Prologue 2:
The setting was an opera house, a famous one at that. Or it used to be. The castle like building had been deserted for years. A small group of finely robed wizards and witches followed one in Ministry robes into the castle. "If you would follow me, please," the official said to the group. "We'll begin the auction once we are in the main foyer."
"It's such a shame about this Opera House. My mother still recalls all the operas she took in here," one witch said to her partner. "This is where my parents met. Both went with friends and ended up having seats right next to each other!"
"Darling, why are they having an auction? This place has been closed for years. It's not like they are going bankrupt," another witch asked her husband. He patted her hand.
"They're gutting it, dear."
"Gutting it?" another wizard asked, joining the conversation. "I just thought it was an auction."
"It's an auction," the other wizard explained. "But once they clear out the old props and paraphernalia, they are going to remove the stage. Rumors around the ministry are that they want to make this a school."
"Good. I hate the fact we have to send Michelle and Eddie all the way to Beaubatons for their education. I'd be happy to have them here in the United Kingdom."
"I know what you mean," said the first witch. She looped her arm through the other's. "My husband talked me into sending our boys to Durmstrang and you know their reputation. But even still, its education is better than Beaubatons."
The two wizards these witches were with walked ahead of their wives and let them talk amongst themselves. "I say, who is that elderly fellow over there?" one of them asked, motioning to a wizard standing apart.
"He isn't that elderly. Not by our standards, at least," his companion replied. He took another look. "Oh, I know him. Name slips me right now, but he's some big shot. Title, money, influential family—the works. If I remember correctly, I believe that he used to be the patron of the opera before it was forced to close."
"So, he was here for that whole incident with the said 'Opera Ghost' then?"
"Was that true?" one of the wives said, latching back on to her husband's arm. Her friend did the same thing. "Was there really a Phantom of the Dungeons?"
"Perhaps," her husband said, enjoying his new audience. "But the only one who can properly tell us would be that man over there." He motioned to the older wizard. "Rumor has it he was entangled tightly in the whole matter."
The group came to a stop in the foyer where an auction block was set up. "Ladies and gentlemen, would you please gather close so we can hear everything. Alright, let the auction begin!"
An hour later, the mysterious elderly gentleman had collected a few of the items—mostly from one of the last divas of the Opera house. Including some weird music box with a snake attached. Only one other person wanted and she left as soon as the gentlemen won the box. The next thing on the block was something quite large under a tattered blanket. The auctioneer motioned to his assistant, who pulled the blanket off to reveal a crystal chandelier—that was broken. "What are they trying to pull here with a broken chandelier?" one of the witches asked her husband. He grunted while other sounds of discontent came from the crowd.
The head auctioneer calmed down the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, please don't be upset. Yes, this is a chandelier in pieces. But some of you may recall the strange tale of the Phantom of the Dungeons," he said. With this, the older wizard stiffened a bit. "We are told that this chandelier was part of this tragic and mysterious episode in the Opera's history. We have charmed it so that it will light up one last time in these halls." He turned to his assistants and nodded. With a flick of their wands, the chandelier lit up the halls, causing all those present to cover their eyes—except one person.
A/N: Alright, I want to thank everyone for reading this and ask that you please review! I'll also ask that if you like what I'm doing, to go read "Beauty and the Potions Professor?" if you haven't done so. You can also read "Elaborate Lives I: Year Six" and "Elaborate Lives II: Year Seven." And since I've already shamelessly plugged my HP stories, now for my Phantom stories: "The Phantom Lives On" and "Le Cirque Boheme." You may want to either search through my name to find these since one is finished and I'm afraid I won't be able to update the other one till May. Mac