Dear Mia,
I hope this letter finds you well, and I trust it comes as a pleasant surprise. I spoke with your Papa and asked for your address, not with any expectation of a response, but simply to reach out and share my experiences with you. I want you to know that you needn't feel any obligation to write back; I understand that your life can get busy with training and all.
My time at Hogwarts has been quite remarkable thus far. The Sorting Hat placed me in Gryffindor, the same house your parents were a part of. There was a lot of speculation and anticipation about whether you and Adhara would join us at Hogwarts, and I must admit that for a while, the constant talk about it became rather tiresome and suffocating. People can be quite nosy, and really should mind their own business.
Hogwarts is truly an incredible place, and I believe you would enjoy it. The castle boasts breathtaking landscapes, even though it can be a bit chilly in the mornings. With the arrival of warmer weather, I think the temperature is now just right.
I've discovered my favorite spot on the Hogwarts grounds, and surprisingly, it's not the Quidditch pitch, although that's a close second. My favorite place is the tree next to the Black Lake, and you might wonder what makes it special. Well, it bears your parents' initials, as your uncle Remus shared with me. While it may seem a bit invasive that everyone knows so much about your family, it does have its silver lining. We get to hear countless stories about their school years, how they met, and how they fell in love.
Talking about Hogwarts without mentioning your parents is nearly impossible. There are numerous versions of their story, but one thing remains clear – your father loved your mother from the moment he laid eyes on her. You probably already know this, but your father spent six years pursuing your mother, trying to convince her to go on a date with him. It's a beautiful tale, and I genuinely wish they could have had their happily ever after.
I haven't disclosed to anyone that I know your whereabouts, but your mother's advice resonates with me, and I believe you should give Hogwarts a chance, irrespective of what others may say. Rest assured that I'll be here to fend off anyone who bothers you too much.
With sincerity and best wishes,
Jace
P.S. I've sent you some chocolate frogs and a few toffees (don't inquire about how I obtained them). If the frogs start jumping, don't be alarmed; it's perfectly normal.
Adhara, perched beside her best friend, couldn't help but be curious. "What are you doing?" she asked. "I thought you would be training."
Mia, distracted by the letter in her hand, replied shortly, "Jace sent me a letter."
"Jace, the super cute boy who asked you to dance on our birthday?" Adhara remembered Mia dancing with the blonde boy and thought they made a pretty cute couple.
"Addie, for the Angel, we're eleven years old," Mia responded, giving her a slight push indignantly.
Adhara couldn't help but tease, "I have eyes, Mia, and the boy was cute."
Mia shot back, "Same as Teddy, right?" She had noticed Adhara dancing all night with her best friend.
Adhara deflected, "We're talking about you, not me," waving her hand between them.
Mia noticed the sweets that had come with the letter. "Jace sent chocolate and toffees," she said, knowing how much Adhara loved her sweets, which were her weakness.
Adhara's focus immediately shifted when she saw something unexpected. "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?" she screamed, scared, watching a frog jump all over the room.
Mia burst into laughter, watching Adhara try to catch the frog. It seemed that her desire for chocolate surpassed her fear of the frog. "It's a chocolate frog"
Adhara, munching on the happy frog, remarked, "I'm not completely convinced by the amphibious thing, but I have to admit that they are delicious."
Mia wrinkled her nose in disgust and said, "Can you eat with your mouth closed? Aunt Cissy is probably writhing in her grave watching you eat like that."
Adhara, never one to back down, retorted, "Mom's dead, she can't say or give an opinion about my manners," sticking her tongue out at her best friend.
The Institute was unusually quiet, which raised alarms for Mia. "Where are our brothers?" she wondered aloud.
Suddenly, Maryse Lightwood's voice roared furiously, "HARRY JAMES LIGHTWOOD - BANE! DRACO LUCIUS HERONDALE! YOU ARE IN SERIOUS PROBLEMS. COME HERE!"
Mia and Adhara looked at each other and then rushed out to see what their brothers had done this time. They arrived at the main hall of the Institute and found Marysse with red hair, holding Draco and Harry by their ears as they pouted.
Mia warned her friend, "Adhara, for all that is holy, don't laugh."
"Mia, help us!" Harry and Draco pleaded, trying to free themselves from Maryse's grip.
Adhara muttered "Finite Incantatem" to help his brother and his best friend, holding back her laughter. Maryse silently thanked her granddaughter and released her grandsons.
Mia addressed Harry, "Haz, shouldn't you be studying with Papa?"
"But it's boring," Harry whined. "I want to train like you, Teddy, and Addie."
Adhara couldn't help but chuckle. "Unless you want to disintegrate into thin air, you won't touch a seraph blade."
Mia spoke firmly, "I understand that you find it boring, Haz, but I thought you wanted to go to Hogwarts like Mom and Dad."
Harry lowered his head and whispered, "But Dray and I want to go with you and Teddy to Hogwarts as a family."
Mia softened her tone, crouching down to her brother's height. "We'll think about it, okay? It's not a no, it's a maybe."
Magnus had always harbored a deep-seated resentment towards his father, Asmodeus, a Greater Demon and Prince of Hell. He despised him for his lack of empathy and sense of responsibility, considering the countless offspring he had sired throughout history. They had spoken only once, and after that encounter, Magnus wanted nothing to do with him. What could a father offer when you had already lived on Earth for over four hundred years?
Asmodeus resided in Edom, a parallel realm to Earth where he had been banished along with Lilith. Magnus had never personally ventured into Edom, nor did he particularly desire to, but here he was, summoned to that very place.
"Magnus, dear, thank you for coming," a cheerful baritone voice greeted him.
"Uncle Sam, it's a shame I can't say the same," Magnus retorted as he turned to face Sammael.
Sammael, the second oldest Greater Demon behind Lucifer and another Prince of Hell, was the demonic equivalent of the archangel Michael. Despite his age, he appeared strikingly youthful for a demon.
"You know I hate it when you call me that," Sammael clicked his tongue. "Tell me, how's Alec? The children?"
Magnus was eager to cut to the chase. Alec had no knowledge of his current venture into Hell, as he surely would have insisted on accompanying him. "What have you summoned me for?"
Sammael, seemingly unfazed by Magnus's impatience, offered him a drink, which Magnus declined with a wave of his hand.
"What have you summoned me for?" Magnus repeated, tapping his foot on the floor impatiently.
Sammael settled carelessly into a chair, taking a casual sip of his drink. "I need you to find my son."
"What's so special about him?" Magnus inquired with curiosity, knowing that demons typically had little concern for their progeny.
Sammael responded simply, "The boy's like me."
Magnus couldn't resist a touch of sarcasm. "Arrogant, possessive of what he considers his, without a moral compass, and zero sense of responsibility?"
Sammael chuckled, "Even though you make me sound like a total fucking jerk, you couldn't have described it better. I applaud you, Magnus."
"Why should I look for your son? He's your responsibility, after all," Magnus protested with growing frustration.
"BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF A CHILD," Sammael exploded, causing the room to vibrate.
"WELL THEN, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE," Magnus snapped, his black eyes ablaze with anger.
"He's the same age as Theodore; he just needs a little care and love, something you know I can't provide," Sammael pleaded, surprising Magnus by the first hint of vulnerability he had ever witnessed from a Greater Demon.
Magnus stared hard at his 'uncle.' Greater Demons had a long history of exploiting their shape-shifting abilities to seduce and impregnate mortal women, only to discard them like used tissues. He thought about Alec and what his husband would think if he knew he was even contemplating searching for the son of a Greater Demon.
The boy was the same age as his eldest son, Theodore, and for a brief moment, Magnus saw a reflection of himself in the young demon, even though he didn't know him. His own mother had banished him when she learned he had fathered a demon's child, a decision he never forgave her for.
"What's his name?" Magnus asked after several minutes of contemplation, aware that Alec would not take this news well.
Sammael replied with a solemn expression, "Mattheo. Mattheo Sammael Riddle."
"Aren't you a little young to be drinking alcohol?" Magnus questioned as he eyed the young warlock sitting in a bar in London.
The frowned and shot a defiant look at Magnus. "Hasn't anyone ever told you to mind your own fucking business?"
Magnus leaned closer, a cold smirk on his face. "Well, you see, everyone's business is my business. And unfortunately for me, you're at the top of the list."
The boy didn't take kindly to Magnus's teasing and tried to maneuver around the warlock. But Magnus had other plans; he reached out and grabbed Mattheo by the arm, ignoring his protests. With a flick of his hand, he opened a portal to the New York Institute. "This will be fun" Magnus thought, though he felt a bitter sense of regret deep down.
"WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Mattheo screamed once Magnus released his grip.
Magnus raised an eyebrow and calmly advised, "Lower the volume of your voice."
"You kidnapped me," Mattheo accused, his dark chocolate eyes narrowing.
Magnus waved his hand dismissively. "Blame your father for the 'kidnapping.'"
"My father is dead," Mattheo stated, his discomfort with the situation evident.
"I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but your real father is named Sammael, and he's a Greater Demon like mine," Magnus said sympathetically, many times, he has wondered if it would have been better not to know who his father was
Mattheo pointed between himself and Magnus. "So, technically, we're cousins."
"We're of the same species," Magnus replied seriously.
"In other words, family," Mattheo laughed, watching as Magnus pursed his lips.
"We are not family," Magnus asserted firmly.
"We are," Mattheo insisted with a chuckle.
"Are not"
"We are"
"Are—"
The commotion caught the attention of Alec, who burst into his office, and the sight that greeted him left him utterly puzzled. "Magnus, I've been looking for you all day. Hold on, who is this child?"
Magnus struggled to find words, feeling slightly pathetic. "Surprise?"
" Magnus, what the fuck—"
Before Mattheo could hear the rest, he quickly retreated from the office. He had nowhere to go, really. Aside from the streets of London, he was utterly lost. His mother had passed away just a week ago, and he was feeling adrift. Magnus had only interrupted what would have been the fifth round of getting plastered and possibly ending up with a black eye.
As Mattheo wandered through the hallways, he was drawn to the soft voice and the gentle strumming of a guitar. Intrigued, he followed the music, taking turns until he arrived at what seemed to be a library.
Inside, bathed in the warm glow of a large window, was a girl roughly his age, her long black curls cascading down her back, partially obscuring her face. The sight was a breathtaking one—until she spoke.
"Haven't you been told that it's rude to eavesdrop on people?" Her voice was brusque, and she hadn't even looked up from her book.
Mattheo frowned. He didn't appreciate her tone. "Haven't you been told you should be nicer to people?"
With a raised head, the girl finally revealed her face, and Mattheo was taken aback. She was absolutely fucking stunning. Her eyebrows were perfectly shaped, her nose straight, her lips plump, and her hazel eyes the color of whiskey regarded him with fiery intensity.
"Who are you?" she asked, her head tilted curiously.
Mattheo turned on his charm. "Whoever you want me to be."
Unimpressed, she rolled her eyes. "A nightmare, then."
"Or your wildest dream, depending on how you see it," Mattheo replied, noticing how the girl began to turn red with indignation.
"You're a demon," she pointed out, her eyes fixed on him.
"And you're an angel," he retorted, though in his thoughts, he added, "if it weren't for your rude tone."
The girl fixed him with a fiery gaze and declared, "I don't like you."
Mattheo snapped, this time mocking the girl's tone. "Great, because neither do I."