January 19th, 2012

Greetings! You're probably wondering why I've taken so bloody long to update. Well, the answer is a bit complicated, and mostly involves us moving, again, and me going back to school to finish my AA (finally). The last few months (more like most of the year...) have been a bit difficult. Work has been hard to find, and we've been struggling a bit.

I've decided that I wanted to make some changes to this story before I can continue it. I'm currently loading my edits, and hopefully they will lead to a better story. I sincerely apologize for the long wait.

To Mend a Broken Heart

Chapter 1

It was now late summer; most of the flowers were beginning to fade, and leaves were starting to lose their brilliance. The heat was still part of daily life, however, the fall season not yet on the horizon. The hot sun beat down on Kagome as she climbed out of the well to the Feudal Era, giving her a slight surreal look. This was always her favorite season to be in the past. The sun was always shining, she didn't have to worry about school as much, and the group was always in a good mood; even Inuyasha. He still had his moments, usually when Shippo bothered him, or if she asked to go home for a few days. Originally, she had planned on being home for a week, but this time, something in the back of her mind told her she should return early. Usually trusting her instincts, she returned to the past after only three days.

Reaching the Goshinboku, she gave it a quick glance before heading off toward the village. Memories of when she first arrived always made their way into her head as she passed by the God tree. It all seemed so long ago now, and at the time it seemed like the end of the world, but thinking on it now, she realized it was probably one of the best things that had happened to her. She had never really given much thought before about history, and how certain actions could change what happened in the future. What would have happened if she hadn't gone into the past? The city of Tokyo was relatively devoid of demons in her time; some still showed up once in a while, but because of new techniques they were able to blend in a bit better. At least, that's what she thought.

Today was Kagome's first day of Summer vacation, and she needed to make sure they had enough supplies before they left on another jewel shard hunt. Knowing Inuyasha, he'd want to leave as soon as she arrived at Lady Kaede's hut. She knew that she would have to explain why she had taken so long to come back, but she really didn't care. It was a beautiful day and nothing would ruin her good mood. 'Well, maybe not nothing…' she though bitterly. 'I wonder if Inuyasha's heard news of her yet…'

During her trip home this time, Kagome took some time to really think about what she wanted. She hadn't really thought about it much, having been too busy finding the jewel and splitting her time between the past and the present. When she asked her mom for advice, she had said to "take every opportunity that comes your way with grace, and an open mind. You never know what might come from a new experience." Her mom always seemed to know what to say when she was faced with a dilemma, and for that she was thankful. Ultimately, she had come to realize that perhaps her future held something more than just trying to get by in school and dealing with Inuyasha. Kaede had once told her that she was destined for great things, not because she was Kikyo's reincarnation, but because of her own power. "Much of your power remains unknown yet." Kaede had said. "It's up to you to discover your powers, and learn to control them."

'I still don't really know what I want,' Kagome thought to herself, 'but at least I can now let my tired mind rest.'

The village was quiet that day; no demon activity had been seen for the past few days and the group was starting to get restless. Shippo had been annoying Inuyasha ever since Kagome had left for her era, wondering when she was coming back and, as usual, Inuyasha would get pissed and run off somewhere. Miroku was, as usual, flirting with the village women, which made Sango angry and she would beat him until she was satisfied. On any normal day it would have been amusing, but because of the lack of activity, everyone was noticeably tense.

And that's how Kagome found her friends.

"You know Sango, one day he's going to become immune to your beatings." Kagome said playfully as she dragged her friend off the monk.

"I can always try!" Sango exclaimed, huffing in anger. "There's no reason for him to chase after every woman that walks by."

Kagome shook her head. She knew Sango was just jealous and really did care for the monk, but she was having too much fun watching the two bicker all the time to really say or do anything. Even Shippo knew what was going on, though he was still a child. "Where's Shippo and Inuyasha?" she asked, looking around.

"Shippo's inside with Kaede-sama. Something about herbs…" Sango said. "As for Inuyasha, I haven't seen him since this morning. He just up and left toward the woods, saying he would be back by mid afternoon."

"Oh. Okay." Kagome looked sad for a moment, but covered it up quickly with a smile. "I'll go get him. I bet he's over by the Goshinboku."

"Wait, Kagome! Should I go with you?" Sango asked, reaching for her boomerang.

Kagome shook her head, smiling. "I'll only be gone a few minutes. I'll be fine. Here." She handed Sango her backpack. "There are some herbs in there that Kaede-sama would like. And give Shippo the candy bar in there too. I'm sure he'll love that."

"Sure. Come back soon, okay?"

Kagome walked away, waving behind her acknowledging the request. She knew exactly what would happen when she got back. Shippo would jump on her, excitedly telling her about all what happened while she was gone and show her his new drawing, Kaede would probably ask about the uses of the unusual herbs she brought back, and everyone else would start to prepare the evening meal. Such was the routine during the times they stayed in the village.

She continued walking, starting to get a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, like something was going to happen. She wasn't sure, but she felt another presence besides Inuyasha. Only having memorized the auras of her friends, she couldn't tell who the other was, but she decided to slow down and try and catch them. Rounding the corner of trees, she found a small clearing where she found Inuyasha and Kikyo and a tight embrace. She quickly jumped behind a try, not wanting to be noticed.

"…I've always loved you! Why can't you see that?" Inuyasha's voice said. "No one else matters."

"What about my reincarnation? You forget Inuyasha, I've seen the way you look at her. Why should I believe you when the way you look at her tells me you love her more?" Kikyo pushed Inuyasha away, glaring at him.

"She's nothing to me! She's just here to help gather the shards of the Shikon no Tama! As soon as we've got them all, I'll get rid of her." Inuyasha said.

Kagome couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was that all she was? A shard detector? Had he just been playing with her emotions all those times he'd cared for her when she was sad or hurt? Tears started to gather in her eyes, though she did not let them fall, as she continued to watch.

"What if we just got rid of her now?" Kikyo said in a monotone voice. "I could do it, and it would look like an accident. Then we could be together."

"The others would never believe me that it was you. They would instantly blame me." Inuyasha countered.

"What does it matter Inuyasha? Do you love me or not? If I kill the girl, I get my soul back. I won't last long in this shell of a body without the rest of my soul. If you truly love me, you'll let me kill her." Kikyo replied back icily.

Inuyasha nodded. "Fine."

"Good. Here she is now." Kikyo turned toward Kagome with an icy glare, making her freeze, unable to move. "I know you heard everything, girl. You'll finally get what you deserve." She turned toward Inuyasha who was still surprised to see Kagome standing there.

"No, I won't." Kagome said, her voice calm, betraying nothing of what she really felt. Turning to Inuyasha, she gave him a tired glare. "Is this what you really think of me? I'm just a "jewel detector?" When he glanced down at his feet with a guilt stricken look, Kagome turned to leave, not wanting to hear anymore. "I'm going home. Goodbye Inuyasha. I hope I never have to see you again. Don't bother following me, and don't even try and take the shards." She turned and started to walk away.

Inuyasha, hearing that she was taking the shards, growled in anger. "Bitch! You're not leaving here without first giving me those shards!"

Kagome turned. "You want them? Come get them." With that, she started running.

She ran blindly, trying to wipe away the tears that were starting to sting her eyes. 'He hates me. He really hates me. At least he's getting what he wants, and I hope he's happy with his choice…' She thought of all the things she hadn't said to him; how much she had loved him, wanted to be with him always. It all seemed so foolish now. She thought of her friends, her second family, and what they would do if they knew what just happened. She wouldn't leave forever, but maybe it was best if she left for a while.

As she came into view of the well, she felt something pierce her back, making her stumble to the ground, screaming in pain. She turned, and saw Kikyo not far behind her holding her bow, getting ready to launch another arrow. Kagome gritted her teeth, getting up slowly, wincing at the arrow lodged in her back. "I will not surrender to you." she said angrily. Before she could turn around and head for the well, she felt claws pierce her shoulder and deep into her side. She screamed, feeling the blood start to pour from her body. She fell to the ground, wincing at the pain. "I-Inu-Inuyasha…" She looked up, seeing Inuyasha's glaring face.

"Give me the jewel!" he shouted.

"NO!" Kagome jumped up again, grabbing her side to control the blood, and jumped down the well. As the familiar light surrounded her, she started to lose consciousness, but she thought she heard voices below her. 'If this isn't home, let it be somewhere where I can be at peace…' and she knew no more…

A new year was beginning at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and the sorting ceremony had just been completed. Harry Potter was anxiously awaiting Dumbledore's speech so that they could begin the feast. His friend next to him, Ron Weasley, looked just as anxious. They were now in their fifth year and thankful to be back, especially Hermione, who was looking forward to starting the new school year. Each year, she took on way more than she could handle and they'd tried and failed every year to keep her out of the library for more than a week.

Dumbledore stood up at the head table, ready to make his speech for the newcomers. "Welcome, students, to another year at Hogwarts. I'm sure you are all looking forward to getting to know your new fellow classmates and begin studying, but for now, tuck in."

As he began to sit down to signal the feast to begin, a swarm of clouds started swirling in the night sky, and a flashing blue light filled the ceiling. As the light got brighter, a young girl fell from the enchanted ceiling and onto the Gryffindor table in front of Harry with a loud crash before falling off the table, onto the floor. A few students screamed before the hall fell silent, waiting to see if it was a trick. When no one moved, students started to panic. Harry was the first to react, immediately jumping up from his seat and kneeling to help the young woman. As others tried to get away or get closer, Harry touched her shoulder to pull her toward him. The first thing he noticed was that she was covered in blood, wounds scattered across her body, and an arrow sticking out of her back. Her outfit, which appeared to be some kind of school uniform, was torn and tattered, exposing the deep cuts along her arm and side. Her face was covered by her hair, which had fallen in front of her face. As Harry tried to move her, he heard a pained whimper and saw her bloodied hands clench slightly before she tried to get up herself. Her body shook as she tried to stand, only getting to her knees.

Slightly startled that she was trying to move herself, Harry reached out again to try and steady her, but her body gave up, and she fell limp against the cold floor.

Dumbledore quickly stood up. "Everyone, please follow the prefects to your dormitories immediately!" He shouted over the commotion.

There was a surge of movement as all the students tried to leave the Great Hall at once, pushing and shoving to get out as quickly as possible. Harry turned to leave reluctantly, wanting to know if the girl was okay, but as Ron and Hermione started pulling him away from her, he knew it would be better to let the teachers handle the situation. They looked back, watching as the professors made their way quickly over the young girl and lifting her onto a stretcher, some of the teachers talking quickly to each other with panicked expressions.

Dumbledore looked down at the young girl as they placed her onto a stretcher, carefully avoiding the arrow lodged in her back. She looked as if she had just come from battle, though as to what kind, he wasn't sure. He took his wand out from his robes and began to float the stretcher to the Hospital wing. She needed treatment, and fast.

"Poppy, please help me with this child." He said calmly.

Madame Pomfrey got out of her daze at her name. "O-of course!" She quickly made her way over to the young girl and helped the Headmaster move her without causing too much movement. "I wonder how in God's name this happened to her! She looks no older than fifteen!" She moved a stray hair out of the girl's face to get a better look at her. "I'm surprised she even survived that fall." she said.

"Albus, what should we do?" Professor McGonagall asked, still shaken.

"That's simple enough. She must stay here. She obviously has some magical ability, otherwise it would've been impossible to appear here the way she did. Though, I'm still puzzled myself as to how she appeared at all." He pondered as they walked up the stairs to the Hospital Wing.

They carefully laid the mysterious girl on one of the beds, turning her onto her side to avoid the arrow still protruding from her back. "Poppy, I'll leave her in your care." Dumbledore said. "Notify me, however, when she awakes. I would like to have a word with her."

Madame Pomfrey nodded dumbly, and pulled a curtain around the bed so that she could treat the girl's many injuries. The rest of the professors followed Dumbledore out of the room, quietly shutting the door behind them.

Sighing, Madame Pomfrey started undressing the girl to get better access to her wounds. Magically removing her bloddied top, she looked at the arrow in her back, gasping slightly at how deep it seemed to be. 'It's a wonder she's still alive! Who would do such a thing?'

To minimize the pain of removing the arrow, she used a small numbing spell and carefully removed it. She heard the girl whimper slightly as the arrow was removed, but that was the only sound that came from her. Muttering a quick healing spell, she was surprised to see that nothing happened. She tried another spell, but again, nothing happened. "I guess I'll be healing her the old fashioned way." She muttered. She grabbed a numbing salve and spread some on each wound before carefully bandaging her wounds and dressed her in a pair of flannel pajamas, carefully laying her on her back and covered her with the blanket.

That was all she could do. It was now up to the girl to heal on her own.

"Who do you think she was?" Hermione asked as they sat in the Gryffindor common room. "Her wounds looked pretty bad."

"I don't know…maybe she got into some kind of fight and was sent here accidentally by her attacker?" Ron mused.

"Doubtful." Hermione said, looking through her book on transportation spells. "There's no spell in here that says that it's possible. I can't find any. There must be some sort of explanation. I mean, it's impossible to get onto the school grounds through magic."

"What if…what if she wasn't sent here on purpose?" Harry thought aloud. "What if it was a mistake that she ended up here? Is it possible that she was trying, or someone else was trying, to send her somewhere else?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Yes, that seems more likely. I'm sure we'll find out later."

"Hermione, did you notice anything strange about her injuries?" Harry said suddenly.

"No. Why?"

"There was an arrow sticking out of her back. I don't think anyone uses those kinds of weapons anymore. Not unless she's from a different country." Harry pointed out. "And those cuts on her arm and side. They were claw marks. I've never seen anything like that before."

"What if it was some kind of monster from another dimension?" Ron blurted.

Hermione glared. "Be serious Ronald. That doesn't even make sense."

"Let's get to bed guys. We have about 3 days before classes start and I want to go visit Hagrid tomorrow."

They bade each other goodnight, and headed toward their dormitories. Harry still pondered silently about the strange girl. Who was she? Where was she from? There were so many questions and no way to possibly answer them. There was one continuous thought that went though his head though. 'I hope she's okay…'

Kagome slowly opened her eyes, quickly shutting them again at the brightness. She wasn't sure how long she'd been out or where she was, all she knew as that she hurt all over and she couldn't move without feeling pain. She looked over to her right and on the table by her bedside was her uniform, tattered and bloody. At least wherever she was, someone had the decency to put her in pajamas instead of leaving her unclothed. That was typical in the feudal era. Moving her head to look around some more, she noticed multiple beds along the wall.

'A hospital?' As she tried to sit up, a sharp pain shocked her body, causing her to wince and fall back onto the bed. Taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down, she once again tried to sit up. This time she succeeded, though slowly and painfully. 'I don't think I'm in Japan anymore…' she thought to herself. Looking down at herself, she noticed that she was in a pair of warm flannel pajamas and her injuries had been bandaged. 'It could've been a lot worse…I could be dead right now.' she thought, remembering how Kikyo had shot her with an arrow.

Madame Pomfrey, noticing that Kagome was up and awake, immediately and quickly went to go and check on her. "Oh my goodness, you're up! How do you feel? You gave us all quite a scare when you fell from the ceiling, dear."

Kagome looked at her caretaker. 'I fell from a ceiling?' "I-I don't know…my back hurts, and my side feels like it's on fire. Other than that I feel fine."

Madame Pomfrey looked shocked for a moment, and then smiled gently. "You were in pretty rough shape. I wasn't sure you were going to survive the night. What's your name, dear?"

Kagome looked up. She'd been trying to find out how she ended up here, wherever that was, and not back in her home. "Oh, sorry. I'm Kagome. Where am I exactly? I don't seem to be at home…"

"Well, Kagome, it's very nice to meet you. You may call me Madame Pomfrey. You're in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Kagome looked at her dumbly. "Magic? But…where am I? What country? What year?"

"Why, you're in England and it's 2010. Why do you ask?"

"It's just…the way I left where I was…it normally sends me to my house in Japan. At least the year is the same…"

"Well, I don't think I could be of much help to you, but I know the Headmaster would like to have a word with you. I'll go and get him and let him know you're up."

"Thank you so much. Um…Madame Pomfrey-san? W-would it be at all possible to get something to eat as well? I'm a bit hungry."

"Of course, dear. I'll get one of the students to bring you something. Breakfast should be about done now I think."

The nurse left the room quickly, leaving Kagome to ponder her thoughts. She was still confused as to how she got here, not knowing why the well didn't send her home. Still thinking about how she should go about getting home to her family, she gingerly laid back down onto the pillow, waiting for whoever was to bring her breakfast. 'I still feel so tired though. Healing takes too much energy. Maybe I'll just close my eyes for a minute...' Kagome closed her eyes, and almost instantly fell asleep, her mind wandering back to events that led to her arrival.

On her way to the Headmaster's office, Madame Pomfrey spotted Harry coming back from the Great Hall holding a few pieces of toast.

"Potter, could you take those up to the Hospital Wing and give them to that young girl? She needs something to eat; I'm on my way to get Dumbledore."

Harry blinked a few times before nodding. "Uhh…sure."

He made his way up to the Hospital Wing, passing by a few friends along the way who were just now heading to breakfast. He nodded or waved in politeness, but didn't stop for idle chat. He wanted to see if he could talk to the girl before Dumbledore got there. When he opened the door, he noticed that the girl had fallen asleep. He was a little disappointed; he had been hoping to get a chance to talk to her.

'Oh well. I'll just leave this here and be on my way.' He thought.

He quietly set the breakfast items down on the side table and was about to leave when he heard her mumble something. He turned quickly, seeing if she was awake.

"N-no…don't…" she started tossing, wincing as she did so. It looked like a nightmare, and Harry had no idea what to do. If he didn't do anything, she could reopen her wounds, but if he did do something, he could make her mad if she woke up. "Stop…please…I-Inuyasha…leave me alone…" She began tossing even more, so Harry made the quick decision. He gently helped her into a sitting position and held her, moving some of her hair out of her face.

"No one's going to hurt you. You're safe." He whispered. She started trying to get away, using her injured arm to try and push him away. "Hey, you're okay, it's just a dream, wake up."

Kagome whimpered slightly at the pain that was returning to her back and side and opened her eyes, looking up at Harry with scared eyes.

"Are you okay?" He looked at her with concerned eyes.

Kagome nodded, wincing slightly. "I-I'm okay." She said, trying to move away from him, not really trusting him.

"Here, let me help you." He moved her pillow up against the back of the bed and proceeded to help her lean against it, mindful of the wound on her back.

Kagome looked at him for a moment, using her miko powers to read his aura. Though she felt drained from using even that small amount of energy, she decided that he wasn't going to harm her. "Thank you." she said quietly.

"Oh," he grabbed the toast he had brought up and handed it to her, "I brought you some breakfast. It's not much, but it's what I had."

Kagome smiled slightly. "Thank you...umm..."

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter." He was surprised when she didn't react to his name. He was so used to having people fawn over him all the time that he sometimes forgot that there were people who didn't know who he was. For once, it was welcome and he was glad.

"Thank you very much for your kindness Harry-san. I'm Kagome." She gave him a small smile.

"We're not interrupting anything here are we?" a voice came from the entrance.

Harry got up immediately and turned. "Professor Dumbledore, sir! I was just bringing Kagome some breakfast."

"Yes, Poppy mentioned something about someone bringing up something for our young guest. Now, if you will, I think I saw your friends looking for you down the hall." He winked and made his way over to a chair next to the bed.

Kagome watched as Harry left, almost sad to see him go. There was something about him that was different. 'His aura is calming. There's something different about him.' she thought.

"Well my dear, you seem to have caught the attention of the entire school. You're the latest news spreading around." Dumbledore said with a slight chuckle.

Kagome looked down. "I'm sorry for disrupting anything here. I had no idea that the well would transport me here."

"There's no need to be sorry, my dear. But, what's this about a well?"

"The Bone-eater's well. It's a well that's on the grounds of my home. I was…I was trying to escape from someone." She said.

"Escape from who? Where is your home? Perhaps if you told me a bit of your story so that I may understand better how you came here."

She looked up at him, and sighed. "Please promise first that what you hear won't leave this room." she said quietly. "The only people who know who and what I am are my family, and I like to keep it that way."

Dumbledore eyed her carefully, as if trying to read her thoughts before he smiled and nodded. "You have no need to fear. What is said here will remain in confidence with me."

Kagome nodded. "What I'm about to tell you, most people wouldn't believe. I had a hard time believing it myself." She looked at him with a look of determination. "I am Kagome Higurashi - miko, time traveler, and keeper of the Shikon jewel." She saw his eyes widen slightly in recognition, but he remained silent. "Just before arriving here, I was in feudal Japan, though I am from this time period. I was returning from gathering supplies for our travels, when someone I thought was my friend tried to kill me." She looked at her lap to try and hide her distress. The well is my connection to the past. I remember falling in, trying to get home, but I guess I ended up here. I can guess from your look of recognition that you've heard of me, if only stories."

"Yes." Dumbledore nodded, his eyebrows knitted together thoughtfully. "I am aware of the stories surrounding the fabled Shikon jewel and its keeper. I knew them to be true, but never really knew the extent of its truth." He looked at Kagome with a kind smile. "You've been through a lot. I can understand why you would've wanted the well to lead somewhere safe, such as your home. Might I ask, are you aware of any magical ability that you might have hidden?" Dumbledore asked.

"I don't know. I only know that I'm a miko and have the ability to purify demons. Why do you ask?"

"I can think of no other way that you appeared here. It certainly wasn't by accident and it's impossible to enter this school unless you have some magical ability." He explained. "Now, if you would like, I could arrange for you to start school here and learn how to use those abilities. It's up to you though. I understand if you would rather go home."

Kagome thought about it for a moment. If she stayed, she would be able to possibly learn more about herself. She was also afraid to go home. Inuyasha was still able to get through the well and might come after her. 'And maybe I'll be able to go back one day soon and fulfill my promise to Miroku and Sango. Besides, there must be some reason why I was brought here.' She looked at Dumbledore, determination in her eyes. "I'll stay." She said. "But, I must get home to explain what's going on to my family. Is there any way I can get to Japan from here?"

"Certainly. I'll set up a portkey that will take us directly. I do think you should wait at least one more day before you try and move. Madame Pomfrey said your wounds were quite serious."

Kagome looked down. "This should never have happened. Things were supposed to be different." she said sadly, tears forming in her eyes.

Dumbledore put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm truly sorry about what has happened."

Kagome shook her head. "I should have known it was too good to be true." She looked up at Dumbledore. "I would like to go back today, if that's possible. I don't care about my wounds. The longer I wait to go home, the more my family will worry about me. And my friends too. I have to let them know."

The headmaster looked at her thoughtfully. Seeing the determination in her eyes, he decided she could go. "I'll have a portkey set up within a half hour to take you to your home. And I'll have Madame Pomfrey bring you a spare uniform."

"Thank you."

Dumbledore nodded and left to find Madame Pomfrey, leaving Kagome alone once again. 'I wonder how mom is going to respond to this...' She chuckled slightly. Things were starting to look better already.

"This should take us directly to your front door. Be warned though, the ride is a bit jerky so hold on tight." Dumbledore said as he held out an old newspaper, which would be used to transport them to Japan.

Kagome nodded. She wondered how her family would react to her. She'd only been gone for a day or so. 'I bet now they wouldn't let me go back to the feudal era even if I begged them. Not after what happened.' she thought, frowning slightly as she grabbed a corner of the paper.

She felt a sharp jerk near her nose and was suddenly pulled forward, surrounded by a blinding light. She closed her eyes, and before she knew it, she was on solid ground again, standing directly in front of her doorstep. "Wow. Is all transportation like that?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Not all of it. Just wait until you start flying on a broomstick."

Kagome grinned. She'd always wanted to be able to fly.

"Well, are we going in?"

"Oh, of course." She opened the door with her good arm, leading them into her home. "Okaa-san! Jii-chan! Souta! I'm home!"

A moment later, a woman slightly taller than Kagome with short, curly hair came into the room. "Kagome! What are you doing back? We didn't expect you for at least another week."

"I know…but…something happened." Kagome looked nervous. "I…"

Mrs. Higurashi looked at her daughter, noticing the white bandages that adorned her arm and went up her shirt. "What happened? Are you okay?" She rushed over to her, looking her over when she noticed Dumbledore behind her. "Hello there. Who are you?"

"Good day Mrs. Higurashi, I'm Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm here on the behalf of your daughter and would like to ask if it would be suitable for her to attend my school."

"Oh, of course! Why don't I make us a cup of tea and we can discuss this in the living room. I apologize for the mess ahead of time. Souta, my son, woke up late and just left for school."

"It's quite alright. Now, shall we?"

Mrs. Higurashi led them into a fairly large room with some comfy chairs and couches, inviting them to sit down. "I'll go make some tea."

"Okaa-san? I'm going to make a quick trip over to the feudal era. I...forgot something." Kagome said hurriedly. "You go ahead and start without me."

"Sure, dear. Hurry back." Mrs. Higurashi watched as her daughter walked out of the house and towards the well. Noticing the wince she gave when her body moved a certain way. She looked at the door her daughter walked out of with a worried look. Something must have happened. Turning to her guest, she gave a sad smile. "I always knew she was different. I know you're probably surprised at my reaction about magic."

Dumbledore smiled. "Not at all, Mrs. Higurashi. Those who have dealings with any form of magic know of the impossible. Your daughter seems to be quite strong and determined. I'm sure she'll be fine."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled, nodding in thanks. "I'll be right out with some tea."

Kagome walked out of the house and went to the mini shrine that held the infamous Bone Eater's Well. She felt nervous going back. Would she run into Inuyasha again? She really didn't feel like seeing him. All she wanted was to go and explain what was happening to her friends and come back. Nothing more. 'So why do I feel so nervous? I shouldn't be afraid of him. That'll just show that he won.' Putting a look of determination on, she climbed down the ladder she had set up. Normally she wouldn't use it, but in her condition, she had no choice. She felt the familiar blue light surround her as she felt herself return to the past. Sighing, she looked up. 'I'll just go to the village, talk to Miroku and Sango, then go home. That's easy enough.'

It took her a moment to get out, but once she did, she felt a bit more confident. Taking the familiar path that she'd walked on countless times before, she made her way to the village, making sure that she kept her ears open for any sound of movement. The small village came into view within a few minutes, smoke billowing out of huts as the villagers made an early start to the day. It brought a smile to her face knowing that at least there was still some peace. She made her way as quickly as she could to Kaede's hut, greeting some of the villagers as she went. When she reached the small hut, she heard the voices of her friends, idly chatting while making breakfast. This brought a sad smile to her face as she walked in. The occupants looked up.

"Kagome! Oh my God! What happened to you? Where've you been? We've been worried!" Sango pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Sango, please be careful." Kagome winced, trying not to yelp in pain.

"I'm sorry, are you hurt? What happened? Wait, did Inuyasha do this to you?"

Kagome tensed for a moment before nodding slowly.

"That bastard! Next time I see him, he's dead!" Sango seethed. "I knew something was wrong when you didn't come back."

"Now, Sango, don't take out your anger on Inuyasha." Miroku added, grinning. "I wouldn't want to see you do anything you regret."

Kagome laughed. "Please don't kill him Sango. What's done is done. I did come here to talk to you guys though. I need to tell you something."

"What is it you have to tell us Kagome?" Kaede asked, coming into the room and sitting near the fire.

"Sango, go get Shippo. He needs to hear this too."

Sango nodded, and walked into the next room to get the small kit. When she returned, Shippo jumped into Kagome's arms.

"Mama! You're back!" He nuzzled his face in her hair, making her giggle.

"I'm happy to see you too Shippo-chan." Kagome hugged the small kitsune. "I need to tell you guys something important. It's kinda hard to explain…"

"Whatever it is, just tell us. I'm sure it's not as complicated as you think." Miroku said gently.

"Well, I'm leaving for a while. And I don't know exactly when I'll be back." Kagome said softly, looking down at her lap.

For those who are new readers, this is probably the 5th time I've edited this thing, and it probably won't be the last. For now, let's assume that chapters will continue as usual, though updates might be slow in coming.

As always, your support is greatly appreciated.