Dame Judi Dench, st year's winner of Best Supp Actress, walked to the stage, carrying the bsted envelope that would probably give away the award to Tom Cruise or perhaps Michael e.

  "This year's nominees for Best Supp Actor cover a wide range, from a retive newer to a huge star. From a small boy to a man who's dht huge. Here are the nominees: Michael e in [The Cider House Rules]; Tom Cruise in [Magnolia]; Michael Crk Dun in [The Green Mile]; Jude Law in [The Talented Mr. Ripley]; and Troy Armitage in [The Sixth Sense]."

  I cpped politely as all the nominees' names were called out. When my name was called out, I gri the cameras before returning to Judi Dench. While my exterior visage may not show it, I was sweating bullets on the inside. Despite knowing that getting that award was o impossible for me, I still wa badly. I don't know how accurate my fake smile would be when my name is not called out.

  "And the oes to," Judi Dench opehe envelope, and looked at it for a few moments, before looking up and saying into the mic, "Troy Armitage for [The Sixth Sense]."

  I sat there shell-shocked, not knowing what to do or say or anything at all. Yet, it seemed like everyone around me kly what to do because they stood up and started g. Mum was the first oo e up to me and give me a fierce hug, which I reciprocated unsciously. Dad was the , followed by M. Night Shyaman and Toni Collette. Before I k, I was subtly pushed towards the stage by Toni, who had the seo not hog me all for herself.

  "This is Troy Armitage's first Oscar win and nomination. At the age of 11 years, he is the you male ever to win an Oscar." A female voice called out enthusiastically as I approached the stage.

  Everything was happening so fast that I had no time to process anything. My body moved on its own, showing a happy, fident facade, but deep down I knew how much of a mess I was. I climbed up the stage in a daze as Judi Dench gave me a pe the cheek and a huge trophy that wasn't as light as it appeared in the pictures.

  "Woah, that's heavy," I let out unsciously, but the close proximity of the mic picked up my words, getting cheers and ughter from the people in the auditorium.

  "Thank you so much to the Academy members for voting for me," I begaing my actual speech. Thankful that I had prepared something or I'd be totally bnk at the moment. "I'm still not sure I deserved it any more than Tom Cruise, Michael e, Michael Crk Dun, or Jude Law. I haven't seen any of your films because apparently, I was too young for them, but I'm sure they must have bee." Tom Cruise threw back his head and ughed out loud at my quip while g with other audience members. Of the four other films in this category, three were rated R, so I didn't see those in this life, and the st ohe Cider House Rules], G-13 but was about abortions and rape, so Mum didn't let me see it. Not that I had any iion of watg it anytime soon. It was a s.

  "A big thanks to M. Night Shyaman for seleg me over hundreds of others who could be standioday," I tinued with my speech. "Bruce Willis, I love you, man, for teag me how to a a film like this. Toni Collette for being the best on-s mother anyone could ask for, and all members of the crew from our producers, Barry, Frank, and Kathleen, all the way to our set assistants. This is a shared award for all of us, and I wouldn't be here today if I didn't have all of your support. Also, a big thanks to my teacher aor Paul Tanner for teag me how to sing. My parents, Steve and Kathy," I looked directly towards them, "thank you for adopting me when you did and doing everything in your power to fulfill my dreams. I couldn't have asked for better parents."

  A huge round of appuse rang out iheater as my speeded, and I was led by Judi Dench towards the backstage. I retty mu a daze as I stood in front of a bunch of reporters. Thankfully, the system was well managed, and numbers were called out for the reporters to ask questions without making it a mess.

  "gratutions on the win tonight, Troy," a woman called out.

  "Thank you, Miss," I nodded back with a smile.

  "How does it feel to bee the you persoo win an Emmy, Golden Globe, and now an Oscar as well?"

  "Hoping that I don't follow it up with a Razzie," I joked, making the reph all around. "On a serious note, I couldn't be any luckier to achieve this. I don't think I even realize at the moment the implications of this win; hopefully, my career won't go downhill from here like many people do post an Oscar win."

  "It was a great speech you gave there after your win," another woman said. "Who helped you write it?"

  "I wrote it myself," I said holy. "Mum gave me some pointers beforehand and told me to make a list of people I'd like to thank, that too without exceeding the time limit too much."

  "Troy, you tell us about your film?" a British man asked this time. "Aive from Universal said st week that your performance is eveer than [The Sixth Sense]."

  "I don't know about that, I haven't seen the film yet," I replied humbly. "It is called [Dancer] and directed by Stephen Daldry. It's a small-budget film about the life of a young boy Billy, my character, who wants to bee a ballet dancer, but his family opposes it. I 't tell you much right now; you'll have to wait till the premiere at es this summer. But I'll tell you this, the story is very good, on a simir level to [The Sixth Sense]."

  " you tell us about the shooting progress of [Harry Potter]?" another male, this time Ameri, asked.

  "We are more than halfway doh the film and are expected to finish the shooting by summer, hoping to release the film ter this year. I'll be flying back to London tomorrow, and we'll tinue shooting my ses then."

  I answered a few more questions before finally, it was time for me to return to the auditorium and recim my seat. Thankfully, it was the st ercial break at that time, which I used to grab my seat. It is a weird rule of the Academy that you 't take your seat baless it's a break.

  It was only when I was ba my seat that the implications hit me. I just won an Oscar! Not only that, I became the you male to ever win one and only the sed you winner ever after Tatum O'Neal who won for [Paper Moon] in the 70's. I was eted, but more than that, I didn't know what to do now. Most actors want to win an Oscar, at least on their lives. It's a goal that keeps them motivated to deliver better aer performance each time. Yet, here I had achieved that goal so early in my life, that it didn't feel real. What was my motivation to tiing after Harry Potter? I would be filthy rich, and I have achieved something in my first year of ag that people with years are not able to.

  What would keep me going after today? Maybe that's why so many actors see a slump in their careers after winning an Oscar. They lose their purpose to do better.

  "Are you okay, Troy," Mum nudged me slightly. "You look a little pale."

  "Yeah, I'm fine," I said. "Just… this is a lot to take in." I poi my Oscar trophy.

  "Don't worry, you'll be fine," She smiled at me. "Only a few awards are left. Maybe [The Sixth Sense] will win the big prize."

  At that moment, only four awards were yet to be awarded, namely Best Picture, Director, Actor, and Actress.

  My presence didn't ge these four awards, and they went to the same people they went to in my past life, with [Ameri Beauty] baggi Picture and Sam Mendes winning the award for Best Director. Kevin Spacey won his sed Oscar for [Ameri Beauty], and Hiry Swank won her first for [Boys Don't Cry].

  Finally, the award ceremony was over, and it was time for the afterparties and photo sessions. I posed with Angelina Jolie, Kevin Spacey, and Hiry Swank as the ag winners of the year.

  "How strange," Angelina Jolie remarked. "Last year we both won a Golden Globe in the same category. This year we won an Oscar in the same category."

  "Believe me, love, our lives are interected," I nodded sagely. "I think it is in your best i if you abstain from getting into any other retionship and wait a few years for me to grow up."

  Angie was single currently, as she had announced a divorce from her soon-to-be ex-husband Johnny Lee Miller. She scoffed audibly, "ry. Is that yo-to lih every actress? Cameron Diaz had a lot to say about your ways whe st time."

  Uerred by her cim, I said fidently, "It's always better to seek out your life partner early on. Not my fault that you and Cameron Diaz are so beautiful that men must be beating each other to get on with either of you."

  "I don't know whether I should be fttered or saddehat the person flirting with me is an 11-year-old."

  "Fttered, obviously," I replied seriously. "Just imagine if the person flirting with you was 111."

  "Yeah, I'm mightily fttered," she ughed before ging the topic. "So you ing to the afterparty?"

  "Nah," I shook my head, "I have a flight to London tomorrow to tinue shooting my film. And frankly, these parties aren't the most exg pces to be for someone my age."

  "True," Angie nodded befiving me her farewell. "Goodbye, then. All the best for your film."

  I gave her my greetings and watched her walk up to her brother, Haven, and give him a tight hug. Then she shocked me and probably half the world by kissing her brht on the lips. The paparazzi were having a field day and started clig dozens of pictures of that moment, and only then did I remember how big of a thing this would bee for the siblings, with the media spreading all sorts of rumors about them being in an iuous retionship. I shook my head. I couldn't have warned her not to do it even if I had remembered that moment on time.

  It wasn't my so I simply walked bay parents so we could go home. It had already been a long night, and my young body desperately needed sleep. It was such a shame that I was so young. I could have had so much fun with my Oscar if I was at least 18. Or better yet 21 since we are iates.

  sigh

  Time to go back to Britain and finish [Harry Potter].

  (Break)

  The y of winning an Oscar wore off in a few days. It still felt great when I thought back to the moment, but most people went back to ag how they were before soon enough. My father anized a party for all the cast and crew members in honor of my win, and the paparazzi were much more persistent in tailihis time, but even that became a routine and thanks to my bodyguard Roger, it was rather easy to deal with them.

  A few weeks ter came another award night. Thankfully, this one was in London, so I didn't have to endure a half-day-long cross-Atntic flight or jet g. At the BAFTAs, I made histain by being the you-ever BAFTA winner, defeating Kevin Spacey for the Lead Actor prize. I won't go into details, as most of these award ceremonies were the same, with wihanking the same people repeatedly. But defeating Kevin Spacey, whose performance was one of my personal favorites of the decade, was exhirating and more than a little ego-boosting for me.

  Yet, I felt more worried about my future career. I didn't voice these thoughts out to anyone, because even I khese were irrational thoughts. But I had to do something to feel better. That too, fast, if I still want to remain relevant after the clusion of [Harry Potter]. Sure, it is years away, but time would fly by in moments if I'm not careful enough.

  And I would o do some more hit films iween [Harry Potter] so that people won't associate me entirely with being Harry Potter. It's rare for actors with long-term roles to successfully achieve that. Take Mark Hamill, for example. I don't remember a single film of his other than Star Wars where he was the solo lead. It was difficult for him to move on from pying Luke Skywalker. He is a talented actor, no doubt, but it is difficult for people to stop thinking of you as the character rather thaor.

  And not everyone just go and do only highly accimed films each year. Not every script screams at you that this is a masterpie the making. In some cases, the scripts are very good, and the dire and ag are also good, but post-produ kills the film. Decisions like bad editing or bad VFX be very basic examples of that.

  Anyway, I'll cross that bridge when it es. Currently, my focus is finishing this st se of [Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone].

  "How did I get the stone, sir?" I asked Michael Gambon in fusion. "One minute I was staring in the mirror, the …"

  "Ah," Michael Gambon, in his Dumbledore attire, cut me off, "You see, only a person who wao find the stone. Find it, but not use it, would be able to get it."

  Then he bent forward a little and whispered spiratorially, "That is one of my more brilliant ideas. Aween you ahat is saying something."

  I gri his antics as a sudden realization dawned upon me, "Does that mean with the stone gone, Voldemort ever e back?"

  Gambon gained a faraway look in his eyes as he said, "Oh, I'm afraid there are ways in which he return. Do you know why Professor Quirrell couldn't bear to have you touch him? It was because of your mother. She sacrificed herself for you and that kind of act leaves a mark."

  I raised a hand to touch the fake scar that I had been wearing for months on end.

  "Oh no," Gambon interjected, "This kind of mark ot be seen. It lives in your very skin."

  I gave him a genuinely fused expression, "What is it?"

  "Love, Harry." I saw Michael Gambon's face going through infinitesimal reas that were hard to describe. At that moment, I felt as if he was a real tury-old wizard as he brought a hand forward and patted my head befetting up.

  "Ah, Bertie Bott's Every Fvor Beans." He picked up a box of props that had been prepared by the set designers meticulously. "I was most unfortunate in my youth to e across a vomit-fvored one. And sihen, I'm afraid that I lost my liking for them." His hand wavered indecisively over the box before finally pig one up. "I think I could be safe with a offee."

  I gri his antics as he took a toffee out and popped it in his mouth, "Hmm. As! Earwax." Saying that he walked out of the frame as I followed his movement with my eyes.

  "Cut!"

  A final call was announced by Chris bus as the filming was finally done.

  "We did it, guys! We are doh the shooting of [Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]!" Chris called out loudly.

  Loud whoops and cheers rang across the set as the massive crew ehe st se being finished for the franchise's first film. The best thing is that none of them, except me, have any idea how big of a thing this is gonhe seovie is guarao e out as it has already been greenlit and pre-produ on it has begun, but beyond that, the produ is mightily uain for everyone else involved.

  "Everyone!" Dad called out. As today was the st day, he had e o in person. "It was great w with you all. Hopefully, we'll tinue doing this for years to e and plete all seven books. Let's have a big arty tomorrow with all the cast and crew members!"

  Another round of cheers chorused o as people ehe moment.

  "We're done here, son," Dad whispered as he stood beside me, letting the cast and crew members enjoy themselves.

  "I'm not," I replied. "Have to go to es ter this week."

  "Is it that time already?" Dad asked curiously. "I was hoping we could go off for a vacation now that we're free for some time. Just us and your Mum. What do you think ht after es?"

  "I don't mind," I shrugged. "Where to?"

  "I was thinking of a Euro trip that we begin from es itself. Probably your st quiet holiday before all the Harry Potter fame gets to you."

  "I'm pretty sure getting an Oscar for [The Sixth Sehat earned around 753m worldwide won't leave me any more inspicuous than pying Harry Potter." I tered to which Dad had no reply.

  "True," He ceded after some time. "Still, I have tacted a few VIP holiday po find the best pces that guarantee us some anonymity. If Mainnd Europe isn't possible, we'd probably go to either some isnd in Asia or maybe off-coast Oia."

  "Let's first go to es as a family," I said. "I've heard it's a beautiful pce to be this time of the year."

  ___________________________

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