Brooklyn's Patronus lessons began a week after everybody returned to Hogwarts for the new term. Sirius explained to the gargoyle that each Corporeal Patronus was different to the witch or wizard who casted it. Brooklyn was quite excited to see what his would take shape of, since he wasn't human.

Sirius had been on the hunt for the perfect tool to use to test Brooklyn's Patronus on, until he found a Boggart hiding in the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade (managing to break in while nobody was looking), since they couldn't use a real dementor.

He brought it back in a trunk, and as it turned out, like Harry, it transformed into a dementor in front of Brooklyn too.

Figures it would know I'm afraid of them, tch, he thought.

So they were able to practice on the Dementor Boggart in a private area underneath the Whomping Willow in the Shrieking Shack.

Sirius showed him how to activate the secret passageway, by using a branch to press a secret knot on the tree that made the branches stop swinging violently.

Brooklyn thought he'd be able to get this one in a cinch like Expelliarmus, but that wasn't the case. It was if as though he secretly wanted to hear his leader's voice again. For even though he had his brother, and supporters here, it wasn't quite the same. And he still hadn't seen any new gargoyles in this world yet, which made him feel rather lonely.

"You need to concentrate on a happy memory, Brooklyn," Sirius had told him quite a few times since they started, but he barely even got a puff of smoke out after at least 20 times.

"I'm trying, I just-damn it!" he hissed, after another failed attempt. Sirius had no clue about the lack of happy memories in his whole darned life from being ridiculed by humans, insulted, and betrayed.

"Just think carefully, relax your body and mind. You must have something deep down."

Brooklyn trembled a bit out of his own frustration, mostly from both not being able to do the spell and from the fact that McGonagall hadn't returned Harry's Firebolt yet for two weeks now. Even Wood, the one who caused all this, tried in vain to redeem himself by convincing her, but he still wouldn't forgive that idiot seventh year boy for that. Not yet.

Taking a breath, he heeded Sirius's words, and shut his eyes, trying to let those happy memories come.

Something then came, vivid memories of riding a homemade motorcycle, the adrenaline, the freedom... He smiled a little at that and felt like he was ready.

Sirius proceeded to open the trunk, and the Boggart Dementor came out. It wasn't as effective as a real dementor, but Brooklyn could still hear the echoing yells of Goliath as he struggled to concentrate.

"Expecto Patronum!" He cried out, pointing his wand, a small silver light just coming out, but the dementor kept coming, and Brooklyn's legs staggered as the white fog threatened to consume him again.

Sirius had managed to contain the Boggart and helped Brooklyn up, who was shaking a little.

"That memory you chose was probably not strong enough," Sirius said, as Brooklyn tried his best to clear his head and calm himself. "What was it?"

Looking down, he answered. "It was the time I first rode a motorcycle my friends and I built. I felt happy riding that thing, until it was destroyed, and she came in, manipulating me."

"Perhaps you might want to try a stronger one," Sirius suggested. He wanted to know who 'she' was, but figured it was best to keep it between Brooklyn and Harry for now, since it appeared to be a sensitive subject.

Losing himself to memories once again, yet another one suddenly hit him: the day he met Harry. The only human besides Elisa who didn't ridicule him. When they became brothers, fighting Voldemort side by side...

He gave a bigger grin than he did in the last memory he tried. This was definitely something that changed his life for the better, joy soaring through his veins like a tidal wave. He gave Sirius the signal, nodding his head.

The box opened once again, the dementor moving in towards him, but this time, Brooklyn was ready, trying to focus on Harry and only Harry, blocking out the screams of Goliath, he felt more focused than ever.

"Expecto Patronum!" He bellowed, and that's when something happened at last.

A huge burst of silver light came, even stronger than before, and the dementor staggered back a little, trying to break through, but Brooklyn kept concentrating, his arms shaking from the strain of doing it.

Sirius then closed the lid on the Boggart once again, a huge grin on his face. He was quite impressed.

The gargoyle was quite exhausted with the challenge of doing the spell, as he sat down on one of the chairs in the Shrieking Shack. Sirius then presented him with a bar of Honeydukes chocolate. Taking it, Brooklyn suddenly had an interesting question.

"Sirius, I'm almost afraid to ask: what's under a Dementor's hood?"

Sirius tensed at his words. "Nobody really knows. Only if the ones who have survived a Dementor's final attack could tell us. It is called the Dementor's Kiss. Their last and worst weapon."

"What happens?"

He shuddered a little, as though the thought scared him. "There must be some kind of mouth under there, for it would clamp its jaws on the victim and-and suck out their soul."

Brooklyn nearly choked on his chocolate. "They what?" he gasped, rubbing his throat. He felt disgusted at the very idea of those things stealing your soul! "Do they kill you that way?"

Sirius shook his head. "They don't kill, other than leave you an empty shell, with no soul, or any happy feelings for the rest of your life. Which I say is even worse than Death himself."

The gargoyle was somewhat speechless for a time. That sounded like a terrible way to go! How he and his clan had gone on living without learning about these hooded demons, he would never know. Now, thanks to that description, he prayed he wouldn't have any nightmares tonight!

He wanted to keep practicing, maybe possibly conjure up a corporeal Patronus, but Sirius told him they'd done enough for the day and that he should return to Harry, promising another story about James later.

As Brooklyn ventured back to the common room, he was greeted in the hallway by Harry and McGonagall, with the professor handing his brother the Firebolt! A surge of joy filled him, as she left, leaving Harry looking quite pleased to get it back!

"Harry!" He called, running up to Harry, a grin on his face.

"I got it back, Brook! And I forgot to tell you, but I've been learning the Patronus Charm from Lupin. He's been giving me private lessons! I'm surprised you haven't peeked in on those!"

Brooklyn felt a little nervous about having to say anything, so he came up with another strategy: "I-I've also been learning that spell, too. A new friend of mine from outside of Hogwarts has been teaching me. He's been a big help."

Harry's eyes lit up. "Really? That's great that you made a new friend to help you, Brooklyn! When did this happen?"

"We encountered each other before Christmas. He's quite easygoing once you look past his checkered past. He promised to help me out with the dementors. Perhaps, if things turn out well between me and him, I can introduce my friend to you," Brooklyn then offered. Harry nodded.

"I would like that! It would be great to meet your new friend, and I wish you luck on your Patronus!"

Brooklyn then grinned. So far, so good, he thought, sighing a little in relief.

The two of them talked over the Firebolt until they got back, finding Neville crying over his lost written down passwords in front of Sir Cadogan. Growling, Brooklyn chewed out the idiotic knight, threatening to slash his portrait if he didn't let them in. The Knight obliged, which then had almost every student in Gryffindor drooling over Harry's broom.

Brooklyn chuckled at all the admiration as he pushed through, wanting to get a little quiet time until the crowds died down. He made his way into the dormitory, and he was met with something quite terrible.

There was blood on Ron's bedsheets, and several ginger cat hairs. Scabbers was gone.

Oh no, Brooklyn thought in dread. He already knew how this was gonna go down.

"Ron! Get up here!" he yelled. He heard Ron rushing up the stairs, and when Brooklyn revealed the blood stained sheets, he gave a strangled cry of terror. Seizing the bedsheets and cat hairs from Brooklyn, he stormed downstairs, Brooklyn following, feeling somewhat worried for Hermione. Despite her tattle tailing to McGonagall about the Firebolt, this was something that he didn't really want her to go through.

Ron was yelling accusingly at Hermione, who looked ready to cry. Brooklyn wanted to say something, but the words felt stuck in his throat. He felt that the thread holding Ron and Hermione's friendship was hanging in the balance, threatening to break them apart forever. And this was only the first step.