The magic of medicine and faith. That was the only explanation given to the press when a seemingly dead girl had came back to life. Mariana Connor was transferred to be transfer to the deceased ward that afternoon when the nurse who was in charge of the girl had noticed clear vital signs of life. According to the press, the girl had suffered a severe car accident injury and had died two days later. Six hours after the death confirmation, clear signs of life was noticed on the girl and the hospital proudly proclaimed a miracle happened by an act of God. Well, that was as close as any mortal can get to the truth.

XxXxX

The smell of antiseptic, the drone of the machines, the weight of cotton sheets, and the loud pulse of the heart that wasn't mine reminded me that I did not dreamt everything that had happened. The memories of Mariana Connor had came effortlessly to me as if I was really the girl. The only thing that kept me from the illusion of reality was the memories that were mine. The memories that weren't possible to have in this world, in this city called London. I don't know how long I've been lying here, on the hospital bed but I could feel it was time to wake up. The heart that beats told me, the occasional twitch of my fingertips told me so. As much as I wanted out of this deal, I didn't even know how to separate myself from the body. Enma told me I had to die. I assume because the body hasn't really died yet, it was willing to host another soul. If I die, then only the body die and I can go back to my own body.

My fingers twitched again. After a minute, I gained control of the limbs. Another minute passed when I could open the eyes. The body was stiff. Some parts were cold, like the bottom half of my legs. The heart that's not mine beat faster in the body that's not mine. My throat-the throat was parched. I-the body need water. I moved the hands, then the arms. Slowly, the body fell under my command, but it was still awkward. I missed my body. I slip away from the bed. Now, I took in the room fully. It was a single. Nobody else was there. The hum of the machines made my head hurt. Was it my head that hurts? Or am I imagining it? I dismissed the thought. I walked into the bathroom. The mirror was the first thing I went to. I wanted to see…I wanted to see my host.

If it wasn't for the fact that I knew I was staring at a mirror, or the fact that I had access to the memories of Mariana Connor, I could've sworn I was a bodiless soul again, staring at the girl who had died minutes ago. I examine the reflection. Honey hazel eyes stared back at me. Dark, curly limp hair hung around the face. Although there was still baby fat around here and there, I could see no resemblance to the Mariana's mother and father from her memories. I wondered if she was adopted. I dismissed that idea to a recess in the back of my mind as well. I heard the door opened from the other room. Probably a nurse or something. I ignored it and went to examine my host body. I knew it was nowhere near my original who had years to train. There was no muscle in this, what is it? Ten year old body? I poked the stomach. It was lean but there was no muscle. I pushed the curls from my face. Kami, it's gonna be a long fifty years.

The door to the bathroom opened and I saw the white uniform of a nurse. She also had that weird origami boat like hat on her head too.

"Miss. Connor," she greeted. "You really shouldn't be out of bed. You should be resting."

I glared at her through my reflection. Apparently, she didn't notice. Then I wondered if the memories would allow me to speak the language perfectly. That would be great. Then I wouldn't have to speak in the way I was when I spent time with the Weasleys.

"I think I have enough rest, thank you." I said coldly. The nurse just frowned. I turned around to look at her. I must not look intimidating. Like I said before, the hair was limped and I'm pretty sure the eyes on this body looked tired. Not to mention, I looked as skinny as a rake and as breakable too.

"Nonsense, dear." she said as she reached for me in the bathroom. I hated this body then. It has a lot of work. The nurse, as petite as she is, was strong. She managed to pulled me out of the bathroom and literally throw me in bed. Damn, this is embarrassing. "Besides, I came here to inform you that you have a visitor. I wasn't sure wither you were well enough to have on or not."

"Who is it?" I asked giving up on pretesting. I'll start arguing when I have the strength to.

"Your mother of course."

Ahhhh, shit….. Well, I knew I would have to meet her eventually. The only thing was, can I keep the persona of Mariana Connor up enough to convince her? As her mother, she should be able to know immediately if I'm not her.

I didn't have time to put on a mask as the door opened again, this time, the woman names Elizabeth Connor walked in. She was everything Mariana's memory of her was. Picture perfect. She smiled at the nurse who took it as her cue to leave the room, even though I have yet to give my opinion on wither I can handle a visitor yet. After the door closed, my so called mother frowned at me.

"How are you, Mariana?" she asked as she walked over from her position near the door. Her shoes, from what the memories told me were high heels, clicked against the floor. I don't like her, at all. "I must say, I've warned you about walking around the streets of London without looking at where you were going."

Is she for real? Is she really going to walk into a room with a patient who has just revive herself from a comatose state and blame her for landing herself in a hospital? I ransack Mariana's memories and found nothing. Nothing about the accident. That was strange. The frowned. The only thing I can do now is listen to her talk.

"Have you nothing to say for yourself?" she demanded. "You have thoroughly shame your father!"

Father…. That's right. He was the man in Mariana's memories that was running for Great Britain's Prime Minister. He was the man who wanted a perfect daughter. A daughter who was smart, humble, had perfect manners, and over all, obedient. He wanted his daughter to marry into a family with the perfect political connections. If it wasn't a political connection, an economic connection would do. When she was young, that man had a heavy hand. On top of the heavy hand, words would often rain down on her, demanding her to become his perfect daughter.

I looked up at Elizabeth from my clenched fists. I stared at her. Her perfect blonde hair was styled in a way to keep out of her face. Her head was held high and proud. She stood there next to the bed, confidence radiating from her. Her grey eyes narrowed at me. I could feel her assessing me. I could see her brain turning around the facts. I knew, if Mariana was still her, she would be apologizing by now. She would be wondering about the condition of her father and how much damage she had done by landing herself in the hospital. The only thing was, I am not Mariana Connor.

"Mother," I said with a tired voice after I grew tired of her scrutiny. "the nurse told me you were my mother."

I watched her as her face crumbled, her confidence faltered. She nearly fell over. I stared at her with dead eyes. I waited for her to regain her composer. Then, with the clicking of her heels, she walked over with her hands reaching for me. She cupped my face and stared at me. As she studied my face, I stared straight into her eyes, tracking their movements. At last, her eyes met mine. She flinched away.

"Who are you?" she whispered taking a step away from me, as if I was a killer. Wait, scratch that, I am a killer.

I watched her and my head turned to the side a bit, questioning her. I opened my mouth to answer when the screech of an owl was heard outside. Slowly, I turned my head toward the window on the other side of the room in time to see a large barn owl swoop in. It landed right next to me on top of the lamp. I turn back to my mother with questioning eyes. She didn't get to answer as the owl hoot in annoyance. I turned back to it and saw it sticking its leg out at me with a letter attached. I reached for it slowly. The body was tired. In seconds, The letter was in my hands and the owl flew away. I was about to open it when my mother snatched it from my hands. I could only watch her as she tore open the letter and read its contents. Then, she threw the letter back at me.

"Boarding school." she said stiffly as she eyed the letter with distaste. "That would be good for you. The doctors have also said to keep you here for a few days to make sure you're fit to leave. I rather you leave tomorrow."

With that, my mother walked out of the door along with her clicking heels. I wondered if this is what Ojii-sama feels whenever he has to take care of diplomats. They were annoying and accusing as ever, never the ones who would try and understand, afraid they might lose their position in the matter. I look down at the letter that laid on my lap and the shredded envelope on the floor. I tested the chakra in the body. It was small but it had potential. With a flick of my wrist, chakra strings attached itself to the shredded envelope and sent it to my hand. I frowned at the slight drain. I push the thought to train later as I pick up the shredded envelope.

Miss. Mariana L. Connor

Camberwell, London

Maudsley Hospital, Room 216

Nothing strange about that, except for the fact that the envelope was heavier than normal paper. I opened the wrinkled letter. There was a crest at the top of the letter.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Armando Dippet

Dear Miss. Connor,

We are pleased to inform you that you have be accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins 1 September. We hope to see you then.

Yours Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Deputy Headmaster

Hogwarts. That was that magic school the Weasley boys attended. Heck, if I remembered correctly, this was the same letter Ginny received that morning I left for the M.O.M with Arthur-san. The only thing that was different was the headmaster's name. His name was Armando Dippet. Never heard of him before. The deputy headmaster on the other hand was the current headmaster. Other than that, there was nothing on here about any other teachers or what not. I put down the letter and picked up the supply list. The name of the books made no sense, nor do the equipment. The only thing that made sense was the pointy stick. I've seen the pointy stick at work.

I was about to throw out the envelope when I realized there was another sheet of paper behind the supply list. On it, were directions to a place called the 'Leaky Cauldron' and through there, a place called 'Diagon Ally'. There was also a list of recommended stores on where to by the books and equipment. In that letter, it recommended that one should visit a bank called Gringotts first. At the bottom of the letter, there was a ticket that said 'Platform 9 ¾ Kings Cross Station, London. September 1st'. Today, what day is today? I'll figure that out later. Right now, I need to focus on what I should do about mother…

XxXxX

Money was pressed into my hands.

"That should be enough for the supplies." said Elizabeth. She hasn't changed since the first time I've meet her. She was satisfied with the fact that I could hardly remember anybody I knew but remember the world around me. Thankfully, she and my so called father had not had time to even say hello to me. We've been ignoring each other for the past three weeks. In another week or so, I will be on my way to Hogwarts. I will not be in forced in the presence of my parents any longer. I can also take that time to train and hopefully find that soul at that school. I wasn't idle during my time here. I haven't pass anyone whose soul screamed 'KIDNAPPED SOUL, HERE'. "Are you listening to me Mariana?"

I turned my attentions back to the blonde haired woman.

"Yes, Mother." I said automatically. "I need to watch out for cars, strangers, and such. You've told me this at least a dozen times."

"Don't talk back to me, young lady." she said sternly. "I'll have you know I'm only concern for your safety."

Oh yes! For my safety indeed! You've only wished for me to marry someone whose pockets are lined with gold for your own benefit! If I had died, I wondered what you and father would've done!

Damn! I shove that train of thought away. I was becoming Mariana. I've been doing that often. I can't lose myself now. I wasn't even in the game yet. I need to calm down.

"Of course, mother." I said coolly.

I have to thank Kami for the fact that my mother has yet to comment on the fact that I have a completely different personality than the original Mariana Connor. The doctors have explained it to her and her husband that it was possible that some people have woken up from comas with different personalities.

"Now off you go. And don't be late for supper."

With that, she ushered me out the door and slam it shut behind me. Well, I wouldn't say that was unexpected. Then again, I didn't expect her to shove me out of the house. I opened my umbrella and hop down the stairs. The body was slowly getting stronger. I could not train like how I use to at home but I still trained. I found it strange how I could absorb the natural chakra in the air and use it as my own. I shudder at the thought of the possibility of that happening at home. There would probably be more wars and more people will die. The idea of having unlimited amount of chakra due to absorbing natural chakra was insane. I wondered if that's why people here use those pointy sticks of their to harness the natural chakra.

XxXxX

She had just shut the door in her face. For a few hours, she could have some time to herself. The last three weeks have been torture for her. She didn't understand how did things get so messed up. All she wanted to do right now was go back to her room and cry, cry like the day when she found out her baby has been hit by an automobile. She wanted to run to the hospital. She prayed for her baby. She would've gladly given her own life for her. But a miracle happened. Her baby had came back to her. Along with that miracle, came a curse. The doctors had told her sometimes people come back with different personalities. Some had told her that the dormant personality had taken over.

Elizabeth slowly walked back to her room. She didn't share a room with her husband. She hasn't shared one for years, ever since she realized she couldn't conceive a child.

She thought back to the time when she had first seen Mariana. She was a beautiful baby, hardly two years old. The next thing she knew, she had adopted her. She was happy before she began worrying about the future. The girl needed to be taught discipline and manners. She needed to be well educated in order to support her future husband. Everything she had done, it was for her. She had not expected a car accident could've changed everything. She didn't even know the girl anymore.

She collapse on her bed crying. She would rather live through another world war than this.

XxXxX

Down a street and around a corner. Walk pass three more streets and three quarters around the rotunda. Up another street and around another corner. And there, in a small bright street was a small pub hidden in a shadow. As I walked closer, I realized the sign was only seen by me. The sign was old and worn. I step right up to the door and walked in. Inside, the pub was dark and a bit dusty. There were people there, but some were sitting in the shadows. I sense small amount of chakra in them. They must be those magic people like the Weasleys.

"Hello, there Miss." called the bartender as the door closed. He walked from behind the bar toward me. "What can I do for you today?"

I looked up at him. He was old. Well, I wouldn't call him old cause I've seen older people living her but he was old if he was a ninja.

"I'm looking for Diagon Ally." I said assessing him for head to toe. He nodded.

"Follow me."

He lead me to the back of the pub into a small courtyard surrounded my brick walls. There was a trashcan in one corner and a shoe right next to it.

"I'm sure you know what to do." he said before shutting the door behind him as he walked back into the bar.

I looked around. I would've thought this was a joke if I haven't read the last page in the letter. I walked over to the trashcan. Three up and two across. The last brick I tapped quivered before moving out of the way. In seconds, the brick wall was replaced with an arch leading to a street full of stores. The streets were packed with people wearing normal civilian clothes and clothes that drape down to their ankles, like Ojii-sama's formal robes.

I walked down the street, remembering to go to a bank called Gringotts to exchange the money. None of the shops I've walked by indicated it was a bank. I wondered where the bank was. I was about to give up when I saw a large building at the end of the alley. It wasn't really at the end of it. It was in the middle of the street as the street separated into two different streets around it, in a 'Y' shape. On the building was the name of the bank. I walked up the steps and through the glass doors. Inside, there were large high desks all aligned in two rows down the sides of the main aisle. Sitting at the desks, were these little creatures. They had dark skin and often not, a very large pointed nose. They were wearing clothes from what seemed like a child's version of a suit. They have pointed ears and large hands with long fingers and sharp fingernails. I wondered what they were.

I walked up to a desk and waited. The little man that sat there was weighing some sort of precious stone. I waited until he was done. He leaned over the desk and looked down at me.

"Good Morning." he said smiling, revealing his pointed teeth. "How may I help you, miss?"

"I just need to exchange some currency." I said reaching for the notes Elizabeth gave me. I was about to pull them out when he held up a hand stopping me.

"You're new here, aren't you?" he asked.

What did he mean by that? It was a simple question for anybody else. The thing was, did he know? Did he mean I was new to the city or to the Wizarding world? Maybe even the body?

"Yes," I answered cautiously. I am new to the magic world.

"Muggleborn, eh?" he asked again.

"Excuse me, but what do you mean by that?"

"Ah, muggleborn it is."

Ok…. he still didn't answer my question. He left from his high desk and walked around it with a piece of paper and a small bottle of something.

"If you would come with me miss." he said leading me down the aisle and through one of the multiple doors at the end of the room. Through the door, there were many offices there that seemed closed off to public. The creature lead me down several hallways and then stopped in front of one of the offices.

"What are we doing?" I asked. The creature looked back and gave me a smile that sent small chills down my back.

"Standard procedure."

We entered the office and inside were lush couches.

"Please sit down." said the creature setting down the paper and the bottle.

What was this about? The little man drew a small blade from his sleeve and wiped it.

"I'm going to need to test your blood." he said. "It's standard procedure for all muggleborns, this is, witches and wizards born of non-magical parents. It helps speed up the process of opening a bank account with us in the future. That way, you would already be in file and you won't have to do is every time you wish to exchange your muggle currency into galleons and such. Now I just need a few drops of your blood."

I looked at him. Was he trying to pull some sort of trick or whatever? Then again, all he was asking was a few drops of blood. I remember bleeding everyday whenever I trained.

"I'll do it myself." I said holding out my hand, indicating the small blade. He frowned a bit before handing over the small gold blade. It was beautifully crafted and adorn with small jewels.

"Just a few drops of blood on the parchment." he said watching me study the blade. I nodded and with a practiced swipe at my finger, a small cut appeared. I returned the knife with no blood on the blade. Then, right on top of the parchment, I squeezed my finger and red blood dripped from it. Three drops, that was all. Once the three drops were on the paper, I was given a handkerchief.

"Thank you, but it was a small cut." I said as I place the finger in my mouth. What? Saliva has healing properties. Besides, I am going to heal it once I'm out of this bank, I told my Mariana memories.

The creature raised his brow but said nothing. He took the bottle and uncork it. There was a silver liquid inside. How was this supposed to test my blood at all? The little man took the bottle and tilt it until five drops of whatever was inside of it hit the droplets of blood on the paper. Instantly, the blood spread. No, it didn't spread like a splat, it spread like someone was writing with an invisible pen. There were lines and names. Below the English names were names I could read. It made no sense. At the top of the page, the invisible hand wrote one character at the top. Shinobi.

I stood up and yanked the creature by it collar and held him away from me and away from anything dangerous.

"Curious?" asked the creature. He had a mocking grin on his features. What is going on? I frowned, I can't be played into his game.

"Why did that show up?" I demanded. "I thought this was supposed to be a blood test."

The creature smiled. "Why don't we sit down and talk? I'll give you some of the answers. My king can give you the rest. We do owe your kind a favor."

I rummaged through his person and found that only the small knife was on him. He shouldn't be able to do anything else.

"Talk."

He sneered at me and got comfortable in the couch across from me. He folded his hands and paused. Then he began.

"Long before the goblin wars with the normal magical kind, long before what the magic folks called Merlin, one of you came into this world. Magic folks would call him the ancient Japanese wizard, for they believe he was the one who gifted an island nation with the language. He did not appear there. In fact, he appeared from a cave. My ancestors told me he came from a cave. There are different accounts of where he came from, but the story behind it is true.

"This man was powerful. He knew of magic that Merlin, the greatest wizard magic folks claimed of all times, knew not. I know, because my kind has lived through it all, and have long memories. He was kind to us, he gave us the start of our treasures. Then he asked our king a single request in exchange. If one of his own ever make it into our world, help them. They are here for a reason they know not. Then he disappeared, in a flash of lightning."

"What was his name?" I asked leaning forward.

"He called himself, Rikudo Sennin. I don't know if that's his real name or not."

I glance down at the paper. There were only handful of names. They were both in English and, what the creature said, Japanese.

"Those are the names of the witches and wizards from your world that had came before you and their alias. They've apparently had a liking of the last name 'Grim'. They've also made quite a name for themselves. One of them made the whole world know of the Grim name. Now, it's a symbol of bad luck. Would you like to continue on the tradition?"

"I would like to keep it a secret." I said taking the paper and burning it in my hands. The creature smiled. He knew of chakra, but he called it magic. I was disturbed of the name on the paper under my real name. Mirlania Grim. Was that my alias?

"Of course, Miss. And what do you rather be referred as?"

"Mariana Connor."

"Of course. And would you like to see your vault? It's yours until you leave this world."

I nodded and the creature lead me out of the office. Maybe coming here wasn't so much of a accident. Heck, the Sage of the Six Paths came here. For what, I will have to find out later. Right now, I need to complete that mission from Enma.