"Glory." Magnus' velvety voice lowered, his lids drooping in the most serious expression someone like Magnus Bane could even produce and his brown eyes roamed the small crowd, captivating them in a way only his charm could. Izzy already had an eyebrow shot up in a look that expressed both humor and good-natured annoyance, but she knew that if she stopped him in the middle of what looked like a well-rehearsed mockery, he would only elaborate further in the near future. Alec, who was seated on the desk just behind Magnus, with his legs open just enough for Magnus body to fit in the space allotted, standing with ease, already had his eyes closed and a small smile dotting on his pale lips. After years of knowing and then consequently dating Magnus Bane he could somewhat predict what events would happen in relation to one another. And after the albeit cliché speech Crouch had just delivered to a room full of fresh-faced, brash wizards it was really only a matter of time until Magnus sunk his teeth into that gold mine of comedy. At this point, Alec's only option was to ride it out, and laugh along because in reality, Crouch's proposal did seem a bit daft.
"No wait-eternal glory, a cash prize, and probable death, it's like Merlin himself invented this event." Alec's form rumbled with laughter, although audibly nothing passed his lips. If Magnus weren't so close he probably would have missed it, but due to their proximity he could even hear the softer patter of his boyfriend's heartbeat as the back of his head currently rested on the left side of his strong chest. It was comforting, but seeing as who their friends were, silence enough to hear any background noise was a fleeting and futile search.
Jace was the first to speak up, his body leaning against the table across from Magnus, eyes alight with challenge since the great hall meeting. "You're just scared. If this had happened a year ago the competition would have been drastically less challenging. But with me in the running? You don't stand a chance, Bane." He said it with a smirk. Although at first Jace and Magnus held a mutual livid displeasure, over the years they had come to find a truly worthy opponent of each other. Something the two competitive boys decided was a close-knit friendship and ended almost every time with a groan from Alec, and a bet from Izzy and Simon as to who would emerge victorious. This tournament, whatever Crouch had called it seemed to be the perfect challenge for Jace, and his body was literally buzzing with excitement.
"He's got a point, Magnus." It was Izzy who had piped up, surprisingly. Upon their first introduction, Izzy and Magnus had hit it off, what with their all their similarities colliding- fashion, make-up, general care & upkeep of Alec's well-being- and usually in these testosterone match-offs she'd choose team Magnus to root for. Even if about 30% of the time it was just to piss her blonde brother off. Magnus inspected at her with a sharp mixture of surprise and betrayal, Jace's gloat not easing the pain in the slightest.
"You don't stand a chance. Because I'm winning." She smiled confidently, her posture literally radiating the stance of a winner-even if she was sitting. Izzy was the epitome of an unbeatable challenge, both physically and mentally. There wasn't a race she wouldn't enter, and not a chance she couldn't win. Not from lack of apprehension from the elder spectrum of the Lightwood family (Magnus' favorite end).
"Except that you're not even playing." From behind Magnus, Alec's deep voice rumbled. "You heard Crouch, the reason the tournament was disbanded previously was because someone died, Iz. Like, real, and possible death from a competition. You're not even old enough they said sixte- shit." Alec sighed, dropping his face into the top of Magnus head, a strange mixture between a sigh and groan flooding through Magnus' hair as realization dawned on Alec. Izzy's birthday was in a few days. Just before the 'champions' were to be picked. Izzy beamed, and crossed her legs as if she could display her defiance and lack of submission to Alec's rules. She had this figured out to the T, the minor detail of age being easily evaded by something that wreaked of luck. Alec knew as well as she did no one could stop her once she put her mind to something, and a chance to publicly kick-ass had Isabelle Lightwood written all over it in gold ink.
"This is the birthday present that keeps on giving!" She laughed musically, and subtly he could see Jace nod along with pride. If Jace had been born with black hair, from the start Magnus would have assumed Izzy and Jace were twins. They had the same tall, lean build, the same wild spark in their eye that proclaimed unpredictability, and of course, were both Gryffindors who took 'bravery' as brash. They hyped each other up to the point where Magnus could understand where Alec's 'big-brother' protectiveness came from. If he wasn't there to extinguish their fires, the whole word would have burned by now. To Magnus it was positively entertaining, but he knew how much this uneased his love. Already, Alec was soliloquy deep into some 'older brother' speech that Magnus had tuned out, on account of Jace and Izzy's light patter of laughter. Eventually Alec just gave up, throwing his hands up in defeat until promptly returning them to the upper skin of Magnus' arms. Even now his touch was still electrifying, but Magnus tried to keep his head in the game, so to speak.
"Fine, go nuts, kill yourselves for twenty minutes in the spotlight, you realize we'll have plenty of time to do thick-headed, and potentially dangerous stuff when we join the order right?" That peaked their collective interest. Being a seventh year, Magnus was really only a year away from that future. A future of night missions, and finally being a soldier in a war he was thrust into. A future of control, and the ability to change what everyone said couldn't be fazed, and a future of you-know-who's destruction. It was a pleasant fortune to say the least. This was probably the wildest thing Alec had ever approved of, but seeing as how it was also incredibly selfless and heroic, he could see where the appeal lay in his altruistic Alexander. But Izzy only tsk'ed in disapproval at his previous notion.
"Alec, that's two years away for Jace and I, you really think I can sit still for that long? I can't even sit still long enough to make it to lunch." And she had a point. Asking his siblings to wait two years for adventure was like asking a pipe bomb to wait an hour after hitting zero-impossible, and fatally dangerous.
"Alec you have to at least put your name in for the running, you could totally kick ass if you won." She continued. This was another joint-attribute of Alec's younger siblings, their ability to rope Alec into their situation of choice. He would follow them into hell if they so much as looked at him pleadingly, and now was no exception. Above all, Magnus knew Alec's siblings just wanted to see the hazel eyed boy succeed, and sometimes a push was actually the right move in the chess match that is Alec's life.
"No way I'm signing up for that shit-show." But of course with Alexander it always took some persuading. Light persuading, but persuading nonetheless.
"Potential shit-show-" Jace corrected. "-And yes, yes you are. We're all signing up together."
Alec rolled his eyes, and realizing the uncharacteristic silence from his boyfriend decided to throw Magnus into the lime light of this interrogation. "And you? I'll 'sign up' or whatever if you will too." It wasn't really an ultimatum, the chances Magnus wouldn't sign up for something like this was not a winning hand, and in reality Alec really just wanted to hear Magnus' take on the situation. Even if it was eerily similar to his sibling's opinion.
"Alexander, you know I love a challenge." And with that he winked, causing another hazel-hued eye roll from his boyfriend, and soft victory proclamation from Jace and Izzy. They were all going to do this. This tournament, whatever it was that one or more of them would potentially be thrown into, had Magnus feeling that familiar spark of excitement that came with the unpredictability of the situation. Collectively they began to pack up their things, the start of their third class imminent, Alec to runes, Magnus to charms, and Izzy and Jace to defense. The dispersal of their little group only making the decision more definite. The only thing he knew for sure as of now was that above all, this was going to be interesting.
"Three to one bet I win." Izzy added before leaving the room in a flourish of confidence and long legs, followed by Jace's trail of objections. They walked faster than the couple behind, Magnus allowing their forms to disappear around the corner before making an exit with his boyfriend. Alec wrapped an arm lazily around Magnus' shoulders as they too crossed the threshold, his sigh lightening the weight of his words, and a small smile playing on those pale lips that drove Magnus crazy.
"What did I just get myself into?"
Magnus' own lips had pressed into the slender fingers that were currently around his shoulders, and a breathy laugh escaped them. "Nothing good, but potentially entertaining." And Alec just shrugged, following his boyfriend down the steps and out to the courtyard. Oh yes, this was definitely going to be interesting.