In her previous life, Isabella couldn't remember what the HP1 poster looked like.
But in this life, she thought Warner had done a fantastic job with the HP1 poster.
The background of the movie poster depicted the moment the kids first arrived at Hogwarts:
The upper half showed a pitch-dark night, with the brilliantly lit castle rising atop the hills.
The lower half displayed a wide river, with everyone holding lanterns and rowing toward their dream destination.
Between the two sections was a white cloud, serving as a dividing line.
In the center, the light brown Harry Potter logo was clearly visible.
The second poster featured Hedwig, wings outstretched, clutching an envelope in its talons. Even though it carried nothing else, every HP fan would instantly recognize it as the Hogwarts acceptance letter everyone dreams of receiving.
The third poster depicted Harry. Wearing his Gryffindor uniform, arms crossed, his glasses-framed face slightly tilted upward, his gaze wasn't directed forward but instead focused on the unknown in the distance, like a little adult contemplating the future.
The fourth poster finally showed Hermione, also in a Gryffindor uniform, arms crossed. But unlike Harry, she held a thick stack of books and faced the camera directly, smiling brightly.
Her slightly curved lips, sweet face, and waterfall-like golden hair…
"Oh my God~How can I be this beautiful???"
"Hollywood giant Warner Bros. today released the movie poster for the worldwide bestseller Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Hogwarts is mysterious and beautiful under the night sky!"
"Hedwig surprises fans with a magical world pass!"
"The highly anticipated character stills for Harry Potter meet the public today. Harry is perfectly portrayed, cute to the extreme, and Hermione's beauty exceeds expectations, with a sweet smile that is unforgettable."
"Obedient young Harry! Stunning young Hermione!"
"Unexpected casting, satisfying results."
"..."
The posters appeared alongside media coverage, so while gazing at their beauty, some people also read the headlines aloud. Even though most of the articles only partially concerned Hermione, that didn't matter.
The unanimous praise made Isabella purse her lips. The unreserved admiration made the small tail at her back perk up.
She wasn't vain—or well, even thinking that in her head made her feel guilty.
Honestly, who doesn't like compliments? Who doesn't enjoy being praised? The overwhelming acclaim simply made Isabella happy—overjoyed! If it weren't for her "modesty," she would…
"Oh Isabella~ just smile if you're happy~"
"Isn't it uncomfortable to hold it in?"
"Look at Daniel, his smile almost reaches his ears!"
Indeed, even with all the external praise ringing in her ears, Isabella's facial expression was still somewhat restrained.
Ah, in her previous life, she had been taught not to be too proud in social interactions.
It was fine to be happy, to be expressive, but not excessively so.
Because the line was hard to gauge, many people's final expressions were rather shy.
Isabella admitted she was the same.
But this reserved demeanor couldn't be tolerated by Chris Columbus.
Clearly happy, yet why maintain that stiff composure? To look proper? To appear mature? Oh, forget it! Everyone already knew you, and even if they didn't, it's normal to fluff your feathers a bit after being praised~
Whoosh—
As Columbus spoke, everyone crammed into the office shifted their gaze to Isabella.
Immediately, the "serious" expression she'd been holding was laid bare.
Her joy, yet unsaid, made her even cuter.
But being the center of attention also made Isabella break down slightly.
"Oh—Director—"
She shook her head with a smile, two shallow dimples forming on her fair cheeks.
"I admit I'm happy, okay?"
"Since everyone knows, there's no need to hide it, right? Really…"
Isabella raised her eyebrows. "Can't I just pretend for a bit?"
"I want to show a predictable expression for something that's completely natural—why not?"
"Hahahaha~"
Her expressive face and joyful demeanor turned Columbus's office into a sea of laughter.
And after shedding her restraint…
Oh~Isabella admitted, accepting praise decisively and showing her joy outright was really satisfying~Hehe~
After laughing, everyone turned their attention back to Columbus because they noticed a problem.
"Director, there are only four posters?"
Rupert didn't see himself among the materials.
"Yeah, yeah? Where's our character still? Won't Warner release it?"
The young master also raised his head.
"Oh~ the release of movie posters happens in stages. Today is just the first batch."
Columbus explained with a smile: "Warner asked me to tell you that they'll release all the posters before Christmas. And don't worry, everyone in the cast will have a poster."
"For example, the day after tomorrow, Sunday, Warner will release Ron's poster, featuring Professor McGonagall with him. Then on the 8th, next Friday, Draco Malfoy will appear with Snape…"
No matter how much the young actors liked Harry Potter, they were all fans of the series. But after officially joining the cast, everyone cared most about themselves.
So when they discovered Warner hadn't released posters featuring them yet, disappointment surged instantly.
But when Columbus explained that every cast member would get a poster, it cheered everyone up.
It's not about having too few, it's about fairness.
Although adults know there's a hierarchy between main and supporting roles, children don't care.
And because children's perspectives differ from adults', Warner decided that everyone in the HP cast would get a poster.
This is actually the most professional Hollywood approach: first identify the true audience, then provide a tailored experience. As long as the target audience is satisfied, word-of-mouth will naturally generate more fans.
As for the wider public…
Well, Isabella didn't know.
She couldn't see the public's reaction.
Not only because the internet was still in its infancy—there was no TikTok to instantly check feedback—but also because after filming began, producer David Heyman emphasized that no media would bother them before the wrap and release date. Without interviews, news dissemination in the traditional era didn't exist.
So at this moment, all they could see was—
Today:
Ah, Draco Malfoy's poster is out! Young master, you look handsome, but not as much as Snape!Haha~
Tomorrow:
Ah, Ginny's poster is released with Dumbledore? They really look like grandfather and granddaughter!
Haha~
Over.
Honestly, the lack of outside news made their joy feel a bit self-entertained. When Warner finally launched their press releases, there was no way they'd include negative comments. So whether the public liked them? No one knew.
But this protection was actually beneficial for the kids on set.
Kids are sensitive. If they received too much negative feedback, it could ruin their performances.
But there are always exceptions, right?
For instance, Isabella, a day student bug.
Since the crew didn't shoot night scenes or travel, she could run home easily. Then…
December 19.
Three days after Warner released the HP1 posters, Isabella noticed her older sister seemed off.
"Cessa? What's wrong? Are you sick?"
At six in the evening, the family was having dinner as usual.
Winter in London had brought temperatures down to a few degrees above zero, with recent rain and snow. Indoors, the heating was on, so moving between inside and outside could easily cause a cold.
"You not feeling well?"
Vivian also looked at her eldest daughter, setting down her fork with concern. "Shall I call David to check on you?"
David was their family doctor. Unlike ordinary Western middle-class family doctors who only chatted, the Mayfair family doctor had an anesthetist license and could perform minor procedures at home. The call-out fee alone was £3,000 per year.
"You only get service if you pay; once you call, he arrives within fifteen minutes."
"Oh~ I'm fine~"
Catherine snapped out of her daze. "I'm not sick."
"So you're upset? Because this year's Christmas trip was canceled?" Isabella guessed.
When their father was alive, the family traveled for Christmas every year.
Last year to Norway, the year before to France, the year before that to Croatia.
This year, traveling was difficult.
Although the HP crew gave them a long Christmas break from Christmas Eve to January 5, and their income could support travel, Vivian wanted to visit a cemetery on Christmas Day.
Then on December 28, Maggie Smith would turn 66, and she had already invited Isabella's family a month ago, hoping they'd join her for a "together Christmas."
Finally, with Hermione's poster released, Isabella's appearance was already public. Even if she wasn't widely recognized, appearing unadorned in a busy area would draw attention within five minutes, meaning they'd soon need security.
Currently, security was provided by Warner.
Warner's reputation among fans wasn't great, but they were wealthy.
With all these complicated issues, the new trip had to be postponed.
"Oh Isabella! What are you thinking?"
The offbeat question made Catherine roll her eyes, loudly asking, "Do you think I'm someone without foresight?"
"Then tell me what's wrong!"
Isabella raised her voice slightly, "I noticed you were upset after I sat down. If you don't tell me, I can only guess—"
"It's nothing. I just didn't sleep well."
Catherine sighed. "I've been wanting to start a new painting recently. I have some ideas, but no inspiration, so I've been a little frustrated."
"Is it really that simple?"
"Of course!"
Isabella didn't believe her and glanced at her mother.
Vivian shook her head, making her stance clear: 'If your sister doesn't want to say, don't ask.'
With her mother's attitude like that, Isabella decided to just eat her meal quietly.
But not asking didn't mean she couldn't investigate a bit, right?
Her sister's mood worried Isabella, so after dinner, when she saw Catherine quietly retreat to her room, she quietly followed. She pressed lightly on the doorknob—good, it wasn't locked—pushed it open slightly, and slipped her head inside.
She saw her sister sitting at the computer, staring seriously at the screen.
"Puchi puchi, Cessa? What are you doing?"
Isabella whispered.
"Oh shit—"
Catherine was completely startled!She jumped up in place and landed heavily.
She twisted her head forcefully and glared, "Oh—Isabella—when did you open the door—"
"Just now."
"Why didn't you knock!!"
"Because your door wasn't locked."
"Just because my door wasn't locked, you don't knock? Oh—whose bedroom locks their door in this house???"
In Western culture, once kids develop a sense of privacy, they do lock their bedroom or study doors to be alone. But in their house, it wasn't necessary—neither Vivian nor Eric would enter without permission.
Hmm, previously, Isabella was on the "won't enter without permission" list, but now?
"Uh… Cessa… I know you're upset, but… I didn't come in…"
Isabella pushed the door open.
Then, a ridiculous sight entered Catherine's line of vision.
At this moment, Isabella spread herself across the doorframe like a spider, her entire body outside the room—technically not stepping into the bedroom—but her head… she was craning her neck like Luffy, trying to see more.
"I was just asking if I could come in!"
This self-deception made Catherine groan, holding her forehead. "Fine, come in."
"Yay~"
Isabella hopped over to her sister's side and glanced at the unguarded screen—
She understood why Catherine was upset.
Catherine's computer displayed Yahoo's entertainment section, full of Harry Potter-related content. Even just looking at the headlines, the small interface was divided between "allies" and "enemies."
In other words, some people liked the HP casting, some hated Warner's posters. This was normal, as tastes vary. But many of the negative comments originated because of her.
"Oh~ so that's why you were upset~"
Isabella leaned forward, hands on the back of Catherine's chair. "You were annoyed by the media?"
"Why hide this from me? Afraid I'd get upset?"
"Mm." Catherine made a nasal sound.
As Isabella's older sister, Catherine naturally cared about her younger sister's work. Or rather, if Isabella had joined the industry for family reasons, only someone extremely cold would remain oblivious to her progress.
So when she learned Warner would release posters, she paid attention.
When she first saw them, she was thrilled—Warner had made Isabella look beautiful.
She was satisfied and a little proud—This is my sister!
But after a few days, her mood gradually dropped. As the posters circulated, some media claimed Isabella was too beautiful, inconsistent with the original books.
It made Catherine feel uncomfortable.
At that time, she wasn't angry—people were just stating their opinion, which was reasonable.
But in recent days, as all posters were released, her irritation kept rising.
Many media outlets, in their summaries, targeted Isabella—
Saying her beauty was the biggest flaw in all the posters.
Other characters aligned more closely with the books.
Saying her beauty made J.K. Rowling's insistence seem like a joke.
Earlier, Rowling and Columbus had fought hard to preserve the original work, showing integrity—but now, Hermione's actress didn't match the description, representing hypocrisy.
Saying Isabella's beauty would ruin the entire movie.
The magical world should show magic, not looks.
Truly, the relentless criticism made Catherine want to fight those people herself.
"MFxxk! Is it a crime to be beautiful?"
"We didn't steal their rice!"
"During the final auditions, I saw all the Hermione candidates looked good, none were ordinary!"
"So why would they say your beauty would ruin the movie? Huh??"
Catherine couldn't understand.
Isabella…
Honestly, she also felt a little uncomfortable.
Words can warm a cold winter, but harsh words can chill a summer day.
Being scrutinized is something a celebrity must endure—it's unavoidable.
Of course, Isabella wouldn't say all this to her sister.
She sighed softly, leaned in, cheek to cheek, thanking her sister for defending her while picking up the mouse.
Clicking through a few links, she quickly found a comforting explanation.
"Oh, these people are posting this on purpose—they're jealous of me."
"Huh? What did you say?" Catherine didn't understand.
Isabella pointed at the open webpage. "See? The media attacking me are all from the US."
"The Houston Chronicle said my looks didn't match the book, The Boston Globe said my beauty made Aunt Rowling's insistence a joke, and USA Today said my beauty would ruin the movie."
"When all these outlets are American, doesn't their motive become clear? Haven't you forgotten? Warner originally wanted to make an American version of Harry Potter."
"If Warner had succeeded, all HP media resources would have been monopolized by these American outlets. But now, they can only watch our media and Warner's headquarters have exclusive access."
"So, if you were them, seeing the casting was unusually good, what would you do?"
"You'd try to attack Harry Potter, right?"
"And at that point, the only target you could attack is me, because I'm exceptional. And everyone in media knows—the more beautiful the heroine, the more fans she attracts."
Exactly. Isabella's comforting thought was labeling the criticizing media as malicious.
No choice—they were all from the US.
Of course, Isabella knew her reasoning was a bit extreme. When HP is tightly monitored by the UK government and co-produced with the US, British media wouldn't dare criticize.
Does it matter now? Isabella didn't care, but Catherine…
"Oh… so that's it?"
Catherine hesitated.
"Of course it is!"
Isabella switched the webpage to Yahoo's official source, softening Catherine's gaze.
"These people are disgusting! Losing an argument on the project, so they resort to this!"
"So you should read less of it."
Isabella closed the page. "If there's nothing important, read less, and read more books. If you're bored, come to my room and play with me. Oh, speaking of which, we haven't played together for so long…"
She couldn't stop others from talking, but she could limit her sister's exposure to trash news.
That night, she took Catherine to her room to watch a movie.
Did Catherine understand everything? Isabella only knew that the next day, the sun rose as usual.
Perhaps the crew was isolated, or maybe they feared gossip affecting filming. When Isabella noticed external criticism, she stayed alert on set, checking if anyone mentioned it—but…
The crew was quiet as a chicken.
This made her feel comfortable.
After Christmas, when filming resumed, she noticed something unusual.
It was normal—kids returning from vacation naturally heard rumors.
And the cast's emotions were obvious in their eyes.
Comfort? Sympathy? Resentment?It was complicated.
When everyone wanted a reason to talk to her…
"Isabella, come here."
On the first day back, Chris Columbus privately spoke with Isabella.
His meaning was clear: don't worry about outside comments.
First, everyone knows she's talented and hardworking, and will be a beloved Hermione;Second, HP fans generally don't read commentary news—the American media's criticism wouldn't affect her much, and Warner would handle any troublemakers;Third…
"Isabella, in our industry, only successful people are scrutinized and criticized under a microscope. All losers just exit the stage. So… keep being yourself, okay?"
"Media belittlement proves one thing: we chose the right person."
"You're one step away from true success: make this movie great, okay?"
"Okay."
Isabella smiled. "Director, I think you're saying a lot today."
"Because everything you just said can be summed up in one sentence: 'Belittlement is the noblest form of praise.'"
Isabella winked.
"Uh—Yeah~~~"
Chris Columbus paused briefly, then his face broke into a huge smile.
"Oh, Isabella, honestly, you're outstanding, extremely outstanding. Even though Joanne and I have differences, I still really like you. This isn't flattery, because… we may have other opportunities to work together in the future."
"Thanks~ But let's talk about the future later~ Right now… I'm just focusing on the present, right?"
"You're right. Then… action?"
"You're the director—you decide."