Brooklyn and the Boy Who Lived

The Cave

"You're what?!" Griff yelped out loud, when Brooklyn informed him of their mission with Dumbledore, while Harry told Ron and Hermione.

"Yeah, that's 'bout the size of it," Brooklyn responded, rubbing his shoulder, feeling somewhat nervous about all of it.

"So let me get this straight, Dumbledore is having the two of you go with him to a desolate area, to find and destroy a Horcrux, to defeat the maniac dark wizard?" Griff repeated back, and Brooklyn nodded.

"This is crazy, mate. I know it will do good for all of us, but, what if you don't..." Brooklyn quickly covered Griff's mouth with his hand sharply.

"Don't, Griff. We have to do this. We leave tonight. It's the only way, whether we return or not."

Griff felt a small sigh escape him, still worried for his friend, but knew that Brooklyn was usually able to fight his way out of any danger.

"At least let me go with you, mate, for extra protection for your brother," he pleaded. But Brooklyn shook his head.

"No, this is only for me, Dumbledore, and Harry to do. But I have to request something for you. Could you continue to protect Hogwarts while we're gone?" He asked. Griff narrowed his eyes in determination. He wouldn't disappoint his comrade on this one, even if he couldn't go.

"With my life, Brooklyn," he vowed. Brooklyn smiled at his friend, before pulling out something to hand to him, one that he never really used much for another old friend he hadn't seen in ages because of all this.

"Uh, why are you giving me a conch shell?" Griff asked in confusion, making Brooklyn chuckle. "It's from that merman friend of mine I made who I told you about during the TriWizard Tournament, should you need help, blow on it. But you may have to give him something from Una to turn human to help you guys out if there's danger," he suggested. Griff held the shell in his talons.

"Thanks, Brook, good luck," he said, and the two shook hands. Katie also said a tearful farewell hug to Brooklyn, who assured her that they will return (maybe), and then the brothers ventured out to meet Dumbledore in the Astronomy Tower.

Dumbledore turned at their approach. "I'm glad you two came," he murmured. The gargoyle nodded. "We wouldn't want to let you down, Professor," he stated bravely.

But then he had a serious look on his face. "Before we depart, I have requests for you that you two need to follow without question. Can you trust me?" Brooklyn felt a small prick of dread in his skin before nodding.

"Should I tell you two to hide, you hide."

They nodded. "Yes, sir."

"And if I tell you two to flee, will you do so?"

"Yes."

"And lastly, if I tell you two to abandon me and save yourselves, will you obey?"

Harry answered yes, but Brooklyn was more hesitant, a lump of bile caught in his throat at the idea of leaving somebody to die just to save himself, but Dumbledore gazed at him with a most pleading expression that he gave in, reluctantly.

"Y-yes." He mumbled. Dumbledore nodded to them. "Good, take my arm." Harry looked confused.

"I thought you couldn't Apparate within Hogwarts," he said, as Brooklyn nodded in agreement, recalling Hermione's lectures about it. But Dumbledore simply smiled.

"Well, being me has its privileges," he stated simply, making Brooklyn chuckle just a bit. At least Dumbledore still has his sense of humor during these times. He took Harry's hand, who took Dumbledore's, and the suffocating blackness came once again, Brooklyn shutting his eyes tight, trying to ignore the pressure of it on his chest, until in mere seconds, he could feel salty sea spray and cold wind on his face, finding themselves standing on a big rock in the ocean, facing a black cave opening on an island.