Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not Harry Potter, not Naruto, not anything else I might mention.

Note: I have no Beta and edit everything myself, so if I made a mistake somewhere kindly point it out. I usually write on my phone and edit at 2am so I tend to miss things.

Strange New World

-:-

Harriet felt like she was floating. She was nothing but at the same time she was everything. Nothing mattered, no needs, no emotions. Just a blob floating in the nothing, until she felt a pull and followed it.

-:-

She stood before a being. He was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. He reeked of death, for he was Death.

"You have a choice." said the being known as Death. "You can help a boy in another world, become his family and save the world again. Or you can just move along to another world and just live a calm life."

"Why are you giving me a choice?"

"Because you're my Mistress. I want you to have some positive experiences before you take up your duties."

"Alright, I choose the option with helping the kid out." Harriet smiled, a tad bitterly. "You know I have a saving people thing."

Death gave her a bland smile. "Use the stone. Summon Uzumaki Mito and Uzumaki Kushina, they will help you."

Harriet summoned the two women. The first was a regal looking lady, and her hair was styled in two buns. The other had extremely long hair, a bright smile, and a long green dress, her violet eyes sparking in excitement.

Mito, the regal looking lady, smiled. "We will help you in any way we can, young one."

"You can teach my son to be the best, -dattebane!" exclaimed Kushina.

-:-

She didn't know how much time passed in the Veil. Since she had no need to eat or sleep, time felt differently. Time seemed to pass especially strangely because Death had shrunk her down to her thirteen year old self for some odd reason.

Since she was going into this new world, Mito offered some of her DNA so she could be an official Uzumaki. Just as a precaution, in case they compared her blood to Kushina's son.

Once going through the process of a blood adoption ritual, Mito became somewhat like a third parent. The change wasn't that noticeable, her hair became a little redder and she filled out a bit more but nothing too disconcerting.

Thank Merlin, Harriet didn't want to lose what connected her to James and Lily.

-:-

Mito helped out by teaching her about seals and special Uzumaki clan techniques.

The seals reminded her of runes, only with more flexibility. Seals could do anything really, you just had to use your imagination. Mito taught her everything she knew, which was a lot seeing as she was a seal master. Harriet wasn't considered a seal master until she made her own sealing array that was at least level 7 in difficulty. She was aiming for a sort of seal that would be like the fidelius charm, but it was a slow going process.

Mito also taught her about the techniques Uzumaki's might use, like chakra chains, healing bites, and sensing. Since she didn't know if Harriet would get a special technique, she was just given the gist of all of them. It might come in handy, maybe she'd run into an Uzumaki with one of those super clan techniques.

Kushina taught her how to fight using taijutsu.

The Uzumaki taijutsu style was centered on constant movement, like you were stuck in a whirlpool. There were so many different things to remember, and Kushina made sure she knew all the different katas since Harriet was going to need to teach them to her son. It required a lot of practice and concentration, especially since Kushina liked hitting her with a water balloon when she messed up.

-:-

Mito gently smiled at Harriett, "It seems our time is up. You've learned all there is to pass as an Uzumaki. All that's left is a new name."

"A new name?" asked Harriet in confusion.

"Well, yes. You can't go around Konoha with a name like Harriet, it's too foreign."

"Oh." Harriet said despondently.

"How do you feel about Misaki? It means beautiful blossom, to honor your mother."

Harriet perked up at this. "That would be great!"

"Welcome to the family, Uzumaki Misaki."

"Make us proud, dattebane!" shouted Kushina, pulling them into a group hug.

-:-

"I'm sending you in with some Uzumaki scrolls on various things. They'll be sealed in a storage seal on the bottom of your foot. You'll have a money bag filled with a decent amount and a few changes of clothing. Don't forget your cover story. Make your way to Konoha and give this scroll to the Hokage."

Death smiled as he handed her the items.

"There's a surprise waiting for you when you arrive. Have fun Mistress."

-:-

Misaki awoke to a bright blue sky. Wait, Sky?! She stood up abruptly and took a look around.

Oh right, she was in a new world now. She flopped back down and laid on the grass, no time like the present to head to Konoha. Uhh, if she knew which way Konoha was.

She looked around and sighed, this was all Deaths fault. Damn bastard was probably laughing his ass off. He knew she had no sense of direction. Every way looked the same, trees, trees, and more trees. Oh look, an owl that looks like Hedwig. Wait…Hedwig?

"Hedwig?" she called out uncertainly. "That you?"

The owl hooted and flew down to perch on her shoulder, she nuzzled her just like Hedwig used too.

"Oh, it is you! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for you to die." babbled Misaki, silently crying. "You were my very best friend and –"

"Hush little one."

Misaki gaped at the owl. "Hedwig, you talked!"

"Oh course I talked." She puffed up in pride. "I am a summon, after all."

There was a moment of silence. "….Should that mean something to me?"

Hedwig sweat-dropped as much as an owl could. "Oh honestly, what did those two teach you in the Death Veil. A summon is an animal that can come to the aid of people in this world. We usually live in the summoning realm. The four noble clans occasionally allow their young to learn from wizards in their world. The noble clans are The Owls, Toads, Cats, and Snakes. The slugs used to be a part of it but then they went out of fashion, much like the snakes and toads are now."

"So what you're saying is…you didn't actually die."

Hedwig glared. "I remember you being much smarter than this Harry."

"It's Miskai now." said the girl reflexively. "Uzumaki Misaki."

"I am Hane here."

"Glad to see you again Hane-chan. I missed you."

"I missed you too little fledgling." Hane prepared her wings for flight. "Now, come on. I'll lead you to Konoha. Knowing you, you'd end up in Iwa or something equally ridiculous."

"Thank you so much!" She beamed at the owl. "You're the best Hane-chan! I'll get you some treats once we reach Konoha."

"By the way Misaki-chan," said Hane mischievously. "Is there any particular reason you shrunk down to your thirteen year old self?"

"WHAT? DAMMIT DEATH!"

-:-

As she approached Konoha's gates, she felt the faintest stirrings of nerves. This was it. This place was going to be her future home, she needed to make a good impression. She smoothed down shirt and batted Hane away from trying to fix her hair, it was a lost cause.

"Hello! Welcome to Konoha! Name and reason for visiting?" asked the guard with the bandages.

"Uzumaki Misaki. I, uh, have a letter for the Hokage."

The two gate guards stared at her, glanced at her hair, and then tensed up.

"Uzumaki you say?" asked the bandana wearing ninja.

"…Yes?" she asked in confusion. What was so strange about- , oh, right. Most of the clan was wiped out. Oops. That seemed to have slipped her mind. Hane used her wing to hit her upside the head and gave her a knowing look.

"Nothing, nothing." The guards said as they shared another glance.

"I'll take you to the tower." said the one with the bandana, leaving the bandaged one to watch the gates.

"Thank you Shinobi-san."

"No problem," said the man. "Please, follow me."

The walk through Konoha was silent and kept at a brisk pace. She hardly had the time to glance around, too focused on not losing her escort, she didn't want to wind up lost and accused of being a spy on her first day in the village. From what she could see, it was a very lively village, full of color too.

-:-

Misaki tried not to fidget as the Hokage read the scroll. Hane was idly rearranging her hair, making it look a little less messy, it was comforting. She didn't know what was in the letter, at least not verbatim.

"It says here that after your parents died a Samuru and a Rinji looked after you."

"Yes." She said with a fond smile, one that couldn't be faked. "They were my Godfathers."

"Were?"

She took a deep breath. "I-I'm assuming that since I am now in Konoha, and they had plenty of time to catch up to me, tha-that they're dead."

"I see." He said evenly. "You are taking this remarkably well."

"I always knew they would die for me, it was only the when that was the issue." She shot him a bitter smile. "After all, Uzumaki's are very sought-after."

The Hokage shifted uncomfortably, he didn't know how to resodn to such a true statement. "It says your father was the clan heir, which makes you distantly related to our beloved Mito-sama."

"Mito-sama was my father's Aunt. I came to Konoha hoping to live with other Uzumaki's." said Misaki hopefully. "My godfathers' told me that Uzu sent an Uzumaki Kushina here shortly before Whirpool fell."

"I'm afraid that Uzumaki Kushina died nearly eight years ago." He said gravely.

Misaki looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "So I'm-I'm really the last one?"

The Hokage sighed, he was getting too old for this. He sensed no ill intentions from the girl, but he didn't want Naruto to live with an outsider with no loyalty to Konoha. "I'm afraid-"

"Do not lie to my fledgling, Hokage-sama. I can feel another Uzumaki in the village." interrupted Hane as she moved to sit on Misaki's head. "She is the Princess of Uzushiogakure, the Heiress of the Uzumaki Clan. She deserves a nice life here, one that isn't spent running from missing-nin who catch sight of her hair."

The Hokage stared at the owl in slight surprise. He had last heard that the owl contract was lost, how did this girl get ahold of it?

Misaki stiffed in shock. How dare the old man try keeping him from Kushina's boy?! He's the whole reason she's here!

"Thank you Hane-chan." She said while placing Hane on her lap and absentmindedly smoothing down feathers.

"Are you intentionally keeping a clan member from me, Hokage-sama?" she asked frostily. "Uzushiogakure may have fallen, but the treaty with Konoha still stands as long as an Uzumaki draws breath."

The Hokage shook himself out of his musings about the owls and sighed. "My hands are tied Uzumaki-san. The council will not let you adopt the boy, there are special secrets around him."

Misaki frowned. "The council has no say in Clan matters. I may just be thirteen but I can take up position as Clan Head and assert myself if need be. What secrets surround the boy?"

"I'm afraid that is an S-ranked secret."

She smirked. "Give me a minute to work out your secret. Mind if I think out loud?"

It was really no contest. She already knew he was the container for the nine tails, she just needed to make it look like she easily figured it out.

He gave her an odd look, there was no way she could possibly figure it out. "Go right ahead."

She nodded. "Let's see. You said he's a boy and around adoption age, which means he's younger than me. He's probably Kushina-san's son, given that she was the only other Uzumaki in the village. She was sent here to aid Mito-sama. Kushina died eight years ago, and there was an attack of the nine tails at that time."

She froze, "You sealed the nine tailed fox inside my clan member."

The Hokage and ANBU stared at the girl in shock. She thought like a Nara. How did she figure out one of the villages most closely guarded secrets?!

He cleared his throat. "I hope you know you can't repeat that anywhere, it's an S-ranked secret for a reason."

She looked at him with an impassive face, Draco would be proud. "Okay. Your S-ranked secret is out of the way. Now can I take him in?"

The old man gaped at her. "It doesn't bother you?"

"No. Should it?" she looked at him confusedly.

"He is not the fox, it's just sealed inside of him. Mito-sama was the first Jinchuuriki and everyone praised her. Are you telling me people are afraid of my clan member?!" she asked with an icy glare.

"Well, yes." he pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself. "Most people don't think Jinchuuriki when they hear Mito's name. They think Shodai's wife first and foremost."

She scoffed. "How rude of them. Mito-sama was a Princess of Whirpool and a Seal Master before she was the Shodai's wife."

The old man held in his snort of laughter. This girl was something else. Well, time to take a risk. He didn't become Hokage by playing it safe.

"I can let you rebuild the Uzumaki Clan here in Konoha. That would mean you would have to take up the position of Clan Head. First you'd have to go through a mind walk with a Yamanaka, to make sure you aren't a spy and bear no ill will to Konoha. If you pass that, we'll talk."

She gave him a bright smile. "Once I pass, I expect to be introduced to my clan member. I don't even know his name."

"Naruto." He said fondly. "His name is Uzumaki Naruto."

-:-

Up next: Meeting Naruto and settling in

Notes: I know ya'll were rooting for a Harry/Shikamaru pairing before, but I decided to take this in a different direction. (I'm planning a different story with Shika and a reincarnated Harry) Also, with Harry being older mentally I'd figure she'd go for an older guy. I'm making her Itachi's age, and her possible partners Itachi, Iruka, Genma, and Kakashi.

Harry – Misaki (beautiful blossom)

Sirius - Samuru (he whose name is god)

Remus – Rinji (peaceful forest)