The Virtue of Decision

"Wonderful dinner Alonzo, couldn't have been better!" Timon exclaimed happily, leaning back into his chair with a sigh. "You're family always did have good cooks."

"Why thank you," Alonzo replied, smiling slightly as he set his chalice down. "Perhaps you and Lucius would care to join me in the billiard room for a little game," he glanced down the table slowly.

"Certainly," Lucius nodded, pushing his chair back as he stood up gracefully. "I'm always up for a game."

Timon laughed, clamoring to his feet with all the grace of a buffalo. "Isn't that the truth Lucius," he pushed his chair in roughly. "Bianca, Sweetheart, you stay here, I'll be back in a little while," he kissed her atop the head.

"Perhaps Curio could join us?" Lucius asked calmly.

"Maybe later," Alonzo muttered. "He's not much of a billiard player," he added, shooting his son a silencing glance.

Lucius nodded. "Very well," he turned to follow Alonzo out of the room before pausing. "Do join us later Curio...I have something of importance to discuss with you," he insisted, his cloak rustling slightly as he left the room.

"So...umm, Daddy tells me you kill werewolves," Bianca said with a forced look of interest, turning slightly in her chair so that she could face Curio.

"We capture them," he replied, poking absently at the expensive table cloth. "The department for the disposal of dangerous creatures executes..." he looked up, noticing the increasingly bored look that was washing over her face. "Sometimes we kill them,"

he said quickly, looking back down at the table.

She nodded; flicking her hair over her shoulder as she leaned in towards him. "That is so interesting," she murmured, tracing her bottom lip slowly with her thumb.

"Not really," he muttered, looking back down.

She sighed, rolling her eyes slightly before a sweet smile spread across her face; masking the snide tone in her voice. "Well, how can you kill them without using a charm?" she tilted her head to the side, smiling.

He clenched his jaw, staring intently at the table. "Well charms don't kill werewolves," he replied, trying to keep the sneer out of his voice.

"Oh," she smoothed her hair. "Well I never did pay attention in care for magical creatures...never did see the point really," she batted her eyebrows, attempting another smile.

"You wouldn't would you?" he replied, mimicking her insincere smirk. "I mean, you'll never have to put in an honest days work in your entire life, so why should you bother learning any skills."

"You call being a dog catcher a skill?" Narcissa asked calmly from across the table, lifting her nose slightly.

Miranda looked up from her quiet conversation with Draco to cast a slight glare at Narcissa. "He's not a dog catcher," she insisted. "He's a potions master, and I'd like to remind all of you that, that is not an easy task."

The conversation came to a halt, cloaking the room in an awkward silence. Curio stared intently down at the table top, his ears burning with embarrassment at being defended by his little sister.

"I guess it is impressive," Bianca said slowly, resting her hand on top of his and giggling girlishly. "I mean...I remember how hard potions was for me," she batted her eyebrows as she straightened her back and stuck out her chest slightly.

"I'm sure Curio would be willing to help you if you ever...needed something brewed," Helena said quietly, raising her eyebrow over the rim of her teacup; which caused Bianca to giggle again, taking her hand away and resting it against her mouth.

"I would?" he asked, looking in between the two of them.

Helena hardened her gaze. "Of course you would," she snapped, but quickly regained her calm composure, smoothing her hair with one dainty hand.

"Mum," Miranda looked up again from her conversation, looking over at her mother. "I'm going to show Draco Daddy's armor collection. Is that all right?" she asked, her voice slightly pleading.

"All right, but be careful, Sir Henry is acting up again," Helena replied wistfully, taking a dainty sip from her tea cup.

"Yes mum," she said quickly, grabbing a hold of Draco's hand as she practically pulled him to his feet; and out of the dining room.

Curio watched them go, frowning slightly at the thought of his sister being alone with a Malfoy. He pushed his chair back slightly, prepared to go act as an unwanted chaperone, but was stopped abruptly by Narcissa's lofty voice.

"I must say Curio I am still quite curious as to why you chose to toil away at such a useless career," she sipped daintily from her teacup. "If you're such a great potions master, as your sister claims, why not work for the department of magical law enforcement?"

Bianca turned in her chair, looking interested. "Yes, why don't you work there? That would pay better, wouldn't it?" It was common knowledge amongst the two families that Bianca was intended to marry Curio. Though not an arranged marriage, it was merely expected. The Nym family name and fortune was something the McDuffs would be more than happy to marry into, and Alonzo and Helena never expected Curio to find a wife that lived up to their standards.

"They have certain requirements for such high positions," Helena replied quietly, not waiting for her son to speak for himself. "And I'm afraid Curio wouldn't live up to them," she sneered, offering a cruel little smile. "Isn't that right Curio?"

His face burned in anger and embarrassment. "I don't know about that mother, I'm sure I would qualify if I chose to."

She pursed her lips and replied in an almost amused tone. "Oh don't kid yourself Curio."

He clenched his jaw as both Narcissa and Bianca attempted rather poorly, to stifle their snickering. "I don't believe I am mother."

She turned to Narcissa, ignoring his reply. "Perhaps his father could get him into the department...they are quite fond of Alonzo after all, and if they aren't aware of Curio's lack of..."

"I don't need, or want, his help. I can find work on my own," he interrupted, growing increasingly angry.

She sighed in frustration, casting him an annoyed look. "I knew you would react like this. You just can't stand to have us try to help you...you always have to go against everything we say."

"Yer sayin' I can't get a job on me own, that I ain't powerful enough. How did ya expect me to react?!" he demanded angrily, letting his proper tone fall away, as he stood up, pushing away from the table.

Helena folded her hands neatly on the tabletop, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Don't talk like that Curio, you sound like a servant," she pursed her lips, tapping one perfectly nailed fingertip on the table. "And I had hoped that you would react like a civilized, mature, adult," she reached for her tea cup. "Not like some irrational child."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm him self. "I am not acting like a child."

She raised her eyebrows slightly. "Oh you're not?" she smoothed her robes. "Good...then I'll tell your father to look into for you."

"What? No," he blinked at her, shaking his head slightly. "I don't want his help."

"You don't really have much of a say in the situation Curio," Helena replied, taking a sip of her tea. "Now sit back down."

He stood his ground, staring at her in disbelief, his head still shaking no slightly.

"I said sit down Curio," she set her cup down and glared, pointing fixedly at his chair.

Narcissa snickered quietly, trying to muffle her laughter with a lacy handkerchief she pulled from her pocket.

"I don't need his help. I don't want his help, and I don't want to work for the department of magical law enforcement."

"And why not?" Bianca asked flippantly. "What would be so terrible about a better paying job?" she twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers. "So what if you're father gets you the job...from what I understand they'd never let a squib like you in on his own."

"I'm not a squib," he said icily, his voice shaking slightly with anger.

Bianca smirked, her voice low. "Might as well be," she stuck her nose high in the air.

He glared down at her with pure malice. "Why don't you shut your mouth, you pretentious little..."

Her eyes widen. "How dare you!" she exclaimed, pushing herself to her feet. "No one calls me that!" she poked him roughly in the chest.

"Well maybe not to your face..."

"You miserable bastard," she screwed her face up in anger. "I'm going to wait out in the parlor for my father; I don't suggest you follow me; even if you were going to apologize."

"Wasn't planning on it," he muttered in reply.

"Fine," she spat, turning sharply as she stalked out of the room.

"I think I'll go check on Draco," Narcissa said quickly, between stifled giggles; as she walked gracefully out of the room.

Curio turned towards his mother, who held up her hand before he could speak. "Don't," she hissed, placing her palms firmly on the table top as she pushed her self to her feet. "Don't even start Curio," she walked around the table, pausing at the end; glaring at him heatedly.

He ignored her warning, sneering sarcastically. "Thank you for sticking up for me back there mother, your support truly means a lot to me."

She balled her dainty hands into fists and replied quietly. "Do you have any idea what you just did?"

He nodded. "I believe I just stood up for myself mother. A person can only take so much before they push back."

Helena crossed the distance between them in two quick strides, gripping tightly onto Curio's forearm. "Don't think you're something you're not," she hissed bitterly.

He looked down at her, not even attempting to break free from her grasp. "And what would that be?"

"Special," she pushed his arm away but stayed close. "You're not special Curio, far from it. You're lucky your father is in a position where he can help your career...Bianca is right, and you know it. You're too weak to succeed on your own," she crossed her arms stiffly over her chest, her lip curling back slightly.

He took in a slow breath, staring intently at his shoes. "I am not weak," he insisted, cursing him self for letting her words affect him.

"You couldn't charm your way out of a paper bag," she sneered.

"That's only one kind of magic..." he began to protest.

"The most important kind Curio," she sighed, shaking her head. "At least you inherited my looks...lord only knows how worse off you'd be if you were ugly," she smoothed a hand over her hair as she spoke, no longer looking at him, but down at her own nails.

He looked up at her, his face contorted into a mask of anger. "Just think...I could have looked like my real father, where would that have put you mother?"

His head snapped back sharply before he could even register that she had slapped him. He raised his eyes slowly, determined not to show any signs of hurt on his face; Helena stood, shaking slightly with anger, her fists balled at her sides.

"I hate to disappoint you Curio," she spat. "But Alonzo is your real father, despite what you might have heard," she pushed a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. "The Nym family name is the best thing you have going for you...I wouldn't take it for granted if I were you," she pushed past him roughly, making her way towards the door.

He turned, watching her go. "Look at all the good it did you mother."

She stopped; her back straightening slightly. "I don't need to be judged by a child," she replied quietly. "You don't know anything about the decisions I've made, how hard my life..."

"Hard?" he interrupted her, laughing cynically. "How is your life hard mother? Oh, I know it must be your job, oh wait you don't have one. Then all the housework, no, you have servants to do that for you. Oh, I know, this must be it, all the time and energy you spent raising your children," he glared at her bitterly. "No...no you had house elves do that..."

She turned around to meet his glare. "And why do you think that is Curio?"

He clenched his jaw tightly, unable to pull his eyes away from her hate-filled glare. "I don't know," he replied, trying, with what little strength he could muster, to keep his voice steady.

"Because I didn't want to do it," she curled her lip back. "I never wanted children," she smirked triumphantly as a slightly pained expression began to seep past his stoic exterior. "And every time we have one of our little talks, it only reaffirms that fact," she turned to leave again, making it to the door way before his voice stopped her.

"Why do you hate me?" he asked meekly.

She kept her back to him, holding her head high. "Because...every time I look at you, I'm reminded of all the things in my life that I wish I could change," she said quietly, as she walked out of the dining room.

The air seemed to pull out of the room in a single breath. The weight of the day pushing down with phantom hands on his trembling shoulders.

"I don't know what to do," he murmured, slouching into one of the high-backed chairs around the empty table. His breath trembled slightly as he laid his head down on folded arms, pinching his eyes shut tightly he buried his face in the expensive fabric of his sleeve.

Tears pricked inevitably at the back of his eyes like tiny pins burning into the darkness of his vision. He fought to keep his emotions at bay, hating himself for succumbing to the pain and fear that had been growing within him since the previous night. He wiped angrily at the few stray tears that managed to break free from the walls he had built around him self, cursing his mother under his breath; and simply cursing life in general.

"Master Curio?" Edmund's calm voice asked quietly from the doorway.

Curio's head snapped up quickly, wiping fervently once again at the tears that slid down his cheeks. "Yes Edmund?" his voice shook slightly and he cursed himself mentally as he rested his head back down on his arms.

"Is everything all right young sir?" he asked, walking tentatively up to the table, his hands clamped stiffly behind his back. "Your mother stormed out of the room quite angry," he offered the smallest of smiles. "I daresay you upset her."

"She has no reason to be upset," Curio muttered, resting his chin on his arms as he pouted.

"Hmm...perhaps she feels differently."

"I don't think she is capable of feeling at all Edmund," he sneered bitterly, his gaze hardening considerably.

Edmund sighed quietly, easing himself into a chair. "I know how you feel about her Curio, how she treats you..."

Curio frowned deeply. "Don't even think of saying but..."

Edmund shot him a look, lifting his chin slightly. "However," he smirked as Curio rolled his eyes. "Everyone is capable of feeling...some are just better at showing it."

Curio grunted an indignant reply, still not lifting his head from its resting place on his arms.

Edmund eyed him suspiciously, shifting in his chair. "Is there something else Curio?" he paused, seeming to chose his words carefully. "I've known you since you were born...and it takes more than a fight with your mother to bring you to tears," his tone hardened, and he asked almost demandingly. "Is there something you'd like to tell me Curio?"

"I...I think I'm in trouble Edmund," he said quietly, thinking for a brief moment that he would tell him everything. That if he could just get his worries off his chest they would somehow just melt away. That by telling Edmund what happened he could turn his back on the situation; break his promise to the Launces and have things go back to the way they were before.

"Oh?" Edmund asked, trying to keep his tone casual, but failing not to sound excited.

Curio lifted his gaze, surprised at Edmund's forceful gaze. "I...I mean," he faltered; confused.

"You can tell me Curio," Edmund insisted, wrapping his strong fingers around his forearm. "You can trust me," he smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes; which shone with an almost manic light.

"I..."

"Curi!" Snug's shrill voice ripped through the room as she hurried over to the table, pushing Edmund's arm away as she crawled up onto Curio's lap and threw her arms around his waist. "Oh, I just heard what Misses Helena said to you, she's a..." Snug scrunched her face up, wanting to insult Helena, but at the same time not wanting to speak ill of her family. "She's a...she's bad," she buried her face into the front of his robes and continued to hug him tightly.

Edmund glared heatedly down at the small house elf, rubbing his arm where she had touched him.

"Curi is a good boy, don't listen to misses Helena, she don't know what it is she says," Snug insisted, craning her neck up to look at him. "Curi knows that, right?" she asked, sniffling slightly.

He pulled his gaze away from Edmund to look down at Snug. "Yeah...I know," he murmured unconvincingly.

Edmund stood up silently, straightening his cloak before walking stiffly out of the room, a deep frown set on his face.

"Curi is a good boy," Snug said again, putting her face back against his chest.

"Snug?" Curio said quietly, gently pulling the small elf's face away from his cloak. "What's wrong with Edmund?" he frowned, looking out the doorway that Edmund had just left. "He's acting rather odd tonight."

She sat back on his lap, sniffling as she wiped her arm under her nose. "Edmund is fine...Snug thinks...why you ask Curi?" she looked up at him, her eyes wide in question.

"He...he was just acting strange," he replied quietly, then shook his head and forced a small smile. "Forget about it Snug, everything is all right."

She sniffled again, poking him playfully in the stomach. "Good. Snug hates to see her Curi sad," she smiled waveringly, running her arm under her nose again.

"I know...I'm sorry."

She swatted him. "Don't Curi apologize...misses Helena should be the one apologizing," she nodded crossing her spindly arms across her chest. "Snug had to leave the kitchen to make sure her Curi was ok."

"I don't want you getting into trouble on my account," he frowned, leaning back in his chair.

"Oh Snug won't get into trouble," she waved her hand in the air, crawling to her feet and balancing on his legs. "Snug is just glad her Curi is all right," she hugged him tightly before hopping to the floor. "You walk me back to the kitchen." she insisted, tugging gently on the hem of his robe.

"Of course," he stood up slowly, straightening his robes and wiping at his face one last time, before allowing Snug to lead him out of the room.