Around mid-September, we returo London for Dad to make final preparations for set and prop designing before the filming of [Harry Potter] could begin. And of course, it was also time for the cast annous for the first film.

  I met my two fellow co-actors for the role, Emma Watson as Hermione and, surprise surprise, Jamie Bell as Ronald Weasley.

  Believe me, no one was more surprised than me when I saw Jamie wearing his newly dyed ginger locks unabashedly whe for a chemistry read for the first time.

  "Troy!" Jamie came up to me and gave me a tight hug before letting go. "Thank you fettihis ce. I still 't believe it's actually happening."

  "You're wele," I smiled at him sincerely. I had just reended his o Chris because the kid who reviously the top tender for the role of Ron didn't have much ag experienot to mention, from what I remember, the earlier movies took lots of retakes because kid actors did not have enough ag experience. One weird thing happened because of my involvement in the film. Because the film was being shot one year early, Rupert Grint didn't even audition for the role of Ron. So it was retively easy for Jamie to secure the role of Ron.

  With Jamie and me on the se, the unnecessarily extra shots surrounding the main trio would be reduced by two-thirds at the very least.

  There was some more shuffling in the cast members, with one important rept being Ginny Weasley. The inal actress didn't audition, or maybe she was too young this time, I don't know, but the role went to Imogen Poots instead. A cute little girl. No oher than me knew how important Ginny would be for Harry's future because the Half-Blood Prince book hadn't been released yet.

  Then, of course, there was Emma. One of the most beautiful girls of her geion and a talented actress as well. I was surprised that she mao bag the role, given she was only 9 years old at the moment. Heck, even Imogen Poots, who had also auditioned for Hermione, was closer to me in age, but Emma was the one who gave the best audition. I guess some things are written iiny.

  If only she had a little more experiehe shooting would be pleted much more smoothly.

  "gratutions on your film." Jamie broke me out of my reverie. "Me mam told me you earned a lot?"

  I ughed at his innod shook my head. "No, I didn't earn a lot, but my film did. Thank you, by the way."

  Jamie rubbed his in embarrassment. "Oh, okay. So are you ready for this press ferehing?"

  "You betcha," I gri him. "This will be my third one. I'm getting used to them by now."

  Then my gaze fell on the girl standing sideways alone and a little unfortably. In my eagero talk with Jamie, I felt that I had almost fotten to include Emma in our versation. While in school, I wouldn't care about the feelings of others and may even be an arse sometimes, if I am being ho. But this is work and she is still a kid.

  I'd feel pretty guilty if she quit the produ halfway only because we weren't o her. I remember seeing the [Harry Potter Reunion] aing to know that little fact was heartbreaking. Had Emma quit the series mid-way, I would have felt terrible as a viewer. I 't let this happen this time around.

  "Hey, Emma! e join us," I hollered.

  Emma gave me a nervous smile but came closer heless.

  "Jamie and I were just talking about the press ference. How do you feel about it?"

  "Oh, I'm a nervous wreck!" She said while fidgeting with her fingers nervously. "I don't know how I'll answer any questions directed at me,"

  "Don't worry too much." I tried to reassure her with a smile. "Just take a deep breath and believe it's just another ag job. You know the questions they'd ask, just learn the answers like a…like an oral test at school."

  That seemed to ease up some of her worries. She was good at school, like Hermione, so that was uandable.

  "Thanks, Troy. I'll do just that." She smiled.

  "No problem. If either of you need any help in school or for ag you always e to me." I ed an arm around both of their shoulders like the iic trio we were meant to be.

  Emma blushed from the tact but didn't say anything, just nodded.

  Jamie looked at me in fusion. "I'm older than you. How you help me?"

  "I'm already two years ahead in my csses, so trust me, I help you," I answered nontly. "I'm learning at a fast pace, and I'll finish my schooling by the time I'm 14, so that won't be an issue. And I'd love to help."

  While I didn't like school on principle, I loved teag others. I have a feeling that if I wasn't an actor, I would have been a teacher. Not to mention, I'd actually love to mentor someone in ag much more than I would in algebra, but I'd do both if given the ce. It could even mean a smoother shooting experience if the three of us are more fortable around each other even when not shooting.

  By now, Jamie had seen how much I dedicated myself to my ag or whatever I did, so he just nodded. Or maybe it was because of the gratitude he was feeling for the role. It didn't matter much.

  I stood there silently as we waited for other people. I saw Tom Felton, who ying Draalfoy. Then there were the same inal actors for Neville, Snape, Magall, Quirrell, Flitwick, the Dursleys, and Dumbledore.

  Not Richard Harris, but Michael Gambon. After my suggestion, Chris stopped tag Harris and just went with Gambon.

  Harris did tact Chris ter on after his granddaughter insisted on him to py the role, but by then Gambon had already signed up for multiple movies.

  A few people who were part of the cast were not in attendance, like Julie Walters who pyed Molly, or Imogen Poots finny, because their role was more or less a cameo in the first film and they didn't o be present for the same. There was one more person who wasn't o but was on the cast list.

  It was Ralph Fiennes who would be pying Voldemort. Again, that was my suggestion to Chris and Dad. I told them that getting a top-css actor is necessary in the long run, especially in ter movies.

  From what Dad told me, Ralph Fiennes was hesitant to take up such a small ive role with little pay, but they vinced him because just like the Weasleys, it was a cameo. To vince him, they didn't even ask him to sign multiple films, just ohat will give him great iating power iure for his sary as Voldemort didn't even appear in the sed and third books. And if they do make a fourth film, theudio would be much more enthusiastic to give him a raise.

  Slowly but surely, as more people, mostly reporters, came itled in our allotted seats for the ference. Mine was in the middle, with Jamie on my right and Emma on my left. All the others were spread in a row beside us, including Chris bus and Dad. J.K. Rowling was also present and was sitting beside Chris.

  Dad took over the role of the emcee as he annouhe cast members by name and the roles they would portray.

  When it was do was time to ask questions. Because I pyed the titur character and also because of my ret fame, most of the initial questions were directed towards me.

  "Troy, is it true that it was you who persuaded Mr. Kloves to buy the rights to [Harry Potter]?"

  Dad had already leaked some information to the press beforehand to guide the dire of interviews.

  With a smile, I nodded. "Yes, I read the book for the first time when it was released. I told Dad that I would love to py Harry if he could get the rights. And the rest is history."

  "Don't you think it is unfair for other kids that couldn't get to audition for Harry's role?" a reporter asked, trying to trap me.

  "Who said there was no audition for Harry?" I asked in what I hoped would be genuine bafflement. "As per my knowledge, there were at least three other people who were seriously sidered."

  I looked at Chris, and luckily, he got the hint and took over the versation. "Yes, we didn't hold an open audition because we wanted someoh experien ag, to carry such a big role, so we tacted w actors of the right age throughout the UK. It wasn't until the release of [The Sixth Sense] iates that we finalized on Troy."

  Internally, I heaved out a sigh of relief. That could've gone bad very quickly. Thankfully, we had already anticipated this question because allegations of ism were a major problem against my casting.

  I didn't see it that way. Big stars like Tom Cruise or Leonardo DiCaprio always bought rights to books or other stories they liked for themselves. It wasn't much different from that. But because I couldn't do it myself legally, I got Dad to do it for me. Was it much different from that?

  After that, I had to shoot down a few questions about [The Sixth Sense] and its UK release as this was a for a different film.

  After some questions from other actors, one question was asked to Dad. "Mr. Kloves, how do you feel that your son is w in such a big film?"

  Dad looked at me for a moment before answering the question. "Holy? I hate it. I want Troy to finish his schooling like normal kids and enjoy his life, but he is very dedicated to his ag career and he won't five me easily if I forbade him from this. So here we are. To make sure the kids get the best envirohey , we have set up a prehe system for them and have also included sports aracurricur activities like music, dance, and art lessons. We have even received special permission from the parliament to hold these lessons for the kids to aodate shooting and give us more flexible timings."

  Then a reporter turo Rowling, "Ms. Rowling, do you approve of the casting choices for the roles for your beloved book series?"

  "Absolutely," Jo said emphatically. "I personally atteroy's audition, and couldn't have chosen a better person to py Harry myself. Troy was born to py Harry, he's that good. I'm sure he'd do justice to the role. As for the other kids, and adults, everyone is cast perfectly by Chris and Steve. I trust them implicitly to make the best film."

  The unabashed praise by Jo made me a little flustered. I knew she liked me as Harry, but hearing such high praise was more than a little fttering. Hopefully, just as she said, I would be able to do justice to the role. I would hate it if I did any worse than Daniel Radcliffe.

  (Break)

  The worst thing happened on our way bae from the ference. We were followed by the paparazzi.

  "These people are awful," Mum s the car that was btantly following us with their camera poi our car.

  "Dad." He looked at me questioningly with a raised eyebrow. " I make a phone call?"

  He didn't ask me anything, just handed me his phone. I promptly dialed 999, the emergenumber in the UK.

  "Hello? Yes, I'm afraid we are being followed in our car."

  "They have some sort of bck thing in their hands that I think could be a gun."

  "My dad is driving the car so he 't talk right now. Dad, you just tell them that this is not a prank call?"

  Dad had an amused smile on his fad just went along with me, "Yes, this is not a prank call. These people are following us in a bck vehicle. Troy, give them the number of the car."

  So I did, along with the make of the car.

  "Yes, that's our location. Thank you. Dad, they are asking you to take fht turns and if they still follow, to wait for a police dispatch to apprehend them." I answered in amusement after I put the phone down.

  Dad did as asked, and the vultures followed suit. Soon, however, there was an audible siren sound and a police car came into the viity and stopped our followers.

  Without waiting for them, Dad stepped down hard on the accelerator and we were off towards our house at full speed. Dad and I ughed out loud at our little prank but Mum didn't find it funny.

  "You know that the police will e to us for interrogatiht?"

  Dad waved her off. "Oh, e on Kathy, lighten up a little. For all we know, they could've been child abductors. This will teach them a lesson. Also, I think we need a new car, chauffeur, and security guard for Troy."

  Mum thought for a while before nodding. "That is a y. We 't show preferential treatment to Troy. If other parents are not allowed o extensively, we'd have to follow the same rule."

  "Wait, parents aren't allowed o?" I asked in fusion. Mum had always been there for me every time I was shooting. As far as I know, there was even this w that said that parents 't be stopped from being o when their child is filming.

  "We 't legally bar their entry o," Dad replied, "but we'd prefer if they weren't there as it would increase unnecessary costs. There will be chaperones for kids who will also be the tutors. We'll divide them based on their ages and the csses they will be taking. Essentially, it will be an unofficial school of sorts. Also, not all parents are free; most of them have their own jobs to take care of."

  That did make a surprising amount of sense.

  "Let's not talk about the serious stuff," Mum stopped the talk about the film. "Tell me, do you like a particur car, Troy?"

  "Any car will do, as long it looks good." Then I thought for a few moments and added, "And dark-tinted gsses for the paparazzi."

  I didn't know much about cars because I didn't drive yet and didn't have easy access to the i like on a smartphoo do some car resear my free time. Moreover, I trusted that my parents would get me a good car.

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