Courfeyrac and his mistress were going to see the opera.
"Guess what happened?!" His mistress, a charming lady called Madeleine, said.
"What?" Courfeyrac grinned. He was in his best suit, with his best (and only) hat on.
Madeleine smiled, "La Carlotta isn't singing. I personally hate her voice. It sounds like a toad!"
"Really?" Courfeyrac laughed, "Well, who is singing in her place?"
"Some girl named Christine Daaé," Madeleine said, shrugging.
They kept talking until the opera began. Madeleine was transfixed through the whole thing. While Courfeyrac liked most of the singers, he was surprised that the newcomer, Christine Daaé, was a very good singer.
"They should keep her," Courfeyrac said. "She's really good!" He said as they walked out.
Madeleine grinned and nodded.
Unfortunately, someone bumped into Courfeyrac. His hat slipped off, and was trampled underneath the feet of the men and women leaving. It was pushed and thrown across the opera house, until it came to rest under a bunch of seats in the manager's box.
Courfeyrac sighed and pushed his way through. He went into the box and glanced around. His hat was resting on one of the chairs. He picked it up, put it on his head, and continued out of the opera.
XXX
Raoul left Christine's dressing room, happier than he had been in a long time. He hurried to the box he was sitting at and glanced around for his hat. Frowning he knelt down and saw it crushed underneath the seats. Sighing, he grabbed it and stretched it out again.
XXX
Enjolras had finished talking, and was now writing on a pamphlet. Combeferre was studying for an exam he had tomorrow, and Courfeyrac was twiddling the hat between his fingers. A name etched on it caught his eye.
"Wait a minute…" Courfeyrac mumbled, peering at the name. It read Vicomte Raoul de Chagny in curly letters.
"Is something wrong?" Combeferre asked, absentmindedly.
"This isn't my hat," Courfeyrac frowned. "I lost my hat!"
Enjolras glanced up, "where did you lost it?"
"The opera!" Courfeyrac screaming and jumped up, "I need to go back there!"
"Someone must have already picked it up," Enjolras said. "You went there a while ago, remember?"
Combeferre frowned, "What if this Raoul has your hat? You took his and he took yours?"
"Well, I want my hat back," Courfeyrac said. "Where can I find him? I don't even know who he is!"
"Good luck," Enjolras said, not unkindly.
Courfeyrac was still thinking when Marius entered the room.
"Marius, what have we told you about—" Enjolras began, but Courfeyrac shushed him and ran over to Marius.
"Marius! You said you knew a stalker!" Courfeyrac said, excitedly.
Marius looked confused, "No, I just said my neighbor was going to find the love of my life."
"Same difference," Courfeyrac said, waving his hand impatiently. "Can I ask her a favor?"
"Of course!" Marius said, "I'll bring her next time."
"Can you get her now?" Courfeyrac said. Marius nodded and quickly left.
XXX
Raoul and Christine were walking through the street. He was talking to her quietly, comforting her, since she was still frightened about Erik. It was snowing and they had scarves and cloaks on. A gust of wind came and Raoul's hat got blown off.
Christine raced after it and grabbed it. She smiled, "You went to get my scarf, and I went to get your hat." Raoul laughed and reached to take it. Christine frowned, however, and glanced inside, at the name embroidered on it. "Raoul, are you sure that this is your hat?"
Raoul took the hat and glanced at the name. It read Monsieur de Courfeyrac.
XXX
"Courfeyrac, Éponine, Éponine, Courfeyrac," Marius introduced them.
Courfeyrac kissed Éponine's hand, "Why bonjour, Mademoiselle."
"What can I do for you, M'sieur de Courfeyrac?" Éponine asked roughly.
"Just call me Courfeyrac, please," Courfeyrac said. He held out the hat, "Can you give this hat back to his owner and go get mine for me?"
Éponine took it, looked at it, and nodded, "Of course. The Vicomte sponsors the Opera." She had seen Raoul once or twice when she was walking around.
"See," Marius said proudly, "she knows her way around."
Éponine blushed, "So, what can you give me in return?"
"I'll give you money, don't worry," Courfeyrac said. "The amount of money depends on the condition of my hat and how fast the task is completed."
Éponine laughed, "Ah, you are a lawyer." Courfeyrac grinned, showing he was kidding, "Do you need money for a ticket?"
"No, I can get a ticket from my brother," Éponine said.
"Are you sure? Who's your brother?" Courfeyrac asked.
"My brother is Gavroche," Éponine explained/
Courfeyrac's grin dropped, "Wait, Gavroche has a sister?"
Éponine grinned, "He has two, plus two brothers. Au revoir, M'sier!"
XXX
Gavroche managed to get Éponine a ticket to see Don Juan Triumphant. Éponine thanked him and went in to see the opera. Except it wasn't a normal opera. Something was up.
Another man had gone on to sing "Past the Point of No Return." Then, the singer, a girl, removed his hood to show a mask.
The man continued to sing. The other singer was the new girl called Christine. Christine took off his mask and wig, to reveal a disfigured person. Then, chaos erupted. The man and Christine vanished. People ran onstage. A dead body was discovered backstage. A well-dressed man ran onstage, upset. Éponine recognized him as Raoul. Éponine frowned and pushed against the crowd to get closer. She saw Raoul walk away with a strict looking woman. Éponine followed the both of them, as they went into the basement of the opera. The woman told him to keep his hand at the level of his eyes.
The woman eventually left, walking back. Éponine ducked behind a prop as she passed her, muttering about something and glancing around.
When the woman left, Éponine kept going. She could hear people talking from below. Éponine glanced down at the hat in her hand. She took a deep breath and kept going. She moved a hand up near her eyes, just in case. She had a really bad feeling about all of this.
"This face which earned
A mother's fear and loathing
A mask, my first
Unfeeling scrap of clothing
Pity comes too late!
Turn around and face your fate!
An eternity of this
Before your eyes..."
Éponine froze, listening to this. A lady's voice filled the room.
"This haunted face
Holds no horror for me now
It's in your soul
That the true distortion lies..."
Raoul was getting closer and closer. Éponine realized the girl must be Christine, and must be very important to Raoul.
"Wait!
I think, my dear,
We have a guest"
Raoul had been spotted. Éponine froze as Raoul went out into the open. She crept closer and hid behind all the candelabras. She could see a lake and some kind of hidden home. Christine was in a wedding dress, the disfigured man looked angry, and Raoul was pleading for Christine.
The disfigured man grinned,
"Sir, this is indeed
An unparalleled delight
I had rather hoped
That you would come
And now, my wish comes true.
You have truly made my night!"
Raoul whimpered,
"Free her!"
The other man laughed like a maniac. Raoul kept on going.
"Do what you will, only free her!
Have you no pity?"
The disfigured man turned to Christine,
"Your lover makes a passionate plea..."
Christine was upset,
"Please, Raoul
It's useless!"
Raoul wasn't going to give up, though.
"I love her!
Does that mean nothing?"
The man hissed "stop it!"
Raoul ignored him,
"I love her!
Show some compassion!"
The man growled,
"The world showed no compassion to me!"
Raoul was looking at Christine with fondness,
"Christine...
Christine...
Let me see her!"
The other man pushed Christine on the ground and backed up, "Be my guest, sir..."
Éponine watched Raoul comfort Christine. She frowned and stared at the ground. The mist from the lake was spreading, and it was wrapping around her ankles. Éponine glanced back up. Raoul and Christine reminded her of Marius and Cosette, of how much they loved each other. She could understand the man, how he wanted to keep them apart. She knew what it was like to be ridiculed. People looked at her in outrage every day, since she was just a peasant. She understood. But she also understood that maybe Marius belonged with Cosette. Maybe. Éponine was wrenched from her thoughts when the man put a noose around Raoul's neck and tightened it. Christine screamed and Éponine gasped, although it went unnoticed. She couldn't see herself killing Cosette just to be with Marius. Cosette was a good person, and had been through enough as a child. The man told Christine that she could marry him and let Raoul go free, or leave herself and Raoul would die.
Éponine watched as all of them started speaking at once. Half of her mind was still on Marius. She imagined if they were in a situation like this. Éponine yelling at Marius to marry her or let Cosette die. Marius would be broken and torn. Éponine knew she wouldn't be able to do that to Marius.
Christine turned to the man, "Angel of Music, you deceived me! I gave my mind blindly!"
The man glared at her, "You try my patience, make your choice!" he growled.
Christine was crying. She glanced at Raoul and the man. She walked towards him,
"Pitiful creature of darkness,
What kind of life have you known?
God give me courage to show you,
You are not alone..."
With that, Christine kissed the man. Éponine stepped backwards, taking in the scene. Raoul looked heartbroken and time seemed to stand still. Finally, Éponine realized that she should not be watching this, and left quickly.
Back in the main hall of the Opera, she saw a hat sitting on a table. A small part of her brain told her it was Courfeyrac's hat. Éponine switched the two hats and headed back to the Musain.
XXX
"Oh Éponine thank you!" Courfeyrac hugged her tightly. He put the hat on and grinned. Éponine smiled sadly and glanced at Marius, who was talking to Bossuet. She was giving him up, which was harder than it seemed.
"Oh, your money," Courfeyrac said, digging a hand in his pocket.
"No, Courfeyrac," Éponine said quickly. "Just promise me one thing?"
"What's that?" Courfeyrac asked, slightly concerned.
Éponine looked at all the smiling and happy faces. Gavroche was sitting with Grantaire, talking about something he had seen on the streets. A few friendly debates were going on, while Bahorel was talking about his mistress.
"Never go to the opera again."