A/N: First off, I know that these next few chapters are not going to be historically accurate (at least according to what research I've done), but for the sake of the story, please ignore whatever your nagging mind might be telling you. It bothers me as it does you. Honestly.

Please please please PLEASE review. I was hoping for a few more before I updated, I decided just to update anyway. Maybe you guys are reviewing and my computer just isn't showing them. I don't know. Thanks anyway for the favorites and story alerts!

Disclaimer: Cassandra Clare owns The Infernal Devices.


"Here it is," Jack said, unrolling a faded piece of paper. He spread it out on the table and smoothed out the creases as best as he could. "This one will tell us where to find the next clue. It's not the easiest to read, I'm afraid." He stepped back and brought his hands together behind his back.

Charlotte leaned over it, bringing the lamp very close. "'Along your view to the outside world.' What could that mean?"

"There is a rather crucial detail I have just now recalled," Jack said. "It's not the most ideal, either." He had his hand on the back of his neck and was looking abashed. "None of the clues will be found here. That is to say, all the clues are…on the Conley Bridge campus."

"Well, that's just absolutely brilliant!" Will exclaimed, sounding thoroughly exasperated. "Not only do we need to waste time finding out what these clues mean, we have to run around some mundane school searching for them!" He looked at Jack with a burning expression. "Anything else you need to mention before we begin the fabulous journey, my good chap?"

Jack shook his head. Will snorted. "Wonderful."

"This should be quite an experience, won't it?" Henry said. "How should we go about hunting down the clues?" He exchanged looks with his wife.

The room fell silent. "I've got it," Charlotte said finally. "It's a rather…obvious one too, if I might add." She raked her eyes over Will and Jem. Will realized what she was thinking after a few seconds.

"Oh dear God," he muttered, closing his eye, his face at the floor. "You can't be serious!" he said, raising his voice and head.

"Will?" Jem looked at him. "What is it she's talking about?"

"She wants us to be students at this Conley Bridge!"

Jem's eyebrows flew upward. "Ah. That's an…unusual proposal.

Jessamine, however, was looking pleased. "Oh Will, you're such a child. How else are we supposed to find the clues? Just stop complaining for once in a while."

Will rolled his eyes. "Come off it, Jessie. You just want to go so you can learn how to be a useless mundane, so you can learn how to speak French, and pour tea."

Will was saved Jessamine's furious retort from an intervention coming from Jem. "Having a mundane education would be very interesting." He looked at Will and shrugged.

"Will, unfortunately, it's your only choice. As for you, Jessamine…" Charlotte heaved a sigh. "Jack, do girls attend Conley Bridge?"

"Yes, but they are in a completely different building," Jack said. "It's a much smaller one too. I'd say the male to female ratio at Conley Bridge is two to one."

"There, see?" Jessamine said triumphantly. "I can still go."

"Well!" Henry clapped his hands together once, looking excited. "Have we decided on a plan, then? The three young ones sneak into Conley Bridge disguised as regular students?"

"They won't be sneaking in, dear," Charlotte gently reprimanded her husband. "But yes, you are mostly correct. I shall pose an escort. Jack, how do we get new students admitted during the middle of the year?"

"You can speak with the headmaster. He'll get all the arrangements prepared for you."

"Excellent!" Charlotte beamed. "When shall we do this? Tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow?" Will jumped from his chair. "Rather hasty, aren't we?"

"Of course, do you want to wait until the end of the year?" Charlotte said, frowning at him. "We want Tessa back at the Institute as soon as possible."

"Oh, well, it's all quite dandy for you, isn't it?" Will said viciously. "You're not the one who has to impersonate a mundane."

Jem gave him a pointed look. Will sat down, looking mutinous.


"Opportunity often comes in disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat."

- Napoleon Hill


"Yes, I'm Charlotte Branwell. Are you the headmaster here?"

The man looked at her through his spectacles. He was a short, somewhat portly man. He was wearing a brown tweed suit and was smoking a black pipe with great skill. With two fingers, he took the pipe from his mouth and set it down on his desk. "Indeed," he said. "Benjamin Adlot. How can I be of service?"

"These children are under my care. Will you get them accepted into your school? We just moved here from—" She looked around for an inspiration. "—Wales." Will looked at her sharply, his eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

"Yes," Adlot said. "Yes, I can do that. Just a minute, while I get the register…" He dug something out from the depths of his desk and took up a pen. "Right. What would the names be? We'll start with the young lady, if you will."

"Jessamine Lovelace," she said, dipping her head. "That's J-E-S-S-A-M-I-N-E."

Adlot looked up when he was finished scratching down Jessamine's name. "The gentlemen?"

"James Carstairs."

"William Herondale."

"We'll need to find you three a room…The two boys, we'll keep you together, since if I assume that you know each other already? That won't be a problem?" He peered up at them.

"No," they said in unison. They turned to look at each other. Will grinned.

"Fantastic. As for Miss Lovelace…you'll be having your own room. We happen to have a smaller attendance this year, you're quite lucky. Usually finding space for new pupils takes longer, but with less occupants…" He gave Charlotte a piece of paper. "Here are the rooms. You can go up there now and look around. The girls' building is just outside, across the courtyard. I'll speak with the teachers today. Are you able to come back in three days time to pick up the schedules and uniforms? All of you will have to come, so we can get measurements for the clothing."

"Oh that's fine. Classes will start the next day, then?"

"Yes. Is that doable?"

"Yes," Charlotte said. "I'll see you in three days," Charlotte said. "Thank you very much, sir."

The four of them trooped out into the hall. Charlotte read the piece of paper Adlot had given her. "Jessie, your room is 437. Will, Jem…515. I'll go with Jessie, can you boys manage?"

"Of course," Jem said. "We'll meet back here in…half an hour?"

"Half an hour," Charlotte agreed.

The two units went their separate ways. The boys ascended the staircase, which, at the last landing, had a plaque nailed into the wall. "Five-fifteen…to the right," Will said, pointing.

The hallway was lit with many oil lamps that were turned low. Will, bored, counted twelve by the time they reached their designated room. He pushed opened the door. "Let's see our room."

The two stopped in the threshold. "Quite drab," was the first thing Will said. He turned to Jem, "Don't you think?"

Jem moved aside a small stool with his foot. The legs of it scraped against the wooden floor. "Certainly not as elaborate as the church," he said slowly.

There were two beds, each one situated close to the wall. There was not much decoration in the room, other than a mirror and small painting of a vase of flowers. There was a long paper screen. Jem pulled it out a little bit. "Looks like this divides the room." He repacked it and went to the window that was in between the beds. The window was a wide one, with plain blue curtains. "The view is nice as well," he said. "You can see the whole of London from here."

Will went to the bed and laid down flat on it. He groaned. "This mattress is horrible," he grumbled. "I'm going to be kept awake all night. Jem, by the time we get out of this place, don't be surprised if I can't walk."

Jem tested it himself on the other. "Oh, it's not so terrible," he said.

"Maybe I'm just too hard to satisfy, then," Will said, closing his eyes.

Jem sat on his bed, saying nothing, simply scanning the room more. "Ah. Look at this." He got up and walked somewhere.

Will opened his eyes and rolled off the bed. He followed Jem to where a solid bookshelf was. Jem put a hand on it and patted it. "This should please you, no?"

"Yes, it does," Will said. "The only thing in this room I can't find fault with."

"Glad to see we have reached a consensus."

They then commenced to explore around the building. There wasn't much, at least not until they walked to the portion that housed the classrooms. Will peered into a vacant one. It was very busy inside. Maps and pictures were plastered all over the walls. The desks were very small, with chairs to match. They were clustered together tightly as well. The teacher's desk was larger. On a sideboard next to it was a globe and abacus. There was a chalkboard in the front of the room.

"That's exactly where I want to spend the next month," Will said, jerking his thumb towards it.

Jem looked in. "Oh, you'll survive."

"I think not!" Will said haughtily.

They reunited with the women later on. "How's your room, Jessamine?" Jem asked. "Will's already treated me to a nice rant about how ours lacks in the necessities he needs."

"It's all right," Jessamine said. "I mean, I would prefer if it was a bit more colorful, everything is mostly brown or cream. Charlotte and I moved the two beds so that they'll touch. Now my bed it twice as large as it could have been." She smiled smugly.

"Oh!" Will gave a mocking gasp. "The event of the century!"


A/N: This might have been a slow chapter to some people, sorry about that. The next updates will be focusing mostly on these guys, if nothing changes in my plans. Thanks!