Thanks for all the brilliant reviews for the last chapter! :) It seems everyone is quite delighted at the appearance of a certain Daroga. Good to see people are enjoying the story so far. :) Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much. I shall try to upload just as much as before but I am going back to university tomorrow for a few days so I cannot promise anything. :) Please tell me how you think my interpretation of the Daroga is in this chapter so far too. :)

ShapeShifter15: Haha, I'm not going to lie, your review completely made me laugh! :) Thanks for the lovely review and I hope you enjoy this chapter just as much! :)

Erik's Guest: Hahahaha, I thought that might make you happy! :P Well I hope you enjoy this chapter. :) I think the fact that Charlotte accepted him so easily in the beginning has definitely made him think. Don't worry, I'm not planning an Erik-Charlotte ending, because for me that was never what it was about but I do think that given her acceptance came so easily and yet with Christine she took so long to accept him is definitely something for him to think about. :) Haha naughty Lerik lol. :) Hmm that is the question. :D Obviously it is written in Charlotte's perspectives but I shall definitely try to add in a chapter with them interacting with each other sometime soon! :) Hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

Grapejuice101: Oh don't worry, there shall be haha. Thanks for your lovely review. :)

New Introductions

I didn't sleep well that night. My mind was reeling from the sudden appearance of the Daroga. I knew it was definitely him because of Meg's description of the man's appearance. I had read both books' way too many times not to have known who he was.

I was worried though. He had obviously overheard about Erik's sudden appearance from the newspapers and it seemed strange that he wanted to become a new manager if he was asking after Erik and Christine at the same time. Maybe I was overthinking things but it seemed to me that he was trying to find out information. I was also beginning to think that he had something to do with Alfred suddenly changing his mind. Maybe he was using the job as a way to become more involved in the affairs surrounding the opera.

Luckily the remainder of the cast was gathered in the foyer by Marcel Bonneville the next morning. I seized my chance to go along with Meg for two main reasons. One was to talk to Marcel about what I had spoken about with Erik. And two, I wanted to officially meet this strange Nadir Khan. I presumed he might be there if he successfully managed to become the new manager and I wanted the chance to understand what his intentions were. The last thing I wanted was for him to find out the location of Erik and Christine if it turned out that he did mean them harm.

I stood beside Meg at the back of the small crowd as Marcel stood himself on the grand staircase and gathered our attention.

She pulled a face, glancing curiously at me in the corner of her eyes. "Well there is no appearance of this Nadir Khan yet."

"No, I might ask Marcel about it."

She frowned. "Do you think that is a good idea?"

I shrugged. "Well he must know whether this man is really going to become a new manager too given his new role."

She nodded, commenting no further.

Marcel announced that this week would be filled with auditions for the next show and that we would all have to audition again unfortunately. My first one had been frightening enough. The week after would be filled with constant rehearsals for the opera we were due to be performing, the Countess. I thought this would be ample opportunity for Christine to arrive back and claim her role as prima donna. She deserved it more than most, especially now that Carlotta had left. I smiled as he announced that we would also be having a celebratory ball for the reopening of the opera house next week, a couple of days before the first performance.

I couldn't help but wonder if it would be appropriate for Raoul to appear as my date. Perhaps it was a bit too soon.

As soon as Marcel had finished his announcement, I left Meg to begin talking to the other members of the chorus excitedly about the ball, already thinking on what dresses they should wear. It was good to see Meg speaking more to others again. She had been a little reserved after Christine's departure which was very unlike her.

I approached Marcel coyly. As soon as he sensed my nearing presence, he watched me closely. I offered an apprehensive smile as I reached his side.

"I was wondering if I may have a word alone with you for a moment. It is just that, I have a couple of acquaintances who would wish to join the opera but they are very shy but also very talented and it's…well a little bit of a sensitive subject." I confessed.

Marcel nodded, his forehead furrowed as he watched me closely. "Why is it such a sensitive subject then, Mademoiselle?"

He didn't look too impressed by my peculiar request and I returned such feelings. Given the circumstances, I would have chosen not to do this but it was for Christine and Erik. I also thought that with honesty on my side, he might understand.

"Christine wishes to return to the opera."

He looked even more confused. "And that is all you wish to request; an audition for her in the chorus?"

"No not in the chorus. I understand the leading role of the Countess requires a soprano?"

"Well yes it does, but she still would require an audition."

I nodded. "Of course I do understand but I was hoping you would consider her as the leading role before auditions begin, given that she has begun to progress further in her career."

"Yes fine, I shall," he sighed. "Was that all you wished to ask?"

"Well…" I trailed off, wondering how I could word such a request. "There is a very talented composer who would love the opportunity to become the new conductor. But his situation is a little sensitive. He would be brilliant at it, but he has a facial birth deformity and he is a little uneasy about it. Perhaps you could give him the chance during our rehearsals next week, so you could see for yourself how talented he is."

"Well normally, he would have to audition first. I'm not so sure that-"

"Please just give him this chance. It would mean a great deal to him. He hasn't had very many chances to showcase his talents simply because of his deformity."

He paused for a moment and I genuinely believed he was still going to say no, until he finally nodded. "Fine, fine, but Christine will still have to audition."

"Oh thank you so much, you will not regret this, I promise you!"

"Yes well I hope he is able to prove that." He frowned, before heading over to talk to Meg and some of the other ballet dancers who were all gathered in a crowd.

I sighed happily, glad that he had accepted my proposal.

I smiled as I spotted Raoul making his way through the entrance. He was dressed as impeccably as always, though that carefree smile soon appeared on his face once he spotted me amongst the crowd. Without a thought, I skipped to his side, eager to tell him the good news.

"I have the most exciting news!" I exclaimed as soon as I completed my happy breeze over to his side.

His smile widened. "Well that certainly sounds intriguing."

I moved further away from the slight crowd scattered in the middle of the foyer so that we would be able to talk more privately. I explained everything, from the manager's idea for the ball next week to the new opera and then…reluctantly moving onwards to my conversation the previous night with the Phantom.

"I cannot believe he had the nerve to accost you in such a way, to demand such matters from you." He instantly exclaimed, with an angry shake of his head.

"Yes, yes, but the most important thing is if this happens then they will both be able to stay here. That was the reason why I agreed with him… but the main thing is that they will both be able to continue their career here too!"

"But that is no reason for him to frighten you in such a way!"

"Oh don't be silly Raoul! He didn't frighten me." I scoffed. "I was just a little surprised that is all. But I know that you and Meg both miss Christine too. But Erik could never frighten me."

He frowned at that. "I presume Erik is the Phantom's real name?"

"Yes, he told me it that night. It's habit, I suppose." I confessed before quickly glancing around the foyer to make certain that nobody had taken notice on me accidently calling Erik by his name. Luckily, nobody seemed any the wiser. I felt I had to be careful with this Nadir Khan asking about him.

"But I chose to be as honest as I could with Marcel about his circumstances and he was reasonable enough about it."

"Oh so that is what your conversation with Monsieur Bonneville was about."

I instantly narrowed my eyes at the way he phrased that. "Yes of course. I presume you must have had your doubts about what we were talking about, given how you asked me that."

He shrugged. "I'm not going to lie, I was curious about the conversation. Though given how well I had believed our supper went, I wasn't worrying too much." He teased.

"Careful that almost sounded confident." I replied, raising an eyebrow.

He smirked at that, even when he tried to fight it by pursing his lips together.

"Anyway I am glad that I spotted you actually. Marcel mentioned a ball next week, to celebrate the reopening of the opera house." I confirmed, watching him from under my eyelashes as I spoke. "I was wondering if it would be inappropriate to attend with you."

He thought on that for a moment. "Perhaps a little, given that we have only arranged one outing together so far."

I frowned. "I know you are probably right, but then when has our relationship ever been that conventional? Meg said the very same thing the morning after Erik's opera. And I had also been planning to ask you to supper the next time I saw you after that too."

He raised his eyebrows. "And yet you appear to be the one the one asking me to accompany you on this occasion instead?"

"Oh, so what? I don't see how it really matters. You began to court Christine publically practically as soon as your relationship had begun."

"Just…try to have a little patience. Believe me when I say that I am experiencing the same impatience."

"Yes, it really appears so." I huffed in annoyance.

He grinned at that. "Wait for the arrival of next week. You should expect a surprise."

My forehead furrowed at that. "Wait a moment, what-"

"I am not disclosing anything else."

I sighed, knowing that I would not gain any more information from him. And knowing that this whole weekend would be spent wondering what on earth he could mean by such a thing.

My eyes caught the main entrance just as a man walked through. I recognized him straight away. It wasn't difficult to, given how similar his appearance was compared with the book.

He was wearing a black cloak, with a matching waistcoat and an eloquent golden tie to match the walking stick that accompanied him. His hair seemed dark, though most of it was hid beneath an Astrakhan cap. He had ebony skin and I could see from here as he glanced this way that his eyes were a strange jade shade.

"No way," I whispered, not realizing at first that I had said the words out loud.

I saw Raoul turn to glance back, feeling him eye me curiously. "What is it?"

"I think that that is the manager who took over from Alfred Montague." I replied, nodding over to where he was now stood.

He had turned away now, smiling over at Marcel Bonneville before he began to slowly head over to join him. He didn't appear to rely on the walking stick too much and I couldn't help but still feel suspicious on his sudden appearance.

"Well this should be interesting." Raoul commented besides me, beginning to make his way over to where everyone was stood.

"Yes, I would like to speak to him too actually. From what Meg was saying, he seems like a curious fellow." I knew it was a little bit of a lie, but I didn't want to cause Raoul to worry unnecessarily if it turned out that I was overthinking this and Monsieur Khan had simply been asking questions out of curiosity.

"He appears it too." He agreed.

Once Marcel had finished speaking, he glanced back at us.

"Ah just the man we had been talking about. Monsieur Le Vicomte, allow me introduce you to the new manager, Monsieur Khan."

Raoul nodded politely, offering a tense smile. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Monsieur Khan."

"Likewise Monsieur Le Vicomte," Nadir replied kindly, repeating his polite nod before glancing towards me.

I flushed at his curious haze, wondering if Marcel was even going to bother introducing me before Marcel caught Nadir's gaze and smiled. "Ah yes, allow me to introduce you to another popular member of the ballet de Corps, Mademoiselle Charlotte Higgins."

"It is a pleasure to make both of your acquaintances." He replied pleasantly, bowing his head to me too.

I offered a slight bow of my head, forcing a polite smile as I continued to watch him. He did seem okay but I still didn't trust him. I wanted to know why he was asking after Erik and Christine and I knew it wasn't the time to ask him now but I was determined to find out more about him.

As soon as Meg and I began to trail back to the dormitories afterwards, I decided to send a message to Erik, just in case I wasn't being completely paranoid.

"Meg, do you know if your mother still speaks with the Phantom?" I asked.

She had found out about their friendship after Madame Giry had led Raoul to the Phantom's hideout that night. She had admitted to figuring out that they were friends pretty quickly after that.

"Yes, I think she has begun to speak to him again. Why do you ask?"

"I was just wondering if you would pass on a message to her to give to the Phantom. Just to say that Nadir Khan is one of the new managers. If he hasn't found out yet, I wanted to warn him, just in case any of my worries last night were correct."

She nodded. "Yes of course I will. I might still feel a little wary about the Phantom but if this ensures Christine's safety then I shall do so swiftly."

I offered a thankful smile in response.