My first Skulduggery cross over. Please be kind.

It wasn't what Valkyrie wanted, to let the reflection take over her life for such a long period of time, but now it seemed inevitable. Everything was sorted, tickets booked, bags packed. Valkyrie was ready to go.

The reflection watched her as she sighed and sat on the bed.

"I'll look after them." The reflection said quietly. Valkyrie smiled at it.

"Of course you will. I'll be back in a few months."

"Of course." The reflection smiled as it nodded. Valkyrie stood again and brushed her hands through her hair. She couldn't pack a lot – her parents might notice it was missing, but she had enough to pack a single suitcase, and that was with her folding and squishing everything into place. Valkyrie had gone out of her way to buy another toothbrush and hairbrush so she didn't have to take the one from home. Skulduggery had told her to be careful.

"Right well. I'll be in touch." Valkyrie muttered. The reflection nodded as Valkyrie opened the window and lowered her suitcase down using the air to buffet it gently until it landed upright on the grass. She had already said good bye (well, she had said 'good night' and kissed both her parents and Alice on the cheek, but it was good bye to her), and she could see the Bentley parked around the corner, Skulduggery most definitely inside it. Valkyrie turned and nodded to the reflection, who nodded back. Lots of nodding. Valkyrie almost didn't want to go, but she knew she had to.

Sucking in a deep breath, she turned and leapt from the window, grabbing at the air to slow her down as she landed perfectly. Picking up her suitcase, she carried it to the Bentley. Skulduggery was waiting with the boot open, his own bag already in there.

"What does a skeleton need to pack?" Valkyrie asked with curiosity as Skulduggery lifted her suitcase next to his own and then closed the boot.

"Several suits, a spare hat, guns. I keep all my brilliance with me at all times." He said, making Valkyrie roll her eyes and smile slightly as she got into the Bentley.

Skulduggery started the engine and they began to drive. It wasn't a long journey to the harbour where the ferry was waiting. Ghastly was already there along with Ravel, waiting. It had been decided that the Bentley would stay in Ireland, and Ghastly would drive it back to the Sanctuary. Valkyrie knew Skulduggery was sad to see it go, and she herself felt a kind of grief that she wasn't going to see the shiny sleek car again in some time. But at least Ghastly had it – it would be taken care of. They couldn't guarantee that in London.

Parking the Bentley, Skulduggery and Valkyrie got out. It was dark, gone 10pm definitely, but Skulduggery activated his façade anyway, just in case.

"You look after it." Skulduggery scolded Ghastly, who rolled his eyes and grinned.

"I will. Do you have the tickets?"

"Of course." Skulduggery waived two ferry tickets in front of Ghastly, and then waved two train tickets in front of him as well before putting them back in his pocket.

"Good, Albus said he'll be there to greet you when you get to the school."

"Right, of course. Is the cab booked?"

"Yep. Ready and waiting." Ghastly sighed as Skulduggery pulled the bags out of the boot and reluctantly handed over the car keys. Valkyrie took her bag and took one last look at Dublin's city buildings in the distance, and knew it would be the last time she would see them in a long time. She didn't like that feeling.

Skulduggery began to walk onto the boarding thingy (Valkyrie couldn't remember the name, and knew that'd bug her throughout the entire journey). She spared a last smile at Ghastly and Ravel before following him. At the last minute, Ghastly called up to them.

"Detectives!" They oth turned simultaneously.

"Don't punch anyone." Valkyrie and Skulduggery nodded and turned, walking side by side onto the boat, where an attendant took their tickets, hole punched them, and then handed them back. Skulduggery nodded at him and led the way into the corridors, eventually stopping at a door. B13. Great. 13.

Skulduggery opened the door and led the way into a small bunk bed room with a bathroom, TV and desk area. Valkyrie sighed and put her bag on the bed.

"Have either bunk." Skulduggery said.

"I plan to." Valkyrie smiled causing Skulduggery to roll his eyes, knowing Skulduggery didn't sleep anyway. He meditated.

"Are you keeping the façade on?" She asked. Skulduggery nodded.

"I think it's best." He said. Valkyrie nodded and sat down, already feeling her stomach churn at the thought of crossing the water on a dodgy boat. She would much have preferred to fly.

"So, school." She muttered eventually. Skulduggery nodded, having sat down on the floor, legs crossed, hands on his knees in a very meditating-like fashion.

"Yes, apparently Ghastly owed the headmaster a favour, and he called it in."

"What are we doing?" Valkyrie already perfectly knew the mission, word by word, but she liked it the way Skulduggery told it.

"Teach a bunch of wizard brats to punch people." He said. Valkyrie always laughed at it, today was no exception. There was something in Skulduggery's voice that she found funny whenever he said 'brat', but she knew that after so many times he didn't mean it anymore.

Valkyrie was dreading the ferry ride to England, she was dreading the taxi ride to Kings Cross station, and she was dreading the train ride to the school along with the other students, and she was especially dreading the school itself. She knew it was a school for wizards and witches (which Skulduggery had spent a great length or time defining as not being sorcerers, but still being magic), but she knew nothing about what it would be like. Would it be superficial? Ancient? A giant old castle where the lessons were taught in dungeons with toads and rats and black cats? Valkyrie found that a stupid thought, and dismissed it immediately.

"What's the guy's name?"

"Who?"

"The headmaster? I've forgotten it again."

"Albus Dumbledore."

"Is he going to be like a Gandalf or something? Old, with a long beard, super powerful – that kind of thing?"

"Who's Gandalf?"

"Lord of the rings? No?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Urgh, never mind." Valkyrie face-palmed which made Skulduggery chuckle.

"Try to get some sleep. It's a long journey to Hogwarts."