One week earlier:

Dumbledore stared out the window at the figures below him in the street.

People passed, most pleasantly enough, but one refused to move.

Dumbledore tightened his lips in to a straight and serious expression and shook his head sadly.

A moment later he heard the man appear as he Apparated in to the room.

Dumbledore turned in amusement. "So, the Death Eaters are out in force, are they?" He smiled, cautiously raising his wand.

The masked figure tried to appear menacing but Dumbledore could sense the desperation in the man's posture – and then – in his voice.

"My Lord sends you this message: He is not responsible for the actions you've described – but he would be most interested in learning who is."

And without hesitation the man Apparated away.

"As are we all…" Dumbledore said out loud to himself. "As are we all…"

But if not Voldemort, then who? How could a wizard of this kind of power escape the notice of the wizarding community – both good and evil? And more importantly… What can we do to stop them before they succeed in this madness?

Dumbledore looked back out his window and watched the people pass. Lucky they don't know… It would cause a panic in the streets to know that the world is coming to an end… And that we can't do a thing about it.

And then Dumbledore saw him: Harry Potter.

Look how he's grown! Dumbledore smiled. From such a timid young lad in to the image of his father in so short a time! He beamed slightly and then … dimmed. Something must be done!

"We all need time to get … a little older." He whispered out loud to himself. But I'm afraid it would require a miracle to make it happen…

Harry crossed the street and stopped right below the window, his face lighting up as he saw his friends. Ron and Hermione gathered around him and exchanged hugs and handshakes.

Dumbledore could imagine they were asking each other why he had called them and seeing if anyone knew anything about it. And he was, of course, quite correct.

They're all so grown up now and yet… so young. He sighed. And the world has already asked too much of them as it is. It's unfair of me to ask this last bit more… But there is no where else to turn and … they would never forgive me if I left them out of it at this point.

And to think… The end of the world was only noticed by one little girl who only knew … that she had made a friend…

Hermione dragged the two boys in to the building and closed the door behind them.

"I'm not sure what this is about." She said wearily "But I found these notes in this notebook."

She pulled out a notebook with copious notes written in her own handwriting.

"I thought at first that I had written it in the future and left it accidentally. That happened when I was pushing my way through all those courses too – so I didn't think too much of it but…"

"Go on." Ron pushed, not liking where this was going.

"But then I noticed the dates. I made these entries two months ago!" She exclaimed.

"And you don't remember?" Harry took the book from her. "That is odd."

"Too odd, really." Ron looked over his shoulder.

"Yes." She agreed. "But it's worse than that – there's some sort of spell at work because every time I find that notebook I read it, and get excited all over again – until I find the last entry."

Harry flipped to the last entry. It was made yesterday. It detailed talking to Dumbledore about the notebook.

"What about it?" Harry asked her.

"It was written yesterday – and by today I had forgotten it again."

"What?" Ron wrinkled his nose. "You don't suppose that people forget anything you write in that book, do you?"

"It's a possibility." Harry said, his eyes combing over the page. "Hermione… Who is Lucy Logan?"

Hermione smiled wide. "She's the reason I started the book in the first place – and I DO remember her. We met at the Leaky Cauldron. She told me about her boyfriend being a shaman. Sweet girl. But the memory's just a little fuzzy. I can't recall how we met or anything more about her than what I've read out of my own notes."

Harry looked puzzled. "Mutants… I think… I think I remember something on the news… Something about … Mutants?"

"Mutants?" Ron asked. "What are they? Some Muggle thing?"

"Maybe…" Harry said. "I wonder why I can't remember?"

"Because," Hermione continued. "You're being affected by the spell too."

Harry nodded. "I bet you're right. But what does it all mean?"

"Hopefully, that's what Dumbledore's called us here to talk about." She finished. "But after reading what I've written about mutants in that book, I'm half afraid to find out. They have serious powers and abilities. Some that rival even the best wizards in the magical community."

Harry nodded as he continued to read. "You're right; this is serious. The magical community seems to be ignorant of these mutants, and there's no reason they should be." Harry pulled out a clipping from a London paper that showed Excalibur posing with a smile in front of the lighthouse.

Ron's eyes went wide. "Holy smokes!" He shook his head. "Kurt Wagner… That name is familiar, but…"

"But it's like you've never seen his face before?" Dumbledore's voice came from behind them and they all jumped. "Quite correct." He smiled. "It's good that you all came as quickly as you did, as the situation is quite serious."

Ron and Hermione exchanged worried glances but Harry just locked his eyes on Dumbledore.

"How bad is it?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore pursed his lips. "I'm afraid that after this… Facing Voldemort and his followers will seem like a pleasant diversion by comparison." He sighed heavily. "But, all will be explained shortly. Come now, I've hot chocolate waiting upstairs and we've much to discuss."

Then he motioned for them to follow and they did, each of them somberly circling up the spiral staircase behind the old wizard.