It was Friday. The day of the auditions. It was six o'clock in the morning and Hermione was ready for the day. She made her way towards the boys dormitory and entered Ron and Harry's rooms, waking them up excitedly.
"Come on guys it's time to practice your songs!" she said enthusiastically. The boys had heard girls in the corridors talking about how the perfect guys were always in musicals. Once they heard this, they decided that they would be auditioning.
"It's too early 'Mione! Let us sleep; we're plenty ready for this!" Harry said, with the only kind of energy he could muster this early in the morning. Although the boys protested, they were up and ready within a few minutes. They made the walk to Hermione's Head Girl suite without talking. They sat down at the conjured piano while Hermione grabbed a leather case full of sheet music. She pulled out notes for the boys. They would be singing this part of the audition together as Hermione had previously suggested.
"Mystery after gala night, it says, mystery of soprano's flight! Mystified, baffled Surete say, we are mystified … we suspect foul play!" Harry sang a little out of tune. Hermione corrected him and had him sing the lines again. Ron jumped in with Andre's Part and had a few rhythmic problems but overall their practice went okay for amateurs.
Hermione then charmed the piano to play 'Think of Me.' She began to sing with the beauty of a lead soprano at the Paris Opera House. This vocal quality was what she would need to win the role of Christine Daaé.
The three of them then headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. They ate their bagels with peanut butter and drank pumpkin juice.
After a while, they looked up to see Dumbledore making his way towards the podium. He began to speak.
"Students, I hope you have remembered that auditions are today. They will be held in the new auditorium at five o'clock! This room can be accessed by this new staircase!"
As he said this, a brand new staircase materialized, descending from the ceiling. It was draped with purple silk and the railing was a rich, golden color.
"With this being said, I would like to ask our Head Girl, Hermione Granger and our Head Boy, Ernie Macmillan to skip classes for the day and help me with our preparations."
The students began to leave the Great Hall. Hermione bid Ron and Harry good luck in classes without her. Particularly Professor Binn's Class since she was the only one who could ever continue to stay focused. She headed to the left of the Great Hall and proceeded towards the staircase. She marveled at its beauty once more and then began to climb up the stairs. She came to a giant door and pulled it open, gasping at what she saw inside.
There was a wonderfully lit room the size of the Great Hall, lit by an intricately beautiful chandelier that hung in splendor from the ceiling. The seats were fashioned in red and gold, and the stage a shining ebony. There was a balcony and ten separate boxes, all out lined with gold cherubs and garlands. The walls were white and there were six magnificently large stained glass windows on each side of the theater. The image in the glass was of a mask and a rose on a black background with 'Phantom of the Opera' written on the top. It was exactly the same as the muggle advertisement signs. Hermione assumed this could be charmed to change with each new musical.
Hermione approached the stage and found a spacious orchestra pit. She spied a beautiful grand piano and sat down in front of it, setting her hands on the keys so that she could play. She sang through 'Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again' until she saw a man in half moon spectacles peering down his nose at her.
"I did not know our Head Girl possessed such talent! That was marvelous Hermione!" The headmaster said with a twinkle in his eye.
Hermione crawled out of the pit and moved onto one of the comfortable theater chairs next to Ernie and Dumbledore.
"Could you help me with these curtains? They need to be hung above the windows." He pulled out a box of magnificent red curtains that matched the floor and chairs. They draped the curtains on each side of the window. The job was done more quickly than she had anticipated. They then worked on little projects for Dumbledore all day until it was five.
It was then that the students began to pile in, settling themselves down in their respective groups. Hermione saw Harry and Ron sit with the other Gryffindor boys. The Professors sat in the front row next to Ernie and herself. Dumbledore stood center stage. The students hardly noticed this because they were all marveling at the wondrous sight around them.
"Welcome to the new Auditorium of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" Dumbledore announced. "Singers will be singing a song from the musical and a song of their choice. Dancers will be doing the routine from Hannibal and a routine of their choice. Musicians will be performing any song of their choice plus a song from the musical. Behind the scenes people need to meet with Professor McGonagall after all auditions are completed.
"Now … let the auditions begin! Please form a line around the auditorium!" he finished with a flourish.
Draco Malfoy went first, singing a horrible version of 'Music Of The Night', then singing a random song in German. Pansy Parkinson followed singing 'Think Of Me' in a very Carlotta-ish light. Hermione soon followed. She sung 'Think Of Me' in the most spectacular voice yet. She then followed it with 'Per La Gloria D'adorarvi.' She walked off stage with a confidence never seen before. The teacher's panels of judges were giving each other looks. Dumbledore stood up.
"We have found our Christine Daaé!" said Dumbledore. "Anyone who is auditioning for that role please step out now!" there was a disgruntled mumble as most of the girls began to move.
"Wait!" Hermione cried. "Everyone should have a fair chance and be heard!"
"I suppose that's true!" Dumbledore said, impressed by her evenhandedness. "Continue!"
The auditions lasted long into the night. It was eight o'clock p.m. by the time they all headed down to dinner. Dumbledore announced that the lists would be posted in the common rooms at six thirty the following morning.
Hermione went to bed with the same uneasy feeling she always had after an audition.
Even though Dumbledore had told her she had the part … what if she didn't get it?