In an effort to gain more followers and reviews, especially on this phanfiction, this is the first story I will be uploading periodically. I have the whole thing written already, so I will upload a chapter every two days. There will be eleven chapters. I'll be moving into my dorm room in a two weeks, so my life is going to get pretty hectic, but I feel confident that I can still upload chapters! Anyway, enjoy!

Elaina LaPointe was a very talented singer. It's just that no one knew it. She had been put in ensemble all her life and never once even had the smallest line. While she always wanted a lead, she was proud to be part of the Opera Populaire. She had been taking lessons for the past few years with Monsieur Reyer in private. They didn't want anyone to know because then other girls would also ask for lessons. But despite everything, Monsieur Reyer still liked Carlotta more than her. He and the manager gave her all the leads in every opera while Elaina always got ensemble, and Monsieur Reyer did nothing.

They were currently rehearsing for the new production Hannibal, which was opening that night. So far, it was mediocre and the cast had a lot to do in a few hours. Elaina's feet were throbbing from doing the dance over and over again in order to please Madame Giry, the dance instructor.

Elaina watched as Carlotta sang and wished it was her that singing. She knew she was very well capable of doing the role and she knew the lines by heart.

When the number was finally finished for the umpteenth time, their manager, Monsieur Lefevre, came in and stopped their rehearsal. Elaina saw he had two men with him that she had never seen before.

"As you know, for some weeks there have been rumors of my imminent retirement," Monsieur Lefevre announced. "I can now tell you that these were all true and it is my pleasure to introduce to you the two gentlemen who now own the Opera Populaire: Monsieur Richard Firmin and Monsieur Gilles Andre."

Everyone applauded for them, but Elaina did so half-heartedly. She liked their current manager, even if he did favorite Carlotta. He was still very kind and knew exactly how to run the place. And he knew how to deal with the so called Opera Ghost. She just hoped the new managers handled everything the same way he did. If they didn't, the peace they had been graced with would quickly stop once the Opera Ghost began to terrorize them. Elaina told people she didn't believe in the Ghost, but deep down, she couldn't help but wonder why it felt like the cast was always being watched, or why there was that slight movement in the shadows that could've been her eyes playing with her, or why Madame Giry seemed nervous when something went dreadfully wrong during rehearsals, or why she would occasionally catch a flash of black in Box Five.

Whether he was real or not, Elaina listened to her new managers.

"Gentlemen, Signora Carlotta Giudicelli, our leading soprano for five seasons now," Monsieur Lefevre introduced.

The one called Andre fervently shook her hand, treating her like the diva she was.

"And Signor Ubaldo Piangi."

Andre smiled. "If I remember rightly, Elissa has a rather fine aria in Act Three of Hannibal," he said. "I wonder, Signora, if, as a personal favor, you would oblige us with a private rendition? Unless, of course, M. Reyer objects…"

"My manager commands. Monsieur Reyer?"

"My diva commands?"

She clapped her hands demandingly and he went over to the piano to begin the song, "Think of Me." It was Elaina's favorite song in the opera and she sometimes used it to warm up with. Most of the time, she sang it when she thought no one was listening. Even though it always felt like someone was, even if she was sure no one was around…

Carlotta began the song and really milked it up for the new managers.

Suddenly, a huge backdrop fell right on top of Carlotta sending her to the ground! The chorus girls screamed and grabbed onto each other.

"He's there, the Phantom of the Opera!" she heard the chorus girl, Meg, exclaim as she grabbed onto her friend, Christine. Elaina wasn't close with either of them but only saw them from a distance and talked to them once or twice.

"Buquet!" Monsieur Lefevre shouted. "Get that man down here! What's going on up there?"

Joseph Buquet came down and pleaded with them all, "Please monsieur don't look at me! As God's my witness, I was not at my post! Please monsieur, there's no one there! And if there is, well then, it must be a ghost!"

The word "ghost" sent all the chorus girls into screaming fits again.

Andre went over to Carlotta and calmly said to her, "These things do happen."

She looked at him angrily. "Si, these things do happen. Well, until you stop these things from happening, this thing does not happen! Ubaldo, andiamo!"

Carlotta left in a sobbing mess, while Piangi went over to all three managers and said one word: "Amateurs!"

Monsieur Lefevre had had enough. "Well, there's nothing more I can do to assist you. If you need me, I shall be in Frankfurt!" He left just as fast as Carlotta, done with the Opera forever.

"La Carlotta will be back," Andre tried to assure everyone.

"You think so, messieurs?" Madame Giry said. "I have a message here from the Opera Ghost."

The cast members started quietly whispering to each other, wondering if it really was the Opera Ghost, or simply someone's attempt at scaring everyone.

"He merely welcomes you to his Opera House and commands you to continue to leave Box Five empty for his use and reminds you that his salary is due."

"His salary?!" Firmin exclaimed.

"Monsieur Lefevre paid him twenty thousand francs a month. Perhaps you can afford more, with the Vicomte de Chagny as your patron."

The chorus girls gasped, shocked that someone so rich and handsome was now supporting the opera.

"Madame, I had hoped to have made that announcement myself!" Andre said angrily.

"Will the Vicomte be at the performance tonight, monsieur?" Madame Giry asked, dismissing his complaints.

"Yes, in our box," Firmin answered.

"Madame, who is the understudy for this role?" Andre asked, hoping to rectify the whole situation.

"There is no understudy, monsieur! The production is new!" Monsieur Reyer answered in a huff. "Although," he added more calmly, "I believe that Elaina LaPointe can do the role."

Elaina froze in her tracks and her heartbeat increased. Was Monsieur Reyer actually offering her the role of Elissa?

"A chorus girl?" Firmin asked.

"She has been taking singing lessons for quite some time and knows the role quite well. I believe she could very well take over for La Carlotta."

"Well, let's hear you," Andre said.

"Come, Elaina," Monsieur Reyer said to her taking her hand and bringing her forward. "Sing a couple bars of 'Think of Me'." He pulled her close and said to her just so she could hear him. "I know you can do this. We've worked on this song many times, and you have a wonderful voice."

He went over to the piano and began to play the song. Elaina took a deep breath and tried to imagine that she was alone and singing the song in private:

Think of me

Think of me fondly when we've said good-bye

Remember me once in a while

Please promise me you'll try

When you find that once again you long

To take your heart back and be free

If you ever find a moment

Spare a thought for me

Elaina finished what was asked of her and the crowd around her burst into huge applause. Her spirits began to soar high above the clouds.

"That was splendid, mademoiselle!" Andre praised.

"Magnifique!" Firmin added.

Elaina was ecstatic. She finally had the lead role in an opera.

But she didn't know that someone was watching from the rafters. He watched her with hate and loathing. How had his plan gone so wrong? They were supposed to pick Christine, not this Elaina girl! She wasn't even as good as his Christine! He needed to fix this and fast. The opera was opening in just a few hours and he needed Christine to have the role of Elissa.

Elaina was taken to Carlotta's old dressing room and some costumers adjusted all of Carlotta's costumes to fit Elaina's tiny figure. Then she was shoved back to rehearsal to run through the show as the new Elissa.

Being the lead was everything she always dreamed! However, she couldn't help but notice that Meg seemed to be giving her cold looks. Elaina knew that Meg was known for her dance moves, not her singing voice. In fact, she was the Opera's best dancer, which made sense as she was the ballet instructor's daughter. The looks couldn't be because she wanted the role!

Nevertheless, Elaina enjoyed every second of the fame she had always wanted. But she remembered what Carlotta was like and tried to remain humble about it all. It proved difficult as people were finally starting to notice her voice and talk to her after realizing her talent.

A couple hours before the opening of the opera, Elaina was in her dressing room warming up and putting on her full costume. The nerves were starting to set in that in just a few minutes, she was going to be singing a lot of rather difficult songs in front of hundreds of people! An honor, no doubt, but also terrifying! If they didn't like her, or she made even the slightest mistake, it could seriously hurt her career and the Opera House as a whole! It was a lot of pressure to put on one person.

She sat down in front of her mirror and began to powder her very nervous face. She looked down for just a second and when she looked up, she gasped at the sight of a man towering behind her. His gloved hand slipped over her mouth as she tried to scream. He was dressed in nearly all black but had a pure white mask on the right side of his face. He had black hair that was slicked back, and a deep, rich voice.

"If you're wise, you will not go out on that stage tonight," he whispered in her ear. "That part was meant for Christine. I didn't work so hard to get Carlotta out just so that you would steal the limelight from her. She deserves the role more than you ever will."

In a flash, he was gone just as quickly as he had appeared. Elaina looked in the mirror and noticed that she was trembling fiercely and had a couple of tears leaking from her eyes. That had to have been the Opera Ghost. But why did he want Christine to have the role so bad? Did he personally know her? She didn't even know she had that good of a voice. He was the one who made Carlotta quit? Even though Elaina's dream was coming true, she had to refuse to sing tonight. The Opera Ghost had made that clear that for her. She was terrified of what would happen to her if she went out instead of Christine.

Elaina ran from the room to find Madame Giry or Monsieur Reyer or someone so she could tell them that she couldn't sing.

"Madame Giry?" she called as she ran down the hallway. "Madame Giry?"

"What is it, Elaina?" the woman said as she came around a corner.

"I…I can't sing tonight."

"Why ever not? You proved today at rehearsal that you have the voice for it."

"I just can't. I can't go out there."

Madame Giry's face softened. "I understand, my dear."

"Do you?"

"Yes."

Elaina was skeptical that Madame Giry really understood, but right now, she wasn't going to question it. This was much easier to do when someone wasn't yelling at her.

"I will just have to find a replacement and notify Monsieur Reyer and the managers. Though they will not be pleased," Madame Giry said in a kind voice. Maybe she really did understand. But wouldn't that have to mean that…she knew the Opera Ghost?

"Christine Daaé should sing."

"What makes you say that?"

"She has a good voice I'm told. She can do the part easily. She's the best choice."

"Very well. Christine has been taking lessons from a very good teacher. I believe you are correct. I will announce the news to everyone."

Madame Giry briskly walked off and Elaina's heart sank even further. This had been something she had wanted for the longest time, and now she had just lost it probably forever. Her heart raged at the Opera Ghost for making her lose the thing she wanted most. First, she needed to get out of Carlotta's dressing room as evidently, it was now going to be Christine's. Then, she needed to get back into her chorus costume and try to get through the performance, watching Christine perform the role that was supposed to be hers. It was going to be much worse than watching Carlotta.

Sure enough, Monsieur Reyer was not happy that his pupil had given up the star role and the managers were upset at the change of plans yet again. But Elaina knew she could not walk out as Elissa for fear of what the Opera Ghost would do.

She wanted to find out where he hid and demand to know why she had been forced to give up her dream. But for now, she had to get through all the performances of Hannibal, and then move on to the next opera and figure out what to do then.

Performing that night proved to be the worst night of her life. Christine was indeed a very talented singer, but her voice shook a few times from the nerves. Elaina tried not to hate her since it wasn't her fault. The opera soon ended, and Christine was showered with praise—praise that should've been for Elaina.

After everyone had seen Christine, including the new patron, Elaina wanted to stop by to talk to her. Perhaps she knew where the Opera Ghost was since he seemed to know Christine so well.

"Christine?" Elaina called as she opened the door. The room was completely dark. All the candles were blown out and had been for some time. There was a small sliver of light shining from the mirror. She looked closer and saw that the mirror was actually slid over. Had the Opera Ghost gotten Christine? She walked over to the mirror and pulled it over more. She took a look down the long entrance and began to walk down, determined to find the Opera Ghost. But she changed her mind and headed back when she realized that she was very quickly going to get lost in the labyrinth.

Elaina was going to leave well enough alone for the time being, but she was going to find that phantom!