Curse Breaker (or how to find answers)

Flying is easy baby, just follow the rhythm - pt.2

"You're completely healed. You can go now," Mrs. Pomfrey said to James in the morning, as breakfast time had already started.

James thanked her again, before gathering his stuff and leave for breakfast. He was glad not to had these annoying and scratchy scales all over his body anymore. He couldn't wait to come back to the Gryffindor table.

When he entered the room, that was already rather crowded, James walked straight for where his friends were seated. He sort of expected some people to stare, knowing that people had seen him fight with someone — and as the Gryffindor star player, he was often the topic of discussion, for various rumours —, but he didn't expect that much. When he started seeing and hearing people talk as he passed by them, James felt weird.

He ignored it, and greeted his friends, before sitting next to Sirius, as usual. Everybody said 'hi' back to him, but Sirius was now also giving him odd stares.

So as soon as everybody went back to their previous conversations, James whispered to Sirius.

"What is going on?" He asked, taking care that no one but Sirius could hear him, as he served himself some beans.

"Prongs..."

James saw Peter in front of him purse his lips.

"Why didn't you tell us it was Regulus?"

James's eyes opened widely, and his shoulders dropped for a second. He put his fork of beans back in his plate. He didn't dare meet Sirius' eyes. So Adam had said it to everyone in the end. James had his answer; he hadn't bothered to keep this private. His thoughts were racing inside his head. He struggled to find something to answer to Sirius.

"I... I didn't want to make you feel bad," James answered. And for once, he felt like he was being a bit honest at least. "I just didn't like that he insulted him," He continued, before adding quickly. "And your family too."

"Hey," His best friend patted him on the shoulder. "It's okay, I— You should have told me," Sirius started, "But I get it. You didn't want to upset me."

James nodded silently, finally meeting Sirius' gaze. His friends was smiling reassuringly at him. He comfortingly squeezed his shoulder. Then James saw his eyes sparkle with mischief.

"I would have hit him right in the nose too," Sirius said to James. Then he turned around to include Remus and Peter in this conversation. "Actually, we should give him his money back."

James immediately shook his head negatively, raising his hands slightly in a sign of protest. "Bad idea. I don't know if it's going to solve things."

Sirius stared at him, visibly surprised by James' response. And James couldn't blame him; he was the one who hit Adam first, and it was no coincidence. James was very often following Sirius in his prank ideas, and vice versa. It was rare that he said the words "it's a bad idea" to any of Sirius' plans.

James continued. "I don't think Regulus would appreciate it." He hoped Sirius or any of his friends wouldn't question why he seemed so sure of that.

Sirius dropped his hand from James' shoulder, seeming to consider the latter's words, before nodding.

"Fair enough. I want to make sure the git won't do it again, though..."

Remus laughed at that. "Oh, have you seen him this morning?" He looked smug, as he pointed at a lugubrious looking Adam, on the other side of their table. "I can assure you he won't try this sort of thing again any time soon."

The Gryffindor looked perfectly healed, his bruises were gone, and any signs or marks of a previous fight were gone as well. But he didn't look as proud as the day before, and even if he was surrounded by friends, looking rather normal, as if nothing happened, he didn't look in James' direction at all.