“However,” Lord Greengrass continued, his tone measured, “we have attempted to contact you many times over the past ten years—at the very least to confirm you were well. Every owl we sent returned unopened, unable to locate you.”
Harry let out a quiet sigh, anticipating the question.
“For reasons I still don’t fully understand, Albus Dumbledore placed me with my Muggle relatives immediately after the events of October 31st, 1981. Until my Hogwarts acceptance letter arrived on July 24th, I had no knowledge of my heritage or the wizarding world. That letter was the first—and only—piece of correspondence I ever received from this world. I have no idea why other messages never reached me, but I’m every bit as frustrated by it as you are. Perhaps more.”
Lady Greengrass looked genuinely surprised.
“No other mail at all? Not even statements from Gringotts?”
“Nothing,” Harry confirmed, frowning.
“I can only assume Dumbledore didn’t want me aware of the wizarding world until I was old enough to attend Hogwarts. Maybe he feared I’d grow up arrogant because of my fame. Whatever his reasons, it will be the first thing I confront him about when we meet.”
“It is illegal to intercept Gringotts mail!” Lady Greengrass exclaimed.
“So the goblins told me,” Harry replied grimly.
“But as he has positioned himself as my magical guardian before the Wizengamot, he’s used that authority to block everything. There’s little I can do about it for now.”
He paused, then added, “What I have done is establish an alias—Harrison Smith—with the goblins’ help. It’s not a full false identity, merely a way to receive certain mail without interference.”
“That explains why you asked us to address our reply to Harrison Smith,” Lord Greengrass mused.
“And why no one has seen any trace of you since that night ten years ago.”
“Yes, sir,” Harry said simply.
Lord Greengrass leaned back, a hint of cynicism in his voice.
“And people still wonder why we remain neutral rather than aligning with the so-called ‘Light’.”
He turned to his wife.
“Perhaps you should speak with our daughter first, before bringing her in. It may help ease her temper.”
Lady Greengrass smiled knowingly.
“I believe that would be wise.” She rose gracefully, and Harry stood as well.
“If you’ll excuse me, Mister Potter?”
Once she had left the room, Harry resumed his seat.
Lord Greengrass regarded him thoughtfully.
“I take it this meeting also concerns the renewal of the alliance between our Houses?”
“Yes, sir,” Harry answered.
“I’m still learning what it truly means to be Light, Dark, or Neutral in this world. But my father’s letter made his wishes very clear. I see no reason not to honor them—especially with the betrothal contract already in place.”
“Quite right,” Lord Greengrass said, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Harry hesitated for a moment before continuing.
“I know very little about my parents, sir. I’ve heard some stories from Madams Longbottom and Bones, but they weren’t part of my parents’ closest circle. Since you and Lady Greengrass clearly were, I was hoping you might share what you remember of them.”
A look of understanding crossed the older man’s face.
He sighed softly and began to speak.
“I first met your father and mother during our time at Hogwarts.
James was already inseparable from Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew.
Your mother and Isabel became close friends in their third year while studying Arithmancy together.
“Your father and his friends were sorted into Gryffindor. I went to Slytherin, while Lily and Isabel were Ravenclaws. The four boys quickly earned a reputation as the Marauders—infamous pranksters who targeted anyone they deemed aligned with the Dark. They struck at students from certain families… and, by extension, at Slytherins like myself simply for belonging to the House. Their favorite target was Severus Snape, but they also went after the Lestranges, Averys, Rosiers, and several of the Blacks.”
Lord Greengrass smiled faintly at the memories.
“On graduation, we learned that Lily had secretly been the fifth Marauder in their final year.
She and Remus were the strategic minds behind some of Hogwarts’ most legendary pranks.
“When the war intensified, many of us joined the Auror Corps straight out of school. Your father, Sirius, Edgar Bones, Frank and Alice Longbottom, the Prewett brothers, and I were among them. Sirius even dubbed us ‘the Auror Marauders.’ We spent as much time pranking our trainers and fellow Aurors as we did training.”
His expression grew more serious as he leaned forward.
Neville Longbottom had been born the day before.
You arrived early on the 31st of July.
Daphne was a few weeks old by then.
“Your father invited the male Auror Marauders to Godric’s Hollow to ‘wet the baby’s head’—in other words, to get thoroughly drunk in celebration.
It was also an opportunity to celebrate Daphne’s birth.
Late that night, after far too much firewhisky, someone—likely Sirius—declared that you and Daphne were the most beautiful babies in Britain and needed protection from future undesirables.
The solution?
A betrothal contract.
“They found a standard contract template, and someone produced a blood quill. Your father and I signed it in our inebriated state. By morning, the deed was done. Sirius had already vanished to resume his duties as your father’s Secret-Keeper, leaving us to face our wives at St. Mungo’s that afternoon.”
A wry voice spoke from the doorway.
“And I made you sleep on the couch for the rest of the month as penance.”
Harry turned to see Lady Greengrass entering the room, accompanied by a strikingly beautiful blonde girl with piercing blue eyes.
The girl alternated between glaring at her father and fixing Harry with a cold, assessing stare.
‘This must be Daphne,’ Harry thought.
‘And Father was right—she really is beautiful.’
Both men rose as the ladies approached.
“Ah,” Lord Greengrass said smoothly.
“Mister Potter, allow me to present my daughter, Daphne Ophelia Greengrass—your betrothed.”
Daphne continued to glare at him, her expression sharp enough to cut glass.