Leaving the strange hallway, the four of us were confronted by a concerned ballet mistress. It took a while to explain to Madame Giry what happened to us. She, for some unbelievably strange reason, seemed to believe in time travel.

"It has happened," she said in her thick French accent. "With a girl named Melody, several months ago. Claimed to be from the year 1945. But she moved to England on account of an opera in need of a lead soprano. Carlotta refused to go."

"May we stay here?" I asked sheepishly. "We honestly have nowhere to go, and I'm not sure I want to go back the way we came."

"If it helps," Marisa threw in, "Cadence and I are ballet dancers. But Madeline and Paige, they've got voices, let me tell you."

Madame Giry smiled. "Then you can replace the two ballet dancers and two chorus girls that-" Here she gave us an inquisitive look "- magically disappeared last night."

I smiled, wondering how in the world I'd survive this strange place.

The four of us quickly befriended the other dancers and chorus girls, including Meg and Christine. Rehearsals for Hannibal had already begun, and the new owners, Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur Andre, were perfectly lenient on letting us sit out the first production of the opera.

The Opera Ghost, however, was not.

After Carlotta was knocked over by a backdrop and replaced by Christine (which us four knew about since who knows when), the note left by the Phantom contained something that wasn't in the movie.

"He welcomes you to his opera house," Madame Giry read, ignoring the owners' outbursts. "He instructs that Box 5 is to be left empty for his use, and his salary of twenty thousand francs is due."

I smiled. The Opera Ghost was pretty amusing to me, yet frightening to others.

"He also says," Madame Giry added, "that the four missing chorus girls and dancers must be replaced by the new girls immediately."

"But could they possibly learn an entire opera's worth of singing and dancing in one day?" Firmin asked, outraged.

"That is not possible," Madame Giry confirmed, sending a pointed glance to the rafters, where I assumed the Opera Ghost was hidden.

The Phantom must have caught the look, because there were no more notes or disasters after we were allowed to sit out.

That night's performance of Hannibal was beautiful. Christine's singing brought me to think, Wake up, Paige! As long as you're here, shouldn't you lead Christine away from the Phantom? For both Christine and the Phantom's own good. You really only have tonight, so convince her to go to supper with Raoul! And don't even think about the consequences, you ninny!

So when I felt a chill on the back of my neck and heard my name said softly, almost inaudibly, then a voice telling me to stay away from the catacombs and not to interfere with Christine's lessons, right in the middle of Christine's song, it wasn't exactly reassuring. Far from it, to be honest.

So I didn't respond, only so I wouldn't be breaking any promises when I stole Christine from him.

That night, after the show, I caught Raoul entering Christine's dressing room with a bouquet of flowers. I smiled, returning to my conversation with Marisa, Madeline, and Cadence.

"Did the Phantom talk to any of you?" Cadence asked. We all nodded.

"Something about staying out of the catacombs and not interfering with Christine's lessons," Marisa said.

"Me, too," I agreed. But I didn't mention my plans.

"Why would anyone go looking for him?" Marisa asked. They all stared at me.

"Hey," I lied. "Just because I'm his biggest fan, doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to get myself killed."

Madeline and Cadence laughed, Marisa gave me a look that said, We're talking about this later.

Walking back the way we came, I heard the voice. This time, it said,

"Biggest fan, hmm?"

I walked faster.

"No, Raoul, wait!" Christine said, scared.

Raoul chuckled, closing the door. Before the Phantom could lock her in, I slipped inside the wooden door leading to Christine's dressing room.

"Merde," I heard the Phantom hiss. I tried not to seem scared.

"Hello, Christine," I greeted awkwardly. "You did great out there."

"Thank you," she said. She looked down at the rose with a black ribbon tied around it, which sat in her lap.

"Listen, Christine," I said in a whisper. "I think you should stay away from your angel of music for a while."

She looked at me quizzically. I explained how I "knew the future", which wasn't an entire lie, and my encounter with the Phantom during Hannibal.

"So that's why he won't show himself to me," Christine mused. I nodded.

"I know he'll be pretty angry at me," I said. "But I had to tell you. He wouldn't have let you go. Besides, you need a chance with Raoul."

Christine blushed, looking at her rose once again. I smiled.

"You should go out to eat with him, like he offered," I told her. She didn't bother asking how I knew that.

"Thank you," she said. "And I hope the Opera Ghost has mercy on you."

With that, Christine and I left her dressing room.

I headed toward the ballet dormitories as fast as possible without making much noise. Behind me, I heard a cry of fury and anger.

The Phantom was mad.

Very mad.