The headmasters study showed no signs of the great struggle that had taken place in it mere hours before. True, there had been no physical battle but a war had begun and the tension still crackled like electricity.

Fawkes crooned gently as if in consolation and Dumbledore smiled.

"It had to begin at sometime old friend"

There was a rap of harsh knuckles on wood and Dumbledore leaned back in his chair

"Enter"

Alistor Moody strode into the room. Powerfully built with graying hair his dark eyes swept the room cataloguing every corner, counting the exits. Framed in the doorway he held himself with the stubborn resiliance of a trained man that expected death but sure as hell was going to go down fighting.

Dumbledore smiled but made no comment even as Moody took a seat across from him.

"So?" grunted Moody

"Cola cube?" Dumbledore proffered the box with a subtle flick of his wand eyes twinkling as Moody pushed it away with irritable impatience. Moody continued his voice a low growl, dark eyes demanding an answer.

"You call me here in the middle of a bloody snow storm with a talking phoenix and... "

"I have just started a war" Dumbledore overrode him gently and Moody changed tack.

"Excellent" he paused for a moment "who with?"

"Lord Voldemort"

"Ah" Moody paused, bluff stoicism fading for an instant before returning with a vengeance "what did you do.... tell him slytherin had a small snake?"

"I refused his job application" Dumbledore looked down for a moment "Accepting him would have only strengthened his position but still I fear peoople will suffer greatly for my actions tonight."

Moody grunted suddenly business like "Muggles have been disappearing country wide. The war has already started you only returned fire. So I take it you will be resigning here and joining the ministry in the morning. Why am I here...." he gave a bark like laugh "help you pack?"

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled but his voice was grave

"Hogwarts is the true battleground Alastor. If Voldermort can influence the hearts and minds of our future then we have truly lost."
He paused a fierce power seemed to radiate from him like heat
"that shall never happen... not while I am headmaster."

Moody grunted though his eyes showed he disagreed even as Dumbledore continued.

"I spoke with Eugenia Jenkins this morning and urged her to take the fight to Voldermort and his supporters tonight. I provided her with evidence of potential crimes that at the very least would allow her reason to detain Voldermort for questioning. She left with the intention of assembling a team of aurors to raid the hogs head tonight."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled and he gave a little chuckle at the look of outrage that had burst across Moody's face

" Your presence here... the look on your face and the stillness of the night shows me no action is being taken. As such we can only assume one thing. The ministry has been infiltrated and that, despite the great strides we have made on the path to equal rights, the balance of influence in the ministry still resides with pure blood families many of whom, at least, empathise with Voldemort's desire for a new world order."

"So a true resistance must come from outside the ministries sphere of influence" grunted Moody

Dumbledore nodded gravely even as Moody continued

"And i take it the ministry will not be happy to find an employee of the ministry partaking in this resistance?"

Dumbledore nodded again the question hanging in the air between them

"Well when they send me to take myself to Azkaban I'm sure I'll be having an off day"

Dumbledore smiled

"Thank you. Though I never doubted your fighting spirit it does mean we will have to be somewhat selective in our recruitment process"

Moody nodded clapping his hands together business like once more.

"Right then! Who we bringing in?"