Ever since Harry had been announced the Fourth Champion, things hadn't been going too well for him. And even with Brooklyn, it went right back to the harsh glares and sometimes throwing things at him again.

This reminded Brooklyn of when they lost 150 house points in the first year, and prayed like before, they will forgive and forget.

The other Champions, especially that Fleur girl whom he started to dislike ever since she gave him the scorned look that night, bashed his brother whenever they could, except for Cedric, who didn't seem to care about it, and tried being friendly with them.

It made things worse when most of the student body except Hermione, Cedric, and Ginny began wearing badges that flickered three messages: one that flashed bright red saying SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY, THE REAL HOGWARTS CHAMPION, that flashed green next saying: POTTER STINKS!, before flashing yellow last, which beared the worst message for Brooklyn. Saying: GO DIE IN A HOLE, CHEATER ENTERER FOR POTTER!

His cheeks had burned when they saw him, and flashed the badges in his direction, laughing mockingly, especially Malfoy and his cronies, who seemed to be the inventors of the badges.

Just ignore them, you're used to this, you're used to this, Brooklyn repeated to himself almost every day, with those words becoming another mantra.

Next on the list was that Ron wasn't on their side anymore, ignoring them and not speaking to them at all. If this kept going, Brooklyn was going to officially declare this the worst year at Hogwarts in his eyes!

One Friday, they announced a photo shoot for the Champions, held by Daily Prophet reporter, Rita Skeeter. Brooklyn never heard of this woman, but from what Percy spoke about her, she was supposedly bad news, and incredibly nosy for her own good, telling lies about people.

She had singled Harry out, even calling Brooklyn himself with her for a 'double interview' for the Boy Who Lived and the Guardian of Hogwarts. She smiled at them, flashing her white teeth that reminded Brooklyn of Lockhart.

"So, Harry! How does it feel to enter such a dangerous tournament? And Brooklyn, what had gone through your mind to allow the one you're protecting to enter? Is it possibly that your kind didn't get so much publicity? It's just so terrible that nobody notices you or acknowledge your heroic deeds, isn't it?" She asked in a sickeningly sweet tone.

"For the freaking last time, Harry didn't enter, and I didn't help him enter, either!" Brooklyn snarled. But that didn't seem to faze her, as her Quick Quotes Quill continued writing and she continued asking embarrassing questions, until Dumbledore rescued them finally, and the brothers were more than happy to escape this demented reporter.

But they couldn't escape her article, that made the front page of the Daily Prophet, declaring Harry Potter (getting his age wrong, calling him a 12 year old), and Brooklyn attention seekers, showing big photos of them, even saying that Harry was the only Champion chosen. Had the Skeeter woman forgot there were three other champions? And having lies spread about him on the front page of the Daily Prophet was definitely something that he didn't want to happen to him in this world!

Now Brooklyn found himself in the solitude of the Owlrey with Harry one mid winter afternoon, having a headache after the tenth piece of hate mail that came, and was grateful for the comforting presence of his owl, Wyvern who nipped his finger in affection and concern.

"Why do I always get dragged into these things, Wyvern?" Brooklyn asked in a blank tone, staring out at the Black Lake. Harry was on the other side of the Owelry, awaiting Hedwig's return with Sirius's reply.

A black owl arrived instead of Hedwig, carrying an envelope. Brooklyn stood and joined Harry as they read Sirius's letter together:

Harry, Brooklyn:

I couldn't risk sending Hedwig. Ever since the World Cup the Ministry's been intercepting more and more owls and she's too easily recognized. Use either this owl or Wyvern if you could. But we need to talk, you two, face to face. Meet me in the Gryffindor Common Room at 1:00 this Saturday night and make sure it is just you two.

Later that evening on Saturday, they talked with Sirius whose head was in the fire, as the result of Floo Powder.

They discussed Harry's dream, that eventually gave the brothers the news of Karkaroff once being a Death Eater.

"And, there's Barty Crouch, heart of stone, who sent his own son to Azkaban!" Sirius then said, which made Brooklyn feel shocked. Why would Crouch do that in the first place?

"Do you think one of them put my name in the goblet?"

"I haven't a clue who put your name in that Goblet, Harry. But whoever did is no friend to you. People die in this tournament!" Sirius exclaimed, his eyes worried for his godson. Now this was something Brooklyn didn't want to hear.

"I'm not ready for this, Sirius!" Harry gasped, shaking a little. "You don't have a choice, I wish I can help," Sirius responded in a sorrowful tone.

Brooklyn growled. "I didn't want this to happen! As soon as I got to thinking he wouldn't have to compete, it makes front page news! Now I have no idea how I'm gonna protect him without the judges thinking that Hogwarts is cheating!" He snapped, crushing a Daily Prophet in his hands in anger that showed the terrible headline.

"I'm sure that Dumbledore will think of something," Sirius then said, before the two of them heard footsteps.

"Someone's coming!" Harry hissed, as he and Brooklyn both stood. "Keep your friends and brother close, Harry!" Sirius called before he disappeared.

It was only Ron who came down, looking suspicious.

"Who were you guys talking to?" Ron asked. Brooklyn folded his arms, glaring at the one who used to be their first friend.

"Who says we were talking to anybody else when it was just me and Harry?" He snapped back.

"I heard a third voice down here," he continued, hoping to call them out for something.

"Maybe you were imagining things, wouldn't be the first time," Harry growled.

"You two were probably practicing for your next interview, I expect," Ron then said in a heated tone. Hissing, Brooklyn grabbed another Daily Prophet he hadn't burned yet, and threw it at Ron, hitting him in the face. He had enough.

"Go on, keep thinking Harry entered all you like! I don't care! Soon you'll see for yourself that this tournament isn't all glorious!" Taking Harry's arm, he stormed to their beds, leaving Ron standing there, not moving at all.


The next evening Harry and Brooklyn received an unexpected invitation from Hagrid to come along with him to show them something, that required the Invisibility Cloak.

"But Hagrid, where are we going? And why the heck have you combed your hair and wearing a flower on your coat?" Brooklyn asked in bewilderment, now noticing how dressed up the man was.

Hagrid didn't answer, but what Brooklyn saw was answered for him when Hagrid told them to put the Cloak on: Madame Maxime was there, dressed up as well, giving Hagrid a smile. And the way Hagrid looked at her reminded Brooklyn himself of how he stared at that Fleur girl, and facepalmed himself. Hagrid actually liked this woman?

The brothers followed Hagrid and Maxime, until it was safe to take off the cloak. Brooklyn wondered what Hagrid wanted to show them until, he heard a dragon's roar. No—freaking—way.

His eyes balled out at the sight of four cages, holding four different dragons, all fierce and deadly, shooting fire at the handlers. Brooklyn looked over to Harry whose mouth was open, not believing this, either.

Hagrid joined them after distracting Maxime with the dragons, a smile on his face.

"Are you serious right now, Hagrid? They brought freaking dragons to be the First Task?!" Roared Brooklyn in outrage and disbelief, as he watched one with golden horns and deep red skin, a Chinese Fireball, who was gnashing her teeth at one unfortunate soul who got too close.

"Come now, Brook! These are seriously misunderstood creatures. Aren't they beautiful?" Hagrid answered, drunk with admiration at the dragons. But there was one in particular that got Harry and Brooklyn on edge, a large black dragon with a spiked tail and deadly yellow eyes, who spotted them and shot fire in their way, making the group duck.

Hagrid winced. "Thoug', I hate to admit that Horntail is one nasty piece o' work."

Brooklyn was all for excitement in tournaments, as long as nobody got hurt, but putting his brother in with the Horntail went too far! He really needed to talk to somebody like Dumbledore at how Harry could get through alive without burnt flesh.

"Poor Ron nearly fainted jus' seein' them, yeh know."

Harry looked up. "Ron was here?" He asked.

Hagrid nodded. "Yeah, his brother Charlie helped him bring them over from Romania. Didn' Ron tell yeh guys?"

Brooklyn frowned when Hagrid mentioned Ron, especially since they weren't on speaking terms anymore. Now the fact that it was Ron's brother that brought in the dragons made him realize how much he and Harry missed Ron's friendship. Ron could have been showing them the dragons instead of Hagrid with Charlie, and they could have been on better terms with it.

"No, he didn't. He didn't tell us a thing," Harry grumbled, as the three of them continued to watch the dragons for a while until it got late, and Harry and Brooklyn left, wondering how Harry was going to get past that Horntail.