Chapter 718: Coercion
Chapter 718: Coercion
"No, Mr. Greengrass", Liam gently placed his teacup on the lapis lazuli-inlaid coffee table, then straightened up and looked at the somewhat weary head of the Greengrass family.
"The reasons you mentioned are likely true, but they don't encompass all the reasons. At least from my perspective, everyone who has joined the Dark Lord has those reasons, but only you have made the choice you have. This suggests you must have a more significant, personal reason."
"Especially for a Wizard from a Pureblood Family, those two reasons aren't enough", Liam interrupted Mr. Greengrass, who was about to protest. "Everyone fears death, but you should know from my treatment of the Malfoy Family that those I protect must openly align with me. This means that if you choose me, you will be hunted by the Dark Lord, which isn't necessarily any safer than your current situation."
"Moreover, if the Dark Lord discovers your contact with me, he will undoubtedly kill your entire family. In previous battles, even when I killed Death Eaters, I spared their families. In a way, if you wanted to preserve your clan, it would be safer to follow the Dark Lord. So, I find it hard to believe the reasons you've given me."
"You're right", Greengrass sighed, giving up on his defense. He had underestimated Liam's youth and tried to hide his current precarious situation, hoping to use his clan as leverage. But now it was clear that this tactic was futile.
To avoid making things worse, Greengrass decided to admit the part he had deliberately omitted: "Fine, I suppose you should know what happened with the Crabbe and Goyle clans."
"Of course", Hermione nodded. "In the recent battles, we eliminated the heads of both clans, and we heard that the Dark Lord assigned their wives and clans to two Dark Wizards from Eastern Europe."
"Yes, that's right", Greengrass nodded with a bitter smile. "There was one thing I didn't tell the truth about. For us, the survival of the clan is far more important than individual life or death. I don't fear death, but the Dark Lord's orders are destroying my clan."
"I hinted at this in the children's literature I left in Hogsmeade. The Dark Lord has found the legendary Jumping Cauldron and plans to reverse its magic to pollute a large number of Muggles and turn them into wights. I am to be one of the executors of this dangerous mission."
"If that's the case, I don't think you'll be able to escape our pursuit", Liam interjected. "You should have noticed that the Wizards we've eliminated were all guilty of indiscriminate killing, and what you're about to do fits that description perfectly."
"Yes, I am aware of that", Greengrass nodded. "The reason I'm informing you is that, along with assigning me this task, the Dark Lord has also chosen husbands for my two daughters from Eastern Europe, requiring them to marry within the next two months. If I die, my daughters will be married off, and the Greengrass family will be erased from history."
"Like the Crabbe and Goyle families—no, it will be even worse", Liam now understood why Greengrass had come to him in such a hurry. Once he died, those designated husbands would likely take over everything the Greengrass family owned, and this ancient clan, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, would vanish from history.
This reminded Liam of why, in the original story, Malfoy married his youngest daughter, Astoria. It was likely that Greengrass's eldest daughter, Daphne, had chosen a son-in-law to maintain the clan's existence.
"Truly terrifying", Hermione whispered through the Phoenix Mark. Back in her second year, she had interacted with the eldest daughter of the Greengrass family. Back then, the war hadn't started, and the tension between Pure-blood Wizards and Muggle-born Wizards wasn't as intense as it is now. "Daphne even told me she had a good father. I never imagined he could be so cold-blooded."
"Whether they can use magic or not, the marriages of nobility are never based on feelings like ours. Their core is always about interests", Liam responded silently through the Phoenix Mark. "Think about Princess Diana, who passed away a few months ago. For them, love in marriage is almost negligible."
After answering Hermione's unspoken question, Liam turned to Mr. Greengrass and said, "Now that we know about this attack, I will certainly stop it. In return for your information, we will spare you and ensure that no one, not even Professor Dumbledore, will learn about what happened tonight."
"B-but—" Mr. Greengrass's eyes widened in shock. Liam's actions were entirely unexpected. He had hoped that by providing this information, Liam would offer him some protection. Instead, he only received a promise of not being hunted down.
This promise meant nothing to William Greengrass. After all, he wasn't the only one involved in the ritual magic. If Liam killed everyone else and left him alive, even the Dark Lord, who was now weaker due to his soul being split, would see the issue.
Greengrass had believed that, as a member of one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight families at the top of the British Wizarding World, his allegiance would be crucial. He thought Liam would do his best to ensure his safety. But Liam treated him and his family as if they were expendable, showing no concern for their fate.
"Don't get excited, sir", Liam said, watching Greengrass reach into his pocket. In an instant, several magical arrays on the walls of the house activated, pointing directly at Greengrass.
"You can only receive what you've given. As I said, those who publicly support me are the ones I protect. If you're unwilling to do so, I won't force anyone, but what I do for you will depend entirely on what you've offered."
Greengrass had made a critical mistake. Liam's goal wasn't to defeat Voldemort at all costs like Dumbledore. Instead, he aimed to use this war to permanently dismantle the ruling status of these Pure-blood families in the British Wizarding World. In this context, the Pure-blood families were all his enemies. Why would he spend valuable resources to win them over?
"Alright, alright", Greengrass slowly withdrew his empty hand from his pocket and placed it on his knee. He looked years older, realizing that everything he had planned tonight had backfired.
He had assumed Liam was either a justice-driven hero or a bookish researcher, both typical traits for a young person. But Liam was nothing like he had imagined.
"You need to understand, I have two daughters. Daphne once even went to Brazil with you—" Greengrass pleaded, but Liam cut him off with a calm voice.
"I'm sorry to hear that, but as a member of a Pure-blood family, you enjoy privileges while also bearing the consequences. However, out of respect for your daughter's friendship, if they suffer because of you, I promise to wear black formal attire and a white carnation to visit them every year."
(End of Chapter)
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