Angel of Music

A/N: Back again, finals are over and I can finally write because I want to, rather than because I have to.

What you recognize from Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling. What you recognize from The Phantom of the Opera belongs to Gaston Leroux. Not to me.

When we last left, Hermione went through a mirror to her "angel of music" leaving Ron wondering where she'd gone. In this chapter, we'll read the reaction to Hermione's disappearance and some notes left by a certain. . .friend of the theater. And later on, we'll see exactly what happened to Hermione when she passed through the mirror. . .

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Chapter Three: In Writing

When the Daily Prophet arrived the next day, neither Fred nor George was pleased with the headline. It was George who saw it first, when they arrived at the office the next morning, and he, in a fury, showed it to Fred.

"Look at this! 'The Missing Sopranos: Dilemma of Weasley Twins!'" George cried angrily, throwing the picture at his brother.

"Missing sopranos?" Fred asked dazedly then looked at the paper. "What the hell?" His eyes scanned down the page. "Ah, a Rita Skeeter article. Go figure."

"What's it say?"

Fred leaned back in his chair, adjusted his reading glasses, cleared his throat and began to read the article aloud. " 'One would think that a change in the management of a theatre would mean improvement in the quality of the theatre-unless the new managers are the infamous Weasley Twins, Fred and George.'"

"Hear that? We're infamous. Skip to the important parts."

Fred scanned through the article. "First she talks about how Helena left because we 'wouldn't do anything to improve her working conditions'. Then it goes on to say that Hermione. . .disappeared? Wait a second." Fred reread the last paragraph. "Bloody hell. Hermione disappeared."

"What?" George grabbed the paper from Fred and read the same paragraph. "As if that wasn't bad enough. . ." he trailed off, throwing the paper down on the desk and reaching for the pile of mail. "These came in the mail for us this morning." He handed Fred an envelop with a seal of red wax that read "OG" and held up one addressed to himself. There was a rustle of paper as they opened the envelopes.

Fred finished his first and read it aloud. "Dear Fred, the show last night was lovely. I am ever so happy with Hermione's performance-such a little angel she is. It was hardly a tragedy that Helena disappeared, and I'm glad to finally see some talent filling the lead roles. Besides that, I would say that the chorus was wonderful, but the dancers need more training." He shook his head in disbelief.

George, meanwhile, read his letter aloud. "Dear George, I just wanted to remind you that I have not yet been paid. Please place it in Box Five before the next matinee. Just a reminder that no one likes a debtor, so it's best that you pay me as quickly as possible. Thank you." He appeared more than a little annoyed that someone would have the gall to question his mind for business and ability to keep track of who had and had not been paid. Fred, meanwhile, seemed more thoughtful than angry.

"Who on earth would have sent these?" George finally asked, throwing his letter down on the desk.

"Obviously, someone thinks they are a great joke, or they would not have been sent. They aren't even signed, except to say 'O.G.' Who on earth is 'O.G.'?" Fred asked.

George's face lit up with understanding. "Opera Ghost!" he exclaimed, and Fred nodded in agreement. "He's mad to expect any money out of me."

Fred was about to respond to that when the door to their office burst in and Ron stormed in angrily. "Where is she?" he demanded immediately. The twins blinked at him simultaneously.

"Who?" Fred finally asked.

"Hermione. Where is she? I left her dressing room last night so she could change and come to dinner with me, and when I came back, she was gone! Where is she?" Ron looked positively livid. He'd gone white around the lips, but Fred and George both shook their heads.

"How should we know?"

"Well, wasn't it you who sent me this note?" Ron asked, shoving a note in Fred's face. George leaned over his shoulder and read it aloud.

"Do not fear for Miss Granger. She is in the care of the Angel of Music. Do not attempt to see her again. Your Obedient Friend, O.G.," he read, and both he and Fred were completely baffled. Ron noticed this.

"You didn't write this note, did you?" It was a statement, not a question. "Who did, then?"

Before either Fred or George could respond, the door burst open again, this time being stormed through by Helena. Her eyes were shooting daggers at both twins. "Where is that stupid brother of yours?" she demanded.

"Now see here. . ." Fred began, but she had spotted Ron.

"How dare you send me a letter like this!" she screeched, throwing something at him. "Perhaps you care about this little dancer, Hermione, but that is no excuse for this!"

"Excuse for what?" Ron exclaimed and looked at the letter, finally reading it aloud. "Your days in this theatre are numbered. Hermione Granger will be singing your role tonight. Be prepared for a catastrophic accident should you attempt to take her place." Ron's eyes were wide as he shook his head. "I didn't send this note."

"Then who did?"

An argument ensued between Helena and Ron, while Fred turned to George. "Can you believe this? All these notes, all about Hermione-it's all we've heard about since the show last night. Do you suppose. . .?"

And before that thought could be completed, Rhiannon and Ginny breezed into the room. Everyone hushed as Rhiannon spoke up. "Hermione has returned."

"I trust she enjoyed herself last night?" George asked dryly, sitting down on the edge of the desk.

"Where exactly is she now?" Fred added.

"She's at home in my apartment. She was exhausted-she needs her rest," Ginny explained, looking concerned. Ron, on the other hand, looked relieved.

"May I go to see her?" he asked, but Ginny shook her head.

"She's not taking visitors right now."

"Is she going to keep singing?" Helena demanded, but Rhiannon put a hand up to stop the questions.

"I have a note here. . ." she began, and everyone grabbed for it, George succeeding in pulling it from her grasp.

"My dear gentlemen and lady, I have now sent you several notes of the most amiable nature. . ." Here, he paused and snorted ironically. "They give instructions as to how my theatre will be run. You have not followed my instructions. You have one last chance. Hermione Granger has returned to the theatre-I wish to see more of her on stage and hear more of her beautiful voice. I have been informed that your next production will be of the classic "Il Muto". In this opera, you are to cast Hermione as the Countess and Helena as the Pageboy. The role of the Countess is a role that requires a sweet and friendly spirit, while the Pageboy is a silent role. I think you will agree with me, therefore, that the casting is perfect. I shall watch the performance from Box Five, which shall, as usual, be kept empty for me. If you do not follow these instructions, a disaster beyond your wildest imagination will occur. I remain, gentlemen, your obedient friend, O.G."

After a moment of silence, Helena cried out furiously. "This is all a ploy to help Hermione! And I know who is behind it-Ronald Weasley, her lover!"

"I am not!" Ron cried, though he blushed fiercely. Another argument broke out between the two, and Fred and George turned away to counsel quietly. Granted, they loved Hermione very much, but Helena brought in a great deal of money. She was very important to the theatre.

"Helena. . .you will be playing the role of the Countess," Fred finally said, quietly. Helena heard him, but was too far into her melodramatic diva presentation to care.

"It's no use trying to appease me! You're only saying this to calm me down!" she cried in an incredibly high-pitched voice, but George wouldn't hear any of it.

"Enough, Helena. You will be playing the role of the Countess. Hermione will be playing the Pageboy-the silent role. Now, if that does not make you happy. . ."

"This is foolishness!" Rhiannon exclaimed. "Did you not read the note? This isn't a joke, sirs; it is a warning!"

"Don't ignore it; please don't ignore it!" Ginny pleaded, but the twins had made up their minds. "Hermione needs to be protected!"

"Yes, she does," Ron agreed, glaring at Fred and George, but Fred shook his head.

"She will be. But not in this role."

Somewhere in the back of their minds, everyone silently doubted that this was the best decision, but no one spoke up again.

***

Meanwhile, back at Ginny's apartment, Hermione was writing in her diary.

"I finally saw him last night: my Angel of Music. It was hardly what I expected. I mean, granted, I didn't expect him to be Harry in person, but. . .he was not what I expected at all. In any case, it was an amazing night. He somehow pulled me through the mirror in my dressing room and took me down a labyrinth of passages to this beautiful boat. We crossed this glassy, misty lake with him paddling like a gondolier in Venice, and then finally, we reached his home.

It was like no place I've ever seen. It was so dark, yet so beautiful. There were two large beds, one of which was shrouded with a black velvet curtain and the other of which was decorated in white lace. There was a mirror, as well, and an organ, but that's it. Oh, and that music box-it was a little toy monkey who magically played music.

We arrived in the lair and he had me sing for him, then he sang for me-it was such a beautiful song. In it, he asked me to marry him and showed me a beautiful wax figure of myself in a bride's gown. It was enchanted-I hadn't been expecting that-and it reached out for me. I guess I must have fainted because the next thing I knew, the music box was playing and I was waking up. He was sitting at the organ, playing and writing music. I got curious. You see, he wears a mask so you can't see his face. I wanted to know who he was really, so I sneaked up behind him and took the mask off. I could hardly believe my eyes! It was. . ."

She never got to finish the entry, for at that moment, a very frustrated Ginny returned home.

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A/N: Here we have some more of this lovely, horrible story. I'm sure you know who the phantom is. You must. It's so simple, so obvious, and I HATE how Hermione is in this story. She's so. . .not Hermione. In any case, what I'll try to do until this story is over is write a chapter of this and a chapter of "Falling Through Glass". Then, once this one is over, I'll pick up "Laurie Lacewing" again. So enjoy reading.

Princess