I could almost hear the entire manor relax into a deep sleep as my eyes opened, alert. I rose out of bed, confident that tonight would be the night. Tonight, I was sure I'll be able to breech the borders of Micaville Manor and into the forest beyond that has been whispering to me ever since I've arrived.

I pulled on the ancient but familiar clothes that's been in the Triste Vault for ages and put on a hooded cloak over it. In the pockets of my shorts, I made sure I had at least a dozen boxes of match sticks. Transfiguration, that was probably the most useful subject in all of Hogwarts curriculum.

The marble floors were cool to the touch as I walked through the empty halls in complete darkness. The moving portraits were silent now, asleep. Soft sounds of escaped breaths flowed through the manor and silent breeze move through the halls as if the windows were opened. I could almost taste it, the sense of freedom I haven't had since I left Hogwarts. The forest beyond the grounds were calling me.

…

…

…

The wind whispered in my ear as I relish in the power that course through my veins and focused on my feet. With a small hop, I was airborne. My heart pound against my chest as I reached the high of my jump and began the downward decent of 50 feet to the nearest tree branch. I landed easily and happiness bubbled inside me. I couldn't help but laugh. For weeks I've been trying to escape the confines of the manor grounds and found wards around them to alert Uncle Titus of a disturbance, and now, I can leave whenever I want with the use of Shunshin.

The branch I was on sway as I leap onto another branch, imagining that I was back home, training in the forest whose trees even tower over the ones here. It was almost as if my eyes wanted me to see something so familiar to home when I thought I saw some figures entering the forest and took to the tops of the trees. I blinked again with a smile on my face until I saw them reappear. As quick as they appeared, they disappeared back into the trees.

Instinctively, my body moved and went after them. I know I should be worried, or concerned, or something along the lines of that but I couldn't help the excitement that ran through my veins. Someone was here. I want to crackle with laughter as my instincts took over as I sped toward the disturbance.

Tonight, I can be free without holding back! I don't know why they are here but it doesn't matter. Tonight, I can drop my persona and return to Saiyuki.

I landed crouched on a tree branch. Pulling out a few matches, I held them in my hands, willing them to become senbon. I watched them grow longer and turn silver. They were crude, but they would do their job, metal was still metal after all.

I waited in the tree. They should appear soon. Soon, I saw the first glimpse of them. They were in the usual formation for traveling. The leader at the head and two others behind him. At first glance, I could see their typical chuunin vests on. I couldn't help the excitement that course through me when I realized they were here, in this world.

I watch them as they converse with each other in the language I've been missing for a year now. As much as I wanted to release all the pent up energy, I needed to know who they are and why they were here. How did they get here? No god would be so cruel to take them and leave them here. Even Yama had to find me a body.

They were approaching too close. With a flick of my wrist, I sent three senbon like needles from my hand toward the most venerable of the group. He was the loudest one after all, with messy brown hair. Immediately afterwards, I flickered over to a branch behind them, yet it had a clear view of all of them.

The girl, she was nervous, like they all should be. From the looks of it, they were brought here, unlike me who was thrown into this world with nothing but what I had on me. She knew, as her eyes flickered nervously back and forth, trying to spot me, that I, their attacker, wasn't normal. I would be scared too. My eyes trailed to the boy with dark hair and glasses. He was observant. The hand that held the kunai was strong and firm. At least he was prepared, somewhat. His demeanor pisses me off for some reason. Then the other boy came into view. He looks confidant, his eyes bright. Although he was scared, I can sense his excitement, much like Naruto-onii-sama.

"Who are you?" I asked. Customary question for strangers of course!

The trio spun around and saw me standing there. I couldn't keep my lips from twitching with amusement as the brown haired boy looked irritated. He took a step and I saw the shine of the headband he had on. My breath caught my throat when I saw the leaf symbol on it. Konoha shinobi here….

"Hey!" he shout, grabbing my attention away from the headband. "I can't understand you!"

"You speak?" I asked. This confirms it, they were here, but how?

"If we didn't, I wouldn't be talking right now!"

"Shut up!" his teammates hissed.

I stepped forward and dropped to a lower branch, a closer branch to get a better look at them.

"It's been a long time since I've heard another speaker." I said. "But I supposed that's a discussion for another time. So tell me strangers, who are you? Why are you here disrupting the forest?"

"It is only polite to give your name first before asking for someone else's in return."

I turned to the boy I didn't like. He irked me.

"Is that so?" I asked.

"I'm Sarutobi Hiruzen-sama! Hokage in training! Who are you?"

I stared at the trio, taking in everything. Their facial structures, their hair, the way they stood. Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and of course, Sarutobi ojii-sama, the trio of Team Tobirama-sama, Nidaime Hokage-sama. I wanted to laugh out loud. If I stayed, if I wasn't lured into this mission, I would've found a way home! But I didn't, I'm stranded here for fifty years!

Then, Tom's face flashed across my mind, along with Michael and Elizabeth, Titus, and everybody else I knew. Here I have family…

My lips curled into a smile.

"Ah, Konohagakure, of course."

Koharu, the bane of my existence in the village, threw down a seal of some sort. Smoke enveloped my vision and I threw the transfigured needles toward the three as I remembered them before having the wind knocked out of me from the branch I was on.

I fell down head first through the smoke, catching a glimpse of the blasted girl, before reaching out for a branch and swung myself to my feet. As the smoke cleared, I can make out the armor of the man I've looked up to even though he had died before my time. His skin, as pale as ever, not so different from the people here. The red marks of his chin, his cheeks, were easy to make out. If Tobirama-sama is here, that mean Hashirama-sama is still alive.

Just as I was about to stop the famed Nidaime from killing me, I saw a small patch that was on all of their clothing. A grey patch, no larger than a square inch. On it, a circle inside a triangle that was split in half by a line was embroidered on it. I couldn't help but smile grimly to myself. They are part of the Grey Army, the army of the rising Dark Lord of Europe.

"Well, isn't this interesting, Konoha Shinobi?" I hissed. A nice breeze cleared the smoke, giving me a full view of the famed Team Tobirama of Konoha. "You, who do not belong here, wishes to meddle with worldly affairs. You should leave before this world destroys you, even if I'll have to force you."

I brought my hands together with a box of matches in between. It was a gamble, what I'm trying. I've never attempted to transfigure anything in mass amounts before.

"The will of fire will never go out." smiled Ojii-sama.

"Will, it's a means to everything." lectured Dumbledore. "Without it, nothing changes."

I sneered at the memory. He was right, of course. As much as I dislike him, he was an expert at transfiguration, that I bow down to him.

"Now, will you leave?" I asked gathering chakra in my hands, getting ready to transfigure the matches into familiar weapons. They brace themselves. The matches in my hands grew and changed into a pile of kunai, held together by chakra strings. "I guess not."

I didn't want this to happen, but part of me was ecstatic. I never want to fight against the people from my own village like this, but in a way, it was a challenge that made me want to sing! Who wouldn't want to test their skills against one of the shinobi of legend, back where they can moved the earth at will? Create a forest with nothing but their own power?

I dodge an attack from Tobirama and focused on his team. I will never be able to drive them off if I attack him. Keeping him on the defensive worked. After all, Sarutobi-ojii-sama had latched onto his idea that the will of fire is the future the next generation would pave.

My eyes zeroed into Koharu. As much as I dislike her, I have to be thankful for her…intervention. If she had not suggest that I should be trained then I would've never gotten this chance to, well, let's just say I want to rough her up a bit.

I leap back a few branches and sent out a dozen chakra strings toward the girl and attached it to her. They were no more noticeable than strands of spider silk but extremely powerful. I smiled as Humora and Sarutobi-oj-, no, he's not ojii-sama yet, Hiruzen charged at me with their kunai ready to main. With a jerk of my hands, Koharu was dragged by my chakra strings toward me at speed faster than the two of them can travel with chakra.

I smirked they force their attack to be redirected and they landed behind me. Even Tobirama-sama couldn't do anything as I dangled their precious teammate in front of them cocooned in chakra strings.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." I smirked. Hiruzen froze behind me. Gotcha! I made the chakra strings on Koharu visible while I had created more to wrap themselves around the three males. They won't move while I have her.

"Release her!" shout Hiruzen glaring at me. It hurts a bit watching the person who watched out for me look at me with pure hatred, but I have to remind myself, Hiruzen isn't ojii-sama yet. He has yet to meet me. Even if he did, he wouldn't recognize me.

"If I do, will you leave?" I asked lifting her from the branch she was on with just the chakra strings. "Would you abandon this mission of yours?"

"Is there a particular reason we should?"

I turned to Tobirama. With a twitch of my finger, the invisible chakra strings that were looped loosely around them tightened. Around their neck, their limbs, keeping them in place as if they were only marionettes.

"You are meddling with something that shouldn't be meddled with." I hissed. I pulled them closer to me until I can reach for that grey patch that was on their clothing. "I don't know how you got here but leave now before it's too late to back out. Don't trust anything unless you're sure, including my words." I smiled grimly. "I sincerely hope you won't be trapped here. I hope we don't meet again, or I will be forced to make sure you stop meddling in this world's affairs."

I released them and turned my back on them.

"Leave. The forest is now restless because of you, Konoha shinobi."

Without another word, I disappeared with a shunshin and masked my chakra as I landed in a tree branch nearby. Hopefully, I had forced them to ask questions. I peeked through the leaves and watched them, well, the team of three, gather themselves and left the forest. When they didn't come back after a few hours, I went back to Micaville Manor and shunshined through the wards, not even triggering them. Instead of walking through the hallways, I walked up the wall of the manor and through the balcony into my room.

As eventful the evening was, I wished it never happened. Someone, well, more like the rising Dark Lord in the continents, had brought them here. No witch or wizard can take on a fully trained shinobi, especially those that were taught in the time of the Shodaime and Nidaime. Their power is legendary, their students can't even come close but even then, they are powerful. I was lucky and caught them off guard. Thankfully, I came after them, I know what to expect.

I left the doors to my balcony opened and welcomed the night breeze. In a few hours, the sun will rise and more dueling with the Nott family. Evelyn had found my manners lacking and took it upon herself to beat them into me until I can do it in my sleep. I don't even see the point of knowing which hand I must fold over the other when I'm sitting or which feet to start the dance with. And don't even get my started with which fork or knife or spoon to use during dinner!

I flopped onto my bed and covered my eyes with my arm. Three hours, I can do that, right?

o0o

Ink splashed on thick parchment, circling the would-be area where the hidden manor was. Tobirama frowned as blotches of ink appeared on the map from the feather pen. He didn't understand how the people here write with it. They didn't have the brushes that he was use to using, nor did they have at least a pencil! A pencil was a simple invention. All it need was a stick of charcoal surrounded by a shaft of wood. They weren't nearly as flimsy as this feather!

"Sensei,"

Tobirama turned to his only female student. She stood there with her head bowed, looking nervous.

"Yes, Koharu?"

She bit her lip, avoid his eyes. The grip on her wrist tightened as she began tapping her feet. It was that annoying tic he's been trying to rid her of. Her actions had attracted the attention of her teammates who were softly chatting on another tree branch.

"Sensei, what should we do?"

"About what?" he asked turning back to that blasted feather. He attempted to scribble a small kanji right next to the circle before the ink splattered off the tip of the pen.

Tobirama schooled his face expressionless as he refrained from rolling his eyes at his student when she fell silent. After three years with her, she's still soft on the field!

"That girl, sensei." she elaborated after a few seconds. "What should we do? Should we report it or…?"

"Nothing."

"Huh?"

Tobirama sighed. He snapped the pathetic excuse for a writing utensil in half and folded the map. One day, Koharu will become a great konoichi. How he was going to make her? He don't know but he will die trying if he had to!

"We will do nothing." he repeated. He turned back to her and placed the ink stained maps in his pocket. "She wasn't trying to kill us. We all came out unharmed."

"But-!" He shot her a look that Koharu knew very well that it was the end of that conversation. "Yes, sensei."

As he watched his student return to the tree branch with the rest of her team, Tobirama looked out toward the open field that was just beyond a few trees of the forest they were in.

The girl had been strange. He pulled out the map again and embedded chakra in the area where they had encountered her. Their employer was weak. He had to use an aid to use chakra and he was certain he wouldn't be able to sense this ring.

He understood Koharu's worry. The girl was an unknown. She appeared and is capable of hindering their mission which is vital to the village. He frowned slightly. It wouldn't do if his students found out that he was worried. Right now, all they can do is wait. His employer had said he needed them for a revolution and that usually meant war. He hope, as all the veterans had, that the casualties would be at a minimum. As of right now, the girl was of no importance.

o0o

I glanced around at my 'family' before scrapping the rest of the eggs on my plate onto my fork with a knife. I ignored the hole that Evelyn was burning into my hands with her eyes as I took the last bite of eggs, efficiently cleaning my plate. My hand seemed to burn as my hands were in the movement to place the eating utensils back on either side of the plate before remembering what I was supposed to do. Quickly, I placed the fork down on the plate and the knife carefully balanced in between the tines of the fork. The burn lessened as Aunty Evelyn turned back to the conversation at the table.

"…Hogwarts letters came in." said Titus nodding as he took his tea. "I shall have Essie ready the town house for us."

"A trip to Diagon Alley after lunch sounds good." said Evelyn as she took a sip of her honeyed tea. "All of you need new robes for school not to mention a new potions ingredients and school books."

"Of course we need new robes, mother." smiled Roselyn. I watched one of the other elves popped my plate away. I think his name was Mic. "We are growing."

Evelyn smiled. "Of course you are, dear. Now why don't you children go pack up and get ready for the stay at the townhouse, hmm?"

As I followed the Nott children out of the dining hall, I saw the smile fade from Evelyn's face. Curious, I strayed to the back of the group and hung around the door. She's acting weird, subdued even.

"…muggles destroying our home?"

Her soft voice drifted toward me as I lean against the wall, trying to decipher their words. I crossed my arms and closed my eyes as I focused on their conversation.

"Mico had warned me about a war, in both the muggle and the Wizarding world." said Titus in a hushed voice.

"And you believe him? Just like that? You two haven't spoken in years and you believe him when he decides he's just going to force his daughter onto us?" Even if I didn't see her face, I could tell her expression probably looked pinched.

"He's my brother." stressed my uncle. "First of all, he wouldn't do that to me. Second, you don't know him like I do. He warned me that the enemy of Beowulf would come and his servant will move first. If that isn't a clear indication of what the letter was about, I don't know what is."

Beowulf. Michael never mentioned that to me. In fact, I can't think of anything that has any connection to the name. Is it a magical reference or muggle? Michael always liked mixing the two, made things more cryptic and complicated than it really is.

"How does he know, Titus? He has been ostracized by the Wizarding community and how come the rest of us isn't aware of this?"

"I can't answer that, Eve, but I can't risk the safety of my family just because I don't know the sources of Mico's information. If there's one thing I know about Mico is that any information he gets his hands on is solid."

A whispered sigh was heard. I sneaked a peek through the cracked door and saw Evelyn's downcast expression.

"If you're sure, Titus."

I pushed myself from the wall silently and ghosted to my room. I passed by the rooms of Winter and Roselyn, each directing a elf to pack their things. Marceline's room was quiet.

When I made it to my room, Essie was there waiting for me with her favorite table cloth on wrapped around her like a toga, held together by a curtain tie.

"Missy Connor need any help?" she asked with a bow. I smiled. Like Michael, she was my favorite out of all of the house elves.

"Sure, Essie." I smiled. "Can you pack all my stuff. It's not much."

"Of course, Missy Connor." she smiled widely. With a snap of her fingers, all of my clothes were levitated from the wardrobe and drawers and folded neatly into my trunk, the section that wasn't sealed. "Is there anything else, Missy Connor?" she asked a few minutes later.

"No. Thank you, Essie." I said before sitting on my bed watching her pop away. If it was possible, I would've asked her to smuggle some library books for me but nope, that wasn't happening.

I laid in bed thinking over what I've heard from the dining hall. Uncle Titus had gotten a letter about the war. What I'm curious about is what letter? Can I even get to it? Ideas spun around my head as I thought about breaking into his office. Of course I can shunshin through the wards but he could've warded individual objects as well as the room. I don't even want to think about the possibility of him chaining a ward and it would trigger traps on top of traps. That would be as bad as breaking into Ojii-sama's office after hours that one time…

…

…

…

We gathered around the main floo fireplace in what looked like a drawing room. It wasn't really a drawing room, just an elaborate entrance hall for those who floo here. The house elves were already taking our things to the town house.

It was already agreed that Evelyn was going to take her children to Twilfitt and Tatting's, a new robes shop that's opened a few months back. Titus was taking me to Gringotts and we were going to meet back up with Evelyn. Secretly, I was glad how the groups were broken up even though I would've rather I went alone.

I stepped out of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron and turn to wait for Titus to come through. I didn't see anyone I know so I supposed Evelyn had already left with Roselyn, Marceline, and Winter. The fireplace flared and Titus stepped through.

"Ready, Mariana?" he asked before heading over to the brick gateway.

I followed him as he flicked his wrist and his wand shot out from his sleeves. With a few precise taps to the brick wall, it gave way to Diagon Alley.

"So how do you like it so far?" he asked. His question caught me off guard. He smiled as I looked up at him, confused. "Staying with us, I mean."

"It's…fine, I guess." I said before looking straight ahead once again.

"Just fine?" he questioned.

"I don't get along with Roselyn." I said indifferently. "Different houses and such. Never understood why."

He laughed. I glanced at him questionably.

"That's right." he smiled. "Such things as house prejudices are pointless in life!"

We walked down the cobblestoned street, talking about whatever catches our fancy. The short ten minute walk stopped at the golden doors of Gringotts. The goblin guards eyed us like everyone else that had walked passed them.

"Well, shall we, Miss. Connor?" laughed Titus as he grasp the handle of the golden doors and opened it. He swept into an elaborate bow, offering his hand at the same time.

"Of course, Lord Nott." I laughed taking his hand.

He led me into the bank before walking toward the first open teller we saw. The goblin that was dressed in the last century's fashion raised an eyebrow at us and placed his quill back in the inkwell. He sneered at us, reveling a good amount of pointed teeth.

"Lord Nott," he greeted. "Miss. T-Connor, welcome to Gringotts."

"We're here to make a withdrawal." said Titus. He was no longer the good natured man he was a few seconds ago. "One from my own vault and a vault that was left to Mariana Connor."

The goblin studied our faces for a few seconds before his grin widen.

"Why, of course." he smirked. "The family vault of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Nott and a the trust vault created by one Michael Connor for one Mariana Connor, I presumed?"

"Yes." affirmed my uncle.

"Well, then. Follow me."

o0o

Tom glared at the filthy, in a literal sense, muggle in front of him that smiled tauntingly at him in a hallway.

"How come you came back, Tom?"

He kept on walking down the hallway.

"Did your school realized you were a freak and sent you back?"

Tom forced himself to be aloof. His summer has been great so far and he wasn't going to let this annoying little prick ruin it!

He turned around and nearly smiled at the stairs that was located conveniently behind the muggle. Even though he was never without his wand and it was hidden in the little clothes he had on, he didn't even touch it as he felt the warm caress of magic that swirled around him.

Why don't you just trip and die on your trip down the stairs? He thought.

o0o

Denis Bishop was unnerved by the small smile that appeared on the freak Riddle's face. Instinctively, he took a step back without noticing the stair that were behind him. In three seconds, he felt an eternity pass. He was aware he was falling. He knew, even before it happened, that he wasn't going to live through this. Every detail on Riddle's face and the surroundings was etched in his memory, as short as it was. And then, he felt the impact of his head against the stairs, his body battered against every step, the walls on the way down. And he knew, he close his eyes and took his last breath. This thing called Karma was a bitch even though he knew he deserved it, everything he did. Right now, the end of eternity was coming to an end and he rather welcome death due to a broken neck.

o0o

Sadden that he wasn't going to be around to see the aftermath of the death of Denis Bishop, the irritating muggle that wasn't worthy of the dirt beneath his shoes, Tom walked away long before the boy had hit the stairs.

A few feet away, Tom heard the crack from the stairwell that could very well meant the death of muggle or just a few broken bones. Either way, he was happy. Happy enough that he could set loose the smile that was trying to break free. He was happy with the consequences. He was without Denis Bishop for a few weeks up to forever! Not that he would let the muggle boy interfere with his life past 17 when he was at the legal age for magic.

He nearly skipped to his room at the thought of being left alone at least until the end of summer break. Then it was time to go back to Hogwarts!

Humming a soft tune, he entered his room just as a scream resonated throughout the entire orphanage.

o0o

AN: As a heads up, I'm debating on writing 2-3 chapters per year or drawing it out a little longer because of further involvement with Grindelwald. I really hope you all enjoy this chapter and it's the end of Year One! Thanks for those who reviewed!

urs-v: For the age of Sandaime Hokage, I estimated him to be 60 ish when died and to make him a bit more gullible, I made them 15 yrs old if that helps.