After a very unusual morning, Harry found himself sitting at a table across from a stranger from the Ministry in a very secure room deep in the bowls of Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

“Mr. Potter, my name is Jeremy McDermott.  I am the Head Curator of the Ministry Archives.  Since I currently fill that position, a very old magical law gives me a certain bit of knowledge.  This has nothing to do with the Ministry or Gringotts.  We are here only for the security the room provides us.  Currently, there are only fourteen wizard families and I that know what I’m about to tell you. With the loss of the last head of a certain family, the entire family ‘forgot their knowledge of having owned this title.”

“Have you ever heard Mr. Sirius Black mention he is from the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black?  Have you noticed very few people use that title?  Only fourteen specific families may use it.  Sirius was the direct, male descendent and head of the Black family.  With his passing, which I am very sorry for, the family lost the use of that title.”

“As it were around the time of Merlin, the population of magical and non-magical people lived comfortably together.  But a few hundred years later, a rift grew between the two communities. Eventually fourteen families broke off and created their own community with their own governing laws.  The male head of each family acted as their governing body.  That organization was the earliest precursor to our modern Ministry of Magic.  The fourteen family heads would become the Wizengamot.”

“As more families joined this community, their names were added to a list.  For practicality’s sake, they were numbered.  This came into serious play when one of the original heads died leaving no heir.  Therefore, the list of names was shifted down one number so family number fifteen became number fourteen.  As the list grew longer, the first fourteen families were given the title of the Noble and Most Ancient House, marking their significance.”

“Families with higher numbers realized the best way to lower their number was to kill off the lower number families’ males, eventually removing their names off the list. So a private battle of sorts started.  To stop this, the fourteen heads created this book where the family numbers were kept secret.  They also capped the numbering system to one hundred.  Therefore, the title will eventually die out.  Only the current fourteen families and whoever is the Head Curator of the Ministry Archives have a copy of this book, which is always magically updated.”

“Mr. Potter, the Potter family was originally number sixty-three.  Due to a recent death that ended the direct male line of descendants since their name was put on the list, The Potter family is now number fourteen.  You sir, are now awarded the title of Lord Potter, head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter.  The title precedes the British Crown and therefore is recognized by both Wizarding and Muggle governments.  This book, The Original Fourteen Families, is yours.  It is magically updated and contains the history and current standings of the title.”

“The main points the title gives you are the following:

• You may use the title in any way you see fit in announcing yourself or other family matters, either spoken or written.  The book explains its discretionary use.
• You are to be respected as any person given the title Lord.  You are also expected to act and show the decorum of such a title.
• You automatically have a permanent, senior seat, a voice, and full voting powers on the Wizengamot regardless of the proceedings.  Again, appropriate attire is explained in your book.  It basically says you wear a regal set of robes with the family insignia inside a gold wreath.
• You receive a clothing allowance to maintain two sets of Noble robes.”

“Any questions, your Lordship?  I suggest you read the book which will explain many things to you.  The magic will allow only family members to read its contents.”