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Last of The Fae Chapter 48: The Noble and Most Ancient
🕑 Added 2024-09-23 02:59:47 +0000 UTCAmelia let Thane's announcement resonate through the air as she glanced from the ring to its wearer, "Even if everything you said is real...do you expect to be taken seriously? The rest of the Houses will see you as a child playing dress up. At best, they'll laugh behind your back while ignoring you in person. In the worst-case scenario, some will seek to manipulate you and use you as a puppet."
Thane dropped his hand back to the desk, and a severe look settled onto his face, "Then it will be their loss later down the road when they look upon the bridges they set fire to leading to an Eden they will never set foot in."
Despite Thane's confidence, Amelia didn't seem convinced, "Do you genuinely believe you can handle the responsibilities and scrutiny that comes with being a Founder?"
"Yes," Thane responded without hesitation, meeting Amelia's gaze. She shook her head in partial disbelief, "Why do this now...why not wait until you are older? Not many your age are so eager to rush through life."
"That's because not many my age have the same ambitions I do nor the means to see them become a reality," Thane answered, his voice becoming passionate. His green eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire, "While I have only been a part of the magical world for a year, I have been aware of magic my entire life, and not once has my wonder or curiosity dampened. As an inherent part of its nature, I believe magic contains limitless possibilities, but as it stands right now, my life is finite. With the little time I have, I plan to uncover as many of those possibilities as I can and lay a foundation upon which others who share my passion can build."
Amelia fell silent as Thane spoke, feeling the sincerity of his words and the fire behind them. There wasn't a doubt in Amelia's mind that Thane meant every word he said. With a sigh, Amelia admitted that the second year had won her over, 'I have no grounds to deny his claim. The Gringotts contract is impossible to forge. The family has been dead, so there's no way to connect any Dark Practitioners. Creating a new spell, even if it is just an improvement of a preexisting one, definitely qualifies as a contribution to magic advancement, and judging by how much mana he released after swearing on his magic, he definitely will pass the aptitude pass.'
Had it been any other scenario, Amelia would have approved Thane already, even if he was sixteen. The actual problem arose not with Thane's age but with the age of his family.
Houses were, by definition, wizarding families that could trace their ancestry to a magical ancestor back at least one hundred years. They were granted nobility status, which came with several rights and responsibilities. Still, most importantly, it granted the Head of House a seat in Wizengamot, allowing them to vote on laws and legal proceedings. However, not every house was equal; depending on how far back a House could trace its ancestry, it was given a different tile and an increasing number of votes in Wizengamot.
For the minimum hundred years, a House had no title and only one vote; at two hundred years, the title of Noble was gained with three votes. Three hundred years later, the title of Ancient was added with four votes. Four hundred years and beyond, the House earned the title of The Noble and Most Ancient with a startling seven votes in Wizengamot.
Amelia could only imagine the nightmare and chaos that would ensue if she approved Thane, a sixteen-year-old muggle-born, to become the Head of one of the most potent entities in Great Wizarding Britain, 'I could turn him away, pretend like this meeting never happened. Even if he went public, no one would advocate for him...'
"Very well then," Amelia said out loud as she stood up from her seat. If you pass the magical aptitude test, according to ancient laws, I must announce you as Head of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Fae, subject to all the responsibilities, rights, and privileges that come with it. This is your last and final chance to change your mind. There's no reason you can't apply in a few years."
Thane rose from his seat as well and met Amelia in her light grey eyes, "My mind is set. This is the path I've chosen, for better or worse. And I must thank you, Madam Bones. I am not unaware of the waves your decision will cause and that you could have prevented them. For that, you have my thanks."
Amelia suppressed a sigh as she dipped her head in acknowledgment, "For both ours sakes, I hope it's for the better."
---
McGonagall paced back and forth in front of the cold fireplace. The sun had long vanished from the sky, but Thane had yet to return from his shopping trip. McGonagall was a few minutes away from reporting Thane missing again when the fireplace exploded in a plume of green fire, and the source of her anxiety stepped through the flames.
"There you are! What in God's name could have taken you all day to-?" McGonagall cut herself off as she got her first look at Thane, standing at his full height and backlit by the FlooFire.
The last McGonagall had seen of him; Thane had been wearing a set of robes around two sizes too small, in desperate need a trim, and shellshocked from being trapped for three months. Now, McGonagall had difficulty believing that the boy standing before her was the same person.
"I had several matters to attend to," Thane replied, his voice several octaves deeper than McGonagall remembered, and she found his emerald gaze heavy with authority hard to hold. Not only had Thane's mannerisms changed, but so had his appearance. Thane's common robes had been replaced by ones of visible quality and craftsmanship, most notably the various silver accents that shimmered in the light of the green flames. His hair was also tied back, revealing an angular face, high cheekbone, and a square jaw.
Suddenly, McGonagall recalled how, a year ago, she had gone to awaken Thane in the Three Broomsticks Inn, only for him to open the door before she could knock.
"Professor?" Thane asked again, stirring McGonagall out of her stupor, "M-matters? Surely, getting a new wardrobe didn't take you all day? How could you even afford those robes? I only put enough in your vault for school supplies!"
"Which has been transferred back to your vault. I suggest you close the one you opened in my name. There is no need to pay Gringotts the maintenance fees." Thane replied as he stepped forward.
"What are you talking about? You need that vault!" McGonagall insisted, getting quite frustrated with Thane's flippant attitude.
"It doesn't matter. The vault will default in a month regardless," Thane answered with a shrug.
"And why is that, Mr. Carter?" McGonagall asked, channeling the disciplinary teacher within her.
"Because Thane Carter no longer exists," Thane replied as a small smile spread across his lips, revealing the white of his teeth that seemed to gleam like fangs, "My name is Thane Fae, Head of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Fae."
