Chapter 3:

After walking through her mirror, Kristin found herself in a dark passageway lit with many candelabras. Standing on the other side was a tall man, with dark black hair and wearing a tuxedo with a suit. The only other thing that stood out was his green mask that covered half of his face. He looked at her with his black eyes and held out a gloved hand. "I am your Angel of Music, trust me," he said. She smiled and took his hand, allowing him to lead her down the passageway.

As he led her down passageway after passageway—all lit with candelabras—he sang songs to her. At different points he encouraged her to sing along. The singing lasted until they reached the lake that was under the Opera House. He carefully helped her into the boat and pushed it from shore. Kristin sat there, staring at her Angel, still under his trance.

Halfway across the lake, the Angel decided to break the silence. "I heard you singing tonight. You were wonderful," he said.

Kristin smiled and blushed. "Thank you. Every note of that song was for you…and my Papa," she said, a little wistful.

"I'm sure he heard it as clear as I heard it and enjoyed every minute of it, like me."

She smiled again, her blush deepening. "I received your rose," Kristin said. "Thank you."

"I saw all the other flowers in your room, and my rose seems quite pitiful in comparison."

"But unlike those bouquets, your rose meant more to me."

He smiled as the boat docked on shore. He tied it up to the dock and stepped out, holding his hand to Kristin. She gladly accepted it and allowed him to help her out. They were standing before open gates that lead into a beautifully decorate suite of rooms. The first one they went into had an organ, sheets of music everywhere and a rather large diorama of the Opera Stage. It was currently set for "Hannibal" with a doll of Kristin dressed as Elissa standing on the stage.

She walked in further as her Angel took a seat on his organ. "I wrote a song with you in mind."

"Do you want me to sing it?"

"No. I'd rather sing it to you," he told her, starting to play the organ. The music and his voice slowly enveloped Kristin and she fell deeper into the trance she was in. She was in such a state, she didn't notice when her angel had stopped playing but was still singing. He walked behind her and pulled her closer to him. He ran his hands along her curves and felt as her hand shot up to her face. Her fingers grazed at his mask and for a minute, he panicked in fear of her removing it. But her touches were sensual; she was only stroking it in a caring, almost lovingly. He gently took her hand off his mask and kissed it.

At one point, he guided her towards one of the smaller chambers, which was covered with a lovely red curtain. He pulled back the curtain to reveal a wax figure that was an exact replica of Kristin. The wax doll was wearing a beautiful white wedding gown and veil. The dress had a jeweled bodice that had lace sleeves with a ruffle at the opening. Floral patterns were mixed in the lace. The skirt was layered, alternating velvet and silk. Where the skirt and the bodice met, a silver ribbon was tied around the waist. Upon seeing it, Kristin fainted promptly into her Angel's arms.

The masked man lifted her up into his arms and carried her to a far chamber. Inside was a bed made of an abandoned bed prop from an earlier Hogwarts' production, different silk sheets that were black, silver, or green and surrounded by the scrim used in the opera. He laid her down gently, covering her with the sheets. Stepping away, the scrim fell down and separated the sleeping Kristin from her Angel. He turned and walked back into the main room, first stopping to turn on a mechanical snake that played a haunting melody.

Kristin's Angel of Music looked over at his organ and then decided to head back up towards the Opera House. For unknown to the young opera star, her "angel" was really the mysterious Phantom of the Dungeons. And he had some business to take care of. He wanted to see if that meddlesome new patron of his opera was still around and if so, he wanted to chase away Kristin's suitor before either of them got too involved.

Unfortunately, he had to sidestep McGonagall's annoying brat, Harmony, who had come looking for her friend. The Phantom mentally cursed himself for not remembering to close the mirror door when Kristin had entered. Luckily, McGonagall pulled her daughter back and told her not to go looking down there ever again. The Phantom smiled to himself and continued through Hogwarts unseen.

He was content to see that the boy was gone. 'Good, can't have him messing him up my plans,' the Phantom thought. As he walked backstage to another secret entrance of his, he heard that oaf. Hagrid was always good for a laugh, even if he was an idiot who talked about things he had no knowledge of. He decided to stop and listen to what story Hagrid was telling the little ballerinas this time.

"His eyes are black—not a shred of color anywhere! His nose is terribly crooked, so crooked it doesn't even resemble a nose!" Hagrid said, holding a rope in his hands while the members of the corps du ballet gasped in horror. "He is remarkably pale—so pale, his skin is translucent. He looks like death and smells like it too!" Another round of gasps from those silly girls followed as the oaf made a noose from the rope. He threw it around his neck, keeping his hand at the level of his eyes. "You must always be on your guard. Whenever you are in the shadows of Hogwarts, keep your hands at the level of your eyes so that he doesn't capture you with his magical lasso."

The girls began to clap as the Phantom snorted. The only one to hear him was Madame McGonagall, who was the only person in the opera (other than Kristin) who had direct contact with him. She had been standing off to the side of the stage, shaking her head at Hagrid's stories. She saw the Phantom and walked over to the stage master. "They who speak of things beyond their comprehension discover that keeping silent would've have been a better choice," she said, cryptically. She turned and shoo-ed her girls off to bed before turning back to the man. "Rubeus Hagrid, watch what you say! He's always listening, always watching. You don't want to make him your enemy."

Hagrid scoffed at the Ballet Mistress as she walked into the shadows. "Severus, play no attention to him," she spoke to the man hiding in the shadows. She was the only other person to know the name he had been given by the parents who had abandoned him upon seeing his face.

"He has no right to speak of me so."

"He likes the attention."

"Then he should find another way to grab it. Leave me alone," Severus said, before turning away.

"What of Kristin Wright? Count Black was quite disturbed when he returned and she was gone. The managers are also nervous."

"She is well, safe down with me," Severus replied, before turning to leave. He looked back to tell Madame McGonagall one more thing. "Not that I blame you, but your girls could have been much better." McGonagall nodded in agreement before returning to her bedroom. He slipped back down to his dungeons and checked on the still slumbering Kristin. Assured she was still with him, he walked over to his organ and began playing.

Kristin woke up later to a little music box with a snake on it playing a haunting lullaby. She still seemed in the same trance she was in the night before. Through the mist that clouded her mind, she tried to figure out where she was and what had brought her to this bed. She remembered mist, but that could've been in her mind. There was a dimly lit tunnel and a lake, she remembered. Or did she? And what of that mystery man—the one in the mask?

Kristin climbed out of the bed and saw that there was a beautiful green silk robe waiting for her use. She shrugged them on and left through the door directly in front of her. The first thing she saw was the lake with a gondola sitting on the shore. That confirmed that part of her journey to this underground lair. A haunting melody drew her down some steps into the main room of the lair, where an organ was. She remembered the organ and, stepping around it, found her mysterious masked man. "Who is in that mask?" she mused, stepping forward.

Severus was busy composing, deep in concentration, surrounded by his music. He didn't hear Kristin wake up or plod down one of the stone staircases that connected his living spaces together to form some semblance of a house. He was barely aware of her soft fingers grazing his mask, but was aware that they didn't feel as loving and caring as the night before. Before he could react, she had torn the mask of his face and he heard her gasp.

He turned violently to her, the force throwing her to the ground where she was choking back startled, frightened sobs. One of his gloved hands flew to his deformed side of his face. He was upset, angry, betrayed and saddened at Kristin's action. And he felt those feelings at himself because he looked like that. He knew they were both to blame—he was hideously ugly, forcing him into the mask that intrigued her to look underneath it. Well, he would make her regret it (if she didn't already) and imprint the lesson into her mind.

"Damn you!" he cried. "Did you really want to see this? You wanted to see what lies beneath the mask—you wanted to see this horrid face!" He watched as she sobbed into the ground and decided to change his tune.

"Oh, Kristin," Severus said softly. "It may frighten you now, but eventually you'll learn to see past this. Your fear can turn into love." By now, he too had tears falling down his face and breathing was becoming labored from holding back sobs. "Kristin…"

She sat up, wiping her face, and handed looked around. This confused Severus, especially when Kristin turned from him. He sat there, watching her bizarre behavior with worry. He was concerned that his face turned Kristin insane—he was always told that by…no, he wouldn't think of that place for now. She finally stopped her twisting and turned to him, extending her arm. In her hand was his mask—her version of the proverbial olive branch. He took it from her hand and placed it back on his face. "Come, I'll take you back. Those new idiots in charge of my opera will notice you're missing." With that, he took her hand and led her out of his lair.

A/N: Just one chapter this time, sorry guys! Unfortunately, this is being written slowly because of school work. I'm heading into finals before going home, so I can't guarantee the next update. Don't worry! I won't forget this. Anyway, thanks to my reviewers!

timespanned soul: Isn't it a cool combo? My friend thinks Lareoux should sue JK Rowling for plotline infringement. I think she's crazy.

Cerce: I thought it was quite obvious that Severus would be Erik, but that's just me and my crazy muse.

Well, Happy May! Here's hoping I'll survive finals and moving out…cheers! Mac