Brooklyn saw the familiar scenery of Hogsmeade return, as they had managed to Apparate safely. He panted slightly while trying to hold Dumbledore by his arm over his shoulder. Dumbledore was in pain...they needed to get him to Madam Pomfrey…he shuddered softly as Brooklyn remembered those terrible Inferi, glad to be away from that place.

Harry looked quite optimistic, though, holding the locket in his hands. "We did it! We got the Horcrux!" Brooklyn managed a small grin, but hoped that they could find a safe way to destroy it that wouldn't result into what happened to Dumbledore's hand.

"Yeah...guess we did," he mumbled, suddenly feeling Dumbledore stagger beneath him and he grunted to hoist him up.

"Sir? Are you okay?" Harry asked in an urgent tone. Dumbledore's mouth twitched in a small grin.

"I've been better...that was no health potion…"

Brooklyn chuckled slightly. "We'll get you to Pomfrey, Professor. She'll fix you—." But Dumbledore shook his head, surprising him and Harry.

"No, I need Severus…." He whispered, which confused Brooklyn enormously, why would he need Snape at a time like this?

Eventually Rosemerta found them, her face looking worried, as she pointed out the Dark Mark over Hogwarts, that send a spine chilling feeling of dread down Brooklyn's spine, if Griff, Katie or Brody were one of the victims...he didn't know how much more pain and death he could witness…

Rosemerta gave Harry a broom while Brooklyn had Dumbledore secure on his back, flying as carefully as he could with Harry back. He growled silently at the horrible skull and snake image glittering evilly in the sky above them.

But when they arrived where the Dark Mark was, there was no body, or anything, which confused Harry and Brooklyn.

The gargoyle saw Dumbledore clutching his hand to his chest, breathing raggedly.

"You two, go...get Severus. Tell…tell him what had happened. Stay under the cloak, don't tell anybody else…I shall wait here…"

Brooklyn shook his head. "I can't leave you unguarded!" He protested.

"You two swore to obey me, now go!"

With one final desperate look at Dumbledore, Brooklyn turned to follow Harry to the door. But there were footsteps running on the other side. Dumbledore made a hand gesture to the brothers to retreat into hiding. Brooklyn nodded and quickly pulled Harry into the shadows with him. Somebody burst through, and shouted:

"Expelliarmus!"

Brooklyn immediately felt himself freeze up, as did Harry, the two of them falling against the wall like a statue. This was confusing Brooklyn to a great extent: Expelliarmus was not a freezing charm.

That was when he saw that it was Dumbledore's doing, he wordlessly immobilized them both together, the cloak covering them both.

Standing against the ramparts, very white in the face, Dumbledore still showed no sign of panic or distress. He merely looked across at his disarmer and said, "Good evening, Draco."

No! Thought Brooklyn in disbelief and horror, not able to move any limbs, watching the scared boy moving towards Dumbledore with his wand out, pointing it at Dumbledore's chest.

"Who else is here?"

"A question I might ask you. Or are you acting alone?"

"No," he said. "I've got back-up. There are Death Eaters here in your school tonight, along with another friend, Demona."

Brooklyn felt his frozen face go pale. Demona was in Hogwarts?! This was bad news. Katie could get hurt from her or worse!

"Well, well," said Dumbledore, as though Malfoy was showing him an ambitious homework project. "Very good indeed. You found a way to let them in, did you?"

"Yeah," said Malfoy, who was panting. "Right under your nose and you never realized!"

"Ingenious," said Dumbledore. "Yet… forgive me… where are they now? You seem unsupported."

"They met some of your guard. They're having a fight down below. They won't be long… I came on ahead. I - I've got a job to do."

What job? What are you gonna do? Brooklyn thought desperately, wanting to know, and wanting to stop it, and hearing the Death Eaters coming.

"Well, then, you must get on and do it, my dear boy," said Dumbledore softly.

Draco Malfoy did nothing but stare at Albus Dumbledore who, incredibly, smiled.

"Draco, Draco, you are not a killer."

This sounded like bad news to Brooklyn, still imprisoned in his frozen body, unable to even move his wings. He was screaming inwardly, cursing at Dumbledore's soon to be murderer.

"How do you know? You don't know what I'm capable of," said Malfoy more forcefully, "you don't know what I've done!"

"Oh, yes, I do," said Dumbledore mildly. "You almost killed Katie Bell and Ronald Weasley. You have been trying, with increasing desperation, to kill me all year. Forgive me, Draco, but they have been feeble attempts… so feeble, to be honest, that I wonder whether your heart has been really in it…"

Please, don't do it! Brooklyn pleaded silently.

It continued on between Draco and Dumbledore, Draco told him everything, about how he made Rosmerta poison the mead to give to Slughorn, Imperiusing Katie, the Vanishing Cabinet, etc. Bangs and shouts continued on downstairs, making Brooklyn's heart throb. He hoped it wasn't Griff or Katie...

And then, Dumbledore spoke the most unusual thing. He was showing his soon to be killer mercy.

"I can help you, Draco."

Draco shook his head, tears in his eyes. "No! You don't understand, I have to do this! I have to kill you, or he's gonna kill me!"

You can choose, you don't need to do this! Do you hear me, Draco? I don't hate you for doing it all anymore, I know it now! Brooklyn thought desperately, trying to move.

Then a group of people came, and his blood turned cold at the sight of Demona among them, her eyes glinting eagerly at the sight of Dumbledore at their mercy.

A lumpy-looking man with an odd lopsided leer gave a wheezy giggle.

"Dumbledore cornered!" he said, and he turned to a stocky little woman who looked as though she could be his sister and who was grinning eagerly. "Dumbledore wandless, Dumbledore alone! Well done, Draco, well done!"

"Good evening, Amycus," said Dumbledore calmly, as though welcoming the man to a tea party. "And you've brought Alecto too… charming…"

Dumbledore then saw Demona, and he gave a sad smile, that made the gargess' face twitch slightly.

"I hoped to have the pleasure of meeting you, Demona, and here we are," he greeted as though she and him were meeting over a drink.

Demona smirked cruelly. "You have no power anymore, old one. Where's Brooklyn, I hoped to corner both him and you here!" She hissed. Dumbledore shook his head.

"He couldn't make it tonight, my dear. But had sent his apologies your way." He said simply. Brooklyn couldn't help but chuckle silently at that attempted humor.

She folded her arms and wings. "No matter, for I will track him down when we're done with you."

Greyback was also among the Death Eaters, and Brooklyn shuddered silently as the werewolf licked his lips, eager to see Dumbledore so helpless.

"I wouldn't miss a trip to Hogwarts, when there are delicious throats to be ripped out…delicious...delicious…"

Over my dead body! Brooklyn snarled, struggling more against the immobilizing spell. He wouldn't let Greyback or Demona kill any innocent young ones at this school!

"I could do you for afters, Dumbledore…"

Demona narrowed her eyes. Even though she formed a deal with the Death Eaters, the two she hated the most were the crazy woman, Bellatrix and this disturbing werewolf, Greyback. But with the boy… she didn't know what to feel, seeing him there, arm shaking with the wand, eyes terrified. He couldn't do it.

"No," said the fourth Death Eater sharply. He had a heavy, brutal-looking face. "We've got orders. Draco's got to do it. Now, Draco, and quickly."

Malfoy was showing less resolution than ever. He looked terrified as he stared into Dumbledore's face, which was even paler, and rather lower than usual, as he had slid so far down the rampart wall.

"He's not long for this world anyway, if you ask me!" said the lopsided man, to the accompaniment of his sister's wheezing giggles. "Look at him — what's happened to you, then, Dumby?"

"Oh, weaker resistance, slower reflexes, Amycus," said Dumbledore. "Old age, in short… one day, perhaps, it will happen to you… if you are lucky…"

"What's that mean, then, what's that mean?" yelled the Death Eater, suddenly violent.

"Always the same, weren't yeh, Dumby, talking and doing nothing, nothing, I don't even know why the Dark Lord's bothering to kill yeh! Come on, Draco, do it!"

But at that moment, there were renewed sounds of scuffling from below and a voice shouted, "They've blocked the stairs - Reducto! REDUCTO!"

Brooklyn felt fresh hope rushing through his veins, not all of them were gone, help could possibly come…

"Now, Draco, quickly!" said the brutal-faced man angrily.

But Malfoy's hand was shaking so badly that he could barely aim.

"I'll do it," snarled Greyback, moving towards Dumbledore with his hands outstretched, his teeth bared.

"I said no!" shouted the brutal-faced man; there was a flash of light and the werewolf was blasted out of the way; he hit the ramparts and staggered, looking furious.

That's what you deserve, Brooklyn sneered silently, thanking the unknown Death Eater for doing it.

"Draco, do it, or stand aside so one of us —" screeched the woman, but at that precise moment the door to the ramparts burst open once more and there stood Snape, his wand clutched in his hand as his black eyes swept the scene, from Dumbledore slumped against the wall, to the four Death Eaters, including the enraged werewolf, and Malfoy.

Demona's eyes turned red at the sight of the one who made the Unbreakable Vow, perhaps now he had come to fulfill it…

"We've got a problem, Snape," said the lumpy Amycus, whose eyes and wand were fixed alike upon Dumbledore, "the boy doesn't seem able —"

But somebody else had spoken Snape's name, quite softly.

"Severus…"

This frightened Brooklyn beyond comprehension more than it did in the cave when he drank the potion. This time, Dumbledore was actually pleading, not under the influence of any potion at all.

Snape said nothing, but walked forwards and pushed Malfoy roughly out of the way. The three Death Eaters fell back without a word. Even the werewolf seemed cowed.

Snape gazed for a moment at Dumbledore, and there was revulsion and hatred etched in the harsh lines of his face.

"Severus, please…"

Eyes cold and unblinking, Snape raised his wand, and pointed it at Dumbledore. The air seemed to freeze with apprehension.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Brooklyn was unable to scream, cursing his frozen body and Snape, as the terrible flash of green light struck Dumbledore in the chest, causing him to reel back over the edge, illuminated and suspended in mid air by the spell, then toppling over like a rag doll into the darkness below.

Demona watched Dumbledore's body fall away, not sure what to feel now. She didn't even think Snape would go through with the Unbreakable Vow, but he did. And now she thought, what would Voldemort do to the kid who had to have his job done for him? Snape and the rest fled, but Draco was standing there, eyes wide with fear.

Hissing in annoyance, she grabbed his arm, pulling him with her, and Demona snarled in his ear: "Be grateful I'm showing you mercy, pathetic child!" Draco could only emit a small whimper from her words as Demona continued to drag him away from the scene, unaware of Harry and Brooklyn who have been unfrozen now that the spellcaster was dead, following them in their wake, revenge being the only thing in Brooklyn's heart and mind now.

He had done his best to stick up for Snape, even if Snape was of different colors of emotions and delivered undeserved insults...but he would never forgive Snape for this...murdering one of the few people willing to help and stand up for him. He and Harry both charged through the castle, occasionally throwing spells at several Death Eaters fighting their friends, Brody among them, locked in a fist fight with Greyback until Brody had used his fighting skills to kick the werewolf in the groin, making him fall down in a heap.

Griff spotted an angry Brooklyn running past. He felt relieved that he returned safely, but worried about the angry look on his features, as he tried to stop him.

"Brooklyn, what hap—?" He gave a startled shout of pain as Brooklyn shoved him roughly aside, eyes flashing with grief and rage, not even speaking.

Griff rubbed his shoulder in confusion, while Brody had witnessed what his old friend did. "Griff, why did my pal shove you? What's wrong with him?" The merman turned human asked. Una had given him one of her amulets a while ago.

Griff shook his head, shrugging. "I dunno, mate, obviously, something bad must've happened, we need to get to them quick!"

Outside, the angry brothers continued to race after their enemies, pulling out their wands, just in time to see Bellatrix shooting fire at Hagrid's house, cold icy fear mixed with his rage. Not Hagrid too, please!

They spotted Snape, and Harry roared to him.

"SNAPE! HE TRUSTED YOU!"

"BLOODY MURDERER!" Shrieked Brooklyn, hands clenched and shaking uncontrollably. He just couldn't believe Snape killed Dumbledore, after everything…

Snape just sneered at them, as he and Harry dueled each other. Brooklyn tried catching Demona, but she was too fast, dragging the Malfoy boy with her into the trees, giving him a taunting smirk as she disappeared, making the red gargoyle shriek again in fury, tearing up the ground. Demona felt somewhat disappointed that she couldn't kill him now, but this felt even better, destroying Brooklyn's good natured soul with the killing of Dumbledore.

Snape continued to block Harry's spells, Harry screaming at him to fight back. Harry suddenly fell to the ground from the torture curse from Bellatrix. Screeching, Brooklyn rammed into her away from him, as Snape shouted "No! He belongs to the Dark Lord, they both do!"

No, no way in hell do I belong to anybody like him still! Brooklyn thought in rage, as Harry tried to shout out Sectumsempra at Snape, who knocked him back. Brooklyn ran next to him, glaring hard at the murderer, who looked quite demented, eyes popping.

"You're a coward," Brooklyn spat in uncontrollable anger, holding up Harry gently. Snape's eyes flashed in fury.

"Don't call me a coward! He dares to use my own spells against me, Brooklyn! Yes, I invented them! I, the Half-Blood Prince!" He snarled, swishing his cloak, and storming away, leaving Brooklyn to help Harry to his feet, unable to comprehend that Snape had been the Half Blood Prince this whole time, and angry that the murderer had gotten away.

Hagrid had by now been able to get over to the brothers, who sat there together on the grass. Brooklyn hugged Harry, hot fresh tears coming down, as he envisioned Dumbledore's body falling down the tower. Why did it have to happen? Why?

They eventually were joined by Griff and Brody. Griff approached Brooklyn carefully, unsure of his friend's mood. But then unexpectedly, Brooklyn had hugged him.

"I'm sorry I had shoved you like that, Griff. I was just...just so angry." He said hoarsely. Griff gave a small smile, but something else seemed to be troubling him.

"You okay?" He asked, but Brooklyn couldn't say it, not in front of their friends, as they turned to put out the fire on Hagrid's hut.

Brooklyn for a while couldn't speak after finishing putting out the flames and walking to find Dumbledore's body. He still couldn't accept the fact that Dumbledore was dead, he couldn't. A small crowd had formed near the Astronomy Tower, and his heart filled with even more grief.

Hagrid spoke, and Brooklyn wished he wouldn't. "See it, Harry and Brook? Right at the foot of the tower? Under where the Mark… Blimey… yeh don' think someone got thrown —?"

Brooklyn felt his senses almost shutting down, as Hagrid's voice faded away, as Dumbledore's body was revealed, spread eagled and broken, almost looking like he was sleeping as they walked dreamlike through the crowd towards it.

Misery of the greatest extent over flooded his veins, as he sunk to his knees near his body. Brooklyn then knew that Dumbledore would never talk to them again, never again would he see that familiar humor glint that shone in his eyes whenever he cracked a joke.

He could hear Brody sniffling behind him, as he hugged onto Griff. The young merman just couldn't grasp the truth that the most powerful Wizard he read about was gone. King Arthur was there, too (for he had arrived with the London Clan as soon as the action died down), removing his helmet and placing it over his heart in honor of a great man's passing.

Then Brooklyn spotted something fall out of Dumbledore's pocket. It was that wretched locket they stole not too long ago, and a painful memory of Dumbledore congratulating him on his success of getting them across the water to the cave made his heart clench, picking it up.

There was something off about it, though. Brooklyn had braced himself for any kind of dark magic, but felt nothing. He gestured Harry over as the two of them studied it, there was no S symbolizing Slytherin's Mark. All that was inside was a small scrap of paper, which they read:

To the Dark Lord

I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can.

I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more.

R.A.B.

Brooklyn felt himself breathing fast and shallow, hot angry tears coming down his face, as he gripped the fake locket tight in his talons. He didn't care now about what the message meant. This wasn't even the real damned locket, nothing but a stupid fake. Dumbledore had drunk that terrible potion, weakened himself and died over nothing. He knelt over, giving small sobs, as Katie came over, putting a comforting arm around her friend, as Ginny did the same for Harry while the rest of the school raised their wands, the wand tips igniting, erasing the Dark Mark from the sky.