Chapter 9:

Rehearsal was not going well. "That is an understatement, Madame McGonagall," Flitwick replied. "It is a disaster. These orchestrations…my musicians aren't use to playing these notes nor are my singers used to singing them. And poor La Cissa, she's just background. Why are Lupin and Dumbledore going along with this again?" McGonagall only pointed to the chandelier. "Okay, from the top!" Flitwick ordered.

Unfortunately, Fudge couldn't hit one of the notes and La Cissa pushed her way over to try to help him, only to realize she couldn't hit the note either. "It's better his way. It sounds like music," she said in defense. She watched as Kristin hit the note and tried to teach Fudge the note. "If we change it, only we'll know it isn't the right note," Narcissa huffed.

"Would you say that with the composer present?" McGonagall asked, standing near her ballerinas. La Cissa laughed and threw her hands up in the air.

"What composer?" she asked, arms now waving wildly. "I don't see any composer. And IF he were here, I would have no problem giving him a piece of my mind. He might choke and leave us be."

McGonagall merely raised an eyebrow. "Are you certain we are alone, Madame?" Narcissa fell quiet but the chorus kept talking and making fun of Fudge. Flitwick tried to regain control of rehearsal as Fudge told Kristin he would never reach the note.

The piano began playing by itself as the others stood mesmerized. They all began to sing their parts perfectly—even Fudge. Kristin stared at the piano before running out of the rehearsal hall. No one dared stop her. She just kept running until she was outside of Hogwarts and flagging down a carriage. She told the driver to go to her father's grave—the only person who made her life constant. The man agreed and soon they were off, unaware they were being followed by two people. She just leaned back; already feeling more relaxed than she had in months even if she couldn't shake off the Phantom. "The music's always there…with his voice," she whispered once to Sirius and it was still true.

The carriage jerked and Kristin realized they had stopped. She paid the driver, telling him she would hire another one when she was ready to leave. She planned on spending quite a while with her father. After the carriage walked away, Kristin walked across the street to the little flower shop that many people stopped in before heading to the cemetery. The same woman as always was standing there, a witch by the name of Sprout she believed. "It's been a while, miss," the woman said as Kristin bought a bouquet of daisies.

"I know," Kristin said, clutching her bouquet closely. "I know." With that, she walked out of the shop and to the cemetery. She found the path that led to her father's grave, made of pebbles. She knew the path well, even if she hadn't been there for a few years. She had contemplated coming after her meteoric rise to fame, but the drama that enfolded her life after prevented her trip. She found her father's grave and knelt in front of it.

"Hello, Papa," she began. "I received your angel. I'm sure you've been looking down and watching my climb to the top. I found Sirius again. Remember him, from that summer we spent on the Black property? We're going to get married, Papa! I bet you never thought that would happen. Or maybe you did. I guess I'll never know now. I'm sure you also saw some of the more disturbing things happening at the Opera lately. I hope you're taking care of Hagrid for us. He may have been an oaf, but he was a loveable one. Now, as to my Angel of Music…" She trailed off, falling silent. How could she possibly explain that his angel was really the devil? How could she explain she needed her father now more than ever? "I'm confused about him, Papa. I don't think he's a real angel, but a man. But he's forever in darkness…maybe that's why he is the way he is?"

She shrugged off the line of thought and turned to the cold, unfeeling graveyard that stretched out before her. The place where her father's body now lay. "I really hate coming here…all these cold tombstones. They aren't who should be keeping you company, Papa. You were always so full of life, so warm. But I guess you've got Mama to help you with that now. But what about me, Papa? I need you to help me!"

Tears were now spilling down her cheek as she sobbed, clutching her father's tombstone. It didn't offer her any comfort now and she realized it never would. "I've been living in the past too long, Papa, haven't I? It's time I start to live now…no more crying, no more 'what ifs.' It's time to finally say good-bye," she said. Kristin then broke down even more.

"Lost little child, all you want is someone to watch over you and help you through life," an eerie voice called out, halting Kristin's tears. Her eyes shone as she entered into a trance like state. She knew that voice—oh Merlin, she knew that voice!

"Angel?" she asked. "Papa? My friend? Or my worst nightmare come to haunt me?"

"Have I been forgotten?"

"Oh, Angel, never! Come to me, what do you wish to teach me?"

"Too long you've been in the cold, in the darkness, away from my watchful, protecting eye," the voice continued to call out.

Meanwhile, Sirius finally arrived at the graveyard. He had seen his fiancée leave in a panic and order a carriage. He knew he had to get to her…in that emotional state, the Phantom would have easy access to her. Sirius walked towards the sound of Kristin's voice, talking to her father, but his blood ran cold when he heard the booming voice he now associated with disaster call out to his fiancée. The coldness of his blood however soon boiled when he heard the caring, tender tone with which the Phantom talked to Kristin. How dare he—he who had killed Hagrid, nearly killed Kristin, terrorized her and the opera—how dare he talk to her in such a manner? This Phantom, Severus, Angel, Demon, whatever had no right to sound the way he did at this moment.

But he stopped when he saw how Kristin was reacting to the voice. She seemed in a trance, like she always did when the Phantom was around. She had a little smile on her face and her eyes shone—both from the tears she had just shed and from the excitement upon hearing the voice. She was walking slowly to a mausoleum nearby, transfixed by the voice. "Once again she returns to his dark spell," he mused to himself.

"I've resisted you too long. My heart and soul calls out to you, my Angel," Kristin said, walking up the stairs.

Inside, Severus smiled. It was working; she was back under his control. She still wanted him, needed him. "My angel, you've denied me," he said.

Kristin finished his thought. "I've turned my back on the music—true beauty from you." Severus' heart soared at this. "I'm coming, Angel!"

"Kristin, STOP!" Sirius called after panic had seized his being. He knew that it was the perfect time for the Phantom to spirit away his fiancée, back to his eternal darkness where she didn't belong. Where she would be a slave to his dark tendencies and dark music and no longer near Sirius. He rushed forward and grabbed Kristin gently. "What ever you think, it isn't true! He isn't your father, he's a monster." Kristin kept moving towards the Phantom's voice as the Count's stomach began to sink further than anatomically possible. "Let her go!" he demanded of the…thing, for surely, he didn't have soul, and all humans have souls. "For Merlin's sake, just let her go."

Severus smiled; the fool was pleading with him. He had the upper hand, especially since Kristin was almost at his side. He stretched out his hand, waiting for her to grab it. But something happened after Black's pleading. She seemed to snap from her trance and stopped moving. "Oh, Sirius!" she cried, turning back and rushing to her fiancé's side. She clung to him and Severus felt his blood boil.

"NO!" he roared, letting out his anger. He usually kept his anger in check, but when it was unleashed, no one was safe. Surely those two (especially Kristin) knew that? He didn't care who got in his way when it was unleashed. Even if it was the witch he loved. But he switched tactics. He could put Kristin under his spell again and have her leave the fop. "Kristin…my angel, come to me," he said, in a voice that sounded almost like his singing voice.

Kristin, however, remained attached to Sirius. The Count was not too happy with the action of this mere wizard. "Leave her alone!" he yelled, pushing Kristin behind him. "You will never bother her again! She isn't yours!"

"Oh?" Severus asked, lazily. He was now lounging on one of the buttresses of the elegantly designed mausoleum. "I'm afraid, Count, that I am not one of your servants who you can order around. Who I chose to 'bother' as you put it isn't up to you. And I beg to differ; she is mine!" With that, Severus held up the chain with Kristin's engagement ring on it. "You can't see mine, but your chain means nothing." He inwardly smiled at the sight of the flustered Sirius growing redder and redder by the minute. "Of course, I'm always ready to duel for her. If you want, that is. Draw your wand!" Severus stood up, towering over the couple.

Kristin pleaded with Sirius not to do it, to just turn around and take her home. But he had been directly challenged and now, Sirius was compelled to answer. He held his wand at his side. "Show me your wand!" he yelled up to the Phantom.

"I would, but I don't have one."

"Then why suggest a duel? I will not raise my wand against an armed person."

"Then that is your big mistake, my dear Count."

"Being civil?"

"No. Assuming that I am unarmed."

"His rope, Sirius," Kristin suddenly whispered. "He has a Punjab lasso!"

"Most likely from his days in India," Sirius replied, mostly to himself. He shouted up: "Throw down the lasso, Phantom? Or should I call you Severus?" Kristin gasped, never before knowing his real name.

This did not please Severus, however. "You can call me the Angel of Death," he spat down. "And I do not have my lasso on me, sir."

"Surely you are lying!"

"I assure you, I am not."

"He knows wandless magic, Sirius," Kristin whispered. "It all makes sense now, doesn't it?"

"Of course, but you would have to be a genius to…of course, McGonagall warned me without even knowing. She kept telling me he was a genius, which means he knows wandless magic!"

"Sirus, don't," Kristin pleaded. "You can get hurt…he's far too powerful. Please? Just…let's go home, okay?" Sirius shook his head as tears started to pour down Kristin's face. Severus, high above them, itched to wipe them but knew he couldn't. "Then be careful," she said, kissing Sirius.

"Aren't you coming, sir?" Severus taunted. "Are we having a duel or not?" Sirius raised his wand but Severus was quicker. Without a thought, he hurled a fireball directly at his foe. Sirius jumped back, pushing Kristin out of danger. Not that she had ever been in danger…his magic knew not to hurt her unless he instructed it to. Which he didn't. Sirius, whose outfit was now slightly seared, looked up. "That wasn't fair!"

"Life isn't fair, Count. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something." With that, Severus hurled another fireball at the Count.

By this time, Kristin was hysterical. She didn't want to see them fighting, nor did she want to see Sirius hurt. "Sirius, you've proven your point. He's more powerful than you know…please, come on. Angel, Angel, please stop!"

"Kristin, no, I can't give up now!" Sirius said. Another fireball was thrown and Kristin screamed this time. It broke before it hit them but it was enough to convince Sirius he was acting foolishly. "Alright, come." With that, the incredibly pale and shaken couple left the graveyard.

Severus was angry. This time, she had gone too far. He had almost rid the world of that cocky fop forever. He had almost destroyed the last remaining roadblock to Kristin. He had almost had her even without the possibility of the Count's death. But she broke the reverie. She chose to go to him. She tried to hold him back. She knew Severus only wanted to provoke him, he knew she was smart enough to know. She convinced Sirius to leave. This time, there was no going back. She would pay. "Now, let is be war upon you both!" he screamed out into the empty graveyard, frightening some crows nearby. As they flew overhead, Severus jumped off the mausoleum and with an elaborate swirl of his cloak, disappeared from the graveyard.

He made it back to his lair in the Hogwarts' dungeon. McGonagall saw him come in and probably already saw Kristin's face. Probably heard the entire account from Sirius. He was most likely in for a lecture soon and he didn't like it when she lectured. He stomped around, hurling objects, shouting—anything to let out his frustrations. He came to his diorama of the upcoming "Don Juan Triumphant" and stopped. An idea crossed his mind. Kristin would be his, oh yes, and the fop's own plan would help him get her. Whoever had said revenge was sweet surely knew what he was talking about. Severus smiled as he left the main part of his lair, ready to prepare for McGonagall's lecture and his own plan.

A/N: This has not been abandoned! I am so sorry but my muse for this kinda disappeared. (I think some of my classes scared her away). Anyway, here's chapter 9. It isn't much longer now…depending on how much I write. Ah well…kudos for anyone who can find a stolen line and tell me what movie it is from! --Mac