Ever since hearing the goblin telling him to watch his back, Brooklyn had kept his talons hidden the whole time while Hagrid proclaimed they should get more of Harry's things on his list. Brooklyn agreed but only so they could return to the Leaky Cauldron quicker, now noting at how sometimes some of the other witches and wizards would once in a while eye him in curiosity.

Upon being outside the robes shop, Hagrid noticed how skittish Brooklyn had been behaving, looking concerned. "Hey, ye all right there?" Hagrid questioned in concern.

Brooklyn gives a little smile and a shrug. "Fine, why do you ask?"

The gamekeeper raised his brow. "I'm sure you have a reason for hiding yer talons, right?" Hagrid asked, pointing to how Brooklyn was keeping his hands inside his wings, making the already red gargoyle flush, nodding.

"A-A goblin said I should watch my back, because of others wanting to..." Brooklyn stuttered, not wanting to reveal anything gruesome in front of Harry who was watching him out of curiosity.

It caused Hagrid to frown in disapproval and sadness. "To tell ye the truth Brooklyn, some gargoyles that lived in the wizarding world have pretty much died out from poachers trying to steal their talons for potion brewing. It was a voodoo concept that had long since died out but it's possible it had arisen again. But with me and Dumbledore around, I can promise ye that nobody will take yer talons."

Brooklyn's ears perked and he smiled a little at that but was crestfallen at the idea of gargoyles having been poached like that as Hagrid opened the door for him and Harry to walk into Madam Malkin's robe shop. He couldn't fit through the door so Hagrid had to stay outside. Brooklyn kept by the door as to not startle Malkin when seeing her walking in, a cheery smile on her face. "Hogwarts dear?"

Harry nods shyly, the witch guiding him over to get measurements. "Got the lot here, another young man being fitted up just now in fact."

The beaked male noted the young boy nearby about Harry's age; his blonde white hair smooth on his head, and face slightly arrogant looking while another witch did measurements too. "Hello." The boy greeted, eyeing both Harry and Brooklyn. "Hogwarts too?"

"Yes." Harry responds, sounding a little bit confused and dumb until the boy spotted Brooklyn, backing up a little, his eyes big. "And who... is that?" The boy demanded, pointing at the red gargoyle.

Harry glared at how the boy reacted to Brooklyn who was feeling uncomfortable again, folding his wings to not look intimidating. "This is my friend, his name is Brooklyn and he is with me."

The boy raised his brow at the look of Brooklyn, before ignoring him and turning back to Harry. "Hmph, not my first choice for a friend. But my father's buying my books next door and mother's up at the street looking at wands." He said matter of factly, making Brooklyn wonder why the boy isn't with the mother to pick a wand, getting annoyed at his drawling voice which sounded too much like the old Xanatos. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."

Brooklyn's hands balled into fists, finding this boy a little worse than Dudley now even if he didn't know him very well or his name. "Smuggling is probably against the law for Hogwarts kid," Brooklyn growled, making the boy jump. "It talks!" He yelped out, making Harry frown deeper.

"Yeah, I talk, and I think you're just spoiled, whoever you are." Brooklyn snapped, making the boy get over his shock then look angry at Brooklyn's insults.

Suddenly smiling in a mean manner, the boy kept up his ranting. "Do you got your own broom? Play Quidditch at all?" He asked, making Harry shake his head no, both him and Brooklyn wondering what Quidditch could be.

The boy puffed up his shoulders. "I do—Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in?"

Harry and Brooklyn both looked at each other, still confused and Brooklyn wondered what on earth the houses were. "No." Harry replies, sounding more stupid while Brooklyn kept himself together as to not scare the witches there. "Well, no one really knows until they'll get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been. Imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

Brooklyn blinked at the names, still really confused and hating himself for not knowing more, Harry simply nodding and making grunting nosies. Hagrid at that moment had come back, making the other boy point now at him. "I say, look at that man!"

Harry eventually grinned. "That's Hagrid." He said, sounding a bit more pleased now, Brooklyn also smiling. "That man looks even more shifty than your creature friend here." Said the boy icily, making Brooklyn growl lightly, his ears flat on his back. He was against hitting children but this one was really pushing his buttons.

"Hagrid's the gamekeeper, and don't talk rubbish about Brooklyn." Harry retorted back, making the boy raise his brow at the gargoyle. "That's his name then, Brooklyn? Rather girlish if you ask me. And I heard the gamekeeper is some sort of savage, lives in a hut on the school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic, and ends up setting fire to his bed."

The former second's muscles clenched. "My name is not girlish! And Hagrid's the best person we've ever met!" He snapped, making the boy grin even further.

"Heh, Brooklyn still sounds rather lady like to me and you really like that oaf? Where is your parents?" The boy then asked Harry who looked away.

"They're dead." He said shortly.

The boy shrugged. "Oh, sorry." He said, though it didn't convince Brooklyn that he even was sorry at all which infuriated him. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"

Brooklyn furrowed his brows. "What do you mean, our kind? A witch and wizard right?"

The boy seemed to ignore Brooklyn more now as he kept on mocking Harry's parents. "I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some of them never have even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old Wizarding families. What's your surname, anyway?"

Before Harry could answer and Brooklyn call the boy a spoiled brat once again, Malkin had finished up with Harry's robes, making the two friends happy to not want to talk to him anymore, eager to eat the ice creams that Hagrid had waiting for them outside. The boy turned back to them after hopping from his footstool. "I'll see you both at Hogwarts, I suppose." He said in his drawling voice again that got on Brooklyn's nerves before leaving.

Brooklyn felt a little better but was still feeling rather angry at the new boy while eating his chocolate and raspberry ice cream with chopped nuts, which was the same as Harry's. He hadn't had ice cream in a long while.

Hagrid noticed their nonchalant faces. "What's up?  You two alright?"

Harry flushed while Brooklyn's tail twitched as they both said nothing rather quickly, finishing their ice creams then eventually the three went to get more supplies, Brooklyn almost forgetting about the boy while buying Harry's many other school supplies including parchment and quills. Brooklyn grinned at the sight of ink that could change color, wishing to collect some cool wizarding devices for himself. But then Harry asked Hagrid about Quidditch.

Hagrid rubbed the back of his neck, looking startled. "Blimey, Harry and Brooklyn, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know— not knowin' about Quidditch!"

Brooklyn felt his face go redder than normal again. "Well, don't blame me. I lived outside of this world forever pretty much. And Harry never had a wizarding family to show him."

Hagrid nods in understanding as Brooklyn and Harry both eventually brought up the boy in the robes shop as Hagrid frowned. "The boy said my name was girlish, and that non pure wizards shouldn't be in Hogwarts." Brooklyn growled, his ears flat on his head, Harry looking more ashamed at the idea that he might not be accepted, but Hagrid shot down what they said. "Harry, yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were—he's grown up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they first saw yeh. Anyway, what does he know about it, some o' the best I saw were the only ones with magic in 'em a long line o' Muggles. Look at yer mum! Look what she had for a sister!"

The red gargoyle inside knew it must have been Petunia before both he and Harry asked what Quidditch was. Hagrid at first was a little bit confused at how to explain it but he pretty much sums it up as a wizarding sport on brooms much to Brooklyn's interest. But then Brooklyn had his own question. "What is Hufflepuff and Slytherin anyway?" He asked.

Hagrid smiles at him for asking that important question. "Just the school houses in which there are 4. They say Hufflepuff are a load o' duffers but—."

Harry interrupted Hagrid. "I bet I'm in Hufflepuff." He said in a  gloomy manner, making Brooklyn shake his head. "No, I'm sure you'll get the best house." He said encouragingly, while Hagrid nods.

"Better Hufflepuff than in Slytherin. There's not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin. The one who killed Harry's parents was a Slytherin." Hagrid said darkly, making Harry tense up having not heard the real story of his parents deaths. "W-Who was it?"

It made the gamekeeper sigh heavily, like he didn't want to say the name. "It-it's hard for me to even say it, but his name is Voldemort, one of the darkest wizards to ever live. He tried killin' ye as a baby Harry."

Brooklyn tensed up, glaring, a hand on his little brother's shoulders, hating the person now who had killed Harry's parents. "Is... is that how he got that scar in the first place?" He said, Hagrid nodding solemnly.

"I don't know how it happened exactly that night, but when V-Voldemort came ter Harry's home, he... killed off his parents named Lily and James who were the brightest witch and wizard at Hogwarts. Head Boy and Girl in their time. I had been the one to get little Harry out of the house wreckage." Hagrid explained the best he could without breaking down.

The red gargoyle flinched but his face was rather grateful. "I'm glad you did, otherwise me and Harry would never have met each other. But, Vol- sorry, You-Know-Who was a Hogwarts student too?"

"Years and years ago." Hagrid replied while they went into the bookstore called Flourish and Blotts. Brooklyn was amazed at how many books were in here stacked high to the ceiling and bound in leather. He and Hagrid had to pull Harry away from a spell book for curses and jinxes. "I was trying to figure out how to curse Dudley." Harry explained, making Brooklyn laugh. "On another day once you've learned the basics, Harry."

After gathering up the rest of the items on his list including potion ingredients and a cauldron, Hagrid looked over the list with a smile. "Just yer wand left, and yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday present."

Brooklyn noted Harry's face going red. "No, you don't have to..." he mumbled.

Hagrid chuckles. "I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer an animal. Not a toad, toads went out of fashion years ago. Yeh'd be laughed at. An' I don't like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail and everythin'."

Inside the Eeylops Owl Emporium, Brooklyn gazed around at the many owls there hooting softly until soon Harry got himself a snowy owl. But then his eyes fell onto a young but handsome looking barn owl. Hagrid saw him looking and smiled. "Ye can have him if ye want, I'll pay."

Brooklyn instantly shook his head despite him admiring the barn owl. "N-No, you really don't, you already paid for Harry's—." Hagrid put a hand on his shoulder. "I insist. Yeh will need one for living at Hogwarts Brooklyn in case ye need to send any mail." He said with his smile, making Brooklyn smile grow on his beak. His clan would be so jealous he got his own owl, eventually agreeing to it.

Hagrid eventually bought the barn owl and the three left the shop, Brooklyn admiring his new owl along with Harry's Snowy one, Harry stammering his thanks which made Brooklyn laugh. "While you get your wand Harry I'll try finding you a present from me too as a thanks for helping me."

Harry looked really overwhelmed at the prospect of getting more than one present and wound up hugging Brooklyn tight who embraced his hug with his wings, making tears come into Hagrid's eyes at the sight. The family love between them was really strong, which made Hagrid wonder if the protection spell from Lily had possibly connected to Brooklyn. Harry after that went into Ollivanders with Hagrid while Hagrid gave Brooklyn some money to pay for Harry's present.

After wandering about the streets for a bit Brooklyn soon spotted the sports store for brooms, getting an idea. He opened the door, stepping into the shop feeling a little nervous since he was without Hagrid right now, hoping no undesirables would want to take his talons. The shopkeeper spotted him, jumping but noted the money in his hands, coming over. "M-May I help you... sir?" The man asked, Brooklyn nodding.

"I need a present for a friend of mine. Do you have any toy brooms by any chance?" He questioned, the man looking the gargoyle up and down before soon nodding, gesturing to where the smaller sized brooms were. "Here you are, modeled after the full sized brooms including the new Nimbus 2000. Hope your friend will like it."

Brooklyn nods his thanks to the keeper before browsing the different models included the Shooting Star and others like that until his eyes fell onto the Nimbus 2000 model. He figured that Hogwarts could at least allow a broom like this in since it wasn't a full sized one. Brooklyn took up the Nimbus 2000 toy, seeing it only cost 200 galleons, going over to the cash register to pay for it, leaving the store after that to catch up with Harry, holding his gift wrapped present.

"Dad! There's the gargoyle I was talking about!"

Brooklyn tensed up in fear, his ears flat, turning around at the sight of the pale boy again with what looked like his father who had long silvery white hair almost like his. His eyes rounded and quickly did his best to hide in the crowd, figuring that the boy had told his father about how his talons were a rare ingredient potion.

Finally he could spot Ollivanders from afar, breathing a sigh in relief at the sight of Hagrid and Harry who was leaving with his wand, quickly going over to them. Hagrid noticed his panicked look. "Ye alright?"

The beaked male panted further but nodded, though his eyes were rather scared. "T-the boy who we met in Madam Malkin's tried getting to me with his father. I kinda want to get out of here soon. Please." Brooklyn begged, making Hagrid look at him in sympathy before soon agreeing.

"Sure. Let's get goin' then." Hagrid said gently, guiding Brooklyn and Harry back to the wall which opened up and allowed them back into the Leaky Cauldron.

Harry though dreaded going back to the Dursleys, wanting to remain in the Wizarding World with his now adopted family in Brooklyn, holding his hand tight. "Hagrid. I-I don't want Brooklyn to be caught by my aunt and uncle. Is there any way we can stay here in a room instead of going back to Little Winging?"

Hagrid frowned slightly from that request but he recalled earlier at how closely connected the boy was to the gargoyle, and that Harry was wearing rather baggy clothes from his aunt and uncle that he greatly disapproved of, so he soon nodded, his eyes twinkling. "Of course, ye can. I can talk to Tom about giving yeh a permanent room here and let the Dursleys know that yer safe with other family."

Brooklyn stared in awe at what Hagrid was willing to do for them, his eyes starting to get a little watery from his happiness at the idea of not worrying about sneaking around a house with Harry's abusive relatives anymore, holding Harry in his arms again. "Thank you so much Hagrid. And I still hope to figure out how to get back to my clan too." He said in a shaky way.

Hagrid nods, as he went up to Tom at the desk, and Tom agrees to the idea, giving Hagrid a key for a room as Hagrid leads Harry and Brooklyn up the stairs to where their new life will be. Hagrid opens up the door. "Best room Tom can provide. It even has a window to look down into Diagon Alley." He says, Brooklyn amazed at the sight of the room which had two beds, a bathroom, and a mirror along with chairs and a table. He never thought he could get his own room in a magical world, looking out the window and gazing down onto the street of Diagon Alley. This was the best thing ever, even if he still missed Goliath and the others.

Harry jumped onto his bed, which felt much better than the other one he had in the Dursley's house as Brooklyn soon gave him his present, opening it to find the mini toy broom inside, his eyes starting to water. "Thanks... bro..." Harry said shakily, the two hugging yet again.

Hagrid also gives Harry a ticket for the Hogwarts train. "Leaves on September 1st at 11:00. All there on yer ticket. For now, hope you enjoy stayin' here and don't get into any trouble." He said teasingly on the last couple words. Brooklyn grins back at their new friend, nodding. "Thanks. See you at Hogwarts."

The gamekeeper soon leaves the two of them alone, Brooklyn and Harry eventually both laughing at their lucky situation, looking forward to exploring more of what the wizarding world had to offer to them.

....

I'm doing my best to get away from Character AI and back into doing real writing but it is kind of hard since that cursed sight interrupted me from making good chapters like this and my schedule for these, making me lazy.