Hermione and Draco made their way down the street of the muggle world. Draco kept going on about how horrible it was. Hermione just rolled her eyes; figures he would complain.

"Do you know why we are doing this?" Draco asked as they waited for the pedestrian light to change.

"No I just got a letter from Dumbledore requesting I meet him there and that it was of life and death matters." The light changed and she kept an eye out for the address. Finally they arrived at 845 Lane Ave. It was a tiny brown door that looked like it had been there for years. The muggles didn't seem to pay any attention to them or the door. Hermione grasped the door knob and tried turning it.

"Who sent you?" A voice called out.

"Albus Dumbledore." Hermione answered as the knob turned on its own. It was dark inside the room save a candle burning in a corner. There was a figure moving about in the back of the room. Hermione stepped inside and Draco reluctantly followed.

"You must be Hermione and Draco." The woman turned around and greeted the two. Hermione nodded and took a seat at the huge table that took up the center of the room.

"Dumbledore said that our questions would be answered by you."

"Not all your answers girl." She stared at Malfoy, "Sit boy."

Malfoy took the seat and stared at the old woman. He didn't like being called boy by this stranger.

"I take it you are a witch?" Hermione asked as she started making patterns on the table top with her finger.

The woman nodded, "I am a witch from Hogwarts to be exact." She handed them both a glass of butter beer and sat down herself. "Name is Minas Serude."

"Ok so why exactly are we here?" Hermione asked not wanting to wait any further.

"Dumbledore did tell you what happened to Voldemort?" She asked surprised.

"Yes he did but that was all." Draco was getting annoyed.

"We need you two to help us find out if this information is in fact true." She sipped from her glass.

"Why not have Harry Potter do it?" Draco sneered.

"We needed the best of the best and regardless of what Mr. Potter has been through, you two are the most promising students at Hogwarts or at least that is what Dumbledore has said." She shrugged, "After all you are headboy and headgirl." Draco looked surprised by the comment.

"What is needed of us exactly?" Hermione set her glass down on the table.

"We need you to go into the town where the sightings have been reported and find out if Voldemort is working for someone. This is very important. We have to find out if a greater threat has been placed before us." She shook her head gravely, "Magic is not supposed to be stripped from a person. It is against all laws and rules of magic but now it has been done. If what you report is true…it may very well be the end of the wizarding world!"

"Don't you think you are getting a tad over dramatic?" Hermione asked.

"My dear girl apparently Dumbledore failed to mention that other wizards have been stripped of their magic as well? Ah I thought so." She looked saddened. "Well over 100 reports of magic being stripped away during the night by an unknown person. Someone is stealing magic from these wizards. We believe that they want to rid the world of magic! If we can find out who Voldemort is forced to work for then we can find out a way to stop this."

Hermione frowned, "And you expect us…students…to go up against this monster?"

"No no no! We only need you to find out where they are hiding." She grabbed a tissue from a box that was lying on the table and dabbed her eyes.

"What is going to happen with those wizards and witches if you defeat them?"

"Their magic will be restored. Magic doesn't just go away. They are storing it for their own uses."

Hermione stared long and hard at this woman, "They took yours didn't they?"

Minas's face crumpled, "Yes!" Tears now ran down her face. "The worst part is I can still feel my magic. I can feel them using it to hurt other people. I can feel them manipulating it to take other's magic as well!"

Draco and Hermione looked at each other; what to they do now?