Ebenezar McCoy

Ebenezar McCoy is a human wizard, and member of the White Council.

Home and Family
Ebenezar McCoy was Harry Dresden's mentor, after Harry killed his mentor at the time, Justin DuMorne. Ebenezar taught and kept watch over Harry for 2-3 years, showing Harry why one does magic, in addition to how one uses it, forming much of Harry's belief about being a wizard. He placed even more importance on teaching Harry general values and providing a stable life.

Ebenezar lives and has lived on a farm in Hog Hollow, Missouri, for at least a couple of centuries. He possibly keeps sheep.

He has continued to be one of Harry's good friends even after he left Ebenezar's farm in the Ozarks. On several occasions Ebenezar has come to Harry's aid, both politically and as a powerful combat wizard in his own right.

In Death Masks, Eben recalls how he and Harry set up a telescope on the farm. Harry recalls with him how that asteroid they discovered turned out to be an old Russian satellite. Eben thinks that Asteroid Dresden was a better name than Kosmos Five.

During Changes, he is revealed to be father and mentor of Margaret Gwendolyn LeFay Dresden, thus grandfather to Harry and great-grandfather to Maggie (Margaret Angelica). It is likely that this relationship had some bearing on McCoy's decision to defend and mentor Harry after Justin DuMorne's death, giving himself a chance to keep Harry from execution by the White Council.

He says that Arianna Ortega discovered his connection to his Maggie when she invited him to the Raith Estate for dinner. They fought like family and Arianna caught on.

White Council and Blackstaff Background
McCoy has served as the White Council's Blackstaff for at least a century. As Blackstaff, Ebenezar can ignore the laws of magic in performance of his duties. He is, essentially, the White Counsel's hit man.

In the politics of the White Council, Ebenezar and Arthur Langtry, the current head of the White Council are often at odds with one another, owing to a rift that occured between the two men during the French and Indian War. (Chapter ref?)

Ebenezar has dealings with his counterparts as Blackstaff in other factions, notably Kincaid. The two had a professional courtesy for each other until events taking place in Istanbul around the year 1900.

In the Series
After the attack on Archangel resulted in the death of Senior Council member Simon Pietrovich, Ebenezer joined the Senior Council, passing over various wizards who, while more senior, were unavailable or, in the case of the less senior Klaus Schneider proposed by Arthur Langtry, unwilling to fill the vacancy.

During the events of Blood Rites, Ebenezar revealed to Harry his other position on the White Council, that of Blackstaff. During the course of his duties as Blackstaff, he caused the Tunguska Explosion, the New Madrid Earthquake, Krakatoa brought down a soviet satellite on the Red Court vampire stronghold of Casaverde, and other events. Harry alienates himself from Ebenezar for a time because he is outraged by the hypocrisy of the mentor who taught him the evils of black magic yet uses it as the Blackstaff.

At the end of Turn Coat, he proposed to Harry the creation of the Grey Council, to combat the Black Council. He is the only one to know the names of those few trusted individuals involved.

In Changes, he and Harry talk through the Speaking Stone, he refuses to lend a hand to Harry in saving the child, not knowing her connection to Harry. He says it's sometimes necessary to sacrifice one for the greater many. Hangs up. Later, he calls Harry through the Stone again, This time Harry gets his chance to tell Ebenezar about Maggie, Arianna Ortega, Chichen Itza, the Red King, the Bloodline Curse and that he's going to be there for his daughter. Ebenezar accepts this and wishes him well and warns him against going to HQ in Edinburg, there's a mysterious disease there released by Arianna. Later, he shows up with the Grey Council at Chichen Itza, Which helps Harry get to Maggie. Eben gives him his own personal staff (he has the Blackstaff).

In Changes, he and Harry talk at the end. He did tell Harry he was his grandfather because he did not want him to have the same enemies, at least not until Harry was ready—he looks around and says "I reckon you are more or less." He knows that Harry had to sacrifice Susan to save Maggie. Ebenezar says he came more for Maggie than for Harry. He's not ensure if Gregori Cristos is Black Council or just stupid.

Description and Abilities
As an established member of the White Council, Ebenezar is fluent in Latin. He also penned a text on magical ethics and the basic mechanics that govern the use of magic, titled Elementary Magic. It is commonly given to novice practitioners by their master.

His magical talents are significant, ranked as the 7th most powerful member of the Senior Council at the time of his nomination, but the most experienced in direct mayhem. Considered the heavyweight champion of wizards when it comes to conflict and duels, he could reasonably be expected to overcome Donald Morgan, the most notorious Warden on the Council in his day. His forte has been shown to be terramancy and kinetomancy, and the associated manipulation of gravity, force and electromagnitism. Examples being pounding structures to rubble, tossing creatures half a mile away with a gesture, and dragging objects out of orbit to turn them into comet like projectiles.

He comes from a line of Masters and Apprentices that stretches back to the original Merlin. There is some speculation that, due to the nature of how Magic is somewhat based on bloodline and on the traditional nature of the Master/Apprentice relationship, he, and through him Harry Dresden, is a descendent of the original Merlin.

McCoy's Quarters at Edinburgh
Ebenezar's receiving room was lined with overflowing bookshelves.

Ebenezar's Books:
King, Heinkein, Clancy, Hawking, Nietzsche, Julius Caesar, DH Lawrence, and great religious texts of the world. Hundreds of books were handmade and handwritten, including museum-worthy iluminated grimiores. The books were not in any order and some were upright, some were laying on their sides.

One neat row held leather bound journals, all the same general design, though with slightly differing materials. These were the journals of his mentor and those preceding him all the way back to the original Merlin.

Word of Jim
McCoy is over 300 years old. He and the Merlin have known each other for a very long time and they fought on opposite sides in the French & Indian war. (not in link)