Chapter 1:
The Hogwarts Opera house was in all its glory with its star, Narcissa Malfoy. The diva was also known as La Cissa in all the papers. It was Narcissa who packed in the house with her power voice that people flocked to Hogwarts to hear. And then there were the juicy gossip that was passed to the public from those that worked in the Opera underbelly that drew the people who were curious.
Of course, La Cissa wasn't shy when it came to her public. She loved the attention and did anything to ensure that the public eye was always on her. It was common knowledge to everyone that La Cissa was dating the leading tenor, Cornelius Fudge. The two were the golden couple of the Opera world but only those inside the Hogwarts Opera knew that it was just for show. Well, for La Cissa at least. There was no doubt that Fudge actually loved the woman.
Besides La Cissa and Fudge, people would flock to the Hogwarts Opera house for its famous ballerinas. The Opera's troupe was run by Madame McGonagall, known to be a strict but caring ballet mistress. Her brightest star was her own daughter, Harmony, who was a brilliant dancer. There was another ballerina, Kristin Wright, who was brought to the Opera by Madame McGonagall herself on the death of Kristin's father. Richard Wright was a famous violinist and his daughter had always dreamed of singing for the Opera. But La Cissa had cornered herself on the stage, allowing no one else to claim the territory.
The town of Hogsmeade was built around the Opera House and thrived off of Hogwarts. Many of the citizens worked in some job at Hogwarts or at any inn that patrons of the Opera stayed. Whispers went through the town often about hauntings and being an all magical town, the people were wont to believe any stories. The people who worked in the Opera House's underbelly would tell anyone within the confines of a pub stories of the Phantom of the Dungeons, as long as those listening were paying for the next round of drinks.
Stories of mysteriously moved tools, destroyed props, missing costumes, sets suddenly dropping, the lights turning on and off filled the pubs and were told around fires during Halloween ghost story fests. What thrilled the people of Hogsmeade and the patrons of the Opera house that visited the pubs the most were the stories of when workers and ballerinas came in close contact with the mysterious figure known as the Phantom of the Dungeons. He was always described as a shadowy figure that slunk through the halls and rooms. No one would go into the dungeons since that seemed to be his domain. Popular rumors had it that those who went down there met with death.
Hogsmeade was buzzing one day when rumors that the Opera house's manager was leaving circulated around the village. The manager, Alastor Moody, was moving far away from Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Rumor had that it was to escape the Phantom of the Dungeons and all his mishaps. Moody was moving to ensure that his sanity would be safe until he died. The new managers were Albus Dumbledore and Remus Lupin. It would be their first time managing an Opera House. The workers hoped that the managers would be able to keep up the pace that Hogwarts worked at and that they could survive the Phantom of the Dungeons.
The company was busy rehearsing when Moody decided to introduce Dumbledore and Lupin to the workers. Especially since it was opening night and therefore all those employed by Hogwarts would be present. Moody was an older man with a magical eye and a peg leg. The eye and leg were left over from his Auror days, but those that remembered when Moody took over the house recall how straight his posture was and how dark gray his hair was. Now, he was hunched over and had white hair. The whisperings of the workers and the ballerinas were that the Phantom was the cause.
Albus Dumbledore looked as if he had seen as many winters as Moody, but was still erect. His hair was already white, so the stagehands whispered amongst themselves that the only thing the Phantom could do to it was to have it all fall out. His white hair was long, almost has long as his white beard. He wore a nice set of purple robes that accentuated his gold spectacles sitting on the bridge of his nose. Remus Lupin was much younger than either Moody or Dumbledore. He was tall with graying brown hair, dressed in somewhat raggedy brown robes. The stagehands that had passed the baldness sentence on Dumbledore realized that the Phantom could have more fun with Lupin. "I predict that his hair will be all gray before the old geezer loses his from our dear friend the Phantom," one stagehand said to another, who nodded.
"Tonight we perform Hannibal," Moody was instructing his replacements as they toured the Opera house. "As usual, Fudge will be playing Hannibal while La Cissa plays Elissa. And the lovely girls performing before you will be a highlight as well. I will be announcing my retirement to a full house at tonight's performance."
"Lovely, Moody, but you are in the way of my girls," McGonagall called from the sidelines. She was a tall woman with her still black hair in a tight bun, green eyes with square glasses on them. She also had a stick that she used to correct her girls and keep time when they fell out of step.
Moody bent his head to recognize the woman's complaint and moved the two new managers off the stage. "My apologies, Madame McGonagall," he said. McGonagall waved her hands to symbolize acceptance. Moody motioned Dumbledore and Lupin over. "I present Albus Dumbledore and Remus Lupin." The two men bowed.
"Kristin! Stay in line! That's the second time you've fallen out of step today." McGonagall turned to face Moody and the new managers. "Your replacements. I wish you luck in the Opera."
"I see good news travels fast," Moody replied. "Excuse me, gentlemen, while I go and see if La Cissa will come out." With that, he left for the dressing rooms beyond the Opera stage.
Dumbledore decided to venture a conversation with the ballet mistress. "Your girls are part of one of the most famous ballet troupes," he said. McGonagall only nodded. "Who is your brightest star?"
"Her," McGonagall said, pointing to a ballerina with blonde hair and blue eyes. "She's one of our best."
Lupin was ready to drool. "She's an angel," he said.
McGonagall hit her stick on the stage as the girls were starting to fall out of step noticing the new managers talking with their mistress. "She's my daughter, Harmony."
Dumbledore chuckled. "I see talent runs in the family."
"Flattery will get you no where, sir."
Dumbledore stopped laughing. "Who is the girl you reprimanded before?" he asked.
"Kristin Wright," McGonagall said, pointing out the woman. She was a brunette with golden eyes. "She's spunky and has talent, but I don't think that talent lies in ballet."
"Wright, like that famous violinist?"
"His daughter. She's been living in the Opera and training with the troupe since his death."
Moody returned, La Cissa in tow. She was a pale woman with blonde hair and a cold air around her. That, and her entire entourage: hair people, makeup people, costumers, and Fudge with her. "May I present our leading soprano, Narcissa Malfoy, and our leading tenor, Cornelius Fudge."
Dumbledore stepped forward and kissed the hand of La Cissa. "Lady Malfoy, it is an honor to meet you. News of your talent has traveled far and wide," he said. "I would hope that you can dazzle my partner and I with the aria that Elissa sings in the third act of this opera."
"Of course, sir," La Cissa said, curtseying to Dumbledore. "If my manager commands, I perform."
"I must ask my diva to wait one minute," Moody instructed. "I wish to introduce these two men to the rest of the Opera." The others nodded and Moody hobbled onto the stage. "Flitwick, will you please wait a minute, I wish to address everybody."
The tiny conductor stopped the musicians as everyone clamored onto the stage. Kristin ran excitedly over to Harmony as the two clasped hands. Moody stood in front of everybody. "Your attention please, thank you. Since news of any type travels faster than the floo system, you all know that effective today I am no longer the manager of the Hogwarts Opera House. It is my pleasure to introduce to you the two new managers, Albus Dumbledore and Remus Lupin." The two managers walked forward and those present clapped politely.
"Hello, I can say on the behalf of Remus Lupin and myself that we are pleased to be the managers of such a distinguished Opera house," Dumbledore said with grandeur. Once again, those present clapped politely which lacked much enthusiasm. Dumbledore and Lupin turned to talk with Moody while the others began placing bets on how long it would take the Phantom to wear down the new guys.
Once Dumbledore was done talking with Moody he motioned to La Cissa who came forward. Groans were barely audible but she knew they were emitted and shot looks at all those gathered before her. "I have agreed to sing for our new managers. Maestro," she addressed Flitwick, "Think of Me, please."
"Certainly, my diva," the conductor replied. He started up the musicians and soon La Cissa was singing the aria in her soprano voice. After the first verse, one of the sets hoisted above the stage suddenly came crashing down. Fudge barely got Narcissa out of the way. McGonagall disappeared backstage as the ballet girls calmed themselves down.
"What was that?" Dumbledore yelled, while Lupin looked over Moody. "Who is responsible for this mess?"
Moody shook off the younger man and walked over to Dumbledore. "That would be Hagrid, chief of the flies he is. He is in charge of changing the scenes. Hagrid!" A large man stepped forward from the shadows of the wings. Moody crossed his arms. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
Hagrid wrung his hand. "Please, sir, I was down here with everyone else listening to Misters Dumbledore and Lupin as well as La Cissa. And I tied down the scenery. The only thing I can think of is the Phantom," Hagrid said.
"Phantom?" Lupin asked, looking at Moody. "Are we to believe that some ghost caused the scenery to drop on Lady Black?"
"Good day, gentlemen. I will see you tonight and if you need me after that, you can contact me in Canada," Moody said, limping off the stage. Dumbledore and Lupin watched in shock as he left them to deal with the mess. Silence reigned in the Opera house except for the dull thunk of Moody's peg leg.
Once the door closed, all hell broke lose again. "Quiet, quiet!" Dumbledore called, waving his hands. "This is madness, simply madness! Now, neither Mr. Lupin nor I will believe that a ghost was behind the falling scenery. Now, if it was an accident, it was an accident. Don't blame it on a specter."
"It's not a ghost, sir," Harmony said. "It's the Phantom of the Dungeons. But I think you should pay more attention to your diva."
"Why?" Dumbledore asked.
"I absolutely refuse to go on tonight! Not until the 'accidents' stop happening! CORNY! Come!" With that, Narcissa turned and marched out. Fudge followed like a lost little puppy.
Lupin stared after her before recovering his wits. "La Cissa will be back," he announced, confidently. McGonagall walked on stage holding an opened envelope, reading a letter.
"You think so, sirs?" she asked, closing the letter. "I can assure you that Fudge will go on tonight. La Cissa's threats are real; she won't be performing tonight. But here, I have a letter from the Phantom. He welcomes you and tells you to stay clear of the dungeons. And that he still expects his weekly salary."
"Salary?" Dumbledore asked. "What sort of nonsense is this, Madame McGonagall?"
"Mister Moody was able to pay him around five thousand pounds. Perhaps you can afford more with Count Black as your new patron?" McGonagall's announcement sent a new wave of whispers through the crowd gathered on the stage.
Dumbledore grabbed McGonagall's arm gently and took her off to the side with Lupin. "We had hoped to announce that tonight at the performance, Madame McGonagall," he said, Lupin nodded. "But first, we have to deal with the situation at hand—OUR DIVA JUST WALKED OUT ON US!"
Lupin walked over to Flitwick. "Is there an understudy?" he asked.
"Understudy? For La Cissa?" Flitwick asked, incredulously. "No. There is no one to understudy."
"Dumbledore! We have to refund a full house!" Lupin exclaimed. "A full house."
"Kristin Wright can sing it, sirs," McGonagall said. "She's been taking lessons from a great teacher."
Dumbledore walked over to Kristin. "And who, pray tell, is your teacher?"
"I don't know," she admitted nervously.
Dumbledore and Lupin nearly cursed. "This isn't helping," Dumbledore said, upset.
McGonagall wasn't about to back down. "Let her sing for you, you'll see," she said, pushing Kristin forward. Flitwick started the song La Cissa was interrupted during and Kristin began to sing. It was then decided that she would go on in place of Narcissa that night.