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1878
"Jace!" Isabelle hissed, grabbing him by the elbows. "What's going on here?" They had just entered the Institute and the servant, Sophie, had just left them with each a separate room without much explanation.
"We are nowhere near Idris at all, this isn't Switzerland! And did you hear what the one in front said, about this being the London Institute? I didn't recognize any of the people here. Something weird is going on."
"Well, we can't exactly leave either. We need their help to get back and Magnus probably doesn't know where we are. He'll probably think we were off for about a few miles, not all the way in ENGLAND! We can't expect any more help from him then." Alec said, rubbing his temple.
"So, what are we going to do, stay here? By the Angel, we could be stuck here for god knows how long. We were only meant to go away for a few hours, any more than that, mum would worry!" Isabelle cracked her whip against the wall in frustration.
Jace was quietly watching from out a crack in the door. He could hear the muffled conversations of the London shadowhunters. It was obvious that they had something serious going on.
"I'm sure you two would love to stay here and argue all day about the potential plight of our sorry lives, but I'm going to check those people out. They don't exactly look right, don't you think?" And with that, Jace slipped out the door before Isabelle or Alec had the chance to protest.
As Jace found his way back to the entryway- the designs of the Institutes were roughly the same- he heard mashes of their heated argument.
"We will come with you. Of course we will come with you, Gideon did us a service." A gentle and firm voice said. Jace suspected that it was the silver haired one, though he had no inkling who Gideon was. "We have not forgotten, have we Charlotte?"
"Of course not," came the familiar reply. Jace hunched his shoulders, so Charlotte was the one who called out to them. Head of the Institute, no doubt. "Bridget, the gear-"
"I am conveniently also in gear," said another voice out of the din. The entryway was full of motion, snippets of conversation drifting into the silent hallways. Jace stopped. The voice seemed familiar to him, as if he should know it.
There was a bustle of activity and there was something about a girl in a wedding gown. Jace suspected that it was the brown haired one, she was in a long dress, after all. Then he heard something that startled him more.
"Cyril, will you please prepare both the carriages for us, bound for the Lightwood Manor at Chiswick." It was obviously said by the lady, Charlotte. But Lightwood?
Alec and Isabelle had never told him about any more relations of theirs and Jace was positive that he would have seen them at least once around the Institute or even at… Max's funeral.
He needed to get some answers. By the time he looked out from his hiding spot again, the entryway was almost empty. Seeing that there was no one else to block his path, Jace got up and slipped out of the ornate double doors.
He saw the last of the London shadowhunters board their carriages which were horse drawn. Shadowhunter horses, probably. Making sure to keep in the shadows, Jace slid quietly down the front steps.
He had to see where they were going. He raced to the back of the second carriage and hung on to the bronze bar there, it was extremely peculiar, to see a teenage boy hanging from the back of a carriage, but his glamour shrouded him from the mundanes.
He silently prayed to the angels for Alec and Isabelle not to follow him out. If they ever saw him like this, well, that would be the end for him, London or not.
2008
Clary stood in front of Magnus, her hands folded. "Magnus," she said as sweetly as she could muster, "where are Jace and the rest?" Simon was flopped on the couch, annoying Chairman Meow and trying to distance himself as far from Clary as possible at the same time.
Magnus' eyebrows crinkled together, like he was amused. "I do not know exactly where Jace, Isabelle and Alec have gone to. I merely summoned the portal."
Clary was exasperated; she would never be as great at word play as Jace. Talking to Magnus was useless. She decided to try another tactic.
"Right, you have no idea where they went. But, it has been a day already, aren't you at least interested in the welfare of Alec? Summon the portal again Magnus, please. It would take us to where the three of them were going."
Magnus stared at her with his golden cat's eyes- his mark- and grimaced. He started to draw. "Remind me why I'm doing this again?"
"Oh, you know Jace. He tends to have trouble come looking for him and they could most probably use our help, Simon included-"
"Wait, what? Since when did I get involved?" Simon muttered under his breath.
"Just now," Clary replied. Magnus stared at the red headed daughter of Valentine sadly. If only she knew. Ignorance was bliss.
The rune fizzled and glowed on the library wall, but this time, it glowed orange instead of blue. Before Clary had the chance to react, she felt herself being pulled into the portal, and then, darkness descended around her.
The world came into focus a second later. Clary was standing side by side Simon and Magnus on a busy street. No one gave them a second glance when they passed, although one did raise an eyebrow at Magnus' sparkly overcoat.
Clary was amazed at how well the glamours worked, until she took a closer look at the 'mundanes' walking by to realize that not all of them were actually people. She even noticed a goblin darting around behind a crumbling old building.
Magnus paled immediately. "What's wrong?" Simon asked, taking a step forward at the same time. "NO!" Magnus half said and half shouted. He put his hands in front of Simon, stopping him.
"Everything is not what it seems. I should have known… With all that business about Jonathan Mongerstern," Magnus muttered aloud, twirling his hat. "the Clave has spent most of their time going after him. Their security over the dimensions has lessened…"
"What do you mean? What dimensions?" Clary asked warily, poking her head out and gazing towards the mass of stalls.
"Do you believe in time travel?" Magnus asked softly.
Simon laughed. "You're kidding right? Time travel isn't possible, it's been proven scientifically and why would Jace, Isabelle and Alec want to time travel to this.. era for? I'm not sure Isabelle did it for the clothes. Their fashion sense is horrible."
Magnus stared, irritated at Simon. "You still cling onto your mundane ways, Daylighter. Time travel is possible. You can see it for yourself if you don't believe me." He spread out his hands in a wide gesture.
Simon raised his hand. "What exactly am I supposed to be looking out for?"
"Me," Magnus replied sadly.
"What, that's not even possible. I-" Simon stopped short. Magnus was right. Looming in front of them was Magnus the II, minus the glitter. The two of them looked almost alike, same black hair and eyes.
"Time travelling again eh? Be more careful next time, you stick out like a nail." Magnus the II smirked at Magnus. He waved his hands in front of Clary and Simon. "You've brought companions too."
"Yes, yes. I would love to stay and chat with you, old pal. But I haven't the time. Three of my shadowhunters came through by portal here, have you heard of anything that might point to where they are?" Magnus said irritably.
"Your shadowhunters?" Magnus the II raised his eyebrows. "You might try the London Institute though I doubt anyone will be home to let you in. They've all gone to the Lightwood manor. Something about demon pox."
"Wait, did you say Lightwood? As in Isabelle Lightwood, Lightwood?" Clary asked flabbergasted. She didn't know they were that rich.
"Aah, close enough." Mangus the II said. "You ought to learn the rules of our kind soon, surprises can kill you." He waved his fingers in front of him.
"I'd get going now if I were you. There's one of Mortmain's automatons heading this way. You may want to cut through Greenhorn Street to get to Chiswick."
"Thank you for your concern," Magnus huffed before hauling a dumbstruck shadowhunter and speechless vampire into the alleyway.
"How did you… you know so much? I mean your other you that's not you. Argh! Am I even making sense?" Simon paced.
"Downworlder's market. Bad news flys the fastest there. No information is out of reach when you know how to get it." Magnus said airily. He started towards a dingy looking street.
"And what are Mortmain's automatons? A sort of demon from the Victorian era or something?" Clary asked, joining in the conversation. If only she had her sketchbook now, the scenery would have been perfect to draw.
Magnus didn't say anything. After a long time, he said. "That would be best explained by the others, I am in no place to say anything." Clary knew better than to pursue the matter. The look on Magnus' face clearly said drop it.
"Things just get weirder and weirder…" Simon grumbled. "And I hope we find the others soon, my feet are getting sore."
"You're a vampire, you don't feel sores." Magnus generously pointed out. "And just wait till you see the clothes."
Simon was about to say something in reply when he was cut short by Clary. She had suddenly gone quiet and had her hand on her mouth. "There…" she managed to whisper.
She pointed to the giant house in front. There were sprawling gardens and a huge mansion plop at the center of it all, somewhere Simon would have liked to live in. But, that wasn't what Clary was talking about.
There were three carriages at a stop in front of the gates. And one of them was smeared and splattered with blood and a translucent slimy liquid.
Simon automatically reached out to touch the saliva-like liquid.
"Demon pox-" he said. "It's demon pox."
Tada. Review please and tell me what you think. Should Clary and Jace meet each other first? Or have them meet when they get back to the London Institute? Will Jace be found out from his hiding position? Ideas are generously taken into concern. Thanks for reading guys!