"Poor girl,"

"How?! How could this happen?! The wards should have been sufficient protection! How did they get past them?!

"Hush now Hieronymous. Obviously, they have gotten stronger. Once this matter is taken care of I will have the greatest white mages and witches I can find, improve the wards. For now this poor girl is our main concern,"

"…I will take care of the parents' memories,"

"Good. Once that is done we can send her home and she can finally be buried,"

"…Yes…"

Suddenly the body jumped up into a sitting position, gasping and coughing, and looking about the room as if expecting to be attacked at any moment.

My throat felt completely closed up and hurt enormously, my stomach was convulsing, my head was reeling and hurting and so was everything else. I suddenly felt two gentle hands on my shoulders. I tried to get away but it was impossible between the condition of my body and the strength of the grip. After a bit the coughing finally subsided so I could blink away the tears and see my surroundings. I was in a small room with what appeared to be medical beds. The person holding on to me still was an attack on the senses. All bright colors though mostly pink with a hat to match and a strong smell of some flowery perfume. She wore a big smile and there were tears in her eyes. Standing some distance away was a man who could only be described as her complete opposite. Greys and browns was all he wore with a hat in the same boring colors. He looked at me completely astounded.

"Oh sweet child! I was sure you were gone for good! Thank the heavens that you are back with us!"

I looked at the colorful woman in surprise. I was alive. I was really alive!

"Now lie down and let me fix you right up. You must be quite uncomfortable,"

I laid back down, too astounded to fight this surprisingly strong woman. Immediately she began healing me with some form of healing spell. I looked back at the grey man. He was still standing where I had last seen him but he seemed more in control now. He seemed strangely familiar though I couldn't but my finger on where I should have met him. Realizing I was staring at him he cleared his throat and approached me.

"How are you feeling?"

"I've been better," I croaked.

"Lie still while I check you for brain damage,"

Without further ado, he casted some sort of spell on me.

"It would seem there is no damage to your brain. It is quite a miracle since you were dead for several minutes,"

"Hieronymous! Don't scare the child."

This Hieronymous looked at the woman, seemed to consider her words and then looked back at me.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"No,"

"You were attacked by a group of goblins while on school grounds. Somehow they got past the school wards,"

That explained why I had been feeling like crap. The girl had been attacked when she died. It was lucky that the body had been healed enough for me to be able to use it. I had to be careful about what I did from now on. If they found out that I wasn't who they thought I was they might try to force me out of the body. I needed time for my soul to attach itself more firmly into this body before they found out. For now, I was too vulnerable to let anyone find out the truth. In order to hide it I had to find out more about this world and this girl's life, I had now taken as my own. I looked at Hieronymous. He had been the one most forthcoming with information but he didn't look like the chatty type. The woman healing me seemed more so but how to get them to talk. I had to be careful about how I did this.

"Was anyone else hurt?"

The woman looked at me for a moment with a smile before returning her focus to the healing. I was already feeling a lot better. She had to be quite a powerful green witch. Possibly the principal since those two were often connected.

"Blessedly no. We took care of the goblins quite quickly after we realized they had gotten unto school grounds,"

Not fast enough for this young girl.

"Finished! Why don't you try walking around to see if anything still hurts duckling?"

Duckling?

I got out of the bed with a little help from the woman. My entire body felt stiff. I walked back and forth a couple of times but nothing seemed to hurt other than some sour muscles. At the other end of the room I saw a mirror and walked towards it. The reflection looking back at me was quite different from how I used to look. She was small, about 5'4 to my 5'9, brown slightly curly hair stopping mid shoulder blade to my red straight hair stopping at my hips. She had a delicate looking face. In general, she looked very delicate. My own face had had stronger lines though still feminine. Before I would have been described as striking where this girl would be called cute. It was quite a change.

"Don't worry chicken. There should be no scarring,"

The woman had put her hands on my shoulders and looked over my shoulder at my reflection. I was glad they had drawn their own conclusion as to why I had starred so fixatedly at my reflection. And what was with her and the pet names? Then I realized I was wearing a ripped up school uniform. I turned around freeing myself from her hold in the process. I had never much liked strangers touching me and my time in the underworld hadn't changed that.

"Do you think I could get a change of clothes?" I gave her a small smile.

"Of cause pumpkin. I'll just go get some from your room. Just wait here," she smiled brightly enough to blind angels.

She walked out and left me alone with Hieronymous. From what I gathered I was a student at a magical academy and most likely Hieronymous was a professor so calling him by his first name would probably be strange. Of cause times could have changed while I had been dead but I would rather not take the chance. I still hadn't found out how to get the information I needed and this professor didn't seem inclined to give me anything willingly. Which left me starring around the room uncomfortably. After a short while he cleared his throat again. It seemed to be a nervous gesture.

"Miss Campbell, you should sit down. You might be healed but too much strain will still be hard on your body,"

"Ah, yes,"

I go back to the bed, which he is still standing next to, and sit down. I feel both antsy and exhausted at the same time. A couple of minutes go by in complete silence while we wait for the woman. When she does arrive, it is with great cheer and a change of clothes in her arms.

"Here you go dearie. I brought Miss Danson and Miss Middleton. They are waiting outside and will take you back to your room once you are changed. Come on, Hieronymous. Let us give the girl some privacy,"

They were soon out the door and I was finally alone. That was when it really began seep in. I was alive. I had escaped the underworld and was now alive. I might not be in my own body but it was by far better than being dead. Now I just had to stay alive. One step at a time. For now, I had to get changed. Then I would go greet the two girls that were probably my friends, who would most likely take me to my room and there I might be able to learn more about my new life. The uniform I had been given looked to be the same as the one I had been wearing minus the holes. It was a grey rope with a green cape and a green belt with a horse insignia. After making sure everything looked as it should in the mirror, I walked out through the door. Outside was standing the two professors and two girl. One had white skin, blond hair, brown eyes and was strongly built. The other purple, dark red hair, purple eyes, black skin and a more athletic built. The first one was about my height while the other was a bit taller, about 5'7. They both started fussing about be immediately as I came out.

"Hey, are you okay? Potsdam wouldn't tell us what had happened," the red-haired girl began.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was attacked by goblins but I'm fine now,"

"Goblins?! There are goblins on the school ground?" the blond exclaimed.

"Don't worry sunshine. They have been taken care of and we are going to have the wards strengthened immediately,"

Good to know I wasn't the only one she used those strange endearments on.

"Now, why don't you go back to your room so Miss Campbell can rest?"

"Ah, yes professor Potsdam. Professor Grabiner," they both nodded at the teachers and began escorting me back to what I was now guessing was the room I shared with the two girls. A least now I knew the name of the two professors. The woman was professor Potsdam and the man was professor Grabiner. It send a twinge of pain to my heart. I now understood why the man seemed familiar. I had known a Grabiner once, when I was still Sarah Harbor. The two girls kept talking while we were walking. I learned that the red head was Virginia, the other was Ellen and I was now Alice Campbell. When we finally got to our room, I was completely exhausted. I decided to dig for information tomorrow and was soon asleep on my bed with clothes and all.