Chapter One: Music of the Night

Now in her seventh year she was glad to be back at Hogwarts and that, other than a few rogue Death Eaters, the war was over. Then she got to her first Muggles Studies class and glad feeling went bye-bye. All the students in her class were to give a presentation on any part of muggle life.

"What am I supposed to do?" She ranted to her two best friends who, with a minor exception to Ron's left eye and Harry's new scar, were calmly playing a game of wizard's chess and skillfully ignoring her. "You guys!"

"Hold on 'Mione." He paused. "Ha checkmate." Harry's king then went to die in a way that would have made any drama queen proud. "Now what was it you were saying?"

"I was saying, Ronald, that I have no idea what I am going to do for my Muggle Studies presentation. The Muggle Studies presentation that counts for forty percent of my final grade. The Muggle Studies presentation…"

"That's it?" Ron scoffed, to which he was soundly kicked in the shin by Harry. "Ouch, what?"

"What Ron is trying to say, is that your parents our both muggle dentists why don't you just do something on them."

"I thought of that Harry." She said as she plopped into a chair across from them. "Unfortunately I took slightly longer than the rest to sign up. Therefore dentistry was already taken, along with movies, television sets, telephones, cars, everything."

"There must be something in the muggle world that you can perform." Ron said.

"It's present Ron and unless I want to do the rubber ducky--." She stopped. "Ron! You're a genius!" To which she left a dumbstruck Ron and a hysterical Harry.

* *

"I'm an idiot! How could you let me do this Harry?" A distraught Hermione exclaimed.

"I suppose somewhat like how I let you talk me into doing this." Harry said as he waited for Hermione to come out from behind the dressing panel.

Outside in the great hall, at this moment, a stage was having the final touches done by whomever Hermione could get to volunteer or be bullied into it; however you want to look at it. It wouldn't have been too bad, but because everything had to be done the muggle way it had taken the last two months to complete. The stage was meant originally for the Muggle Studies classroom, but the professor had been so excited that Dumbledore was informed and he had insisted on the change. Now the whole school would be a witness to the event.

"Hermione?" Harry's voice broke into her thoughts.

She put on the last of her costume and walked out from behind her panel. Harry stood staring at her.

"What is something wrong?" She rushed past him to the full length mirror.

Nothing looked wrong. Her costume was a white corset with a white, lacey robed tied loosely around her waist. Her hair wasn't sticking up in any odd places. It was gently curling done half her back, no longer frizzing. She looked behind, in the mirror, where Harry was still staring at her. She turned to face him. He looked very nice in his costume, an old fashioned opera suit, black, and matching cape. He wore a small, white half mask on the right side of his face, covering the scar that marred that side.

His lightning bolt had disappeared after the fall of Lord Voldemort; in exchange he had gained a long ugly scar that ran fro his forehead to his jaw-line. Luckily his eye had not been damaged. Ron however had lost his eye, when Draco Malfoy had stabbed it with his wand. He was given an eye like Mad-Eye Moody, but he wore an eye patch. He thought it made him look cooler and since he could see through it, Hermione could not convince him how ridiculous it was.

"Harry, why are you staring at me like that?" she said coming back from her thought,

Harry was unable to answer as Ginny Weasley stuck her head in the door to their small dressing room.

"Five minutes guys, good luck." Ginny informed them.

"Ginny, in the muggle world it is bad luck to say 'good luck' on opening night."

"Oh, what do they say?"

"Break a leg."

Ginny stood confused for a moment; she then looked to Harry to see if it had been a joke.

"It's true Gin, odd, but true."

"Okay, um, break a leg." She then left muttering something like, "why would they want to break their leg?"

Ginny had been Hermione's close friend for sometime, and she had helped Ginny through her recovery of the Cruciatus curse. Happily that had been the worst Ginny had suffered. She was one of the few who had suffered non-lasting injuries.

"Hermione, let's go."

"Alright this is it, you can do this Hermione." She silently scolded herself. "How do you get yourself into these predicaments?" She continued in the same manner as Harry practically dragged her backstage and to their proper positions.

The lights dimmed in the Great Hall and the audience of student, professor, and whoever or whatever else quieted. On cue the first notes on the organ blasted from the orchestra pit into the no longer silent room. Smoke gracefully slid onto the stage and several candles rose from small trap doors around the stage.

Christine:

In sleep he sang to me,
in dreams he came …
that voice which calls to me
and speaks my name …

And do I dream again?
For now I find
the Phantom of the Opera is there -
inside my mind …

Hermione, in the costume of Christine, sang her first notes, Harry masked as the Phantom led her onto a metal walkway high above the stage. It slowly tipped from side to side giving the illusion of walking down flights of stairs.

Phantom:

Sing once again with me
our strange duet …
My power over you
grows stronger yet …

And though you turn from me,
to glance behind,
the Phantom of the Opera is there -
inside your mind...

Christine:

Those who have seen your face
draw back in fear …
I am the mask you wear …

Phantom:

It's me they hear …

Both:

Your/my spirit and your/my voice
in one combined:
the Phantom of the Opera is there -
inside your/my mind …

Having completed their journey down the stairs, landing them offstage, a ghostly chorus…

Ghostly Chorus:

He's there,
the Phantom of the Opera …
Beware, the Phantom of the Opera …

…sang as they moved into a small rigged boat that carried them around stage.

Phantom:

In all your fantasies,
you always knew
that man and mystery …

Christine:

… were both in you …

Both:

And in this labyrinth,
where night is blind,
the Phantom of the Opera is there/here
inside your/my mind …

The 'Phantom helped 'Christine out of the boat and moved her to stage right so the rest of the set could rearrange. As the 'Phantom' coaxed 'Christine to sing the boat had turned around back stage and made a bed. A small organ slid on back stage left and a full length mirror slid on stage right. Also a portcullis slid down, giving the feeling of an underground room.

Phantom:

Sing, my Angel of Music!

Christine:

He's there, the Phantom of the Opera …

'Christine' began to vocalize steadily higher with each of the 'Phantom's' urgings to sing. With the last high note the music abruptly ceased. Now fully entranced the 'Phantom went into his next song in order to accustom 'Christine' to the coldness of his touch.

Phantom:

I have brought you to the seat of sweet music's throne …
To this kingdom where all must pay homage to music …
Music … You have come here for one purpose and one alone …
Since the moment I first heard you sing,
I have needed you with me to serve me,
to sing for my music …
my music …

Having moved back to his organ to emphasize his need of her, for his music, the music changed pace and he made his way back to her.

Night-time sharpens, heightens each sensation …
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination …
Silently the senses abandon their defenses …

Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendor …
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender …
Turn your face away from the garish light of day,
turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light
and listen to the music of the night …

He slowly 'turned her face away' and brought back, leaning as if he was about to kiss her, but as she leaned in he stepped back…

Close your eyes and surrender to your darkest dreams!
Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before!
Close your eyes let your spirit start to soar!
And you'll live as you've never lived before …

…he gracefully swept his hand past her eyes causing them to flutter shut. As she 'soared' her eyes fluttered open again. She turned to face him and as he moved away she followed. He used his hands to motion for her to continue following.

Softly, deftly, music shall caress you …
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you.
Open up your mind; let your fantasies unwind,
in this darkness which you know you cannot fight --
the darkness of the music of the night …

With his last word he leaned up against the portcullis at the back of the stage and she was just about to kiss him, but she ran, frightened, back up stage. The 'Phantom' followed, desperate to get her back under his hypnosis.

Let your mind start a journey through a strange, new world!
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before!
Let your soul take you where you long to be!
Only then can you belong to me …

He quietly came up behind her as his voice hypnotized. As he sang, 'only then can you belong to me', he wrapped one arm around her neck, allowing her to rest her head in the crook of his elbow.

Floating, falling, sweet intoxication!
Touch me, trust me, savor each sensation!
Let the dream begin; let your darker side give in
to the power of the music that I write --
the power of the music of the night …

Slowly he rocked her back and forth as his other arm slid up her body to grasp her hand and lead it up to his mask to 'touch him' and 'trust him'. He then led her to the large mirror by the same hand. He pulled off a large drape from it. Inside it was a perfect wax figure of 'Christine', but when the real 'Christine' reached her hand toward it; suddenly the image thrust its hands through the mirror towards her. She fainted. The 'Phantom' caught her and carried her to the bed, where he lays her down.

You alone can make my song take flight -
help me make the music of the night …

The last was held as the lights on stage dimmed completely. Starting with the professors the audience erupted into applause. The only one not applauding was Professor Snape and his band of Slytherins only did so reluctantly. When the lights come back on Harry and Hermione were standing in front of a closed curtain bowing. When the applause died down Harry left Hermione to give her speech.

"Thank you." She began, slightly blushing. "What you have witnessed is called a musical. This particular musical is called 'The Phantom of the Opera'. Of course that was only a short preview; the play is actually a lot longer…

As Hermione continued to explain musical theatre, how the stage worked, among other things all eyes were riveted to her. Two pairs of eyes watched her with particular interest. A pair of bright blue eyes, twinkling with mischief, and a pair of black eyes, glittered with an indistinguishable emotion