Cass nodded. 'I'd rather that came out than you getting hurt,' he said. 'Besides, the main thing was always to protect mum. I failed to do that too.'
He swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. 'I should never have kept owling her. If I hadn't insisted on keeping contact Rodolphus would never have known about her at all.'
'I keep making one mistake after another, don't I?' he looked at Percy, wishing deeply that he hadn't messed that up too. As he felt Percy's hand around his, he was utterly grateful that Percy was there now, even if he was angry. He tried to smile.
'And here I thought you usually thought I was a puff,' he half joked. 'You don't think the same, I think, when you're so used to lying it has become second nature. I just never thought of an option. I should have.'