The Moonlight Noon Chateau

The Moonlight Noon Chateau

By Hippy Gypsy

Disclaimer: [sings to the Alleluia tone] JK Rowling! JK Rowling! Owns Harry Potter! Owns Harry Potter!! Not me! [takes a bow] Sorry. That just popped into my head. It made me laugh! Anyways, JK owns HP and I own the Moonlight Noon Chateau. [Oliver, Sammy, Carlotta, Evan, and Tiffany applaud in the background] Thank you! Thank you! As for the music, such as "The Rhythm of the Night," it belongs to that wonderful movie, Moulin Rouge! Wahoo! So on to Chapter 5! Hope you're enjoying this!

Chapter 5: Warnings and the Rhythm of the Night

Antonio Safrin was an elderly man, but his eyes where wide and quite alert. He looked as sharp as a tack and twice as nice. His white hair was brushed back in the fashion, and his tuxedo was crisp and clean. The wrinkles that appeared around his eyes from his smile showed of long lost humor and the little silver Snitch at the end of his cane was polished to a beautiful shine. He held his arms open and Minerva ran into them. "My my little Minnie. Look at you!" he said, tears in his eyes. "I'd never thought I'd reach the point in my life where I would actually feel this old."

Minerva smiled. "Oh Antonio, don't talk like that. You're just as young as before." She turned to the group. "Everyone, this was my father's best friend, Antonio Safrin. Antonio, these are my colleagues: Sybill Trelawney, Rubeus Hagrid, Severus Snape, and Albus Dumbledore."

Antonio smiled, but still looked curious. "Albus Dumbledore? Well, welcome Sir! I'd never thought I'd see you here." He shook his hand.

Minerva smirked. "See? I have connections."

Albus smiled solemnly. "I'm afraid it's in poor nature that I come here tonight Monsieur Safrin."

"Oh really? What's the matter?" He looked to Minerva, but she stared off into space looking timid. "Minnie, this is going to be bad isn't it? Tell me." He gave her a stern look.

Minerva suddenly got a look on her face that was the equivalent of a worried child's. "Antonio…it's…" She looked to Dumbledore for help. She couldn't tell him.

"Sit down Monsieur Safrin."

"Call me Antonio, please," he replied a little curious.

"Very well. Antonio, about a month or so ago, you had trouble with your finances for the Moonlight Noon Chateau, didn't you?"

Antonio looked weary and sighed deeply. "Yes."

"And you signed a owner partnership with someone didn't you?"

"Yes. That's correct."

"What is the name of your new partner?"

"Monsieur Thomas Eldder. Actually comes from England around your way. Why?"

Trelawney and Hagrid's eyes widened and Snape groaned. "Spell his last name for us," said Minerva.

"E-L-D-D-E-R."

"There you go. He's spelling his name backwards," said Snape.

"I don't understand," said Antonio. "What's going on?"

Dumbledore looked straight at him. "Antonio, did you know that Lord Voldemort's real name is Tom Riddle?"

He went white. "Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Minerva held his hand. "He signed the papers, Antonio. Lord Voldemort is your new partner. He owns half of the Moonlight Noon."

Antonio buried his face in his hands. "Oh god…how could I have been so stupid as to not notice it?"

"Don't blame yourself. We personally have no idea what he's trying to do, acquiring half a nightclub," said Dumbledore in a reassuring voice. "But-"

"OH MY GOD!" Carlotta suddenly gasped. "Oliver! The Diamond Dogs!"

Everyone turned around and found Carlotta covering her mouth with her hands. She looked a bit pale. "What about the Diamond Dogs?" said Oliver and Antonio at the same time.

"Do you think they're…you know…if they come with…You-Know-Who?"

Oliver suddenly realized. "They must be Death Eaters."

Albus looked up at Carlotta. "Death Eaters?"

"They must be!" she replied.

"How many?"

"Four or five."

"Do you know their names?"

Carlotta thought for a moment, and began to count them off on her fingers. "Crabbe… Goyle… Avery… and Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy!"

Snape sneered. "He's here?"

Carlotta nodded.

"Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters…here…I can't believe it," Antonio said blankly.

"I wouldn't threat," said Dumbledore. "Is he here tonight?"

"No. He's out of town until Monday."

"Has he tried anything yet?"

"Not that I know of."

Albus looked around the group. "Then I don't think you have anything to worry about right now. We plan to stay here though and keep an eye on him. You have our full support Monsieur Safrin."

Antonio looked a quite a bit calmer now. It wasn't everyday that he had the most powerful wizard of modern times behind his back. "So what should we do now?"

Albus leaned back in his seat. "Enjoy the night and continue you're work like you're supposed to," he said with a smile.

"Continue work, huh?" He turned around in his seat and looked at Oliver and Carlotta. "I believe you two have been away from your posts for long enough, no?"

Oliver snapped his fingers. "I was hoping you wouldn't notice," he said mockingly, and Carlotta pushed him back behind the bar.

Antonio began to turn back to the group, but was cut off. A smiling young man was standing beside the table. "Sorry to interrupt you, Monsieur Safrin, but…" He held out his hand to Sybill. "May I have this dance mademoiselle?"

Sybill's mouth dropped. "I…uh…" She looked from Antonio to Dumbledore to Minerva.

"Go," said Minerva encouragingly.

Sybill smiled a little awkwardly. "Um…okay…sure."

The young man took her hand and kissed it suavely. "Madame Diva," he said. "A shy friend of mine was wondering if you'd be willing to share the next dance with him."

Minerva smiled. "Certainly." She rose and took the man's other arm. As he led her and Sybill away, she looked over her shoulder and said, "Later boys!"

Antonio chuckled and turned back to Dumbledore. "Such is the way around here."

Severus looked around him. "This place is magnificent Monsieur Safrin."

"'Eye," agreed Hagrid with a smile.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you think of such an extraordinary place?" said Dumbledore.

Antonio took a sip of wine and smiled. "It may seem a bit non-original, but long ago, I had a dream. And this dream was filled with colors! With mountains, and oceans, and leagues of colors! It was the oddest, yet the most wonderful dream I had ever had. When I woke up, I knew I had to try and bring that dream alive again. It became an obsession…I've never made the dream come true, but with the Moonlight Noon Chateau, I came pretty damn close." He smiled fondly. "I wouldn't trade this place for anything."

It was at that point that Carlotta came running across the busy dance floor. "Antonio, Little Rock and Devine were wondering…" She bent down and began to whisper in his ear.

Antonio smiled and chuckled. "He's the one to ask Sweet Pea, not me," he said motioning to Dumbledore.

Carlotta whispered into Dumbledore's ear. He began to chuckle too. "Fine by me. It sounds like it would do him some good."

Carlotta smiled. "Another bottle of wine Antonio?"

"Yes please my dear."

"What happened to Diva and Madame Trelawney?"

"They got asked to dance," said Severus.

Everyone looked out to the dance floor. It was an array of color, and for a moment Snape was sure he had stepped into Antonio Safrin's dream. No wonder he had wanted to recreate it! It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He sat watching, smiling, and pondering this for a long moment, when suddenly, the can-can dancer, Little Rock, appeared in front of him.

Little Rock held out her hand. "Care to dance Monsieur Snape?" She smiled.

Snape snapped out of his trance. "What? Me? Dance? No no no…" He turned back to the table to find Antonio and Dumbledore smiling slyly at him. Snape crossed his arms and sneered. "You tricked me."

"Get out there Severus. Have a little fun!" said Dumbledore.

Little Rock held out her hand again. "Please Monsieur? I don't want to be the only girl without a partner." She began to pout.

Snape was determined to sit the dance out, but for some odd reason, he sighed and got up. "Alright, but I'm warning you. I have no idea how to dance."

Little Rock took his arm and led him to the dance floor just as a new song was beginning to play:

"Can you feel

the rhythm of the night?

(feel the rhythm)"

"What do you mean you can't dance?!" said Little Rock over the music. "Everyone can dance!" She placed her right hand in his left, and she put his other arm around her back. She wrapped her other arm around his neck and said, "Ready? Just follow my lead!" And with that they were off. Severus tried to follow her moves and a moment later, he couldn't believe it. He was dancing! Stranger was the fact that as he went on, he began to enjoy it!

Oliver was dancing with a woman next to him. "Hey! What are you doing out here?!" he shouted at Snape with a smile.

"Dancing apparently!"

He spun Little Rock and took hold of her again. "During this dance people switch partners every few seconds, so your not going to see me again this dance I think!"

"Okay!"

"And switch!"

Little Rock twirled away to dance with another man, and in her place came the woman who had been dancing with Oliver. It was the woman in the diamond-studded dress, who had been the highlight of the night. "Monsieur Snape I presume?! I'm Tiffany the Prima Donna, headliner of the Moonlight Noon!"

Severus took her hands and led her across the floor. "A pleasure mademoiselle!"

"You're very light on your feet Monsieur!" she said with a smile.

"Thank you!"

The switched partners again and this time, to both his surprise and delight, Severus's partner was Minerva. "What are you doing out here?!" she shouted with a smile.

"Antonio and Dumbledore conspired against me!"

Minerva threw her head back and laughed. "Your not bad though, I'll admit that!"

And they switched again and Severus's heart jumped up into his throat. Carlotta had suddenly spun into his arms, the most gorgeous of smiles on her face. She stopped a moment when she saw who her new partner was, and they spent what seemed to be the longest time just staring at each other, straight in the eyes. Their faces were barely an inch apart. Severus had the strangest urge just to reach out and kiss her. What am I, insane? he thought. That snippy little brat? Instead, he cleared his mind, took her into his arms, and they began to dance.

He had probably been better off kissing her. She was so light on her feet and her perfume was the scent of roses. It was intoxicating him in the worst way. And as she danced, she kept giving him that wonderful ruby-lipped smile. Severus was beginning to wonder if this woman was actually an angel sent from heaven!

When the dance ended, Severus stopped, took both of her hands into his, and kissed them. "Thank you for the dance, mademoiselle Carlotta."

She gave him a soft smile and walked away.

Severus watched her for the longest time that night as she waited tables and danced with the other young men in the Moonlight Noon. He couldn't explain what was happening to him. He had never had a feeling like this before. Never had the mere sight of a woman made his head turn as it had tonight as he danced with Carlotta. My God, have I gone insane? he thought for the thousandth time that night. Am I actually in love with this woman after one meeting, one dance, and a smile? Does love at first sight actually exist? He pondered this as the music played on into the night.

Note from the Hippy Gypsy: Well? I'm trying. Anyways, the romance picks up in the next couple of chapters. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW AND NO FLAMES!!!