Brothers *ABANDONED By Author*

Chapter 12

Evil Thoughts

After leaving the hospital wing and entering the Great Hall, Albus Dumbledore stood off to the side and watched the group of people huddling in the corner. He tried to understand how Harry came to know these people so well. He dismissed Black, Lupin, Longbottom, and all the Weasleys because it was obvious how Harry knew them. Bill, Albus guessed had grown close to Harry following the Tri-Wizard Tournament last year, but as he watched them all interact, it seemed they had known each other for many, many years. A lot longer than what it appeared to be. The ones he couldn't understand were Moody, the Hufflepuff metamorphmagus whose name he couldn't remember, the three paintings, and Ringo.

How do they all fit in? Albus asked himself.

He was puzzled by Moody. Harry had not spent any time with the real Alastor Moody. To Albus's knowledge, they had never even spoken. Harry's interactions had all been with Crouch Jr. Before Moody had been released from the hospital wing last year, following his stint in his trunk, Albus had talked to him. Moody had told him they would reform the Order now that Voldemort was back, but that was before Moody had pulled his disappearing trick, and when Albus finally heard from him a few weeks later, Moody had changed his mind. Albus didn't understand it.

The Hufflepuff what's-her-name could be explained because of Moody. Albus knew that she was an Auror, and Moody himself was training her. It wasn't hard to figure out where she played into all of this.

Ringo and the paintings though, were something else entirely. Where had Harry met him? If it weren't for Ringo, Harry wouldn't even know the meddlesome old Founders, or Merlin. Who was Ringo, and where did he fit into all this? Albus didn't know, but he was going to find out. Perhaps a trip to Ringo's house and a chat with his parents would provide some clues.

Severus Snape was on the verge of hexing the old caretaker if he didn't shut up. For almost an hour he had to listen to Filch complain. Apparently the caretaker had spent all week begging 'Hogwarts' to throw Peeves out, but the castle either wouldn't (or couldn't) hear him, and Peeves continued to get on his nerves.

Now you know how I feel. He sighed.

Severus was finally able to talk the squib into calling a halt to the search. Obviously there was nothing to find, and Severus didn't feel like walking in circles all night trying to find something that wasn't there. Filch finally agreed, and they headed back to the great hall. He spoke to Albus for a minute and told him that they didn't find anything, then headed over towards Harry and the others. He wanted to know what really happened.

Hermione Granger scanned the room, but narrowed her eyes when she came across Harry's group still huddled in the corner of the great hall. She knew without a doubt that he was somehow involved in this. Everything out of the ordinary that happens at Hogwarts always has something to do with Harry.

Hermione didn't care about Harry, especially now. He was acting like a prat. Roller skating around the school and other such nonsense. This was a school, not a skate park. And how dare he cause problems with the Headmaster and Professor Umbridge. Ok, so she admits that Professor Umbridge isn't a very good teacher, and her idea of Defense class is completely rubbish, but Harry had no business making things hard on her. Professor Umbridge was doing the best she could, and Harry should just accept that, but instead, Harry was deliberately trying to get himself thrown out of each of her classes. Hermione also wasn't buying the fact that Neville, Dean, and Seamus just happened to all be sick at the same time today. Hermione was going to get to the bottom of all of this. After all, she was a prefect and it was her duty, and she took her duties very seriously.

Ron Weasley sat beside Hermione and glared over at Harry. He also knew that Harry had something to do with this. He also knew that the freaky-eyed git had something to do with it too. Why else would Sirius, Remus, and his Dad be here? Ron scoffed when Malfoy and his band of idiots made their way over to Harry and his group of morons when the greasy potions bat swooped over to talk to them.

How can Harry hang out with a bunch of sneaky Slytherin gits?

Harry was his best friend, and Ron still couldn't understand why Harry was so mad at him. Fred and George had him confused as well. Ron had never done anything to them, yet they treated him horribly and constantly pranked him. What made him the saddest though, was his Dad. He had divorced his Mum without even a care, and left her to rot in Azkaban. Ron glared at the lot of them again. He hated his family, but even worse, he hated being poor, and Dumbledore was no longer paying him to spy.

Ginny Weasley glared at the pink headed witch that had her arm slung across Harry's shoulder, clearly laughing at something he just said. She still didn't know who she was, and she didn't like her at all.

Since Mum isn't here, it's time to take matters into my own hands. She thought, smiling to herself.

Love Potion. That was the number one thing on Ginny's mind, besides the Boy-Who-Lived of course. That little pink headed witch wouldn't be Harry's girlfriend for long. Ginny would make sure of that.

As Albus continued to watch the ever growing crowd around Harry, he couldn't help but notice the odd gathering. All of Slytherin and nearly three quarters of Gryffindor house surrounded him and Ringo, and everyone seemed to be ok with it. The students were laughing and talking with those in the opposite house, and everyone seemed to be getting along. Albus had noticed the sudden friendliness between the two houses over the past week. He couldn't remember when the change happened though. Was it because of Salazar? Or was it something else? Were the founders bringing the houses together? Again his thoughts turned to Ringo. This didn't start until he came along. Was he the reason for Harry's sudden change?

Albus had noticed that Harry had been more cunning in his ways lately. Was this because he was getting advice from Salazar Slytherin himself? Or was it from Ringo? The one who not only had a pet snake, but could talk to them as well. Hogwarts had said Tom was related to Salazar, and Severus had said that the paintings had been in the boy's family for a long time. Could Ringo be influencing Harry? Could Ringo be working for Voldemort?

The idea made his head snap up. That's must be it. He thought.

Ringo was working for Voldemort. That's why Albus couldn't find him. Ringo was telling Voldemort Albus's every move. Not to mention, Harry and Ringo seemed to know everything about Voldemort. That explained the diary. The diary that was sitting in his office with a giant hole in it, but also the one that had passed under his nose the night he was arrested. Voldemort had made a copy of his own diary.

Why though? Albus thought.

Was it to clear his name, and try and pin everything on him? Albus knew that if Tom Riddle's diary could do one thing, it would send him to Azkaban. That's why he had confunded them all that night, and made them sign that contract, but he wasn't able to get it from Amelia Bones, and she has likely read it from cover to cover by now.

More importantly than that though, does Harry know? Does Harry know that Ringo is working for Voldemort? Is Harry under some kind of spell? Harry certainly believes Ringo's story, and Albus knows all the accusations are true, but perhaps he can divide them.

Yes, yes that's it. He thought. Divide and conquer.

They are always together, and haven't left each other's side since they walked through those doors. Wasn't it convenient that Voldemort just happened to show up tonight when the boys were alone with the stupid woman? Did he say anything to Harry? Did he say anything to Ringo? Albus didn't know, but he was about to find out, and he smiled as he walked over to the boys. He was thankful that he had a pensieve.