The Moonlight Noon Chateau

The Moonlight Noon Chateau

By Hippy Gypsy

Disclaimer: All of the Harry Potter characters belong to JK Rowling, who is my idol! J As for the Moonlight Noon characters, they belong to me! [Sammy: But Hippy! Aren't I your idol?] Ummm…no. [Sammy: Then who is?] [looks over at Oliver] [Oliver: Ha ha! I got a woman! You don't!] [Sammy: Yes I do. Little Rock, remember?] [Oliver: Oh yeah…] Anyways, back to the story! "Come What May" belongs to Moulin Rouge. I hope you like it so far. It's time to find out Carlotta's ever kept secret! Dun dun dun… [Sammy and Oliver: Woohoo!]

Chapter 10: Ever Kept Secrets

For the rest of the night, everyone couldn't help noticing how edgy Carlotta was. She snapped at people (though not on purpose), dropped her tray of drinks (twice), and managed to accidentally cut her left hand with a knife (which Hagrid saw to right away, but it was healed quite quickly). At ten, which was early by Moonlight Noon standards, she had given up waiting on tables for the night sat at the bar, nursing a glass of white wine, courtesy of Oliver.

For the longest time, Severus kept noticing her checking over her shoulder at the main door of the club. It looked as if she half expected some horrifying beast was going to bust through and terrorize them all. But at a quarter to eleven, she heaved a large and unsteady sigh and got up from her seat. Sensing something was wrong, Severus got up and followed her.

Carlotta headed behind the stage and climbed the staircase to the roof. She nearly sprinted as she reached the top. And by the time she had made it to the outside, she was crying her eyes out in the comfort of her hands.

Severus was extremely confused. "Carlotta?" He tried to embrace her, but she shoved him away. "Carlotta? What's wrong? What is it?"

"Just stay away from me! You don't want me!" she yelled.

He stood there with his arms still wide open. "Ummm…what?"

"I'm trouble for you…just don't…just…oh, just leave me and you won't get hurt…"

"Carlotta," he said in all seriousness, "I'm not going to leave until you tell me what's going on."

She turned to him and shivered as tears streamed down her face. He whispered softly, "What is it my angel?"

Her breath was very unsteady, but she took a deep breath and said, "I haven't been honest with you. Especially with this." She backed up as he stepped towards her. "And after you hear the truth, you won't want me."

Severus stopped and realized what she was saying. She didn't want to hurt him by living a lie, and he too began to shiver. His head dropped. "You wouldn't want me either," he whispered.

Carlotta looked up at him through her tear stained eyes. "What do you mean?"

He looked straight at her. "I haven't been honest either…I have my secrets too."

"Yes, maybe…but do yours concern the Dark Lord?"

Severus chuckled. "We have more in common than we think then."

Carlotta's mouth dropped. "What?" They stared at each other.

"You first," said Severus.

Carlotta sat on the edge of the roof and sighed. "I was young when the Dark Lord rose to power. I had no understanding of it what so ever." She looked at Severus. "But my parents jumped on the band wagon right away. They wanted power. They were in the inner circle, but when the downfall came, they vanished. Passed away most suspect. I was left behind." She rose and started to pace. "But last year, when the Dark Lord began to rise again, the Death Eaters sought me out. At that time I was living in Italy. They found me though, and I fled to Paris, to here at the Moonlight Noon. My great aunt let me stay with her and hide out. I never imagined they'd find me here. I don't even know what they want me for! But now they're here, and I'm too connected to the Moonlight Noon to leave! Everyone here is the family I never had!" She wiped the tears out of her eyes. "So if you stay, I'll be trouble Severus. Plain and simple as that."

Severus watched her and his head dropped. Carlotta looked like she had lost him. "I'm sorry," she said.

"No. I'm sorry," he replied. "What I'm about to put you through is so much worse."

"Is it?" she asked all too simply.

Severus took a deep breath and spoke the words he wished he never had to say in his life. "Carlotta, I killed an innocent woman once."

Carlotta's eyes went wide in confusion. "Wha…what?"

He looked at her straight in the eyes so solemnly that one would have thought he was about to cry. "I was a Death Eater when I was younger."

She didn't take a step back from him, but rather took a seat beside him and listened without interruption.

"Carlotta, I was an ignorant git when I was a boy. I maybe still today, but at least I know better about who people are. I had joined Lord Voldemort with the hunger for power and wealth. He promised us everything our dreams were made of and more. I was instantly sucked in!…but…I became brainwashed. I lost every sense of who I was. I forgot the simple fact that I was my own person, not a slave to the Dark Arts." His head dropped. "Voldemort ordered me to kill a beautiful woman for him…I did it without question or reason…I later found out her name was Fiona." He looked up into Carlotta's tear stained eyes. "I begged for forgiveness from Dumbledore, McGonagall, God, and even the lost soul of Fiona herself. If there was anything I could change in my life, it would be that. All I ever wanted was forgiveness." He took Carlotta's hands into his. "Now you know my secret Carlotta. It's far more horrible than yours. I understand if you'd never want to speak to me again, but all I ask is forgiveness. That's the only thing I ask of you before you leave."

Carlotta shivered and sighed, but after a moment she smiled. "All is forgiven of you if you'd kindly forgive me Severus."

"Forever and a day my angel." He gently held her head and wiped away her tears with his thumbs. With that, Carlotta leaned into his face and kissed him.

When she pulled back, Carlotta sang very softly for him.

"Come what may

Come what may

I will love you until

My dying day…"

Severus smiled. "I love you Carlotta."

"I love you Severus."

Later that night, Severus couldn't sleep in his room for that oddest reason. He felt as if he needed to be up, like the night watchman of the group. He sat at the window seat and looked up at the crescent moon, high above Paris. He took a deep breath and began to speak into the darkness.

"Fiona? Are you there? Can you hear me?" He shook his head. "I guess you could hear me if you really wanted to, but…I've found her." He smiled. "Remember? Do you remember how when you laid there in front of me I promised that if a woman loved me I'd return that love until the day I died?" He softly chuckled. "I promised you Fiona. I'm not going to break that promise." He stared straight at the moon. "I'm in love Fiona, and I'm going to love her forever in your name." He sighed. "And she loves me."

Somewhere from inside his heart, he heard Fiona whisper, Love her Severus. Got to sleep and dream.

With that, Severus fell asleep in the window seat, staring at the crescent moon.

Note from Hippy Gypsy: Now you know! This comes back to play in the story though. Be ready! Hahaha! I love it! Next chapter…MARMALADE!!! Yeah baby! Review and don't flame!!!