Violet smiled at the returning students who were starting to find their seats, and especially at all the new First Years. She heard Claudine ask her about her writing, as she always seemed to do when they met after an interval. Maybe Violet shouldn't have talked so much about writing, she'd read in a book over the summer that it was best to keep that to yourself until you produced something. So far all she'd produced was a scathing editorial letter to the Daily Prophet trying to build awareness in the wizarding world about just what had gone on at Hogwarts last year and a length back-dated journal of all the things she'd been thinking and experiencing but not been able to write down. Anyway, the conversation had gone on by now, with more and more people arriving. Violet decided she'd better try to be social, especially now at the beginning of the year.

"Hi, all you first years--welcome to Hogwarts, and welcome to Slytherin!" The very best House in the school, Violet thought complacently to herself.

Her eyes strayed to the Staff Table, which she'd been avoiding because she didn't want to have to see who was missing this year. But she did want another look at that new woman who'd taken charge at the Leaving Feast last year--would she be back again? And just who was she? After the experience with fake-Trent, aka Lucien Rosier, Violet was not about to take anyone new on trust again.