Percy's point of view:
I knocked on Ms. Black's door and waited for her to open it. When she did, I was surprised to see her wearing a cream colored, Muggle dress. My eyes ran over the dress that clung to her figure, but I forced my eyes to hers.
"Ms. Black, I see you're ready for the field assignment," I said.
"Is it appropriate?" she asked as she ran her hands down her sides. I watched her hands flow over her hour glass shape.
"It's perfect." I snapped my eyes up to hers again.
"Is it Muggle enough? They opened up a new robe shop up the road, and are selling Muggle clothes," she said.
"They did that in Diagon Alley as well. No one will suspect you're a witch," I said as she stepped out the door and closed it. After tapping her wand to the door, we turned and set off for the apperation point in Diagon Alley. We left the pub and stepped into the Muggle world. Many people walked around in casual or business clothes, many were talking or texting on their phones.
"What is that they're using," Narcissa asked. "Those … those bricks?"
"They're cell phones," I explained. "They use them to keep in touch instead of using owls or calling by floo."
"Really? How did they do that?" she asked, sounding amazed.
"My dad explained it once to me," I said. "They use electricity to power their phones, and they've made connections through towers or cables."
"And they talk to each other on them?" she asked eyeing a man who walked past us on his phone.
"Yes, they do. And Hermione explained to me that they send each other messages on there too," I said.
Narcissa looked thoughtful as we entered the store. I grabbed a basket near the entrance and let Narcissa toward the bread aisle.
"Have you ever been in a Muggle grocery store?" I asked.
"No," she replied; her eyes roamed the store, taking in the world around her. "I never had any reason to go to any Muggle places. I only would only walk through to get back to the Wizarding world, if I'm being honest."
"I'm finding that's true with many wizards," I said.
"What about you?" she asked.
"My dad would take us out to the Muggle world," I said. "He loved to take us to the store to buy things. Sometimes he'd take us to the Muggle park and end up playing more than we would."
We both laughed as we approached the variety of bread.
"What kind of bread would you like?" I asked.
"What are we making?" she asked, eyeing the shelves.
"I thought we'd start out easy," I replied. "Sandwiches."
"What kind of bread would you suggest?" she asked.
"I like wheat and rye," I said.
"I like rye too."
"You'll have to look at the labels," I explained. "It'll tell us what types there are."
"It reminds me of the apothecary at Diagon Alley," she commented as she pulled out a bag of rye bread. "The way they have things organized here."
"It is," I said. "See, they aren't much different as we are."
"I suppose that's true," she said slowly.
"What do you like on your sandwich?" I asked.
"A lot of vegetables," she said. "Usually roast beef."
We picked up some sliced roast beef and vegetables from the produce. Just as we were going to go pay, she eyes a section of flowers.
"They sell flowers as well?" she asked.
"Yes. They tend to put everything together so it can make shopping easier," I explained.
"I'd like to get some lilies for my kitchen," she said.
I followed her as we approached the floral area.
"Do you enjoy gardening?" I asked her as she picked up a small bouquet of lilac lilies.
"A little," she admitted. "I wish I was better at it. My mother kept a bouquet in our home, so it reminds me of her."
"I see," I replied.
On a whim, I grabbed three red roses to give to Mum later tonight.
Ms. Black gave me a questioning look. "I'm going to give them to my mum." I felt my ears burn. She grinned as we headed to the checkout lanes. I handled the money the Ministry had given us to use on our excursions. One our way back, I explained how to use Muggle money. When we returned to her cottage, Ms. Black unlocked her door and opened it for me. After she closed the door, she led me into the small kitchen. A small, black table took up a part of it. She quickly found a vase and put her lilies in them.
"I'm actually going to change my clothes before we cook," Ms. Black said after placing the vase on the table. "I think I'll wear this again, so I don't want to ruin it."
"Okay," I replied.
I slowly pulled out the supplies we got of our bags and lay them out on the counter. Just as I placed the tomatoes on the counter, I heard her enter the kitchen. I turned briefly to find her wearing a pair of dark jeans and a green sweater. Her legs looked long in them.
"So what's first?" Ms. Black stepped up to the counter.
"We'll need to cut up the vegetables," I said. "Do you have any cutting knives?"
"I got a few with some of the dishes I bought myself," she said, pulling a few out of a drawer.
"And a cutting board?" I asked.
She opened a cabinet and pulled out a small, white board out. Within a few minutes, I showed her how to cut the vegetables and make sandwiches. When we were done, we ate at her small table, using little plates that she'd pull out.
"What do you think?" I asked after she took her first bite.
"It's a lot better than I thought it would be," she replied. "I was sure it would taste better if it was made with magic."
"I had someone say the same thing to me yesterday." I wiped my hands on my napkin. "I thought the same thing once. My father had us cook Christmas dinner one time without magic. Partly because my brothers were in trouble, and partly because he wanted us to know that they'd taste the same."
"You talk about your father a lot," she remarked.
"I look up to him very much," I said honestly.
"He is a very kind man."
"Thank you. We've gotten very close." I took another bite of sandwich.
"I have his first class tonight," Ms. Black said.
"Yes." I smiled. "We had lunch Friday, and he told me his plans for it."
"I'm sure it'll be very informative," Ms. Black said. "We're starting our support group in the morning."
"If you should need anything tomorrow, let me know," I said. "Especially since I won't see you until the day after."
"Thank you," she replied.
We finished our lunch, cleaned the dishes with magic before I left for Mum's house, carrying the three roses. I knocked on the door, which was quickly opened by Mum.
"Percy, what are you doing here?" she said. "Your father has his class in a little while, so he won't be home for hours."
"I actually brought you some flowers," I muttered. I felt the blood rush to my ears.
A huge smile crossed Mum's face. "Oh, Percy. They're beautiful." She reached out for them and took them in her hands and up to her nose. "They smell lovely."
I smiled as she bustled around the kitchen, telling me about her day, what my siblings were doing, and the appointment she'd gone on with Fleur.
"You look happy, Percy," Mum said when she looked up at my face.
"I am, Mum. I'm really enjoying my new job," I told her honestly. "I feel like I'm doing something important."
"I'm so proud of all of the work you're doing, dear." Mum reached up and gave my cheek a kiss.
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