"Maybe if we could get a living teacher that would be possible." Daphne complained, referring to the ghost that taught their Wizarding History class. "Back to the story… After the war grandfather went home and things started to go back to normal. Wizarding Britain had not been damaged as much as their continental counterparts, and so while other societies rebuilt ours began to thrive. The Greengrasses, along with many other families, prospered in terms of status and wealth. It wasn't until the late 1960's that rumbings about a new and powerful dark lord began. When You-Know-Who eventually declared his presence in the early 1970's my grandfather decided to keep the family neutral. Besides being the family's traditional stance, he was reluctant to ever join forces with Dumbledore again. Slowly, the Dark Lord's power was growing and by the late 1970's many people were beginning to think that he could not be stopped. More than once our family was approached by Death Eaters who wanted the Greengrasses to pledge their loyalty to You-Know-Who, but my grandfather was stubborn and told them no every time. He was also approached by Dumbledore who wished for his assistance, but he was also told no."
"It sounds like your family should be called gray, not dark."
"Perhaps so, but we aren't done yet. My grandfather had two children, both sons. The oldest, my father, is Daniel Greengrass. As oldest he was expected to take charge of the family when grandfather died. His younger brother, Gabriel, wasn't very happy about that and they never really got along with each other. When the Dark Lord started winning my uncle begged grandfather to pledge the family to You-Know-Who, saying that the family would be better off if they did. Still though, the family stayed neutral. Then in 1978 my grandfather unexpectedly became very ill. The healers were never able to determine what was wrong with him, and after a few months he was dead. I wasn't born yet, so I never even had the chance to meet him."
"I'm sorry. I guess I know how you feel, I didn't get to know my grandparents either." Harry said, trying to comfort her.
"Thanks. A few days after my grandfather's death my uncle showed up at my father's home. He had joined the Dark Lord and taken the Dark Mark, and he urged my father to do the same for the 'good of the family'. My father, wanting to respect the wishes of his father, said no and made it clear that the family was staying neutral. Uncle Gabriel didn't like that, but decided not to challenge his decision. Every few months my Death Eater uncle would come home, ask my family if they were ready to join the Dark Lord, get told no, and leave. We never knew what exactly Uncle Gabriel was doing for You-Know-Who, and my father didn't really want to ask. Things stayed that way until October of 1981 when you somehow managed to survive the killing curse and the Dark Lord was defeated." Daphne stopped to catch her breath for a second and think of how to continue the story.
"What happened to your uncle?"
"A few days later he led a group of Death Eaters into the Ministry trying to get information on what happened to the Dark Lord and if he was still alive. The raid was not successful and of the five Death Eaters that came only my uncle survived the Auror's counter attack. He was then questioned, tried, and taken to Azkaban where he still lives to this day. My father went to see him a couple of times right after the trial, but Uncle Gabriel was bitter and angry and spent the visits blaming my father for not supporting the Dark Lord. So father stopped visiting. He hasn't been back in nine years."
"Wow, that is one hell of a story. But I still don't understand what it has to do with me asking you to the Yule Ball."
"I know, I'm getting there. One more thing about my uncle, want to guess who the Auror who captured him was?"
"It was Professor Moody wasn't it?"
"Yes it was. It's strange, when I first went to his class I expected him to treat me differently because of what happened. So far he has been nice to me, but he does seem to dislike some of the other Slytherins like Malfoy."
"Maybe he just doesn't blame you for your uncles actions, it wouldn't make sense to." Harry suggested.
"I guess so. Anyhow, after my uncle's arrest everyone just assumed that the Greengrass family had secretly supported You-Know-Who during the war. Even though it wasn't true my family was once again considered a dark family. Everything I've said so far has been what I have learned from my father over the years. My father always treated it like it was just interesting family history, but that changed a few months ago." she added.
"What happened?"
"You should know better than anyone since you were there. It changed when Death Eaters attacked the Quidditch World Cup. After that my father seemed very nervous, like he expected the Dark Lord to reappear at any moment. A few days before school started he sat my sister and I down and told us to pay special attention to what the children of the old Death Eaters were saying and doing, and if we heard anything that we thought was important to immediately owl him. I need to apologize to you for what happened next though."
"Huh?" Harry asked, confused.
"I promised you that I wouldn't repeat the things you told me to anyone, especially about what happened at the end of first and second year. But I thought my father needed to know, so I told him. He was a little mad that I didn't tell him sooner."
"Oh, it's ok. I understand why you did what you did."
"Good. Apparently my father never really believed that the Dark Lord was dead, after all there was never a body to prove it. When I told him about the spirit of You-Know-Who going after the Philosopher's Stone in first year he knew he had been right, but he didn't know why the Dark Lord had not died. Somehow, I think he figured it out when I told him about the Chamber of Secrets and Riddle's diary. He got really excited when he heard about that and started asking all kinds of questions about what it did. I asked him what he was thinking but he told me it was better that I didn't know. I did overhear him say 'Of course, he wouldn't have made just one though' while he was thinking about what I said to him."
"I don't get it, what does he know and how?"
"I think I might know the how part. Before my grandfather died my father worked for the Ministry as an Unspeakable, and all he would tell me about his old job is that he did research. Maybe he learned something then that would explain how the Dark Lord is keeping himself alive. My father quit his job once he took control of the family because he thought that if he worked for the Ministry people would assume that he supported their fight against You-Know-Who and it would be impossible to stay neutral. After I finished telling him the things I had heard from you he insisted that we be very careful because it was only a matter of time before the Dark Lord was reborn."
"He might be right." Harry answered uncertainly. "He hasn't been able to do it yet, but he has gotten very close at least twice in the past few years. It just doesn't seem like there is anything we can do about it. Maybe Dumbledore is doing something."
"He probably is, but even Dumbledore isn't all powerful. I asked my father what we would do if the Dark Lord returned and he said that we would never join him, but for now it was important to not obviously take a side. I expected him to say that we would stay out of it at any cost, but for some reason he is willing to fight the next time around. That was why he encouraged me to learn the Patronus charm." she explained.
"Of course! There is no reason to learn it other than to fight of Dementors and they joined Voldemort's side in the last war. He thinks Voldemort will come after your family, doesn't he?" Harry asked, now very concerned about her safety.
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