"Good morning, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy." Albus Dumbledore smiled affably at the pair as they stepped out of the Muggle car. "I trust your journey was not too, ah, traumatizing?"
Draco looked more than a little frazzled. Hermione simply smiled brightly at him. "Not at all, Professor!" she declared. Draco shot her an incredulous look, which she pointedly ignored.
Dumbledore chuckled. "Well now, we are all safe and sound and ready to return to Hogwarts, but there is one thing I must ask you both, and that is this: what happened, exactly? It is very rare for a witch or wizard to suddenly and completely lose their powers, let alone two at the same time."
Draco frowned. "Gra—Hermione and I were at King's Cross and the platform wouldn't...well, it wouldn't let us on. It was like we were suddenly Muggles, which she is, but—" He trailed off, looking more confused than ever.
"Can you do magic now?" Dumbledore asked.
Draco pulled out his wand. "Wingardium leviosa!" he said firmly, pointing his wand at a piece of paper lying nearby. It didn't move. Dumbledore frowned. "Strange..."
"I can't do magic either, Professor," Hermione joined in. "I tried in the car over here—" Draco jumped and glared at her at this rather terrifying revelation "—but it didn't work. What's the matter with us, do you think?"
"I have a suspicion, but it is too soon to act on it." Dumbledore pondered for a moment, conjuring a list out of thin air and reading it quickly. "Very well, we shall have to appoint temporary Heads. I think young Mr. Potter and Miss Patil of Ravenclaw will do nicely; in the meantime, I will consult with Professors Snape and McGonagall as to this strange phenomenon."
Draco was outraged. "P-Potter! You'd replace me with Po-"
Hermione interrupted him. "Professor," she said anxiously, "you don't think we're under a Dark curse, do you? Perhaps we shouldn't go back to Hogwarts just yet, in case it isn't s—"
"No, Hermione," Dumbledore said gently, "I do not believe it is a curse. I believe it has more to do with the animosity within our school. You see, many students know of Draco's attempt last year to breach the defenses of Hogwarts—on Voldemort's orders, of course." He turned to Draco, who had gone rather green. "Naturally, I do not blame you, Draco. Voldemort is a harsh master, even to those who may not willingly serve him."
Hermione frowned. "Pardon, Professor, but what does that have to do with Draco and me losing our powers?"
"It is a rather odd way to manifest itself, is it not?" The old wizard's eyes twinkled.
"Manifest what?" Draco had recovered from his shock at Harry Potter replacing him as Head Boy and was now eyeing Dumbledore suspiciously.
"Friendship," Dumbledore said simply. "As those rather blunt Americans say, 'united we stand.' I believe this is a test of sorts. You will both be my assistants until such time as your powers return, and perhaps at least one of you will learn something they did not expect."
"Professor," Draco said in a somewhat unsteady voice, "you really don't expect me to live as a Muggle, do you?"
"Muggles are rather fascinating, Mr. Malfoy. I think you will be pleasantly surprised."
"But—"
"Now come. Unfortunately, I have a meeting to attend to back at the castle; I have secured a Portkey to take us there." He procured a bag of lemon sweets. "Edible after use; how charming of the Minister." Smiling, he held it out. "Three...two...one..."
And the world whirled away.
Please review! And thanks Miranda Took!
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