Reacting instinctively, George attempted to stand back up in a bid for freedom, only to be thwarted by swirling runes that appeared in the air, pushing him back and causing further injury. His vision momentarily blurred, and he was unable to react despite fighting to do so.
"Stop, please!" Nebula's desperate plea echoed through the tense atmosphere, her voice laden with fear and concern for George's safety. She rushed forward, trying to hold her brother back.
Harry, driven by his instinct to protect her, struggled against the unseen force before him, his face contorted with determination.
"Don't hurt him!" Nebula pleaded, holding her brother back to prevent further escalation.
George stared at her in bewilderment, his mind reeling from the unexpected turn of events. "Why... What are you doing?" he questioned.
"It's my fault... I brought him here. It's all my fault," Nebula confessed, her voice filled with desperation, trying hard to stop the situation from escalating further that it already had.
"You... you brought him here? Do you know what he is?" Harry asked, curiosity mingled with the rush of adrenaline still coursing through him.
Nebula nodded solemnly, her gaze steady as she responded, "Yes, I do..." She paused, gathering her thoughts to explain herself. "He's different, Harry. I have plans for....."
"Argh!!!" George screamed in agony as hundreds of cuts appeared, crisscrossing his arms, legs, and torso. His clothes were being shredded as if fed through an invisible machine, leaving him in tattered rags.
"Harry, stop!" Nebula's voice cut through George's cries of pain.
The assault ceased abruptly. The runes dissipated, and George collapsed to the floor, his body a mess of cuts and blood.
Harry turned to his sister, his face a mix of confusion and anger. "Nebula, what in the world is going on here?" He gestured towards the crumpled form of George.
With a mix of annoyance and anger, Harry demanded, "A word, now!" He directed Nebula to follow him out, leaving George alone with his thoughts.
Without waiting for a response, Harry strode out of the room. Nebula hesitated, glancing at George's battered form, before reluctantly following her brother.
As the siblings left, George lay on the floor, gasping for breath, his mind reeling from the pain and the bizarre turn of events. The room fell silent except for his labored breathing, leaving him alone with his injuries and the growing realization that his situation was far more dangerous and complex than he had ever imagined.
Outside the door, Nebula approached her brother with slow, weighed steps, her expression heavy with regret and guilt.
"Harry, I..." she began, but the words caught in her throat as she met her brother's disapproving stare.
Harry held up a hand, silencing her. "Spare me your justifications, sister," he stated, his voice tinged with a blend of anger and disappointment. "Do you even understand the folly, the imprudence of your actions?"
Nebula's shoulders sagged, her defiance deflating under the weight of her brother's censure. "I had the situation well in hand," she tried again, but the words sounded hollow, even to her own ears.
Harry let out a derisive snort. "Under control?" he echoed, his eyebrows arching in disbelief. "You sheltered a vampire—a creature driven by primal instinct and insatiable hunger—within the walls of your home!!"
Nebula opened her mouth to protest, but Harry pressed on, his words cutting deeper with each syllable. "Did you not consider the consequences? The peril you've exposed yourself to?"
Nebula's gaze flickered towards George's prone form, her expression softening ever so slightly. "He's different, I...," she insisted, her voice carrying a note of conviction.
Harry shook his head, his expression hardening. "You deceive yourself, sister," he said firmly, his tone allowing no room for argument. "Vampires are creatures of darkness, guided by their primal instincts. It's merely a matter of time before their true nature reveals itself, regardless of how tightly they think they can restrain it."
"You must remove this... entity from your premises at once," he commanded, his gaze piercing hers with an intensity that allowed no room for dissent. "If Father or any of our kin were to discover its presence here, the consequences would be dire."
Nebula wavered, she knew her brother spoke the truth – to harbor a vampire under their very roof was an offense punishable by the harshest of penalties.
Finally, she nodded, her shoulders sagging in resignation. "Very well. I just need some time to-"
"What do you need time for? To think? Are you out of your mind, Nebula?" Harry's voice boomed. "Keeping a bloodsucker in your house? What were you thinking?"
"It's not what you think, Harry. He's different—" Nebula tried to interject, but Harry cut her off.
"Different? They're all the same! Irredeemable savage beasts, every last one of them," Harry spat. "Whatever you've planned for him, it won't work. It can't work. They're incapable of change."
"You don't understand—" Nebula started again, her voice pleading.
"No, you don't understand," Harry interrupted. "This ends now. Get rid of him yourself, Nebula. It's for the best. If you can't do it, I'll come back and help you. But he can't stay here."
"Fine...fine!!! Just don't tell father or the others about this till I get it settled," Nebula said sternly.
Harry's expression softened ever so slightly, his hand reaching out to grip her shoulder in a rare show of fraternal solidarity. "That I can do. Now you do what I say, it's for the best, sister," he murmured, his tone gentler now that the confrontation had passed.
With a heavy heart, Nebula turned towards the door and began walking slowly towards George.
George heard murmurs from their conversation, but the distance and his injuries prevented him from catching their words.
As she approached, Nebula's demeanor lightened slightly, her expression less burdened than when she had left. "Um, about your accommodations... Where is your home located?" She asked.
"Hmph, I thought you'd never ask!"