"What they think no longer matters." Melinda raised a slender silver brow pointedly. "But it haunts you, makes you challenge your own thoughts, what they said. Lucius... tell me something. What opinion do you hold higher - that of the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord, or that of your family? Which is more worthy to listen to, to hold closer to your heart and believe your self-worth on? I would say that no one's opinion but your own counts, but we both know that would be a lie. We all worry and concern ourselves with the thoughts of others. The difference is who we chose to base those feelings on."