John smiled and walked onward with Teddy and Samantha, entering the Great Hall and taking their seats. John looked around and saw that they were some of the first people in. He saw all the teachers, including his mother, were seated and conversing and other students were filing in.

Down below in the Chamber of Secrets, Valerie Black was silent. Ever since last year when that damned ghost had come investigating they'd had to remain almost silent when people were awake. Most of the others just read or slept during the day. Tonight however, Valerie was on guard duty. She was waiting for Skylar Brookes, the Society's mole in the school. She had a plan to keep this year running smoothly and was excited that she would be able to present it. Valerie had often been burned by Anthony in the past, often stealing her ideas to make himself look better. It was fine. At the end of this year it would all work out in Valerie's favor.