Brooklyn felt themselves collapsing hard on the grass and on Cedric's body. Harry still held the Tri-Wizard cup in his hands and keeping a firm hold on to Cedric. But the gargoyle caught the warm familiar scents of their friends nearby, who were cheering, and knew they were home.

"Harry! Brooklyn!" called a familiar voice, and through his hazy vision, Brooklyn saw Dumbledore crouched over them, but Brooklyn still couldn't lift himself because of his leg, and from the still stinging pains of his wounds, physically and mentally, for his mind was hazy and clouded. He couldn't feel anything, still unable to comprehend if what had happened in the graveyard was real or not, and that she was here...

Hands lifted him, his hurt leg staggered, and they lost their grip on Brooklyn, who fell there, staring down at the grass, hearing concerned cries of people around him, and the warm arms of Katie, who had pushed her way through.

When she saw her friend, her heart broke. He looked different from when he entered the maze; his eyes were dull, as though the flame of his adventurous spirit had been quenched by something or somebody terrible. His right leg was bloody and mangled, and covered with some disgusting gluey substance, while being bound by a piece of blood-stained cloth from Harry's robes.

She had hugged him, hoping that just her presence would bring back that wonderful spark in his eyes, and laugh with her again. But all he did was murmur her name softly, bringing up an arm to caress her arm gently.

Whoever did this to my friend, you can all go to hell for causing him pain! Screamed Katie silently, angry tears pouring down. She wouldn't ask Brooklyn what had happened, not yet, unless it caused him traumatization.

But then, he whispered something else.

"Katie... he's-he's back..."

Her eyes widened again. "What?" She whispered softly, shocked that he had been able to speak again.

"V-Voldemort... he returned..." Brooklyn said in a shaky tone, and Katie took his hand, squeezing it gently.

"Are you sure?" She asked; a cold shock pulsing through her. But she knew Brooklyn wouldn't lie. Voldemort really must be back, and that terrified her.

"And-and Demona, m-my enemy, she's with him..." he murmured finally, as his head lowered. Katie trembled at the idea of a rival gargoyle teaming up with the most feared Dark Wizard. Who knows what would happen with those two teaming up together!

Brooklyn's head then pounded, as Fudge stared at what was before him: a dead body, and a mentally/physically ill gargoyle next to Potter, who looked as bad as Brooklyn did, but not as much.

"My God - Diggory!" croaked Fudge. "Dumbledore, he is dead!"

Like we needed to hear you to say that! Brooklyn hissed, shutting his eyes while Katie continued to hug him and murmur words of comfort. It got worse as other people screamed it into the night.

Dumbledore was trying to convince Harry to let go of Cedric.

"Harry, you can't help him now. It's over. Let go."

"H-he wanted me to bring his body back with him," Harry muttered tearfully. "A-and they were going to hand my brother to Demona, after they'd-they'd broken him and killed me. I couldn't leave him or Brooklyn there with them!"

"That's right, Harry. Just let go now."

Harry then was being hauled away from the crowd by Moody, despite Dumbledore's efforts to have him stay.

Katie did her best to help Brooklyn to his feet. He felt so wobbly and woozy, his leg sank from beneath him. Dumbledore noticed, drawing his wand, using the spell he did on Brooklyn his first year at Hogwarts.

"Episky," he murmured.

Instantly, Brooklyn felt himself starting to feel better, but not completely, but the dizziness in his head began to fade, and the blood on his leg and wings went away, just a little. Katie looked relieved, seeing some of the blood gone, though his eyes still looked troubled and full of pain that was inside.

Dumbledore then gazed at Brooklyn with concern, and Brooklyn remembered Harry being taken away by Moody. Understanding the urgency in the headmaster's eyes, Brooklyn nodded, drawing his wand, telling Katie to stay with Dumbledore and followed them as swiftly as he could while making sure he didn't strain himself, for Episky didn't quite cure everything.

After following them for quite a time, they finally stopped at Moody's office, where he pulled Harry in with him, even bolting the door. Growling, Brooklyn was about to break the door down, now confirming that the real Moody would never do this. He would have taken Harry to the hospital wing, not his office!

But curiosity stung him again, and he put his ear against the door, listening in.

"What did the Dark Lord take from you?" Moody questioned. Just from hearing this, made Brooklyn's mind suddenly feel sharper and clearer than it did before.

"Blood."

Brooklyn then heard Moody let loose a long low hiss, and he gritted his teeth, eyes glowing. He wanted to go in and get Harry, but barging in wouldn't do any good, so he kept listening.

"There's a Death Eater at Hogwarts! There's a Death Eater here - they put my name in the Goblet of Fire. They made sure I got through to the end-"

"I know who the Death Eater is," he said quietly.

"Karkaroff?" Brooklyn shut his eyes. Yes, please be Karkaroff! He thought desperately. But was unprepared for what was said next.

"No, Harry, it was I who put your name in the Goblet."

His mouth fell open. Moody did this? No way! But why? He was supposed to be an Auror, wasn't he?

"He forgave them, then?" he said. "The Death Eaters who went free? The ones who escaped Azkaban?"

"What?" Brooklyn heard Harry ask.

"I asked you," said Moody quietly, "Whether he forgave the scum who never even went to look for him. Those treacherous cowards who wouldn't even brave Azkaban for him. The faithless, worthless bits of filth who were brave enough to cavort in masks at the Quidditch World Cup, but fled at the sight of the Dark Mark when I fired it into the sky."

Brooklyn had shut his eyes, trying to imagine him being the one, but that was hard, this had to be some kind of bad joke! But he sounded too serious to be joking!

"...If there's one thing I hate more than any other, it's a Death Eater who walked free. They turned their backs on my master when he needed them most. I expected him to punish them. I expected him to torture them. Tell me he hurt them, Harry..."

He certainly did, it was terrible, Brooklyn thought silently, remembering Voldemort using the Cruciatus Curse on Avery.

"Tell me he told them that I, I alone remained faithful... prepared to risk everything to deliver to him the one thing he wanted above all... you, and give your gargoyle to his new pretty friend..."

"You didn't... it - it can't be you..."

"Who put your name in the Goblet of Fire, under the name of a different school? I did. Who frightened off every person I thought might try to hurt you or prevent you from winning the tournament? I did. Who nudged Hagrid into showing you the dragons? I did. Who helped you see the only way you could beat the dragon? I did!"

Brooklyn growled silently, still can't believe that Moody had anything to do with this!

"The Dark Lord didn't manage to kill you Potter, and he so wanted to," whispered Moody. "Imagine how he will reward me when he finds I have done it for him. I gave you to him - the thing he needed above all to regenerate - and then I killed you for him. I will be honored beyond all other Death Eaters. I will be his dearest, his closest supporter... closer than a son..."

He's crazy! Insane! Brooklyn thought, gripping his wand tightly, eyes continuing to flash white as he readied himself.

"You're mad!" He heard his little brother yelp in fright, and there was some frantic movement behind the door.

"Mad, am I?" said Moody, his voice rising uncontrollably. "We'll see! We'll see who's mad, now that the Dark Lord has returned, with me at his side! He is back, Harry Potter, you did not conquer him - and now - I conquer you!"

Brooklyn gave a roar of fury, hearing enough, breaking the door down, and startling Moody, who looked up in shock and in the midst of attacking Harry.

"OH NO, YOU DON'T!" He roared, despite his throat still being sore, pointed his wand.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" The spell knocked him backward onto a chair, leaving him stunned. Brooklyn stood there, shaking, wings spread out, and Harry ran to him, clinging against his side, just as Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall burst through the door.

Dumbledore looked quite fierce, as he pointed his wand at Moody lying on the chair.

"Professor!" gasped Brooklyn, holding a trembling Harry close to him. "Moody—!"

He shook his head. "That is not Alastor Moody. You've never known the real Alastor Moody. This was an imposter."

Snape had taken the liberty to sniff Moody's flask, confirming it to be Polyjuice Potion. Brooklyn then remembered Myrtle saying she had seen Polyjuice Potion in her bathroom.

Then they were treated to a most revolting sight. Moody began to writhe in the chair, his head rolling about, making retching noises. The magical eye popped out and fell to the floor, whizzing and staring up at them all.

Finally, the wooden leg popped out as well, the grizzled white hair turning straw color, the wrinkles smoothing down, until at last, a young man sat there in the chair, glaring up at them all with madness in his eyes, his tongue snaking around his lips.

He even tried going for Harry, but Brooklyn pushed him back, shielding Harry away with his wings, holding him with his firm arms, growling protectively.

Dumbledore also glared. "Barty Crouch Jr. Snape, the Truth Potion, please? And Brooklyn, you need the hospital wing. But Harry needs to stay. He needs to know and will tell you later. We will protect him."

Brooklyn hesitated, but then let Harry go, having Dumbledore put a protective hand on him.

He exited the room with McGonagall, and at that moment, exhaustion threatened him once more, his legs stumbling after all that strain. McGonagall steadied Brooklyn gently.

"Come, dear. You need to rest and take the Dreamless Sleep potion," she murmured. Brooklyn nodded as his vision swam again.

In the hospital wing, Ron, Hermione, and Katie were there, and all three of them hugged Brooklyn at once, who had just enough in him to hug them back, until McGonagall told them to move away so he could rest.

Brooklyn lay back on his bed gratefully, and Katie took his hand gently, then she made a suggestion that surprised him.

"Professor, is it too much trouble if I can stay the night with Brooklyn? He's been through so much, if it's alright?" She pleaded with her eyes at McGonagall.

"You can, Miss Bell, if Brooklyn doesn't object," she replied, looking at him.

The gargoyle smiled softly back at Katie, holding her hand back. "No, I won't mind," he said in a quiet voice, filling Katie's heart with slight happiness at the sight of Brooklyn smiling again, even if his eyes still were troubled looking.

And with that, she got comfortable next to Brooklyn, who put his arm and wings around her. Pomfrey gave him his potion, which he took gratefully. He sunk into his pillows after three sips, sighing as he fell asleep, ready for a night without any nightmares, grateful to have another good friend to sleep with.

...

But it was short lived, about an hour later, Brooklyn was woken by angry shouts, Katie also startled awake, and were surprised to see Fudge shouting angrily at Mrs. Weasley and McGonagall.

"Regrettable, but all the same, Minerva -" Cornelius Fudge was saying loudly.

"You should never have brought it inside the castle!" yelled Professor McGonagall. "When Dumbledore finds out-"

Wha? What's going on? Why are they shouting? He thought hazily, still having some after-effects of the sleep potion, while Katie stayed near him, the two adults shouting back and forth.

From what he could comprehend, Fudge brought a Dementor into the castle, that had swooped down onto an unguarded Crouch Jr, delivering its fatal kiss, taking the man's soul. Brooklyn shuddered at the idea of having a dementor in the school. He just couldn't believe that Fudge had done it, after he had seemed so nice!

And to make things worse, Fudge wouldn't believe his and Harry's words about what had happened in the graveyard, making Brooklyn feel really angry at the Minister indeed. How would he like it if he had gone through what he and Harry had been through?

When all that was done, Fudge had a strange smile on his face, that really irked Brooklyn. What the heck was even going on with him?

"You are prepared to believe that Lord Voldemort has returned, on the word of a lunatic murderer, and a boy who... well..."

"What? Say it! I dare you!" snarled Brooklyn, making the Minister step back.

"Don't you go nuts on me, too, Gargoyle. I granted you to be guardian of this school. And from given your past history two years ago of being possessed by You-Know-Who, and not being human, perhaps..."

But Dumbledore wouldn't have it. "Brooklyn won't be removed from his position, Fudge. I won't have him cast away from his friends here," he said in a heated tone. Brooklyn gave Dumbledore a grateful look.

Fudge straightened himself. "Sure, but we will be watching him. And as for Potter—."

"You've been reading Rita Skeeter, Fudge," Harry's voice suddenly said, and Brooklyn could see his brother in the bed next to his, awake.

Fudge reddened slightly, but a defiant and obstinate look came over his face.

"And if I have?" he said, looking at Dumbledore.

"That would mean you're giving into that cow's lies about my brother," growled Brooklyn again, remembering one particular newspaper article that came before the Third Task about Harry being declared crazy and nuts because he had fainted in Divination.

"If I have discovered that you've been keeping certain facts about the boy very quiet? A Parselmouth, eh? And having funny turns all over the place -"

"I assume that you are referring to the pains Harry has been experiencing in his scar?" said Dumbledore coolly.

"You admit that he has been having these pains, then?" said Fudge quickly. "Headaches? Nightmares? Possibly - hallucinations?"

"Listen to me, Cornelius," said Dumbledore, taking a step toward Fudge, and once again, he seemed to radiate that indefinable sense of power Brooklyn felt whenever he was angry, especially at Crouch Jr. "Harry and Brooklyn are just as sane as you and I."

But Fudge still wouldn't believe, even when Harry tried to tell him the names of the Death Eaters who were there, denying and saying they were all cleared, even when Snape showed him his own Dark Mark.

Brooklyn was still in complete disbelief with Katie glaring at Fudge. The man that had accepted him, made him Guardian of Hogwarts, wouldn't take them seriously about Voldemort, threatening to remove his position, and even calling Dumbledore insane! All because he didn't want to lose his stupid job!

Fudge had then left with the parting of the ways, after dropping off Harry's winnings. And at one point, Hermione had slammed the window, holding something tight in her hands.

Pomfrey then persuaded Brooklyn and Harry to take the rest of the potion. He downed the rest of his, the potion once again making him sleepy, he curled up in bed, Katie continuing to stay put nearby, hoping her friend would be able to sleep through the rest of the night well.