Genderbent

Chapter 1

Alec walked into Magnus' study marveling at the odd and ends scattered about aimlessly. Everything was foreign and strange but never the less amazing. But the most amazing of all was the glittery warlock sitting at the desk brewing up some new concoction he had read about recently. Magnus looked up as the door opened smiling at his boyfriend sweetly as Alec trended carefully as if this were a museum.

Seeing all the rare spices and herbs used for potion making. Potion making wasn't something Magnus was a fan of but every once and a while he got it in his head that his would be a good idea. It hardly ever was. That didn't stop him from trying anyhow. Alec watched the blue smoke wander away from the pot before an arm was around his waist pulling him down on top of Magnus.

Alec moved to catch himself, his forearm pressed on either side of the warlock's face as Alec turned pink. Magnus smiled slyly before kissing his boyfriend sweetly for a minute, a smile felt through the contact. Alec drew and got his feet under him before pulling up a chair next to Magnus watching him add ingredients and have the pot stir itself. Magnus smiled at Alec's childlike wonder of his magic.

"What exactly did you come in here for?" Magnus asked softly turning his attention to Alec.

Alec blushed looking at his shoes before glancing at Magnus. "I just wanted to say hi, see how you were doing." He pushed a hair in Magnus' face back before shrugging innocently. Magnus smiled at his endearing boyfriend.

"Well, as you can see I'm as wonderful as ever. Better now that you're here." Magnus winked and Alec averted his gaze his face turning a faint shade of pink. "I think it's almost time to test this." Magnus said standing up and looking into the pot curiously. "If I did this right, which I did, I am High Warlock of Brooklyn, we should be able to see into other worlds out there."

"Like when you hold the Mortal Sword?" Alec asked. "You see the demon worlds linked to ours."

"Along the lines yes." Magnus kissed the top of his boyfriend's head. "Maybe we'll see another version of you." Magnus cat eyes glittered in amusement as Alec looked into the pot. It was times like this he truly showed his innocence. Gah, how could he know of so much evil in the world and still seem so darn innocent and angelic. The faint shimmer of the potion glowed around Alec highlighting his perfectly constructed features.

Alec glanced at Magnus who winked suggestively before adding a touch of his own hair to the mix, his glitter now floating on top. "Why did you add your own hair?" Alec asked as Magnus put an arm around his waist.

"So we can see other worlds with me in them. And where I am," he pulled a few of Alec's hairs making Alec flinch. "You are."

He tossed the hairs in watching with excitement before there was a screech. Startled, Magnus spun knocking over the potion as Alec reached for a knife readying it. Chairman Meow was screeching at the door wanting to get out. Magnus swore colorfully under his breath shoving Alec back as the potion spread across the floor. Amongst the mossy green brown mess, a pair of shadowy figures became clear. It was like the potion was thrown over them and was now slinking off their skin leaving them behind, one on her hands and knees coughing viciously while the other was rubbing her back and shushing her.

Alec readied the knife and Magnus stared in wonder at the figures. Both were females. One of them, the one calming the coughing one, was tall and lean with golden toned skin and long black hair streaked through with a pattern of colors.

The other was dressed in unflattering black clothes with raven black hair that seemed unkempt. She was long legged and lithe from what he could tell but it was hard to be sure. The one with the colorful hair's voice suddenly came into focus as she soothingly said, "You'll be okay, take a deep breath. The wound's healing dear." Alec's breath caught hearing the voice. He knew it. It was…Magnus'.

The figure formerly coughing whirled to their feet spinning to face the sound, their legs shaking under them. The two of them stood there staring-no gawking at each other. Even Magnus and the other girl were staring at the pair.

The girl who had been coughing had the same intense living bottle blue eyes as Alexander. Her face was made of high cheekbones and elegant angles with alabaster white skin. A mirror copy of Alexander's. The two of them even had the same scar just cutting their left eyebrow from a recent demon hunt. Truly the only differences were their genders and the girl's longer hair.

"Who are you?" the girl dared in a voice edged with confidence but riddled with hesitance, her eyes darting around the room taking in her surroundings. No one answered her. A full minute ticked by, the girl biting her lower lip dangerously tight. She glanced to the other girl who was on her feet now which attracted more stares after seeing Magnus.

It was another set of twins. Magnus and the girl looked the same. The same glittering golden green cat eyes, the same skin tone, same wardrobe. Even their lack of bellybuttons was noticed from the girl's too short shirt. The girl had the same black hair and carefully sketched eyes of unfathomable age and youth all at once.

No one could understand. The girl suddenly felt her sickness wash over her and she collapsed the other girl catching her and holding her close. Alec blinked before putting the knife in his belt and slowly approaching the girls.

Magnus' twin looked at him before lowering the pair to the ground still holding the girl close. The girl's eyes were screwed shut in pain as one of her hands fisted in the other girl's shirt dangerously tight.

"Alex?" Magnus twin asked softly. "Can you answer me?" her voice was softer than silk and kind. She glanced up at the two boys but neither of them made a move near or away from the girls. Blue sparks showered Alec's twin and her entire body went stiff before relaxing her eyes opening again, a hand cradling her stomach while the other one held one of Magnus' twin's, their fingers intertwined.

Magnus spoke up finally. "Who are you two?"

"I believe you owe us answers considering you brought us here." Magnus' twin shot back her eyes cold and stormy.

"I didn't bring you here. Technically it was the cat." Magnus defended pointing to Chairman Meow who was watching the entire scene with interest flickering in his devious feline eyes.

"It doesn't matter." Alec interrupted prying his eyes away from his look alike. "My name is Alec Lightwood. Now who might you be?"

Magnus twin still looked wry but answered nonetheless. "Maggie Bane. Now who is this one?" she asked looking Magnus up and down.

"Magnus Bane." Magnus answered with a gland flourish to himself. Maggie smirked appreciatively with a nod.

"Well Magnus, you have an excellent fashion sense." The girl praised with a smile. Magnus smiled before looking to the girl breathing heavily in Maggie's lap. "This is Alexandria Lightwood. Alex for short." Maggie said fondly holding the girl closer to her. Her gaze watched Alex carefully and lovingly.

"What happened to her?"

"A demon. It came out of nowhere and she didn't have her bow handy. It wasn't the nicest fight."

"Is she a…" Alec began slowly before trailing off.

"Shadowhunter," Maggie showed a Mark on the back of Alex's hand. "Like you," she nodded towards his own Mark which he touched self consciously. "Idiot Nephilim," she muttered brushing stray hairs from Alex's face. "Doesn't know when to stop fighting." Alex gave a weak laugh before saying softly.

"It was at a school. I had to intervene."

"And scare your girlfriend to death too? Was that necessary?" Maggie said exasperated before holding Alexandria closer.

"I'm sorry." She managed softly before untangling herself and climbing unsteadily to her feet, Maggie standing up with her, amusement in her cat eyes wondering what she would do. The two Lightwoods stared at each other in amazement. "How do you look like me?" she asked softly to no one in particular.

"Magnus, why is this happening?" Alec asked tearing his gaze away.

"I'm not too sure. Something must have happened with the potion when it hit the floor I guess…" Alexandria looked to Magnus before looking to Maggie. Maggie shrugged before her arms went around her girlfriend's waist holding her close to her side.

"What was the potion?" Alexandria asked softly a slight blush coming to her cheeks at Maggie's affection.

"Decomious. It allows you to see other worlds." He gestured to the book propped open on his desk which Alexandria looked at reading Maggie letting her lean over the desk Alec watching too the girl looked exactly like him. But she seemed to be stunning while the same looks on him were washed away.

"Correction, with the addition of hair," Alexandria started softly, "it allows parallel universes to be seen. Meaning a word like yours with specific changes." She glanced at everyone in the room. "Such as a gender."

"So Maggie and I are the exact same person just with different genders?" Magnus looked Maggie up and down before smiling with a smirk. "Dang, no matter the gender I'm still hot." He commented.

"You read my mind." The two shared a laugh before looking to the Lightwoods. Alec and Alexandria looked at each other trying to figure out some secret to each other without saying a word. "What exactly are you two doing?" Maggie asked. Alexandria blinked looking to back at the book with a shrug and a blush.

"Alexander, were you checking yourself out?" Magnus teased pressing a kiss to Alec's reddening cheek. Even Alexandria's face turned a brighter shade of pink as Maggie put her arms around her girlfriend's neck who was still scanning the page.

"We're not the same person." He muttered softly to Magnus defending his actions before he was pulled into Magnus' embrace.

"I can't tease, I was doing it too, to myself and to Alexandria. I can't help it, she's gorgeous just like you." He kissed the top of Alec's head. "Technically she is you so our actions are understandable." Alec's blush deepened before Maggie was laughing at Alexandria who was the same shade of pink as Alec.

"We're not the same person." Alexandria said her eyes intense and living. "We're two different forms. We have all of the same traits and obvious life. Such as liking the same genders, and being Shadowhunters. But we're not the same."

"Why not?"

"My life could not be the same as his." Her voice dropping to a mumble as everyone watched her. One pair of cat eyes gave her more than enough attention now there were a second pair along with her own eyes watching her in another's body. "A change like gender could change our whole lives."

"But how do you know it did?"

"Look at Alec's arms." Magnus saw what he always saw. Strong pale arms littered with Marks and perhaps a scar or two. "Mine don't look like that. Not quite."

"What do your arms look like?" Magnus asked intrigued. Alexandria paled slightly before swallowing and rolling up her sleeve. Everyone was staring at it aside from Maggie who was softly whispering to Alexandria kindly with a soft sad smile on her face, kissing her girlfriend's temple.

Her arm had the same Marks. But her pale china like skin was fiercely covered in deep angry scars in a controlled pattern of sorts. Long clean, deliberate lines ruining the porcelain of her skin. It started halfway up her forearm and vanished under her shirt. After a minute of painful silence, Alexandria ripped her sleeve back down not wanting anymore stares. The air was heavy and tense.

"Why is your arm like that?" Alec asked softly sensing her fear like it was his own.

"My mother, Rose. The equivalent of your father. Not to insult him, just for reference of strength and personality."

"Oh," was all Alec could answer. His heart went to his version of him, she had endured those painful wounds. "At least you had izrates?" it was more of a question because her eyes spoke of long lasting pain.

"They don't really work on me." She shrugged. "I don't know why."

"That's odd." Alexandria looked down to her shoes not sure what to say but Maggie took over.

"If it allows you to see worlds, how did we get here? You're not exactly observing quietly from the shadows. Which would still creep me out." She shuddered before pulling her girlfriend closer to her side. "Good thing I have this lovely Nephilim to take care of me." Alexandria's face turned rose red as she continued to look down.

"Something must have happened when it hit the floor." Magnus insisted. "I don't really know but," he dismissed it with a wave of his hand.

"No, we need to know." Alexandria said. "Somehow we have to reverse this. My brother and parabati are back home. Who will protect them?" Alec looked at her understanding her pain at this.

She too was the protector. That much hadn't been altered. She needed to take care of them. "We'll find a way to get you home." He promised her and her eyes showed that she knew they were the same on this level. They understood each other.

"There had to be something in these old books." Magnus insisted walking over to the bookshelves decorated with assorted books and items. Maggie pressed a soft kiss to Alexandria's lips before walking off to help Magnus seeing as they were the same. That left the two awkward shy Lightwood children.