"See me sitting in the palmtree
Feeling angry at the silly crowd
No-one else but you can calm me"

* * *

It was strange being alone in Grimmauld Place, okay, maybe not fully alone since Sirius and Kreacher were still there. Yet, it seemed as if she was alone. She milled around in the dining room with some paper and her drawing utensils spread out over the table. She liked the tranquility despite the being enclosed in what seemed likely the most somber looking house in the world. There was no hustle or bustle since the young ones had returned to school and everyone was at work so it was usually like this during the day. It gave her time to brand the paper with all different drawings, she quite liked designing her own clothes but she never got round to making any, she didn't see how that was possible since she 'wasn't talented enough'.

Sirius fumbled down the stairs with a bright smile on his face, he swooped into the kitchen with his head held high and the level of confidence that radiated off of him was blinding. He dragged the chair opposite River out from under the rickety table and plopped down, swinging his right leg over his left and leaning back with a look on curiosity sparkling in his grey eyes.

River glanced up with her eyebrows raised and head somewhat tilted, her pencil remained on the page as she nibbled her lip in confusion. "Is everything okay?" She asked.

"Sorry? Didn't catch that."

"Is everything okay?"

"Ees every-ting, oh-key?" He mimicked her, quite badly and rather offensively actually.

She wasn't amused.

Barking with laughter, he threw his head back and smacked his knee. This type of rudeness was not tolerated by River. "Can you not?" She said, her accent thickened as anger began to rumble threw her veins. She had enough of this in school and university, she didn't need a grown man inherently being offensive by taking the mickey out of her accent. She didn't mind if she was asked to repeat herself because that's understandable but mimicking it (and not even doing a good impression) was stupid.

Yes, this may be a minor thing but, at the end of the day, it's still offensive especially when growing up in England that's all River got when in school.

Sirius continued to laugh but River still didn't find it amusing. When she still didn't laugh, Sirius grew quiet and pursed his lips. River returned to her drawings and grew vexed as Sirius took hold of one and inspected it like he was a pompous old man in an art gallery.

"It's smudged there," he said sticking his finger directly over it and smudging it more.

"That was supposed to be like that."

"Well excuse me for speaking," said Sirius, "lighten up will you, you're dryer than my mother's turkey at Christmas!"

River rolled her eyes and collected her belongings up. Sirius caught her arm hindering her from continuing. "I don't have to let you live here, you know, so smile and make it seem like you want to be here."

She snatched her arm back and stormed out of the room, she collected her bags together (prepackaged, she was living out of them) and wrote a note to her parents. Call her dramatic but she couldn't stay there anymore and decided that weeks ago. She had the idea of heading to Ireland for a little while and staying with her grandparents but even that wasn't exactly a break.

Dear Mam and Dad,

It's all too much, I'm going away for a bit, I still haven't processed everything and I know it seems stupid that I'm reacting like this. You just don't get it, you know all about magic and that world and have down your whole life, not knowing and not being eased in it at all is not something I can just adapt too.

I'll keep you in the loop,

Love River x

She also wrote one to Bill, slipping it into his slipper that he had become fond of wearing around the house.

Bill,
I'm staying at the Hotel Crete in East.
Come if you want but don't tell anyone where exactly I am please.
-R x

Taking her bags, or the couple she could carry, she trotted down the stairs ignoring whatever Sirius was doing in the dining room. She slipped out of the house and Sirius didn't even hear a peep. She caught a bus to the hotel and checked in.

She wondered whether Bill would make an appearance that night, if he did that would be lovely since they would have more alone time but if he didn't then it would not be too much of a problem since a break from magic entirely may be useful.

Don't get her wrong, she didn't despise magic and did find it awfully amazing and intriguing. It did scare her though because of what was happening inside of their world. They were keeping her away from some of the details, that was obvious since they held many meetings where she wasn't allowed to sit in on whereas her brother was.

It was rather frightening but at the same time, probably a good thing since it would only make her feel worse.

What was Alexis and Lottie doing?

What about Alex?

So much clogged her mind that sleeping became the easy escape route for it all. She curled up in the bed with a sigh, she tried focussing on one thing in order to calm herself but even Bill was not easing her mind. Until she heard a knock on her door.

Grumbling, she clambered out of her bed which she had just grown comfortable in and swung the door open only to be pushed inside and the door being kicked shut as Bill's lips attached to hers. River stumbled back, gripping onto Bill for support and pulling away to look at him.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Can we sleep?"

* * *