the next day
Max walks into the War Room. Izzy smiles when she sees him, "Right on time."
Max giggles, "Do I need my books?"
"No."
Max nods, "Guess I'll do my homework later." He flicks his hand and his bookbag disappears.
Magnus walks out a portal, "Good, I didn't miss anything"
Max giggles, "You forgot the popcorn, Poppa."
Magnus sniffs, "Your father said to leave it at home."
Izzy laughs, "Popcorn?"
"Yes, I'm expecting to be entertained."
Alec walks over, "Okay, Izzy. What do you need Max to do?"
She smiles, "I want Max to draw all the runes he knows on the blackboard."
Max giggles, "I know a lot of runes, Aunt Izzy. All of them?"
She nods, "Yes, Max. All of them."
Max looks at Alec, "Daddy?"
Alec laughs, "She said all of them, Max."
Max giggles, "Okay."
Magnus shakes his head, "Damn, I shouldn't have listened to you, Alec. This needs popcorn."
Max giggles, "That's mean, Poppa."
Izzy smiles, "And I want you to drop your glamour."
Max raises an eyebrow as he looks from his brown hand to Alec, "Daddy?"
Alec nods, "Bad enough a child almost half their age knows more runes than them, but a warlock child at that."
Izzy nods, "Exactly, I want them to see Max as a warlock, not as the son of a ShadowHunter."
Max smiles as his glamour disappears, "Look at me, a warlock child." He giggles.
Magnus laughs and kisses Max's forehead, "You ready?"
Max nods, "Yes, Poppa."
Alec kisses Max's forehead, "Let's do this."
Magnus laughs as they walk to the elevators, "We should have sold tickets."
Izzy laughs, "We should have moved it to the auditorium, where there are cameras."
Alec laughs, "You are all terrible."
They take an elevator upstairs, then walk to a classroom. Izzy opens the backdoor and they walk in. Magnus and Alec stay in the back, as Izzy holds Max's hand and leads him to the front of the classroom.
The class gets quiet as the students look at Izzy and Max.
Izzy nods, "Class, this is Max, he's going to draw some runes for us this afternoon."
Max looks around and recognizes a few faces from when he was a 'student' in the Institute over two years ago.
Izzy hands Max chalk and smiles, "The blackboard is yours."
Max nods and walks over to the blackboard. He looks at his aunt, "Can I stand on a chair to reach the top?"
Izzy smiles, "Of course, Max."
"Thanks." He grabs a chair and carries it to the blackboard. He steps on the chair and begins drawing the abundance rune. He draws runes in a column going down the blackboard, stepping off the chair when it becomes easier to draw standing on the floor. He then moves the chair over and continues with another column. Each column has ten runes.
Izzy leans on her desk, her arms crossed, and smiles at the murmur from the class. She catches her brother's eye and her smile brightens. She looks at Magnus and has to cover her mouth to keep from laughing as he winks at her.
Max is on his fifth column when the class gets completely quiet. The only sound is chalk on the blackboard.
Izzy looks at the class and every ShadowHunter is staring at Max with a look between awe and bitterness. Izzy nods to herself, Alec told her that some of these same ShadowHunter students wanted Max gone because they felt inferior to her nephew. Now they see how right they were.
She glances at Max and he is putting the finishing touches on the wedded rune. Izzy smiles as she looks at Alec and Magnus, the perfect rune to end this demonstration with.
Max takes a couple of steps away from the blackboard and looks at the runes. He walks back and touches up a few runes before nodding and walking over to Izzy. He hands her the chalk and smiles, "Done."
She smiles, "Thank you, Max."
He nods and walks to the back. Magnus hugs him, "Good job, Max."
Alec kisses his forehead, "Awesome job, blueberry."
Max giggles as he holds Alec's hand and rests his head on his father's arm.
Izzy walks over to the blackboard, then looks at the class, "Max drew 178 runes in fifteen minutes. He didn't copy off anything. He didn't need a book. From pure memory. If a young warlock can easily draw all these runes, why can't you?"
Some students stare down at their desks, some stare at the blackboard, but all are quiet and none are able to look at their instructor.
She nods, "I would bet, that nobody even knows a quarter of these runes. Being a ShadowHunter means using all weapons at your disposal, not just the ones that are sharp."
She looks around at the silent faces and nods, "Class dismissed." She walks to the back where Max and his fathers are.
Some students take out their phones and snap pictures of the runes. But most gather their books and leave the classroom.
Alec nods, "I can see which are going to make it as field ShadowHunters and which are going to be sent to Idris for assignment in non combative areas."
Magnus sighs, "I always thought all ShadowHunters wanted to fight the forces of evil."
"Sorry, Magnus."
Izzy nods, "This generation of ShadowHunters has been a disappointment."
Alec sighs, "Hopefully the younger ones will do better."
"Maybe." She smiles at Max, "But you were awesome." She hugs him.
Max giggles, "I was, wasn't I."
Magnus laughs, "And so modest."
Alec nods, "Just like his Poppa."
Magnus smiles, "It's not bragging if it's true."
Max nods, "Exactly, Poppa."
Alec shakes his head, "I have paperwork to finish up."
Max giggles, "I have homework to do."
Magnus shakes his head, "No, it's Friday. Let's celebrate Max's awesomeness."
Izzy smiles, "I can go over the paperwork and leave anything for your signature on the side."
Magnus nods, "Good idea."
Alec laughs, "I believe she was talking to me." He kisses Izzy's cheek, "I'd appreciate that."
She smiles, "It's the least I could do after Max's wonderful performance."
Max giggles as he hugs her, "You're welcome, Aunt Izzy."
Magnus nods, "Now that's all settled, we can celebrate."
Alec smiles, "Yes, Magnus."
Izzy laughs as she walks out. Magnus opens a portal. Max follows his fathers as they leave the classroom.
the end
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Ladies and Gentlemen, Max Lightwood-Bane, once again showing why he is the High Warlock of Runes.
Bow before him. :D
