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***January 2008. Brooklyn, New York***
"Are you absolutely sure about this Clary? You don't have to do this, Biscuit. We can explore other options! It's only been three months, maybe if you give it a little more time…" Magnus trailed off as he looked worriedly at Clary as she wrapped her arms around herself. "No, Magnus, I have to do this. I can't keep living in fear. I have the blood of a Shadowhunter. I can use my birthright to learn to be supernaturally strong. I will be able to protect myself no matter what comes after me. Clearly, hiding me here wasn't enough. I can't leave myself vulnerable again, Magnus. I just can't. I need to do this. You can understand that, right?" Clary pleaded. Magnus did understand, but it didn't mean that he liked it. Jocelyn and Luke never wanted Clary raised as a Shadowhunter, but she was 16 now. She was old enough to make her own decisions, especially after everything she had been through recently.
A resonating chime echoed as Magnus rang the bell of the New York Institute. Simon shifted his feet nervously. Clary stood ramrod straight, staring off into the distance while biting her lip, until Simon grabbed her hand and she glanced down at their joined hands. Several minutes later, a teenage girl who could easily be mistaken for a goddess of the Amazon, opened the door. "Who the hell are you?" She blurted while blinking her fathomless dark eyes at the group. "I am Magnus Bane, the High Warlock of Brooklyn. Maryse is expecting me." Magnus responded with disdain. "Ok, but, they are clearly mundanes. Mundies are not allowed in the institute!" The girl proclaimed loftily. "Take us to your mother before I turn you into something far worse than a mundane, little girl" Magnus seethed as blue sparks shot from his fingers. The girl brought her hand up to clasp the large red jewel hanging around her neck. She turned suddenly, with her curtain of silky black hair swinging wildly behind her, and stomped off through what appeared to be a church. The elevator ride was silent and tension filled. Simon couldn't take his eyes of the beautiful girl. She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm Simon Lewis." He stuttered. "I didn't ask your name, Mundane, but I suppose you already know that I am Isabelle Lightwood." They both turned their gazes on Clary. She continued to stare at her feet, lost in her own thoughts. Could she really do this? She squeezed Simon's hand again. "Oh, um, this is Clary…Clary Fray. She is going to be moving here." Simon began awkwardly. Isabelle shot a look to Magnus, who just sneered at the young Lightwood and kept his mouth shut until she exited the elevator and rudely pointed her finger at an open office door on the right. Magnus looked back at Clary before entering Maryse's office. "Clary, why don't you and Simon wander around for a bit while I talk to Maryse? I know they have an excellent library around here somewhere…" Clary gave him a weak smile as she slowly turned around and wandered away with Simon trailing behind her.
"Mr. Bane, welcome to the Institute. What can I do for you today?" Maryse Lightwood greeted stiffly. "Oh, you know damn well what I'm here to talk to you about, Maryse. You know Clary is just about the only reason I would ever come to you for help." Magnus replied angrily. "Yes, I did receive your letter. The incident with Jonathan Morgenstern was, to say the very least, an utter travesty. How is poor Clarissa coping?" she murmured. "About as well as can be expected; some days are better than others. Catarina and I tried to get her to continue mundane counseling, but she refused. She is insistent that the only way for her to move forward is to become a Shadowhunter. Can you help her? Or are you just wasting my time?" he asked. "As the head of the New York Institute, it is my job to take in anyone with the blood of the angel and train them to be Shadowhunters. I already have one of the rooms prepared for her. But, I am also a mother, Magnus; I will do what I can to help the girl. I was friends with her parents, once upon a time…" she responded honestly. "I'm assuming, by the look of surprise on your daughter's face earlier, that you complied with my request and did not share Clary's history with them?" "No, they are still technically children, no matter how much they argue about it, I didn't feel the need to burden them with such unpleasantness. I trust that Jonathan Morgenstern is no longer a threat that the Clave needs to concern itself with?" "He has been sent to join his father." Magnus responded cryptically.
Clary and Simon strolled quietly through the cavernous halls. It seemed like there was a never-ending amount of empty rooms and winding hallways. Finally, they happened upon what must be the music room. Simon took the opportunity to tinkle the black and white piano keys, but he had to admit that the piano really wasn't his forte. "By the angel, that mundane is trying to murder my piano!" Clary and Simon's heads whipped up. Standing in the doorway was a tall, lean boy with flaxen locks and brilliant golden eyes. He gave them a sarcastic smirk. He was flanked by Isabelle and an even taller boy with messy black hair and piercing blue eyes. His familial resemblance to Isabelle was obvious. "Damn, is this institute for models or Shadowhunters?" Clary thought wryly. "Uh, Hi. I'm sorry; I didn't realize this piano was yours…" Simon finished lamely. "Isabelle thought we might want to meet our new roommate. She didn't mention that said roommate included a whipped puppy trailing after her" the golden boy mocked. Simon turned red and started to stutter. "Oh, that's funny. She also failed to mention that a giant dick roamed the halls." Clary fired back. All three young Shadowhunters blinked rapidly at Clary, until the two Lightwoods busted out laughing. "This is my brother, Alec, and the dick over there is my adoptive brother, Jace Herondale." Isabelle explained. "I object to being called a dick! At the very least, I am an extremely sexy specimen of male virility." Jace retorted. Clary's eyebrows rose, "I don't know. I think that description better suits Alec. I would still just describe you as a giant dick." Clary replied. Alec blushed deeply and squawked, "Me?" Isabelle smiled brilliantly, "I think we may just get along after all."