When faced with fine wine and delicious food, it's hard for anyone to resist.
Moody has strong self-control, but he only managed to maintain it for 15 minutes.
It wasn't because of Vincent and Sirius Black's exaggerated acting, but because deep down he didn't actually reject, and even longed for, contact with others.
Being alone for too long can easily lead to depression and anxiety, eventually causing one to gradually close themselves off and reduce contact and interaction with the outside world.
Dumbledore's invitation to watch the game was one opportunity to escape his predicament, Sirius Black's suggestion to catch up at the pub was another, Vincent's repeated toasts with him were the final opportunity.
"Mr. Moody —no, Professor Moody, let's have another drink to celebrate your inauguration!"
Having forgotten how many glasses he had drunk, Moody instinctively tilted his head back and drank the whiskey in his glass.
Alcohol numbed his body, impaired his judgment, and even caused him to say things he shouldn't have.
For example, Dumbledore and Scrimgeour approached him one after the other during the day, and their attitudes were completely opposite.
Different relationships lead to different attitudes.
Sirius Black was very disappointed to hear that the Ministry of Magic still refused to acknowledge Voldemort's return, while Vincent's reaction was quite calm.
Without expectations, there will be no disappointment, and therefore no sadness or grief.
Moody shook his slightly dizzy head. "Rufus is a decent guy. Although he's a bit too ambitious, he's one of the few high-ranking officials in the department who's willing to get things done."
Sirius Black raised his glass high, "I hope they can come to terms with reality soon."
Moody clinked glasses with him gently, "I believe they will."
Vincent smiled but remained silent.
After downing a glass of whiskey, he looked up at the twinkling stars in the dark night sky.
It's too pessimistic and negative to habitually think the worst of things; let's hold onto a sliver of hope this time.
The Ministry of Magic can't keep burying its head in the sand forever; it will have to face the Voldemort problem sooner or later.
The three of them drank at an open-air bar on the beach until very late, to the point that even the waiter was starting to question his existence.
That's authentic Scotch Whiskey, not those watered-down imitations you find elsewhere.
Each of them drank at least two bottles, and they kept drinking one glass after another. This trio of old, middle-aged and young people are truly amazing.
After dawn,
Moody suddenly opened his eyes, warily surveying the unfamiliar room he was in.
He remembered drinking a bit too much last night, and that he was eventually carried here by those two guys.
"Alcohol is really no good..." he muttered to himself as he walked out of the room, only to run into another old acquaintance.
Arthur was wearing a pink apron and carrying a large plate of breadcrumbs.
"Mr. Moody, you're awake?"
"Arthur, what's going on?"
"Prepare lunch, the ladies are on strike today."
Moody nodded. "Need any help?"
Arthur turned to look at the warehouse at the end of the corridor, its door open. "There's still some chicken inside that we haven't taken. It would be great if you could help us."
Since you're already here, could you please help me carry this before you leave?
When Moody, leaning on his cane, carried a large box of chicken downstairs to the kitchen, he was immediately taken aback by the sight inside.
The breadcrumbs that Arthur had just brought over were knocked over by someone and were scattered all over the floor.
Sirius Black, dressed in a chef's uniform, was intently flipping lamb chops in a pot, while several dark, burnt-out frying pans piled up next to him looked like failed attempts.
Lupin was marinating fish, and because he used too much force, he splattered the sauce all over his apron.
Vincent used a cleaver to cut the beef into small pieces, while the fair-skinned young man next to him who was making desserts also seemed to be doing it with great ease.
The remaining group of unfamiliar boys seemed to be there to cause trouble, especially the Weasley family twins, who were covered in dirt.
Moody placed the box in front of Arthur on the preparation table, then went to Sirius Black's side.
"Don't flip it too often. If you're worried about the lamb chops not being cooked through, you can keep basting them with sauce."
He took a new frying pan, put a small piece of butter in it, and waited for it to melt before putting the lamb chops in.
Sirius Black looked on in surprise. "Mr. Moody, I didn't know how to cook."
As Moody poured sauce over the lamb chops, he replied, "I don't trust food from outside. I've been living alone for so long, I have to find a way to support myself."
He glanced at the lamb chops in Sirius Black's pot. "They should be almost done."
Judging by the color alone, the chef must be a hidden master.
Moody quickly finished frying a plate of lamb chops, then went to Lupin, who was still marinating fish.
"Just rub it lightly; too much force will damage the texture of the fish and make it taste worse."
He then nodded to Vincent and Cedric, and then went to the boys who were working with chicken.
Perhaps it was because of the scars on his face that everyone recognized him as the legendary Auror.
Under his "guidance," the twins stopped causing trouble, and Harry successfully cooked a red wine stewed chicken by following his steps.
Neville finally managed to fry a decent chicken cutlet after ruining two. Ron's fried chicken nuggets, made without breadcrumbs, also turned out quite well.
With Moody's help, the once chaotic kitchen is now running smoothly again.
At noon, a large table full of different kinds of delicious food was prepared.
The ladies, who rarely get a day off, had been waiting for a long time. They casually tasted a few bites and didn't find anything seriously wrong.
For a group of grown men and little boys who never cook, being able to cook food that is above average is already far beyond expectations.
Of course, Vincent and Cedric are exceptions.
The cheerful atmosphere at the dinner table made Moody relax unconsciously, but he still maintained a stern expression on the surface.
The original plan was to leave right after eating, but the children couldn't resist their curiosity about the new professor.
Moody glanced at Vincent, who showed no sign of guilt, and then began to recount some of his past experiences as Auror.
In the era before Voldemort, dark wizards were far more prevalent than they are now.
"There was once a group called 'Charming Doves.' Their leader would harass women with his men almost every day. In order to catch them as soon as possible, we were forced to dress up as women and stake out the place for several days before we finally caught them all."
"There is also a dark wizarding organization that specializes in trafficking children. They train these children with magical potential to become killing tools and then sell them abroad. After a six-month investigation, we discovered that this organization was actually hiding under a Muggle orphanage. The gentle and beautiful young female director was actually the leader of the organization."
Little Tom is really lucky that they didn't target him.
Besides these two dark wizard organizations, there were of course many others who engaged in widespread burning, killing, and looting. Some Pure-blood Wizard families at the time even provided them with funds and intelligence, cultivating them into their own black gloves.
However, thanks to the efforts of Moody and countless Auror predecessors, there is no longer an organization of this size in the British Wizarding World.
The "Half-Girl Pub" in Knockturn Alley years ago was one of the few that escaped the net; the rest were dealt with during the purge of Death Eaters more than a decade ago.