 Prime stabilization of an oldform

For a nonzero positive-weight eigenform at a good prime, the two oldforms $f(\tau ),f(p\tau )$ are independent. At level multiplied by $p$, the Hecke operator is the bad-prime operator, with matrix $\left(\begin{array}{cc}\lambda & 1\\ -\chi (p)p^{k-1}& 0\end{array}\right)$. Distinct roots $\alpha ,\beta$ of its characteristic polynomial give eigenforms $f-\beta f(p\tau )$ and $f-\alpha f(p\tau )$. Weight-zero constants are an exception to the independence assertion.