Only Death Will Have Me

Sectum Sempra

The Heimmicks arrived at 8pm sharp, Maria was a small woman, where Luther was tall and imposing. They resembled Nick in a contained way. The Heimmicks were already at the table, when Neil got to the first floor, while Gaerly was talking to a man in the kitchen, she pointed up and he nodded, moving in Neil's direction. He was tall and bulky, Neil could see the tattoos on his bare arms, he frowned not recognizing him at all. The man smiled at him, Neil smiled back awkwardly, he brushed past Neil to the stairs. Neil watched it confused until Nick called his name, he approached the table, Maria's face paled, Luther looked at him as if seeing a ghost. Neil opened his mouth to ask about the man.

"This is Neil, he is spending Christmas with us," Nick said, he was up guiding Neil to a chair, touching his arm and smiling.

Luther stood up, hitting the table, the glasses clinked and the plates slid slightly to the side, his nostrils flared in anger, Neil couldn't guess what he'd done to ignite such reaction.

"Nicholas, I can't believe you've done this, you know we do not condone this kind of thing," Luther started, Neil was still thinking about the tall man who went up stairs. "Bringing this man…"

"You… what? Neil is not my boyfriend, dad. Neil is a friend from school," Nick said, Maria touched her chest in relief. "But I do have a boyfriend, his name is Erik, and I love him."

They started discussing. Maria closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, Luther was thinking about sitting again or leaving while he debated how the way Nick chose to live was wrong, Neil was about to break this tie, with something completely off subject. He looked at Gearly that had just approached the table with wine.

"Who's the man who was talking with you?" Neil asked Gaerly, who smiled at him, with her sharp teeth, he frowned at that.

His question making the discussion finally stop, Maria answered him.

"He is Andrew's stepbrother, Cass's son," Maria said quietly while Luther sat down, they were really making an effort, but failing miserably. "Drake. He wanted to meet Andrew, this dinner was his idea, they parted on bad terms, you see."

Neil let the information sink for a second before looking straight at Aaron. Andrew said all the houses were bad, all of them.

"Aaron, come with me to call them for dinner." Neil said, moving around the table to get him.

"Why do I have to…" Aaron started, he shut up when Neil grabbed him by the biceps looking into his eyes with urgency.

Neil patted his trousers for his wand, he had forgotten it in his room, he cursed with gritted teeth. They climbed the stairs fast, Aaron sensed the tension in Neil's posture, preparing his wand. Neil didn't stop at his own door, Andrew's was still closed, he stopped in front of it and tried to hear anything, he tried the door knob. It was locked, a loud noise came from inside, Neil didn't think twice before kicking the door open, it took only one hit to get the old door ajar. He tripped inside the room, there were books on the floor, the curtain around the bed was ripped, and the man had one hand pinning Andrew's hands to the bed frame, while the other pressed at the back of his neck. Neil felt this image burning into his memory forever, Drake looked in their direction, blood on his face and neck where Andrew fought him with his nails, he was still twice his size. Neil understood what was happening, although he didn't react fast enough, a wand appeared in his peripheral vision.

"Bombarda!" Aaron said loud and clear.

Drake didn't have time to react, his throat exploded and in a second everything was covered in blood and bits of flesh, his body fell to the side with a wet tud, he looked like Almost Headless Nick, with his grotesque tongue dangling to the side of his face, jaw practically gone.