Promises of Protection

By: Shin Sankai

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Author's Notes: So, this came out of nowhere, but I couldn't resist doing it. I hope someone likes it. I'm going to write a sequel to this – set ten year later. Look out for it soon-ish.

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"My services are not for free. If you cannot pay..."

"What is it that you want?"

"Hmm..." Looking the man over in front of him, the one demanding payment thought about it for a moment and let out a sigh. He wasn't in the mood for anything like this tonight. "Nothing...you're dismissed." And with a flick of his wrist, and what appeared to be a flash of blue sparks from his right hand, his door slammed in the man's face. "Never darken my doorstep again."

"Magnus Bane you bastard!" Using such profanity against his name was unnecessary as he listened to the man yelp behind his closed door (he'd made the man trip and fall on his ass) and then there was silence.

The quiet was too deafening as the rather dashing man shuffled over to his balcony and slid the glass door across, taking in a deep breath of the night area. It smelled ready to rain and then his heightened scenes picked up the the smells of pizza and garbage and of course the sounds of his beloved Brooklyn: car horns, emergency services sirens and people arguing and laughing.

Yes, no matter where he'd been around the world, and regardless of the turmoil in place, Brooklyn was most definitely home.

Glancing over at the bridge, Magnus began to wonder if perhaps it wasn't the world in turmoil, even if he'd been hearing various things from his people, but maybe it was himself? It'd been such a long, long time since anything interesting had happened to him...

Magnus let out a scowl. He couldn't believe it. He, the High Warlock of Brooklyn...was bored.

Should he call Catarina or his dear old friend Ragnor for a late night pick me up? Maybe even Dot would join him for a drink, or five?

All thoughts were lost when there was noise from the darkness of the alleyway, directly below his balcony. Magnus honed his senses, trying to figure out if this intruder was friend or foe. When he couldn't sense a thing, Magnus frowned thinking his magic was slightly off, perhaps because of his attitude and decided he'd investigate personally.

Though he wasn't one to be lazy, he truly couldn't be bothered walking down so many flights of stairs, or waiting for the elevator and with another flick of his wrist, this time the sparks appeared to be slightly purple, a flash happened and a swirling of colours appeared on his balcony next to him. Within the blink of an eye, Magnus stepped into the portal and was transported to the side of his building.

Gazing into the darkness, Magnus made a mental note to place up some lighting and security as well. Though his place was always secured by his protective wards, he finally realised why things were slightly off, he'd not bothered to place them up this evening...or more importantly hadn't placed them back up after he'd kicked out that crap customer.

"Identify yourself!" His deep voice boomed through the darkness and it appeared he'd startled whoever or whatever was there as a trash can was knocked over. Magnus cautiously headed further into the darkness, illuminating his hand (and scowling when his crocodile boots stepped into something squishy) before drifting his eyes over to the fallen trash can and to all things...a young child curled in a ball. All hostility dissipated as Magnus was never a fearful man towards children, whether they were from his world...the Downworld...or whether they were mundane or...

"Hello there little one," He was slightly crouched, knowing there was no way he could salvage these clothes (or his boots) with the scent of garbage about them now. He'd just have to magic up some new apparel later (and these would be burned to ashes). Magnus' random thoughts immediately stopped when the child jerked their head up, and a pair of crystal blue eyes locked his gaze in place. They were wide, innocent...and held a small amount of fear. "Oh..." Magnus muttered as he finally took in the slight glamour about the boy...and some very distinctive runes too. No wonder his magic was slightly off... "Hello there young shadowhunter," Magnus corrected himself, positively confused as to what the heck a young boy from the Shadow World was doing in this part of New York City and alone.

"H-Hello..." The voice was adorable, as was the face...and just everything about him. And Magnus would never turn away a scared child, no matter their parentage...no matter the turmoil between his people...and the young boys.

"Are you..." Magnus faulted when he finally smelt it. Demon... He carefully moved closer to the boy, hand going out, watching him shrink away instantly.

"Don't touch me!" His hand was slapped away.

"I'm not..." Magnus was about to voice he wasn't there to hurt him...or scare him for that matter.

"I'll hurt you!" Tears filled those sweet blue eyes. Magnus tilted his head and gave a soft gentle smile to the youngster. This one is a protector...

"I assure you, young shadowhunter, you will not do such a thing." There was apprehension in those young eyes, Magnus watching him squeeze them shut and shudder. "You've been attacked by a demon...and the poison is running through your veins...burning your insides..."

"How..." The boy was trying to speak, but a wave of pain flashed instantly across his face and a couple of tears fell silently from his eyes. Magnus couldn't take anymore and with the flick of his wrist, a portal was raised and in seconds the boy was scooped up, cradled against his chest and he stepped through, re-entering his home in seconds flat.

"I am quite knowledgeable." Magnus vaguely gave another response as he laid the youngster on his couch, kneeling at his shivering side. Sweat was forming against his brow and Magnus lifted a hand, brushing it away, watching as the boy moaned. "I can take this pain away for you."

"It said I'd die! It said if I didn't run away from my family, that I'd infect them and they'd all die! My family has to live...even if I..." Another tear leaked out, that tiny body shuddering and for the first time, in a long, long time, Magnus felt a tug at his heart. The demon wanted to separate this rather strong, but very young shadowhunter, from his group and kill him. To send a message to the Clave and bring the war (which was brewing) to the the forefront. Well, Magnus was having none of it.

"Will you place your trust in me young shadowhunter?" Those blue eyes cracked open once more. "I'm quite powerful..."

"R-Really?" Magnus gave a nod of the head.

"It's going to hurt, so will an 8 year old boy be able to take the pain?"

"I-I'm 10! Nearly 11!" Came the clenched teeth stubborn response.

"Oh, forgive my assumption young shadowhunter. You are, quite cute, after all."

"P-Please save me..." The request was but a whisper, Magnus' lips forming a smile as the youngster had taken hold of his hand, clenching his index, middle and ring finger adorably. It wasn't long before the tiny pressure slipped and the boy dropped into unconsciousness. Though that was probably for the best in any case.

Magnus formed a protective barrier around the youngster, completely paralysing the demon venom spreading further through the boys veins and trotted off to another room, prying the door open as he looked upon his workshop where he made all sorts of potions and concoctions.

"Right, all that is left is..." Magnus muttered to himself, a scowl marring his lips when he noticed he was out of snake venom. "Well...that is unfortunate." Magnus lifted his hand, not even looking at what he was doing as he sent off a message. He took the rest of his ingredients back into his living room, checking on the young boy who had not moved an inch, which was a good thing.

He was just crushing up the last of the ingredients when there was a rumble and echo, the return of his fire message, and Magnus flicked his eyes over to it. Two minutes... Is what it read.

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Less then two minutes later a portal opened into his home and a woman in scrubs stepped through.

"Magnus, I was in the middle of..." He glanced up as she stopped in mid sentence. "Jesus Magnus, you've a shadowhunter in your home!"

"Not by choice my dear Catarina,"

"Get it out of here!" Magnus frowned at his dear friend's attitude, but with the hostilities between the Shadow and Down World, he couldn't blame his friend.

"You know me, my dear Catarina, I'll never turn a child away."

After the initial shock wore off, Catarina passed him what he'd requested of her and poured a substantial amount into the paste he'd created. "How'd he even get here?"

"Fate?" Magnus offered and watched his dear friend raise an eyebrow at him. "He was attacked, ran away from the Institute in fear of what was happening to him would cause harm to his family and ended up in my neck of the woods."

"Hmm..."

"Once he's healed, I'll send a fire message to Robert Lightwood, as Head of the Institute, to advise him I've one of their beloved shadowhunters in my care."

"He's what? Eight? The Clave start training them young..."

"Nearly 11 actually...don't insult him." Magnus gave a tiny grin as he'd already had that conversation with the very stubborn young boy who was hissing like a little cat whilst trying not to burst into tears at the sheer pain rushing through his body. "This one is strong." Magnus muttered, filling Catarina in on the demon that had attacked the youngster, listening to her whistle as she was slightly impressed, even if she had an aversion to shadowhunters. Though really, in the Downworld, who didn't...

"Well, I need to get back to my patients." Magnus gave her a nod, thanking her silently for her assistance and watched her leave through his door and not a portal. Magnus raised his hands, placing his wards up and then dropped the protective barrier around the boy.

With a snap of his fingers, the boys top half of his clothing shredded, revealing his scrawny body to his eyes. The youngster was already covered in a variety of runes, pitch black against his pretty pale skin, but then there was the grotesque wound that had pretty much split open his abdomen. Magnus was amazed the boy hadn't bled to death, but then they did have a rune for healing so he assumed, after running away, the boy used it upon himself to at least stave off bleeding to death.

With the snap of his fingers, Magnus' blue flames flickered over the youngster, watching his facial features soften from pain as he'd pretty much tranquilized the boy and set to work on sucking out the poison and closing the wound.

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Magnus sat back, exhaling an exhausted breath from his lips. Whilst he knew the demon that had attacked the youngster, Magnus hadn't realised until he delved deeper, pulling the poison from that tiny body that this demon wasn't your average demon at all! It was half mixed from the creatures born from Edom! When he'd found that out, Magnus shuddered, not wanting to think anything of that god awful place, the place his father comes from. And then there was the fact, he hadn't had to use so much magic in such a long time as he begun to purify the youngster lying deathly pale on his now completely stained couch.

As the boys wound began to heal, Magnus grunted, his own gaze dropping to his abdomen where he noticed blood was seeping through his grey shirt.

"If I ever find this demon..." Magnus muttered to himself, also having forgotten that this particular wound, when trying to heal it, would also cause the healer some damage as well. "I'm seriously going to rip him limb from limb..." A bead of sweat broke out over Magnus' brow as he felt his skin split open. "You...are the strongest young shadowhunter I've ever come across..." Magnus muttered again, his stomach muscles finally relaxing a little as his magic was closing the boy's wound...and in turn...his own.

Once the wound closed, his signature imprinted into the boys skin, just his initials, extremely tiny and not very intrusive, but something that was unavoidable. When someone was healed by a warlock, a condition of the process was to be marked by the warlocks signature. This had been Magnus' first signature in over a hundred years. The last person he healed, had died quite some time ago.

Not wanting to think about such things, Magnus carefully smeared the paste over the young boys abdomen, watching it shudder beneath his touch and then summoned what little magic he had left in him and bandages were wrapped swiftly around the youngsters body.

Magnus collapsed back down on the floorboards of his home, peering up at his ceiling for a moment, trying to catch his breath. He pulled his shirt up, hand splayed against his burning abdomen, but soon felt a tingling sensation form and let a ghost of a smile grace his lips. The paste on the young shadowhunter was being accepted by his body and working its magic in the healing process.

Magnus lifted his heavy eyelids just a second, as his hand rose to brush tentative fingers against a limp hand which had fallen off the couch and draped towards the ground where he lay exhausted. Magnus felt a tiny grin form when unconsciously the young boys hand gripped his fingers once more...and then...darkness came.

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Magnus groaned, senses coming back to him as there was someone at his side. His body twitched, he squirming away from the cold hand that was at his abdomen. He snapped his eyes open when a warm cloth drew across his golden-bronze skin, left hand instantly raising and gripping the wrist a little too tightly, making the person at his side jump. Magnus turned his gaze to find wide blue eyes blinking down at him.

"Hello young shadowhunter..." He watched the adorable boy bite his lower lip. "How are you feeling?" Magnus slowly sat up, hand against his abdomen and then leaned heavily against his couch where the boy had been resting before he blacked out.

"I...I'm fine." Magnus doubted that, but wouldn't want to destroy this boys stubborn bravery. "Wh-What about you?"

"Oh you know...I could be better." Magnus gave him a grin, body freezing when that tiny pale hand pressed at his abdomen.

"You're hurt like me."

"Yes well...perks of being a downworlder..." Magnus mumbled, pushing the boys innocent ministrations away and carefully rose to his full height.

'Do-Do-Downworlder...?" The youngster repeated softly. Are you frightened, little one...? Magnus thought it best to bide his time, just to see what this youngster would do, and glanced down at his stained couch, hands resting against his hips.

"Well, that looks beyond saving."

"I-I'm sorry!" Magnus jerked his head up as he watched the boy rush off. He wanted to tell him it was too early for him to be doing that, possibly pulling at his wound, since Magnus felt the dull pain of his own.

"Good going Magnus, scare the child." He muttered to himself. "Like that is on your list of things to do in your centuries of age."

"Centuries of age?" Magnus jolted as he whipped around to look down at the boy. This youngster was like the king of stealth. His big blue eyes were gazing up at him, having repeated his mumbled words from earlier, but what he noticed was the fact he held a bucket with some water in it, a bottle of cleaner and a couple of cloths. He'd clearly been awake for quite some time and had investigated his surroundings and then of course gone on the hunt for...cleaning products!

Whilst he was out for the count, sleeping and replenishing his magic, the boy could have easily disappeared, but instead, he had stayed. Magnus shifted his gaze back to his couch as the boy made his way over, dumping water onto it, then sprayed with the bottle of cleaner and began to scrub.

It was...so freaking cute!

"That isn't necessary." With a wave of his hand, the youngster stood at his side, watching with wide blue eyes, mouth agape as blue flames flickered about Magnus' hands. His magic was still below par, below his liking, but with his wards still up, he'd ensure this boy would be safe (along with himself) here. Twisting his hands this way and that, blue flames flickering and then Magnus snapped his fingers watching, along with an astounded little shadowhunter, as his couch disappeared and then suddenly reappeared, it now being a black leather two seater.

"Oh!" There was a gasp of pure innocent delight. "You're a wizard!" The youngster proclaimed.

"Warlock." Magnus corrected.

"Isn't that a boy wizard?" The youngster questioned. Fine, if he wanted to get all technical with him. "What else can you do?" There was pure excitement in the youngsters voice.

"Lots of things..." Magnus vaguely replied back, watching as the adorable boy pouted up at him. He felt it chipping away at his armour and with another snap of his finger Magnus produced a black shirt for the boy, watching his eyes gleaming at him as he placed the shirt over his pale and healing skin.

Magnus pottered around in his home, cleaning up the living room and taking various items back to his workshop and placed them away. All the while, a pair of inquisitive blue eyes followed him.

"Are you really a warlock?" Came the sudden question.

"I am."

"But warlocks are like...really old."

"Well...I am...really old...as you put it." There appeared to be scepticism in the youngsters gaze. "Warlocks are immortal...and I am centuries old." Magnus preferred not to reveal his true age to anyone.

"Warlocks have markers." Magnus arched an eyebrow at that. This boy had clearly been through some extensive education in regards to the downworld, but then being a child of the angels...of course he would. It was probably written in their law. "If you really are one, show me your marker." This youngster was petulant, Magnus watching as he folded his arms rather definitely across his tiny chest. Even at such an age, these little shadowhunters had quite the attitude, taught from such a young age to make themselves so much more superior then the rest of the creatures of this world.

Magnus dropped to his knees in front of the youngster, watching him take a step back a little, hands dropping to his sides and his shoulders eased from the tense way they had previously been when he voiced his demand.

"P-Please...?" He couldn't help the grin that formed on his face. Whilst this little shadowhunter was trying to be almighty, much like the Clave demanded of them, it didn't seem like he wanted to be that way at all.

"You know, a warlock doesn't reveal their marker to just anyone." Magnus voiced softly, watching those big blue eyes glance down to his tiny fisted hands now. This boy was just too precious. "But he will reveal it to his closest and dearest friends and family." Those blue eyes snapped up instantly, Magnus watching them widen, and lips parted once more as he revealed his golden cat eyes. "Are you scared, little one?" Magnus whispered softly, but felt his own breath hitch, lips parting slightly as this little shadowhunter took a step forward, tiny hand reaching up to cup his cheek.

"So pretty..." The comment made Magnus chuckle. His larger hand cupped the smaller one against his cheek before moving away from the youngster and standing to his full height.

"It has been a very long time since someone said that about my marker." Magnus voiced to the youngster who had tilted his head. Truthfully Magnus couldn't recall anyone saying that...well...aside from his twisted father that is. And that was only because his marker was cat eyes too, so really, he was only boasting about himself... Magnus shook his head of such dark thoughts, returning a gentle smile to his lips as he gazed down at the boy. "You should be resting. Your wound will heal faster with lots of bed rest."

"What about yours?" Magnus was walking down a hallway, grin growing wider on his lips as the young boy was close on his heels.

"Mine will heal when yours does." Magnus lifted the youngster up onto his bed, placing him in the middle of it and then removed his boots and weaponry, and placed them all on the floor. He pulled up the silk sheets and comforter and instructed the youngster to lean back into the six pillows.

"Why?" Magnus blinked at the boys question and let out a tiny sigh. Clearly he was not going to go to sleep unless he tried explaining himself to the 8...sorry...10 year old.

"The wound you suffered, whilst I was healing it, it also causes pain to the healer." He watched those blue eyes well up at his explanation. "So in order for me to get better, I need you to get better."

"S-Sorry..." Magnus felt his heart give a tug.

"When I'm fully healed, that is when I know you are fully healed and the poison has left your body entirely. When that happens, I know it is safe for you to be returned to your home. When that time comes I can send a fire message to the Head of the Institute to advise I'll portal close by and return you to them."

"A message to daddy?" Oh... So this boy was indeed not just any shadowhunter but the son of Robert Lightwood. How interesting... "Will you stay with me?"

"Of course young shadowhunter." Magnus snapped his fingers, clothing immediately adjusting to silk pyjamas pants and a robe tied around his waist. He laid above his covers, blinking silently as the youngster held out his left hand to him.

"So we can heal faster together." What a treasure... Magnus enveloped the youngsters hand with his own, watching the boys body give a slight jolt at their connection. He just knew the boy could feel the warmth that rushed between them at their connected hands, his magic radiating between the both of them.

Magnus closed his eyes once he heard the youngster sigh sleepily and pressed his forehead against the boys temple. As Magnus said to Catarina, he would never turn away a child, regardless of their parentage. And even though this one was indeed a shadowhunter, he was indeed the most adorable shadowhunter he'd ever met.

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Magnus heard grumbling at his side, shifting slightly and opened his eyes to look at the wide awake youngster who was sitting up in his bed, hands splayed against his tummy as he was trying to shush it quietly. The sight was very sweet.

"Hungry?" A tiny blush rushed to the boys cheeks, turning his pale skin pink.

"Shall we go and see what I have in my kitchen?" Magnus received a nod of the head, watching the little boy take hold of his hand again and the two of them walked down his hallway and into his open plan living room. They walked together into his kitchen and Magnus lifted him up to sit on a stool and began pulling stuff from his fridge.

"If you can do magic, why are you cooking?"

"What is this 'if' about? I am magic." Magnus commented while rolling his eyes at the young boy. "And if you must know, young shadowhunter, I happen to like cooking."

"Can you teach me?" Magnus arched an eyebrow at that. "So when I go home I can cook something for my mum and dad and my brothers and sister for being away for so long." For so long... The way the boy was healing, he'd be able to send a fire message very soon, so in all sense, he would have been gone for just over 24 hours. Though Magnus assumed that every parent (well aside his own that is) would be absolutely shitting themselves at loosing one of their children.

"Step right up shadowhunter." Magnus conjured up a step stool, watching the boy jump down from the stool and then promptly took a spot right next to him on the small step stool, blue eyes sparkling as he took everything he was saying in, they making a simple bacon, cheese and tomato omelette together.

#

"Ouch..." Magnus jerked his head up, eyes narrowing as he tried glancing through the fogged up glass shower stall of his ensuite. He was currently sitting on his toilet (lid down of course) with one leg crossed over the other and waiting for the boy to finish in the shower. He had smelt like blood, poison and garbage and before returning him to his family, he wanted the youngster to look presentable. After all, to Magnus, looks were very important. As was his job as High Warlock of Brooklyn and anyone under his care would get the very best treatment – this included showering and new clothes.

"Don't scrub too hard little one, it'll be tender for quite sometime."

"It looked really bad when I first saw it." Came the muffled voice behind the glass door.

"But you were smart enough and quick enough to use your healing rune."

"Is that why the scar is so tiny?"

"No, that is warlock magic." Magnus played with his phone, sending a message to Catarina to advise her that the little shadowhunter was nearly recovered and he was soon to send him home...if she cared that is.

"What are these?" Magnus snapped his head up, not even having heard the youngster turn off the taps or open the door and step out of the shower stall. Magnus drifted his gaze down to where the youngster was pointing as he stood in front of him dripping wet.

"When one is healed by a warlock, part of the process of such healing, when it is successful, means you will gain the warlocks signature. In this case, it is my initials against your skin." Magnus explained, even though he was surprised the boy had seen it, since it wasn't an offensive colour or anything, just a tiny shade darker then his pale skin as it was. His eyesight was impeccable.

"What's your name?" Magnus arched an eyebrow, unsure if the youngster completely understood what he said as he wasn't expecting that question at all. He was possibly expecting a temper tantrum for how dare a lowly downworlder touch what the angels had created.

"Magnus Bane, High Warlock of Brooklyn."

"Magnus Bane..." He listened to the youngster repeat as he wrapped a towel around his small body. For a ten year old, he was sort of a runt it seemed, though a very stubborn and brave one at that. Magnus was sure the boy would have a growth spurt and blossom into quite the handsome shadowhunter, filled with power and determination to protect those that were weaker then him. "Cool name." Magnus blinked in surprise at that as the youngster trotted back into his bedroom, placing on the clothing he had conjured up for him, all black, much like the combat style gear he had previously been wearing. No one had ever said that to him before...and it weren't even his real name either...but that was a story for another time.

"So, young shadowhunter, do you think you're well enough to return home?"

"Yes!" He watched the boy place on his boots and then grab his gear. It made Magnus frown that such a little one was geared for war, not even truly being able to experience the joys of being a child. Not that he had a great childhood himself, but such innocence should not be taught the art of war so soon in life.

Magnus placed on his velvet deep blue and gold jacket over his black ensemble, doing up the buttons and took a quick glance at himself in one of his mirrors. Not only were his patients presentable when returned to family or friends, he too made sure to look his best as well. Magnus turned back to the little boy, freezing when blue eyes were looking directly at him. How did such a young child have such a pull on him? It was a little frightening, if Magnus were being honest.

Just gazing into those pretty blue eyes, Magnus realised he wanted to do everything in his power to protect them. Quickly the warlock shook his head and walked out of his bedroom.

"What was that for?" The youngster demanded, thinking his shake of the head was something negative.

"Blades do not suit you." He watched those blue eyes widen.

"I-I'm not weak!" Magnus turned to look at the boy who had frozen on the spot, hands fisted at his sides. "I'm not! I can be tough like Jace!" Magnus dropped to his knees in front of the youngster. Were the Clave and their lackeys so irresponsible to place such pressure on young minds believing they always had to be the very best at everything?

"And you are very tough." He watched those pouting blue eyes look up at him. "You survived a demon attack and poison rushing through your system. Can that Jace say that?" Not that Magnus wanted to cause a rift between this youngster and whoever this Jace was...

"N-No..."

"See, you are tough just like him, maybe tougher!" Magnus offered up to the boy. "When I said blades didn't suit you, young shadowhunter, I meant as your weapon of choice." He watched the youngster glance down at his blessed blade. "Whilst it can always be a backup for you, maybe what you need is a weapon of your own choosing." Having known other shadowhunters, a very long time ago, Magnus knew they could choose their own weapon after a certain time.

"Do you have your angelic rune yet?" He watched the boy shake his head negatively. "When the time comes, make sure to choose a weapon worthy of you."

"I like blades." The boy stubbornly confessed.

"Is that because Jace likes blades?" Eyes dropped to the floor and Magnus waited for the tiny nod of the head. "What else do you like?"

"The bow is pretty cool." Magnus grinned and nodded his head.

"It is very cool. And will be very well suited to your grace and power as a shadowhunter." He watched the boy tilt his head in confusion at his words. "You'll understand when you grow up."

"I'm already grown up!" That brought a grin to Magnus' lips.

"Give yourself another ten years little one, then I'll consider you grown up."

"B-But I'm grown up already!" Magnus arched an eyebrow at the repeated words. "I have to be grown up, to become big and strong and protect my little brothers and sister!" His tiny squeaky voice raised in volume. "Mum says I have to be as I always need to protect my siblings since I'm the big brother." Such pressure on such tiny shoulders...

"And who protects you, little shadowhunter?"

"I...I protect myself. I'm big and strong so I have to always look after myself. Mum says..." Magnus placed his index finger against the youngsters lips, stopping his ranting as he was only getting worked up, those blue eyes welling with a thousand and one tears but stubbornly, not a single one fell down his flushed cheeks.

"Everyone needs someone to protect them, little brave shadowhunters too."

"But my mum..."

"I know..." Magnus interrupted the youngster, knowing the weight that would be on this little boys shoulders, due to his parents expectations, were one of many hurdles he had to face as a young shadowhunter in training. "How about I protect you?" Magnus hadn't realised he was going to say that! Big blue eyes stared silently at him, he was after all, still crouched in front of the youngster. Magnus lifted his hands, swirling them around the youngsters left wrist before a simple black cuff enveloped his pale thin wrist.

"Wow..." It was so cute how astounded he always seemed to be when it came to his magic. Magnus assumed it was because the boy probably hadn't seen a lot of it in his young life so far.

"This is some of my warlock magic, a special protection charm, just for you, which will stretch and grow with you as you get older."

"But..."

"Though you are strong little one, if there is ever a time where you believe you are truly in danger, your inner thoughts will automatically call out to me and a portal will transport me to wherever you are in an instant." Magnus touched a small ear cuff against his left ear, watching those pretty blue eyes widen as it reflected blue light, just as the cuff did around his wrist, their skin equally tingling at the sensation it caused. "Now, shall we get you home little one?" Magnus watched him nod his head and snapping his fingers on his right hand, a portal formed before their eyes. Magnus took a step forward as they were pulled into the vortex and within seconds they were at the fated location as per the fire message he had sent earlier.

"Well, this is quite a welcome." Magnus held the young shadowhunters hand in his larger one and gazed about the grassy field at the back of the abandoned church, counting around twenty shadowhunters with weapons drawn.

"Weapons down!" Boomed a voice of authority.

"Daddy!" The youngster called out to his father. Magnus felt a slight pang in his chest when that tiny little hand let go of his, observing the young boy rush to his fathers embrace. The man spoke in hushed whispers to his son whilst shadowhunters still surrounded him.

Magnus took a single step, weapons immediately drawing up once more and it brought a scowl to his face. He was just going to turn away and leave, not needing this sort of hostility towards himself. Seriously...these shadowhunters were a serious pain in his ass.

"Ma-Magnus!" Magnus turned back around, listened to muffled shouts for the boy not to come near him, but the youngster had freed himself from his fathers protective embrace and came dashing back over. All except you little one... Magnus raised his hand to the shadowhunters who were about to advance on him as he dropped to one knee before the young boy.

"What is it young shadowhunter?"

"Y-You really are magic." He grinned at the youngster before him.

"Of course I am." He gave the adorable blushing boy a tap under his chin and a wink.

"I-I'm Alexander," Magnus arched an eyebrow realising the boy was introducing himself. He lifted his gaze to Robert Lightwood, Head of the Institute, who seemed to be having a mental battle within himself.

Truthfully, he'd not had a run in with the Lightwood family for many years, actually, the last time he saw them was about a decade ago, when his services were requested by the Clave. He had met the Lightwood's, Robert on guard and standing next to his pregnant wife. Ah, so, the future adorable little shadowhunter had just been conceived back then... Magnus drew his gave back to Robert knowing his very thoughts, debating whether he should rush forward to pluck his son from his terrible downworlder clutches or wait patiently for his son to return to his side. "...b-but everyone calls me Alec." Magnus focused his attention back to the young boy in front of him.

"Its a pleasure to meet you Alexander." He watched those blue eyes flash, and for the first time, in over a century, Magnus felt his own eyes widen and his heart once more gave a hearty thump in his chest when young Alec leaned forward, pressing lips against his cheek.

"Thank you for protecting me." He watched the boy rush back to his father, his tiny right hand clutched within his fathers tight grip.

The man gave him a curt nod of the head, knowing he was going to be forever in the warlocks debt, whether he liked it or not.

"Always..." Magnus muttered softly to himself, rising to his full height. Magnus watched Robert take Alec inside the church, his blue eyes not for a moment breaking with his gaze until the door shut closed.

Maybe life was becoming more interesting...

The High Warlock of Brooklyn conjured a portal, watching the various shadowhunters disappear, just as he did, to get far, far away from the New York Institute and a very adorable little shadowhunter.

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End

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