Chapter 733: Promises and Purposes
Chapter 733: Promises and Purposes
"Are you saying that this is already the best possible outcome?" Hermione's eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn't understand how the situation, with the family's breadwinner dead, unable to return home, and the three of them left as orphans and widows relying on the kindness of others, could be considered the best possible outcome by Mrs. Greengrass.
"Indeed, this is the best outcome we could have hoped for", Mrs. Greengrass nodded. "We had always thought that we were doomed this time. I believe Mr. Greengrass must have told you what would happen if we did nothing."
"Yes, Mr. Greengrass mentioned that if we followed the Dark Lord's orders, he would still be dead, and the noble Greengrass name would be erased from history", Hermione replied.
"For a Pureblood Family, the continuation of the clan is paramount. Every member is willing to make any sacrifice for this goal, including their lives", Mrs. Greengrass said solemnly. "By choosing to ally with you, we can ensure the survival of our clan."
"But Mrs. Greengrass, you must understand that even if you made the right choice, we won't allow Pureblood Families like yours to continue monopolizing all the benefits", Hermione said bluntly. "From that perspective, the Dark Lord might actually be more beneficial for Pureblood Wizards who have traditionally held power."
"Yes, but all of that is predicated on the Dark Lord's victory", Mrs. Greengrass said, spreading her hands in a helpless gesture. "In this war, I don't have much faith in the Dark Lord, even though he has gathered more followers and appears stronger than before. We still don't believe in him."
"Stronger than before?" Hermione turned to Liam and used the Phoenix Mark to voice her sudden doubt. "But he has lost most of his soul!"
"However, when he was reborn, the use of Dark Magic to reshape his body gave him a significant boost in magical power", Liam explained. "In terms of using Dark Magic, a body purely crafted by Dark Magic is indeed better than the one the Dark Lord had before, which was a result of various dangerous Dark Magic transformations. So, in terms of combat ability, he is indeed stronger than last time."
"I'm glad you chose us now", Liam said to Mrs. Greengrass after explaining to Hermione. "Today, we came to inform you that we have recovered Mr. Greengrass's body and buried him along with your house-elf in the lawn of your manor."
"Thank you!" Mrs. Greengrass sniffed. "Thank you for giving them a proper resting place. After the war, I will move them to the clan cemetery."
"Additionally, regardless of the reason, Mr. Greengrass sacrificed himself for our cause. I hope we can do something for you. Any reasonable request will be granted", Hermione said, repeating what the two of them had discussed before coming. "This isn't out of pity, but as an equal exchange."
"I don't need anything", Mrs. Greengrass shook her head. "But I hope you can help my daughters maintain the Greengrass Family's reputation."
At this point, Mrs. Greengrass seemed to realize her request might have been unclear, so she quickly added, "Of course, I don't mean for you to act as their nannies. I just hope you can provide some assistance and serve as their social patrons in the future."
"Of course, we will help", Liam said. "I will grant them access to some of the knowledge I have gathered, ensuring it is on par with the knowledge traditionally passed down within Pureblood Families."
Liam made this promise because, regardless of the circumstances, his actions were undeniably linked to the death of their father. As the first to sacrifice himself among Liam's followers, how he treated the family of the deceased would set a precedent. Therefore, Liam did not want to give the impression of being stingy.
On the other hand, after the war, Liam would gradually lift the restrictions on this knowledge and slowly make it more accessible to the public. So, in a sense, these things are not as precious as they might seem. However, for the Pureblood Families, this knowledge is still very valuable, and it perfectly balances out the sacrifice the Greengrass Family is making.
However, another request from Mrs. Greengrass left Liam a bit puzzled. "Wife, could you explain what a Social Patron is? I'm really not clear on that."
"Oh, that's a term used within the Pureblood Families." At this point, Mrs. Greengrass suddenly looked apprehensive and raised her right hand to clutch the collar of her dress. "I apologize, please forgive me. I can swear on Merlin that there was no hint of disdain towards your bloodline in my words."
"That's fine", Liam waved it off generously. "We come from ordinary families with no magic at all, and we don't see that as a disgrace. Similarly, it's normal not to know certain things, which is why I'm asking you about it."
"Thank you for your kindness", Mrs. Greengrass bowed slightly to express her gratitude. Liam understood why she was so nervous; working under someone like Voldemort, who had serious mental issues and a clear violent streak, could either lead to Stockholm Syndrome or, as in Mrs. Greengrass's case, severe neurosis.
Next, Mrs. Greengrass explained in detail what Ryan and the others would need to do if they became the Social Patrons of the Greengrass sisters. Essentially, it came down to introducing the sisters to others at appropriate social events.
In reality, this was a way for Pureblood Wizard Clans to delineate their influence. A clan's choice of social patron often indicated their power and inclinations. For example, Bellatrix and Regulus's Social Patron was Voldemort, which even sparked jealousy among the Death Eaters towards the Black Clan.
Once Liam understood what a Social Patron entailed, he immediately agreed to Mrs. Greengrass's request. After all, the war was now showing signs of a victorious end, and he needed to start thinking about the post-war period.
To achieve true bloodline equality, Liam planned to distribute different levels of knowledge based on the contributions made, thereby raising the overall level of Muggle-born and Half-blood Wizards. He would also grant equal status and opportunities to the Werewolf Wizards who contributed. On the other hand, he would eliminate some of the more stubborn Pureblood Wizards and unite and restrict the others.
In this war, Liam realized that it was impossible and unwise to eliminate all Pureblood Wizards. Therefore, he needed to ensure that their power was limited to a certain extent after the war, rather than completely blocking all avenues of advancement for non-Pureblood Wizards.
Just like in the original story, where the final spoils of victory were mostly claimed by Pureblood Families like the Weasleys, Liam wanted to avoid this outcome.
Thus, Liam believed that some Pureblood Families under his control must be preserved, and even given some support to maintain a certain level of influence. This would create a delicate balance, ensuring that there was enough time to cultivate a new generation of Muggle-born and Half-blood Wizards, ultimately breaking the absolute rule of Pureblood Wizards in the British Wizarding World that had lasted for a thousand years.
(End of Chapter)
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