Halloween had come fast, and Valkyrie couldn't help but stare up in wonder at all the things around her. The Halloween feast was due to start soon, and the hall was lit up with oranges and golds, warm glows from firelight, pumpkins hanging from the enchanted ceiling, the ghosts floating by with free reign. Valkyrie grinned as she sat down at the Gryffindor table with the twins, across from Harry, Hermione and Ron. Harry smiled at her, and she smiled back.
"So, are you coming to your training session this week?" She asked Harry casually. He grinned.
"Definitely." He nodded. Valkyrie smiled as Hermione scowled slightly.
"Something wrong Hermione?" Valkyrie asked. Hermione lowered her head slightly and frowned.
"I don't think it's right that you're teaching Harry how to fight. I mean, magical defence is one thing, and one thing we need desperately, but not physical fighting. I'd hate for anything to even come that close-" She was cut off by a triumphant holler. Valkyrie turned her head to see two men she'd never seen before standing in the door way, one looking slightly bewildered, the other looking proud, puffing his chest out. They were both large and burly. Valkyrie scanned her mind to see if she recognised them from Hogwarts of Ireland. She didn't.
"Cain!" The proud one bellowed "Come and fight. You're going to die here, I swear it!"
"Who are you again?" She asked, almost boredly (it struck her with slight sadness at how un-shocked she was to receive a death-threat) , tilting her head as the man took a step forwards, grinning.
"I am the Killer Supreme! Zombie King! And your killer, Cain!"
"Vaurien Scapegrace?" Valkyrie's mouth dropped – the last time she'd seen him he'd been a head in a jar, no, wait, she had seen him since then, in a woman's body trying to rip off Thrashers head. Valkyrie recovered quickly from her shock and sighed.
"You know you're just embarrassing yourself now." She said clearly, as students around her began to stare.
"Who is that guy?" One of the twins whispered.
"Escaped failure of a convict." Valkyrie whispered back, then she raised her voice again "I assume that's Thrasher then. What's his real name?"
"Gerald!" Thrasher piped up, grinning. Scapegrace shot him a glare, and he seemed to shrink, shuffling his feet slightly. Scapegrace growled in Valkyrie's direction.
"Come on Cain! I want to make this last!" Valkyrie sighed.
"Excuse me," She smiled to the Gryffindor's around her, standing.
"I'm gonna make you writhe for all the pain you put me through! You'll curse the day you ever met Vaurien Scapegrace!"
"Believe me I already regret it." Valkyrie muttered as she flexed her shoulders. Thrasher shifted uncomfortably under his own weight as Scapegrace grinned cruelly and took another step forwards. He had almost what looked like a gun in his hand. No matter, her clothing would protect her. But he was big, bigger than she expected.
"I'm curious, how did you find us?" She asked, tilting her head slightly again, so her hair fell past one side of her face. Scapegrace grinned.
"With my genius intelligence it was no trouble." He replied. Valkyrie raised an eyebrow.
"Ok, how did you really find us?"
"Oh oh! We were on holiday" Thrasher piped up "and master spots the strange horses, so we followed them through a wood – boy there was some nasty thinsg in there, master was screaming most of the way - and now we're here!"
"Shut up Thrasher!" Vaurien bellowed. Thrasher whimpered, even though he seemed to be taller and stronger than Vaurien. Valkyrie felt slight pity for him. Then it disappeared. Valkyrie shrugged.
"Whatever." She muttered, pretending not to be interested. Vaurien growled at her as she began to stride forwards.
"Remember this Cain! I am the Killer Supreme, Zombie King, master of the-" The impact of Valkyrie's fist hitting his nose broke his line of speech. He backed up, crying out slightly in pain as Valkyrie jabbed her elbow into his stomach and punched his face again. He growled at her, spitting blood, his nose crumpled.
"You'll pay for tha-" Valkyrie kicked with all her might into his private area, and he hollered in pain, doubling over. Valkyrie grabbed his shoulder and shoved him to the ground before she was knocked from her feet into the air. Grabbing at the air, she landed crouched on her feet, and lit fireballs into her hands before realising Thrasher had run at her. He stood in front of Scapegrace protectively.
"Come on, Gerald. I really don't want to hurt you." She said calmly. Thrasher whimpered slightly, and then growled, charging her. She leapt over him, grabbing onto his head and brining it down with her before realising she had lit his hair alight. Extinguishing the flames from her hands she punched him once in the back and kicked his legs out from under him. He fell to the floor with a grunt as Scapegrace moaned behind her. Looking around, Valkyrie saw him try to sit up. She walked over to him and punched him once in the face. He fell unconscious to the floor. Valkyrie realised with faint interest that she had blood on her hand – whose she didn't quite know – but walking over to Thrasher, she crouched by him. He whimpered.
"Are you gonna behave now?" She asked. Thrasher nodded slightly, and squirmed under her stare. She stood up and spotted a young Ravenclaw – probably a first or second year – standing close to the door.
"You" She said, pointing slightly "will you go get Skulduggery. Tell him to bring some handcuffs. Please." Valkyrie added at the end. The frightened Ravenclaw nodded and scurried from the room. Valkyrie turned back to Thrasher, who was still lying on the floor.
"Come on Gerald. Up you get." She said, putting one of his huge arms over her shoulder and lifting him to his feet. He had hurt his knees and his forehead was burned, brown hair slightly singed, but he was ok overall. She walked with him to the wall next to the door and put him down. He sat silently, watching her as she dragged Scapegrace to the wall beside him, grunting slightly. As she let go, his head lolled to the side and his limbs were limp. Valkyrie turned to the crowd that was now staring.
"What?" She asked. She turned to the twins and the trio of her new friends – or sort of friends. Hermione's eyes were wide.
"And that, Hermione, is why some people need combat skills." Valkyrie said brightly. Vaurien moaned, but remained unconscious before the small Ravenclaw scurried back into the room, Skulduggery striding in behind her. He took one look at the two men on the floor, and then looked back to Valkyrie.
"Who're they?" He asked.
"Scapegrace and Thrasher, or Gerald." Valkyrie said. Skulduggery sighed.
"Again? When are they going to give this up?" He muttered.
"I know right." Valkyrie sighed. Skulduggery took out a set of handcuffs and cuffed Thrasher, then did the same to the unconscious Scapegrace.
"We'll have to put them somewhere while I get Ghastly to send some cleavers." Skulduggery muttered. Valkyrie nodded.
"We could put them in the classroom. They can't do any harm in there for a few days." She said. Skulduggery nodded.
"Alright then. Come on." Skulduggery lifted up Scapegrace by the arm, and Valkyrie did the same with Thrasher, who was still conscious.
"Back in a bit guys." Valkyrie said to the twins before she followed Skulduggery out of the hall down the corridors. As they walked, students turned to stare, and Professor McGonagall hurried to them.
"What happened!" She shrieked.
"Just two convicts trying to cause trouble. Nothing to worry about." Skulduggery replied. McGonagall's face turned slightly white as he carried on walking, and Valkyrie stopped and turned to her.
"They tried to get me in the Great Hall. There were quite a few people in there. Maybe you could go and see if they're ok?" She suggested. McGonagall nodded and hurried off, and Valkyrie continued walking.
When they finally reached the classroom, Skulduggery dumped Scapegrace roughly on the ground, and Thrasher joined him a moment later. Skulduggery sighed.
"Well, I didn't see them coming."
