: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 8: Masquerade

Loud dance music was coming from the Great Hall. James entered with Lily, followed by Remus accompanied with a Ravenclaw girl, and Peter with a rather awkward looking Hufflepuff girl.

As soon as they entered the Hall, they were hailed by all of the Gryffindors and hissed by the Slytherins. They ignored them anyway and continued their way through the hall.

"Where's Sirius?" Lily asked.

"Dunno," James answered, looking around, "he might've not gotten here yet. What about Anastasia?"

"She's not here yet, either." Lily said.

"I think she's just arrived." Remus said with a smile on a face. They all turned to look at Anastasia and as they did, so did the rest of the room.

Anastasia walked into the Hall and seem to outshine everybody that was there. On her side was the Phantom, his hand entwined in hers. He looked dark and mysterious, but handsomely so. His best silk cloak was fastened over his white linen shirt. His bangs caressed the front of the leather mask he always wore over the right side of his face. The Phantom's brooding eyes looked over at Anastasia as she beamed at everyone in the Hall. Hardly a soul knew who she or her companion was. Whispers began to crop up all over the place.

"Who is that?"

"Look at her dress!"

"Who is that boy with her?" Anastasia looked around and smiled at how everyone was so clueless to who she was.

"See how cool it feels when people are so oblivious in not knowing who you are? When they're just scratching their heads trying to figure it out." he whispered in her ear.

"Yeah," Anastasia said, "It's fun. Now I understand why you're always hiding yourself from me." She then said very sadly, "But I wish you wouldn't."

The Phantom laughed softly and said, "C'mon. Let's go dance." A slow waltz came on. The Phantom took Anastasia's hand, put his arm around her waist, and lead her across the dance floor. Anastasia looked up to his face and remembered the first time she ever knew of the Phantom.

"What?" he asked her.

"Nothing," she said as she placed her head on his chest, "just remembering…"

"…the first time we met?" the Phantom said grinning happily.

"Yeah." Anastasia said, "It was lovely." They continued dancing. Anastasia inhaled the sweet smell of the Phantom's cologne and savored it. It intoxicated her and she felt relaxed. During the song, they gave each other a few passionate kisses. The song finally ended and Anastasia was brought back to reality.

"Hey!" she said excitedly, "Come on, I want you to meet all of my friends." Anastasia dragged the Phantom to the table where her friends were sitting.

"Anastasia!" James yelled as he waved to her, "You look great!"

She smiled widely, "Thank you," she then gestured to the Phantom, "Let me introduce you, this is James Potter, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and my best friend Lily Evans. Everyone this is the-er-Phantom."

"Hello!" Everyone chorused. The Phantom nodded to each of them in turn. He obviously wasn't very comfortable around all of these people.

"Er-Anastasia, I'll be right back." he said.

"Where are you going?"

He then whispered to her, "I have uh, 'business' to attend to if you know what I mean."

"Ew!" she scoffed and pushed him away as he gave his bark-like laugh.

As soon as he was out of ear-shot, James said, "Well, he seems sociable!"

Everyone laughed, but Anastasia said, "Shut it, he's really very wonderful. He's probably just a bit shy."

"He didn't seem too shy when he was sucking your face, back there." James said with a smirk upon his face. The entire table did a very loud "whooooo," making Anastasia blush deep red. But then she laughed and talked with her comrades as she waited for the Phantom to return. A few minutes later, he came.

"Anastasia, come on, I have something to show you." he said, motioning for her to follow.

"Where are we going?" she asked, curiosity etched on her face.

"It's a surprise." he said mysteriously. He grabbed Anastasia's hand and led her to the entrance hall. A very slow song began to play from the Great Hall, but it seemed so familiar to Anastasia. (See if anybody can recognize it…)

Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation. Darkness wakes and stirs imagination. Silently the senses abandon their defenses. Helpless to resist the notes I write, for I compose the music of the night…

Anastasia danced closely with the Phantom, she never felt safer or happier as they nuzzled each other gently.

"Anastasia."

"Hmm?" Anastasia said contentedly

"I love you." the Phantom said lovingly.

"I know," she responded, "Love you too." They continued dancing as the song kept playing….

Floating, falling, sweet intoxication. Touch me, trust me. Savor each sensation. Let the dream begin; let your darker side give in to the power of the music that I write. The power of the music of the night.

As the song nearly drew it's way to a close, the Phantom waved his wand and a shower of red rose petals fell over him and Anastasia. She gasped as the cascade of petals surrounded her and the Phantom.

He grinned widely at Anastasia's overjoyed face, "Thought this would make you happy." The Phantom then leaned his way to kiss Anastasia, his black eyes staring into hers.

HIS BLACK EYES!

"Hang on!" Anastasia said before their lips could touch. "You're not the Phantom!" She then reached for his masked and ripped it off of his face, revealing none other than Snape.

He grabbed Anastasia's wrists and held her inches from his face. "You are such a greedy little slut!" he spat in Anastasia's shocked face, "Anyone who hides their face from you and gives you all the gifts in the world is good enough for you, but then you see me how much I love you and you jus cast me aside!"

"You have no love in your heart, Snape!" Anastasia screamed as she tried to wrench herself from Snape's grip, "All that you have in your heart is lust. So who's the greedy one here, Snape?"

Snape pulled Anastasia to the curve of his body, so she wouldn't be able to escape, "You're right, it's true. I DO want you. And there's absolutely nothing you can do about it."

"HEY!" a voice rang throughout the hall.

Snape turned to see the Phantom standing there, his face full of vengeful fury behind his mask.

Anastasia screamed out, "Phantom, HELP!"

"Shut up, you little bitch!" Snape said as he slapped Anastasia knocking her to the ground.

"AAAAAARGH!" the Phantom cried as he tackled Snape to the ground. Punches began flying everywhere. They backed off of each other, a trickle of blood running down from the Phantom's lips and Snape's nose was bleeding heavily.

"You think you're a match for me, you masked freak of nature." Snape said with a sneer, "Let's see you handle this!" From inside of his robes, Snape pulled out a long dagger, probably about six inches. He ran towards the Phantom with the dagger raised over his head. "This is the last time you've interfered in my affairs!" he screamed

"NO!" Anastasia cried. She ran to the Phantom and pushed him out of the way.

A blood curdling scream filled the hall. Snape's face was filled with horror, but not so much as the Phantom's. Anastasia's hand gripped her stomach, that was now bleeding heavily. Her white dress slowly turning crimson by the second, as she fell to the ground.

"Oh my God! Anastasia!" the Phantom said as he ran toward Anastasia and lifted her head off the ground. "Anastasia, Anya, it's me. Sirius!" The Phantom wrenched his mask of is face and Sirius's flushed, tearful face loomed into Anastasia's cloudy view.

"Sirius?" she said weakly.

"Yes!" he said, "Yes it's me!" Sirius was slowly becoming drenched in Anastasia's blood. Snape seemed to be shocked. "Dammit! Snape, what the hell did you do to that dagger?"

"I-it's a charmed knife." Snape said is body shaking madly, "It makes the wound worse and worse until the person, eventually dies."

"Dies?" Sirius said, the color draining from his face. "HELP!" he screamed, "HELP, SOMEBODY GET MADAME AURORA!" The people in the Great Hall suddenly came spilling into the entrance hall. Screams and gasps came from every direction.

"Anastasia! Oh my God!" Lily yelled as she ran to her best friend's side, "Sirius, oh what happened!"

"Bloody bastard, Snape tried to kill me."

"Kill you?" Lily gasped, "Why would he.." She suddenly saw the Phantom's mask thrown a few feet from where were. "You…you're the…"

"Yeah, I'm the Phantom." Sirius said

"Sirius?" Anastasia said softy.

"Yes, Anastasia. W-what is it?" he said nervously.

"I'm so glad you're the Phantom and not Steve Lopes." she said.

Sirius smiled slightly, "Shhhh, don't speak. Save your strength. Madame Aurora's gonna come and then you'll be just fine."

"Sirius, I don't think I'm gonna make it." Anastasia said fearfully.

"No, NO, I WON'T BELIEVE IT!" he screamed.

"Please," she implored, "just one last kiss."

"No, Anya, please. Please don't talk this way." Sirius eyes filled up with tears and they slowly began to fall down his cheeks.

"Sirius," she whispered, "I've always loved you from the bottom of my heart. Even before I knew you were the Phantom. I always loved and cared for you. Now I know you feel the same way for me, so I can die happy." Sirius began to sob intensely, "Please, just one kiss."

Sirius placed his forehead to Anastasia's and said to her, "I love you so much, Anastasia." He slowly placed his lips to hers. Anastasia tasted the salt on his tongue, but she never tasted anything so sweet in all of her life. The last thing Anastasia saw before she completely blacked out was the fathomless eyes of her Phantom.

The Phantom of Hogwarts.