Trudging back into the champion's tent triumphantly with the egg tucked under her arm, Brook just about nearly crashed on to the makeshift bed that Madam Pomfrey had set up for potential injuries. Her muscles were burning with exhaustion, though not from the magical exertion. As soon as she walked into Madam Pomfrey's domain, the nurse immediately began to fuss over her, checking her extremities for clear signs of injury, especially burns. In the midst of the check-up, Alexis, Gabrielle, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron sprinted towards Brook's bed from speaking with Fleur and Harry, eager to reunite with the Ilvermorny champion.
"Out! All of you! None of you are allowed to come in until after I have cleared Miss Wayne." Madam Pomfrey demanded, pointing back towards the entrance. The group shared a sheepish look and shrank back out of the tent, electing wisely to wait the few minutes the check-up would require.
The Hogwarts nurse huffed. "Sometimes I swear the kids have no sense of patience whatsoever." She turned her attention back to Brook. "Has anyone at Ilvermorny ever told you that you are far too reckless, Miss Wayne?"
Brook donned a soft smile. "Just about every other day."
"Well, I'm not surprised. That's some stunt you pulled out there. Half a second too late, and I would have needed to tend to your charred corpse!"
"Good thing I have good timing, huh?"
"Do try to be more careful in the next trial. Merlin knows why Dumbledore is going along with this forsaken competition in the first place. You should take it easy for the next couple of days, let your muscles rest for a period or two."
"Will do."
When the nurse walked away to tend to other matters, a certain red-haired head popped out from the tent covers.
"Is she gone?" Alexis asked, her voice low.
Brook chuckled. "Yes, she's gone. You guys can come in now."
With an excited squeal, Alexis led the charge, and barreled into Brook, enveloping her in a fierce bear hug.
"That was so good! You killed it, Brook! Even though you had me worried for a second there near the end."
"Good to know I can still surprise you."
"Yeah, that was bloody brilliant, what you did. Goading the dragon to your advantage? Genius," supplied Ron, offering his approval.
By this time, Harry, Fleur, and Krum had also made their way towards Brook's station. The Bulgarian gave his congratulations first, not being one to wait around for much.
"Your skill was admirable. Nice performance." His voice was gruff and heavily accented but the sincerity carried through just the same.
"Thanks, the same goes for you." Krum nodded at Brook, perhaps as a sign of respect and walked out of the tent. "Hm. Laconic. I respect that."
Next was Harry. He was sporting a bright smile as he wrapped her into a hug of his own.
"You are absolutely mad, Brooklyn. Brilliant, but mad. That was some awe-inspiring stuff you pulled off back there."
"Hey, you didn't do too bad yourself. 46? That's impressive."
Harry grinned and scratched the back of his head.
"I don't think I could have done it without your help, Brooklyn."
"You can pay me back by not eating all the damn chocolate croissants at dinner for once."
A warm smile.
"Done deal, Miss Wayne. Pleasure doing business with you." He stuck out his hand, his voice draped in a teasing tone.
"Ugh stop. Lord knows I get enough company speak as is during conference calls." Brooklyn stuck out her tongue, yet still shook Harry's hand.
Then, it was Fleur. Who practically had her sister and Alexis glued to her sides. The latter was being overly touchy with the PDA but she let it slide. For now. She was definitely going to be teased for that later, though.
"I must say, Brooklyn. I was impressed."
"Likewise. It must have been difficult to maintain composure while trying to perform a sleeping incantation in front of an angry dragon, I imagine."
Fleur pursed her lips, choosing her next words carefully.
"Merci. I would like to discuss strategies for the next task sometime, if you are willing."
"Of course. Just tell me when."
Alexis eyes shifted from Fleur to Brook and then back to Fleur again. There was something palpable in the air. She just couldn't place it. It wasn't overtly apparent, but there were inklings of a tug of war, gearing to take place between the two. She would deal with that later.
"Hey! I heard some of the Gryffindors were planning a party for the champions. Should we check it out?" Alexis asked the group, hoping to prompt a topic change. She sent a look Brook's way that the heiress knew meant, Not now, but we're talking about this.
The group murmured their approval of the venue change and started to make their way out the tent. Hermione lingered behind the pack and called out:
"You guys go on ahead, I'll catch up with you lot later."
Some murmured hums of acknowledgment as they filed out.
When everyone had left towards the main campus for the party, Hermione turned her attention to Brook. A beat of silence. Her forehead was creased in worry, her brows scrunched together in that kind of adorable way when she's thinking or upset. Or both. Brook noticed how her normally well-ironed robes were bunched and wrinkled near her hip. She must have been holding on for dear life. Brook had a notion that she was about to get an earful for her antics today.
"Brooklyn Wayne, do you have any idea how dangerously stupid—" Yup. There it is. "And reckless you were back there?" Hermione folded her arms across her chest to emphasis. "Harry, I can expect, he's geared for action first, thought second, but you? I at least thought you would take a moment to consider before embarking on a suicide mission! I counted six different instances where you could have died in that arena today. Six! One missed step, or a split-second hesitation could have burned you to a crisp, Brooklyn. Is your life worth your showboating?" She paused and her arms fell to her sides and her shoulders drooped. All that worry must have taken a toll on her stamina. When she began again, her voice was much smaller, almost a faint whisper.
"If you or Harry died in front of my eyes today, there would have been nothing I could have done to help you. I would have been helpless—I would have watched you die."
At that moment, Brook felt something slightly scratching, pulling away at her chest. She saw just how much pressure the girl was under. Beyond the wild hair and the stacks of books, Hermione Granger was the Brightest Witch of Her Age. And along with that nickname, came many expectations. Expectations for her to be smarter than everyone else, to have the answers even when she didn't know the question yet. The duty and obligation that came along with being the brains of the Golden Trio. Without her, Harry and Ron would and should have been dead during their first year. Without her, Harry would have never gotten this far. Her friends' survival was largely dependent on her abilities.
And the four years—God, four years? To worry about the safety and fate of not just yourself but of your closest friends as well in all of her years in Hogwarts? The pressure must have been crushing. Knowing the perfectionist that Hermione was, it wasn't far off the realm of possibilities that the witch spent many nights contemplating all the ways her adventures could have gone horribly wrong. If she didn't know the right spell, performed the wrong charm, prepared an incorrect proportion of an obscure potion, then it would be all over. She was just a teenager, for Merlin's sake! The world was changing and shifting so rapidly around her that it was difficult at times, even for her, to grasp her bearings. But she had no choice but to evolve concurrently: study more spells, spend more hours with tired, aching eyes in the library, be vigilant for anything—anything—that could give them an edge in whatever they would face next. But all that effort would be for naught if she messed up. She was running away what she believed was the inevitable, that one day, she might not know enough to save her friends. That one day, due to a miscalculation on her part, she would be forced to watch her world crumble to ashes before her eyes. And she would be helpless to do anything against the rushing current.
Brook rose slowly from the bed, rising to meet the hazel eyes with her grey. The heiress, against all natural instincts and judgement, initiated the contact, bringing Hermione into a soft, yet firm hug.
"I'm sorry for worrying you, Hermione. I can't promise that I won't get into any more danger, but I can promise you that I'll be more careful next time." Pulling away, Brook saw the glassy look Hermione was giving her. The lioness choked out a tight laugh before quipping,
"And you promise to stop being an arse when you perform magic?"
"I can't promise that far." Brook replied with a smirk on her face. The smirk faded away, giving way to a more serious look. "Hey, do you trust me?"
"What?" Hermione asked, surprised at the shift.
"Do you trust me?"
After a brief moment of thought, Hermione gave her answer.
"Yes. You are an extraordinary witch, Brooklyn."
"With a vote of confidence from you, Hermione, who's to say that I won't walk away unscathed every time?"
Hermione laughed and gave Brook a playful nudge.
"Okay, Supergirl. If you're well enough to joke around, then let's go join the party."
The two witches walked side by side across the rolling hills of the Scottish landscape that housed the greater Hogwarts campus. The wind nipped at their exposed faces, reddening them as them went on. Thankfully, Hermione was wrapped up in her usual gold and wine Gryffindor scarf while Brook's battle outfit extended out to cover her neck as well. Still, the frigid Scottish air was enough to make them shiver at points. Without explicitly trying to do so, Hermione and Brook inched closer and closer, brushing shoulders.
"So," Hermione started. "Any initial leads on the egg?"
Brook pulled the egg out from under her arm and held it out in front of her for both of them to see.
"Obviously, the top cap opens the egg along the four grooves on the on the sides here." Brook ran a finger along the crevice. "But I'd first like to get it scanned by my computer before I do anything with it."
"Your computer can do that?"
"It can, and more. And before you ask, I didn't build it. I helped with certain inputs and elements of the code, but the main hardware, that was built by my company's R&D team."
"My, my, Miss Wayne. Using company resources for personal projects? How scandalous." Hermione teased playfully, giving Brook a nudge.
"I assure you Miss Granger," Brook answered, playing along with Hermione's game. "That Wayne Enterprises' funds and resources are being used for a worthy and noble cause."
The lioness jumped ahead a few paces and turned around to face Brook, putting on a serious, professional look. While walking backwards, she pretended to pull out a notepad and a pen and take notes, giving her best reporter imitation.
"And what might this 'worthy and noble cause' be, Miss Wayne?"
"My victory, of course. What else could it be?"
Raising an eyebrow, Hermione asked, "Are you not concerned of the ethical ramifications of this practice?"
"In my experience, ethics tend to go out the window when a competition is involved. You can ask Mr. Malfoy about his last quidditch match if you'd like further explanation."
At that, the two of them shared a laugh, remembering how Draco Malfoy, along with his cronies, purposely aimed to injure an opposing player in their last match. His plan would have worked, if they weren't playing the best young quidditch player in the world in Victor Krum. At the end, Malfoy's plan backfired, and it was him who had to be escorted to the infirmary due to a broken rib.
"We were right there too, when he broke it. I despise him, but it did sound pretty painful." Hermione grimaced at the recollection.
"Really? You feel bad for Malfoy? Because a little birdy told me that you broke his nose last year."
Hermione gasped. "Did Harry tell you that? Bloody hell, I'm going to murder that boy."
"Language, Miss Granger! Is that the type of vocabulary fitting for a model student? Fifty points from Gryffindor!"
The lioness lightly shoved Brook, causing the heiress to cry out in alarm and laughter.
"Don't be an arse." Hermione warned.
"Shall I make it a hundred points?"
"I can transfigure you into a ferret, you know."
Brook raised her hands in surrender.
"Okay, okay. You win. Just please don't turn me into ferret. Or any animal, for that matter."
"How about an eagle?"
"Still no."
"A corgi?"
"Absolutely not."
A couple beats of silence. Then:
"What about an otter?"
Brook trudged into her room, nursing her sore ears as she tried to get the ringing out from her system. At least I wasn't the one who opened the damn thing. Poor Harry must be deaf by now.
Her steps were heavy, weighed down from the numerous events of the day. Facing a fire-breathing dragon, for one. Attending a rambunctious party hosted by the Weasley twins was a killer. Even parties hosted by trust fund babies didn't get this rowdy. And then afterwards, she had to give an interview to the Daily Prophet while slightly tipsy which took all of her brain power and Wayne family training to not slip up.
And now? She was completely spent.
Brook wanted nothing more to just collapse on to her impossibly soft bed and sleep the night away, without a care in the world for what classes she had in the morning.
The faint natural moonlight illuminated the room somewhat, but her vision, for the most part, is impaired in the darkness.
"Lights on." She commanded.
The lights in her room gradually lit up, which revealed a sleeping Alexis on her bed.
"Ahh!" Brook involuntarily yelled out, her right hand flying to her holster.
"Ahh!" Alexis responded in kind, equally surprised by Brook's outburst.
Brook, thankfully, recognized the intruder in time to prevent a flurry of spells. She was however, busy catching her breath.
"What the fuck? You scared the living shit out of me!"
"Sorry! Sorry! I was waiting for you to finish your interview and I promised myself I would just lie down for a little bit, but your bed…" Alexis sighed longingly.
"Is really fucking soft, I know. I can have one delivered here, it'll take a couple days."
"Really?" Alexis's bright green eyes lit up at the proposition. She then remembered her original intent for her visit and cleared her throat. "I'm not here because of your bed."
"Is this what you wanted to talk about?" Brook asked as she headed towards her walk-in closet, losing articles of clothing as she walked.
"Yeah, it is."
"This about Fleur?" Brook called out.
"Mm hmm!"
"Okay, just gimme a second."
When Brook returned, she was wearing a pair of shorts and a baggy t-shirt, essentially her sleep wear. Alexis patted the space to her right, motioning for Brook to sit in the empty space. The heiress obliged, and the bed dipped from their collective weight.
"So," Brook began, trying to get Alexis's attention. The redhead's gaze was firmly glued to her feet. "What's on your mind?"
Alexis faced her with a concerned look. "Do you have a problem with Fleur?"
Brook chuckled weakly. "Now, why would I have a problem with your girlfriend, Lex?"
Alexis's brows scrunched up in disapproval.
"I know you, Brook. I know when you're being an asshole just to be an asshole. I also know when something is bothering you. So, spill."
She sat there expectantly, waiting for any kind of response.
"Brook…"
Nothing. The youngest Wayne didn't dare to meet her green eyes.
"Brooklyn… I don't need to tickle it out of you, do I?"
A gasp.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Try me."
Brook sighed deeply and her attention returned to her feet.
"It's—it's just that," she paused for a moment before staring intently into Alexis's eyes. "You're my best friend, Lex. You're…my only friend." Her pale grey eyes dropped to the floor for a split second.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm losing you. I never see you outside of class, and even in class, I'm not even sitting by you anymore. And maybe that's childish, selfish, and petty. I don't know. I've never been too good at this-" Brook gestured to the space between their bodies. "This whole friends deal. I've lost too many already, Lex. I, I don't want to lose the only good thing I've got left. You're all I've got." She whispered the last words, barely audible.
"Oh, Brook. Come here." Alexis wrapped the heiress in one of her patented hugs as she ran soothing circles on her back. "You're not going to lose me, you hear? Not now, not ever. I'll try to be more aware of how much time I spend with Fleur from now on."
Brook jerked back from the embrace.
"N-no, no. Don't do that. She makes you happy; I shouldn't take that away from you."
"She does, but not at the expense of my best friend. Who knows? Maybe you guys will even be good friends one day."
"Maybe. But I'll try all the same. For you."
Brook was walking to the Ilvermorny dorms from the transfiguration class she shared with Alexis when she spotted him in all of his famed splendor. The lengthy beard, the odd hat, and the silvery robe that Dumbledore so adored. The old wizard appeared to be looking for something or someone, peering into various classrooms with interest.
Once he caught a glance of the two Americans walking side by side, talking about how, "I swear I'm going to punch that smug smile of off his stupid face one day," Dumbledore sported a knowing smile and advanced towards them, meeting the two in the middle of the hallway.
"Miss Wayne. Miss Thompson." He greeted them with a slight nod of his head. "I was wondering, Miss Wayne, if you had a moment to speak about an upcoming event in the tournament."
"Oh, yes. Certaintly." Brook responded.
Next to the heiress, Alexis's kept her gaze on Dumbledore but leaned over to Brook and whispered, "Should I leave?"
"On the contrary, Miss Thompson," Dumbledore replied. "I do believe this news does concern you and Miss Delacour as well." He winked, flashing a sly smirk.
"How did you-"
"On the night of Christmas, the muggle holiday that you both must be familiar with, there has always been a formal ball between all the schools, complete with a dance floor and a live accompaniment. The reason why I'm telling you this news specifically, Miss Wayne, is because the champions perform a dance first in front of the student body-"
That shouldn't be a problem; Brook was well versed in the ways of formal galas, dances, and balls from all the ones she's had to host and attend as the Wayne Enterprises representative.
Dumbledore wasn't finished however.
"-with a partner."
Oh fuck.