To someone who didn't know him, the look Jackson gave was just even angrier. But to anyone who knew him well enough, or knew his state of mine, it was stark terror, the moment Malfoy said the word "curse." It was there just for a moment, before he was able to squash it back down and resume his usual brand of surly sulking.

He needed to tell Malfoy something. Anything. "It was..something that happened back over the summer. An accident. That black stuff is the only thing that's happened. And it's getting better. I was..." he seemed to draw into himself, more resigned and defeated. "...coughing it up, all night, before school started." He sunk deeper into his chair, as if admitting that were something horrible and shameful.