Hermione looked up and let out a small gasp. A tall, thin man stood in front of her. Though her room was dark, and his face was greatly shadowed she could see his chilling blue eyes. She had never seen eyes like his before, they seemed to bear into your soul and ice it over. His dark hair fell around his eyes, and for a fleeting second Hermione thought Tom Riddle had appeared in her room.

Her mind immediately rejected the idea. He's dead. And anyway, he didn't have blue eyes. Hermione's mind kept repeating this as though to reassure her. Hermione tried to grab for her wand, only to realize it wasn't in her pocket as usual. She glanced behind her at the locked closet. She couldn't back up to it and risk getting cornered to get her wand.

"One of what?" Hermione tried to play stupid.

"Don't be thick! I know you're Hermione Granger. Some would say you're the cleverest witch of your day." He took a step towards Hermione. She backed a step, shell-shocked. She tried to hide the emotion on her face. He glared at Hermione. "You don't seem very clever to me."

"Who are you?" Hermione asked, keeping her voice as steady as possible. She glanced around him.

"I'm Chaz. I'm one of those 'muggles' you consider so lowly." Hermione's jaw dropped. How did he know her name? Where she lived? Or that she was a witch? "I always told people, witches and wizards are still out there. Everyone thought it was a bunch of hogwash, but I knew better. I'd seen magic performed with my own eyes. And I knew you couldn't be permitted to live among us!" Chaz's voice rose steadily as he grew angrier. "You could be casting spells, or making potions to change us or our behaviors. You could be doing anything to us and no one would know better! You're kind is hazardous! You'll kill us all and take over."

Hermione decided this man was mental and knew she had to get away from him. "I'm not a witch Chaz. I think we need to get you help." Hermione spoke strongly, and steadily, as though crazy people broke into her bedroom everyday.

Before Hermione could react he slugged her in the face. She let out a small gasp. She could feel the warm blood rushing from her nose now. "He told me you'd act like this. That you'd be a know-it-all and try to hide your identity. But you see you're glowing. He helped me. He performed a spell for me, so I could pick you all out and eradicate you. He's one of the few that is still kind towards humans."

Hermione interrupted Chaz's rant. "You mean this man put a spell on all the witches and wizards in the country to make them glow, so you could pick them out and kill them?"

"Yes, he is very powerful. He marked all of you, you are all glowing faintly, but only Muggles will notice. And you all have a purple line on your right hand." Hermione glanced at her right hand. It was covered in a cast, so she hadn't noticed. But why hadn't she noticed the Weasley's being marked?

"Who is he? Who helped you?" Hermione desperately asked. Who had betrayed his fellow brothers and sisters?

"Mr. Malfoy did. He told me all about you-" Chaz was never able to finish his sentence. Hermione punched him in the face with her right hand. She heard the sickening crunch as his nose broke. She immediately felt all the pain in her right wrist. At least her cast had done some damage, however she knew she'd just re-broken the bone. Hermione ran as fast as she could from her room. She heard his heavy footsteps following her.

His large hand grabbed her shoulder and he sent her hurtling threw the air. Hermione's parent's glass French doors broke her fall. She felt the small pieces of glass cutting her face and arms. She fell to the ground in a pile. He struck her head with something hard as she lay there. Probably his shoe, Hermione thought. She kicked back and connected with his soft belly. He fell to the floor. Hermione seized her chance. She ran down the stairs and darted for the garage. She locked the door and stopped to catch her breath.

A few seconds later she heard him pounding on the door. She glanced around frantically. There had to be some kind of weapon in here. She saw her father's old baseball bat. That would do, she thought. Hermione grabbed it and ran to hide next to the door.

The door swung open with a loud bang. Dust flew as the handle shoved into the garage wall and stuck. A hand grabbed Hermione around the throat, cutting her air off. This was not what she had been expecting. She dropped the bat and grabbed at his hand. She could feel her neck growing hot and he let go with a yelp. She had not planned to use magic but she was highly stressed. She grabbed the bat and struck him in the face.

Chaz crumbled to the floor. Hermione started to run but fell as his hand grasped her foot. She smacked against the concrete floor. Her head spun. She felt him grasp her head. Next thing she knew her face was connecting with wall.

Hermione swung blindly trying to get him to let go. She finally connected with something and he loosened his grip she pulled away. Her eyes grazed, searching frantically for the baseball bat. She could hardly see, blood was running into her eyes and her head continued to spin. She saw the bat lying clear across the room. Chaz must have thrown it after she hit him with it.

Desperately Hermione screamed, "ACCIO BAT!" As the bat flew into her hand, Hermione let out a sigh of relief. Hermione was growing dizzy and knew she had to stop this fight soon. She turned as Chaz picked himself up from the floor. Without warning Hermione struck him in the abdomen and then in the face. He groaned and fell again. For good measure Hermione hit him over the head and he fell unconscious.

Hermione collapsed and grasped his arm. Her breathes were heavy and labored and she Apparated in the Weasley's living room.