July 30, 1987
Myrddin Manor
Jack drove the blue ghost up a long gravel drive past rows and rows of trees. I stopped counting after 100. All of them are old. Oak, Alder, Yew, White Pine, Hawthorne, Acacia, Ash, Cedar, and so many more. Those were the only ones I recognized from memory. Seriously though, is his house surrounded by a forest? We've been driving down his drive for at least 20 minutes now.
Holy crap. Dad's family is Old Money like damn. That's the kind of house you expect to see in Pride and Prejudice, or on Bridgerton. Honestly, seeing his house for the first time, I don't think I have ever felt more American in my life.
"Myrddin Manor. Your family's," and I swear Jack used air quotes here ""Ancestral home.""
"Honestly though, your grandfather thinks it's a bit too posh. It was built by one of his ancestors to keep up appearances at the time, and to keep his lady happy. There's no need to mention that though." He continued introducing it to me as we pulled up along the front of the house.
My first view of my Grandfather was something. There he stood waiting by the front door for our arrival. 6'10" copper and silver hair down to his shoulders. Black leather boots, denim blue jeans, black vest over his dark blue button down, his sleeves rolled to the middle of his forearms. He wore a cowboy hat and aviator sunglasses as he watched us approach. In the words of my previous life, Grandpa has game. I heard plenty of people call similarly dressed older men GILF's. At least if I take after his side of the family, I'll be set once I grow up.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA," he yelled out his laughter seeing me observing him from the car, "come out here and give your grandfather a hug!"
Surely, I am not that extroverted..... Either way, lets get this over with.
After hugging him, we entered the foyer of the manor. He proceeded to give me a tour.
"Right. Now, I am sure you have plenty of questions. There will be time to get to that after a quick look around." he said, leading me through the ground floor of the manor. "Here is the first sitting room, right off the right side of the entry. This is the area where we traditionally meet visitors. Leading me down a hallway full of paintings I can only describe as a mix of a DnD campaign's wet dream on one side and portraits of the family on the other, I could only marvel at the sheer size of the family I had never met. "First we have your sister's portrait, and past it are your father's as well as the wedding portrait from your parents wedding. That was a great party. Say what you will about Americans, they can throw a party." Next to my father's portrait were similar ones of his brother's my uncles. I knew two of them, having grown up with them, but the resemblance was uncanny. "Your Uncles." was all he said, but I noticed that the two I hadn't met had dates of death on them.
"This, he said showing the next set, is your grandfather, his wife your grandmother, and then his sister." I noticed that Dad's aunt seemed to still be among us. "Finally, here's me, and your grandmother." He seemed wistful at that. "I've yet to meet a finer woman in my time," he continued with a faraway look in his eyes. Not that I can blame him. She was a babe. Effie Myrrdin nee Evans.
...........
He showed me our history back over a thousand years to the second generation of our family. Sadly, there was no painting of the first of our line. However, based off what I could see in these paintings the family genes are incredible. I can only assume he looked like the rest of us.
Looking at the paintings, I could only assume that the hall only contained the direct descendants otherwise there would be hundreds more pictures of the family. There were some very unique last names in my family tree. Names that made my brain feel funny like I should know them. Peverell, Black, Sayre, Gryffindor, Granger, Bones, Dresden, and so many more. All of them married to the next head of the family and passing their DNA down to me. From how many of them had 3 or more children, I probably have a bunch of cousins running around here.
..........
"You know, your mother's family is just as big right?" he asked me as we took another turn. "My mom is an only child as far as I know. She doesn't talk about her family back in the states, and even less about the family in this part of the world." I confessed to my great grandfather.
My grandparents on both sides of the family immigrated to the states within a few years of each other, becoming citizens. Depending on how you look at it, I'm either a 2nd generation American or a 3rd generation. I choose to look at it as 3rd generation as my grandparents took the time to go through the process and immigrate, leaving their families behind. Imagine that, moving across the world, starting a new life away from your family, and marrying someone else who did the exact same thing. Then eventually you get me. Wild.
"You might consider asking her some time, or writing to her parents and asking them. From the understanding I have, Your mother's father is from Ireland but of Scottish descent, and then her mother is from Scotland. I believe his sister is still alive here in England. She is the author of many history books - " He said, but I interrupted, "Bathilda Bagshot! She wrote A History of Magic!"
"Ah, good. You have read your letter. We will get to that shortly. For now Follow along." He said, continuing down the hall.
What he showed me next blew my mind. A library that extended both down into the ground as well as up into the next couple of floors. This is the largest private library I have ever seen. Grandfather looked completely proud of himself showing me the family library.
"This library is as old as our family," he stated, continuing "it is the responsibility of every Head of the family as well as their Heir to continue adding to it."
He then told me of Lords, and their Heirs in Magical Britain. Wild. To think that since 1689 there has been two separate houses of Lords with many seats of the same families within all of the countries of Europe. In addition to that, there are 2 separate governments in every country! Magical and non-magical, No-maj according to American wizards. According to grandfather, our family also prefers that term, as the local usage of muggle seems to be more often an insult.
Returning to the tour, Grandfather told me more of the history of Magic as it related to our family. He spoke of the obligations of the Lords of various families, as well as their failings. "Never forget, my boy. A Lord's duties are many. Chief among them is ensuring a smooth environment for people to grow. They should always strive to improve the land entrusted to them by their ancestors for those who inherited their title, as well as improve the country for the everyman. Only then can we truly be lords. Noblesse oblige. Never forget it."
.........
Leading me to his office, He had me take a seat, and pull out my acceptance letter.
"Ah, Albus too many names Dumbledoor. He really should either go into only politics or only being the headmaster of Hogwarts. He's wearing too many hats, and if the last war is anything to go off of, he's stretched too thin." He said, sneering when he saw the headmaster's name at the top of the letter.
Suddenly staring straight into my eyes, he continued, "I have a confession to make. I told all of you this because you are the best possible Heir to our family, and to be completely truthful, I don't know if our family will continue if you decline."
"Our family is old. As old as Hogwarts itself. Our founder was a student there himself in their very first graduating class." He pulled his wand and gestured to a nearby coffee pot pouring two cups and adding cream and sugar almost as an after thought, and bringing them to the table. "To be fully recognized as the heir to our family, and to wield our family magics, it is mandatory to get an education at Hogwarts."
He then proceeded to tell me that of my father's generation, he and the brothers I know are Squibs. Magicals who don't possess sufficient magic to actually utilize magic. My mother is not a squib, but lacked the magical power to inherit within her family. My older sister also not a squib, lacks the necessary power to attend Hogwarts. My cousins are much the same as her.
"I know I am asking a lot of you, but I believe you can do it. At your age, you are the strongest member of the family I have seen in generations. If you agree, you'll have the full support of the family. Both the magical and the no-maj. I guarantee it."
..........
July 31, 1987
Diagon Alley
.........
My grandfather told me everything, and I agreed. Can you blame me? Thirty four years of my previous life, and what did I have to speak for it. No magic. A job working in security. No savings. No college degree, due to issues with the university and their desire to have everyone graduate within 4 years instead of my planned 6. Student loan debt equal to what I made in a year due to the cost of attending increasing every semester of the 4 and a half years I was there. I spent my entire life diving headfirst into a good story. Books, movies, games, fanfiction, you name it and if I could find one I was on it like a fly on stink. Hell, I even learned what I could about writing hoping I could stay interested in my own stories long enough to make a living out of them.
Honestly, if I could remember a single story coming out of the UK other than Lord of the Rings, and Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, I might think I was in one. I loved story's of magic and learning. Improving oneself through study and innovating in the world. I figure the me in this world felt much the same, and due to the lack of distractions like video games and the internet, he buckled down and finished his education a lot faster than I ever did. Hell, this me went above and beyond. He got 2 masters degrees. I couldn't live with myself if I turned this down. Plus, I'm currently 10. I could spend the next 7 years going to magic school, and going on to get my Masteries! That way I won't feel inadequate about inhabiting my own body.
..........
Honestly, the entrance to the magical world was a bit of a let down. A pub? I have been to Seville Quarter in Pensacola in my previous life. Now that is a watering hole.
.....
Boy was I wrong. Grandfather tapped his wand on the bricks in a specific pattern making sure that I was paying attention. I gotta say. This kinda entrance behind a pub is so much better than I would have thought. Whoever thought of it was a genius. The contrast. *Mwah. Chefs Kiss.
Our first stop was Gringotts. Grandfather lead me to a large white marble building with 2 armed and armored goblins standing in front of it. Upon seeing my grandfather both Goblins nodded respectfully. A gesture he reciprocated as did I upon seeing it. He then lead me in, and queued in front of the last teller in line.
"Business?" said the Goblin, before looking up and seeing my grandfather. The goblin caught itself, then after a moment, "Lord Myrddin. I didn't realize you had joined us this morning. My name is Shatterstone. How can I assist you this morning?"
Seeing how respectful this Shatterstone was with my grandfather compared to how the other Goblins seemed to be treating the other wizards around us was enlightening.
"Please inform my account manager that I would like to meet him. Please tell him I have found the one that I am pleased with and have decided to start the process."
The Goblin, Shatterstone raised an eyebrow at this then glanced at me raised an eyebrow, and then looked back to my grandfather. "Very well."
..........
"Place a drop of your blood on the silver disc." Said the as yet unnamed Goblin who joined the meeting with grandfather's account manager, Stormblade, Grandfather, and myself.
They are performing a bloodline confirmation before I can take up my heirship? Or what ever it is called. Basically being formally recognized as Grandfather's Heir through magic, as well as the the law.
I dropped a drop of blood on the disc from my finger that I cut with a silver pocket knife that grandfather gave me. After My blood landed on the disc, the wound closed itself. I really like magic.
The goblin began to speak over the disc in Gobbledegook. Apparently this is their native language according to my grandfather. He did this for a bit then the disc started to glow, and the goblin pressed the disc to a piece of parchment where information started to appear. He then cleaned the disc with a high proof alcohol, confirming no trace of the blood, with all of us, handing the parchment to Stormblade and then leaving.
Joshua Emrys Myrddin - Inheritance Eligibility
Myrddin Lordship - Lord - Percival L. Myrddin
Myrddin Heir - Available
Pendragon Lordship - Available
Pendragon Heir - Available - Contested - Can only be claimed with the sword of the king
Peverell Lordship - Available
Peverell Heir - Available-
Blackstaff Lordship - Ebenezar McCoy
Blackstaff Heir - Available
Sayre Lordship - Available
Sayre Heir - Available
Gryffindor Lordship - Available
Gryffindor Heir - Available - Contested - Can only be claimed with the Gryffindor sword
Bones Lordship - Lord - Amelia Bones
Bones Heir - Available - Contested
Granger Lordship - Available
Granger Heir - Available
Black Lordship - Lord - Arcturus Black
Black Heir - Sirius Black
Dresden Lordship - Available
Dresden Heir - H. Dresden
Grindelwald Lordship - Lord - Gellert Grindelwald
Grindelwald Heir - Available
......
"Merlin's balls," said Stormblade, eyes growing larger as his name continued down the list.
Magical Inheritances
Myrddin - Family Magics
Merlin - All properties, vault, bloodline magics, and staff
Ravenclaw - Diadem - Lost
- Library - Attached to ********
- Family Magics
Sayre - Library, family properties, family magics, and vault
Gryffindor - Family Magics
Granger - Family Magics
Peverell - Family Magics
- Elder Wand - Must be earned through combat
- Resurrection Stone - Lost
- Invisibility Cloak - Contested - With Potter Family
Black - Family Magics
Bones - Family Magics
Dresden - Family Magics
Grindelwald - Family Magics
Evans - All properties* and vaults*
- Family Magics
*Vault and properties belonging to Lily Potter nee Evans not included.
................
Stormblade and Grandfather both sat there, mouths hanging open in shock.
"So, can I claim all of the available Heir positions, or is their a law against it?" I asked to break the tension.