Angel of Music

Madame Giry's Secret

Disclaimer: I, quite tragically, do not own my muse Erik, nor the Phantom of the Opera.

It was evening, the sun had just begun to set across the Pairs skyline, outlining the Opera Populaire in a fiery gold hue.

Madame Giry walked briskly through the halls of the opera house, her feet hitting the ground with a click, her black dress swishing at her ankles. And her sweet little five year old daughter on her heels.

"Madame Giry!" The woman heard a voice call. She turned and saw that Annette, a ballerina who would have been pretty if her nose wasn't so big and her eyes so squinty, was running after her.

"Madame Giry, there's a ghost in the dressing room!" Fantine, another ballerina who was fallowing Annette, cried. Madame Giry glared. She was in no humor to give consequence to such a ridiculous matter.

"For heavens sake, child! There is no ghost!" Madame Giry chided.

"We thought it was a silly jest too, but.." Fantine stopped. Madame Giry narrowed her eyes.

"But what? Spit it out girl!" The woman spat at the two ballerinas. The two shared a glance before one spoke up.

"Well," began Annette. "Fantine, a few other ballerinas, and myself were in the dressing room. There are no windows in there, Madame, as you know, so we lit some candles. As we were dressing in our costumes, we hear a noise as though someone had just walked into the room, but there was no one! Not even a shadow. Then, our candles blew out! It was dark and we could see not even our own hand in front of us! Then, we heard laughing from inside the walls! And suddenly a voice said, Silly ballerinas! I hope you remember your dances this time, and don't ruin my opera!"

"Tis true, Madame Giry," Fantine spoke up. "I heard it with my own ears. An once the voice was finished," the ballerina held tightly to her scarlet braid. "Our candles were relit. Just like that."

"So a silly boy jested you! It was a simple trick! I am sure it was not how you said it, for there is no opera ghost. Aye, girls these days! Now, excuse me Fantine, Annette, I have something to get to." She started walking again, but swiftly turn once more to the girls. "Do you mind watching Meg a moment?"

And Madame Giry left the two ballerinas standing with their jaws open and their fears of the strange ghost still interminable.

~~~~~~~

"I thought you might be here." Madame Giry said into the shadows on the roof of the opera house. She waited patiently for a response that she soon began to doubt she would acquire.

"I am always up here at this time, Madame," came a voice. "Nothing special about tonight."

"No," she contradicted, taking a step closer to the voice. "Tonight is very special." I

"Oh?" The voice questioned.

"Yes, " Madame Giry continued. She heard the voice laugh.

"To whom?" It asked her. Madame Giry clenched her jaw.

"Come into the light, Erik." The voice did not answer her but slowly a figure became apparent to her and fully emerged out of the shadows. A skinny figure of a boy in clothing much to big for him stood in front of her.

"The ballerinas informed me of the jest you played on them," she said. Erik laughed and his dark eyes brightened.

"Ah, yes. It took me a while to figure out how to do it, but I did indeed figure it out." Then more eagerly and for that matter, boyishly, he added, "Did it scare them?" Madame Giry rolled her eyes.

"Yes, terrified. They called you an opera ghost. Which you could be considered as," she deadpanned.

Erik mocked a bow in her direction. "Thank you for your flattery Madame,"

Madame Giry glared at the boy. "It was hardly flattery, Erik. No, indeed it was merely candor,"

"Well in that case, then I thank you for your candor."

Madame Giry's glare did not cease.

"How is Meg?" Erik asked.

"Don't you dare touch her," the woman warned.

"Wouldn't dream of it." The boy said quietly.

Remembering the reason she came up in the first place, she took one step closer to the boy she's saved so many years ago.

"Happy birthday," Madame Giry said gently. Erik shook his head sadly.

"Nothing happy about it." He said, his words almost lost in the wind. Madame Giry noticed that he wore a mask that covered only the right side of his face.

"New mask," she said dejectedly. Erik nodded.

They were silent for a moment.

"I am thirteen today," he said. Madame Giry nodded.

"Yes I remember. I have a gift for you." She pulled out a copy of an ancient opera. The brown parchment it was written on was thin and crumbly and the notes were smudged. But the boy smiled a smile Madame Giry had never seen before.

"Thank you..." He whispered as he clutched the opera. Madame Giry watched as a year slipped down his cheek.

"I know how you like to play them on your..organ is it? The instrument you made yourself."

Erik nodded, still over come by the gift.

"I have to go, my daughter is waiting." She turned around but Erik's voice stopped her.

"Madame Giry...thank you."

The woman nodded.
"Happy birthday, Erik."

Authors note: Hey guys! This was my first chapter of my first fanfic! I hoped you liked it! Sorry it was so short...most of my chapters will be *frowns* but I'm doing my best!