The action takes place a few years before "The City of Bones". There may be some references to the author's other series but the knowledge of them is not required.
Disclaimer: I don't own Mortal Instruments. Cassandra Clare does.
Thanks TheHighWarlockofGlitter for translating. Let's check her stories! She is amazing.
Taking a walk in the evening through Central Park may become dangerous for somebody who doesn't know how to deal with different creatures they could encounter. The night is a perfect time for thieves or criminals just waiting for their next victim. Although Magnus Bane was far from being a helpless Mundane who wouldn't know how to defend himself. He was a High Warlock of Brooklyn after all, and that means something. Only a fool would try to attack him while being aware of his power.
The fall was approaching inexorably, the evenings becoming colder and the nights lengthening. Even though, the current evening happened to be unusually warm and that's why, despite the chilly wind, Magnus Bane decided to take a late walk through the park. He needed to clear his head after the party the day before and his meeting with a client this afternoon who was a very annoying one, insisting that Magnus heard him out as fast as possible. Fortunately the young werewolf was so desperate and so preoccupied with his problem that he hadn't even noticed the excessive price Magnus demanded as his payment. Everybody knew that his service wasn't cheap.
Walking along the path, he saw a teenage couple, making out in the light of the street lamps. Mundane love… Such a different phenomenon compared to the one in the Shadow World. Those people, unaware of the life hidden in the shadows, loved calmly and temporarily. They didn't worry about the abrupt death that could happen, like the Nephilim, for whom every day might be the last one.
Meanwhile, most immortals, whom Magnus had met in his long life, preferred to stay away from relationships that could end that way. Along the years they would build the wall around their hearts which divided them from emotions and made them slowly petrify. Magnus believed that such a thing would never happen to him. And maybe that's why he decided to live in New York, in a city that never sleeps; among people, beautiful and transient as wild flowers.
He sighed and put his hands into his coat's pockets, continuing his walk. Broad branches of trees muted the noises from the street, leaving only the rustle of the leaves and sounds made by night animals.
Suddenly, the warlock stopped and raised his eyebrows, seeing a small curled figure on the bench. The boy was hugging his knees with his arms and his face was hidden from the outside view. Magnus guessed the child couldn't be more than ten years old. He looked around in search of his parents but it seemed they were the only people in the area.
"I don't think it's the right time of the day for children," he said loudly to make sure he was heard.
The boy raised his head and looked startled at the newcomer. Magnus noticed, with some surprise, that the kid had black hair and his fringe fell on his big, blue eyes. That combination reminded him of the past that the warlock preferred not to think about at the moment. Brooding about the foregone events would do him no good.
Aware of the fear on the boy's face, he shook his head to get rid of the unwanted memories and smiled gently.
"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. Are you lost?"
"No," the child said and hugged his knees even closer to himself, as if he was trying to guard himself from the invisible enemy. "I know where I am."
"If so, what are you doing here? It's not often that you find children here at this hour."
"I'm not a child," he grunted and looked at the man with furrowed brows. "I'm ten years old."
"My bad," Magnus smiled.
He tried not to scare the boy away, wanting to know more about him. He knew that he could have just carried on walking but quickly realized that he wouldn't be able to just leave the boy by himself in such a place. He hoped to persuade him to go home. He didn't know where his sudden care about the mundane kid came from. Maybe it was just his instinct telling him that it's the right thing to do.
"I'm sorry, let me introduce myself first. My name is Magnus," he smiled encouragingly and walked closer to sit on the bench.
The boy watched him all the time, ready to run away from the sudden attack.
"Alec," he said carefully. He sat still for a while but then he leaned his head to the side, taking a better look of the man's face. "Are you a warlock, sir?"
Magnus could expect the boy to notice his cat eyes because he hadn't bothered to put his glamour on before leaving his apartment. He didn't care about the other's opinion and didn't see a point in hiding his true looks. He also thought that everybody should have a chance to see his wonderful persona.
But the kid must have known more. That only confirmed his suspicions.
"Maybe I am. Why would you say so?"
"I… I saw your eyes, sir. And I have read in the Codex before that-" Alec bit his lip nervously, scared of offending the older man. "It just came to my mind."
"The Codex?" Magnus repeated, almost sure that he had heard the word before. He took a look at the boy's face and then it hit him. How could he not think about that sooner? "You are a son of the Lightwoods, aren't you?" He knew that only one family lived in the Institute and he hadn't heard about any guests coming there lately.
"You know my parents?" He looked at him shocked and Magnus couldn't hide a small smile. It was so easy to read emotions from the boy's face.
"Yes, I got to know them a few years ago." He didn't intend to tell the whole story of how he had met Maryse and Robert for the first time. It wasn't a story to boast about, especially in front of a child. "And I'm the High Warlock of Brooklyn so in certain circumstances my job requires contact with the Head of the Institute.
"Oh," Alec sighed, not knowing what to say. He let his legs down and started to fiddle with the hem of his jacket. "Parents told us not to trust Downworlders."
Magnus was sure that it was true. Shadowhunters were always a proud, self-righteous race, convinced about their exceptional qualities. He had met their disdain more than once in his lifetime. And the Lightwoods… Even if the Circle was officially defeated and they showed remorse, they never fully redeemed themselves to Downworlders. Their hatred lay deep within their souls.
Suddenly, he felt very sad. He didn't want that insecure boy to grow up to become yet another heartless warrior. But at the sight of those big, blue eyes, full of childish wonder and honesty, he dared to hope.
"Yet you're still talking to me," he pointed out.
"You seem nice," said Alec and shrugged. "You won't hurt me, will you?"
"Despite what the Nephilim think about us, I do not kill innocent children and sacrifice them at midnight," he couldn't help the bitterness in his voice. The boy must have felt that too because he bit his lip again and lowered his head.
"I'm sorry. I…"
Hearing the real sorrow in his voice, Magnus immediately wanted to take his words back. He shouldn't have thrown his aversion to Shadowhunters on the boy who had just started his life. Children should never bear the weight of their parents' crimes.
"It's not your fault," he smiled and reached with his hand to tousle his hair. "It's just the way it is. You shouldn't worry about that."
"But it shouldn't be like this."
"That's true. Maybe it will change sometime in the future." Seeing Alec's honest face, he started to believe that his generation might be the one to change the world. "But now… Will you tell me why you are sitting here, so far away from home?"
"I… I had an argument with my father and had to hide somewhere."
"I'm pretty sure the Institute is big enough for you to hide somewhere where your parents wouldn't find you. Was running away to the park in the middle of the night really the only choice?"
"I like this place," said the boy and shrugged.
The warlock shook his head in wonder. Children! He knew they could act without thinking first. And he was more curious as to what might have happened for the boy to act that way to scold him for that.
"I see. Would you like to tell me what happened? It is easier sometimes to share your worries with somebody else."
"It's nothing much. You must have better things to do, sir. I'm sorry you're wasting your time on me," Alec looked at him with so much worry, as if he had done something bad. As if he didn't have the right to ask the man to take some time and talk with a random kid. Because of it Magnus wanted more to convince the boy that it was okay.
"Well yes, my time is very precious. Not everybody is worthy to be in my magnificent presence," he said to lighten the mood. The young Lightwood only frowned, seemingly not understanding what Magnus was talking about. "Never mind. You don't have to worry about wasting my time because that's not the case. I like sitting here with you."
He moved his hand a bit, creating a streak of magic. He smiled when he saw how fascinated with it Alec was. He made more blue sparkles pop out and shaped them to form a little cat, playing with a ball of wool in front of the kid. The boy laughed and his smile immediately brightened his previously sad face. He raised his hand but as soon as his fingertips touched the magic creature, the sparkles diffused in the air and vanished.
"It was nice," the young Lightwood complimented with a shy smile and a small blush appeared on his cheeks.
"I know," Magnus agreed. Because of course it was. He was awesome. "So what was the argument about?"
Alec, startled with the sudden change of topic, raised his head to look at the warlock. He bit his lip and pulled up his knees to embrace them with his arms again.
"It really was nothing. I was taking care of my younger sister and she got an idea to train with real weapons. Our parents don't let us go into the weapon's room alone. I tried to convince her not to go but Izzy always does as she pleases." He smiled a little when he talked about his sister.
Magnus didn't have any siblings, not counting Catarina and Ragnor who were his friends since many centuries, but from Alec's face and the affection in his voice, he could guess that young Lightwood siblings were very close.
"And what happened next?"
"Alec, you're so boring! Nothing bad will happen."
The eight-year-old girl crossed her arms with an irritated face. She was looking at her brother who was standing on the kitchen stool and trying to reach the highest shelf where her favorite biscuits were hidden. She wanted to take them herself but the boy caught her just as she was about to stand on the stool. She loved her brother dearly but sometimes he was way too overprotective.
"Izzy, you know that we can't go inside the weapons room without adults, let alone train with real swords when nobody is around!" said Alec, grabbing the packet and throwing it to his sister. He closed the cupboard door and jumped off the stool.
"It's not that we're going to kill each other. I have practiced before and I can manage myself. You don't have to babysit me."
"I know, Izzy," he sighed and run his fingers through his hair to comb it off his eyes. "And I'm sure you will be one of the best warrior girls one day but we can't-"
"You don't have to go if you are so scared of our parents or Hodge. I will train alone." She poked his tongue at him and turned around to show that she was done talking with him. She left the kitchen with a packet of biscuits in her hand.
Alec whined, knowing perfectly that he wouldn't be able to make Izzy change her mind. His younger sister wanted independence and often did whatever she felt like doing, not caring about his attempts to wean her away from her ideas. He sighed and quickly left the kitchen to catch up with Isabelle. They sometimes argued but it was mostly her trying to make Alec play with dolls or do other girly stuff. Once she tried to try on him her makeup kit that she got as a birthday present. His sister was annoying at times but he loved her anyway.
He was walking around the corridor, passing by another door when he saw his sister leaning on the wall, seemingly waiting for him.
"Alec!" She grinned. "I knew you would change your mind. Are you ready, big bro?"
"I didn't. I still think this is a bad idea." He smiled and ruffled her hair playfully. "But I prefer to keep an eye on you. You might get hurt." He didn't care much about his sister's small outrage as she quickly stalked off to the weapons room.
Listening to the story, Magnus couldn't help but notice how mature and sensitive the boy was for his age. Composure, perspective and protectiveness mixed with child-like curiosity and joy. And all these emotions were clearly visible on his face, as if he were an open book. Magnus didn't want the cold Nephilim world, full of fighting and calculation, to engulf this child. But he couldn't do anything but hope that the young Lightwood would keep that part of his personality throughout the years.
"You went for the weapons and what happened next? Did somebody get hurt?" he asked, wondering if the training session hadn't gone too far at some point.
Alec shook his head vigorously.
"No, that's not it. When we were in the weapons room, Izzy took the whip she had got from our mother and she wanted to try it out immediately but it hooked against one of the shelves with weapons. And suddenly everything fell down to the floor," he moved his hands around, trying to imitate the situation. "And dad appeared soon after that. He must have heard the noise."
Sadness appeared on the boy's face and Magnus felt the immediate need to cheer him up. He conjured the little cat again, making it shine as if it was covered in glitter. The animal sat on Alec's lap and started to rub against him, asking for attention. The boy smiled slightly.
"I suspect your dad wasn't happy."
Every time he had the opportunity to meet the Lightwoods, Robert made the impression of being a serious, adamant and cagey man. Magnus was almost sure that his distrust was only directed at the Downworlders but he didn't really care that much. He always got some satisfaction from making the man angry or irritated. He also suspected that somebody else wore the pants in the Lightwood household. Even so, seeing the nervousness and sadness in the boy's expression, he guessed that Robert didn't treat his children softly.
"He was angry," Alec said silently, focusing on the cat. "He shouted. He thought it was me. He said that I'm injudicious and irresponsible and that I should be mature enough by now to take care of my sister properly. I disappointed him…" He hugged his knees even closer to his chest.
Magnus almost huffed from frustration. He was aware that the Nephilim often had shorter childhoods but he couldn't believe that the Lightwoods would make their ten year old son take on such a burden.
"Did you say that it wasn't your fault?"
Alec looked at him surprised.
"Of course not," he said. "Izzy is my younger sister. She… wanted to claim responsibility but I stopped her. I didn't want our parents to be angry with her. She loves them so much. And she hasn't' meant anything bad."
Magnus wanted to say that Alec hadn't meant anything bad either but decided against it. He saw how the boy cared about his sister and would make anything to save her from sadness. Over the years Bane got to know that the Children of the Angel, apart from high sense of self-worth, had a tendency to be very protective of their own race, although mostly – as he suspected – it was a product of their upbringing. But still he couldn't help but be surprised how clear and fair were the boy's emotions. He hardly ever met the Shadowhunter children since mostly their parents would rather lock themselves in a cage with a wild animal than let the Downworlder taint their angelic descendants with his mere presence. Maybe all the young Nephilim had that innocence which would slowly disappear along the years of training or maybe this boy was just exceptional. Or maybe Magnus wasn't thinking objectively.
Magnus smiled and flicked his fingers, making the cat jump on Alec's head and play with a strand of his black hair.
"Don't stress that pretty head, little angel. I'm sure your dad has already understood his mistake and is looking for you to apologize. You didn't disappoint him, believe me."
The Lightwood boy giggled when the feline tickled his head and then turned his eyes to the warlock with hesitation on his face.
"Do you really think so, sir?"
"Of course," Magnus sat up straight and smiled. "I'm the High Warlock of Brooklyn after all and that means something."
Alec answered with a smile.
"You are funny, sir. And you've got funny hair," he said, pointing at Magnus's carefully styled hair which he adorned with a few colorful, glittery strands.
"Oh, how can a child be so cruel?" he sighed dramatically and closed his eyes. "I have been denigrated, how can I live with it now?"
Alec only giggled at that.
Magnus walked through Manhattan's streets, carrying a sleeping boy in his arms. Alec fell asleep back in the park and Bane didn't see any other option besides taking him to the Institute. He knew that the Lightwoods wouldn't be happy to see their son sleeping in the warlock's arms. Their relationship with him was only professional, full of coldness and unhidden reluctance. Magnus was okay with that. He didn't feel like intruding the Nephilim life more than was absolutely necessary. Of course he had had some friends among them but it was a past he didn't want to come back to.
The boy fidgeted and murmured something in his sleep. Soon after he hid his face in the crook of Magnus's neck. He seemed to be so tired since the walk didn't affect him at all. The warlock sighed, approaching the Institute's gates. He had prepared himself mentally for meeting with the Lightwoods, being painfully aware how disgruntled they would be to see him. He wouldn't be surprised if they welcomed him with weapons in their hands. Nonetheless it didn't make him anxious; on the contrary, it even amused him a bit.
Waiting in front of the entrance, he heard footsteps on the other side and a few moments later the door opened, showing Maryse Lightwood in formal attire, despite the late hour. Magnus wondered if Alec's parents ever left their roles of the Heads of the Institute.
"What is it, warlock?" she asked him with a cold look in her eyes, not displaying any signs of surprise with his unexpected visit.
"Lovely to see you too, Maryse," he smiled politely. "You haven't changed at all."
Her pupils narrowed but before she could say anything, Robert appeared next to her. Magnus bowed his head in a greeting but the man was only looking at him without saying a word.
"I brought you someone." It was quite funny how he had already played babysitter before and had brought lost Shadowhunter children to the Institute.
"Alexander!" Maryse shouted, only now noticing the sleeping boy in the warlock's arms. She took a step closer with a threatening glance. "What have you done to my son?"
Magnus rolled his eyes.
"I have always loved how nicely you think of me."
"Don't play games with us, Bane. Just answer the question," Robert spoke for the first time. He crossed his arms on his chest and didn't take his eyes off Magnus.
The warlock sighed.
"He's perfectly fine. Just sleeping. I've found him in the park, sitting on a bench and looking like something the cat brought in. And if you want to know the reason why your underage son ran away from home in the middle of the night, you should have guessed it by now, Robert," he said, restraining himself from sounding bitter with great difficulty. "It wouldn't hurt you to be more understanding. Alexander seemed to be very concerned with what you have told him today."
The man clenched his fists angrily.
"It's not Downworlders' business how I raise my own children so I advise you not to intrude," he grunted and took his son from the warlock, waking him from his sleep.
The boy raised his head and looked around semi-consciously, confused about his surroundings at first. Only when he recognized his parents, he quickly diverted his eyes – aware of the upcoming scolding – and looked at Magnus instead. He yawned and rubbed his eyes with weariness.
"Are you leaving already, sir?" he asked shyly.
"Yes," Magnus smiled gently, watching Maryse from the corner of his eye. "It's time for me to go."
"Oh," Alec sighed and pouted. "Will you pay us a visit someday?"
Magnus saw the Ligthwoods' stiff postures and could guess that they weren't happy with how their ten-year-old was talking to him. It only made the warlock want to annoy them even more. He grinned at the boy and bowed elegantly, causing Alec to giggle. He also considered conjuring another magical animal again but was afraid that it might evoke reaction from Maryse and Robert who already looked ready to stab him with a thousand daggers.
"Of course, little angel. I'm sure we will meet again someday."
"Enough," Maryse interrupted. "Robert, take Alexander inside and put him to sleep."
The man nodded and entered the Institute. Alec nestled his head in the crook of his father's neck and looked at Magnus one more, smiling and waving at him as a goodbye. The warlock reciprocated the gesture.
"Thank you for bringing my son home." Bane turned his eyes to the woman who was watching her husband walk away. "I didn't think he would sneak out at night," she added quieter, as if she was talking to herself.
"Don't be angry with him because of it, he's still a child. He was very affected by his father's words."
Maryse nodded. The look of worry, which Magnus had just seen in her posture, was already replaced with coldness. He knew that family well enough to know that the Lightwoods didn't show their emotions in front of the others. They considered that a weakness. They seemed calculated and capable of deception.
"Thank you once more." She put her hand on the door. "Farewell, Bane." She disappeared on the other side.
Magnus sighed, not surprised with that reaction and started his walk back to his flat. After a while a smile appeared on his face and he put his hands in his coat's pockets.
"Maybe he's not so repellent after all*," he said to himself and started to whistle some melody, ignoring the fact that he was completely out of tune.
The end.
* That's a reference to „The Last Stand of New York Institute". Those who have read it, should guess what Magnus meant by that.
Do you like it? Let me know what you think!
Have a nice day!
You can find me on twitter: gwitterr_cat