The Moonlight Noon Chateau

By Hippy Gypsy

Disclaimer: [Sammy lies gagged in a corner while Oliver and Evan laugh their butts off, Hippy Gypsy enters]  JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, I own the Moonlight Noon Chateau, and Moulin Rouge owns the music*…Hey Oliver!  Evan!  Great job with Sammy!  You get extra credit!  [Oliver and Evan:  Wahoo!]

*In the next couple of chapters I will be featuring "Hindi Sad Diamonds" and according to what it says in the Moulin Rouge Soundtrack credits, it features the song "Chamma Chamma" by Sameer.  Now I'm not sure if it is true or not, but I have heard rumors that "Chamma Chamma" is actually an Islamic chant.  I'm not familiar with the Islamic religion or Arabic myself so I cannot tell for sure.  But I would like to say that I tried figuring out the lyrics myself, and if I have screwed them up for this song, I sincerely apologize for offending you.  I had no intention of doing so.  If you do happen to know the real lyrics, please let me know and I will happily change them.  Thank you very much.  Enjoy the show! J

Chapter 14: The Greatest Thing

            Hagrid and Sybill caught up with Severus halfway to the Moonlight Noon Chateau.  His face was set in stone, and it was obvious at first glance that they weren't welcome with him.  He spun around and glared at them.

            "Go away."

            "No," Trelawney said folding her arms.  "Dumbledore said to follow you."

            Severus turned back and continued toward the Moonlight Noon silently.

            "What happened Severus?" Sybill asked quietly.  "It's plain to see that it was bad."

            He ignored her.

            "Tell us Severus."

            He still kept silent as they reached the Moonlight Noon's front doors.  He went to pull it open, but they were locked and wouldn't give.  No one came to answer when he pounded.  Severus stepped back and pondered for a moment.  He wandered around to the side and found an open window.

            "Hagrid, give me a lift up."

            "But Severus-"

            "NOW!!"

            Going against his better judgment, Hagrid gave him a leg up through the window, and Snape left them.  It looked as if he had ended up in Sammy's apartment.  A black jacket and top hat hung from the rack in the corner of the room and the purple megaphone stood upright.  Severus snuck quietly across to the door so a creak in the floor wouldn't give him away, if Sammy should be in the next room.

            Severus shut the door behind him and headed down the stairs.  He heard the Prima Donna's voice echoing through out the halls.

Tiffany

Chamma chamma

Hey chamma chamma

Chamma chamma

A diii a yay ya

Hey chamma chamma

A diii a yay ya

Chi chamma cha be di

Sa sammi sa!

            Severus peered around the corner.  They were all in rehearsal.  Tiffany was over at the piano with Evan working out the song.  Sammy was in partial costume: boots, baggy brown pants, and a white blouse.  He was immersed in the pages of his script.  Rachel and Denise were side by side working out the steps to their dance.  Oliver and Antonio were off to the side working with the set directors.

            Carlotta was with a seamstress, being fitted for her costume.  Severus watched her intently.  Her rosy cheeks stood out against her pale face, and her lips gave no trace of a smile.  She gave no sign of a being a woman in love.

            It made him sick.  He silently snuck around to the back door and headed for the roof.  Unfortunately, he didn't go unnoticed. 

            Denise whispered to Rachel.  "Hey…look."

            Rachel turned her head slowly and caught Snape in the corner of her eye.

            "What should we do?"

            "Just leave him," Rachel replied.  "Keep your step."

            Severus looked out over Paris from his spot on the roof of the Moonlight Noon Chateau.  He had left Sybill and Hagrid an hour before, and he could see them pacing below, waiting for him to return.  He sat wondering, waiting for Carlotta to appear.  He heard footsteps behind him and he turned.  "Carlotta I…"

            He stopped dead.  Instead of Carlotta, a can-can dancer stood in her place.  "Rachel…I thought you were…"

            "I know," she said nodding.  "What are you doing here?  It's dangerous for you and Carlotta doesn't want to see you."

            "I have to speak with her!" he pleaded.  "I can tell she didn't tell me the truth.  I want to hear it."

            Rachel sighed.  "Severus-"

            "Rachel, do you know the truth?"

            She looked him in the eyes and bluntly lied, "No.  No I don't.  But what I do know that whatever is going on…it plainly sucks."

            Severus snorted with disgust.

            "You know you're not the first one to have problems, Severus."

            "I know that.  I've always had problems!  But since I've had Carlotta, all of that seems to have vanished…I need her."

            Rachel sighed and took a deep breath.  "Then I'm going to tell you a story that I've never told anyone.  So you better listen up Monsieur Snape."

            He looked at her with a curious look and she sat down on the ledge.  "Three years ago, Sammy and I had been together for about five months.  It still seemed early in the relationship to me, but someone let slip that Sammy was ready to propose."

            "He did?"

            Rachel shook her head.  "No.  Stupid rumor.  But the thing is I got scared."

            "What did you do?"

            "Ran away from the Moonlight Noon.  I hid at an inn for a week and I was ready to catch a train when Antonio found me.  He sat me down and we discussed what had happened.  I told him I was scared and he said that was all right.  But did I really want to give up everything over the fact that I was nervous over someone who cared so deeply for me, if or if not he wanted to propose?"

            Severus began to take in her words.

            "Antonio said something to me that changed my life forever, and you should hear these words before you do anything else."

            "What's that?"

            Rachel faintly smiled and said, "The greatest thing you'll ever know is just to love and be loved in return."

            Severus took a deep breath.  A faint memory of Fiona flashed through his mind.  He seemed even more determined now to find Carlotta.  But he didn't need too.  She appeared behind him.  "Oh God…"

            He turned at the sound of her voice, but Carlotta was already heading back downstairs.  He began to chase after her.  "Carlotta!  Please!"

            "No!  Get away from me Severus!"

            "Carlotta I-"

            "Severus leave her be!" Rachel yelled chasing after them into the backstage of the main room.

            "No!  Carlotta!" he called.  But suddenly she disappeared to her rooms and Oliver, Sammy, and Evan rushed him.  They acted more like bodyguards than friends and held him as he struggled.  He pleaded for Carlotta to speak to him, but they said nothing.  As they opened the doors, it began to pour rain outside.  They tossed him out and locked the doors behind him.  Severus picked himself up and pounded on the doors.  "No!  Oliver!  Sammy!  Let me in!  Evan!  I have to speak to her!"  No one came back, but Sybill and Hagrid stood behind him in silence.  "Carlotta!" he called.  When no one answered again, he took a few steps back into the storm and screamed for her to the walls.  "CARLOTTA!!!" he bellowed.  He finally collapsed to his knees and tears began to mix with raindrops on his face.  "CARLOTTA!!!…CARLOTTA!!!…CARLOTTA!!!"  After bellowing his voice hoarse, Severus knelt to the ground, and for the first time in many years, he began to sob.  He was too exhausted to move, so Hagrid and Trelawney helped him back to the inn.  He was still mumbling her name.

            "Carlotta…"

            Minerva and Albus were shocked to see him in such a state when Hagrid and Trelawney carried in Severus.  They took him to his room and laid him in his bed.  Severus wouldn't speak for anything.  He just sat there in his soaked clothes, ignoring everything around him.  When no one could get him to talk, Albus set off for the Moonlight Noon himself.  "Something is definitely amiss," he told them.  "I'm going to find out.  Keep him here.  Try and warm him up.  He's making himself sick."

            After he left, Minerva went in to see Severus by herself.  He looked so pitiful, just sitting there upright in the darkened shadows of his room, as if he'd never be his normal self again.  She knew how it felt though.  She had been the same way when her husband had passed away.

            "Severus?" she asked taking steps towards his bedside.  "Severus?  Are you all right?"

            Finally giving some kind of acknowledgement, he gently shook his head the slightest bit.

            It was breaking her heart.  "S-Severus," she said fighting back her own tears, "Would you like some tea?  You're all soaked, it'll warm you up."

            Severus shook his head again.

            She sat down on the bed and ran her hand through his drenched hair.  "What is it Severus?"

            He looked at her through red eyes and said in a hoarse whisper, "I broke my promise to Fiona."

            "All right!  Listen up!" Antonio called to his employees.  Everyone looked up and gave him their full attention, all except Carlotta, who had locked herself in her room for the night.  "We did a lot of work here today, good work.  So you all can have the rest of the night off.  We all have too much on our minds anyways.  The Moonlight Noon Chateau is closed tonight."

            "Not to me."

            Antonio spun around and found himself face to face with Dumbledore.  "Albus…I…"  He then stopped dead and raised an eyebrow.  "How the hell did you get in here?"

            "I have my ways."

            "But-"

            "We need to talk Antonio.  Right now."  Dumbledore headed straight for Antonio's office.  He shut the door behind him and instantly began asking questions.  "What's going on Antonio?"

            "What do you mean?" Antonio asked, playing the fool.

            "Antonio, don't acted dumb.  You're far too intelligent to do that," Dumbledore replied with a resigned sigh.  "Snape is half dead because Carlotta won't speak to him, and I may not have known her that long, but I can tell she wouldn't do that.  She's too close to him.  And I know you know.  So what's going on?"

            Antonio shut his eyes and took a very deep breath.  He sat down in his chair behind his desk and rubbed his hands over his face.  "Voldemort," was all he said.

            "I had figured as much, but I'll need more information than that Antonio."

            Antonio shook his head.  "I can't, Albus.  If I give away anything more…I could be killed…or even worse…someone else will be killed."

            Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.  "Help me here Monsieur Safrin.  If needed I could perform the Fidelius Charm.  I'll even be your Secret-Keeper."

            "No…it's not that simple.  Besides, I've heard rumors about even that not working.  I couldn't take the chance."

            Dumbledore was becoming even more confused.  He folded his arms and asked, "Then what do you suggest we do Antonio?"

            Antonio checked over his shoulders, as if to make sure no one was eavesdropping.  He then motioned for Dumbledore to lean forward.  "Have everyone come to the opening night of Spectacular! Spectacular!," he whispered.  "Everyone.  All will be revealed then."

            Dumbledore took in what Antonio said and nodded.  "Very well.  I'll leave you then."

            Antonio nodded back.  "I'll see you then."

            Minerva sat in a chair in the corner of Snape's room, keeping an eye on him.  He was still quite depressed, but at least he had come around a little.  She had managed to convince him to change into a pair of drier clothes, and he was sitting in bed with a woolly blanket wrapped around him with a hot cup of tea.  She had managed to pry part of the story from him and she was running over the facts in her head.  So Carlotta's in love with Voldemort because he's suddenly decided to give her everything? she thought.  Hardly seems logical.  Especially for her.  A few weeks ago, she was afraid to wait on his table with the Death Eaters, or Diamond Dogs, or whatever they decide to call themselves.  Now she's in love with him?  After her and Snape apparently found so much in common?  She rubbed her eyes.  There are definitely some facts missing from this story.  I hope Albus finds them out.

            Severus sighed loudly and brought Minerva out of thoughts.  She looked over at him, and decided to take a seat at the side of his bed.  He looked up at her with his eyebrow raised slightly.  "What?" he asked dully.

            "Nothing," she whispered.  She leaned back against the headboard and put an arm around Severus.  He leaned into her shoulder like he was a child.  "I was just remembering the feeling."

            "What feeling?" he moaned. 

            "I fell in love the Moonlight Noon Chateau too," Minerva replied.  "I know that feeling you get when it happens there.  Suddenly the world seems perfect…and nothing seems wrong anymore.  It's the greatest feeling in the world…and then you lose that someone…and everything falls apart."  She looked Snape in the eyes.  "I know how it feels…I know what you're going through…but you haven't lost her yet…you're going to get her back."

            "How do you know?" he asked almost logically.

            "Because she said she loves you.  That's how."  She gave him a partial smile.

            There was a sharp knock on the door and Dumbledore poked his head in.  "I need to see you."

Snape glared.  "Get out."

            "Hey!" Minerva snapped, pointing her finger at him.  "I'll take care of it."  She left the room shutting the door behind her and joined Dumbledore, Hagrid, and Trelawney.  "What happened Albus?"

            "Antonio would barely tell me anything.  Apparently he fears for his life, and everyone else's.  But what he did manage to get across was Voldemort's planning something, and it's not good."

            Everyone sighed and Minerva began pondering again.  After a moment, a sudden realization came over her.  "Oh my god!" she yelled.  "That's it!"

            "What's it?" Hagrid asked his beard quivering.

            Minerva took a deep breath and began to explain.  "I managed to get Severus to tell me what Carlotta said.  Apparently, Voldemort's offered her everything she's ever wanted, so she's in love with him.  Severus didn't believe it from the start, and I wouldn't blame him.  I don't believe it either.  But now that you've said Voldemort's been threatening everyone's lives, it just hit me!  Voldemort threatened Carlotta to stay with him or he'll have her killed!"

            Dumbledore's eyes went wide.  "Dammit," he mumbled.  "How could I have been so blind?  Of course!  She didn't want to die, or have him hurt!"

            "So what do we do?" Trelawney asked. 

"First we explain what's happened to Severus, then we prepare for Spectacular! Spectacular!"  Dumbledore replied.

            "I'll speak to Severus," Minerva said.  "He's not exactly the jolliest person at the moment and I'm the only one he seems to be listening to."  She left them and walked back to Severus' room.  She knocked on the door.  "Severus, it's me, Minerva."

            "Come in."

            Minerva shut the door behind her and actually smiled.  "What is it?" Severus asked.

            "Carlotta still loves you."

            "What do you mean?"

            Minerva sat down on the end of the bed and began to explain.  "When Dumbledore went to see Antonio, he let slip that the dark lord was threatening everyone.  So what's happened is obvious.  Voldemort threatened Carlotta to come with him or he'd kill her."

            Severus shook his head.  "No.  That can't be it."

            Minerva raised her eyebrows.  "What?  Why not?"

            "Because Carlotta told me something once, and she said she'd rather die than join the Death Eaters.  Trust me.  She was very serious about that.  And she seemed serious when she told me she didn't love me."

            "But she's a natural born actress Severus!  Of course she looked serious."

            "Not in the serious way I know her!"  He turned his head and took a deep breath.  Tears were fighting to escape again.

            Minerva looked at him intently.  "Then let's find out for sure."  He turned and looked her straight in the eyes.  "Come with us when we return to the Moonlight Noon Chateau.  Come to Spectacular! Spectacular!"

            "Fine," he said bluntly.

            She began to smile again.  "Let's go win her back."

Note from the author:  I'm almost done!  Hoorah!!!!!  But still so sad though.  I think there's going to be about three more chapters and that's it!  Wahoo!  Then I'll have completed my first chapter fic!  Can we all say boo-yeah?!  [Sammy: Boo-yeah!!]  Thank you Sammy!  And next up…SPECTACULAR!  SPECTACULAR!  WAH!