The Importance of Behavior

The Importance of Behavior

By Alena McKells

:: Prologue ::

Behavior. Behavior is something that is somewhat important. Impeccable behavior is something that is incredibly important to people of society. Well, high society anyway. I have always been taught to be the utmost gentleman in every situation possible. To be quite frank with all of you, I don't rightly know how I've done it all these years. My life has been nothing but watercress brunches, exquisite dinners, and fancy parties. I've hob-knobbed with the wealthy and partied with the famous. I've been taught to learn the simple difference between new-money and old-money. Though, I am very sure that there is no difference. Everything is same when you have money. Some behavior is a tradition, handed down through legacies. Some behavior is the result of conduct lessons and long, dreadful hours of study.

Now, being the youngest child in my family I will never fully understand how behavior altered the course of my life. I had three sole duties in life; get married to the woman of my father's choice, bestow upon him an heir, and makes as much money as I could humanly make. Simple, no? Of course, when I explain things like that they are. I truly believe that no one has any idea how complicated my life really is.

I suppose that it would do well to explain my brother and sister, and the impact they've had involvement in my life. Lilith, my sister, has always been the level-headed mind in the family. Very sweet and kind, very unbecoming of a Malfoy. She was the first-born, you know. No one ever notices because she and my brother Lysander are so close in age. Nine months, in fact. Lysander is the calculating one. Cold and brutally cruel. Perfect for work in the Minister's office or something of the sort. He's the first person to strike you if you've done something that isn't in compliance to his plans. Myself? Oh, I'm the happy accident. The little mistake that was made by my parents. Oh, of course no one has ever sad that to my face. Though I know, from the way Lysander looks at me, that I am.

I am merely a doll for my family to play with. My father shall dictate where I attend school, who I shall marry, who I shall go into business with. My mother chooses the clothing I shall wear, the style to which I keep my hair. Acquaintances are chosen for me. I am merely a sparrow locked in the cage longing to be set free. I am the second son. I am the fleur oubliée as Lilith had put it to me as a child.

Fluer oubliee, the forgotten flower. Always known about but never really recognized. My life has been perfect thus far. Poised to graduate from the most prestigous school in the Wizarding World. The world is lying down at my feet and I could do anything, anything with my life. The world's my proverbial oyster, as the Muggles would say. Everything was perfect, or what I believed was perfect. Then, she appeared. She could have ruined everything. To be frank, she almost did ruin everything...