Later that evening, Brooklyn and his friends snuck out of bed to get to the trapdoor. Brooklyn felt nervous about facing that three headed mutt again, but at least they were going to be more prepared (hopefully).

As they crept through the common room, Brooklyn and his friends were unfortunate to run into Neville Longbottom, who looked suspicious of them.

"What do you think you four are doing?" He asked.

Brooklyn's feet shuffled. "Uh, nothing," he mumbled, seeing Harry hide the cloak behind his back, wondering if it was going to be big enough to cover him.

"Go back to bed, Neville," Ron said. But Neville didn't move.

"You're going out again, aren't you?" Neville exclaimed, seeing the guilty looks on their faces.

Brooklyn held up his hands. "Now, this isn't what it looks like, we aren't—."

"You're going to lose Gryffindor house points again! I won't let that happen!" Neville cried, standing between them and the portrait hole. The red gargoyle felt desperate. They were wasting time right now! He didn't have time to argue with him!

"You don't understand, this is important!" Harry exclaimed, sounding impatient, and Brooklyn couldn't blame him. Why doesn't he just move already?!

"Neville, just go to bed and don't be an idiot!" Ron exploded. Brooklyn flinched, hoping that they could convince Neville before anything bad happened.

"I won't! It was Harry and Brooklyn that told me to stand up to people!"

Brooklyn groaned in exasperation, realizing his mistake. Nice going, stupid! "We meant Malfoy, not us!" He growled, eyes starting to glow. "Now get out of the way! I don't want to hurt you!"

But Neville held up his fists. Despite feeling very irritated, Brooklyn had to admit this human boy was brave.

"Come on then! I'm ready!"

Ron looked at Hermione in desperation, who drew her wand.

"I'm so sorry, Neville!" She apologized, raising her wand, she cast the most lethal spell Brooklyn had seen so far.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Brooklyn's mouth fell open he witnessed the effects of the spell. Neville's arms and legs had snapped to his sides, and fell to the floor.

"What did you do to him?" He gasped, too stunned to take it all in.

"Full Body bind," Hermione explained.

Okay, I don't think I want to get on Hermione's bad side! He thought, staring down at the boy's frozen form, his eyes staring up at them in horror.

"I'm so sorry, Neville!" Hermione apologized, as they all stepped over him gingerly.

They then had to figure out how to get Brooklyn under the Cloak with them, considering his wings and tail and that he was a few feet taller than them.

The group struggled for a while, getting tangled in the cloak twice, and having Brooklyn and Ron fall on top of each other after another fail.

Harry then suggested that Brooklyn could wrap his wings around his shoulders, and duck a little, with the exception of a cramped back later. It was a success, aside the small detail of Brooklyn's tail sticking out. He simply tried his best to keep it under his feet.

Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to leave Neville like that, Brooklyn thought for himself, looking about warily, as he and the others expected Filch or Peeves to pounce out at them.

As they reached the door, Hermione suddenly gasped. "Ow! You stood on my foot!"

"Sorry," Ron muttered. Hermione used the Alohomora Charm to open the door, revealing Fluffy who was fast asleep already. Brooklyn immediately saw why: a harp was playing music by itself.

"Somebody's put a spell on that harp," he observed as they moved closer, taking off the cloak.

Harry saw the dog's paw on the trapdoor. "We need to move it's paw!"

Brooklyn's eyes went round. "Say what?" He gaped, but Harry pulled him over and he eventually had to help them. Holding his breath, Brooklyn pushed the paw, claws scraping against the wood. His heart throbbed in fear as the dog grunted in it's sleep, but didn't wake up.

Brooklyn pulled open the trapdoor carefully, since Harry and the others weren't strong enough. Peering in, he saw nothing but darkness as he studied it.

Hmm, too narrow for my wings, He concluded, stroking his chin. For the trapdoor was quite small, but just big enough for him to fit without spreading his wings. Eventually he turned to them.

"I can't see the bottom, and it is too narrow for me to glide you all down there, we'll have to jump," Brooklyn informed them. Harry nodded as he went first.

"Me and Brooklyn will go first. Don't follow us until we give you a signal. If anything bad happens, get yourselves out."

But then, Brooklyn noticed how quiet it had gotten, for the music had stopped.

"Er, guys, did it suddenly get quiet?" He asked nervously. That's when Fluffy woke, looming over them and growling viciously.

Oh crud! Brooklyn's eyes widened in terror as his friends screamed and Harry and Hermione both jumped in. Brooklyn was about to do the same when he saw that Ron was stuck there, open mouthed in fright. Growling in annoyance, he grabbed him and jumped in, the dog's teeth nearly missing his wings.

Cold air whisked past them as they fell, Brooklyn trying his best to keep his wings folded as they continued to fall and fall...

Thump!

Brooklyn shook his head after they hit against something. He felt around in the dark, feeling nothing but strange ropes.

"Where are you?" He called for his friends, the area so gloomy it was hard to see anybody, even with his night vision.

"We're all here!" He heard Harry call back.

"We appear to be surrounded by ropes?" Brooklyn observed, feeling around his area again. Then he yelped as the ropes suddenly tied around his legs. He tried breaking them apart, but he couldn't.

Brooklyn could hear his friends struggling, too. Ron most of all.

"Just perfect! Living ropes!" Ron yelled in anger, grunting with effort. Brooklyn struggled even more as the ropes curled around his middle, then his arms, feeling like they get tighter and more painful each time he struggled.

"Stop moving! This is Devil's Snare!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Oh, thank you Hermione, now I know the name of the killer plant trying to choke us to death!" Brooklyn snarled, as the plant began to wrap around his neck, and him trying to pull it away.

"You must relax! If you don't, it will kill you faster!" Hermione continued, a bit annoyed at Brooklyn's comment.

"Kill us faster? Now I can relax!" Ron yelled.

Brooklyn then eventually realized he needed to have more faith in Hermione. She was the most studied young human, after all. He took a breath, and attempted to calm himself. He then sank down, and collapsed to the ground under the plant, rubbing his sore wrists and neck.

Harry eventually joined him, along with Hermione. But Ron kept yelling and struggling. Brooklyn paced in worry. If they didn't do something, they will lose Ron!

That's when there was a sudden bright light, and Brooklyn saw Hermione had drawn her wand and shouted out a spell, which caused a super light to make the killer plant lose its grip on Ron and he tumbled to the ground.

Brooklyn immediately helped him to his feet, his face scared looking.

"You okay?" He asked. Ron nodded. "Lucky we didn't panic!"

Both Harry and Brooklyn gave him deadpanned looks.

"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology," Harry pointed out, leaving Ron turning red in the face awkwardly. Smirking a little, Brooklyn followed his friends into the next room, wondering what other terrible thing awaited them.

The next horrible object, turned out to be nothing but flying keys and a locked door that not even Alohomora can do. They spotted a key different from the rest, a silver one with a broken wing.

Brooklyn had offered to try and catch it, but when he tried to jump and glide from one of the rafters, something halted him in mid air and caused him to fall to the floor in pain, rubbing his sore head.

Obviously, there's no way I can glide in here, should have guessed that! The gargoyle thought in annoyance, blinking away stars that were dancing in front of him, Hermione helping him to his feet.

Harry then gazed over at two brooms, and walked over.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked. He continued to stare at the brooms, his Seeker instincts kicking in. "It's too simple."

Brooklyn folded his arms. "Easy for you to say, you don't have wings that are useless," he grumbled. But he could see what Harry had in mind.

"Go on Harry! If Snape could catch it on that old broomstick, you can! You're the youngest Seeker in a Century!" Ron encouraged. Harry nodded.

He then instructed Brooklyn to be ready to catch the key, as he jumped on, and soared through the air. Brooklyn watched as he zoomed among the brass keys, which flew out of his way, and with lightning speed, caught the silver one.

You never cease to amaze me, little brother! Brooklyn thought proudly, almost forgetting about his humiliating crash as Harry tossed him the key, and he grabbed it. Thrusting it into the lock. It worked. The key flew away, looking quite battered after being caught twice.

All of them taking a deep breath, the group ventured on.

Brooklyn tensed as they entered the next room, which seemed to be full of intimidating statues.

"What is this?" He heard Hermione whisper beside him.

"Looks like a graveyard," Harry observed. But Brooklyn felt it was more than that.

"It's no graveyard," Ron said, as they stepped closer. "It's a chessboard!"

The gargoyle's eyes grew round as torches suddenly lit up, revealing the white and black pieces standing in their rows. This was a big chessboard!

How are we going past this one? He thought while walking towards the door. But the white pawns suddenly drew their swords, blocking the way, and they stepped back.

"Not good," Brooklyn commented nervously, noticing how sharp the swords were. But Ron seemed to be more level headed here than in the other rooms.

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it? We have to play our way across the room!"

They all stared at him in disbelief before eventually agreeing. There was no other option.

Ron gave Harry and Hermione positions on the chess board, but with Brooklyn, he volunteered to sit this one out.

"What happens now?" Hermione asked nervously. Ron had chosen to be a knight and was sitting on the stone horse.

"Well, white moves first, and then we play."

As he spoke, a white pawn moved two spaces. Brooklyn's nerves were on the rise. He didn't want to think about it if they lost.

"You don't think this will be like real wizard's chess, do you?" Hermione questioned in a small voice.

Ron ordered a black pawn forward, but the white piece drew its swords and sliced it to pieces, causing Brooklyn to freeze in terrified shock. This was even worse than normal Wizard chess. Their very lives were at stake!

Ron gulped and turned to Hermione. "Yes, Hermione, I think this is going to be exactly like wizard chess!"

No duh, Sherlock! Brooklyn thought, his body shaking, memories of his smashed kin threatening to overtake him as they continued to lose most of their sides. This was definitely something he wasn't gonna forget about anytime soon!

That left them facing the white queen, who was more ruthless than the others, taking out more pieces than Brooklyn liked, wincing as a pawn next to him was smashed to pieces.

The queen then turned to face Ron, who then knew what he had to do to win, and Brooklyn didn't like it at all.

"You understand, right Harry? Once I make my move, the queen will take me. Then you're free to check the king!"

Brooklyn's eyes lit up white with anger and denial. This wasn't right! "No!" He roared. "There must be another way!"

"Brooklyn's right! This is suicide!" Hermione screamed, tears in her eyes. But Ron wouldn't listen to reason, as usual.

"Do you want to stop Snape from getting that Stone or not?"

Brooklyn couldn't correct Ron about Snape anymore, his heart too full of grief and anger from what Ron was going to do.

"Harry, it is you that has to go on, I know it! Not me, not Hermione, not Brooklyn, you!" Ron proclaimed in a determined voice. That's when he knew that Ron wasn't going to step down from this. Brooklyn turned away, tears of fury in his eyes, knowing he was about to lose one of his friends. He didn't want to watch this.

Ron had his knight move a few spaces, right next to the Queen. She turned her sightless face towards Ron, and raised her weapon.

Brooklyn shut his eyes, flinching as he heard both Ron and Hermione yell, and stone pieces crashing to the floor, terrible pangs ripping his heart.

I hope this sacrifice was worth it! He prayed, opening his eyes, seeing Ron lying on the floor, unconscious.

Harry then moved towards the King, his eyes narrowed.

"Check Mate!"

The king's sword fell to the ground. They won.

Breathing heavily, Brooklyn immediately went over to Ron and checked his pulse. He was still alive.

Hermione joined him, her eyes red from crying.

"Take Ron to the Hospital Wing, guys. And send a message to Dumbledore. He's right, I have to go on," Harry instructed them. But Brooklyn didn't want to leave Harry.

"Harry, I know I shouldn't, but you're not going in there alone. We don't even know if it is really Snape in there! But it is a gargoyle's duty, my duty, to protect you as a brother should. I'm going with you. No exceptions!" He said, determination in his voice. Harry just stared, amazed that Brooklyn would risk his safety to protect him!

Harry then gave Brooklyn a big hug, eyes filling with tears. "Thank you, Brooklyn! I-I never had anybody do this for me!"

The red gargoyle hugged his brother back.

Hermione watched them, eyes filled with tears at their small moment.

"You'll be okay, you guys. Harry? You're a great wizard, you really are!"

Harry smiled. "Not as good as you." Brooklyn nodded.

She chuckled. "Me? Books and cleverness. But there are more important things. Friendship and bravery. And, Brooklyn? You're the most amazing gargoyle I've ever met!" She said in a tearful voice, giving Brooklyn her own hug.

Brooklyn felt his heart lift at her praise. He knew then that he befriended the most amazing humans in the universe. For nobody had ever called him amazing. Ever.

Hermione then begged for them to be careful, as they stood up, and faced the next door.

Brooklyn's heart fluttered a bit, as he took Harry's hand, who looked as nervous as he did.

"Together?" Brooklyn asked, looking down. Harry nodded.

"Together!"

And with that, Human and Gargoyle stepped through the final door, unaware of the danger that they were going to face on the other side. But no matter what, Brooklyn would protect his brother Harry Potter until his dying breath.