I've had some lovely reviews so thank you for that! Maybe we can repeat that for this chapter? ;D
Very much a muggle chapter but it's a pleasant, jolly one I feel. Next chapter back to real (magical harry potter) life!

Please do review again, alright? :)

CHAPTER 18

'Where to?' Asked the conductor, Stan Shunpike. I checked Felix' letter for reference. '23 Hilldrop Road. It's in Bromley.' I answered and Stan repeated it to the driver. 'You hear me Ernie?' He shouted when he didn't answer. A grunt was heard in response. 'Sit down love, we'll call you when we've arrived.' Stan told me and I nodded, walking to the back of the vehicle.

I was going to visit Felix in his muggle home today. I was nervous to say the least but on the other hand I felt confident that Felix was going to make sure I felt comfortable and that made me feel a little better. It was only four in the afternoon now so we were going to do some of our summer homework together and then meet his friends (as well as band). They'd have a gig later, early in the evening and they had invited me along. Or that's what Felix told me.

I was worried his friends wouldn't like me. Or that I couldn't pass for a muggle. I had put on a muggle summer dress that my mum had gotten for herself one time at the muggle merchandise shop down the way at Diagon Alley when she had to be dressed as a muggle for a Daily Prophet article once. Something about owl sightings in the muggle world and how that should influence wizarding legislation (which in the end obviously wasn't influenced at all). She had done some refitting charms on it though so I could wear it (my "chest-area" wasn't as well developed as hers and she was taller). I looked down on it. I thought it looked nice, for muggle clothing, but I didn't really know anything about muggle clothing at all. I felt terribly unprepared by my Muggle Studies classes. It had a nice floral print of black and yellow, the hem of the dress reaching down to my shins when I stood up. I wondered about my shoes. I didn't think muggle and wizarding footwear differed all that much, but what did I know? Maybe my white socks and dress shoes were hugely inappropriate. I decided I'd have to risk it. I didn't have any alternatives.

I stuck my hand into my robe pocket and pulled out Mathilda's letter. It had arrived by owl just as I was about to leave and I decided to read it on the way.

Dear Cecilia,

I'm in total trouble with dad. I got home way after my nine o' clock curfew. I won't say how late it was but it rhymes with done. I'm writing you now, on the morning after, but dad barred me from using his owl although dad, as you know, has always had a hard time being mad with me so I expect it all to cool down in the next couple of days. I'm sending you this as soon as I'm able. It's all a bit of a drag. But it was all worth it!

Adrian's dinner was simply fantastic! He took me out to that posh place next to Gringotts and afterwards we went for ice cream at Florean Fortescue's which wasn't at all underwhelming after the lavish dinner. It felt appropriately casual. Comfortable, that's the word! And we sat there sharing a sundae (lavender and lemon) and talking till it was the middle of the night and Mr Fortescue kicked us out. Afterwards we walked around a little longer but then Adrian brought me home via the Knight Bus, kissing me goodnight before I went in. It was a wonderful kiss, soft and romantic, even in the harsh light of the Knight Bus' headlights. He just grabbed me by my waist and we stood there until the driver honked. And he looked so handsome, Cecil! I felt so lucky to call him mine.

To answer your question from yesterday; my internship is going well. I've only just started the internship but it's hardly work at all. They want you to make tea and coffee a lot or run down the street for sandwiches but after two days I had enough of that and shoved that job off to the rest of the interns. I just sit around at the control booth of the studio most of the time, sipping butter beers. Super exciting, I got to meet Scott Vulgo, the wireless host, the other day and he said I was a great intern. All the other interns were all super jealous. I don't think Scott Vulgo knows what I'm supposed to do at all (nor do I really) because I only ever hang with the producers and the sound editors. I have them bringing me drinks.

I'll send my letter and come by as soon as my dad cools down. In the meantime; lots of love from your bestest friend!

Mathilda

I know I shouldn't be surprised, but I still was as I read Mathilda's letter. This was so like her. I hoped it took a while before they caught onto her and fired her. Or, knowing her, it could also last forever. They'd make her president of the network before you knew it. Or they'd fire her. It could go either way.

The last few days at work had been far from noteworthy for me. The day after I had seen Fred at the Ministry I had been very anxious about seeing him again but he hadn't shown up and his dad didn't mention it either so I suspect it wasn't a regular occurrence to have them visit him at work. We weren't closer to solving the toilet case either. Today, before I left the office, Mr Weasley had let known that he'd put me on other tasks if we don't get another lead soon so my internship wouldn't be all about toilets. After work I went home to change and then I flagged the Knight Bus to take me to Felix' house. Wednesdays were only half days for my internship.

'Young lady, Hilldrop Road for you!' Stan shouted from the front and I dizzily got to my feet after the wild ride, swinging my bag over my shoulder. I pulled out my money pouch when I stood in front of the Knight Bus conductor. '9 Sickles, 5 Knuts.' Stan said, rolling out a receipt from the large brass machine hanging from his neck. 'There you go.' I murmured, counting out the coins.

I stepped off the purple step, onto the tarmac of a fairly cosy looking street, terrace houses lining the road. Behind me I felt the gust of wind as the Knight Bus took off again, my hair blowing in all directions and my dress around my knees. I looked at the brick terrace house in front of me, nestled in between nearly identical houses, a lush green, geometrically shaped hedge on the pavement, right underneath the wide windows. I suddenly noticed the door being open, Felix standing in the doorway with a big grin on his face.

'What was that?' He asked, walking forward, me walking to him, to meet him halfway. He pointed in the direction of where the Knight Bus disappeared to. 'The Knight Bus. You don't know the Knight Bus?' I answered and he shook his head. 'No, have never had the pleasure.' He answered.

I self-consciously plucked at my dress and he looked me up and down. 'And you're in normal clothes!' He exclaimed and I laughed. 'If by normal you mean muggle, then yes.' I replied. He waved me over. 'Come on in.' He said and I walked up to him, hesitant about walking past him into the hallway. I looked up at his lanky frame and he smiled down at me. There was half a second of dawdling before Felix leaned down to give me a hug which I returned with a sense of surprise. I don't think the two of us ever hugged before. Had we? 'You have to meet my parents.' He said as he pulled back.

We walked through a hallway, framed pictures on the wall (I couldn't immediately put my finger on why the pictures of a smiling Felix at various stages of his life looked so weird to me but I later on realized it was because none of them moved). He opened up a door and let me walk in first. Two people of roughly the same age as my own parents stood waiting on the other side of it and one look at both their smiles told me they could be no other than Felix' parents.

'Cecilia, these are my parents, Boris and Sylvia Smythwick. Mum, dad; this is Cecilia.' Felix introduced us to each other and I politely shook their hands.

'So, you go to Hogwarts with Felix?' His mother asked me and I nodded shyly. 'Yeah, we're in the same year.' I replied. 'So not the same house?' Mrs Smythwick asked on. 'You have to excuse us, Felix is too embarrassed to tell us anything about you other than your name.' She said and I smiled, equally embarrassed. I could practically feel Felix be swallowed up by the floor beside me.

'No, that's alright. No, I'm in Ravenclaw but we do share a couple of classes.' I said. I looked around their living room. In some aspects it looked very similar to a wizarding living room but muggle living rooms were still very different in all the important details. There was a couch of course and a coffee table but they were all pointed to a big square plastic looking box with a dark window at the front of it. I tried to think back to all my Muggle Studies classes but none of my knowledge aided me as I tried to figure out what it was. And there was more. The pictures on the wall and on the table weren't moving (nor those on the magazines and papers), the clock ticked silently with no other use than showing the time and even the flowers on the dinner table at the other end of the room seemed to be completely non magical orange tulips. There were also countless of "electrical appliances" scattered among the room, seemingly at home and casual and as I saw them laying around or carefully placed on shelves I wondered what on Earth you'd need that much electricity machines for. But, I reasoned with myself, they don't have magic: all the things we take for granted need to be done somehow still.

'Felix talks so little of school when he's home.' Mrs Smythwick complained. 'He's not a great speaker at all.' She said to me and I felt uncomfortable as she spoke about her son to me when he was right next to me. 'He doesn't? Doesn't he write you letters at least?' She asked and Mrs Smythwick nodded. 'Well, yes, but he's always so short on his words. He's doing well, school's going well, his friends are doing well. Hardly informative.' I smiled at the frenzied mother.

I was about to answer her, reassure her perhaps, but her husband took it upon himself. 'Well, well, Sylvia, let's leave the kids to it. There's enough opportunity to humiliate them later.' He said with a chuckle. 'Alright, we'll just go up to my room and study.' Felix loudly announced and his parents snickered as he pushed me out the room and up a staircase.

'I'm sorry, please don't mind my parents, they don't get to meet many wizards and witches and it's all a bit new and..-' he rambled. 'Don't worry about it Felix, it was no bother at all.' I merely said and he smiled at me gratefully. Then he opened up another door.

'Well, yeah, this is my room.' Felix said uncomfortably. It was a simple room, his walls a creamy white, posters of both wizarding origin (flashy in colour and moving pictures of course – I could spot a Weird Sisters poster and a Appleby Arrows Quidditch team poster) and muggle origin (something called Nirvana had claimed a couple of posters on his wall and a "football team" – presumably a muggle sport – called Arsenal also had a poster above his desk). There was a closet and desk at the back wall and a bed under the window, a bookcase right next to it. 'It's nice.' I said with a shy smile.

'I hope my parents didn't embarrass you too much.' He said once again by means of apology but I just waved it away. 'I told you: don't worry about it. Parents are supposed to do that. It's a sign of parental love.' I said with a chuckle and he laughed as well. 'If you put it like that.' He gave in. I moved to his desk and inspected the books that were laying around on it. Again they were both wizarding and muggle. The wizarding books seemed to be schoolbooks mostly, a couple of novels all of them I had all already read. 'What are these?' I asked, pointing at the muggle books.

Felix moved next to me and I was suddenly hyper aware of his close proximity. 'These? They are muggle books. Fiction. Mostly.' He said.

I went through the short stack. I picked up a thin, orange one. 'The Great Gatsby?' I asked, reading the title. 'What is it about?' I asked as I flipped through the pages. 'How to explain?' He wondered aloud. 'It's the 1920's in America and it's about this fellow with a neighbour who's bloody fantastic but well, you know.. It's hard to explain. It's about how all the extravagance in the world can't buy happiness. It sounds lame if I say it like that though.' He concluded. Felix rubbed the back of his neck.

Felix picked up the next book on the pile. 'This one is really intense! I read it while I was still in muggle school. It's a true story about a girl who hides in an attic for years.' He said, holding it up for me to see. The Diary of Anne Frank it said on the cover. 'Why would she do that?' I asked. Felix looked a bit taken aback by the question but quickly recovered. 'It's a long story, a long history. It was during World War II.' He explained. I murmured as a sign of a recognition, the term ringing a small bell somewhere in my head. I was sure professor Burbage had mentioned it once or twice in Muggle Studies.

'I have never actually read a muggle novel.' I confessed to Felix. 'You haven't?' He countered in surprise. 'Oh but you should!' He continued and I smiled at him, taking the book he was still holding from him and holding it up next The Great Gatsby. 'Pick one and I'll read it!' I offered and he gave the two books a considering look. He took The Diary of Anne Frank back from me. 'I don't think you'll understand this one properly.' He said and I raised my eyebrows. 'Oh.' I replied. He picked up on my tone. 'Not like that, it's not about your smarts. It's just that you probably don't know enough about the subject to fully understand her psychological struggle as a Jewish girl in a Nazi occupied Netherlands. And the story deserves that understanding.' Felix explained to me. I was reluctant to admit that I had little idea about what that meant. 'Alright, alright, I won't be offended.' I said with a chuckle, playing off the unsettling feeling I had at the irking realization that there was a whole world out there that I had absolutely no clue about, despite my bloody Exceed Expectations at my Muggle Studies O.W.L.'s.

'You can borrow that, if you'd like.' Felix said, pointing at the orange paperback in my left hand. 'I would like that.' I answered and I pressed it into my side. 'Talking of reading; have you started your required reading for Charms already? You wanted to continue Charms into N.E.W.T.'s right?' I asked. Thereon after we started our studying. He let me have the desk, hastily pushing aside the stuff cluttering the surface. He turned on the radio before he sat cross-legged on his bed. 'I've already read the Charms chapters so I'll get a start on the essay already, alright?' I said. 'Suits me fine!' Was his answer.

It was nice. The window was open, letting in a pleasant summer breeze. The music was an enjoyable lull in the background. I absentmindedly pulled at the muggle dress I was wearing. I felt uncomfortable wearing muggle clothes although it was a bit better now I was getting more used to it. Felix was quietly humming along to the radio.

Wooheewooh, I look just like Buddy Holly! O-oh and you're Mary Tyler Moore! I don't care what they say about us anyway, I don't care about that!

The radio blared a muggle song I didn't know (as opposed to all of the muggle songs I did know?). 'I love this song.' Felix commented. I was distracted and for a moment I didn't react. 'Mmh?' I murmured questioningly after a while. 'Never mind.' He replied. Then he chuckled. 'I love that album.' He said.

It was an hour later when Felix got up, telling me we were supposed to go and meet one of his friends, James, in a bit. I instantly got nervous again. I had felt really comfortable doing my studying, accompanied by Felix, but now I was going to be thrust into an incredibly foreign environment.

I could tell Felix was making a point of not crossing his parents again. We put on our shoes in the hallway, sitting at the bottom step of the stairs, and he only opened the door to the living room to quickly say 'We're off to James', we'll be back tonight after the gig.' He didn't wait for the good-luck's and have-fun's his parents called after him, but pulled me out the front door with him, banging the door closed behind us.

'Let me just grab my bike very quickly.' Said Felix, fishing a set of keys out of the front pocket of his flannel shirt. His bike was a blue model parked against a lantern post and he unlocked it swiftly. 'I used to park it in our little patch before our house –' he pointed at the less than two square meter patch of tiles that lay underneath their windows and next to their door, lined with short brown picket fencing. '– but our neighbour complained and now I have to park it here.' He finished, pointing at the door right next to their own. Although the structure of the connected house was decidedly similar, was the done up weirdly not. The neighbour had cubed bushes in front of their classic windows and the brick seemed to be redder in colour as well. 'He's a real twat.' He said with a laugh. I couldn't help but laugh as well. 'If it wasn't illegal and immoral I would jinx him for you guys.' I confided and his face lid up with his smile. It felt good to make him happy. I thought back to the last half a year. It had crept up on me but I had really grown to perceive Felix as a close friend.

'James lives just across the houses. If we're in luck number 28 will have left his gate open and we can sneak through.' Felix said as we walked side by side across the street. He was rolling his bicycle alongside him. We walked up to a wooden fence in between the gap between two houses across the way from Felix' house and he tried the door handle but it wouldn't budge. 'He remembered to lock it today, shame.' Felix commented. 'No choice but to walk around then!' He stated cheerily and he took the lead, walking to the end of the street. 'James is a bit loony by the way. Don't mind him too much.' He said and I made a small noise of recognition. I didn't really know what he meant.

The street seemed to be going in some sort of loop where on our side it was called Hilldrop Road and the other end Gladwell Road. James lived on Gladwell. Felix put his bike against the hedge and rang the doorbell, giving me an encouraging grin. 'Welcome to the Muggle World.' He muttered to me and I let out a laugh. I had actually been a bit nervous but Felix had always been good at making me feel at ease.

The door was opened by an unnaturally blonde woman in trousers and a t-shirt. 'Felix!' She greeted him enthusiastically. Her eyes flickered to me. 'You brought a friend?' She called out, obviously surprised. 'She's in school with me.' Felix told her. 'Cecilia, this is Cynthia, she's James' sister.' Felix introduced us and we shook each other's hand. She seemed nice enough. 'Just go on up, James is still getting ready, the girl.' His sister told us and Felix, after having kicked off his shoes, bolted up the stairs and I followed after him after unlacing my black and white saddle shoes.

Felix opened up the door of a room without knocking, walking in. I hesitantly went to stand in the door opening. The room was similar to Felix' room, lots of posters and messy. There was sheet music laying around on every flat surface, a guitar on a standard and another one on the bed. 'Felix, you tosser, have you never heard of knocking!?' Asked a boy of approximately the same age as Felix and I, with light brown hair hanging almost to his shoulders and eyes that were a brown dark enough to appear black. I quickly turned around though, blushing, as the boy was shirtless, in the process of changing a shirt.

'You can turn around love!' I heard the boy call out to me and I turned back to him, assuming he was done changing, but he was still shirtless, holding his shirt in his hands. Felix hit his shoulder. 'What!?' The boy said indignantly. 'You brought her here, to my house.' He reminded him and I felt incredibly uncomfortable, standing in the door opening. 'Sorry, I can go.' I murmured and I was about to leave but the boy leaped forward and he pulled me into the room by my arms, slamming the door closed behind me. Felix leaned into me so he could whisper in my ear. 'I did say that James was a right weird one.' He said and I couldn't help but smile at that.

I sat down at one of the wooden chairs, Felix sitting next to me. Despite the strange first meeting, I soon found out that he was a nice boy. He was the lead singer of the their band as well as their rhythm guitarist, as evidenced by his room which was exactly what you'd expect from a teenage musician. As mentioned before it was very messy but the walls were a depressing (or edgy, depending on your perspective I suppose) black, littered with posters like Felix' were except that these had no wizarding posters whatsoever. It were just dark band posters with dark violent lettering announcing tours at places I had never heard of.

'It's not that I'm not interested in who you are, because I definitely am, but we are supposed to meet the rest of the band and I can't find my trousers.' James said to us and I woke up from my curious sit-down tour. 'Obviously.' I said earnestly, although I eyed Felix because even though the sixteen year old in front of me had still not put on a shirt, he was most definitely wearing trousers. 'He has lucky jeans.' Felix explained to me. 'He wears them to every gig.'

When James had finally found the dirty pair of denim trousers under his bed and put on a shirt we went downstairs, putting on our shoes. His sister stuck her head out from behind a door. 'You're going?' She asked, a bored expression on her face and James grunted, tying his shoe laces. In the meantime I was desperately trying to hide my self-tying shoelaces from sight by draping the skirt of the muggle dress I was wearing over it so they muggles wouldn't see the laces moving on their own.

Another girl stuck her head out, her hair a more natural colour similar to James' brown hair. 'You're going?' The younger girl asked. James gave another grunt. 'Tell mum and dad I won't be back till later.' He said to his siblings and they answered together, as if practised; 'Tell 'm yourself.'

Outside James pulled another bicycle out of a narrow alley beside the house while talking to Felix, Felix meanwhile unlocking his own bike. 'Joey has made his brother bring the equipment to the pub already, so we're just going to meet him and Jack at the park.'

The boys both took a seat on their bicycles and I stood on Felix' right uncomfortably, not sure what to do. Did people bring their own bikes in the muggle world? I'm sure Felix would've mentioned it. 'Are you going to hop on or what?' Asked Felix and I frowned. 'But you're already on! Besides, I don't know how to ride a bike.' I said and James let out a disbelieving snort but before he could say anything more Felix shut him up by punching him in the arm. 'Just get on the back carefully and hold onto me.' He said and then he leaned forward to whisper 'us muggles do it all the time, promise.'

I wasn't sure how well it was going to work but I decided to trust him on it and perched on the back carefully the way I would if I ride on the back of somebody else's broom and it turned out to be quite fine.

I was hesitant to hold onto Felix but after going over a large bump in the tarmac I grasped onto his shirt and kept a hold of it for the rest of the ride. The weather was pleasant; warm with a soft wind blowing my hair out of my face as we made our way through the neighbourhood. It was a quiet neighbourhood with little people out; we only crossed a somewhat busy road while leaving Gladwell Road to cross over to more quietness, obvious residential areas. We had to wait for a proper muggle bus to pass us first. It looked a bit like the Knight Bus only with just two levels and it being bright red. It didn't go nearly as fast either I noticed as it went past.

I closed my eyes for a minute. The sun shone down on us, warming my face and after a moment of consideration I leaned down my cheek against Felix' back. He wouldn't mind. My breath slowed down in relaxation as we hobbled along the road

'That's actually where I used to go to school before Hogwarts.' Felix said and I opened my eyes. We rode past a bare tarmac square, fencing off a brick building. There was a sign on the fence that read Burnt Ash Primary School Bromley. 'This is where little Felix spent his time?' I asked with a smile on my face as I imagined a ten year old with sandy blonde hair and crooked teeth running around the playground. James matched our speed. 'David Bowie actually used to go here too, you know.' Said James and for a moment I didn't react but I saw his face look at me expectantly so I feigned amazement and said 'Wow!'. I felt Felix' frame shake as he chuckled.

It wasn't long before we arrived at the small, wild park at which we were meeting the rest of Felix' band. They were in fact already waiting, leaning against their own bikes. They waved as they saw us coming. James went to stand by them, punching the shoulder of one of them. Felix waited to get off so I could get off first and then dropped his bike in the grass next to James', turning to his friends.

'Lads, this is Cecilia.' Felix introduced me to his mates. I looked over them. They were of course wearing muggle clothes and I was wondering if I had done well with my muggle disguise. They looked so different than most wizards looked when they dressed up like muggles, as they were wearing baggy jeans and flannel shirts and dark t-shirts underneath. Very different to my flowery dress.

'Come off it Felix, you've been talking our ears off about her for ages already. Like we wouldn't know her when we saw her.' The one on the left said. His dark brown hair was parted in the middle, hanging down and framing his freckled face. Felix's ears turned red which in turn made me turn red too. 'Hey, you two match!' James said. 'Alright, that's enough!' Said the third friend with a laugh, his black hair hanging to his ears, parted on the side. He stepped forward, two bright blue eyes twinkling at me, extending his hand. 'I'm Joey. You know James and the other one is Jack.' He said. I shook his hand with a smile. 'I'm Cecilia.' I said shyly. Joey's eyes reminded me of Fred's instantly. I had to shake off the shiver that the simple thought of him ensured.

'You all have names starting with a J.' I noted curiously. And they laughed. Felix replied. 'Yeah, they used to call me John so I'd be able to "fit in" better.' He said with a laugh. 'Shut up John!' James said loudly and he moved forward, pulling my shoulder and laying his arm around me. 'Come, I'll show you where we are going to lay ash to the world with our killer sound!' He said and I looked behind me to see Felix looking after us, a fond smile on his face.

An hour later I was being introduced to Joey's girlfriend. We had arrived at the muggle pub where they were going to perform and although the boys had to set up, Kristy, as she was called, was there to keep me company as we sat at a tiny round table. I had gotten a "beer" from the round Jack had given. I had whispered to Felix that I thought butterbeer was strictly a wizarding drink and Felix had corrected me. 'This is different. This is a muggle drink.' He had said and after a few seconds 'and please go easy on it; the alcohol levels are a bit higher than in butterbeer.'

'So you go to school with Felix?' Joey's girlfriend asked me and I ripped my eyes away from the small stage where Felix was assembling his drums. I nodded. 'I don't know Felix very well because I only started going out with Joey over Christmas and you guys go to a boarding school.' She said and I kept quiet because although her sentence came to an end, I could sense there was more she wanted to say. 'Joey told me you have a weird school though. He hasn't said much but he calls it strange.'

I simply took a sip of my beer, making a face at the bitter taste. This wasn't anything like butterbeer. 'Where was this boarding school of yours again?' Asked Kristy. 'Scotland.' I answered vaguely. Although I wouldn't really be able to be much more precise anyway. Right at that moment, thankfully, did Joey tap the "microphoney" and spoke into it. 'Are we ready for some music?' His whisper resonated through the room and cheers broke out.

'Now, this little number you all know! Stand up and get shaking for Closer by Nine Inch Nails!' He ended up screaming the title and there were loud screams as Joey backed away from the microphoney and James' stepped forward, starting to sing. It was a vulgar kind of song and I don't know if I would've liked it under normal circumstances but the excitement of both the band and the crowd swept me up and soon I was clapping along with a grin on my face.

The band was good, really good, and it was a joy to watch them but it was an even bigger joy seeing Felix banging his head along to the beat he shook out of his legs and arms. He was sweating, his sandy hair sticking to his forehead, his face nearly splitting in two by the grin he was sporting. 'Doesn't he look handsome!?' Kristy yelled near me and I nodded. 'He does!' I replied but then I frowned and looked at her. 'I got him that guitar for his birthday, you know.' She commented and I looked at Joey who had a shiny red electrical guitar in his grasp.

'Now put your hands together for our drummer!' Joey yelled through the microphoney as he pointed at Felix. He quickly moved the device closer to Felix, positioning it in front of his mouth while Felix and James kept on a beat with the drums and rhythm guitar. Then Felix started singing.

'What I like about you,

You hold me tight!

Tell me I'm the only one,

Do y'wanna come over tonight, yeah!'

The night was over far too soon, the band ending on a mellow sounding song that James introduced as 'Soundgarden's Fell On Black Days!' before he started singing but then they took a bow, getting off the stage as they were clapped on the shoulders and backs by the audience.

Joey bent down to kiss his girlfriend when they arrived at our little round table. 'You were fizzing!' I exclaimed when Felix went to stand in front of me and I stood up. 'We were bloody amazing up there!' James agreed and I laughed, having no objection to the claim. 'You have the Weird Sisters at the Yule Ball beat, I'd say.' I whispered to Felix and he laughed, his ears and neck turning red. 'Now you're just being silly.' He said and I joined his chuckles.

We sat all together, joking and laughing, drinking more of the beers they all seemed to be fond of (they went down a bit easier than first but I couldn't call myself a fan just yet) and before long a young man with the same striking blue eyes as Joey tapped Joey's shoulder. 'Time to go, little brother, your ride has arrived!' Joey's big brother said and we all groaned but then the boys got up to clear up their instruments.

They said bye to the bartender, to some people in the pub but then it was time to head out and we left the feverishly warm inside to discover that it was not only dark outside now, but it was also rather chilly. I rubbed my arms as I followed after Joey's brother. There was an automobile parked along the pavement close by. I wasn't an expert by any measure but it looked small, especially knowing that there couldn't have been any Undetectable Extension Charms put on it. Joey's brother (I didn't catch his name earlier) turned to us.

'I can't take all of you.' He announced but they were already expecting that and nobody complained. He put Joey's bike on top of the vehicle, tying it down with some ropes and seeing as all the instruments were stuffed into the back, Joey and Kristy shared the passenger seat, she sitting in her boyfriend's lap. 'It was good to finally meet you, Cecilia.' Joey said, giving me a pleasant smile. I returned the smile. 'Very good to meet you too. You played very well.' I said and with that, a wave to Kristy who was already waiting by the automobile, they filed into and the muggle contraption raced off round the block.

I sat on the back of Felix' bike again, not feeling so shy anymore and circling his waist with my arms, letting out a satisfied sigh. 'See you guys! See you Cecilia!' Jack shouted as he steered off into another street. 'How'd you like us, Cecilia?' Asked James as he and Felix rode alongside each other. 'You were honestly very good.' I answered him truthfully. 'What kind of music do you like anyway?' He asked and I bit my lip. Did I know a muggle musician? 'I kind of like this bloke Beethoven. Have you heard of him?' I asked and James laughed. 'You didn't say she was funny too, Felix.' He said. Well, I got out of that one at least.

Soon enough he came to a halt next to his house as we biked on and I waved at him from the back of the bike and he waved back, putting his bike in the small alleyway beside his house. A minute later I jumped off the bike and Felix stepped off as well. 'I should probably get home. I don't know what the time is but I don't think my parents will like too much if I stay out for too late.' I said to him and he nodded. 'Did you really think we were good?' He asked and I nodded. 'And I thought you were the best of 'm.' I added with a grin and he smiled, his ears red. 'How are you getting home?' He asked but I had already stuck out my wand arm and the Knight Bus appeared a couple of seconds later. His eyes widened. 'You should explain this thing to me once.' He told me and I assured him I would.

'I'll write to you.' Felix said as I got on the step of the bus and Stan Shunpike asked where to. 'Diagon Alley.' I answered before turning back to Felix. 'Please do!' I replied. 'We'll meet up soon enough, alright?' and he grinned which was answer enough.

The bus door closed in front of me and before I knew it Hilldrop Road and Felix' face had vanished out of my sight and it was a blur of landscapes and cities and I turned to take a seat by the window.

It had been an exceptionally good night.

I know this chapter was very muggle and OC heavy but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Next chapter there's going to be plenty of Fred Weasley to go around though!

Please review this chapter!

PS:
By the way, I take great joy in making EVERYTHING in my story make actual sense. The streets are all real, as his house and James' house as is the school close by to which David Bowie also went (although I had already decided that they had gone there before I found out Bowie had gone there too haha) and the park they're meeting up in. You can look it all up on google streetview, if you're curious. Also the time! It's the summer of 1995 and I want it to be as close to it as possible. I was only a little girl at this point, my younger brother had just been born, so how to be a teenager in 1995 I can't tell, but I've done my research. The clothes, the music (except for the song "What I Like About You" by the Romantics, which is from 1980 but it's a classic and it's sung by the drummer so I thought it was fitting - Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden, Weezer and the nod towards Nirvana however; you wanna get more 90's?). I want it to be freaking 90's!