:I do not own any of the charachters of this story (other than Anastasia). They all belong to J.K.Rowling. Otherwise someone else would've fallen through the veil in the Order of the Pheonix.:
Chapter 6: Announcements
Anastasia and Lily were giggling and staring at the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, Jorge Pinto, arguing about he cute he was.
"C'mon, Anya! You know he is SOOOO hot!" Lily said
"Yeah, he's cute," Anastasia responded, "but he's nothing compared to the Phantom."
"You don't even know what he looks like." Lily said flatly, "What makes you so sure this Phantom fellow is as good looking as he seems. Maybe that's why he wears a mask all the time."
"Ha, ha!" Anastasia said sarcastically, "No, I really think he must be a great looking kid. Besides.." she whispered dreamily, "who cares how he looks behind the mask. He's so wonderful and romantic. Oh, I can't WAIT to see him again."
"Well, he's been sending you letters daily." Lily said staring at the open letter lying on top of the table. "You're bound to see him soon."
"Yeah." Anastasia sighed dreamily again. Every time the Phantom was mentioned, she sank into a reverie and completely forgot about the rest of the world around her.
But she was quickly re-awoken once again by the sight of Professor Dumbledore tapping on his goblet. The entire hall fell silent and looked up at the High table to where the teachers were sitting. Dumbledore had stood up and was apparently going to make an announcement.
"I would like to announce," Dumbledore said in a clear, loud voice, "that this Saturday, Hogwarts shall hold a Masquerade ball." The hall suddenly became loud again. Students were turning to talk to each other about this exciting news. But when Dumbledore cleared his throat, the room became silent again. "All students are allowed to attend. You may attend with a partner, and masks are mandatory." Dumbledore paused and his brilliant blue eyes seemed to flicker over where Anastasia was sitting. She sat up straighter and stared up at the headmaster. Did he announce the ball on purpose? Did he know what was going on between her and the Phantom? "The dance begins at 6:00p.m. and ends at 1:00 a.m. Now, hurry up and finish your breakfast so you can get to class." Dumbledore gave a sweeping smile across the hall and sat down. Chatter broke out again as soon as Dumbledore sat down.
"Kick-ass! A Masquerade ball! Sounds fun doesn't, Anastasia?" But Anastasia hadn't said a thing. She was still staring fixedly up at the headmaster. How much did he know was going on? A shiver of fear went up Anastasia's spine as she thought about it.
That evening, Anastasia had just gotten out of the shower. She groped around for her towel and walked toward the sink. She began brushing her teeth and washing her face. She rubbed the soap thoroughly on her face and then bent over the sink to get the soap off her face and out of her eyes. Anastasia got up from the sink, rubbed her eyes and opened them to look in the mirror.
"WAAAAAH!" she shrieked.
"SHHHHH! You're gonna get me caught!" a hollow voice said as he clamped a hand around her mouth.
There was the Phantom, looking as mysterious as ever in his usual cloak and mask. When Anastasia seemed to have calmed down, her let go of her. But she instantly blew her top off.
"Oh my gawd! What are you…? No, no, no, no, no, no! HOW! How the bloody hell did you get here? Guys can't get up here!"
"Guys can't get up here, but the rules say nothing about dogs." he said simply. Anastasia stood transfixed and stared at the Phantom.
"Wow," she said amazed, "You are really clever! You've found a way to a break a rule that's never even been attempted to be broken."
The Phantom smiled sheepishly, "Yeah, well I never really did follow the rules. I think I've spent more time in detention then I do in actual classes."
Anastasia laughed, but as she did so, she wrapped her towel even more tightly around her body. She grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste and began brushing her teeth. "So," she said through a mouthful of paste, "have you figured out a way to get back at Snape? I was thinking turning his head into a chamber pot. What do you think?"
"Uh…" Phantom said shiftily, "well, I've already gotten back at him."
Anastasia spit out her toothpaste and was reaching for the mouthwash, "Really? Ooh, what did you do?"
"Well, Phantom said rather guiltily, "I almost got him eaten by a werewolf."
Anastasia choked and spit her mouthwash all over the mirror. She gasped and spluttered, but managed to say, "Oh my God! You WHAT? Have you gone completely crazy?"
"He's still alive, though." the Phantom said in a small voice.
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Anastasia exploded, "When you said 'get back at him' I was thinking along the lines of publicly humiliating him. Not killing him!" Anastasia placed a hand to her forehead and tuned away from the Phantom. She couldn't even face him.
The Phantom stared into a corner and sighed deeply. "Anastasia," he said seriously but Anastasia continued to ignore him. "Anastasia, come here," he said softly. He grabbed Anastasia's arm and turned her so she faced him. The Phantom took both of her hands and held them in his. "Listen," he said as he looked into her eyes, "doesn't this prove just how far I would go for you and your well being? I would be willing to commit the greatest crime against mankind, all for you."
Anastasia's eyes filled with tears at these last words. She looked at the Phantom's hands wrapped around her own. She felt his touch, filled with shame and sorrow.
"You're really sorry, aren't you." she asked quietly.
"Anastasia Summers," the Phantom said as his fingers caressed her face, " I love you."
Anastasia's heart seemed to have swelled to substantial amount cause she felt she was floating. Her face probably said how she was feeling, because the Phantom continued, "Yes, I love you. I admire you, I adore you, I'm mad about you, I'm stuck on you, I am head over heels in love with you, Anastasia. Do you understand now?" he said excitedly.
Anastasia was breathing softly and her eyes shone brightly. After a few moments of silence, she said, "I love you, too."
The Phantom grinned happily.
"But," Anastasia said and the Phantom's face fell, "I'm only in love with the Phantom. I don't know if I'm in love with the man behind the mask." As she said this her left hand stroked the mask, but she showed no sign of removing it. The Phantom put his hand over where Anastasia was touching his mask.
"I think you do love the man behind the mask." Phantom said.
"What makes you say that?" Anastasia asked curiously.
"Because he asked me to send you one of these." he kissed her subtly and quickly. But the few moments that their lips were separated, Anastasia leaned in and full on snogged the Phantom.
The kiss became more prolonged and more passionate. So much in fact that neither one of them noticed that Anastasia's towel had dropped down to her ankles. Two full minutes of snogging passed until a loud knock on the door and yell interrupted them.
"ANASTASIA! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN THERE!"
"Uh-oh!" Anastasia said.
"I'll say." the Phantom said staring at her naked frame.
It was then Anastasia realized she was nude and quickly picked her towel up off the ground and kicked the Phantom in the shins. "OW! Okay, okay, I'm sorry."
"Right, whatever." Anastasia said briskly. "You have to get out here. How?"
"Don't worry about that." he said quickly, "I'll meet you at the dance this Saturday at the ball." He took out a rose and his wand from inside of his cloak. He handed the rose to Anastasia and placed the wand to his chest. "Until Saturday," he said cheerfully. He then whispered, "Astral exertus." The Phantom then became pearly white and see-through like a ghost. He winked at Anastasia and walked through the bathroom wall.
"ANASTASIA! HURRY UP AND GET OUT HERE!" Anastasia nearly jumped out of her skin and she rushed to the door and opened it quickly. Outside of the door and saw a whole line of other girls waiting in their towels to take a shower. Right at the front of the lines were Samira and Tasha.
"It's about freakin' time!" Samira said rather rudely.
"What were you doing in there?" Tasha asked forcefully.
"I-I-I was uh," Anastasia stammered trying to think of a good excuse, "I was talking with Moaning Myrtle!" she said.
"Moaning Myrtle?" Samira said in disbelief.
"Her voice certainly has changed a lot hasn't it?" Tasha asked.
"Yeah!" Samira said.
"Oh, well," Anastasia said, "she has a cold. Excuse me, got to go to bed." And she bustled off toward her four poster bed.
"A ghost with a cold?" Tasha said incredulously.
"Can ghosts get sick?" Samira asked.
"I dunno." Tasha said staring at Anastasia as if she was insane. "Something's strange about her, lately."