"Oh, Isabella~ After filming starts, can you take me to the set? You know, I really love Harry Potter~"
"Yeah~ Isabella~ I want to go to the set too—but before that, I want to know, who's playing Harry Potter? The media hasn't released any info at all. Have they not finished casting yet?"
"Yes, yes, yes! Isabella! Isn't Aunt Rowling going to pick a super handsome Harry?"
"Just like in the book! With emerald green eyes, inheriting his parents' looks? Uh… I'm not saying you don't match the Hermione in Rowling's books, I'm just really curious about what Harry looks like…"
"Oh, speaking of casting, I have another question. Isabella, how were you chosen? When did you audition? Didn't you study piano? I don't remember you studying acting!"
"..."
The nonstop chatter made Isabella feel like she was in a busy market, not at home.
The constant stream of words and countless eager eyes were like vendors calling out at a vegetable stall—
"Come see, come see~ Minadi's mead is really delicious~"
Ahem, got a little off-topic there.
As Chris Columbus once said, after officially signing with Warner, Isabella no longer had a moment of peace.
No way around it—Warner had already released the casting confirmation news.
Even if the official photos and contract photos would only be released after the cast was complete, there's no wall that doesn't leak; a few hints were enough for the media to trace her.
From the public's perspective, her image might still be just a blacked-out question mark, but people who knew her…
Had already started celebrating.
On the very night Warner released the news, Isabella received calls from four or five classmates.
At first, she was happy.
I'm famous now, and everyone knows it. If I weren't happy, there'd be something wrong with me.
But the next day, she couldn't handle it.
The following day, every classmate, every friend she had ever known, came looking for her.
Not only that, even her teachers and extracurricular tutors called to congratulate her.
That day, with Warner's permission, she had no choice but to hold a small party at home.
Everyone wanted to see this "big star."
Luckily, the elementary school she had attended was a private school in Mayfair, with only about thirty students per grade. She didn't have many friends, otherwise the house wouldn't have fit everyone.
"Uh… if the crew allows, I'd be happy to invite you all to the set…"
"I don't know who's playing Harry. Our auditions were separate…"
"Getting Hermione was unexpected. I'd love to share the fun experiences with you, but unfortunately, I have a confidentiality agreement with Warner. Even today's gathering was only held after submitting an application, so… I'm really sorry…"
A busy afternoon passed.
After sending off her friends, who were overwhelmed with curiosity, excitement, surprise, and amazement, answering countless questions and taking who knows how many photos, Isabella felt like she was about to collapse.
The overwhelming enthusiasm made her feel like a speed bump on a highway.
Yes.
All greetings at this moment seemed like major hazards to her.
She waved goodbye and closed the door, exhausted.
When Isabella returned to the room, hoping to find some comfort from her older sister and mother…
Well, they weren't much better.
Those who were close to Catherine knew Isabella, so she was also bombarded with calls from her sister's friends.
Vivian was even worse. Calls from relatives and friends were minor; the real headache was media invitations and talent agencies. The former wanted to interview Isabella, the latter wanted to sign her.
Because they had a confidentiality agreement with Warner, and Isabella was a minor with strong magical abilities, Vivian could easily handle media refusals.
But the talent agencies…
It wasn't that Vivian couldn't refuse them, but greedy businesspeople are shameless. Even if Vivian said "No," persistent ones would cling like glue.
The worst part? Vivian couldn't turn off her phone because the crew might call.
"Mr. Vincent, thank you for your offer, but our Isabella doesn't need an agent right now."
"And we don't need an agency either."
"Okay, okay, if needed, I'll consider you."
"No, no, no… don't worry about dinner. There's too much going on at Warner, we don't have time."
"Alright, goodbye."
Click—
Vivian's phone met the coffee table again.
Thankfully, it was a Nokia, or it would've been done for.
She leaned back on the sofa and sighed. When she saw her eldest daughter dead-tired in the dining chair, her youngest standing at the entrance staring blankly at her, she burst into laughter.
Like teasing a cat, she reached out her arms, and Isabella leaped into her mother's embrace.
"So tiring…"
Suddenly, Isabella felt that being famous was exhausting.
Her sulky words made Catherine shiver and wail, "Why is my phone being bombarded too?!"
"Hahaha—"
Vivian laughed heartily.
Patting her youngest on the back, she looked at her eldest and said, "Kids, this is just the beginning."
"A celebrity is the center of attention. When countless eyes are on a star, and everyone scrutinizes them, the star has no freedom and no privacy. And everything and everyone around them is affected."
"So at this time, everyone has to make choices."
"Take me as an example. My friends now are people I met after marriage."
"When I was famous, I hardly had friends. Even family was just my parents."
Vivian was the youngest, with an older sister and brother, but they rarely interacted with Isabella and her family.
Essentially, Vivian's fame had caused them countless troubles.
Her sister, seven years older, entered society when Vivian became famous. Many people, upon learning she had a famous younger sister, would curiously ask why she wasn't a star or involved in theater. This was embarrassing and frustrating.
After a few arguments, they stopped interacting.
Her brother, two years older, had friends who wanted to become his brother-in-law once Vivian was famous. This disgusted both of them, so they also stopped interacting.
Vivian had experienced the cost of fame, which was another reason she didn't want her daughter to enter the industry. But the world is unpredictable…
Isn't it?
"Mom, can you ask the crew if I can take classes there?"
Catherine suddenly asked.
"Oh, Kesha, you don't need to drop out."
Isabella understood her sister's meaning and climbed out of her mother's arms.
"Getting into Oxbridge was Dad's wish. Staying at St. Paul's will make it easier for you."
"And do you think leaving school will shield you from trouble? No. As long as you recognize me as your sister, and I recognize you as mine, as long as I'm in the entertainment industry, people will talk about me when they interact with you. Or, as Mom said, many people approach you just to get to know me. This is something you can't change or avoid."
"So… accept the change, embrace the change, okay?"
Catherine was silent.
Their eyes met firmly for a moment.
Finally, she exhaled.
Vivian didn't interrupt them during this exchange.
Afterward, she kissed both of their foreheads.
She was very happy.
Honestly, the bombardment of attention didn't last long.
This was not only because Warner hadn't released Isabella's photos—being a minor, she couldn't be exposed directly. As long as the public only got text news, she could still have some privacy;But also because Isabella and her friends were few and…
Relatively wealthy.
Most matters could be discussed once or twice. Too much, and the other party's parents wouldn't allow it. Proper upbringing, you know.
So, as the calls decreased, the family's life returned to normal.
Of course, various official matters continued to follow—
First, Vivian had to help Isabella arrange for a leave of absence.
She couldn't attend school while filming. Otherwise, Warner wouldn't have included the tutor provision in the contract.
During the procedure, the principal expressed regret but also congratulated her, welcoming Isabella to visit often.
Secondly, Vivian needed to help Isabella apply for a child performance license.
In the UK, minors need a license to work on film sets. Of course, this license doesn't certify how good a child actor's skills are—it simply lists the actor and their guardian's information. Once obtained, various associations can inspect the set and ensure everything is in compliance.
What if the guardian isn't on set?
Okay, stop working, pay a £20,000 fine, and then talk to me.
After taking care of these two matters, Vivian also took Susie, Jessie, Rowling, and Maggie Smith out for a meal.
It was to thank them for their recognition, support, and help with Isabella.
"Oh~ It's mainly because Isabella herself is amazing and hardworking~"
At the table, Rowling smiled and said, "I could give Isabella the opportunity, but she has to seize it herself. If she can't, all I can say is… Warner's total investment in the film is actually 250 million, including promotion."
"Exactly, 250 million is not something we can decide on based on personal preference," Maggie Smith nodded.
"We don't have that power," Susie laughed.
"Chris has his limits, and his teachers ensure he sticks to them," Jessie added. "If Chris thinks Isabella isn't right for it, no matter how much we push, he could even call the chairman of Warner Bros directly."
Isabella stood nearby, smiling foolishly.
But her head…
Was held high.
Even her little feet trembled a little.
Happy.jpg
At the very end, Vivian took her daughter to a bookstore. Isabella bought some classic movie DVDs, while Vivian picked up a bunch of study guides related to the talent agent exam.
Isabella bought the DVDs to deepen her craft in the entertainment industry, following Maggie Smith's earlier advice at dinner.
If she wanted to remain in the industry, she needed to study the classics—not to learn techniques before adulthood, but so she could understand what others meant when they asked for a certain shot or a specific expression.
And Vivian's book purchases…
"Do you want Mom to be your agent?"
Vivian had just reached for a book on the shelf but paused halfway.
She turned her head toward her youngest daughter.
"If you can't rely on family, life will be exhausting."
Isabella shrugged with a smile. Honestly, although her late father had been quite a handful, her mother was really good.
If her mother had spent all her days in tears after her father's passing…
She would've broken down.
After handling these small yet important matters, it was early September.
Catherine started school.
Because Isabella's current status was sensitive, the usual first-day-of-school scenes where the sisters accompanied each other no longer happened. Only Vivian stood beside Catherine. But even with this low profile, when they returned home, Catherine still told her younger sister that many people had inquired about her, asking for photos or autographs.
No matter who came, her response was always clear—politely decline.
"Wow~ So decisive?"
That night at dinner, Isabella looked up and smiled.
"Of course."
Catherine nodded firmly, as if to prove that she would choose family.
"But being able to brush them off easily also has to do with Robbie."
"Robbie?" Isabella was puzzled for a moment, then asked, "Robbie Williams?"
She named him.
"Yeah~" Catherine said, "He released a new album, and lots of people at school are obsessed with him."
"Oh~ I know~" Isabella's laughter curved into a smile.
Robbie Williams, a huge star in Western pop music.
In the early '90s, he debuted in a choir, attracting countless fans.
After going solo in 1997, he became one of the most successful British rock singers since the Beatles.
His first album went six times platinum in the UK, the second won multiple awards; this August, his third album sold like crazy, with its lead single "Better Man."
Anyone who loves music knows this song is also popular in the Chinese-speaking world.
Sandy Lam, Nicholas Tse, Eason Chan, Zhang Jie—all have covered it.
But compared to his looks, his singing is negligible. Add to that a playboy-like romantic history… So…
He revealed in his autobiography that many female fans only liked him for his looks. Some even auditioned for roles in his music videos because of it. The outcome? Those in the know understand.
Even if Isabella had started acting, or even if Harry Potter had been released, she couldn't compete with a person like him for female fans. So it made sense to her that her sister's classmates discussed Robbie instead of her.
Catherine, however, didn't see it that way.
"Go for it!"
She raised her little fist at her younger sister.
"Ah?"
Isabella didn't understand.
"Surpass him!"
"What?"
"Since the trouble that comes with fame can't be avoided, I want you to become more famous," Catherine said. "I think minor fame and major fame bring the same trouble: everyone wants to know you. So the more famous you are, the less I lose."
"And I think you have more advantages than him. Robbie only sings, but you can act and do music."
"..."
Isabella couldn't help but laugh at her sister's divine logic.
At this moment, she thought her older sister must have been triggered at school.
Maybe someone said she didn't look like Hermione? Or that she got into HP through connections? Otherwise, Warner wouldn't have withheld her photos. Catherine got upset? Argued with them?Since Catherine hadn't explained, Isabella didn't guess further. She just nodded, said "I'll try," and went back to eating.
With Catherine back at school, Harry Potter's preparations entered the final stages.
All the main actors completed formal contracts before September 10.
By the 13th, Isabella received another call from the crew—but this time it wasn't Director Jessie. Like Susie, he had already stepped down.
A Warner assistant director asked her to report to Leavesden on the 15th.
If nothing went wrong, her work would officially start that day.
No objections—she would depart on time.
Though heavy rain fell in the UK that day, making travel extremely inconvenient, when Isabella arrived at the set drenched, the freshly arranged yet aged magical world left her momentarily speechless.
In her previous life, she had been deeply fascinated by the magic world watching Harry Potter in cinemas.
In this life, even though she now faced mere props, many scenes were just empty shells, partially constructed. Hogwarts itself wasn't here; school scenes were filmed in an actual cathedral, apparently in Oxford.
Yet, even under the cloudy sky, the fragmented "decay" still let her feel like she was stepping into a magical world.
The dim, ancient-style scenery evoked the darkness of the Middle Ages;Exquisite carved props seemed to narrate the splendor of the colonial era;The random structures in the rain seemed to showcase the might of the Industrial Revolution;
But the budget-saving set looked more like post-World War decline…
Honestly, Isabella had originally wanted to enter the industry to make money.
No matter how much she loved Harry Potter, she couldn't deny that money had been her motivation.
But now…
She admitted that joining a globally recognized film project at the turn of the millennium was lucky.
Even more…
"Oh~ Isabella, why are you standing in the rain?"
Maggie Smith's voice brought Isabella back to reality.
She had just arrived, just gotten out of the car.
Seeing Isabella standing motionless in the rain, she asked with a puzzled look.
Perhaps because rain could ruin her hair, the elder lady had her hair neatly tied back today.
Maybe because of the chill, she wore a long black coat reaching her calves.
A few seconds of staring… wow~ she looks like a headmistress~
Seeing Isabella not respond, Maggie Smith glanced ahead, then back at her. "Miss Granger, you're not going to review Hogwarts: A School History in the pouring rain again, are you?"
"Oh~ Of course not~"
Looking ahead at the set again, Isabella smiled. "Professor McGonagall, I feel like we're making history."
Before the elder lady could respond, Isabella walked straight toward the reporting area.
Her graceful figure left Maggie Smith momentarily dazed, but when Isabella's back was fully in sight…
"Dear, you're not wearing boots today, so your shoes must be soaked, right?"
"..."
Isabella froze for a second, then quickened her pace.
Maggie Smith smiled.
Harry Potter was indeed amazing, so she understood Isabella's distraction.
But if you think the set looks great, just say it—why act so prim in front of me?This is really…
Adorable~