Besides that, two "uninvited guests" followed behind them.
One wore a deep purple robe, his silver-white hair drifting in the wind from the pipe entrance. The other wore a long black coat with a high collar that hid half his face.
They were Dumbledore and Severus Snape.
Their bodies seemed to be covered by a blurred veil of light. Harry and the other two clearly had not noticed they were being followed—it was a Disillusionment Charm. But Madara's scarlet eyes could see clearly through the darkness like searchlights.
"The audience is here. Remember, when the Chosen One finds the 'dying' Weasley girl..." He cast one final glance at Ginny, whom Lockhart had placed on the stone platform. "...let a certain White Dark Lord taste what it feels like to be bitten back by his own pawn."
"It's your turn, Professor." Madara's figure began to fade. "Lucius and the others will apply to the Ministry of Magic for an Order of Merlin for you at the right time—for your great feat of 'discovering and stopping the Dark Lord in time.'"
Madara slowly vanished into the shadows, leaving behind only Lockhart, tending to unconscious Ginny, and the diary lying silently on the floor of the Chamber of Secrets.
Within the shattered eye sockets of Salazar's statue, a wisp of black smoke slowly dissipated, like an unheard sneer.
Meanwhile, at the entrance to Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets, the air seemed frozen solid.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione's hearts pounded like drums in their chests as they gripped their wands tightly. Harry's Holly Wand seemed to sense an unfamiliar dark presence, growing faintly hot to warn its owner to stay alert; Ron clenched his wand so hard his knuckles turned white; Hermione held her wand in one hand, maintaining a defensive spell at its tip