It's been forever since I last updated. I've yet to find a Beta which keeps me from uploading more. I remain woefully sorry for that. As always this is J.K I am but a humble fan.

Case # 5: Theodore Nott/ Hogwarts

Moody swore he had a funny sort of dream. Rarely did he recall any of them, but this one was much like a forgotten name on the tip of his tongue. Coming to a boil when he was rudely awaken by that twit horse face Greengrass. His long face broke in to an embarrassing smile.

"I say, where you here all night?"

Mr. Greengrass was one of those old families. One of which either marriage well or went in to the ministry. Like wise he in listed as the secretary for the Head of the Aurors. Often giving Moody and most new comers a hard time.

Moody ran a hand through his hair and in to a stretch. "I was looking through some cold cases."

Some manilla folders with a few chosen names, nothing on this Riddle family. Mrs. Riddle was clean, as he expected. No complaints either till now.

Greengrass read a name over his shoulder, "Nott, whats this for?"

"A stalking case."

"ABOUT THE NOTT'S?" he cried

"No, no! A window and her son. They've gotten in to a dark crowd. I think perhaps who ever is stalking Mrs. Riddle and Mr. Riddle I think maybe after the Notts. It seems they are a link, gate way. Still it is all queer to me. Some thing fishy about this case. " Not wanting to share much more with Greengrass, he was likely to point out Moody was not suppose to be on the case.

"You had me quiet up on arms," cried Greengrass "if that is true why would you need to look up on criminal files?"

Moody didn't want to admit that he believed that some one other then the Riddle family would more likely sell the family out. How ever Greengrass was a loyal brother, and Mr. Nott had his hand in almost every department. How many times Greengrass had gotten Mr. Nott's younger brother out of a tight corner would clearly make him biases.

A few times during Moody's early intern he came across the wild Nott. Often getting landed with Muggle baiting and illegal items trade. Time and time again the courts would give him anther shot , or have his sentence end swift and quick or dropped all together. Unfair and Unjust. Moody had to admit he hated the lot of them.

"Young Mr. Riddle is school mates with a young Mr. Nott. I believe the connection comes from out side the family. Perhaps some dark associate from the Notts side? I'm planing on heading to Hogwarts and asking."

"I have no idea," said Greengrass "the Nott's have never had problems when others are concerned."

What if young Mr. Nott had sold Tom and his mother out? For what gold? The boy's family was rolling in gold. That would not be a motive. Or would power? Perhaps Grindlwalds fame had drawn on the lad? That seem more likely.

Maybe there he could get a better picture. Perhaps Tom had got caught talking about his mothers customers. Nott heard in class and choose to boost himself. It seem right.

The gloom of London did not venture up north when Moody appeared on the path leading up to the gates. Beyond to the school was a pill of leaf gather from the trees on the school side was being cleared away by the Grounds Keeper. An over work wizard who didn't seem to give a 'Bleeding care' to what Moody wanted or was here for. 'I've got work to do, it's not my job to fetch students!"

"I suppose work here is getting outta hand?" he said trying to clam the over stress man.

"You'd be right! Mangy brats!" he said rubbing his wire like bristles growing on his chin "Always up ta no good, they are! Caught a whole lot sneaking in to the Care Takers cupboard, did I! Ain't 'nutting been done. Headmaster's too soft on them."

"I can't say I'm much acquainted with Headmaster Dippt." said Moody

"We've been talking about walking off," the grounds keeper said taken out a silver flask and drinking deeply. The lump in his throat rose and fell as he drank. Making a smacking sound with his lips as he tuck it back in to his seat pocket. "warn yea I did, if that git comes around and kicks me leafs again I'll box the boys ears! To Hades what Dippt says!"

He made a toast of that with his flask.

"I may not be well on with Headmaster Dippt but Professor Dumbledore I am," said Moody "I can recount your troubles. He may not be able to do as much as the Headmaster but his a fair man."

The grounds keeper waved his callous figure at him, "You tell 'em That Avery boy is 'nutting but spoiled brat! Yet they take the word of a Student over me! Says he was with 'em, but I know he ain't I saw him and his no good mates running up the bleeding hill! But Dippt like that Riddle."

Moody's interest peeked, "Tom Riddle Aye, that boy seems to have a bit of a reputation."

His hand dug in to his pocket for his notes.

"The Headmaster don't see it! Kicking me leaves, Avery and his mates tosh rocks in ta me windows! 'Coo Mr. Jellyby, The Care Taker even says the lot walks the grounds at night. Noses about! Think they can get away with things 'cos of there families and that Perfect!"

"Riddle is friends with this Hoodlum crowd?"

"Or his bullied, that crew is bad news. Goes around picking on the others. They had a bad round once, Gamp it was. He nearly got expelled for it. Left him and the other boy in Hospital wing. To bad that Riddle was there or else I would have been free of at least one!"

"What was the fight about?" said Moody

"Nothing, Just the boy happen to be Muggle-born. What else?"

Moody was sure he had his connection here. Slytherin was a rough house, fill with the spirit of birth right. For Riddle begin a mix blood would put him in an odd hold. Perhaps he had been bullied, maybe even threaten with his mothers safety?

He could see Riddle being hounded as he slept in the same room and as he studied and ate. It would make even the most harden crack.

"I'll let Professor Dumbledore know. Keep and eye on the lads."

Looking him up and down the weather Grounds keeper nodded, "Who might yea be looking for?"

"Theodore Nott."

"One of there mates." said the Grounds Keeper with a devilish look " 'coo I hope you nail the boy for what ever it is."

Moody just nodded not wanting to be the one to burst the mans hopes. He directed the Auror towards the east side of the castle, where the lawns over looked the lake. A few member of the student body had taken a first period and laid out on the grass. A group of older students from there last two years. There robes peeled off to soak up some sun.

The Grounds Keeper pointed out a weedy looking boy with a serious over bite and small black eye's. He had circle off a group of his friends all gather under there own tree. A rather rough looking crowd mainly making up of his house mates. They glared at his approach glances at his Auror's badge.

Moody called out to Nott who was rather crudely replied "Who wants to know?"

The strain had finally gotten to Moody. The look on the boys face as Moody elapse the distance between them so there faces level and were inches away for each other. The black pupil of the boys eye's shined with fear.

"I do!" he growled

His friends leaped backwards falling off the heels of there feet on to there backsides. Taken a back as there sassy friend.

"Is it or is it not true that over the summer ye had a few words with Tom Riddle at his home!"

"What? How did~ I mean..." Theodore Nott stuttered.

"Yes or No?" cried Moody cutting through the punks false bravo.

"Yes...but I don't know why~" Moody cut off the boy again "Did he find out that ye sold his mother out?"

"What?" he cried began to shake like the bully he truly was, who could make all those weaker then him believe he was really some thing scary. "I never even meet her before!"

"Thought perhaps you could sell them for favor may be to a cousin of yours? Aren't you all related any how? By blood? Who would care if you gave up a some Muggle-borns?" said Moody, a crowd gather to watch gaping a few grinning to see Nott;s come up-ins.

Beads of sweat broke over the boys forehead, "NO! Tom's my friend!"

"LIES!" Moody slam his hand in to the truck of the tree be hide Theodore's head.

If that little rat didn't wet his trouser right then and there. A few of his mate finally fled towards the school leaving there friend.

"NO IT'S NOT!" Cried Theodore

"You'd never lower your self to be friend a Muggle-born! Would yeah? That why Gamp was up in Hospital, wasn't he? Didn't like the sight of them in his house, eh?"

Theodore white face could fathom how Moody seem to know about this. "That was Gamp! Gamp never listen to Tom any how."

"Listen to a Mix-blood? Like I'd believe you'd do the same? I bet when Tom got to you, ye acted the same way!"

Theodore whimpered, "I might have bragged but I never told Grindelwald!"

"Bragged! Bragged about what?-" Moody's cry was interrupted

"Alastor!"

From the castle Theodore's mates had fetch the closet teacher around, Professor Dumbledore. His purple robes where gliding be hide him as he race toward the two. Shouting at the looky-loos to 'find some thing to do'.

"Professor," seeing Dumbledore was not amuses as he stood in the Transfiguration offices "I know what this might look like."

"Do you? Do you also know that Mr. Nott's father had call up to the school a head of time? It seems a Mr. Greengrass had told him of your attempt to question his son. All seem to be in order till you made a show if it. He has now a reason to summon his solicitor. I hope you at least gotten what you wanted. I expect when Headmaster Dippt finishes with young Mr. Nott he might have some unpleasant words with you."

"I got some where," said Moody, explaining his theory about Tom Riddle and his Slytherin connection " It doesn't struck me that Theodore Nott was lying. Nor Mr. Twilfitt's account. The boy seems to, for the moment to be telling the truth."

Intrigue was written on the face of the Transfiguration teacher. His figure perch against each other like a steeple.

"I would second your belief on the Theodore loyalty to Tom." said Dumbledore "They weren't always on good grounds, Tom did have it rough with his house hold during his first year. I suppose his popularity with the staff won them over more then his background."

Moody bark, "Takes more then a few high marks to get those lot to start playing nice!"

"As what I thought, but I wouldn't underestimate Tom. He can be quiet charming." said Dumbledore looking darkly over his half-moon spectacles. "He reminds me of a certain some one."

Flipping through his pages of his notes he found a blank line page, "You had left me hanging before. Do you think Riddle wouldn't sell out his own mother for a handful of gold."

"I'm not sure about all that," started Dumbledore "but some thing about the boy made me, uneasy. "

"Pulled a Mind trap on you?" Moody looked up hopeful, Hopeful he wasn't imaging it. Hopping he hadn't lost his touch.

What ever it was seem far worst to Dumbledore that kept him occupied with his own thoughts.

"During his first year I had caught a few of the older students trying to bully him. A Mr. Gamp and Mr. Macmilan. I felt bad for the boy, he was such an eager student and so quiet. So I thought I keep an eye on him.

"I can recall helping him pick up his solid books off the floor the only thing that was injured at the time. He was quiet. I offer him a trip to my office for some tea. Trying to cheer him up," said Dumbledore "we must have spent some hours going through all my works, every question on his mind he was unabashed to ask. Then we got on the subject of the founders.

"He said 'I don't see why they put me in Slytherin,'

"I said Slytherin was more then they made him out to be. Not every one is perfect and some times you had to take the good with the bad. Etc. Etc. How I mention Parseltongue to him was beyond me. Of course that was his next question.

"He, was a Parseltongue!"

There was an uncomfortable silence in the air. Moody debated written it down. How could he forget some thing like that?

He clear the lump of excitement in his throat, "What did you say to that?"

"Nothing. After I said he was one of the rare ones he went quiet. I never forgot the look on his face. He was not happy. A bit angry for which I was sure he'd be delighted with the news or at the most nervous with rumors of it being related to dark wizards. My mission seem to fail." said Dumbledore's

"Do you think the others found out, they think his some long lost relative? But, he can't be. Can he?" said Moody more to him self "His mothers a muggle-born and his father a muggle. But I guest it was enough to win friends. A mark of a true Slyterin, and a dark wizard. Is that what you thought?"

"No," he said shaking his head "it didn't bother me quiet as much as what happen a few days later. As I said I was keeping an eye on the boy. Making good enough time, Mr. Gamp and Mr. Macmilan had corner Tom.

"I could still hear Gamp shouting foul words yelling for Tom's pocket money, when some thing popped. The little gas lamps we have to replace the torches exploded and catching Gamp, his friend fled leaving him to his fate. Gamp was lucky I had been hot on his trail. He were burn quite badly. Tom had not pulled out his wand, nor did I see him utter a curse."

"Wandless magic? Ridiculous!" exclaimed Moody but not whole heartly.

"I don't blame him, I don't think he had meant it." said Dumbledore quickly "I question him away from the Headmaster of course, he said he just felt angry. I worried if his magic could be brought on by emotions.

"After Ariana," Dumbledore's voice weaken a bit at the mention of his sisters name" after her, I am over eager to protect the wounded birds. I feared for both him and the other students!"

"Here's the big question," said Moody "you think Gamp is trying to get back at Tom?"

Dumbledore cocked his head, "I don't think either of us believes Grindelwald is after just names. I'm wondering if Mrs. Riddle doesn't have some thing else he wants."

"If I find out what it is.." said Moody as Dumbledore cut in with a wag of his index finger and finish his thoughts "you'll find out what Tom found out and what his traitor had learned."

With a flick of his wrist he closed the spiral cover of his leather notebook.

The office door was thrown open, hitting the opposite wall with a loud crack. Spooking both Moody and the person at the door. Whose over large shoulders hunch to his ears. The boy was the larges student Moody had even seen. He wouldn't have guessed he was a student if it wasn't for his school robes. Over his shoulders was a bushy unkempt hair.

"Sorry Professor!" whimper the boy, trying to fix the broken hinges.

Dumbledore raised a hand halting the further damage to his door. "That's quite alright Mr. Hagrid, I was meaning to find a chance to get a new door."

"I usually do the same at me dads house," said Hagrid leaning the now unhinge door on the cupboard. Knocking the contents to the floor with a loud crash.

How Dumbledore remain focus on Hagrid and not the distortion of his belongings was beyond Moody. "What is it, Hagrid?"

"Headmaster Dippt wants to see the Auror Moody," with an exciting look over at him Hargid beam "Oh there he is."

"Well there's me," said Moody getting to his feet "I'll let you know any thing new."

Leaving both Hagrid and Dumbledore to clean the stack of broken gold metal and glass.