Never Again *CLOSED*

Nickelson Household

"James pass me the sugar, will you?" Ellie asked holding her hand out. James rolled his eyes as he wandered into the kitchen and made his way to the cupboard where all the baking supplies were kept. He didn't understand why she couldn't get it herself, or better yet, use her magic to summon it.

Pulling open the cupboard doors, James grabbed onto the bag of white sugar and pulled it down from the shelf, knocking down the bag of chocolate chips as he went. The bag crashed to the floor, the little sweets rolling onto the stone.

Grumbling to himself, James bent down onto his hands and knees and began to scoop up the chips, just as his father's shoes came into view. "Dropping things again, James?" he asked, stepping over his son. James shook his head and muttered a few curses under his breath.

"Morning dear." Alexander said, kissing his girlfriend on the cheek. "Morning Alex." Ellie replied. Alex turned back to his son who was still on the floor picking up the chocolate chips. "Can't seem to do anything right, can you?" Alex said, a disgusted look on his face as he watched his son.

James merely ignored his father, as he dumped the chips back into the bag. "Can't even pick a decent girlfriend." he said with a laugh, as he took a sip of his coffee. James stopped what he was doing, his hands curling into fists around the bag of chocolate.

"What did you say?" he asked, standing up slowly, turning to face his father. "You heard me." his father replied, placing his cup on the counter. James forcefully shoved the bag of chips into the cupboard before slamming the doors shut. "Why would you say that?" He asked, slamming his hands in front of his father, who looked up at him, an amused look on his face.

"You know why, James." he said calmly, flipping to a random page in the Morning Prophet. Shaking his head, James pulled the newspaper out of his father's hands and threw it across the counter top. "No I don't know why. So tell me." he growled. Alexander leaned back in his bar seat and stared at his son.

He knew this was coming, this argument, but it had to be done. "I don't like her." he said simply. "Why?" his son countered. Sure James was starting to think that Casey might not have been the right girl for him, but that didn't give his father a reason to hate her.

"She's a Gryffindor, and not from a good family." he stated, crossing his arms across his chest. James raised an eyebrow and threw his hands up in disbelief. "You don't like her because she was a Gryffindor? Mom was a Gryffindor! You said so yourself!" James yelled.

The mention of his deceased wife, angered Alexander, and caused him to stand up and rush over to his son, grabbing him forcefully by the arm and shoving him up against the wall. "Alex!" Ellie squeaked, running over trying to stop him. "Go, Ellie, leave us." Alexander growled.

"Don't bring your mother into this. She has nothing to do with it." "She has everything to do with it." James said angrily, ignoring the pain in his left arm as his father gripped it even tighter.

"You will never see that girl again. Any future girlfriends have to pass under my approval, or you will never see them or have any interaction with them, is that understood?" Alexander questioned, looking James in the eye, a fierce, burning anger and hatred for his son, burning so deep within him, he was tempted to beat his only child.

James matched his father's gaze with an equal amount of passionate hate and said, "You don't control my life, or the people in it."

Releasing James's arm, Alexander moved back a few feet and raised his arm before bringing it down on his son's face. "If you wish to leave this house again, you will do as I tell you. If you wish to have any form of a relationship in the future, you will do as I ask. And if you want that 'girlfriend' of yours to stay safe, you will do as I ask. Is that clear?"

James looked into his father's threatening gaze and said nothing. Instead he just walked around him, hand on his now slowly bruising cheek as he made his way to his room. "James-" Ellie began, holding out her arms, but James just walked past her too.

Running up the stairs, James ran into his room and slammed his door. He was angry, by far the angriest he had ever been in his life. As he moved across the floor to his desk, he sat down, and pulled out a sheet of parchment and a quill and ink. He had to write to Casey, he had to meet with her. It was time...to end it, for her own safety.