This is the final chapter. Next comes the epilogue!

Harry followed McGonagall through the dark corridors bellow the opera house until she suddenly stopped short.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

McGonagall shook her head. "This is as far as I dare go," She said. "You must go the rest of the way by yourself."

Although disappointed to lose his guide, Harry was determined to press on anyway and find Neville. "Thank you," He said to McGonagall who nodded.

As he rushed past her down the hallway, he heard her call out after him, "Remember Monsieur! Your hand at the level of your eyes! Do not underestimate the Phantom!"

Neville stood before the mirror in his room, trembling as he looked at his reflection. The dress fit him perfectly and even though his wig was slightly askew, he still looked the part of a beautiful young woman. It was what the garment was for the frightened him so much.

As he stared into the mirror another figure appeared behind him and Neville's eyes narrowed at the reflection before spinning around to face the person.

"Have you gorged yourself a last

In your lust for blood?

Am I now to be prey

To your lust for flesh?"

Severus shook his head and let out a hallow laugh that made the hair on the back of Neville's neck stand on end.

"That fate which condemns me

To wallow in blood

Has also denied me

The joys of the flesh."

He reached out for Neville but the boy quickly pulled away from him, pressing himself up against the mirror.

"This face, the infection

Which poisons our love

This face which earned

A mother's fear and loathing

A mask

My first unfeeling

Scrap of clothing."

Severus grabbed hold Neville's arms and pulled him to him, glaring down into the boy's face.

"Pity comes too late

Turn around and face your fate

An eternity of this

Before you eyes."

Neville bowed his head as Severus released him, only to grab hold of his hand and rip Harry's ring from his finger to replace it with his own once again. Raising his head back up, Neville looked into the face that had once invoked such fear in him.

"This haunted face

Holds no horror for me now

It's in your soul

That the true distortion lies."

Severus turned from him, his face full of guilt, and for a moment Neville thought that he might have a chance to reason with him. But then Severus caught sight of something that made his whole face light up with a wicked sneer.

"Wait!

I think, my dear

We have a guest!"

He grabbed Neville's hand and dragged him out of the room. Neville gasped when he saw Harry standing there in the lake. Severus seemed overjoyed to find the Count there, however.

"Sir

This is indeed an unparalleled delight

I had rather hoped

That you might come

And now, my wish comes true

You have truly made my night.

Severus threw his arm around Neville, pinning him against his body as he struggled to free himself. Harry's eyes narrowed and he began to storm over to Severus.

"Free him!

Do what you like

Only free him!

Have you no pity?"

"Your lover makes a passionate plea!" Severus mocked, sneering down at Neville.

"Please, Harry, it's useless!" Neville begged, but Harry showed no signs of letting up.

"I love him

Does that mean nothing?

I love him!

Show some compassion."

"The world showed no compassion to me!" Severus snapped.

"Neville, Neville," Harry pleaded. "Let me see him."

Severus's eyes narrowed in annoyance and then suddenly lit up in a way that made Neville fill with fear. Releasing Neville from his hold, he made his way down to Harry with a twisted smile on his face.

"Monsieur, I bid you welcome

Did you think that I would harm him?

Why should I make him pay

For the sins which are you yours?"

In a flash his hand shot down into the water and pulled up a lasso that he threw around Harry's neck.

"No!" Neville screamed. He rushed won to Severus and tried desperately to pull him away from Harry but to no avail.

Severus pressed Harry up against the wall and slipped the loose end of the lasso over a nearby torch holder so that he had the appropriate leverage to strangle the younger man.

"Order your fine horses now!

Raise up your hand

To the level of your eyes!

Nothing can save you now

Expect perhaps Neville."

He rounded on Neville, who was staring at him in horror.

"Start a new life with me

Buy his freedom with your love

Refuse me, and you send

Your lover to his death!

This is the choice!

This is the point of no return!"

Neville felt his eyes burning with tears. This man standing before him was so different from the man he had once known. The man who had been so very gentle and loving with him. This cruel and possessive side of Severus was something that he could not love and he felt his rage boiling up inside of him.

"The tears I might have shed

For your dark fate

Turn cold and turn

To tears of hate!"

Severus looked crushed by his words, but Neville didn't care. He rushed past him to Harry's side, where his lover looked down at him, eyes filled with sorrow.

"Neville, forgive me

Please, forgive me

I did it all for you and all for nothing."

Neville shook his head and clutch Harry's hand tightly in his own. He glared fiercely at Severus as the man tried to approach him.

"Farwell, my fallen idol and false friend

We had such hopes

Now those hopes are shattered."

"Too late for turning back," Severus responded. "To late for prayers and useless pity."

"Say you love him," Harry said, "and my life is over. But either way you choose he has to win."
"So do you end your days with me?" Severus asked. "Or do you send him to his grave?"

"Why make him lie to you to save me?" Harry spat.

"Silence!" Severus roared, yanking harder on the rope that he held so that Harry had to gasp for breath.

"Angel of music…" Neville whispered. He shook his head sadly. "You deceived me," He said. "I gave you my mind blindly."

"You try my patience," Severus growled. "Make your choice."

Neville turned from the two men, trying to figure out what he should do. How could he possibly decide between what Severus had offered him? He may not want to marry the Phantom, but he surely didn't want Harry to die if he refused.

Biting down hard on his lip, he turned back to Severus, knowing what he had to do.

"Pitiful creature of darkness

What kind of life have you known?

God give me courage to show you

You are not alone."

Before Severus could do anything, Neville grabbed his face in his hands and pulled him down so that their lips crashed together. He made the kiss last for as long as it could until he finally had to pull away in need of air.

He heard a choked intake of breath and looked up at Severus.

The man had an enormous smile of pure bliss on his face even as tears rolled down his cheeks. Neville reached out to wipe the tears away, but Severus pulled back from him and staggered over to Harry.

Neville watched in amazement as Severus pulled Harry free of the lassos and pushed him towards his lover.

"Take him!" Severus said. "Forget me! Forget all of this!" Neville moved towards him, but he hurriedly stumbled back into his lair. "Leave me alone! Forget all you've seen!"

Harry threw his arms around Neville, clutching him as tightly as possible. He had thought that he would never have the chance to hold the one he loved again.

Severus looked at the two lovers sadly and when harry caught his eye he began to bark out orders at him. "Take the boat! And swear to me never to tell the secret you know of the angel in hell!"

Harry nodded to him. "Thank you," He said hoarsely.

Severus waved him off and disappeared into what had once been Neville's room.

Harry began to make his way back to the gondola, but then he realized that Neville wasn't following him. He turned back to see Neville standing there looking at the place that Severus had disappeared into.

"Neville!" He called. "Come on!"

Neville looked over at him and shook his head. "There's something I need to do first," He said.

Severus was sitting on the bed when Neville entered the room. He didn't move as he heard Neville approaching him and remained that way even when Neville sat down beside him.

Neville slowly removed the golden band from his finger and slipped it into Severus's hand. The hand tightened around his before he could pull away and when Severus finally turned to face him, Neville found himself looking into the most broken face he had ever seen.

Neville's breath caught in his throat and he felt his heart breaking. He didn't love Severus in the same way he did Harry, but he still couldn't stand to see the man so miserable.

"I'm sorry that I cannot give you my love," Neville said, "but is there something else I can give you? I'll give you anything."

Severus was silent for a long time and then he slipped the ring back onto Neville's finger. "I ask for only two things," He said. "First let this ring remain on your finger until you find yourself a child. The child that you choose will be our child and you will give them the ring and allow me to see them when I ask."

Neville nodded in agreement. He was willing to fulfill this request as long as Severus never harmed the child. "What is the next thing?" He asked.

Severus's grip tightened around his hand. "I know I can never have your heart," He said softly, "but I ask that you give yourself to me freely for at least one night." Neville's eyes widened and Severus sighed. "I know how repulsive the idea sounds, but it will only be for one night." He bowed his head and brushed his lips against Neville's hand. "I beg of you to allow it."

Neville leaned n and pressed his lips against Severus's deformed cheek. "It will be done," He said.