Please don't kill me. XD


Valkyrie walked with McGonagall to the school gates. The sun had only been up for a few hours, and Valkyrie was not happy. When Skulduggery had said 'we leave tomorrow' she had thought after breakfast, or midday, not before 6 in the bloody morning! McGonagall didn't seem too happy either.

"You'll tell the Gryffindors I said goodbye?" Valkyrie asked as they walked.

"I will." McGonagall nodded.

"You don't have to tell Umbridge though, she doesn't have to know. She might go a bit easier on them if she still thinks we're around." McGonagall nodded again as Skulduggery came into view, along with someone else Valkyrie hadn't seen in a long time.

"Hey Val," Fletcher Renn grinned. His ridiculous blonde hair was still styled in the same hilariously stupid way. He had grown taller, and he was tanner, but that was about it.

"Hi Fletcher. Didn't think I'd see you here." She said dumbly.

"Yeah, Skulduggery asked me to come. Apparently you've been begging for me back."

"I have not." Valkyrie scowled and then glared at Skulduggery, who had his head tilted in that trademark way.

"Thank you for your hospitality Professor. Hopefully when we get back we'll have good news."

"I hope so too." She said gravely "Be warned, detectives, you-know-who is very dangerous. He will not hesitate to kill you, and neither will his followers." She took a deep breath in, as if it gave her pain to talk about it, or to see them going away to what could be their deaths.

"We'll be fine." Valkyrie said in a tone stronger than she felt "We've been up against worse."

"There are none worse than him, dear." McGonagall answered, and Valkyrie frowned slightly.

"Right, let's go then." Skulduggery said cheerfully, and Valkyrie looked at him with a raised eyebrow. She sighed, gave a last parting smile to McGonagall, and took a hold of Fletcher's arm, pushing aside fond (and not so fond memories).

McGonagall was left alone. The detectives and teleporter were gone.


They explored the village first. Found places of retreat and places where the advantage would be theirs. Fletcher would return when he was needed via speed dial. Even by day the village was eerily creepy and quiet. They did their best to stay out of sight. When they branched off to save time Valkyrie used her necromancy skills to watch the few people who were out, going about their daily business. They seemed perfectly normal, average people, but how could you tell who was in league with Voldemort, and who was not? Skulduggery had said something about a tattoo on the forearm, but all of the people wore long sleeved tops and dresses. It didn't exactly help.

She met up with Skulduggery again a few hours after noon.

"Anything?" She asked.

"There's some more houses to the east but it's sparse after that. An old farmhouse down to the south that looks abandoned. What about the west?"

"Houses, people, houses." Valkyrie said "Nothing that would point to a second base of operations."

"So it's just the house then." Skulduggery murmured, then he tilted his head. "Did anyone see you?"

"Who?"

"Anyone. You just said there were people."

"Oh, no. I kind of, might have, slightly, used a teenie tiny bit of necromancy to stay hidden."

"You cheated."

"No I didn't."
"Yes you did, that's cheating."

"There are no rules to cheat against!"

"Do be quiet Valkyrie, you'll give away out position."

"That's not fair."
"What did I just say? Shh."

"You're so annoying."

"Shhh!" He grabbed her and pulled her out of the way, bringing them both into shadow as a villager walked past. Whoever it was didn't stop, or look around, or acknowledge them in any way. Skulduggery let Valkyrie go, and she glared at him.

"We have to make sure Voldemort gets no tip-offs. The element of surprise is our biggest advantage here."

"Doesn't mean you can just grab me." Valkyrie whispered angrily. Skulduggery ignored her, and looked around some more as Valkyrie groaned. This was going to be a long day.

They made their way up to the only house not investigated – Tom Riddle senior's. There was a graveyard not far away, and this is where they took refuge.

"This is the place Harry was talking about, isn't it." Valkyrie said quietly. Skulduggery nodded.

"It would appear so."

"Look there, the statue. That's the one Harry described in his statement, right? The one with the scythe and the robe."

"Yes it is. That's the Riddle family gravestone. Rather fitting."

"You're not kidding." Valkyrie muttered. She approached it carefully, as if she had been there herself. Patches of grass were shorter than the rest, and looked to have been almost burned away. Valkyrie studied them with her eyes, not touching anything as Skulduggery inspected some of the other gravestones. She felt bile rise in her stomach, knowing her friend had been here, had been tortured here, had watched his friend die here. The entire place stank of darkness and deception. The cold throbbed around her hand, and she felt almost sick knowing she was drawing power from such a terrible thing. Hearing what necromancy really was and took its power from was one thing, it seemed completely another knowing who's power she was taking, and why.

"Valkyrie, it'll be nightfall soon. We should be getting to the house. If the followers are inside, we pick them off. If they're not we just go for Voldemort." Valkyrie nodded.

"Why aren't we going after dark?"

"As amazing as we are, they're wizards, and with a long range, they'll have the advantage. We take them down when they're not expecting it. The element of surprise-"

"-is out greatest advantage, I know. So, what's the plan? Go up and knock on the front door?"

"Essentially."

They used the shadows as cover, approaching from the back of the house instead of the front. Unfortunately, it was on a hill, and Skulduggery's silence was unnerving. When Skulduggery was silent, it was never good. They had their guns drawn, ready to use magic if necessary. Valkyrie was beginning to wish they had brought a cloaking sphere, or something of that nature, just so they would be less… exposed. It was making her nervous, jittery, being so close to where he may or may not be. She had faced bad guys before. Really bad guys, but they'd never had some personal vendetta against one of her friends. It was much scarier when it was personal. Of course, they bad guys usually had personal problems with her, but when they were after your life, at least you knew where you stood, sort of. You knew they were after you, you could protect those close to you at the same time as protecting yourself. But when it was one of your friends… just no. Just no in general. No one messes with Valkyrie's friends.

"You argument is really very poor."

'Thank you, oh wise and helpful one."

"You're welcome."

'I was being sarcastic.'

"Doesn't make it any less true."

'My God, you are so annoying.' The house was there, right there, in front of her. She ducked under the windows, following Skulduggery as they made their way to the front of the house. The front door was large and old, but not old as in rotting, almost old as in antique – though why anyone would want an antique door was beyond Valkyrie. Skulduggery and Valkyrie pointed their guns to the door, spare hands ready to throw fire or whip air. Skulduggery knocked. 3 raps. There was no sound. Another 3 raps. A creak from the floorboards inside. The door opened.

"Hello there." Skulduggery said, and that was when things went wrong.


"Attention, attention everyone." McGonagall said as she walked into the Gryffindor common room. She had instructed the Fat Lady to let no one leave that morning for an early breakfast, and was addressing them all now. They looked at her in silence, wondering what she might have to say. Perhaps it was a new caution around Professor Umbridge. Perhaps a ludicrous new ministry rule had been passed that she wanted them to aware of. Oh how she wished they knew. She looked to the fireplace, and as ever, Potter, Weasley and Granger were there, now each looking up at her with a vaguer curiosity. She pursed her lips together thinly.

"Due to a recent turn of events, the Detectives have had to leave us-" Before she could even forget her sentence there was uproar, people shouting, demanding, standing from their seats, others whispering in corners, eyes wide. She raised her hands "Quiet, quiet please. If I may finish. Now, due to recent events, the Detectives Pleasant and Cain have had to leave us." She held up her hand for silence and hoped her voice did not betray the lie. "They left in the early hours of this morning. However, rest assured they will be back. They merely wished to say goodbye, and for you to know they would not be in the castle for a short while. If this information could be avoided from reaching Professor Umbridge, and by which I mean it should not be spoken of outside of this common room, it would be most appreciated. There is nothing to worry about."

"Where are they Professor?" Someone called from the back of the crowd. She pursed her lips again.

"They didn't say." She said "But both of them assured me they would be back, and I daresay they would not break their word." She sighed inwardly "Now, you may be dismissed for breakfast." She turned and walked out, but stayed close to the portrait. The students appeared a short moment after, each heading down the staircase, but, as she had expected, Potter, Weasley and Granger spotted her and approached her quickly.

"Professor," Harry said as soon as he was close "where are they really? What are they doing?" A sadness passed over her face.

"I am afraid they have gone to try and apprehend, Lord Voldemort."

"But Professor!"

"They can't!"

"They'll be killed!"

"The Detectives are more than capable of handling things. If the situation is dangerous they will retreat. I'm sorry, Potter. I can't help you. But I must ask you, all of you, not to try anything." She held her hand up before the protests could wash over her "I know what you three are like, but this is serious. The Detectives can handle themselves and anything you do would only be a hindrance. Please, go to breakfast and attend your classes. I'll let you know when I receive word from them." She gestured for them to go, but Harry only took a few steps before he turned around again.

"You won't hear from them again, Professor. If they left this morning, then it's already too late."


DUN DUN DUNNNNNN