Chapter 11:

There were very few people in the house that didn't know something was wrong. Most people in the audience knew that there had been some sort of leading actor switch and many were ready to write it off as part of the plot. But the patrons, those who came to every performance knew it wasn't. It wasn't in the Hogwarts' tradition to change performers suddenly in the middle of a performance unless announced. Nor would a part go from a grand star like Fudge to a newbie at the most important time in the opera. It would be the other way around.

However, not too many people were complaining as this newbie was much better than Fudge. His sensual voice drew the people in and made them feel the emotion, just like an opera singer should. Hogwarts' new managers were starting to wise up and dump the old acts, the ones past their prime. First Kristin Wright and now this new man…the opera house was on its way up with these new stars.

Backstage, Minerva took a deep breath as she realized what happened. She watched as the two performed the sensual song together. Kristin was in a trance, but singing the best she had since "Hannibal." Harmony walked up to her, watching her friend and the new singer. Even she knew it wasn't Fudge, having grown up listening to his and La Cissa's voice. It only took her a minute or two to figure out who was singing on the stage. She gasped and turned to her mother. McGonagall nodded and held her daughter's arm.

On stage, the two performers were in ecstasy. Kristin had recognized the voice immediately once he started to sing. But instead of the tight knot at the bottom of her stomach that usually accompanied thoughts of him, she felt her heart soar. It was like the first time she heard him and any thoughts of his past crimes were gone. His voice held all the emotion in the world and she felt herself falling into them. Severus was enjoying the sensation of performing on stage, everyone focused on him. He not only had Kristin enraptured, but the audience as well. He was the star and no one was looking at his disfiguration. Everything was perfect.

They continued singing the song, making it sound ten times better than if Fudge and La Cissa were the ones performing. Everyone hoped this new tenor would stay on and, like Kristin with Narcissa Malfoy, eventually take over from Fudge. Flitwick continued to conduct the orchestra, now feeling the music more than he had ever practicing these pieces. Even the musicians seemed to have upped their performances—they were playing at the maximum. Severus had just enveloped Kristin, the part where Don Juan seals the deal with his young lover. But the masked man had another idea—he was going to seal the deal with Kristin. She was going to be his and the Count would never steal her from him again.

The music slowed down and Severus was able to get another tune playing, a slow, almost flowery tune now. Kristin's breath hitched and Severus knew it was from excitement. She knew what was coming up next. He knew exactly the words to sing, the words to woo her. "Nothing will keep me from your side. We will be together. Forever, Kristin," he whispered in her ear. He knew she was almost his…

But he hadn't counted on something snapping in Kristin's mind when he sang those familiar words. Kristin realized he was the mysterious presence she couldn't shake off on the roof that night when Hagrid was killed. He heard their declarations of love that night and now he was using them to woo her. She felt him lift his hand and watched him slide a ring onto her finger, right where Sirius' ring would've sat. She gasped as everything came in and she realized what she had to do. She turned into him…

Severus smiled on the inside; he could not show any of that on the outside. It wouldn't be character—Don Juan was supposed to know he would get the girl, not be excited that she turned to him. He knew he must stay in character even if he was proposing to Kristin through Don Juan and his lover. He knew she was coming over to him, she was going to kiss him, be with him forever. Time to seal the deal. He leaned down to kiss her as he sang, "It's all I want of you."

But he never sang his last note nor did he get to kiss his girl. Kristin reached up, almost stroking his mask, like she had in the dungeons after her performance in "Hannibal." And just like that time, she ripped off his mask, revealing his deformity to the audience. He heard them gasp in horror and he knew, he knew, the beauty of his voice and performance was forgotten in their minds. Now, they just saw his ugly façade. Like his mother and father, who left him to fend for himself. And he was angry.

The audience was shocked and horrified when Kristin pulled off the mask. They had suspected it wasn't Fudge, but they hadn't expected the newbie to look like someone had smashed half of his face in and then burnt it. The entire left side of his face looked like the skin had forgotten to grow in, just revealing the tissue underneath. Many healers and a few muggle doctors in the house figured it was that or a very bad burn that hadn't been healed. There were also some black scars that decorated his face on his deformed side. One of his eye sockets didn't properly surround his left black eye—it sagged a bit, as did his mouth on that side. His upper lip on that side was also puffy. His greasy black hair was even more greasy and thinner on his left side. The mask also hid that fact as well.

Some women fainted, especially when they figured out that this was their Phantom—Hagrid's killer. Men were jumping up and pointing, yelling. Aurors tried to find a good position to stun the Phantom, but he was wrapped tightly around Kristin. And their number one orders were not to harm any of the other performers, especially Miss Wright. Albus, Remus and Sirius stared at the face in shock, never imagining what the mask hid. Many ballerinas, including Harmony, screamed or gasped in shock. The same reaction came from the stagehands who weren't already drunk and some of them fainted. The musicians stopped playing and just gaped while tiny Flitwick fell off his stand in shock. No one helped him back up and he wasn't in any condition to call for assistance. The only one not reacting to the Phantom's face was McGonagall, who had seen it enough to be accustomed to it. She sighed and shook her head.

Sirius watched Severus' face in horror. The good side of the Phantom's face was turning red while his bad side was now a lovely shade of purple. Sirius feared for Kristin as she was clutched closer to Severus' black clad body. The other wizard grabbed his cloak, swirled it around the two of them and, with a flash of smoke, disappeared. Sirius nearly jumped from the box to the stage. "You idiots! Where did he go?" he roared, stomping down. "Go after him!"

"We can't, sir," the head Auror said. "We don't know where he is nor are we familiar with the opera's lay out."

Sirius was about to make a rebuttal when another scream broke out. People rushed over as Narcissa Malfoy threw herself onto something. When they got closer they realized it was someone. Fudge lay on Don Juan's bed, ready for a later scene, with a rope around his neck. It didn't take long for the crew to realize that the Phantom had killed the tenor to take over his part and steal Kristin. Narcissa was crying and wailing nonstop. "Corny, Corny! How could this have happened! No, my love, don't go…don't go from me," she wailed. Two of her assistants pulled her off of her dead lover as the managers came to see what was the matter. She turned to them and became even more hysterical. "You! You two let this happen! It's all your fault!" An assistant helped her off the stage as she kept screaming Fudge's nickname.

Once Narcissa was on her way to her room, Remus and Albus could get a better look at what made her so upset. "Oh my Merlin, my Merlin, this is impossible!" Lupin yelled. "Dumbledore, this isn't happening. Please tell me this isn't happening."

"I'm afraid it is," Dumbledore said, gravely. "We're ruined, Lupin, absolutely ruined."

"Can we worry about that later? My fiancée is still missing and in possible danger from the Phantom!" Sirius stopped the managers' pity party. They turned and shrugged, heading to their offices. "Thanks for the help!" he called after them.

McGonagall pushed through the crowds now congregated backstage. There was the possibility of two mobs—the one in the audience who were now terrified with the disappearance and the deformity of the Phantom as well as the one here who wanted revenge for Fudge's death. She knew when she had to stop protecting Severus. She told Sirius earlier that evening that her maternal feelings wouldn't get in the way of their plan to capture Severus and she was right. Her protection over Kristin pre-empted her feelings towards her other charge and she needed to get someone to save her. There was only one person she could think of. "Count!"

"McGonagall," Sirius said, turning towards the woman. "Do you know what is going on?"

"You must come with me. I know where he's taken her."

"But can I trust you?"

"What choice do you have? Look, I know I've taken care of Severus but he was already a grown man at that time. His maturity level wasn't where it should be and that's what I was nurturing. I've raised Kristin from the time her father died, she was still a little girl. So, can you trust me?" Sirius nodded. "Good. Now, remember the Punjab lasso, sir. Keep your hands at the level of your eyes."

"My hand at the level of my eyes?" Sirius asked, staring at his hands. McGonagall rolled her eyes subtly and was about to show him when someone else did.

"Like this, sir." Harmony balled her fist and held her arm up. Her fist was now parallel with her eyes. "I'll come with you," she said. She had changed out of her ballerina tutu and was in one of her later costumes. She wore a white shirt and black breeches, tied with a sash to stay up. She also wore boots and was putting her blonde hair in a ponytail.

McGonagall could not be quick enough to turn down her daughter. "No, you stay here!" she ordered. "I need someone above while I show the Count where to go." With that, the two ran off while Harmony stayed behind to hold back the mob. Her mother and Sirius needed this time if they were to reach Kristin before the Phantom hurt her. And the mob would ruin it.

A/N: Well, my first week back was…interesting, to say. I happen to look forward to most of my classes and my professors seem to be nice. I'm back in flow with my job (almost) and with one of my clubs. Yesterday was a good and bad day. Good: I woke up to snow and all my classes were cancelled. Bad: I woke up with a head cold, which isn't as bad today as it was yesterday. But I still have it. Moral: Please send me reviews to make me feel better! --Mac