Author's Note:

This is my first story, so don't totally hate me if the characters are a little OOC. I absolutely LOOOOOVE Phantom of the Opera, and so do my friends. I'm the only one with a FF account, but we're all working together on this. I own all the characters I create, but (sadly) I don't own POTO or any affiliated characters and locations. How's THAT for a disclaimer?

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The girl skiped down the main hallway of the Opera Populaire, laughing. "Come on, Belle, or we shall be late!"

The girl called Belle ran to her friend. "Genny! Slow down!" Genny merely laughed and continued on down the hallway, until they reached the dressing rooms. Cossette ran up to them.

"You guys are late again? Sheesh! Madame Giry is going to bludgeon you with that cane of hers!"

Genny laughed again. "Really, Coss, you worry too much. You shouldn't be so uptight."

"And you should not be so flippant, Genevieve," came a serious voice from the other side of the room. There was a sudden hush in the commotion as Madame Giry stepped up to Genny. "It is a danger to wander the Opera House, even in daylight hours."

"Why is that?" Christine stepped forward.

"Oh, nothing my dear." Madame Giry looked at Christine, almost apoogetically. Monsieur Reyer called for attention, and Madame Giry ushered the girls to their places for rehersal.

About five minutes into rehersal, Monsieur LeFevre stopped everyone.

"Some of you have heard rumors of my immenient retirement," he said. "I am here to announce that they are all true." There was a mumbling from the cast. LeFevre proceeded to introduce Monsieurs Andre and Firmin, the new owners of the opera house. Then they introduced the Opera's new patron, the Vicomte DeChagny.

Christine gasped. "It's Raoul!"

Meg, Genny, Belle, and Cossette looked more than a little confused, so Christine explained. "Before my father died, in the house by the sea... I guess you could say we were childhood sweethearts," she said dreamily.

Meg looked at him. "Oh, Christine! He's so handsome!"

Genny looked at him too. "I'll say." Her comment was met by an elbow in the ribs from Belle.

"Christine already knows him," she whispered. "She gets first dibs."

Genny pouted through the rest of rehersal.

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That night, after the Gala. Christine sat in the chapel, lighting a candle for her father.

"Brava, brava, bravissima," rang a voice through the darkness. Christine smiled at the voice of her angel.

Meg and Belle ran down the stairs, calling for Christine. They finally found her, sitting in the darkness.

"Where in the world have you been hiding? Really, you were perfect. I only wish I knew your secret. Who is this new tutor?" Meg asked.

Christine looked dreamily away. "Father once spoke of an angel, I used to dream he'd appear. Now as I sing, I can sense him, and I know he's here." She got up and walked around the room. "Here in this room he calls me softly, somewhere inside, hiding. Somehow I know he's always with me, he the unseen genius."

Belle led Christine out into the hallway, making their way to the diva's dressing room. "Christine, you must have been dreaming. Stories like this can't come true. Christine, you're talking in riddles, and it's not like you."

Ignoring her two friends, Christine walked ahead. "Angel of Music, guide and guardian, grant to us your Glory." The other two sang along. "Angel of Music, hide no longer, secret and strange angel."

Christine looked around. "He's with me even now."

"Your hands are cold."

"All around me."

"Your face, Christine, it's white!"

"It frightens me."

"Don't be frightened."

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So, whaddaya think? This is my first one, so don't hate me. Oh, and if this seems extremely like the movie, don't worry. Starting next chapter, things start to get a little weird...