"You'd better watch out
I said you'd better watch out, watch out
Anywhere you go I'll find you watch out
I'll be staying close behind you"

* * *

"Oi, spud!" Eros shouted as he swung open River's bedroom door, the hallway light cascading in and dousing her, in the otherwise pitch black room. Her curtains were a blackening set which let no light in at any time of the day. "Spud! Wake up, you lazy bugger."

River groaned and pressed her pillow over her face, rolling onto her stomach but only groaned more and pushed herself up. She ignored her brother and pointed down at her breasts, "you two need to stop hindering me from laying on my stomach it's like my chest is caving in because of you two!"

"Well then, now I know of the issues my sister has because of her boob size. Anyway... I'm making a full English breakfast because mam instructed me to so do you what mushrooms or not? Mam and Da' can't remember whether you like them or not."

"Mushrooms are great, Eros, but next time just do it and wake me up when breakfast is actually done. If I don't like something I'll pick it off. I'm knackered!" She flopped on her back with a sigh. "Sorry, I- thank you for doing breakfast."

Eros chuckled and grasped a cushion from her desk chair, lobbing it at her as he exited the room. River let the cushion hit her but sighed at the door still wide open. So much for her getting back to sleep. Her and Alex were out late the night before, not in a club like most people would be, instead they went on a pub crawl because River was a little disoriented by the fact she felt so lost in her own home town, it had been a while and she wanted to re-familiarise herself with the area.

Like a slug, River dragged herself out of the bed, clumping the duvet up into a ball with no intention of making her bed as she pushed on her slippers and trudged from her bedroom into the bathroom to urinate. She then went downstairs where her parents were whispering in the living room and her brother was cooking in the kitchen.

"Why are they being all hush hush?"

Eros shrugged, "no idea, probably mam fussing over your homecoming, you know what she's like, spud."

She sighed, Eros was right. Mrs Dawson loved a fuss and no matter who it was she would go all out. Her grandmother was the same, still is, in fact. The whispers abruptly stopped when Eros called them for breakfast and the four sat down to eat as a family. It was silent, but not an uncomfortable silent, it was as if they were enjoying each other's company and the food to not need any conversation.

"Darling, we're going to be out for most of the day for work, this will more than likely be everyday and finishing times are very odd. We sometimes work late into the night so we hope you don't mind. We'd have loved to stay and catch up all day, we would have done so yesterday but we thought Alex would appreciate some time with you after such a long time without," Said Mrs Dawson as she patted her mouth clean with a serviette.

"It's fine, there really isn't any need to fussy, ma'. It's not like I'll be going anywhere soon, I'm home for a while."

"Same for me- I mean, I'm out working a lot of the day, it's actually rare for us to sit and have breakfast along with dinner so early in the evening so you came home just at the right time," smiled Eros, "speaking of which, da', I'll ench- not have time to wash up, Spud, can you do it for me please?"

River nodded, she hated washing up but it was the least she could do. She didn't even notice her brother mess up his sentence, she was too busy engrossed in scooping up every baked bean on her plate. Her family quickly dispersed and left for work leaving River to wash up and leave things drying on the draining board.

"Bored, bored, bored," she sang as she sat down in the living room. Left alone to her thoughts, her mind travelled to Bill and what he was up to now. It was mad to think that wizards were real and she was fortunate enough to meet one. Such a wonderful, witty wizard with a great big heart.

It was coming up to July and it would be about now that her, Lottie and Alexis would be complaining about their bodies not being ready for summer and then dieting like mad even though they all knew it was probably a waste of time and effort. Alex would be coming over later and the two were going to head to the cinema and watch a film that Alex has been dying to watch since he saw the advertisement on a billboard on his way to work. With her parents probably being out late and the same could be said for her brother it would be good to spend more time with Alex; making up for lost time.

Her family, when River first sent them a letter when she was at university, got very confused when she mentioned Alexis and Lottie. They thought she meant Alex at first even though they knew that Alex was at Coventry University and not Cambridge. Even to this day whenever she mentions Alexis they think she's talking about Alex. It can get awfully confusing!

River managed to detach herself from the sofa and go for a shower. She dressed comfortably and threw her hair into a ponytail waiting for Alex to arrive. When he did they embraced shortly and drove to the cinema. They didn't have to speak to enjoy each other's company so the cinema was a regular place that they went to when they were younger.

When she returned home, Alex dropped her off and drive back to his house after a hearty goodbye. She dropped her keys on the kitchen counter and went straight for the fridge grabbing a slice of ham and eating it. She wasn't sure what she would have for dinner and would make her family it also when she heard a loud crack. River jumped out of her skin and the door to the fridge slowly shut as it was released from her grasp. There were loud stomping footsteps from the living room and river didn't dare to move a muscle just yet.

"Dawson did well for himself, can't deny that."

"We're not here to praise the blood-traitor, Dolohov! Come out, come out, wherever you are, Cillian Dawson!" A second voice shouted, "what a pretty wife you have, sweet little Orla Wittleby has grown into a lovely woman! Perhaps she'd like to negotiate terms with us or... who is this? Your little daughter or son, I'm sure they'd love to help us!"

River's heart pounded and beads of sweat formed in the palm of her hands as she inches quietly towards the kitchen table and sunk down, sliding beneath it like she did when she was little and was playing hide and seek. The table cloth covered the majority of her, and she edged the chair in front of her.

"They're not here, Alecto."

"Perhaps, we must call again another day, when they're here to play."

Two loud cracks echoed around the house once more but River didn't move. Who were those men? How did they get in? What did they want with her father?

River stayed curled up beneath the table until her brother came home about an hour later. "Oi, Spud? You home?" He shouted and only then did River climb out from under the table as her brother headed straight for the fridge. Eros stumbled as River wrapped herself around him and squeezed him tight. "Woah! What's wrong?"

"There were men, I don't know how they got in. There was a loud crack and then men shouted for Da' and spoke about mam and us." She told him as her body shook from fear. "They said they're coming back another day when we're 'here to play', Eros."

Eros' eyes widened and he held his sister tighter, "did you hear any names?"

She nodded, "Doloho? And Alecta?"

"Dolohov and Alecto," Eros corrected, "great. Just great. It's going to be okay, River."

"What do you mean? Who are they? What do they want?"

"Don't worry about that, just calm down and I'll order some pizza. I'm not in the mood to cook and by the looks of things, neither are you."