"Funny," said Ted, looking around. "You'd think the Forest would have looked a little different so many years ago. But it looks exactly the same as before to me. What do you think, Alec?"

Alec squirmed carefully out of the necklace that was chained around both their necks. He regarded it with a sort of queasy apprehension. "I think," he said, taking in the penumbral shadows around them, "that traveling through time is much, much creepier than traveling through space, whether it's in a fireplace or with you."

"Don't be such a killjoy," Ted scoffed. "Come on, you have to admit this is fascinating. It's the first interesting History lesson I've ever had, and I've graduated."

"I don't know about that. How many years have we traveled, again?"

"Twenty-something, I think." Ted screwed up his eyes, squinting at the hourglass on the necklace. "Give or take a few years, I guess. I didn't really know how to use this time-turner thing."

This surprised Alec. "Don't you learn in class?"

"Ha! Class? No." Ted looked equally bemused. "What gave you that idea?"

"Well, there were so many of them in that room. I thought it was a classroom or something. I mean, if you learn to do things like Disapparation, I thought it stood to reason you'd have classes in time-travel as well."

Ted laughed, shaking his head. "We don't. Only the smartest witches and wizards are supposed to meddle with time-travel. That room near the tapestry... well, it's complicated, but basically it gives you stuff you really want. If I'd gone in there asking for an extra wand for you, it probably would have given me one."

"Bummer. I could have used one of those." Alec smiled wryly. "Is it just me, or is night-time twenty-something years ago a little brighter than night-time is nowadays? For instance, tonight is as bright as a night of..."

He trailed off abruptly, the color suddenly draining from his face. Almost against his will, he looked up – and there, hanging in the deep blue sky and as milky white as a pearl, was –

"The full moon," Ted whispered. The smile disappeared from his face. "As bright as a night of the full moon... Alec," he said suddenly. "Alec, I think I got it wrong. Maybe we didn't go back around twenty years. Maybe we went forward just over twenty days..."

"Ted Lupin," said Alec, "I could kill you."

And then a searing pain shot down his spine; he heard Ted curse; felt his skin melting, his bones breaking. He heard a howl in the distance, a howl that sounded eerily human – and then a howl much nearer – and then a cry, a human cry – his name? His name! – he spun around –

x

– "Alec!" Isabelle shrieked, running.

Harry caught her and held her back. "He won't know you," he said urgently. "He'll kill you. Or turn you into a werewolf."

"Of course he'll know me!" said Isabelle furiously. "He's my brother!"

"Your brother who has just turned into a werewolf. He's not –"

Isabelle launched a savage backwards kick at Harry. He yelped, and let her go. "Ouch!"

She and Jace ran toward the hideous thing that was Alec, with Clary and Magnus following close behind. Halfway there, Jace skidded to a halt. He stared at a point somewhere behind the two werewolves.

"Crap," he said. "Why are there four of them?"

"Because," said Harry, who was shooting jets of light in every direction, "those two are Ted and Alec now, except they've traveled to the future, and those two" – indicating the two emerging shapes – "are the Ted and Alec from the future."

"I have no idea what the hell you're talking about," Jace said decisively. "But man, they're hideous." He started forward again. "Hold the other three off!" he called over his shoulder.

Hexes, jinxes, and other things Jace hadn't thought existed were being blasted everywhere, and Magnus was using bizarre magic of his own to hold off the other Alec and the two Teds.

Jace's fingers curled around a short knife in his belt. He prayed that he wouldn't have to use it, but as he looked at the werewolf five feet away, his grip on the handle tightened.

"Alec," he said tentatively, and then realized he had no idea what to do.

Remind him of who he is. Return him to consciousness.

"Alec," Jace said again. "Um. Hi. It's me."

"Ugh," said Isabelle, and whacked Jace across the shoulder, shoving him aside. She yanked Clary forward. "Alec, it's us," she said, a little desperately. "Izzy, and –"

The werewolf howled. Isabelle gave a small scream and backed away, pulling Clary with her. "It's not working," she cried, and the werewolf came forward, raising a set of gnarled claws...

x

Clary couldn't think straight. She glanced desperately at Magnus – Magnus, who always seemed to know what to do –

– and then it came to her, as quickly and as clearly as though an image had been dropped into her head by magic. She was in Magnus Bane's flat, for the very first time, and he was showing her a rune from the Gray Book. She remembered its heavy, translucent pages on her lap, remembered the inky black rune...

Jace's voice: Magnus showed you the rune for understanding and remembrance.

She didn't stop to think. Whipping out her stele, she began to trace the rune on the air. She wondered if it would work if it wasn't actually applied onto Alec's skin, but it had worked on her, hadn't it?

With a few last frantic strokes, the rune was finished. She held her breath, watching –

x

Alec remembered.

x

He howled once. The pain was ebbing away, slowly but surely. His thoughts were returning to human ones. When he glanced at himself, he saw his bones reforming, saw his elongated limbs return to human arms and legs; and, underneath the light of the full moon, he stood. Human again.

Around him – chaos.

x

Then there was a pair of familiar arms around him.

"Alec," said Magnus roughly, and kissed him, none too gently. Alec felt the warlock's fingernails digging into his skin. Magnus held him there for a moment, quietly.

The world swum out of focus.

x

"Go send this up to the hospital wing for me, will you, Soren?"

"Owls carrying mail. Really, all the stories are true, after all."

"They are, Magnus, aren't they? But some stories are kept secret for a reason."

"Oh, I know. Nobody knows that better than I do, actually. But my Alec keeps secrets well, trust me. I suffered a long time for that very reason... anyway, it doesn't matter. I can take care of the others. Modifying memories is one of my specialties."

"Sadly, wizarding law requires that you allow me to do that for Alec."

"Yes, Harry, you've told me that a few times already. I trust you remember the deal we made."

"Certainly. It's been a pleasure knowing you, Magnus. I have faith in the promise you made, and you can rest assured I'll keep my side of the bargain. Knowledge and memory are precious things... I'm glad we don't have to sacrifice them."

"Are those his memories?"

"Yes."

"You've extracted Ted's already?"

"Not yet. I will, when he's recovered a bit more... here you go."

"And the..."

"The Pensieve? Here."

"Thank you... isn't it pretty."

x

"That party was wild," said Isabelle, groaning. "Can you even remember any of it?" she asked of nobody in particular.

"I never forget the best bits, no matter how drunk I am," said Magnus gloatingly. "I'm not even hungover today."

"We all know what you spent the night doing, Magnus, and it wasn't drinking," Jace said, ignoring Alec's murderous scowl. "I, for one, don't remember anything except various make-outs and punch-outs."

Magnus was chuckling. "Do you remember anything, Alec?"

Alec shook his head. He was frowning at a slip of paper, folding it and unfolding it. "I don't remember anything," he said confusedly. "I think someone gave this to me, but I don't..."

"What's that?" Jace leaned over curiously.

"Haven't the foggiest. Found it in my pocket."

"Maybe you were drunk," Isabelle suggested. "Nothing's possible. I mean everything's impossible – hang on..."

Jace shot her a disgusted glance and began to read from Alec's note.

"Alec," he said. "You will have forgotten me by the time you read this. I will have forgotten you, too. I'm sorry, but it's better this way. My world and yours don't mix. At least I got permission to write you a note first, though it won't help in any practical way, I guess. I never found a cure, but thanks for trying. I won't make much sense to you, but I am as much my father as my mother now, and there is some comfort to be gained from that. Yours, Ted."

Alec looked thoroughly baffled. "I'm pretty sure I wasn't drunk," he said uncomfortably. "I never get drunk. And besides, I was, er, busy."

Magnus snickered.

"What's funny?" Alec asked, looking at the little vial which Magnus was carefully examining. It contained a sort of silvery liquid, or gas, that moved in swirls. "Where did you get that from?"

Magnus smiled. He pocketed the vial and leaned back in his chair, eyes glinting mischievously.

"One day," he said, "I will tell you all about it."

FIN.

The Mortal Instruments series was written by Cassandra Clare, and the Harry Potter series was written by Joanne Kathleen Rowling.

CAMEO APPEARANCES

Serafina the vampire, in Chapter One, is Serafina Pekkala from His Dark Materials [Philip Pullman], with her daemon goose Kaisa.

Alice the vampire, in Chapter Two, is Alice Cullen from Twilight [Stephenie Meyer].

In Chapter Three, the Farid & Dustfinger mentioned on the bottled fire are the Farid & Dustfinger from Inkheart [Cornelia Funke].

In Chapter Four and later chapters, Hester Shaw the witch aviator is Hester Shaw from Mortal Engines [Philip Reeve].

In Chapter Five and later chapters, Sol the cat is Sol from Warrior Cats: Power of Three [Erin Hunter].

In Chapter Six, George the leopard is George from Lionboy [Zizou Corder].

In Chapter Seven, Soren the owl is Soren from Guardians of Ga'Hoole [Kathryn Lasky].

Thanks a lot to everyone who has stayed with me till this last chapter. It means more than you know! :) Hope you've enjoyed the story.

Team Alec! ;P