And Life Goes On - Part 7

"When an Auror is on a case, is there a spell he can perform to detect if Dark Magic has been used?" Harry asked, thinking back to a cold, dank cave on a chilly spring night.

"Of course there is," Moody said shortly.

"Can you teach me?" Harry asked.

Moody's glass eye narrowed as he studied him. He was silent for a moment before he waved his wand towards the open door. A moment later, a small black case came zooming into the kitchen. Moody opened it and pulled out what looked to Harry like a pair of theater glasses.

"This is used by upcoming Aurors during training. It's a Spell Detector. When you wear it, you can see traces of a magical imprint surrounding objects. Dark magic shows as red," Moody said, pushing the glasses towards Harry. "As an Auror becomes more proficient with them, some can even use their wand and a Revealo spell to detect the imprints, but you need to be able to achieve a unique level of concentration to detect the colors."

"Professor Dumbledore did it with just his hands," Harry mumbled, his mind in the not-so-distant past.

"Well, that was Dumbledore, wasn't it?" Moody said gruffly.

"It can have a feel to it, too, can't it? Just enough to cause a shiver, maybe?" Harry asked, searching for the words to relate his meaning.

Moody glanced sharply and appraisingly at Harry. Harry had the vague feeling that Moody was somehow impressed. "Anyone able to feel a magical imprint would have to be mighty powerful, indeed. That would be a highly useful skill for anyone who wanted to be an Auror. One would want to keep such abilities quiet. That kind of information should be kept from the wrong hands."

"Indeed," Harry replied, his eyes widening. Had he really felt something that night in the cave when Dumbledore was looking for the traces of Voldemort's concealment? Harry couldn't be certain, but he at least now had a way to attempt to find out.

"Can I borrow this?" he asked, holding the Spell Detector.

"I don't think I'd notice if it went missing," Moody replied, shrugging.

Harry nodded and tucked the black case into his shirt pocket. "Where is everyone this morning?" he asked.

Moody slowly poured himself a cup of coffee. "Avoiding me, most likely," he said at last. "None of the Weasleys are too happy with me right now."

"Because of Percy?" Harry asked. He knew Percy had finally managed to leave headquarters the previous evening, and he could tell that Mrs. Weasley hadn't been happy about whatever arrangements had been made.

"I understand he's Molly and Arthur's boy, but he's a liability. It's my job to concern myself with liabilities," Moody said gruffly.

"You used a Memory Charm, then?" Harry asked.

"No, but I still think we should have. Molly was adamant that he be allowed to remember reconciling with his family. Memory Charms are tricky business, mind, so I couldn't promise her that. We finally settled on an Unbreakable Vow. Arthur agreed to it, but Molly was livid. I don't envy being in Arthur's position this morning," Moody said with a grimace.

Harry sniggered over the idea that battle-scarred Mad-Eye Moody was intimidated by Molly Weasley. Not that Harry wasn't, as well, but still...

"She probably won't speak to me for days before she lets loose again," Moody said. "I'll miss the meals. I haven't eaten this well in years."

"I don't know. I don't think Mrs. Weasley could let anyone go hungry, no matter how angry she was," Harry said.