Ok so this chapters not very good, and I'm sorry, but it's in the middle of the exam season and I've been adding bits to it here and there when I get the chance. I know it's more of a filler chapter, but they'll be back at Hogwarts soon, so keep reading! Oh, and I know the golden trio don't return on the train in fifth year at Christmas, but I like the Hogwarts express so yolo.
It was cold outside, the air crisp, lashing against the window pane of Valkyrie's house. Her dad sat down on the sofa across from her.
"Afternoon." She said.
"Hi dad." Valkyrie replied, putting her legs up on the chair and sinking into the fabric, trying to ignore the way her clothes weren't nearly as comfortable as her protective clothing, and the wind was howling outside, drowning out her music.
"Your mum says you've got a job."
"Yeah, when I finish school."
"A job with the police?"
"Yeah."
"Don't you think you're a little young for that? Don't you want to go to University or anything? Meet a guy, settle down."
"Dad! I am not having this conversation with you!"
"I know I know it's not that conversation."
"Well good!"
"I just don't think it's a good idea for you to decide so quickly."
"It's what I want to do."
"That's fair enough, but don't you need training to be with the police force?"
"I'd be training on the job." Valkyrie said, making it up on the spot.
"I'm not sure."
"Well, I already have a house." Valkyrie said, even though she still thought of it as Gordon's house, it was still technically hers. "I might as well have a job too."
"My little girl is all grown up." He said quietly. Valkyrie grinned at his soppy puppy-dog face.
"One of us has to be." She grinned, and he laughed.
"So, you've gone Christmas shopping?"
"Yep. Got everything I need." Valkyrie smiled.
"Good."
"I'm going to go upstairs. Can I use the printer?"
"Yeah, sure, as long as your mum isn't using it."
"Thanks." Valkyrie unfurled herself and stood, stretching, before she moved upstairs and picked up the new photograph album she had bought. It was black with red edges, crisp cream coloured paper inside. Valkyrie liked it. She put it under her arm and picked up the camera, returning downstairs to the kitchen when her mum was playing with Alice.
"Hey mum. Can I get a picture of you and Alice for my photo album?"
"Sure, fire away." Her mum smiled, picking up Alice and resting her on her hip, pointing to the camera so Alice would look in that direction. She lowered her hand and they both smiled at the camera. Valkyrie laughed as she took the photo.
"Ok." She grinned "Dad!"
"What?!" Came the yell from the other room.
"Come here, I want to take a photo of you with mum and Alice."
"I'm coming, I'm coming." He grumbled. Valkyrie smiled as he joined them, wrapping his arm around Melissa's shoulder, and plastering on a smile.
"Say cheese!"
"Cheddar." Her dad replied as she took the photo. Valkyrie raised an eyebrow, but was smiling anyway. Her dad stood.
"Ok, one with all of us." He said, taking the camera from her and putting it on a five second time. She scurried next to her mum and sister, and her dad joined them just in time for a smile to creep onto their faces and the camera button to click loudly.
"Ok thanks!" She smiled, darting to the camera and running back up the stairs with it. She printed the photographs off from the computer and slipped them into the photo album happily. She had her family, now she just needed her friends. She'd see Skulduggery on Christmas, and there was no doubt they'd go to the Sanctuary, so she'd be able to take pictures of Ghastly and Ravel too. Maybe she could even find some old pictures of Tanith or China. But, Tanith had a remnant in her now – she wasn't Valkyrie's friend anymore. The only person Tanith was interesting in now was Darquesse. As for China… well, how do you forgive the person who murdered your best friend's family? Simple, you don't. China may have been good to them in the time Valkyrie knew her, but that didn't mean she couldn't be held responsible for the terrible things she'd done in the past. Not by a long shot.
Valkyrie's pushed these thoughts aside as she looked at the album. She wondered how she would be able to take pictures of her Hogwarts friends at the school – electrical devices didn't work did they? Wasn't that why Skulduggery couldn't use his phone inside the grounds?
Valkyrie closed the album and put it on her bed. She had wrapped the presents and piled them in the corner of her room. Fred, George, Harry, Ron and Hermione would have to wait until she got back to Hogwarts before she could give them their presents. She didn't even know where they lived. Seamus's present was sat in the corner next to Ghastly and Skulduggery's. As usual it had been difficult to find Skulduggery a present. What did you get a skeleton for Christmas? In the end she'd opted for a hat. As for Ghastly she'd gotten him some boxing gloves. Hadn't his mum been a boxer before she died.
"You mean before Skulduggery killed her."
"Lord Vile killed her, not Skulduggery."
"He's always insisting we're the same person. Why isn't he the same person as Lord Vile?"
"Same person doesn't mean the same personality. Skulduggery would never have hurt her."
"But he did. He could have fought against Lord Vile, as you constantly fight against me – which I am really getting bored with by the way – but he didn't."
"It's none of your business."
"It's none of your business either."
"Shut up."
"Make me."
"You are so annoying!"
"You're the one engaging in conversation!"
"You started it!"
"Stephanie are you alright?" A voice came from the other side of the door and Valkyrie jumped. Her mother opened the door and stuck her head in.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Valkyrie said quickly, plastering on a smile.
"Were you talking to yourself?"
"No, I was on the phone." She said. Her mother raised an eyebrow.
"Who called you."
"Seamus Finnigan, from down the street." Valkyrie said quickly.
"I didn't know you were friends."
"He goes to the boarding school where the project is. He showed me around." Valkyrie said.
"I didn't know he went to an English school."
"Well he does."
"Hmmm." Valkyrie's mum raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and disappeared back out of the door.
"That was close. She almost found you talking to yourself. She would have thought you were crazy."
"I wasn't talking to myself, I was talking to you."
"I am you."
"Shut up."
