Missed a part in this chapter I had on AO3. Fixed it.


Brooklyn stared at how Neville and Lex looked.

"Guys! You look- look..."

Neville grinned. "We look like Hell, I reckon. But these are nothing. Seamus is worse than me," he said.

Lex broke apart from Brooklyn who still felt rather amazed he was back among friends after months of being alone.

"I just knew you weren't dead, Brook! We did our best to protect the school and keep the kids spirits up, like you wanted," Lexington said, tears coming down his eyes. Brooklyn grinned back.

"Still kicking, and ready to kick his butt again!" He proclaimed, folding his arms.

Neville looked to Aberforth. "Hey, Ab, we got a couple more coming through," he said, much to the barman's dismay.

...

Neville and Lex led the group along with MacBeth through the tunnel.

"Never seen this passage before," Brooklyn said, looking around. It was big enough for him, too!

Neville grinned. "That's because it had never existed until now! The seven secret passageways were sealed off before the start of the year."

Lex frowned a little. "So this is the only way in or out at all, and you can call it wanting to kill yourself to try walking through the front door, it is flooded with Death Eaters and those, uh..."

"Dementors," Brooklyn interjected.

"Yeah, them," Lex said, shivering slightly, remembering his close call with one a couple weeks ago. If it weren't for Katie, he'd be soulless right now.

"Plus, now we got two new cronies working with our 'delightful' headmaster, called Alectus and Amycus Carrow, the Children of Discipline. They live to cause pain on others, and teach the Dark Arts, no longer defense," Neville informed.

"What happened to you?" Harry asked, pointing to some of his scars. "They wanted me to practice the Cruciatus Curse on the first years, but I refused. Things changed here," Neville said sadly.

"And not for the better, but fortunately Neville introduced us to the D.A., which is still going on," Lex added, getting close to the entrance. But then Brooklyn remembered someone.

"Uh, how's Katie been?" He asked, feeling himself going red. Lex ended up smirking a bit.

"Your girl's been rather devastated when we got your Patronus, I think she really likes you. But you'll probably get a talking to." Lex said, as Neville pushed the entrance open to the Room of Requirement, which had become a hideout. Brooklyn winced, knowing he was in trouble.

"Hey everybody! We got a big surprise!" Neville called to everyone, while the gang stayed back.

Brooklyn watched Seamus get up from his cot. "Ugh, not again, Aberforth, we already had enough of your cooking!" He grumbled.

Lex shook his head. "No, Seamus, it ain't that! It's well..." he grinned, stepping aside to reveal Harry and Brooklyn side by side. Brooklyn smiled. "Hey, uh, everybody," he greeted. All the kids stared, openmouthed, not believing this was real.

"No way!"

"It's Harry and Brooklyn!"

"I told you! I told you!"

Everyone gathered around, the brothers both grinning as they were surrounded by their old Hogwarts friends. Griff and Brody both shook hands with Brooklyn, welcoming him back warmly.

"We sure missed ya, Mate!" Griff said with a grin, with Brody nodding. "My mertribe know of Him attacking Hogwarts and will help in any way, to honor Dumbledore!" He revealed. Brooklyn nodded back. "That would be a big help, Brod!"

Neville and Lexington quieted everybody down, and Harry spoke.

"Don't get us wrong, it is great to see you all again, but we're still on a mission from Dumbledore so we can't stay. We're trying to find something of Ravenclaw's that may help us defeat You-Know-Who and Demona."

"So, any ideas? Has anybody from Ravenclaw seen a special item of hers?" Brooklyn asked. Everybody was pretty confused, especially Brody, looking at one another until Luna spoke after coming through the hole.

"Perhaps Rowena Ravenclaw's Lost Diadem? It's quite famous, actually. My dad tried to replicate it quite a few times."

Cho frowned. "But Luna, it had been lost for centuries. There hasn't been a person alive who had seen it today."

Brooklyn felt rather confused. "Er, what's a diadem, exactly?" He asked.

"It's a sort of tiara." Cho explained.

"Oh."

Before Harry spoke again, Brooklyn heard a familiar voice. "Brooklyn?" His breath caught in his chest at the sight of his love, Katie Bell. She looked more beautiful than ever, eyes shining with tears of happiness, as she ran to him, and embraced him tightly. He hugged her back, missing the feeling of her soft hair, her wonderful smell.

She shoved him playfully. "Don't ever scare me like that again, Brooklyn. Ever since I got your message I thought you've been dead!" Katie said in a high voice. Brooklyn dried her eyes tenderly, stroking her hair.

"I'm here now, Katie. It's okay," he said gently.

But Katie's eyes told Brooklyn she had something more to tell him. "Brook, I have a surprise. It took a bit of study but I think I'm able to do it," she said, stepping back. Some of the other students watched. They saw this before, and were excited to see it again.

Brook felt confused. "Uh, alright," he said.

Smiling, Katie closed her eyes, concentrating, feeling her body change. Brooklyn's mouth fell open agape as suddenly, Katie's form began to grow, wings sprouted from her back, her skin turned a light brown/gray color. Her ears pointed, and a tail grew.

Before him now stood a beautiful female gargoyle in Katie's place: she had a beak somewhat smaller than Harry's or Brooklyn's, plus her skin was a dark creamy brown, the color of Elisa's skin when she was a gargoyle but darker, and her hair was a nice shade of silver, too but a bit more gray than Harry's. But the eyes were the ones that captivated him the most. They were still beautiful to him.

"Uh... uh... K-Katie? H-how did you—?!" Brooklyn exclaimed in disbelief, but she put a hand over his mouth.

"Yes, I can turn into a gargoyle like Harry. McGonagall had trained me in secret out of Snape's view while you were away. She said it could possibly take three years or more to perfect it, but I told her that my love of you would help it along. Your clan already knows. I did this for you, Brooklyn, for us."

The red gargoyle felt his face flush at these words, that Katie had been willing to turn into a gargoyle for him. He wouldn't have minded being with a human, but this added even more good things to their relationship.

"I'll help you with your gliding and abilities like how I helped Harry, Katie whenever we get a chance to. But you really didn't have to." Katie just smiled.

"I know, but I really did, Brook. That's how much I love you."

They moved closer, hugging again, wrapping each other's wings around one another, and then sharing a small kiss. Ron groaned.

"Oi, get a room, you two!" He huffed. Hermione elbowed him hard in the arm.

Harry also had his own awkward reunion with Ginny who informed them that Snape knew that Harry and Brooklyn had been spotted in Hogsmeade. Brooklyn's face grew pale from this, worried about what would happen when Dumbledore's murderer unveils them. But Harry had a plan, and backup waiting for them.

...

Eventually the whole gang was waiting outside the doors of the Great Hall: wizards and gargoyles, along with even the London Clan, Xanatos, Elisa, Macbeth, and the Steel Gargoyle Clan. Macbeth was generous enough to provide Elisa and Xanatos some new weapons and shields that can block magic.

Brooklyn stood in front of the group in the shadows with Ron and Hermione, feeling anxious as he saw all the students filing in like robots. This made him feel rather angry at how Snape was now running things. Harry put on his Hogwarts robes, sneaking in. Brooklyn had wished him luck as they kept back until they could follow him in.

Snape then stroded back and forth where Dumbledore used to be, eyeing the students coldly with the Carrows next to him. Professor McGonagall along with Slughorn, Flitwick, Sprout, Slughorn and the other Professors were there looking a bit nervous and worried for the students.

"I bet many of you are wondering why I have summoned you here at this hour," Snape announced. The students kept quiet, while Brooklyn got ready to step in before the others to protect his brother if he needed it.

"It has come to my attention that earlier this evening, Harry Potter and his gargoyle were spotted in Hogsmeade."

Many of the students now began whispering in surprise, while others who already saw them kept a straight face, which made Brooklyn proud of how brave they were.

"Now, should any of you, student or staff attempt to aid Mr. Potter or your former Guardian of Hogwarts, they will be punished. In a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression."

Hot anger bubbled in Brooklyn's stomach, baring his teeth silently. He was so ready to pummel Snape for killing Dumbledore.

"Further more, any person found to have knowledge of these events... who fails to come forward, will be treated as equally guilty. Now then, if anyone here has knowledge of Mr. Potter and Brooklyn's movements this evening... I invite them to step forward, now."

Brooklyn waited with bated breath, and saw everybody gasp loudly as Harry came into view, making him grin in triumph. Now was the time.

The door opened, and practically everyone turned to see Brooklyn appear, taking off into the air, and landing near Harry, drawing his wand, and glowering at their enemy.

"It would seem despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still seem to have a bit of a security problem, 'Headmaster'," Harry said, and the doors opened again, revealing the whole Order of the Phoenix and Wyvern Clan side by side, Goliath standing next to Kingsley and Xanatos in the front.

The two brothers both stood hard and firm, not backing down. "Tell them, how it happened that night!" Roared Brooklyn in anger, feeling small flecks of tears when remembering the death of Dumbledore. Harry nodded "Tell them, how you looked him in the eye, a man that trusted you and killed him!"

Snape looked murderous, and maybe even afraid, as he pulled out his wand, shouting "Sectumsempra!" But Brooklyn was quick, stepping in front, roaring "Protego!" And casting the shield charm around himself and Harry. McGonagall joined the fight, as she and Brooklyn dueled Snape side by side. Lex was just amazed at Brooklyn's dueling skill, he never imagined his brother being able to do this, ever.

The Carrows had been caught in Snape's crossfire while dueling as he kept backing away from the two murderous looking Deputy Headmistress and Guardian. Knowing he was outmatched, Snape ran for it, turning to shadow and flying out the window, shattering the glass.

"COWARD!" They both screamed after Snape. Brooklyn was furious that Snape escaped but they didn't have time to worry about that, not with Voldemort and Demona both still out there, and there were other Horcruxes to track down.

But then something happened, he began to feel dizzy, like when Voldemort had once controlled him through his diary. Harry had started doing it, too. Brooklyn panted a little, holding his stomach.

McGonagall was worried for both, until a couple girls began to scream. Shaking himself to snap out of his dizzy spell, Brook saw the girls who were holding their ears closed, as if hearing something terrible.

"I KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU WANT TO FIGHT. SOME OF YOU MAY EVEN THINK THAT TO FIGHT IS WISE. BUT THIS IS FOLLY..."

Brooklyn trembled a little as Voldemort's voice rang throughout the hall, he looked over to his Clan. Goliath's eyes were glowing, growling, while Angela was hugging Broadway, eyes round and terrified. Lex's hands were balled into fists, along with MacBeth holding his gun, pointing in every direction of where the voice was coming from.

"GIVE ME, HARRY POTTER AND BROOKLYN. DO THIS, AND NONE SHALL BE HARMED... GIVE ME, HARRY POTTER AND BROOKLYN, AND I SHALL LEAVE HOGWARTS UNTOUCHED. YOU WILL BE GREATLY REWARDED... YOU HAVE ONE HOUR..." Voldemort's voice finished, fading away, as Brooklyn's senses returned to normal. Katie had run out of the group, hugging Brooklyn.

"I won't hand you over, I love you. That is my greatest reward," she whispered, kissing Brooklyn on the cheek. Brooklyn smiled gently at her, until Pansy spoke.

"But they're both there! Somebody grab them!"

Katie glared at Pansy, taking a protective hold of Brooklyn's hand, while Ginny, Ron, and Hermione stood near Harry. Filch suddenly arrived.

"Students out of bed! Students in the corridor—!"

"They're supposed to be out of bed, you blithering idiot!" McGonagall snapped, eyes narrowed. Filch looked sheepish. "Sorry, Ma'am," he mumbled, while Brooklyn smirked at him. McGonagall had even asked Filch to escort all the Slytherins to the dungeons, making Brooklyn grin at Malfoy who glared after him when they left.

Everybody else then went out, too, and the brothers approached McGonagall, asking her to secure the castle while they went to find the Horcrux.

After that it was a rush to set up Hogwarts's defenses, including triple shield charms, getting the young ones to safety, etc. Brooklyn wondered now if it would be enough to stop Voldemort and Demona, and prayed he and Harry could live through this final fight together.