Letter to an Editor of the Campus Newspaper Essay - 1

Letter to an Editor of the Campus Newspaper - Essay Example It was not so much the revision of my own thoughts but revising my expression of them. Argumentative submissions and genre interpretation is always difficult because my writing is subjective. I can distinctly recall worrying about â€Å"coming across† the right way. I think that there is a line between conveying your message and censuring it for the eyes of others so I was always careful to not cross it. I find that in the argumentative process, I become easily lost which demonstrated my total lack of discipline. Thus my first decision was to make a concerted effort to not inject myself too much into my argument. I had a problem identifying my audience for the genre translation and as a result found myself consistently revising but to what end? Ultimately I would begin again and again because I kept identifying different targets and it took quite some time before I came to the realization that the interpretation could be generally applied. 2. Describe the rhetorical situation as you see it for both your argument paper and your genre translation. Be sure to discuss both audience and purpose for both documents. A rhetorical situation is far easier to convey when it is applied to an argument because the sense of urgency is raised by the issue being argued. The audience is hopefully automatically compelled by the tone and terms of the issues presented in the argument itself. Moreover, one tends to become personally involved in their arguments which also is revealed in their writing. An argument is an attempt to convince whereas genre translation is equally subjective, but without the force or conviction behind it. I find that the audience and purpose of genre translation is far harder to convey than that of the argument. Argument is an imperative whereas genre interpretation seems to be an attempt to bridge a gap without conviction. With genre interpretation it is difficult to contemplate whom it is that

The Importance of Living a Healthy Lifestyle with Proper Nutrition and Research Paper

The Importance of Living a Healthy Lifestyle with Proper Nutrition and Exercise - Research Paper Example It would be ideal if nurses be the primary examples of healthy living for their patients rather than be bad influences. In this regard, this paper aims to (1) Confirm the actual health status of nurses in a local hospital and how it is affecting the treatment of patients, (2) suggest ways on how to incorporate healthy lifestyle choices for nurses in the hospital, and (3) Get the potential impact of better lifestyle practices of nurses with regards to their patients. Patients will be more responsive with adapting healthier and better lifestyles if the nurses attending them are also practicing healthy life styles. II. Review of Literature In 2003, Hasselthorn et al. (as cited by Hensel, 2009, p.42-43) performed an experiment among 33,491 nurses from across 10 European Countries and studied their views of health and work ability using the Work Ability Index (WAI). Highly stressed and burned out individuals showed lower WAI scores while nurses with good health are the ones with higher WA I scores. He and his colleagues observed that from all the nurses who participated in the study, there was twice the probability of nurses leaving their profession if they had low WAI scores than those with higher WAI scores. The nurses’ perception of their health also affects their perception of how well they are able to do their job. Health affects competence and this is one of the biggest reasons why nurses quit their jobs regardless of gender or age. If the health of nurses is on a decline, then the population of practicing nurses will continue to decline and the shortage for nurses will continue placing much stress and burden to those nurses who chose to remain in service. Without nurses, hospitals (may it be private or state owned and run) will cease... This essay stresses that the data will be collected and tabulated from the survey questionnaires and will be analyzed for trends and patterns for the nurse’s perspective and the patient’s perspective. This data will be compared to the data gathered in different sources and the trends will also be compared. Depending on the constraints identified by the nurses on why they can’t pursue a healthy lifestyle, recommendations will be given and a healthy lifestyle program will be designed to cater to the nurses’ needs. Many of the diseases common nowadays can be prevented or eased by lifestyle choices, and nurses have the vantage point in influencing their patients to make to make healthy choices This report makes a conclusion that the administration of the hospital will also be given a copy of the results of this paper. If given the chance, the implication of the results of the survey will be reported to them and the necessary actions that they will have to undertake will also be suggested so as to help them get their nurses to fulfill their duties better. The administrators of the hospital will actually benefit from this study the most because with a few adjustments in their policies and also with the support that they will be giving to help nurses life healthier, then they will reap the rewards of having a nursing staff with less sick days and more patients will come to their hospitals because their nurses don’t only give prescribed medicine or monitor their vitals, but they are concerned about the health and wellbeing of the patients even outside the hospital. This type of care will boost profits for the hospital, and the administrators have the power and capabilit y to make all of these possible just by being sensitive to the health needs of their nurses.

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Business Law - Essay Example This Corporate Compliance Plan version is particularly developed for the officers and directors of Riordan Manufacturing to make them aware of the existence of laws that regulate certain acts and that violation thereof not only exposes the company to fines and penalties but makes them liable for fines and/or imprisonment as well. In addition, any violation of these laws will also merit them severe sanction by the company like termination, depending on the severity of the act. This Compliance Plan also reminds the officers and directors that it is the company policy to abide by the laws of the land. A Compliance Officer is designated by the company for the purpose of ensuring that all the provisions of this Compliance Plan are implemented and supervised efficiently and rigorously. The Compliance Officer shall have the following duties and functions: Periodically review the efficacy and efficiency of this Compliance Plan and proposes changes, amendments and new measures that will enhance, improve and ensure that Riordan Manufacturing maintains corporate policies that are ethically and legally sound and correct; To perform such other duties necessary and relevant to the implementation and supervision of the Compliance Plan and for such purpose, engage the aid of subordinates, if necessary, to facilitate such implementation and supervision. An ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION is any means of settling differences extra-judicially – that is without or before resorting to court actions. The term can include within its ambit anything and everything that seeks to settle conflicts between parties like negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration or even mini-trials approximating that of formal judicial court trials. In the hope of resolving intra-agency and inter-agency between and among officers or directors of Riordan Manufacturing

Relationship between consumption saving and investment according to keynes

Relationship between consumption saving and investment according to keynes 1. Explain the consumption function according to Keynes! What is the relationship between consumption, saving and investment according to Keynes? The main hypothesis of Keynes is that the real consumption depends on disposable income. This hypothesis you can express like this: C = C(Y). In that case consumption (C) and disposable income (Y) are measured in units.  [1]   Kenynes also said that people enhance consumption when their disposable income increases. But the increase of consumption is smaller than the increase of disposable income. This hypothesis you can describe with the marginal propensity to consume. It describes the increase of consumption when disposable income rises.  [2]   The marginal propensity to consume is defined as C = = Because of the fundamental-psychological law the marginal propensity to consume is between 0 and 1.  [3]   0 When the marginal propensity to consume is 0.8, consumption increases 0.8 units. At once disposable income increases one unit. The fundamental-psychological law is fullfilled because increase of consumption is smaller than increase of disposable income. When 0.8 units are used for consumption the remaining 0.2 units are obviously used for savings. The proof is expressed by following formula: Y = C + S 1 = 0.8 + S I 0.8 S = 0.2 . Therefore we define the marginal propensity to save money as differential quotient dS /dY. The marginal propensity to save shows how much the savings grow due to increasing disposable income. Through differentiation of the budget restriction after Y you can see that after adding the marginal propensity to consume and the marginal propensity to save the result always amounts 1. = 1 I = . That shows you that every additional income has to be used either way.  [4]   The formula below is the consumption function: C = Caut + C  · Y . Caut is autonomous consumption. You can interpret the consumption function like a normal formula which you know from mathematics. Therefore Caut is the intersection point with the ordinate and C ·Y the gradient. The last formula which is important to know concerning the consumption function according to Keynes is the consumption rate. It serves to find out which quantity of disposable income is used for consumption. The formula is c:= .  [5]   So far almost always mathematical background has been mentioned. But it is also necessary and maybe easier to summarize consumption in my own words. This will help to explain the relationship between consumption, savings and investments according to Keynes. Basically Keynes had three suppositions which result the consumption function is.  [6]  The first was mentioned above. He expected that consumption increases when disposable income increases one unit. This mentioned process is the so called marginal propensity to consume. The value of it is between 0 and 1. You see that consumption can not increase just as money. But the main fact is that people lean towards consuming when they have more disposable income. Furthermore the average propensity to consume decline when dispoable income increases and consumption depends on current disposable income. Keynes thought that the rich spend more of their disposable income than the poor and that interest rates are not important.  [7]  Therefore a short example should make this facts more familiar. We expect, that the average consumption and disposable income was 1700à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ and 2000à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬. In a formular you find following average propensity to consum: c0 = = 0.85. The result says that 85% of disposable income is used for consumption. One year later the disposable income increases more than the consumption expenditures: c1 = = 0.84. The result says that now 84% of disposable income is used for consumption. Now it is possible to calculate the marginal propensity to consum. C = = = . Now you see that consumption increases 0.75 units when disposable income increases about 1 unit. While explaining the consumption function different facts were metioned. Also consumptions and savings. One word is still missing investments. In the consumption function according to Keynes investements have not been borne in mind. There is only a relationship between consumption and savings. It was mentioned that you have an disposable income which you use for your consumption expenditures. When consumption does not exceed the disposable income you have a specified amount which you can save. This is expressed by this formular: Y = C + S 1 = 0.6 + S I 0.6 S = 0.4 . Consumption is 0.6 units. Therefore you are able to spend 0.4 units. But when you take a look at the incomne-expenditure model or the equilibrium for good markets  [8]  you find other different relations between consumption, savings and investments.  [9]   The first important formular is Y = C + I + G. This formular describes the equation for equilibrium in the goods market.  [10]  Immediately you find consumption, investments and government spending. You see that there is an existing relationship. Now there is the possibility to play with the formular what could be interesting to identify the different relationships. Therefore taxes (T) and consumption (C) have to be subtracted from Income (Y). It is also necessary to subtract taxes from government spending. The new formular looks like this: Y T C = I + G T. We know that S = Y T -C takes effect. Therefore the term reads S = I + G T . The term on the left side is private saving. On the right side you find investment (I) and public savings (G T). The government is able to run a budget surplus. This happens when taxes exceed government spending. But when government spending is higher than taxes there is a budget deficit. That means that the country consumed too much.  [11]   2. Which monetary policy instruments does a Central Bank have to control the money supply? Which of these instruments is the most effective and why? A Central Bank has three different instruments to control the money supply. It is able to choose between standing facilities, minimum required reserves and open market operations.  [12]   Deposit facilities comply with deposits of merchant banks. Business partners of the european system of central banks (ESCB) are able to invest redundant central bank money until the next business day. There are no restrictions for using this facility and no corresponding amount limits for deposits. The interest rate is the bottom line for overnight money.  [13]  Business partner of the ESCB are able to use marginal lending facilities to provide overnight liquidities by national banks. There is a fixed interest rate for these liquidities. But the business partnes will not get the liquidities if they are not able to deposit refinancable securities. There are also no existing credit lines or restrictions which could make barriers. The interest rate for marginal lending facilities is the maximum limit for overnight money.  [14]   The second monetary instrument of the ECB to control the money supply are reserve requirements. Due to competition international financial centers to decrease the reserve debt. It was introduced in the beginning of the 20th century. The idea was to secure the banks solvency. Nowadays this task is done by banking supervisory standards.  [15]  Banks always hold reserves. The reason is very simple. They want to satisfy the depositors. But that money reserves which are required are much bigger. Therefore the aim to satisfy the depositors is not the only one. To prohibit disadvantages in competition between different currency areas where banks do not have to hold reserves interests are payed on reserves of European banks by the ECB.  [16]  The bank has to have reservers which are equal to 10% of their checkable deposits.  [17]  But it is to mention that the monthly average percentage has to be 10%. If there are liquidity bottlenecks the bank is able to go back to their reserve s. When all banks average reserves at the beginning of the month are below 10% they can feel certain that the ECB provides liquidities at the end of the month. Otherwise banks would not be able to fullfil their reserve requirements.  [18]   The most important instrument are the open market operations. When a central bank buys bonds they pay for them with creating money. This activity is used to increase the amount of money. Vice versa the central bank is able to sell bonds. It has to remove the money which is in circulation because the central bank get it for the selling of the bonds. The amount of money will decline. In modern economies these procedures are the most popular to increase or decline the money stock. Open markt operations are distinguishable into expansionary and contractionary open market operation. To understand that operation an example with a short balance sheet would be helpful.  [19]  Below you find the situation before buying bonds (a) and after buying bonds (b): (b) Assets Liabilities Assets Liabilities 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ + 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ + 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 2 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 2 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ This is an example for an expansionary open market operation. In (b) the amount of bonds is 2 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ that means 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ higher than before. But therefore the amount of money in the economy is also 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ higher. Assets Liabilities Assets Liabilities 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 0 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ 0 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ In the example above you see an example for contractionary open market operation. You see that the central bank decided to decline the supply of money. The procedure is the same like for the open market operation only vice versa. The amount of bonds decline and the money in the economy, too. Both decline about 1 Mio. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬. Now it is interesting to know what kind of effects are resulting by open market operations. Therefore it is necessary to take a look at Treasury bills which are one-year bonds. The main fact of Treasury bills is that you get a fixed amount of dollars after one year. An example will explain to you the interest rate which you get after one year. At first we fix that you get 200 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ after one year. à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬PB is the price of the bond after one year. In our example we take 150 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬ . Below you will find the formular for the interest rate: i This example shows that in that case the interest rate is 33% per year. When you the interest rate for the bond you can play with the formula and change it so that you are able to find the future price of the bond after one year. For that operation the formula below is an example: . Because of this mathematical facts you can say that the price for bonds is less than the final price when the interest rate is positive. Sometimes you read in newspapers that bonds went up. This means that the interest rates for bonds decrease and the prices for bonds increase.  [20]   3. Which monetary policy strategies are the most widely practised? Which monetary policy strategy is currently used by the European Central Bank? The most widley practised monetary policies strategies are the nominal exchange rate peg, inflation targeting and monetary targeting. 1974 the Deutsche Bundesbank was the first one which used monetary targeting. Monetary targeting is based on the quantity theory of money. Therefore it is necessary to take a look at the quantity formula: (1). P are prices, V is velocity, Y is real GNP and M money supply. If you change the formula you are able to see which amount of money has to be choosen to achieve a certain price level: (2). For practical use the stability of velocity is very important. If you take a look at formula (1) you are able to see that an increase of V increases P. That means that less money is needed to achieve an intended price level. V is determined by demand for money. If the demand for money decrease money supply (M) is converted faster.  [21]  A country has to do some tests which proof if monetary targeting can be practiced.  [22]   A further monetary policy strategy is inflation targeting. The short-term or middle-term aim of a central bank which is using inflation targeting is to achieve low inflation rates or their inflation targets. The expected inflation rate play an important role. Central banks are able to influence the inflation target by using interest rates. It is a very simple example which should explain this instrument: If inflation is higher than the target, the bank can raise interest rates. The effect is that the inflation will decrease. If inflation is lower than the target, the bank can decrease interest rates. The result is that inflation will increase.  [23]   Concerning inflation targeting it is necessary to take a look at Taylors Rule which determines the interest rates. The central banks may follow the rule. Therefore you have to take a look a the following formula: . is the inflation rate, is the inflation target, is the nominal interest rate, is the target interest rate, is the unemployment rate and is the natural unemployment rate. and are positive coefficients. If and the nominal interest rate should be equal to , the inflation target. This procedure has to be done by the central bank. When >, the inflation rate is higher than the inflation target. In that case the central bank has to intervene. It has to increase above . The effect is that umeployment will increase because of the higher interest rate and the inflation will decrease. The coefficient has to be larger than one. The higher it is the better the inflation target will be achieved.  [24]   2. The more central bank increase interest rate 3. The more economy slow down 4. The more unemploy-ment increase 5. Inflation target achieved faster 1. The higher The central bank has to increase the real interest rate when inflation increases. But therefore the aim of the central bank should be decreasing spending and ouput. When > the nominal interest rate should be decreased by the central bank. The result is that the output will increase and the unemployment will decrease. has the the same aim like . It shows the care about unemployment in relation to inflation by the central bank. If ÃŽÂ ² is higher, the c.bank is more concerned to bring the unemployment close to natural level (to increase employment) and to increase output than to keep the inflation close to its target.  [25]   2. Central bank bring unemployment close to natural level 3. Central bank increase output 1.The higher 4. Central bank achieve inflation target The nominal exchange rate is also a monetary policy strategy. Through pegging the domestic currency to a very stable currency it is possible to control the exchange rate and the inflation.  [26]  But there are some requirements which have to be fulfilled. At first there has to be a country which has a currency that is powerful enough to be an anchor currency. The issue bank of the anchor currency country needs a huge reliability because of well developed stability in the past. Furthermore a large part of the foreign trade has to be done with the anchor currency country or in its currency. That means that for example Poland has to trade with Germany or in à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬. It is also possible to trade in US-$ but therefore the anchor currency country has to be the USA.  [27]  Furthermore an aim is to attract capital flows and to stabilize the movement of interest rates. When there is a danger that the domestic currency will decrease the central bank will increase central banks. If there is an danger that the domestic currency will increase the central bank will decrease interest rates.  [28]   The European Central Bank (ECB) is using the two-pillar strategy. The first pillar is a wide economic analysis to identify short- and middle-term risks for keeping price stability. For the analysis the ECB has a lot of indicators which are used to identify these risks. For example the economic growth, wage development, exchange rate development and the balance of payment situation, consumer price and producer price index development, asset price and real-estate price development and the inflation forecast.  [29]  The content of the second pillar is based on the quantity theory of money and is similar to the strategy of the Deutsche Bundesbank. The formular below expresses the annual increase of M3: M3  · V = P  · Y V is velocity and it is between 0,5% to 1% per year. P is price increase and it is up to 2%. Y is the growth of the production potential and it is between 2% to 2,5%. Because of these factors the annual increase of M3 is 4,5%. With the help of these two-strategies the ECB is able to achieve their main aim, price stability.  [30]   4. List of sources Felderer, B. / Homburg,S., Makroà ¶konomik und neue Makroà ¶konomik, 9.Auflage, Berlin 2005 Borchert, M., Geld und Kredit, 7.Auflage, Mà ¼nchen 2001 Gischer, H. /Herz, B. /Menkhoff, L., Geld, Kredit und Banken, 2.Auflage, Berlin-Heidelberg 2005 Kazandziska, M., Macroeconomics I, Session 13 Bofinger, P. / Reischle, J. / Schà ¤chter, A., Geldpolitik, 1.Auflage, Mà ¼nchen 1996 Blanchard, O., Macroeconomics, 3.Auflage, Upper Saddle River 2003 Heine, M. / Herr, H., Volkswirtschaftslehrer, 3.Auflage, Mà ¼nchen 2003 Mankiw, N. Gregory, Mikroà ¶konomik, 5.Auflage, Stuttgart 2003 Burda, M. / Wyplosz, C., Macroeconomics, 3.Auflage, New York 2001

Maharaja Ranjit Singh: The Sikh Ruler, In The Eyes Of Non-sikhs :: essays research papers

According to the famous historian Carlyle, a worthy sovereign should be judged from a sole factor as to how he employs his sword after being victorious. ********** Le Griffin writes that: "Maharaja Ranjit Singh ruled his kingdom exactly according to the Sikh way of life and Sikhism considers everyone as friends and talks about the welfare of all irrespective of caste and creed." ********** The spirit of Gurbani couplet, "The one Lord is the Father of all and we are the children of the one Lord rules supreme in every Sikh heart." Charles Hugal, writes in his book, "Travels in Kashmir and Punjab", that, "probably no person in the world could have established such a large empire with minimum bloodshed as Ranjit Singh has established his kingdom." ********** Affirming Hugal's views, Prinsep, also writes in his book, "Origin of Sikh Power in Punjab", that, "Ranjit Singh's whole career was free of any blemishes like unnecessary atrocities and cruel bloodshed." ********** Historian R.S. Kanungo praising all the aspects of the Kingdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in his writings says, "his empire was the kingdom for 'Welfare for All', in which all were equal sharing partners. In his kingdom there was no special love for Sikhs and no animosity for non-Sikhs. There were no special taxes on any caste to show it down from the other or to label it inferior." ********** W.G. Osborne writes that, "Maharaja Ranjit Singh was so compassionate that outside a battle he did not kill anyone, so much so that in generosity he even forgave those who tried to kill him and felt happiness in forgiving." ********** Charles Hugal in his book, "The Court and Camp of Ranjit Singh", writes that, "Ranjit Singh ruled his kingdom according to the Sikh tenets. All the important positions were given to Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, entirely based on merit. Even his main advisors were three famous Muslim brothers: Fakir Aziz-ud-Din, his foreign minister; Fakir Nur-ud-Din, his home minister; Fakir Imam-ud-Din, his custodian of the arsenals. Forty-six senior Army officers and two top ranking Generals were Muslims. One General was French and score of military officers were Europeans. In police and civil services he has about one hundred Muslim officers alone. Hindus too, used to hold many key positions in Sarkar-e-Khalsa. Ranjit Singh was secular through-and-through. Since he had lost his one eye in childhood, due to small pox, he used to remark jokingly about himself that, "God Willed that as a true Sikh I should look upon all religions with one eye". Maharaja Ranjit Singh: The Sikh Ruler, In The Eyes Of Non-sikhs :: essays research papers According to the famous historian Carlyle, a worthy sovereign should be judged from a sole factor as to how he employs his sword after being victorious. ********** Le Griffin writes that: "Maharaja Ranjit Singh ruled his kingdom exactly according to the Sikh way of life and Sikhism considers everyone as friends and talks about the welfare of all irrespective of caste and creed." ********** The spirit of Gurbani couplet, "The one Lord is the Father of all and we are the children of the one Lord rules supreme in every Sikh heart." Charles Hugal, writes in his book, "Travels in Kashmir and Punjab", that, "probably no person in the world could have established such a large empire with minimum bloodshed as Ranjit Singh has established his kingdom." ********** Affirming Hugal's views, Prinsep, also writes in his book, "Origin of Sikh Power in Punjab", that, "Ranjit Singh's whole career was free of any blemishes like unnecessary atrocities and cruel bloodshed." ********** Historian R.S. Kanungo praising all the aspects of the Kingdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in his writings says, "his empire was the kingdom for 'Welfare for All', in which all were equal sharing partners. In his kingdom there was no special love for Sikhs and no animosity for non-Sikhs. There were no special taxes on any caste to show it down from the other or to label it inferior." ********** W.G. Osborne writes that, "Maharaja Ranjit Singh was so compassionate that outside a battle he did not kill anyone, so much so that in generosity he even forgave those who tried to kill him and felt happiness in forgiving." ********** Charles Hugal in his book, "The Court and Camp of Ranjit Singh", writes that, "Ranjit Singh ruled his kingdom according to the Sikh tenets. All the important positions were given to Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs, entirely based on merit. Even his main advisors were three famous Muslim brothers: Fakir Aziz-ud-Din, his foreign minister; Fakir Nur-ud-Din, his home minister; Fakir Imam-ud-Din, his custodian of the arsenals. Forty-six senior Army officers and two top ranking Generals were Muslims. One General was French and score of military officers were Europeans. In police and civil services he has about one hundred Muslim officers alone. Hindus too, used to hold many key positions in Sarkar-e-Khalsa. Ranjit Singh was secular through-and-through. Since he had lost his one eye in childhood, due to small pox, he used to remark jokingly about himself that, "God Willed that as a true Sikh I should look upon all religions with one eye".

Light and Darkness in Antigone and the Gospel of John of the Holy Bible

Light and Darkness Found in Antigone and the Gospel of John As a child, my world was enraptured by the wonderful Fisher-Price toy known as the Lite-Brite. By inserting multicolored little pegs into their corresponding slots on a detailed guide, I could transform drab, dull, and dark pieces of paper into wondrous works of brilliant art. The light that filled and transformed the plastic pegs closely parallel concepts of light and darkness found within the Gospel of John and in Sophocles' drama Antigone. The Gospel of John focuses on the profound meaning of the life of Jesus, whom he saw as the manifestation of God's Word (logos). Teiresias, of Sophocles' play Antigone, is a blind prophet whose lack of vision does not prevent him from recognizing the truth. The words of John and the characterization of Sophocles, although similar in many aspects, differ in the extent to which their concepts of light and darkness affect humanity. Sophocles' light, in the form of Teiresias, allows truth to permeate throughout one's lifetime. John's light, as the manifesta tion ofthe logos, presents truth and enlightenment to humanity, but also ensures a glorified and joyous afterlife through Christ's salvation. Teiresias, the voice of fate and harbinger of truth in Sophocles' play Antigone, humbly enters the drama by addressing the malevolent Creon and stating that he "must walk by another's steps and see with another's eyes" (Antigone, 102). The wise prophet was metaphorically declaring that he delivered the message of a higher truth. This truth existed as Natural Law. Teiresias advised his m... ...light, only the Gospel of John carries the secret to eternal salvation. In a way similar to a child playing with a Lite- Brite, the Gospel of John and Sophocles' character Teiresias allow rainbows of light to exist in a world devoid of color. While both allow the existence of a form of the truth, it is only the Gospel of John that provides a detailed guide that will allow a person to find order in their truth. Through such truth and enlightenment, an abstract world of chaos and ignorance can be engulfed by a world full of order and wisdom. Realms of beauty and glory can manifest themselves to individuals who accept the truth and the essence of light as a message from a higher existence. Great joy and pleasure shall come to the child who can find beauty and order in a bleak world full of ignorance and emptiness. Light and Darkness in Antigone and the Gospel of John of the Holy Bible Light and Darkness Found in Antigone and the Gospel of John As a child, my world was enraptured by the wonderful Fisher-Price toy known as the Lite-Brite. By inserting multicolored little pegs into their corresponding slots on a detailed guide, I could transform drab, dull, and dark pieces of paper into wondrous works of brilliant art. The light that filled and transformed the plastic pegs closely parallel concepts of light and darkness found within the Gospel of John and in Sophocles' drama Antigone. The Gospel of John focuses on the profound meaning of the life of Jesus, whom he saw as the manifestation of God's Word (logos). Teiresias, of Sophocles' play Antigone, is a blind prophet whose lack of vision does not prevent him from recognizing the truth. The words of John and the characterization of Sophocles, although similar in many aspects, differ in the extent to which their concepts of light and darkness affect humanity. Sophocles' light, in the form of Teiresias, allows truth to permeate throughout one's lifetime. John's light, as the manifesta tion ofthe logos, presents truth and enlightenment to humanity, but also ensures a glorified and joyous afterlife through Christ's salvation. Teiresias, the voice of fate and harbinger of truth in Sophocles' play Antigone, humbly enters the drama by addressing the malevolent Creon and stating that he "must walk by another's steps and see with another's eyes" (Antigone, 102). The wise prophet was metaphorically declaring that he delivered the message of a higher truth. This truth existed as Natural Law. Teiresias advised his m... ...light, only the Gospel of John carries the secret to eternal salvation. In a way similar to a child playing with a Lite- Brite, the Gospel of John and Sophocles' character Teiresias allow rainbows of light to exist in a world devoid of color. While both allow the existence of a form of the truth, it is only the Gospel of John that provides a detailed guide that will allow a person to find order in their truth. Through such truth and enlightenment, an abstract world of chaos and ignorance can be engulfed by a world full of order and wisdom. Realms of beauty and glory can manifest themselves to individuals who accept the truth and the essence of light as a message from a higher existence. Great joy and pleasure shall come to the child who can find beauty and order in a bleak world full of ignorance and emptiness.

Chapter 25 The Egg and the Eye

Harry had no idea how long a bath he would need to work out the secret of the golden egg, he decided to do it at night, when he would be able to take as much time as he wanted. Reluctant though he was to accept more favors from Cedric, he also decided to use the prefects' bathroom; far fewer people were allowed in there, so it was much less likely that he would be disturbed. Harry planned his excursion carefully, because he had been caught out of bed and out-of-bounds by Filch the caretaker in the middle of the night once before, and had no desire to repeat the experience. The Invisibility Cloak would, of course, be essential, and as an added precaution, Harry thought he would take the Marauders Map, which, next to the cloak, was the most useful aid to rule-breaking Harry owned. The map showed the whole of Hogwarts, including its many shortcuts and secret passageways and, most important of all, it revealed the people inside the castle as minuscule, labeled dots, moving around the corridors, so that Harry would be forewarned if somebody was approaching the bathroom. On Thursday night, Harry sneaked up to bed, put on the cloak, crept back downstairs, and, just as he had done on the night when Hagrid had shown him the dragons, waited for the portrait hole to open. This time it was Ron who waited outside to give the Fat Lady the password (â€Å"banana fritters†), â€Å"Good luck,† Ron muttered, climbing into the room as Harry crept out past him. It was awkward moving under the cloak tonight, because Harry had the heavy egg under one arm and the map held in front of his nose with the other. However, the moonlit corridors were empty and silent, and by checking the map at strategic intervals, Harry was able to ensure that he wouldn't run into anyone he wanted to avoid. When he reached the statue of Boris the Bewildered, a lost-looking wizard with his gloves on the wrong hands, he located the right door, leaned close to it, and muttered the password, â€Å"Pine fresh,† just as Cedric had told him. The door creaked open. Harry slipped inside, bolted the door behind him, and pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, looking around. His immediate reaction was that it would be worth becoming a prefect just to be able to use this bathroom. It was softly lit by a splendid candle-filled chandelier, and everything was made of white marble, including what looked like an empty, rectangular swimming pool sunk into the middle of the floor. About a hundred golden taps stood all around the pools edges, each with a differently colored Jewel set into its handle. There was also a diving board. Long white linen curtains hung at the windows; a large pile of fluffy white towels sat in a corner, and there was a single golden-framed painting on the wall. It featured a blonde mermaid who was fast asleep on a rock, her long hair over her face. It fluttered every time she snored. Harry moved forward, looking around, his footsteps echoing off the walls. Magnificent though the bathroom was – and quite keen though he was to try out a few of those taps – now he was here he couldn't quite suppress the feeling that Cedric might have been having him on. How on earth was this supposed to help solve the mystery of the egg? Nevertheless, he put one of the Huffy towels, the cloak, the map, and the egg at the side of the swimming-pool-sized bath, then knelt down and turned on a few of the taps. He could tell at once that they carried different sorts of bubble bath mixed with the water, though it wasn't bubble bath as Harry had ever experienced it. One tap gushed pink and blue bubbles the size of footballs; another poured ice-white foam so thick that Harry thought it would have supported his weight if he'd cared to test it; a third sent heavily perfumed purple clouds hovering over the surface of the water. Harry amused himself for awhile turning the taps on and off, particularly enjoying the effect of one whose jet bounced off the surface of the water in large arcs. Then, when the deep pool was full of hot water, foam, and bubbles, which took a very short time considering its size, Harry turned off all the taps, pulled off his pajamas, slippers, and dressing gown, and slid into the water. It was so deep that his feet barely touched the bottom, and he actually did a couple of lengths before swimming back to the side and treading water, staring at the egg. Highly enjoyable though it was to swim in hot and foamy water with clouds of different-colored steam wafting all around him, no stroke of brilliance came to him, no sudden burst of understanding. Harry stretched out his arms, lifted the egg in his wet hands, and opened it. The wailing, screeching sound filled the bathroom, echoing and reverberating off the marble walls, but it sounded just as incomprehensible as ever, if not more so with all the echoes. He snapped it shut again, worried that the sound would attract Filch, wondering whether that hadn't been Cedric's plan – and then, making him jump so badly that he dropped the egg, which clattered away across the bathroom floor, someone spoke. â€Å"I'd try putting it in the water, if I were you.† Harry had swallowed a considerable amount of bubbles in shock. He stood up, sputtering, and saw the ghost of a very glum-looking girl sitting cross-legged on top of one of the taps. It was Moaning Myrtle, who was usually to be heard sobbing in the S-bend of a toilet three floors below. â€Å"Myrtle!† Harry said in outrage, â€Å"I'm – I'm not wearing anything!† The foam was so dense that this hardly mattered, but he had a nasty feeling that Myrtle had been spying on him from out of one of the taps ever since he had arrived. â€Å"I closed my eyes when you got in,† she said, blinking at him through her thick spectacles. â€Å"You haven't been to see me for ages.† â€Å"Yeah†¦well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Harry, bending his knees slightly, just to make absolutely sure Myrtle couldn't see anything but his head, â€Å"I'm not supposed to come into your bathroom, am I? It's a girls' one.† â€Å"You didn't used to care,† said Myrtle miserably. â€Å"You used to be in there all the time.† This was true, though only because Harry, Ron, and Hermione had found Myrtle's out-of-order toilets a convenient place to brew Polyjuice Potion in secret – a forbidden potion that had turned him and Ron into living replicas of Crabbe and Goyle for an hour, so that they could sneak into the Slytherin common room. â€Å"I got told off for going in there.† said Harry, which was half-true; Percy had once caught him coming out of Myrtles bathroom. â€Å"I thought I'd better not come back after that.† â€Å"Oh†¦I see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  said Myrtle, picking at a spot on her chin in a morose sort of way. â€Å"Well†¦anyway†¦I'd try the egg in the water. That's what Cedric Diggory did.† â€Å"Have you been spying on him too?† said Harry indignantly. â€Å"What d'you do, sneak up here in the evenings to watch the prefects take baths?† â€Å"Sometimes,† said Myrtle, rather slyly, â€Å"but I've never come out to speak to anyone before.† â€Å"I'm honored,† said Harry darkly. â€Å"You keep your eyes shut!† He made sure Myrtle had her glasses well covered before hoisting himself out of the bath, wrapping the towel firmly around his waist, and going to retrieve the egg. Once he was back in the water, Myrtle peered through her fingers and said, â€Å"Go on, then†¦open it under the water!† Harry lowered the egg beneath the foamy surface and opened it†¦and this time, it did not wail. A gurgling song was coming out of it, a song whose words he couldnt distinguish through the water. â€Å"You need to put your head under too,† said Myrtle, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying bossing him around. â€Å"Go on!† Harry took a great breath and slid under the surface – and now, sitting on the marble bottom of the bubble-filled bath, he heard a chorus of eerie voices singing to him from the open egg in his hands: â€Å"Come seek us where our voices sound, We cannot sing above the ground, And while you re searching, ponder this: Wove taken what you'll sorely miss, An hour long you'll have to look, And to recover what we took, But past an hour– the prospect's black, Too late, it's gone, it wont come back† Harry let himself float back upward and broke the bubbly surface, shaking his hair out of his eyes. â€Å"Hear it?† said Myrtle. â€Å"Yeah†¦'Come seek us where our voices sound†¦' and if I need persuading†¦hang on, I need to listen again†¦.† He sank back beneath the water. It took three more underwater renditions of the egg's song before Harry had it memorized; then he trod water for a while, thinking hard, while Myrtle sat and watched him. â€Å"I've got to go and look for people who can't use their voices above the ground†¦.† he said slowly. â€Å"Er†¦who could that be?† â€Å"Slow, aren't you?† He had never seen Moaning Myrtle so cheerful, apart from the day when a dose of PolyJuice Potion had given Hermione the hairy face and tail of a cat. Harry stared around the bathroom, thinking†¦if the voices could only be heard underwater, then it made sense for them to belong to underwater creatures. He ran this theory past Myrtle, who smirked at him. â€Å"Well, thats what Diggory thought,† she said. â€Å"He lay there talking to himself for ages about it. Ages and ages†¦nearly all the bubbles had gone†¦.† â€Å"Underwater†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry said slowly. â€Å"Myrtle†¦what lives in the lake, apart from the giant squid?† â€Å"Oh all sorts,† she said. â€Å"I sometimes go down there†¦sometimes don't have any choice, if someone flushes my toilet when I'm not expecting it†¦.† Trying not to think about Moaning Myrtle zooming down a pipe to the lake with the contents of a toilet. Harry said, â€Å"Well, does anything in there have a human voice? Hang on -â€Å" Harry's eyes had fallen on the picture of the snoozing mermaid on the wall. â€Å"Myrtle, there aren't merpeople in there, are there?† â€Å"Oooh, very good,† she said, her thick glasses twinkling, â€Å"it took Diggory much longer than that! And that was with her awake too† – Myrtle jerked her head toward the mermaid with an expression of great dislike on her glum face – â€Å"giggling and showing off and flashing her fins†¦.† â€Å"Thats it, isn't it?† said Harry excitedly. â€Å"The second task's to go and find the merpeople in the lake and†¦and†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But he suddenly realized what he was saying, and he felt the excitement drain out of him as though someone had just pulled a plug in his stomach. He wasn't a very good swimmer; he'd never had much practice. Dudley had had lessons in his youth, but Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, no doubt hoping that Harry would drown one day, hadn't bothered to give him any. A couple of lengths of this bath were all very well, but that lake was very large, and very deep†¦and merpeople would surely live right at the bottom†¦. â€Å"Myrtle,† Harry said slowly, â€Å"how am I supposed to breathe?† At this, Myrtle's eyes filled with sudden tears again. â€Å"Tactless!† she muttered, groping in her robes for a handkerchief. â€Å"What's tactless?† said Harry, bewildered. â€Å"Talking about breathing in front of me!† she said shrilly, and her voice echoed loudly around the bathroom. â€Å"When I can't†¦when I haven't†¦not for ages†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She buried her face in her handkerchief and sniffed loudly. Harry remembered how touchy Myrtle had always been about being dead, but none of the other ghosts he knew made such a fuss about it. â€Å"Sorry,† he said impatiently. â€Å"I didn't mean – I just forgot†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Oh yes, very easy to forget Myrtle's dead,† said Myrtle, gulping, looking at him out of swollen eyes. â€Å"Nobody missed me even when I was alive. Took them hours and hours to find my body – I know, I was sitting there waiting for them. Olive Hornby came into the bathroom – Are you in here again, sulking, Myrtle?' she said, ‘because Professor Dippet asked me to look for you -‘ And then she saw my body†¦ooooh, she didn't forget it until her dying day, I made sure of that†¦followed her around and reminded her, I did. I remember at her brother's wedding -â€Å" But Harry wasn't listening; he was thinking about the merpeople's song again. â€Å"We've taken what you II sorely miss.† That sounded as though they were going to steal something of his, something he had to get back. What were they going to take? â€Å"-and then, of course, she went to the Ministry of Magic to stop me stalking her, so I had to come back here and live in my toilet.† â€Å"Good,† said Harry vaguely. â€Å"Well, I'm a lot further on than I was†¦.Shut your eyes again, will you? I'm getting out.† He retrieved the egg from the bottom of the bath, climbed out, dried himself, and pulled on his pajamas and dressing gown again. â€Å"Will you come and visit me in my bathroom again sometime?† Moaning Myrtle asked mournfully as Harry picked up the Invisibility Cloak. â€Å"Er†¦I'll try,† Harry said, though privately thinking the only way he'd be visiting Myrtle's bathroom again was if every other toilet in the castle got blocked. â€Å"See you. Myrtle†¦thanks for your help.† â€Å"Bye, ‘bye,† she said gloomily, and as Harry put on the Invisibllity Cloak he saw her zoom back up the tap. Out in the dark corridor, Harry examined the Marauders Map to check that the coast was still clear. Yes, the dots belonging to Filch and his cat, Mrs. Norris, were safely in their office†¦nothing else seemed to be moving apart from Peeves, though he was bouncing around the trophy room on the floor above†¦.Harry had taken his first step back toward Gryffindor Tower when something else on the map caught his eye†¦something distinctly odd. Peeves was not the only thing that was moving. A single dot was flitting around a room in the bottom left-hand corner – Snape's office. But the dot wasn't labeled â€Å"Severus Snape†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦it was Bartemius Crouch. Harry stared at the dot. Mr. Crouch was supposed to be too ill to go to work or to come to the Yule Ball – so what was he doing, sneaking into Hogwarts at one o'clock in the morning? Harry watched closely as the dot moved around and around the room, pausing here and there†¦. Harry hesitated, thinking†¦and then his curiosity got the better of him. He turned and set off in the opposite direction toward the nearest staircase. He was going to see what Crouch was up to. Harry walked down the stairs as quietly as possible, though the faces in some of the portraits still turned curiously at the squeak of a floorboard, the rustle of his pajamas. He crept along the corridor below, pushed aside a tapestry about halfway along, and proceeded down a narrower staircase, a shortcut that would take him down two floors. He kept glancing down at the map, wondering†¦It just didn't seem in character, somehow, for correct, law-abiding Mr. Crouch to be sneaking around somebody else's office this late at night†¦. And then, halfway down the staircase, not thinking about what he was doing, not concentrating on anything but the peculiar behavior of Mr. Crouch, Harry's leg suddenly sank right through the trick step Neville always forgot to jump. He gave an ungainly wobble, and the golden egg, still damp from the bath, slipped from under his arm. He lurched forward to try and catch it, but too late; the egg fell down the long staircase with a bang as loud as a bass drum on every step – the Invisibility Cloak slipped – Harry snatched at it, and the Marauder's Map fluttered out of his hand and slid down six stairs, where, sunk in the step to above his knee, he couldn't reach it. The golden egg fell through the tapestry at the bottom of the staircase, burst open, and began wailing loudly in the corridor below. Harry pulled out his wand and struggled to touch the Marauder's Map, to wipe it blank, but it was too far away to reach – Pulling the cloak back over himself Harry straightened up, listening hard with his eyes screwed up with fear†¦and, almost immediately – â€Å"PEEVES!† It was the unmistakable hunting cry of Filch the caretaker. Harry could hear his rapid, shuffling footsteps coming nearer and nearer, his wheezy voice raised in fury. â€Å"What's this racket? Wake up the whole castle, will you? I'll have you, Peeves, I'll have you, you'll†¦and what is this?† Filch's footsteps halted; there was a clink of metal on metal and the wailing stopped – Filch had picked up the egg and closed it. Harry stood very still, one leg still Jammed tightly in the magical step, listening. Any moment now, Filch was going to pull aside the tapestry, expecting to see Peeves†¦and there would be no Peeves†¦but if he came up the stairs, he would spot the Marauder's Map†¦and Invisibility Cloak or not, the map would show â€Å"Harry Potter† standing exactly where he was. â€Å"Egg?† Filch said quietly at the foot of the stairs. â€Å"My sweet!† – Mrs. Norris was obviously with him – â€Å"This is a Triwizard clue! This belongs to a school champion!† Harry felt sick; his heart was hammering very fast – â€Å"PEEVES!† Filch roared gleefully. â€Å"You've been stealing!† He ripped back the tapestry below, and Harry saw his horrible, pouchy face and bulging, pale eyes staring up the dark and (to Filch) deserted staircase. â€Å"Hiding, are you?† he said softly. â€Å"I'm coming to get you, Peeves†¦.You've gone and stolen a Triwizard clue, Peeves†¦.Dumbledore'll have you out of here for this, you filthy, pilfering poltergeist†¦.† Filch started to climb the stairs, his scrawny, dust-colored cat at his heels. Mrs. Morris's lamp-like eyes, so very like her masters, were fixed directly upon Harry. He had had occasion before now to wonder whether the Invisibility Cloak worked on cats†¦.Sick with apprehension, he watched Filch drawing nearer and nearer in his old flannel dressing gown – he tried desperately to pull his trapped leg free, but it merely sank a few more inches – any second now, Filch was going to spot the map or walk right into him – â€Å"Filch? Whats going on?† Filch stopped a few steps below Harry and turned. At the foot of the stairs stood the only person who could make Harry's situation worse: Snape. He was wearing a long gray nightshirt and he looked livid. â€Å"Its Peeves, Professor,† Filch whispered malevolently. â€Å"He threw this egg down the stairs.† Snape climbed up the stairs quickly and stopped beside Filch. Harry gritted his teeth, convinced his loudly thumping heart would give him away at any second†¦. â€Å"Peeves?† said Snape softly, staring at the egg in Filch's hands. â€Å"But Peeves couldn't get into my office†¦.† â€Å"This egg was in your office. Professor?† â€Å"Of course not,† Snape snapped. â€Å"I heard banging and wailing -â€Å" â€Å"Yes, Professor, that was the egg -â€Å" â€Å"- I was coming to investigate -â€Å" â€Å"- Peeves threw it. Professor -â€Å" â€Å"- and when I passed my office, I saw that the torches were lit and a cupboard door was ajar! Somebody has been searching it!† But Peeves couldn't -â€Å" â€Å"I know he couldn't, Filch!† Snape snapped again. â€Å"I seal my office with a spell none but a wizard could break!† Snape looked up the stairs, straight through Harry, and then down into the corridor below. â€Å"I want you to come and help me search for the intruder, Filch.† â€Å"I – yes, Professor – but -â€Å" Filch looked yearningly up the stairs, right through Harry, who could see that he was very reluctant to forgo the chance of cornering Peeves. Go, Harry pleaded with him silently, go with Snape†¦go†¦Mrs. Norris was peering around Filch's legs†¦.Harry had the distinct impression that she could smell him†¦.Why had he filled that bath with so much perfumed foam? â€Å"The thing is, Professor,† said Filch plaintively, â€Å"the headmaster will have to listen to me this time. Peeves has been stealing from a student, it might be my chance to get him thrown out of the castle once and for all -â€Å" â€Å"Filch, I don't give a damn about that wretched poltergeist; it's my office that's -â€Å" Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. Snape stopped talking very abruptly. He and Filch both looked down at the foot of the stairs. Harry saw Mad-Eye Moody limp into sight through the narrow gap between their heads. Moody was wearing his old traveling cloak over his nightshirt and leaning on his staff as usual. â€Å"Pajama party, is it?† he growled up the stairs. â€Å"Professor Snape and I heard noises, Professor,† said Filch at once. â€Å"Peeves the Poltergeist, throwing things around as usual – and then Professor Snape discovered that someone had broken into his off -â€Å" â€Å"Shut up!† Snape hissed to Filch. Moody took a step closer to the foot of the stairs. Harry saw Moody's magical eye travel over Snape, and then, unmistakably, onto himself. Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. Moody could see through Invisibility Cloaks†¦he alone could see the full strangeness of the scene: Snape in his nightshirt, Filch clutching the egg, and he, Harry, trapped in the stairs behind them. Moody's lopsided gash of a mouth opened in surprise. For a few seconds, he and Harry stared straight into each other's eyes. Then Moody closed his mouth and turned his blue eye upon Snape again. â€Å"Did I hear that correctly, Snape?† he asked slowly. â€Å"Someone broke into your office?† â€Å"It is unimportant,† said Snape coldly. â€Å"On the contrary,† growled Moody, â€Å"it is very important. Who'd want to break into your office?† â€Å"A student, I daresay,† said Snape. Harry could see a vein flickering horribly on Snape's greasy temple. â€Å"It has happened before. Potion ingredients have gone missing from my private store cupboard†¦students attempting illicit mixtures, no doubt†¦.† â€Å"Reckon they were after potion ingredients, eh?† said Moody. â€Å"Not hiding anything else in your office, are you?† Harry saw the edge of Snape's sallow face turn a nasty brick color, the vein in his temple pulsing more rapidly. â€Å"You know I'm hiding nothing, Moody,† he said in a soft and dangerous voice, â€Å"as you've searched my office pretty thoroughly yourself.† Moody's face twisted into a smile. â€Å"Auror's privilege, Snape. Dumbledore told me to keep an eye -â€Å" â€Å"Dumbledore happens to trust me,† said Snape through clenched teeth. â€Å"I refuse to believe that he gave you orders to search my office!† â€Å"Course Dumbledore trusts you,† growled Moody. â€Å"Hes a trusting man, isn't he? Believes in second chances. But me – I say there are spots that don't come off, Snape. Spots that never come off, d'you know what I mean?† Snape suddenly did something very strange. He seized his left forearm convulsively with his right hand, as though something on it had hurt him. Moody laughed. â€Å"Get back to bed, Snape.† â€Å"You don't have the authority to send me anywhere!† Snape hissed, letting go of his arm as though angry with himself. â€Å"I have as much right to prowl this school after dark as you do!† â€Å"Prowl away,† said Moody, but his voice was full of menace. â€Å"I look forward to meeting you in a dark corridor some time†¦.You've dropped something, by the way†¦.† With a stab of horror. Harry saw Moody point at the Marauders Map, still lying on the staircase six steps below him. As Snape and Filch both turned to look at it, Harry threw caution to the winds; he raised his arms under the cloak and waved furiously at Moody to attract his attention, mouthing â€Å"It's mine! Mine!† Snape had reached out for it, a horrible expression of dawning comprehension on his face – â€Å"Accio Parchment!† The map flew up into the air, slipped through Snape's outstretched fingers, and soared down the stairs into Moody's hand. â€Å"My mistake,† Moody said calmly. â€Å"It's mine – must've dropped it earlier -â€Å" But Snape's black eyes were darting from the egg in Filch's arms to the map in Moody's hand, and Harry could tell he was putting two and two together, as only Snape could†¦. â€Å"Potter,† he said quietly. â€Å"What's that?† said Moody calmly, folding up the map and pocketing it. â€Å"Potter!† Snape snarled, and he actually turned his head and stared right at the place where Harry was, as though he could suddenly see him. â€Å"That egg is Potters egg. That piece of parchment belongs to Potter. I have seen it before, I recognize it! Potter is here! Potter, in his Invisibility Cloak!† Snape stretched out his hands like a blind man and began to move up the stairs; Harry could have sworn his over-large nostrils were dilating, trying to sniff Harry out – trapped. Harry leaned backward, trying to avoid Snape's fingertips, but any moment now – â€Å"There's nothing there, Snape!† barked Moody, â€Å"but I'll be happy to tell the headmaster how quickly your mind jumped to Harry Potter!† â€Å"Meaning what?† Snape turned again to look at Moody, his hands still outstretched, inches from Harry's chest. â€Å"Meaning that Dumbledore's very interested to know who's got it in for that boy!† said Moody, limping nearer still to the foot of the stairs. â€Å"And so am I, Snape†¦very interested†¦.† The torchlight flickered across his mangled face, so that the scars, and the chunk missing from his nose, looked deeper and darker than ever. Snape was looking down at Moody, and Harry couldn't see the expression on his face. For a moment, nobody moved or said anything. Then Snape slowly lowered his hands. â€Å"I merely thought,† said Snape, in a voice of forced calm, â€Å"that if Potter was wandering around after hours again†¦it's an unfortunate habit of his†¦he should be stopped. For – for his own safety.† â€Å"Ah, I see,† said Moody softly. â€Å"Got Potter's best interests at heart, have you?† There was a pause. Snape and Moody were still staring at each other, Mrs. Norris gave a loud meow, still peering around Filch's legs, looking for the source of Harry's bubble-bath smell. â€Å"I think I will go back to bed,† Snape said curtly. â€Å"Best idea you've had all night,† said Moody. â€Å"Now, Filch, if you'll just give me that egg -â€Å" â€Å"No!† said Filch, clutching the egg as though it were his firstborn son. â€Å"Professor Moody, this is evidence of Peeves' treachery!† â€Å"It's the property of the champion he stole it from,† said Moody. Hand it over, now.† Snape swept downstairs and passed Moody without another word. Filch made a chirruping noise to Mrs. Norris, who stared blankly at Harry for a few more seconds before turning and following her master. Still breathing very fast. Harry heard Snape walking away down the corridor; Filch handed Moody the egg and disappeared from view too, muttering to Mrs. Norris. â€Å"Never mind. my sweet†¦we'll see Dumbledore in the morning†¦tell him what Peeves was up to†¦.† A door slammed. Harry was left staring down at Moody, who placed his staff on the bottommost stair and started to climb laboriously toward him, a dull clunk on every other step. â€Å"Close shave. Potter,† he muttered. â€Å"Yeah†¦I – er†¦thanks,† said Harry weakly. â€Å"What is this thing?† said Moody, drawing the Marauder's Map out of his pocket and unfolding it. â€Å"Map of Hogwarts,† said Harry, hoping Moody was going to pull him out of the staircase soon; his leg was really hurting him. â€Å"Merlins beard,† Moody whispered, staring at the map, his magical eye going haywire. â€Å"This†¦this is some map. Potter!† â€Å"Yeah, its†¦quite useful,† Harry said. His eyes were starting to water from the pain. â€Å"Er – Professor Moody, d'you think you could help me -?† â€Å"What? Oh! Yes†¦yes, of course†¦.† Moody took hold of Harry's arms and pulled; Harry's leg came free of the trick step, and he climbed onto the one above it. Moody was still gazing at the map. â€Å"Potter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said slowly, â€Å"you didn't happen, by any chance, to see who broke into Snape's office, did you? On this map, I mean?† â€Å"Er†¦yeah, I did†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Harry admitted. â€Å"It was Mr. Crouch.† Moody's magical eye whizzed over the entire surface of the map. He looked suddenly alarmed. â€Å"Crouch?† he said. â€Å"You're – you're sure. Potter?† â€Å"Positive,† said Harry. â€Å"Well, he's not here anymore,† said Moody, his eye still whizzing over the map. â€Å"Crouch†¦that's very – very interesting†¦.† He said nothing for almost a minute, still staring at the map. Harry could tell that this news meant something to Moody and very much wanted to know what it was. He wondered whether he dared ask. Moody scared him slightly†¦yet Moody had just helped him avoid an awful lot of trouble†¦. â€Å"Er†¦Professor Moody†¦why d'you reckon Mr. Crouch wanted to look around Snape's office?† Moody's magical eye left the map and fixed, quivering, upon Harry. It was a penetrating glare, and Harry had the impression that Moody was sizing him up, wondering whether to answer or not, or how much to tell him. â€Å"Put it this way. Potter,† Moody muttered finally, â€Å"they say old Mad-Eye's obsessed with catching Dark wizards†¦but I'm nothing – nothing – compared to Barty Crouch.† He continued to stare at the map. Harry was burning to know more. â€Å"Professor Moody?† he said again. â€Å"D'you think†¦could this have anything to do with†¦maybe Mr. Crouch thinks there's something going on†¦.† â€Å"Like what?† said Moody sharply. Harry wondered how much he dare say. He didn't want Moody to guess that he had a source of information outside Hogwarts; that might lead to tricky questions about Sirius. â€Å"I don't know,† Harry muttered, â€Å"odd stuffs been happening lately, hasn't it? It's been in the Daily Prophet†¦the Dark Mark at the World Cup, and the Death Eaters and everything†¦.† Both of Moody's mismatched eyes widened. â€Å"You're a sharp boy. Potter,† he said. His magical eye roved back to the Marauder's Map. â€Å"Crouch could be thinking along those lines,† he said slowly. â€Å"Very possible†¦there have been some funny rumors flying around lately – helped along by Rita Skeeter, of course. It's making a lot of people nervous, I reckon.† A grim smile twisted his lopsided mouth. â€Å"Oh if there's one thing I hate,† he muttered, more to himself than to Harry, and his magical eye was fixed on the left-hand corner of the map, â€Å"its a Death Eater who walked free†¦.† Harry stared at him. Could Moody possibly mean what Harry thought he meant? â€Å"And now I want to ask you a question. Potter,† said Moody in a more businesslike tone. Harry's heart sank; he had thought this was coming. Moody was going to ask where he had got this map, which was a very dubious magical object – and the story of how it had fallen into his hands incriminated not only him, but his own father, Fred and George Weasley, and Professor Lupin, their last Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Moody waved the map in front of Harry, who braced himself- â€Å"Can I borrow this?† â€Å"Oh!† said Harry. He was very fond of his map, but on the other hand, he was extremely relieved that Moody wasn't asking where he'd got it, and there was no doubt that he owed Moody a favor. â€Å"Yeah, okay.† â€Å"Good boy,† growled Moody. â€Å"I can make good use of this†¦this might be exactly what I've been looking for†¦.Right, bed, Potter, come on, now†¦.† They climbed to the top of the stairs together, Moody still examining the map as though it was a treasure the like of which he had never seen before. They walked in silence to the door of Moody's office, where he stopped and looked up at Harry. â€Å"You ever thought of a career as an Auror, Potter?† â€Å"No,† said Harry, taken aback. â€Å"You want to consider it,† said Moody, nodding and looking at Harry thoughtfully. â€Å"Yes, indeed†¦and incidentally†¦I'm guessing you werent Just taking that egg for a walk tonight?† â€Å"Er – no,† said Harry, grinning. â€Å"I've been working out the clue.† Moody winked at him, his magical eye going haywire again. â€Å"Nothing like a nighttime stroll to give you ideas, Potter†¦.See you in the morning†¦.† He went back into his office, staring down at the Marauders Map again, and closed the door behind him. Harry walked slowly back to Gryffindor Tower, lost in thought about Snape, and Crouch, and what it all meant†¦.Why was Crouch pretending to be ill, if he could manage to get to Hogwarts when he wanted to? What did he think Snape was concealing in his office? And Moody thought he. Harry, ought to be an Auror! Interesting idea†¦but somehow. Harry thought, as he got quietly into his four-poster ten minutes later, the egg and the cloak now safely back in his trunk, he thought he'd like to check how scarred the rest of them were before he chose it as a career.