When they had taken away Dumbledore's body, he pulled away from Katie who called to him, but Brooklyn ignored her, and everybody else, going right to a solitary area in the owlery, closing the door to it, and just sitting there, head bowed, tears continuing to fall, curling up and feeling so worthless, so weak.
Perhaps Demona was right this whole time, maybe I am no protector... Brooklyn thought dully to himself, hugging his knees close to his chest, burying his face in his arms.
The hours passed as he continued to sit there, occasionally enduring the company of his owl, Wyvern, who sensed his distress, hoping to comfort him. He had been feeling hurt and worthless, ignoring the pleading cries of his friends trying to get him to come out. Brooklyn still held the fake locket in his hand, a painful reminder of everything Dumbledore, his brother and himself had gone through, only for Dumbledore to be murdered.
Phoenix song suddenly rang in his ears. Looking up with a tear stained face, Brooklyn saw Fawkes from outside, singing a mournful tune.
The majestic bird saw Brooklyn, flapping through the window, continuing it's lament, as he landed near the distressed gargoyle, still curled up like a lost hatchling.
Brooklyn felt numb and nearly running out of tears to cry, as Fawkes cooed sadly, rubbing against Brooklyn's side. He subconsciously petted the bird.
"Lo, Fawkes," he mumbled, throat sore from crying, cheeks feeling dry from the salty tears. The door creaked open gently, but Brooklyn couldn't look up, continuing to pet his only reminder to Dumbledore.
It was McGonagall. Brooklyn huffed softly, turning away from her.
"I don't want your pity, and I don't want to talk about it!" McGonagall bowed her head, understanding what Brooklyn was going through.
"Harry and I already talked, and you should know he misses you. We all do."
Brooklyn rolled his eyes. "Yeah, why should I care? Or him? I nearly killed my brother, and got your Headmaster killed!" He grunted. She folded her arms. "It was not your fault, Brooklyn, nor was it Harry's. We were all fooled."
Brooklyn didn't reply to this, continuing to stare blankly at the wall. It still didn't matter to him, being fooled by that no good traitor, Snape. Just thinking of the name made his heart wretch with anger.
"Also Brooklyn, I now as Headmistress request for you to attend the funeral. Dumbledore would want you to attend it. It would make him happy to see you among friends and not locked away in here." McGonagall said then in a forceful, along with some small sobs in her voice.
He gave more shuddering breaths, eventually coming to terms that she was right. He was being selfish, hiding like this. Letting lose a quiet sniffle, Brooklyn gingerly stood, nodding, then took a welcoming hug from his old friend. Fawkes sat on his shoulder, joining in with the hug, singing his lament for Dumbledore.
Eventually he and Fawkes came back to the Gryffindor Common Room. The Fat Lady was crying (Harry must've told her), the portrait door still open, and he climbed in where it was packed with students as he expected. Some of them stood when they saw Brooklyn come in with Dumbledore's Phoenix who hadn't left Brooklyn.
He silently moved among them, not speaking, until the gargoyle entered the boy's dormitories, where his friends were waiting.
Brooklyn stood there, looking down as the Golden Trio and Katie looked toward him in surprise. "Hey," he mumbled, and nearly lost his flow of air as Katie gave him a tight hug, Fawkes giving a squawk at the sudden movement, taking flight and landing on Harry's bed. Ron was pretty startled that Fawkes was still there.
Unable to help himself, Brooklyn chuckled, patting her on the back. "Uh, can't breathe, Katie, but I'm glad to see you, too."
She pulled away, wiping away tears. "Don't hide from us again, Brooklyn!" She said, as Brooklyn's face flushed with embarrassment. "I'll work on that," he said sheepishly. But then Ron had a question. "Did you find one? A Horcrux? We were about to ask Harry before you came."
Wordlessly, Brooklyn held out the fake to them, and Hermione took it, feeling like the mission to the Cave was nothing more than a nightmarish memory now. Ron looked crestfallen.
"It wasn't there?" He said softly, as the brothers shook their heads. Katie looked disappointed, too. Their trip had been for nothing.
"Somebody had already taken it and left a fake," Harry explained. Brooklyn lowered his head. "It had been a waste," he mumbled, as Harry took the locket from him, pulling out the note and gave it to Hermione, who read it.
"Who's R.A.B.?" Ron had whispered, but Harry just shrugged, flopping down onto his bed. Brooklyn sat down with him, part of his heart feeling like it had been pulled away since Dumbledore died. He didn't even know if he would still be the same after this, along with what he had witnessed, his friends getting hurt and cursed.
That was when somebody came into the dormitory, it was Griff, and his eyes were full of surprise and shockingly excitement.
"Griff? What's gotten into you?" Brooklyn asked, sitting up in surprise. The griffin gargoyle panted a little before speaking.
"It-it, you gotta come, you'll like it, I promise!" He gasped. Brooklyn got up to follow, and gave Harry a look that asked if he could come, and Harry nodded, having nothing better to do. The friends along with Fawkes followed Griff out, and down along the hallways. Brooklyn felt his heart thumping with anticipation, wondering what Griff was taking them to.
He was unprepared for an unexpected shock, as the rounded the corner to the Great Hall. Brooklyn's eyes popped, his heart ached, and his limbs trembled. His family was here!
"G-Goliath!" Brooklyn sobbed, seeing his familiar leader standing with McGonagall. This wasn't a vision in a mirror anymore, it was all real! And he was happy about it.
He felt new tears, not of grief, but of joy. Harry was just amazed at finally seeing the rest of Brooklyn's family there. This was his first time seeing them after all of Brooklyn's stories!
Brooklyn had run up to Goliath, and Goliath embraced him in that long awaited reunion hug that he waited for. Angela was sobbing, too, happy to see Brooklyn again, telling him how they had gotten here. Sirius managed to get the fireplace in Castle Wyvern connected to Floo Powder, which is how they all have been able to arrive.
Bronx sniffed Brooklyn's scent, and wagged his tail in happiness after not smelling him for ages as Brooklyn scratched behind his ears. Hudson was laughing and crying, while Broadway and Lexington tackled Brooklyn to the floor in a reunion embrace. Harry watched with a sad smile on his face at this family reunion, wishing he and his family had this moment. Two other people were with them, too, a woman with black blue hair and a rich looking man.
"Okay, guys, you can get off me now," Brooklyn laughed, and his rookery brothers stood up, Broadway helping Brooklyn to his feet.
Lex smiled. "I-I'm just glad to see you again, Brook! And that you've been able to survive for this long!" Brooklyn put on a grin. Now was the time.
He gestured to his brother. "Guys, this is my brother, Harry Potter, which I'm sure Una told you about in her letter," he introduced. Harry suddenly felt rather shy as Brooklyn pushed him forward.
Goliath gazed down at the human teen before him who had a lightning shaped scar on his forehead. "So you're the one who helped Brooklyn, and bonded with him," he said in his deep voice. Harry nodded shyly. He smiled. "I'm in your debt for saving our second in command, Harry Potter," he thanked, holding out his hand. Harry took it, glad that Goliath was able to trust him.
Angela smiled at the child in front of her, as she greeted him with a hug, grateful for Harry for helping Brooklyn adjust. Even Xanatos approached Harry with an offer that once it was over, he could earn a side job for working for him. Harry felt rather flattered being presented this by a rich Muggle that he nodded. No one had ever offered him a job outside the Wizarding World before! Bronx took a liking to Harry, licking his face and wagging his tail, making him laugh and gently push him down.
Harry had gotten to show off his Animagus gargoyle form to everybody too, and it really surprised them all that a young human teen could turn into one of them.
"He really does look like you," Broadway commented.
"Yeah, except the lighter red skin color, silver instead of white hair, and his beak's smaller," Lex added. Brooklyn chuckled.
"His godfather taught him how to transform in his Third Year, and I helped him learn all there is to know about being a gargoyle."
Hudson had a question about what was going on. "So, lad, what had been happening before we got here? A lot of the humans seem pretty down." Brooklyn lowered his head.
"The headmaster of the school, Albus Dumbledore was murdered last night," he revealed. Angela and Elisa gave a gasp, and Goliath's eyes glowed, while Xanatos frowned slightly.
"Who did this?" He demanded. Brooklyn growled softly, clenching his hands. "A man named Severus Snape who Dumbledore trusted and was the Potions Professor here. Harry and I saw it happen." His leader growled. "So he was the betrayer. Then he will pay."
Brooklyn nodded. No matter what, Severus Snape will soon pay for what he did!
Eventually Brooklyn gave his Clan the tour of Hogwarts while Elisa and Xanatos spoke with McGonagall, and even revealed that he had been practicing magic once the tour ended out by Hagrid's hut near the greenhouses.
Lexington's mouth fell open. "Wha? But our Clan can't do that type of magic!" Brooklyn chuckled, revealing his redwood wand to them. Hudson just stared in amazement, that one of their young rookery kin has magic ability now.
"Watch this," Brooklyn said, as he summoned a happy memory. "Expecto Patronum!" Goliath stared in amazement, as a silver and gold majestic bird blossomed from Brooklyn's wand, calling out and flying around them, Broadway and Angela staring while Bronx barked and chased the Patronus, finally pouncing, but it vanished, making the garbeast whine in confusion. Brooklyn had a feeling that Bronx and Fang could probably become friends.
"Amazing," breathed Goliath, still hard to grasp the fact that Brooklyn had been able to do this ever since being among these different magic humans. When Hudson had mentioned his scars earlier from Lupin, Brooklyn had asked him not to blame him. He also got a chance to introduce his owl Wyvern to them. Wyvern nipped them all affectionately, as Hudson said he was well named after their castle home.
Brooklyn felt his heart feel lighter than it did a while ago when he was sulking again. With his Clan here, he can face Dumbledore's funeral a bit better now, which was in a couple more days, and he had asked Goliath and the others to attend with him.
Hudson had smiled. "We didn't know Dumbledore as well as you did, lad, but we'd be glad to be there." Brooklyn bowed his head in thanks, as McGonagall came to find the Manhattan Clan temporary rooms in the castle.
Goliath had one more question for Brooklyn. "Brooklyn, how come you haven't been able to return home these past few months? We sort of understand with Demona and him threatening this place. But what else caused you to stay?"
Brooklyn glanced down, then looked up again. "I guess it was because of my new extended family, and my brother. I just couldn't leave them at a time like this. I hope you aren't…" Goliath cut him off, he was smiling.
"No, Brooklyn. I'm actually proud of you to have made allies here at Hogwarts, like when me and Elisa met. It took us time to trust one another, but in time we became great allies. And now that Demona is with your brother's greatest enemy, I hope she will soon realize that she is on the wrong side," he murmured sadly, finding it hard to imagine his former mate with a human like Voldemort.
Brooklyn nodded. Maybe, somehow, there could still be a chance for her, even if she did try seducing him that time. But for now, he was glad to finally have his Clan here at last to help him with his mission alongside the London Clan to protect Hogwarts, whether Dumbledore was still alive or not.