The Snatchers encircled the heroes, and Ron was glaring hard at Brooklyn.
"Oops?! That's all you got to say for yourself? The name was still Tabooed! Or have you forgotten?!" Ron screamed.
Brooklyn shrugged, his face panicked. "I didn't-I didn't-!" He protested, their enemies closing in. Harry was the first to act.
"We can talk about it later, run!" He yelled, shooting a spell at the Snatchers, creating an opening, and the group all ran for it as fast as they could, Brooklyn running on all fours.
Brooklyn flinched as two stunners barely missed him, cursing himself for foolishly blurting out Voldemort's name. How could he have been so stupid to forget about the name being Tabooed? He used his wand and fired counter attacks at his enemies, knocking down three.
Just when he thought he was home free, Brooklyn gasped aloud as painful ropes tied around his body, and he fell hard to the ground.
He looked around to see the leader, Scabior smiling sinisterly in victory at his capture. Brooklyn growled up at him before Scabior had him hauled to his feet by the werewolf, Greyback.
"Well, well, well, someone was careless enough to say the Dark Lord's name, we will soon fix that, have you show him respect," taunted Scabior, grabbing Brooklyn's face with his hands. Brooklyn hissed, trying to snap at his fingers, and Scabior pulled back his hand.
"I don't care what you do to me! Just leave my friends alone!" He yelled viciously, struggling. Greyback backhanded him after that.
"Silence, Freak!" He growled. Brooklyn's eyes watered.
"You're a freak, not me," he mumbled. Scabior eyed him with anger.
"Despite your noble efforts to defend the filth, we are still going to inspect your friends, my loyal Snatchers have probably caught up with them by now. If one of them is Potter, well...you'll soon find out what's in store for the both of you."
Brooklyn felt his blood freeze with fear from this, being brought to Voldemort could be the worst thing to happen, especially if he learns they were hunting for his Horcruxes!
"Take him with you to Malfoy Manor instead of the Ministry, along with the rest of them after I check their identities." Scabior ordered, and Greyback grinned evilly, turning to Brooklyn, and whacked him hard in the head again, knocking the gargoyle out this time.
When he woke again, a large luxurious mansion building was right in front of him. Brooklyn wanted to rub his head, but he couldn't, for he was still tied by the ropes, and the gargoyle looked over next to him to see his friends being held by the other Snatchers. Harry's face was also bloated, from a Stinging Jinx, possibly Hermione's doing to protect his identity.
"Where are we?" Brooklyn asked nervously, as he tried again to free himself.
"I don't know, it looks like Malfoy's house to me," Harry replied, until his captor slapped him.
"Shut up!" He growled, as the company kept moving forward until they approached the gate. Bellatrix was there, and Brooklyn was feeling even more nervous.
She smiled maliciously at the sight of Brooklyn, but on inspecting Harry, she couldn't see his scar, because of the jinx.
"Get Draco, and bring them inside," she ordered sharply, and Brooklyn winced as Greyback's taloned nails pushed him forward.
They were led into the sitting room, Narcissa sitting up sharply at the sight of them.
"What happened, Cissy? Who are they?" Demanded Narcissa, glaring at the group before her, as Bellatrix studied each prisoner. Brooklyn had hissed at her when she came by, but all Bellatrix did was ignore him, and focus on Hermione.
She eventually also had Draco look at them. Brooklyn had caught his gaze for a moment, and he begged him silently not to give them away, for Draco now looked terrible, his once sleek hair all matted and dirty, and his face was now white and terrified.
"Is it Potter and his friends! You must be honest, Draco! Tell me!"
"I-I can't be sure," he muttered, "It could be."
Lucius noted Harry's bloated face. "Looks like a stinging jinx to me," he pointed out, while Bellatrix looked at Hermione again with excitement in her eyes.
"Surely this couldn't be that Mudblood, Granger, could it? Have we actually caught Potter and his ragtag group of renegades?" She said in a delighted voice that was scaring Brooklyn.
Oh crud, she knows! He thought fearfully with round eyes, and next Bellatrix studied him. He looked down away from her, and like Scabior, Bellatrix forced his face to her eyes with a tight grip.
"I already know now that this is definitely Potter's gargoyle! We must call Him at once!" Bellatrix exclaimed triumphantly, drawing up her sleeve after letting Brooklyn go. But Lucius prevented her from doing it, causing the gargoyle to sigh slightly.
Lucius and Bellatrix both fought for a bit, until Greyback stupidly spoke.
"Beggin' your pardon, Mr. Malfoy, but it is us who caught Potter and his Freak. So it will be us who claims the gold—."
"Gold?" Laughed Bellatrix. "I'll give you gold, you filthy scavenger-what is that?" She yelped after throwing off her brother in law's grip.
Brooklyn had mentally groaned when seeing a random Snatcher holding the Sword, for he had been unconscious when they found it.
"Sword."
"Give it to me!"
"It's not yours, Missus. It's mine, I reckon I found it."
What followed was Bellatrix going nuts, shooting a spell at the Snatcher. The other Death Eaters tried to stop her, but they were no match for Bellatrix, learning from a choking Greyback later that they found it in their tent.
"Draco, Throw them in the cellar to be dealt with later, except...the Mudblood!" She hissed, eyeing Hermione with a scary gaze.
Narcissa protested, but was beaten down by her sister, and eventually Greyback was the one to throw them in. Brooklyn writhed in his captor's grip. He didn't want Hermione hurt again because of his second mistake!
"Don't hurt her!" Take me instead!" He screeched, with Ron saying the same thing, but Bellatrix slapped them both.
"You're next after the Mudblood, Freak since you were the one to say his name, so I wouldn't get cozy in the cellar. And with you, Weasley, if they both die under interrogation, I will have you brought after him, since Blood Traitors are up next on the list in my book after Mudbloods and Freaks," Bellatrix said.
Hermione was pulled away from her friends, and the next thing he knew, Brooklyn was thrown into a dank cellar with the rest, Greyback locking the door.
Brooklyn immediately ran to the door, pounding and kicking on it in desperation to free them all, Ron joining in on it with him and screaming, Hermione's screams echoing around them.
"Brook, stop! We need another solution!" Shouted Harry.
His fists burned from slamming them on the metal door that was not gonna give. Brooklyn knew now that Harry was right, and he sat against a corner of their prison which was deprived of any kind of light, like in his nightmares.
"Harry?" Asked a familiar voice.
"Who's there, Luna?" Said another, elderly hoarse voice. Brooklyn found out that they were in the same prison as Luna and Ollivander. He stood, glancing about.
"Yes, Luna, it's us, we've been caught, too. But we're gonna get out," Brooklyn said, smiling at seeing the two familiar people before him, but his heart ached at how Ollivander looked.
"H-he wanted to know where the Elder Wand was, but I wouldn't tell him anything, and then he...he…" Ollivander broke down, with Luna putting a comforting arm around him. Brooklyn narrowed his eyes. He was gonna get them all out of here no matter what! That was when an idea hit him hard.
Hermione was screaming again along with Bellatrix, and Ron continued to pound on the door while he pulled out his Phoenix feather.
"Hermione! Hermione!" Ron sobbed, and a voice came from above. "Be quiet down there!"
Harry noticed Brooklyn's Phoenix feather. "Brooklyn? What are you doing? Do you have a plan?"
The gargoyle nodded. "Dumbledore left me Fawkes, didn't he? So I'm going to call him," he said, holding the feather and closing his eyes.
"Ooh, I love Phoenixes," Luna commented. "I can't wait to see him."
Brooklyn continued to concentrate, remembering Dumbledore's famous saying, help will always be given by those who ask for it. And that's what he will do.
Please, Fawkes. We need your help. Me and my friends are at Malfoy Manor and held hostage, Please help us!
At first, nothing happened, but then his feather started to feel quite warm. Looking at it, his eyes widened as it started to glow bright, lighting up the cellar. Ollivander had smiled at seeing the light after deprived of it for so long.
"I think he heard me, but I don't know how long it would take for him to answer—." Brooklyn said, before a sharp sound of someone Apparating came, and a familiar bird's music.
He smiled, seeing two helpers before him, Fawkes of course, and…
"Dobby!" Harry cried out in happiness at the sight of the House Elf.
"Dobby and Fawky have come to rescue their friends!" The house elf squeaked with a smile on his face.
Brooklyn stroked Fawkes before kneeling down to Dobby.
"So you're able to Apparate in and out of this room?" Brooklyn asked, and Dobby nodded.
"Yes, you and your friends can't, but Dobby and Fawky have been able to combine magic and break through the magic barrier."
"Good, now listen, Dobby, they're going to come for me soon, I need you to take Ollivander and Luna away, first. Take them to…" Brooklyn said before Ron spoke.
"Shell cottage, Bill and Fleur's house, it's safe there," Ron said, able to calm down a little. Brooklyn nodded in agreement, before telling Fawkes and Dobby to hide as the door opened, Greyback coming down.
"Stay back, you lot. Missus wants the Freak and the goblin," he growled, eyeing Brooklyn and Griphook.
Harry stared at Brooklyn in fear but Brooklyn gave him an assuring gaze before being pulled away along with the goblin.
When Brooklyn was brought out, his eyes widened in horror at the sight of Hermione lying there, barely conscious and pale, a nasty cut on her arm spelling the word Mudblood, from Bellatrix's torturing. It was horrible, the worst scarring he had seen, reminding him of seeing her petrified in her second year.
He wanted to go to her and help, but doing so would get the both of them killed, grunting a little as he was tied once more, being forced to his knees in front of Bellatrix, who circled around him.
"I couldn't get the Mudblood to confess if she and your friends have been in my vault at Gringotts, perhaps you are more persuasive," Bellatrix said, fingering her wand.
"But she is right, we've never been in your stupid vault! The sword we have is just a fake!" Brooklyn snapped, hating Bellatrix every second. Bellatrix glared harshly as she pointed her wand.
"I still don't believe it! Crucio!"
The familiar fiery pain struck Brooklyn's body, and he set his jaw tight, trying to ignore the terrible pain. He wouldn't scream in front of this evil one who calls herself a human, who is basically a female Voldemort!
The curse was lifted, and he shook silently from it, Bellatrix kneeling down close to his face.
"Since you too are uncooperative, the goblin shall prove that you and the Mudblood were lying about the fake, gargoyle."
She then approached Griphook with the sword, showing it in front of the goblin. Brooklyn hoped he wouldn't give them away, for he knew that goblins were the tricky sort, not to be trusted. But then what happened surprised him.
"Is this the real sword?" Demanded Bellatrix. Griphook studied it carefully.
"No, Madam Lestrange, this is a copy, just a low quality copy. No one broke into your vault," Griphook replied, giving a small wink to Brooklyn.
Did he seriously just lie to help us? The gargoyle thought, shock pulsing through his body.
Bellatrix huffed in Griphook's direction, scratching his cheek with her knife, then turning back to Brooklyn, pointing the 'fake' sword under his chin.
"The sword may be fake according to him, and that your little gang didn't touch my vault, but that doesn't mean I'm going to set you or the Mudblood free so easily!" Bellatrix snarled, ready to stab the sword into Brooklyn's chest.
"GET AWAY FROM THEM!" Screamed Harry's voice. Brooklyn smiled in relief as he realized that Ollivander and Luna were now safe, thanks to Fawkes and Dobby.
It became chaos, Brooklyn broke through his ropes, punching Scabior who tried to nab him and took his wand, since his own was missing, shooting a spell at Lucius. Harry had even taken Draco's wand away from him, too.
Bellatrix halted them from their escape however by holding Hermione by her hair, pointing a knife at her neck. Brooklyn felt a surge of hatred towards Bellatrix, forced to drop his wand since Hermione's life was in danger.
But then to everybody's surprise, the chandelier dropped from the ceiling, all Dobby's doing, causing Bellatrix to let go of Hermione, but unfortunately Brooklyn was on one side of the mess away from his friends.
Dobby took hold of Harry and his friends, taking Narcissa's wand.
"How dare you take a witch's wand? How dare you defy your masters!" Screamed Bellatrix.
Dobby glared. "Dobby has no master, Dobby is a free elf, and Dobby has come to rescue Harry Potter and his friends! Jump, friend Brooklyn! Use your wings!" He shouted out loud. Brooklyn smiled, raising his wings, and jumped into the air…
It all went wrong as he felt himself being frozen, unable to move a muscle and floating from some kind of enchantment, because Bellatrix had caught him, not wanting to lose a prisoner.
Dobby looked terrified that his friend got caught again, as well as Harry, Ron and Hermione. Fawkes squawked with worry for him, but he couldn't get to Brooklyn, for he needed to be near Dobby for the spell to work.
He willed them all silently to go without him, to get Hermione to safety, for somehow he would find another way.
Dobby and Fawkes looked heartbroken and torn at the idea of leaving their friend, Harry staring in despair too, but there was no choice. The two combined magic to Apparate the rest away.
Bellatrix wouldn't let them off so easily, drawing her knife, and tossed it in their direction. Brooklyn watched with fear as the knife flew through the air. Just as the group disappeared, so did the knife, striking Dobby right in the heart.
No...no! the red gargoyle thought, struggling to come with the horrible reality that he was now long separated from his little brother because of Dobby's death and his mistake, stuck with his worst enemies.
Bellatrix then had Brooklyn turned around to face her, and his muscles ached from being frozen like this.
"Where did Potter and his friends go to? Answer me, freak filth!" Shouted Bellatrix roughly. But Brooklyn wouldn't give away his friend's safe location, Shell Cottage to someone like her! He was willing to endure all the torture that Hermione had suffered through so his friends would be safe, to make up for getting them all captured in the first place.
"Do your worst on me, hag, I'll never tell you anything!" Brooklyn growled back. Her eyes flashed sharply at his insult, suddenly whipping her wand in the air.
Brooklyn silently hissed in pain feeling something like a knife slicing his shoulder, and she let him fall to the floor in a heap, gripping his bleeding shoulder tightly, but keeping a defiant glare up at the madwoman, trying not to show weakness. He could try to escape, but it was crawling with Death Eaters and housed many security spells, so attempting any kind of escape now could be suicide. He needed a plan, whatever that would be and if it would be successful.
"I'm sure that the Dark Lord would love to squeeze the information out of you when he gets here in the next couple days with his 'friend'," Bellatrix said, spitting out the word friend, still hating that Voldemort favored Demona.
"But for now, throw him back in the cellar until then!" she ordered Greyback. The werewolf grabbed Brooklyn's arm roughly, dragging him back to the cellar, where he was tossed in.
He huffed painfully from hitting the cold stone floor, hearing Greyback laughing and the metal door closing behind him.
Brooklyn pulled himself numbly to a sitting position against the wall, shivering from the pain and the cold air in here. Since now that it was just him, with no other prisoners, he knew how Ollivander felt being trapped alone in this place.
He felt around for his Phoenix feather, to try and call Fawkes again, but to his fear, it was gone, had probably fallen out during the chaos.
He was alone again, the one thing Brooklyn dreaded most of all. He stared down mindlessly at the still bleeding scratch on his shoulder that he knew would scar later. Brooklyn did as best as he could to get comfortable on the freezing stone, feeling scared of what they would do to him later, and how he was gonna get out of this mess to return to his friends and brother.