Stronger Than Heaven

Chapter 15

The Apothecary was just as Clary had imagined an apothecary in the 1800s would look. The walls were a faded emerald green with the bottom half dark wood paneling. A counter of the same wood material sat in the middle of the small but quaint shop. Behind it were rows and rows of jars with all kinds of dried flowers, herbs, powders, salts, along with bottles and tinctures of liquid, each labelled in careful, elegant handwriting. There were two long windows on the far right wall with the curtains drawn. The room smelled of wood and sage. It reminded Clary of a tea shop that she frequented in New York.

'Back in modern times,' she thought to herself. 'Or is that... forward in modern times?' She snapped out of her thoughts when Simon spoke up. He was making his way to the rows of jars and tinctures, his eyes scanning through the labels.

"Vampire tears..." he read out loud and swallowed. Clary looked at Jace. His eyebrows were furrowed as he took a step forward, his eyes scanning across the room.

The Apothecary was empty when they walked in and for a second, all fivew stood unsure by the door, looking around curiously. Isabelle, always on high alert, was observing the ceiling and the dark corners, ready to pounce at any time.

"Hello?" Magnus called out towards a closed door in the back of the shop. "Harold, are you here? I was just in here a moment ago and I'd forgotten something."

No answer. Clary could hear her heartbeat in her eardrums and her hands getting damp with nervousness. She jumped when a clanging noise rang through from the other side of the closed door in back of the shop. The noise started getting closer and they all took an instinctive step back.

"Ah yes, Magnus," a voice called out from behind the door. More clanging. The door opened. "What is it that you-" an older gentleman with a mop of messy blonde hair stood at the door and stopped when he realized Magnus was not alone. "Forgot..." he finished hesitantly, looking from Clary to Simon then to Isabelle before his eyes landed curiously on Jace.

He was wearing a green and lilac pinstripe suit with a deep purple vest, his arms full of pots and pans, which explained the clanging. His hair was a mop of curly blonde on top of his head and his eyes...

Jace cocked his head to one side, his forehead relaxing and the look on his face softening. His body tensed as Harold walked towards him, a look of surprise, wonder, and curiosity on his face. "My..." he said softly. "You look just like my father did when I was a little boy."

Clary realized why his eyes were so particular to her. They were the same unique blue and hazel as Jace's. Now that the two gentlemen were standing side by side eyeing each other, it dawned on her that they had an uncanny resemblance. Finally, Jace spoke up, his voice wavering slightly with emotion.

"I... I'm a Herondale, sir," he said softly, though with pride and with a certain look of dignity.

Harold stepped back, still observing Jace before looking over at Clary, Simon, and Isabelle once again. "I'm assuming... and because you're with my good friend Magnus over here who seems to know people of all eras... that you're not from around here. Perhaps... a different time?" He paused for a moment to set the pots and pans down on the counter, turning back to them with the same curious look.

A moment of hesitation passed before Clary spoke. "Well... yes sir. We... we came to see you."

A look of delight broke out on Harold's face and he clasped his hands together. "Wow," he breathed in amazement. "It worked."

Simon looked from Clary to Harold. "You mean your... your time-travelling device, sir?"

"Please, call me Harold, the four of you," he exclaimed, looking at the Clary, Jace, Isabelle, and Simon in wonderment. "What year are you from?"

"The 21st century, 2019" Simon replied, a big grin on his face. "It's a mess. 10/10 would not recommend it. And your device is incredible."

"Well, that device wouldn't exist without the help of my friend Magnus over here," Harold grinned, putting a hand on Magnus' shoulder. "You are the Magnus from this time, right?" he added.

Magnus nodded. "Indeed."

That's why Magnus knew how to work the device, Clary thought to herself.

Harold turned to Jace once again, his eyes bright and shining. "Now that would mean..." he paused and observed Jace with honour. "You, my boy, are my great great grandson."

Jace took a breath and stood straight. "It would appear so sir... uh, Harold."

Harold smiled knowingly and nodded. "Now... what is it that I can help you ladies and gentlemen with?"

"Well sir... Harold," Jace started, looking over at Clary who gave him a reassuring smile. "We've read your story about... about you and the love of your life."

Harold smiled fondly. "Charlotte."

Isabelle, who had been quietly watching the scene unfold in front of her, finally spoke up. "Out of curiosity, are you two still together?"

"Oh yes, of course," Harold nodded. "In fact, we're expecting our first child soon," he added with a grin. Clary felt Jace relax beside her and a spark of hope ignited in her heart. Harold looked from Jace to Clary. "From your demeanor, I can tell you two are in love." Clary's expression softened and she nodded.

"Yes... although I, I don't remember anything about the Shadow World or my relationship with Jace. Much like Charlotte. We're not supposed to be here together... I'm not supposed to have runes or be a Shadowhunter... and we're afraid the angels will have a more severe punishment for this again."

"Please," Jace spoke up. "Tell us what you did to retrieve her memories. Charlotte was banished from the Shadow World... How did you two end up together again? How did you convince the angels to bring her memories back?"

"It's very simple actually..." Harold began. "When you tamper with the work of the angels and the fate of the Shadow World, there are going to be ramifications, of course. The law is hard but it is the law, as you know. If you notice... I have no runes on my body. Nor does Charlotte... at least, not anymore. As I stand here in front of you, I can tell you this. I own this Apothecary. We needed to move forward, move on from our lives as Shadowhunters and this shop has been serving us well since we made the decision..."

The realization hit Clary all at once. She assumed that it did for Jace too because he took a step back in surprise. "You... you chose to be banished also," she said softly, her chest tightening. "You chose to relinquish your duties as a Shadowhunter so you can be together."

Harold smiled and nodded. "It was the best decision I've ever made."

Just then, the door of the Apothecary burst open. It was 21st century Magnus. Harold looked taken aback. 21st century Magnus nodded at him. "Hello Harold my dear friend, nice to see you again in the flesh," he grinned before turning to Jace, Clary, Simon, Isabelle, and 18th century Magnus. "The good news is, I found Alec. The bad news is, I can't get to him without your help and we have about two hours left to rescue him, give your clothes back to whoever owns it, and manage to stick together to get back home." With a snap of his finger, a portal formed out of thin air. "We gotta go."

Clary looked from Jace to Simon and Isabelle. "You go on first," Jace said to her. "I'll follow you." She nodded and made her way towards the portal. Before she stepped in, she looked back to glance once more at Harold. He and Jace were speaking with hushed voices, a conversation she never heard a word of before stepping into the portal.