Disclaimer: yeah yeah okay u know I dun own it!

Author's Note: This story was a work in progress for about a year, but I could NEVER figure out how to start it. This story is supposed to be about Fred falling in love with a Muggle, but he doesn't go flouncing around the muggle world every day does he? So I want to give a HUGE special thanks to my best friend (and writer on this website, his penname is Dracothepunk). If he hadn't given me this genius idea, this story would have NEVER been born.

Chapter 1: Muggles

Fred leaned back and let out a satisfied sigh. He did this everyday it seemed, but he couldn't help it. Things were going GREAT! The shop kicked off immediately, he and George were rolling in Galleons, they had enough money saved away to last a life time, and it had only been a year.

Mrs. Weasley had so many sets of beautiful robes now she could go three months without ever wearing the same one twice. Same for Mr. Weasley although thanks to Fred and George's contributions, he had four handsome Muggle tool kits, 2 televisions, 5 transistor radios, a VCR, and a CD player. At the moment he was in heaven. Ron was treated to the best broom money could buy (so now he and Harry were blurs on their Firebolts…Ron could be a git but he was their little brother and one of the only ones who believed in them in the beginning), and Ginny was as extravagant and pampered as Mrs. Weasley. In fact, the only Weasley family member not rolling in the royalties Fred and George sent abroad was Percy. Never would they forgive him for the horrid treatment he dealt to their family.

But Percy hardly EVER crossed their minds. Home was a great place to be since it was like they were never gone. No one asked for money since they knew Fred and George would send it anyway (which had been hard to accept at first, but they kept pushing, and sneaking money into their vault). The Weasley family was at peace save for the things going on around them. Voldemort was still rampant, but they kept their spirits up, things would be all right if they stuck together as a family. But in a time of paranoia a simple thing like a Muggle wandering into the Wizard world was a very big deal, and that's what happened one summer…

Christopher Waltz lived in number 12 next door to a young girl named Sam. What he liked most about her was that her name wasn't Samantha, it was Sam, her father had a horrible obsession with wanting a boy, and for some strange reason thought that by maybe giving her a boy's name she would magically change sexes, she didn't. Muggles were odd that way.

Chris worked in the Ministry of Magic in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office, and so to get a better perspective on Muggles, he lived with them. He was supposed to have moved out four years ago, but enjoyed them so much, he stayed, especially his neighbors, the Petersons. Sam's parents. Sam was going to turn eighteen, and yet no matter what anyone told her, she held fast to the belief that some where far away in the world, Wizards existed.

"You really must excuse her, a wild imagination. She'll be a great writer, it's just sometimes she doesn't know where the line is." Her father sighed after his first encounter with the girl. She was playing with the neighborhood children, each playing with a crudely carved wand.

"I think it's fine that she believes, the worst thing you can do is lose your inner child." Chris laughed.

As it were it came as no surprise then that Sam's favorite activity was to take cookies to Mr. Waltz's house and sit on the porch listening to "stories" about Wizards and their triumphs. One of her favorites was of Harry Potter, not because of his amazing feat, but how his parents died to protect him.

"My parents would never do that for me." She sighed.

"What?! Rubbish! Your parents love you very much-" He began.

"Yeah they would, but not my real parents. Didn't they tell you? I'm adopted."

"Really? Then why Sam?"

"Eh? Who knows." She shrugged. "Better than my real name…I think…" Then she just shrugged again and finished her cookie. Mr. Waltz couldn't help but ponder that maybe this fixation was more. Maybe she know something about the Wizard world but never told anyone and 'that's was trigged her strong belief.

Whatever it was it didn't stop her from being a teenager, and a practical joker. So on her eighteenth birthday he brought her a gift that would catapult her into a life she would have never dreamed! A fake wand from Weasley Wizard Wheezes. It was a harmless present he thought, but after she had worn it out she emptied her savings to buy another.

"Could you just tell me where the shop is? I can get it myself!" She would smile.

"No…uh, I can pick one up for you on my way to work tomorrow."

"But I thought tomorrow was your day off?"

"Yes, but a colleague of mine needs a report that I have."

"Is the shop here in London?"

"Yes, but a bit out of the way. Don't worry Sam! I'll have your wand for you!"

That didn't satisfy her curiosity though. So the next day she took her bike and followed Mr. Waltz from a safe distance. Wherever he was going wasn't that far, but then he just sort of…disappeared. He went into a dark building that she just…wanted to look away from. Didn't she have to take out the garbage? No…that's nonsense she did it the night before it couldn't have filled over the night. Feed the fish! That's what she was-no. It was ten in the morning, Rover wasn't fed until twelve.

"You're just procrastinating girl! Go on!" Her mind snarled, and so she took a deep breathe and charged for the door, no matter what her better judgment told her. Inside it was a little dark, and there were strange people about. Kind of…creepy people. Why would he come in here?

"Umm…excuse me?" She asked timidly of the bar keep. "Do you know a Mr. Christopher Waltz?"

"Oh yeah, just headed into Diagon Alley." He answered.

"Excuse me?"

"Diagon Alley, 'round that way." He pointed. Sam was all to relived and hurried around the back door to catch a very old woman walking through a VERY handsome brick archway. She ran through just as it was about to close, and stood dead in her tracks.

"Oh my God…" She whispered. And as if they were all synchronized every head in the little street turned to her.

"MUGGLE! A MUGGLE IN DIAGON ALLEY!" A woman screamed. Parents pulled their children away.

"What's a muggle? Excuse me can you help me?!" Sam cried, becoming frantic as people backed away from her. Only a blonde man and a boy stared at her without backing away. He stared at her with disgust, but…he looked familiar, why? Suddenly two CRACKs filled the air as two men came rushing towards her with what she recognized as wands at the ready.

"Wait…what are you doing? LET ME GO!" She cried as one took her and the other held out his wand. "PLEASE! I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING WRONG! I'M JUST LOOKING FOR SOMEONE!" She cried, tears streaking down her cheeks.

"WAIT! WAIT STOP! KINGSLEY! STOP I KNOW THIS GIRL!" A voice shouted as Mr. Waltz came running up the street, holding a paper bag.

"Mr. Waltz! What's going on?!"

"Chris you know this girl?" Kingsley asked.

"I do…her name is Sam Peterson…she lived next door!" He panted.

"What is she doing here?!"

"I just wanted to see the joke shop so he wouldn't keep having to go out of his way from work…" She whispered.

"I'll take her-"

"No! You can't!"

"I know what to do…come with me Sam."

"But…Mr. Waltz…what's going to happen to me?"

He didn't answer her, but lead her outside into the Leaky Cauldron where he wouldn't be seen by the Muggles on the other side.

"Sam, you know all the stories I told you about Wizards and secrecy?"

"Of course."

"Well you've wandered into one of our gatherings, how you did that I don't know, Muggles can't pass the barrier-"

"Muggle?"

"Non magic people. Listen to me Sam…I can't let you walk away remembering this-" A look of utmost terror crossed her face as she scrambled back ward and fell into a chair. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm going to modify your memory, relax will you?"

"I-I-I swear I wont tell!" She cried.

"I know you wont but they don't know and they need the security. Do you know what would happen if everyone knew about this place?" Sam didn't answer, just nodded slowly. "Do you remember Vol-He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

"Yes."

"Well that's another reason. He's a threat, and he can control people's minds, and if somehow he found out that you saw this place, he could trick you into telling him things. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"All right then. Here we go."

Sam sat at home, staring out the window every few seconds. The cookies were almost ready and Mr. Waltz hadn't come back from work yet. Soon she would have her toy "wands". She had given him enough money to get one for the kids on the street too. She could only imagine the fun they were going to have once he got back. Who needed to grow up anyway?

As soon as Fred found out that his wands were a hit with Muggles he begged Mr. Weasley's colleague, Mr. Waltz, to take him to where he lived to sell some. It was a few days before he finally gave in, and on the ride to his house he couldn't help think: "Wow Muggle houses are kind of boring". But then he was introduced to her…and he couldn't help thinking he had never seen a prettier girl in his life.

Author's Note: This chap moved kinda slow I apologize, it will pick up soon though I promise, I just had to outline Sam's character. ALSO, when a wizard apparates I know in the other books it says they make a "popping" sound, but in the fifth book there's a little fluke in which someone "cracks" when they apparate. So for the sake of "drama" I guess I used the cracking noise instead.