The Light in the Dark | Neville Longbottom

Epilogue: Part 2

*CW: Alcoholism*

June 6th, 2010 — Los Angeles, California

"MISS REED!"

"MISS REED! LOOK OVER HERE!"

"YOU LOOK STUNNING TONIGHT, MISS REED, WHO ARE YOU WEARING?"

I giggled as the flashing lights continued to blind me, "My dear friend, Marc Jacobs... Who else would I be wearing?"

"MISS READ, OVER HERE PLEASE!"

"LOOK! LOOK! OVER HERE! LOOK AT THE CAMERA!"

"MISS REED, HOW DO YOU FEEL GETTING NOMINATED FOR BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE FOR YOUR NEW THRILLER MOVIE, TIME'S UP?"

"Flattered, proud, nervous... As I'm sure the rest of the nominees are feeling at this very moment!" I exclaimed.

"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! SHOO, WOULD YOU?" Brittany scoffed, "MY CLIENT'S GOT SOMEWHERE TO BE! YOU CAN ASK HER QUESTIONS AFTER SHE WINS, ALRIGHT!"

Brittany grabbed my hand before dragging me off the red carpet. That was one thing I grew to love over the past decade... Cameras and attention. However, I hated answering questions; partly because half of the time they were either uncomfortable or, according to Brittany and my producers, I wasn't allowed to answer them.

It was why I hated going on talk shows, especially The Ellen DeGeneres Show. My first and last time going on that show, she talked about the supposedly private relations I had with the male lead of my first ever movie: Sublevel Zero. Craig (or better known as Mister Hammond by those in the industry) caved for a C-list actor — at the time — by the name of Orlando Bloom.

Yeah... Oops.

So much for trying to keep my sex life private in my early 20s.

I never went on The Ellen DeGeneres Show again, merely sticking to the Jimmys since they didn't like to discuss my sex life on national television. Furthermore, I ended things with Orlando Bloom the night of that interview. That was the last time a man thought about putting my relationship with him on blast.

Not to say that my rise to fame was all terrible. I definitely had my ups and downs, but as did every other living being. Eventually, the memories of my past stopped haunting me. Thankfully, I was never asked to audition to play myself in those Harry Potter movies; I think that would've just sent me over the edge. Besides, I stopped getting casted in movies with British leads around 2007 as my accent started to dwindle. I blamed it on being around Brittany for so many years and unintentionally picking up on her southern dialect.

I started to unironically refer to large groups of people as "y'all" a few years ago... It's been great!

"You are so lucky that I am not only your agent, but also your best friend," Brittany laughed, guiding me into the awards venue, "These paparazzi folk never get any easier, do they?"

"Oh, Brittany, what would I do without you?" I chuckled, resting my head against her shoulder.

Immediately, she jumped away from me, "OH MY LANTA, DAWN, DON'T DO THAT! FAITH SPENT HOURS ON YOUR HAIR TODAY! AT LEAST WAIT UNTIL THE AFTER PARTY BEFORE SOMEONE RUINS IT!"

I rolled my eyes, pshawing, "Yeah... Yeah... Whatever! And for your information, I have no intentions of going home with someone tonight. Need I remind you that I'm now celibate!"