Where Did Mad-Eye Moody Get His Eye?

Alastor Moody was one of the prominent Aurors in the wizarding world. He was a crucial member of the Order of Phoenix and fought passionately in both wizarding wars. Though renowned as a brave soldier, Moody was also peculiar and a fanatic for vigilance, and he was nicknamed “Mad-Eye” Moody due to his detachable eye. However, we readers know that Moody did not always have a detachable eye – he was severely injured in the First Wizarding War, leading to facial scarring and a lost leg and eye. But we want to know: Where did Mad-Eye get his eye?

 

 

 

What We Know

Before we theorize on this puzzle, let’s get some of the facts stated. 

 

• When and how did Moody lose his eye?

Through the Pensieve, Harry notices that Alastor’s eye is still intact in the trial of Igor Karkaroff.

Harry leaned forward so that he could see past Dumbledore. Mad-Eye Moody was sitting there – except that there was a very noticeable difference in his appearance. He did not have his magical eye, but two normal ones. Both were looking down upon Karkaroff, and both were narrowed in intense dislike. (GoF 588)

During the trial of Barty Crouch Jr., Bellatrix Lestrange, and Rudolphus Lestrange, Moody is not present. Perhaps he was injured during the altercations with them, and there could be a possibility he lost his eye during this duel with the Death Eaters. 

 

• The eye was specially designed for Moody.

 

 

The detachable eye that Moody wore after losing his eye was specifically designed for him. After gaining his eye back from Barty Crouch Jr., who impersonated him using Polyjuice Potion, the eye began to malfunction, stopping mid-rotations. And though it was designed for Moody, the color is strikingly different from Moody’s original eye color.

 

• The eye had special powers.

This detachable eye was one of a kind. It could rotate 360 degrees in Moody’s head, allowing him to see through the back of his skull. The eye also allowed him to see through nearly anything else, whether wood or an invisibility cloak. 

 

Now that all the facts about the eye are known, let’s circle back to the question: Where did Mad-Eye get his eye, or who designed Mad-Eye’s eye? Perhaps Moody himself built and enchanted the eye – or there could be someone else, who was elite and extraordinary in magical artifacts. Our guess for who constructed the eye is Albus Dumbledore. Here’s why:

 

 

 

Albus Dumbledore used the Elder Wand for the eye.

After defeating Gellert Grindelwald, Dumbledore possesses the most powerful wand in existence. Therefore, he could use strong and complicated spells on a prosthetic eye to make it magical and powerful, like we see in Moody’s eye. For instance, perhaps it uses a modified Revelio for viewing through invisibility cloaks and surfaces, etc.

 

Dumbledore gifted the eye to Moody as gratitude for his loyalty.

As is well known, Dumbledore always prioritizes loyalty and allegiance. He has witnessed Moody’s relentless and brave efforts fighting the Death Eaters and saving his fellow Aurors. Dumbledore may have been immensely moved by Moody’s loyalty towards the Order of Phoenix and him, and he built the eye as a token of his gratitude. For a personal touch, the eye is electric blue in color – the same shade as Dumbledore’s eyes.

 

Alastor Moody trusts Dumbledore and vice-versa.

If the ever-paranoid Moody were to receive the eye from someone else, he would only accept it from someone he truly trusts. He has always trusted and respected Dumbledore, making the headmaster a perfectly acceptable source of the gift.

 

Dumbledore is known for curating artifacts.

Dumbledore is credited for designing and creating the Deluminator, a cigarette-lighter-sized device that can extract, store, and return light sources. We know he had a knack for creating and experimenting with various other objects; hence, it could be feasible that he also created the eye.

 

Dumbledore experimented with the eye with the invisibility cloak.

We know Dumbledore borrowed the cloak from James Potter to experiment on it. After James Potter was killed, the cloak remained in his possession. We know some of Dumbledore’s interest in the cloak was as a Hallow, but why couldn’t he have used it for more experiments as well? After the Potters’ deaths and Voldemort’s vanishing, Moody lost his eye. As we have theorized that Dumbledore designed the eye, it makes sense Dumbledore could have also used the cloak to experiment with the eye, rendering the eye more magical and powerful.

 

Do you like this theory of Albus Dumbledore designing the eye for Mad-Eye Moody? Are there any other theories you have in your mind? Let us know in the comments.