? Get moving! Secure the prisoners and seal off the area. Look at the mess here! Start putting up Muggle-Repelling Charms and shielding spell barriers immediately. We need to wait for the Reversal of Accidental Magic Incident Team to sort this out!"
Many of the Aurors, who had been dragged out of bed for this mission, were still groggy when they arrived on the scene. Moody's sharp tone jolted them awake, and they scrambled to work. Within minutes, layers of spells formed an invisible barrier around the area.
Alex observed the hustle and bustle. Despite their earlier disarray, the Aurors demonstrated solid professionalism and a strong sense of duty. He made a mental note that, for all their rough edges, this team wasn't half bad. "Alex," Moody said, his tone softening just a fraction after his tirade, though his scarred face remained as intimidating as ever. "Let me take you to St. Mungo's. After what you've been through, you need a proper check-up. Don't worry about the medical bills; we'll cover everything."
Despite Moody's terrifying demeanor, Alex could sense his genuine concern. It was a stark contrast to the terrifying image Moody projected when yelling at others. Alex smiled faintly and shook his head. "No need, Moody. I know my condition well. Don't forget, I'm good with alchemy. I've got a gadget for self-diagnosis."
He pulled out a pocket watch, flipped it over, and pressed a small hidden switch. The back opened to reveal four colorful fan-shaped dials divided by a cross. Each quadrant displayed one of four colors—red, yellow, blue, and green—with circular scales marking different readings. Alex explained as he pointed to the device. "A full red grid means no blood loss and healthy muscles. Yellow shows the bones are intact. Blue means body temperature is normal, no dehydration. And green? No signs of poisoning."
Moody leaned in for a closer look, his magical eye spinning to inspect the device. "Merlin's beard, how many nifty gadgets do you have hidden in your pockets? Will you sell this thing someday?"
Alex chuckled. "It's not perfect. A Confundus Charm or a shielding spell can throw it off. I just made it for fun. But hey, if there's a market for it, I wouldn't mind mass-producing and selling it."
Moody grinned—a rare sight. "If you do, put me on the list. I could use one. Would save me the trouble of figuring out if I've cracked another bone." His humor, though dark, lightened the mood.