Fred, George and Valkyrie sat in the Gryffindor common room by the fireplace, and Fred had started a strange obsession with the fact that Valkyrie was a sorcerer.

"So, if I took, I dunno, your jacket. You could get it back."

"If you took my jacket I'd punch you in the face." Valkyrie grinned as George laughed. "That's what happened to the last person who took my jacket anyway. Damn Kitana." Valkyrie began to mutter before George realised she wasn't joking.

"Really? So if I did this" He reached over and plucked her hat from her head "Then you would punch me?" Valkyrie smiled slightly.

"Are you trying to get yourselves beaten?" She asked, tilting her head slightly. George leapt to his feet and began to run, laughing. Valkyrie sighed and flicked her wrist. The air grabbed and flung George back into his chair before the hat flipped back into her hand and she put it on her head.

"Don't take my hat again." She said seriously as Fred grinned. George stared up at the ceiling bewilderedly before he grinned too and carried on laughing.

"That was awesome!" He laughed "Was that your magic? It's brilliant? How'd you do that?"

"Air is one of the elements. I just manipulated it to my use." Valkyrie shrugged as the portrait hole opened and Seamus and another boy stepped through.

"Hey Seamus." Valkyrie grinned.

"Stephanie! Hi!" Seamus grinned as Valkyrie stood and they hugged.

"You've gotten taller." He smiled

"You haven't." Valkyrie grinned "Actually I think you've shrunk a little bit."

"Very funny." He blushed slightly. "I didn't know you were involved in all, this." Seamus gestured around him. Valkyrie laughed.

"Actually I'm not. I'm one of the detectives for the Sanctuary, over in Ireland. I've never been to anywhere like Hogwarts ever. And what about you! I haven't seen you in ages! How've you been?"

"You know, I'm rattling but I'm rolling. How's your mum? I heard she was pregnant a while ago."

"Yeah, little Alice. She's almost 18 months old now, bless her. Everyone's fine. What about you?"

"Yeah, we're all fine. Mum didn't want me to come back this year, 'cos of Harry and that, but, anyway." He sighed "What can you do?"

"Wait a minute" George interrupted "Number one, you know each other? Number two, your name is Stephanie?" Fred stood too and Valkyrie smiled slightly.

"When you get involved in sorcery, you have to take a new name, so no one can control you. I was Stephanie. Now I'm Valkyrie. Me and Seamus live down the street from each other." Valkyrie smiled.

"Should we take new names? Oh, this is Dean by the way." Seamus pointed behind him and Valkyrie smiled as the boy waved.

"Nice to meet you, and no, you're wizards. You'd only need a taken name if you were involved in sorcery." Valkyrie smiled. "Which reminds me I have a training session with Skulduggery soon." She sighed "No rest for the wonderful." She ruffled Seamus's hair and he battered her away, grinning. "I'll see you later though. Maybe you'll see some sorcery in action." She winked smiled at the boys and then walked away, waving slightly before disappearing through the portrait hall. Humming to herself, she walked down the moving staircase towards the room, passing the group of Slytherins that what's-his-name was part of. Was it Malf? Malf something. Valkyrie couldn't remember exactly, but she walked past anyway, almost bumping into Umbridge on the way. She smiled, almost condescendingly, at Valkyrie who smiled fakely back. She wondered just how long it's take for Umbridge to go to her office and get stink-bombed and her tea spiked by the hottest chillies in the world. Valkyrie smiled as she thought of the reaction on the pink blob's face as she walked into the classroom. Skulduggery was waiting for her.

"Took you long enough." He huffed. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Shut up. We finished setting up the 'lesson' for the pink blob." Valkyrie smiled, and Skulduggery tilted his head.

"What have you got in store for her, if I may ask?"

"Couple of stink-bombers some weird hotter things, ghost chilli tea and the quill has been reversed – anyone who writes anything with it will have it appearing on her hand instead of theirs."

"Very entertaining" Skulduggery nodded "Shall we start our training lesson?"

"Yeah sure." Valkyrie grinned. Skulduggery began to walk away and Valkyrie frowned, turning around.

"Where are you going? I thought we were training?"

"We are. Come on." He said. Valkyrie sighed and followed, walking behind him as they left the corridors, walking across the grass down a hill towards the lake that seems to shine in the sunlight. Valkyrie could be sure, but she thought she saw something with tentacles moving in the water. But in the blink of an eye it was gone, and Valkyrie shook her head – her and her imagination.