Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody

Alastor Moody, more commonly known by his nickname 'Mad-Eye', was a Pure-blood wizard and arguably the most famous and accomplished Auror of modern times. A pivotal member of the original and reconstituted Order of the Phoenix, Moody was known for his extreme paranoia, his dedication to fighting the Dark Arts, and the numerous injuries he sustained in the line of duty. His significance in the series is twofold: first, as the unwilling template for Barty Crouch Jr.'s impersonation during Harry Potter's fourth year at Hogwarts, and second, as a genuine, albeit gruff, mentor and protector to Harry during the Second Wizarding War.

Alastor Moody built a formidable reputation during the First Wizarding War as a highly effective Auror for the Ministry of Magic. His skill and ruthlessness in pursuing Dark Wizards were legendary; it was said that half the cells in Azkaban were filled thanks to his efforts. This success came at a great personal cost, as he lost a leg, an eye, and a piece of his nose in combat. These experiences fostered a state of hyper-vigilance and paranoia, making his personal motto “Constant vigilance!”. He was a close friend and trusted ally of Albus Dumbledore and a founding member of the original Order of the Phoenix.

In 1994, Moody agreed to come out of retirement to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts at Dumbledore's request. However, shortly before the school term began, he was ambushed and overpowered at his home by Lord Voldemort's servants, Barty Crouch Jr. and Peter Pettigrew. For the entire 1994-1995 school year, Moody was held captive at the bottom of his own seven-locked magical trunk. Meanwhile, Barty Crouch Jr. used a constant supply of Polyjuice Potion to assume Moody's form and take his place as a professor. The impersonator successfully fooled nearly everyone, including Albus Dumbledore, using his disguise to manipulate the Triwizard Tournament and ensure Harry Potter would be transported to Lord Voldemort in the Little Hangleton graveyard. The real Moody was kept alive to supply hair for the Polyjuice Potion and to provide information about his own personality and habits. Following Voldemort's return, Moody was rescued from the trunk by Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Severus Snape after the impersonator's plot was uncovered.

After his rescue, the real Moody rejoined the Order of the Phoenix and became one of its key leaders. In the summer of 1995, he led the Advance Guard to escort Harry Potter from Number Four, Privet Drive to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. He remained a staunch protector of Harry, participating in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries in 1996 where he was injured in a duel with Antonin Dolohov. Moody's final act was to help devise and execute the plan to move Harry from the Dursleys' home for the last time in July 1997, an operation known as the Battle of the Seven Potters. He was paired with Mundungus Fletcher, who was disguised as Harry. When Lord Voldemort himself attacked their pair, the cowardly Mundungus Fletcher Disapparated, leaving Moody to face the Dark Lord alone. Moody was struck by a Killing Curse and fell from his broom to his death. His body was never recovered by the Order of the Phoenix. His magical eye, however, was later found mounted on the office door of Dolores Umbridge at the Ministry of Magic. Harry retrieved the eye and gave it a proper burial in the forest near the Quidditch World Cup campsite, marking the spot with a cross scratched into a tree.

Alastor Moody's appearance was a testament to his long and brutal career. His face was heavily scarred, described as looking as if it were carved from a piece of weathered wood. A large chunk of his nose was missing. He walked with a pronounced limp, aided by a gnarled walking staff, due to his prosthetic leg which ended in a clawed foot. His most striking feature was his mismatched eyes. One was small, dark, and beady, while the other was a large, round, vivid electric blue Magical Eye. This magical prosthetic could rotate 360 degrees in its socket and see through nearly any object, including wood, stone, and even Invisibility Cloaks. Moody's personality was defined by his famous catchphrase, “Constant vigilance!” He was perpetually suspicious and paranoid, trusting no one and taking extreme precautions such as only drinking from his personal hip flask. Beneath this gruff and battle-hardened exterior, however, was a man of immense courage, loyalty, and a fierce desire to protect the innocent. He was a natural leader who commanded respect, if not always affection, from his fellow Order members.

• Master Duellist: As the Ministry's most effective Auror, Moody was an exceptionally powerful and skilled duellist with vast combat experience.
• Expert in Defensive Magic: His chosen field of expertise was Defence Against the Dark Arts, and he possessed profound knowledge of counter-jinxes and defensive enchantments.
• Non-Verbal Magic: Moody was highly proficient in performing spells non-verbally, as demonstrated when he wordlessly transfigured Draco Malfoy into a ferret as punishment.
• Dark Arts Knowledge: His career required an encyclopedic knowledge of the Dark Arts in order to effectively combat them. This knowledge was used by his impersonator to teach students about the Unforgivable Curses.
• Patronus Charm: Moody's Patronus is never revealed in the novels.

• Magical Eye: Moody's signature possession. The electric blue eye allowed him to see through solid objects and provided him with a full 360-degree field of vision.
• Prosthetic Leg: A magically crafted wooden leg with a clawed foot.
• Walking Staff: A sturdy, gnarled staff he used for both support and, presumably, as a focus for magic.
• Magical Trunk: A trunk secured with seven different locks. Each lock revealed a deeper compartment, the last of which was a ten-foot-deep chamber used by Barty Crouch Jr. to imprison him.
• Dark Detectors: Moody owned several devices to warn him of danger, including a Foe-Glass that showed the figures of his enemies, a Secrecy Sensor that detected lies, and a Sneakoscope.

• Albus Dumbledore: Moody was one of Dumbledore's oldest friends and most trusted allies. Dumbledore respected Moody's skills and integrity immensely, entrusting him with both the DADA post and a leadership role in the Order of the Phoenix.
• Harry Potter: The real Moody was a fierce protector of Harry. He showed Harry the photo of the original Order of the Phoenix to help him understand the stakes of the war and repeatedly put his life on the line for the boy's safety.
• Nymphadora Tonks: Tonks was Moody's protégée at the Ministry of Magic. He was genuinely fond of her, though he often criticized her for her occasional clumsiness.
• Mundungus Fletcher: Moody held Mundungus in great contempt for his criminal nature and cowardice, a distrust that was tragically justified when Mundungus's desertion led directly to Moody's death.

• Alastor: This name is of Greek origin, meaning “avenger” or “he who does not forget.” In mythology, Alastor was a spirit of vengeance, which suits Moody's role as a relentless pursuer of Dark Wizards.
• Moody: This English surname can mean “brave” or “impetuous,” but is more commonly associated with being temperamental or sullen. This reflects his gruff, suspicious, and unpredictable personality.
• Mad-Eye: A descriptive and fitting nickname referring to his distinctive, independently moving Magical Eye.

• In the film adaptations, Alastor Moody is portrayed by Irish actor Brendan Gleeson. The film version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire adds a tic of Barty Crouch Jr. constantly flicking his tongue, which he continues to do while disguised as Moody, providing a subtle clue to his identity that is not present in the book.
• Moody's death in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 is not shown on screen; it is reported by a distraught Bill Weasley after he and Remus Lupin return to The Burrow.
• J.K. Rowling stated that Moody's Patronus was non-corporeal. She explained that as a powerful Auror, he was too security-conscious to produce a corporeal Patronus that might reveal an aspect of his identity (Pottermore).