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Magnus paced back and forth past the inside of apartment door, nervous and excited at the same time, wondering what Clary had discovered after asking her to look at the Lightwood family tree. She had asked what the name of Alec's ancestor first name was and he realised that he hadn't asked in his excitement. He had sent Alec a text asking for the elusive man's name and said not to get his hopes up but he knew someone who might be able to dig deeper and Alec had sent back the names Henry James with a smiley face, Magnus sent back his thanks and then sent the information on to Clary.
When he sensed the young woman approaching he opened the door wide and looked at her questionably.
“Let me in, make me and coffee and I will tell you what I found out.” Clary told him, unable to stop herself smiling at him.
“It's good news then?” Magnus replied, closing the door behind her.
“Yes. Coffee first.” She said, walking with him to the living room and sitting down on the sofa.
Magnus had no intention of wasting time making the coffee so he used his magic to her a large cup of coffee from her favourite coffee shop, making it appear on the coffee table before them and then sat down beside her when she patted the empty space.
Clary picked up the cup and took a long sip, looking at Magnus teasingly.
“Biscuit, I swear if you don't tell me now I might just turn you into a squirrel!” Magnus told her.
“A squirrel? That's very specific.” Clary laughed, reaching for the large handbag she had brought with her and pulling out a large notebook.
“A red squirrel of course.” Magnus grinned, nodding towards her hair.
“Well, as I don't wish to spend the rest of my life living as one I will tell you.” She smiled, opening the book where she had written lots of notes.
“So, I managed to track down Henry James Lightwood.” She told him. “He was the identical twin brother of Alec's great great great grandfather and of course a Shadowhunter but he fell in love with a Mundane, he willingly had his runes stripped which because he had always kept them glamoured from her meant she wouldn't question him being without his tattoos so suddenly, left behind the whole world he grew up in and married her.”
“But if they had children one of them could have still be born a Shadowhunter, surely?” Magnus frowned.
“True, but if they were then like my namesake mother then they were never told of their heritage it would seem.” Clary explained. “No children from that branch of the family tree never trained in the academy and so that is why the Institute archives stop where they do and why the person Alec hired can't trace the line back any further to the same point.”
“So over time, the angelic part of the bloodline would get weaker and weaker.” Magnus nodded. “Which explains why Alec might have a small trace of it of nothing at all.”
“Exactly.” Clary replied. “I think you need to tread carefully Magnus, telling him about the Shadow World will either intrigue him or send him running for the hills thinking you are a weirdo as the Mundane's would say.”
“What do I do Clary, I really like him and not just because I think he might be Alexander reincarnated.” Magnus sighed. “He seems like a really great guy but the longer I leave it to introducing the idea, the the harder it will get.”
“I have thought about this.” Clary admitted. “Maybe getting talking about the supernatural, see how he feels on the subject and test the 'what if' conversation about do you really think they could live among us without anyone knowing and go from there?”
“We said we would go to see a film for our next date.” Magnus told her, grabbing his phone and finding the listings for one of the cinemas and scrolling through them. “There is a film about a sorcerer, which could I guess also be called a wizard or even a warlock depending on your interpretation.”
“That might work.” Clary nodded. “Open up a conversation about magic, how he feels about the idea that magic could exist in the world and if he thought that maybe something like Hogwarts in Harry Potter could exist?”
“You read mundane books?” Magnus asked.
“I have the first edition of every book that have been handed down through the generations thanks to Clary.” She told him. “She collected them all and her children read them and so on until they became mine and well, I had to read them and I loved them even if they nothing like the world we live in.”
“I've read them too.” Magnus confessed. “And watched the films, but the ...”
“Books are better.” Clary grinned, cutting him off and finishing the sentence for him.
They both laughed and Clary managed to drink some more of her cooling coffee.
“Anyway, I think you should test the waters in that kind of way.” Clary told him. “But even if he is open to the idea, I wouldn't show your magic too soon and before then you need a way of showing him this book and introducing him to his heritage.”
“So, what you are basically saying is, take it slowly?” Magnus smiled.
“Yes, you still might scare him off when you do tell him.” She smiled. “If he shows interest in the whole supernatural thing, I'd probably show him the family tree before showing him anything of your own heritage, especially those amazing eyes of yours.”
Thank you so much Biscuit.” Magnus told her. “I owe you one, if you need me for anything you only have to ask.”
“Magnus, you are one of the very few things that I have to connect me with my own family history, you are my family.” She smiled at him. “I did it because I love you, I don't need anything from you.”
“Even so ...” Magnus began, only to be cut off again.
“No arguments Magnus.” She told him. “Now, go and arrange your cinema date and remember to tread carefully.”
“Yes ma'am.” Magnus replied jokingly.
“Right, I need to go.” She told him, getting to her feet, followed by Magnus. “Keep the notebook, but out of sight until you feel you can reveal it, okay?”
“I will, I promise.” Magnus said, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly then pressing a kiss to the top of her head, remembering his petite she was, like the Clary she was named after and then releasing her again. “Thank you, again.”
“You are very welcome she replied, reaching for her bag and after kissing him on the cheek she left him making a call to Alec on his mobile.
“I Alexander, how do you feel like going to see a film tonight?” Magnus asked when he answered and smiling madly to himself at the reply.
The End.