Chapter No7:A Grand Inheritance: Jon

Jon didn't feel like having more children was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but he was just an 11-year-old child. What could he decide? Looking at the expectant eyes of his parents, Jon finally gave in under the gentle gaze of Aunt Mae, his maternal grandmother, and the curious look of Bella. He agreed to their request. After all, with a relatively small population in the UK, having children was a significant matter to prevent the wizarding bloodline from completely vanishing, and Jon understood that. As for living alone... he could stay at his grandmother's house since it was also close by. "But when I start school, will you come to see me off?" Jon asked. "Oh, of course," Mr. Smith quickly nodded. "We will accompany you and Bella to the station." After all, he wanted to see what Platform Nine and Three-Quarters looked like. Jon nodded, even though he knew non-magical parents might not be able to enter the platform. But in theory, his father was a squib, and there were some discrepancies between this world and the original story, just like how the shops in Diagon Alley weren't as rundown as described in the books. After dinner, the Smith couple used the Floo Network to return to Greenwich, leaving Jon behind. Bella seemed the happiest. During her holidays, she would usually be alone in the estate, with no other wizarding families residing nearby, so she had no one to play with. Now that she had a cousin to accompany her and would continue to do so, she was overjoyed. But Jon wasn't particularly eager to play with Bella. Playing with a girl in her adolescence could be a death sentence for him. "My dear sister, if you're truly bored, why not discuss some things about magical studies with me? And while we're at it, tell me more about Hogwarts. I believe we have a lot to talk about regarding this matter," Jon suggested, his mind filled with the entire "Harry Potter Spell Compendium." However, even if it was practicing magic, he didn't feel like doing it today. After using the Floo Network several times in a row and wandering around Diagon Alley for most of the day, his young body was starting to feel tired. "Well then, you should go to sleep," Bella said, realizing that Jon was indeed tired. She had to give up on their plan for entertainment that evening. "Tomorrow, I'll teach you a couple of simple spells. Deal?" Jon nodded and went to the guest room that had been prepared for him to sleep. ... Mr. Smith moved quickly. When Jon woke up the next day, he could hear the rumbling sound of machinery outside. "What's happening outside?" Jon got dressed and walked out into the corridor. Bella was leaning against the window, watching the construction happening across the way. Since the wizarding bloodline had disappeared, the magical barriers of the Smith family's ancestral home had long disappeared as well, and the magical energy inside had dissipated. It was now just an ordinary small estate. Since it couldn't accommodate people anymore, it was only natural to renovate it. As Jon's gaze shifted away from the construction workers, he suddenly noticed Aunt Mae talking to an elderly man. "Oh, that's the old housekeeper who was here before, but he's gotten older, so Uncle gave him some money and sent him back," Bella explained timely. Only then did Jon think of another question. "If there's no housekeeper, does that mean I have to live alone in such a big mansion?" "Not exactly. Grandma has prepared a big 'gift' for you—or rather, it can't really be called a gift." Bella's voice held a hint of envy. "Part of the Smith family inheritance is with Grandma, but she used it up to exchange for some precious materials. So this time, Grandma bought you a house-elf as a domestic servant." A house-elf? That gift was huge! Jon naturally didn't believe it was because of the inheritance. A declining wizarding family with diluted wizarding bloodline didn't leave behind much inheritance, even if some of it was kept in the vault. It was probably because his grandmother doted on him as her young grandson that she spent a large sum of money to buy a house-elf. Jon didn't know the exact value of a house-elf, but based on the original story, even the Weasley family, one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, didn't have a house-elf. It certainly wouldn't be cheap. So, this is what it feels like to be wealthy? Suddenly inheriting a mansion and a vault—his grandmother being a wealthy woman—and about to become a pure-blood wizard named Jon Smith at Hogwarts, he felt extremely content at this moment. "By the way, did Aunt Mae mention how long the renovation will take?" Jon couldn't wait to move into his own ancestral home and meet his house-elf. "It will probably take three to four days. Oh, Uncle also said that if you have any ideas for the house's renovation, you can tell my mom, and the workers can help you with it." Jon nodded, turned around, and went downstairs to find his aunt. "Hey, don't forget that we're playing together this afternoon!" Bella called out from behind. Jon didn't turn back, just waved his hand to indicate that he understood. His mind was filled with thoughts about the house's design. In his previous life, he couldn't afford a big house, but he had seen a lot of interior designs. Good lighting was essential—he didn't like the feeling of dimness. Rooms with insufficient light felt like they would strain his eyesight. Just look at Dumbledore; even wizards can be nearsighted. He also planned to mimic the Room of Requirement in the house to have a space for practicing spells... The library couldn't be neglected either; there needed to be a place to store books and conduct research. He hadn't forgotten his goal of becoming a magical scholar. Buying books would be a significant expense... It might be better to buy used books; who knows, there might be some other unexpected gains, just like the Half-Blood Prince. Jon shared his thoughts and ideas with his aunt, Mei Yang. Mei Yang wasn't surprised by her nephew's novel ideas; he often spoke words beyond his age, so it wasn't strange. Moreover, Jon was the owner of this mansion, so the renovations should be done according to his ideas. "But the practice room you want might take a bit longer to set up. Such a room needs magical reinforcement. After these Muggle workers finish, Aunt will bring in some wizards to cast spells on the house," Mei Yang said. Jon agreed with this point. Most wizarding houses needed additional protection spells like the Muggle-Repelling Charm. He had read about this in the original story. "It would be best if it can be finished quickly. I still want to study the magic that will be taught in first year before school starts," Jon said, appropriately showing his anticipation for magic and school, making Mei Yang even happier. "Don't worry, Aunt will get it done as soon as possible. You can go and learn first-year magic with your cousin Bella. I'm sure Bella will be happy to help you."