Alternization

The noble houses of the magical world had a universal ranking system created by the 'king of magic' merlin. Initially this system was only used within the lands of Britannia But upon the Inception of the ICW they were taken up by the other countries as well for they were the most universal and easy to understand.

Each title was essentially split into segments as a descriptor of their houses station within the society. The first descriptor was the 'Age' of the house or in other words a simple way to allow people to know how long they have held station. This was at the time seen as the least important of the descriptors as it held no more value and some of the most valued mages had come from unknown families. Merlin himself being a prime example.

Within this the titles are, Elder, Most Elder, Ancient, Most ancient. Each going up in rank and supposed prestige but this prestige only helps if one is also gaining rank in the second otherwise they are usually seen as useless and let downs of society.

The second category is used to denote a house that works for the betterment of the society at large. This rank cannot be given by a vote, it cannot be bought. It is awarded to a house by the magic's that oversee the nobility. If one of the houses has gained the right to such a title then it is appended and a letter automatically sent. These changes in rank require remarkable feats that benefit the communities as a whole. Thus allowing them to become clans of great renown.

It was due to the building of Hogwarts and creating the academia to teach all following generations to come that elevated the previously unknown clans to noble houses. That one act had such repercussions that just the building of the academia alone elevated their status.

This shows the type of feats required to gain rank.

While the majority of the houses have a rank in either one or both of the age and nobility, the titles when created did make room for a third segment. It had been foreseen that there was possible to be reincarnated. The prophecy of king Arthur being one of the more blatant signs of such signs. So when Merlin was creating the titles. He created one as a signifier of a family who has had someone reincarnate, a hero of note be reborn. This title was the Title Heroic. It was a title so rarely used that no one could remember its significance. One of the only families to have had the title appended to them was the Caesar family a family that has vanished from the record books.

So When James Charlus Potter Head of the Most ancient and noble house of Potter found out that his wife was descended from the D'arcs he was happily surprised. They were a VERY influential family in France even if they had been said to have been killed by Grindelwald. The possibilities of having both the potter and D'arc influence just made his heart flutter with joy, Right up until he heard the word Disownment.

The letter she had been sent had demanded she either return to the family or be disowned. And like that all of his plans that had just started to form came crashing down. He could not understand why. Surely the D'arcs would benefit from an alliance with the potters. They were a powerful family that was only going to get more so when his son came into prominence with the fame they had gained.

He just could not understand it. Maybe it was the fact that he married lilly without negotiating with the head of house? Which had in some way insulted them? He looked at his wife and his two children Charles and little rose before he came to a decision.

"for now we do nothing, I will go and speak to Albus about this." and with that he stood and headed to the floo connection to go to the headmasters office. This was important Especially since it was summoning lily to gringotts. It needed to be dealt with fast. So in a flurry of activity and a flash of soot and green flames the patriarch of the potter clan was spat out of a fire place within a castle in the highlands of Scotland.

At the patriarchs exit from the Floo network the man of whom the office belonged to looked up towards his new arrival. He was a old man wearing long multicoloured robes and a white beard that reached his waist. This man was Albus Dumbledore a man who wielded many positions of power, ranging from the headmaster of the school, chief warlock of the wizengamot as well as head mugwump of the ICW. Each of these positions were a full time position and events over the recent years had lead to muttering of his replacement in some of these positions.

"Albus there is a problem" "ohh?" asked the old man as he raised a long bushy eye brow. James just walked up to him and handed him the letter for him to read. "I don't understand surely they would be happy to have the potters married to them, We are a powerful family of high standing that does not even take into account Charles being the Boy-who-Lived The reputation they would gain from having a marriage alliance with us would be astronomical!" ranted James in his confusion.

"These are all true facts my boy but some times they do not matter. They are giving you the chance to negotiate for failure to check if she was from a noble family, That has been standard practice as kidnappings do happen." said Albus getting a nod from the patriarch knowing it was true but as far as every one had known she was a muggle-born. Not a pure blood! Well at least it means that he was not related to that bitch petunia.

"Well what do you suggest?" James asked. The headmaster rubbed his long beard in contemplative thought. "i would suggest" said the headmaster stressing the word suggest, " that you search your families history for any possible transgressions that might have caused slight to the D'arcs and then prepare for the negotiations." nodding James stood and turned to the floo " thanks Albus" "Don't worry about it my boy" and with a flash The patriarch was gone.

It was then that the head master turned to the portraits in his office, " do any of you know why the D'arcs would be so angry at the potters?" he requested of the headmasters of the institution leading back over one thousand years. "It was a potter who turned Jeanne D'arc in as a witch" said a voice from the back of the room shocking the head master.

"Explain!" he all but demanded of the voice as he located the headmaster that was speaking it was a black, that explained it the blacks were notorious for finding secrets. " The potters were not always Light wizards, they only had Light morals and those were shaky at best. They were war wizards and were known for fighting for the side they were loyal to to the end." This got a nod from the elderly wizard. As while it also described the personality of the family now it also did not.

"Jeanne D'arc was in fact a witch but due to the less refined scrying methods at the time, she was missed and did not get caught in the intake to be taught. It did not help that she was a seer" this caused Albus to take a deep breath as he could see where this was going. "The poor girl mistook her sight as 'visions from god' and was able to lead to many victories, until a potter got suspicious, this lead to her capture and subsequent burning for witchcraft. The D'arcs found out who was responsible and you can guess there response has never been pretty when the cross paths with a potter." finished the black with a cruel smile on his face.

Albus being a pacifist at heart could not believe that something like this had happened and was still on going. He could only hope that lilies marriage would mend the old wounds between the two factions. There was nothing he could do otherwise as this was a house matter, a blood feud. So with a sigh he settled into his chair and back to the inevitability of the ever growing pile of paper work.

Xxxxx

It was a small room into which the potter were led. One of Gringotts more severe meeting rooms that was held for matters that had the possibility to turn criminal. As such it was bland with no decoration. There was heavily armoured warriors guarding the doors as per tradition.

A plain desk with chairs were placed in the centre of the room for the occupants to be seated at for the duration but other wise the room was designed to make one as uncomfortable as possible. It was a simple tactic used by the goblins, keep their opponent uneasy and distracted to make things easier.

So as the family sat in their designated seats the Goblin pulled out the necessary files and information that would be required for the meeting that was being held. Sorting out the folders in such a way as to be easily accessible if required he then turned his head towards the family. Completely Ignoring the family patriarch as he was only here to listen to the meeting which effects his house, the supervisor addressed lilly.

"Miss Potter, you were sent a letter of summons to address matters of either returning to the fold or disownment from the D'arc family correct?" rumbled out the professional tones filling the whole room. Upon receiving a nod from the woman the goblin moved on. "You are aware that your choice will effect those under your guardian ship until such a time as they are of age?" again she nodded but James could be seen stiffening as he had not known that. He had thought their was a possibility of having one of his children becoming the heir of the family and thus controlling both houses. But if they have the taint of disownment on them!

"Good, too begin we will confirm that you are a descendant of the D'arcs. While our files are rarely wrong it is a possibility." Lily agreed to this as it was a understandable precaution. The test itself only took a moment and proved said heritage. Much to the shock of lily who had always believed herself to be a muggle born It also showed that she was adopted much to her shock.

"Excellent, now the house has given me leave to explain the cause for the actions that the most elder, most noble and heroic house of D'arc has taken. The first is for abandonment of the principles of the house, to do what is right with all your ability. Now this would have been fine if you were ignorant of house charters, but your husband had a responsibility to check if you came from a family and a charter to follow, thus the second you married into a noble house you had a responsibility to follow the D'arc charter."

This caused a look of shock to cross the faces of the pair. That they could have avoided this if they had just done a check? It was then that James face changes to one of cold anger as the goblin pinned the blame on him as the one responsible for not doing it. True he was raised in a pure blood house but it was not like anyone expected lily to be from such a house!

"The second reason is for marrying into a house that the D'arcs are currently in a blood feud with." this caused a short squeak to escape lilies mouth in shock. She knew that the situation was serious but a blood feud was beyond serious, it was fatal most of the time!

James could not take it any more so he asked the question, "What do you mean blood feud? I have not heard of this!" the Goblin looked at the man as if he was something that had just been scrapped of the bottom of his boot. "The D'arc family declared a Vendetta and Blood Feud Upon the Discovery that it was one Rickard Potter War wizard for the English that caused the death of the Seer and Saint Jeanne D'arc. Rickard Potter was the one who brought it to the notice that she was gaining visions and thus had her burned for witchcraft. It was determined that without his interference the sentence would not have been as severe." The goblin chose not to mention that there was a reincarnation of said saint that proved it would probably have been the same but they did not need to know that.

Upon hearing the reason for the D'arc families anger all of the fight left James as it was a reason he could understand. As his thoughts ran through possible ways to end the feud he noticed the goblin had begun talking again. "Now Mrs potter you have been presented with two choices in accordance with the family charter, the first is to return, this includes your children you may try and fight your case but considering the damage done it is unlikely that your marriage will be approved and ratified by the charter." explained the supervisor in a clinical tone. Which just made the matter even worse.

"Or we could deal with it here today and carry out the dis ownment you will have no rights to anything related to the d'arc. You would be stripped of the D'arc family magic. Your children would not be acknowledged until they are of age and either choose potter or D'arc in which they will have to dis own one or the other." explained the goblin shocking them at how brutal the options were.

"Excuse me honoured supervisor but is there any room to negotiate?" Lily asked in the hopes to resolve the situation without such drastic measures. She loved her family and would not leave them. But she had just found where she came from. This whole situation was like a knife to the heart.

"no" came the blunt reply. And as such in lilies mind it left only one option.

Xxxxx

Later that day an anonymous letter was delivered to the daily profit, this letter contained none other than a small slip of a inheritance test showing

Name: Lily Potter nee Evans (adopted name)

Lilith D'arc (disowned)

This alone sparked a massive flurry of activity, to find out what was going on. And the goblins where only too happy to supply as the one they were providing the information about had committed a heneous crime within the goblin communities. She had abandoned the young.