Epilogue of the Band.
Albus Potter looked at his cousin, Rose Weasley. The two were in Diagon Alley, and paused at the entry way, a poster on the brick wall caught there attention. It was brightly colored with five groups on it, everyone in the poster was moving.
ATTENTION!
"The Singing Sorceress" Celestina Warbeck is Star Searching for solo artists and bands.
You must be seventeen years old or older to audition.
You have to use your own song to audition and your own instruments.
Auditions are Tuesday and Wednesday July 16th- 17th at the SSQR producers building in London from 11AM to 8PM
"Wow, Celestina Warbeck, she has to be over a hundred years old now," Albus said looking at the poster.
"Your seriously not thinking of doing this are you?" Rose asked him, her left hand on her hip. She looked a lot like a cross between her mother and father. Rose was definitely smart like her mother, but was also known to lazy like her dad. It wasn't much of a surprise to Albus that she was a Ravenclaw.
"Yeah Rose I am thinking of doing it," he told her, looking back at the poster.
"Think about what Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny would say," Rose said, Albus rolled his eyes, it was just like Rose to play the blame game on him.
"I am eighteen Rose, my parents don't have that kind of hold on me," Albus said as he walked away from the poster. Albus had always liked to sing, play guitar, drums, and piano. He was in a small garage band almost two years ago during the summer, but they dismembered after less than a year after too many group disagreements.
"Oh come on Albus, you don't want to be in a band," Rose said to him. "Remember the last one?"
"And why not?" he asked turning to look at her.
"Because your… your better than that, that's why."
"I'm still doing it," he said with a smirk on his face.
"But—"
"No buts Rose, I am auditioning," he said. "Rather you guys like it or not. This is my life, not yours. "
...
"Mum, dad, I am going to audition in front of Celestina Warbeck at the SSQR producers buildings," Albus said, looking at his parents. Albus stood in the family room of his parents' house, standing behind a chair.
"What?" Ginny asked looking at him, her eyes were wide. Ginny could not believe that her son was going to audition in front of a singer. She knew her son was talented, but she was worried that he could be throwing his life away for music. "Albus are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, would you rather have a real job? A job that can actually pay?"
Albus resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"Your mum has a point Albus, the music industry is tough and not everyone makes it," Harry said. Albus looked at both of his parents, his mouth dropped, not believing his ears. Neither one believed in him, and that rejection stung worse than the rejections from all of those producers combined.
"Why cant you guys just believe in me?" Albus said looking at his parents. "I mean, why is it so hard for you two to believe in me?"
Harry and Ginny looked at each other, an understanding passed between them.
"We do believe in you, it's just that we don't know if it is right for you is all," Ginny replied.
"So you two were just lying to me when you both said that you both believed in me?" Albus said, his hands clinched in fists.
"We were not lying to you Albus," Harry said, keeping himself calm. "We do believe in you, and you are a great musician. It is just that we are concerned."
"Oh so your 'concerned'?" Albus asked, air quoting the latter said. "I am eighteen; I'm not a kid anymore. Besides, I don't recall either of your telling James no when he was recruited to the Puddlemore United team last year."
"Don't bring James into this Albus," Ginny said. Albus couldn't believe that his parents were not excited for him, not even a little congratulations from either one of them.
"Remind me again why I even bother talking to either of you," Albus said as he turned around and left the kitchen.
"Albus!" Ginny called as Albus walked out of the kitchen. Quickly disapperating to his flat as soon as he stepped out of the house.
...
It was the day of auditions and Albus Potter stood inside of the SSQR. The building was five stories, and seemed to be abandoned with the windows boarded up on the outside. The inside was modern with marble flooring and white walls. Albus has heard of the producers were hard-as-nails, so this audition was a good thing for bands and solo artists. Albus fiddled with his lip ring as he stood, it was an act that he normally did when he was feeling nervous. He held his guitar case in his other hand as he stood near the white sheet rock wall. The number that hung on his chest was Seven hundred and eighty two, and Albus had been waiting for more than half the day already before he was close to the double doors that led to his future.
"Seven hundred and eighty!" a middle aged woman with short brown hair called from a set of solid oak double doors. Albus could feel his heart beat faster in his chest now as he saw a woman walk through the doubled doors. It was getting closer to his time now, and Albus could feel his knees begin to wobble. It wasn't that he had stage fright, because Albus had performed a few songs in front of large crowds before. He was mainly nervous because he knew these judges are the ones who are holding the strings to him. They were the ones who can pull him up or cut him off completely.
"Albus Potter?" a male voice said from behind. It sounded familiar to him as he turned around. Two people behind him, Albus saw his old friend Derek Harker, a muggle born, who was in the band that Albus, Derek, and two other boys started.
"Derek?" Albus asked. "…How… how have you been?"
"How have I been?" Derek asked sarcastically. "That's the question you ask after two years?"
"What else am I supposed to say?" Albus asked with a shrug, a grin spread across his features.
"How about 'It is nice to see you after two years,'" Derek told him.
"If it helps any, I forgot what we even fought about," Albus said.
"We couldn't agree on any songs," Derek said, his eyes stared at the ground.
"Oh yeah… I do hope you get a spot… your pretty bloody good," Albus replied.
"Thanks," Derek said looking at Albus now, seeing his old friend looking sincere. "… I hope you get on too, even if we aren't in the same band."
"Best of luck—"
"Number seven hundred and eighty one!" the woman said.
"Bloody hell its almost my turn," Albus said, his pals were becoming sweaty now.
"Don't worry Al, you will do great," Derek said with a smirk. "Besides, its me who should be worried."
"Why is that?" Albus asked, eyeing his friend.
"Your up next and I all I got is two others before me after you," Derek replied.
"Seven hundred and eighty two!" the woman called, making Albus nearly jump out of his skin, he didn't expect his name to pop up that quick.
"Good luck," Derek told him, Albus nodded nervously.
"You too mate."
Albus felt like his entire future was flashing before him as he walked towards the doors; the short haired woman didn't look at him or anything as he walked through the doubled doors. He stepped onto marble flooring, and saw a long rectangle table, where eight people sat, in front of them was a twelve inch raised platform with wood flooring. As he walked in the room, all the judges looked at him, and Celestina Warbeck was among the judges.
"Stand on the platform please dear and tell us your name and age," Celestina said, and Albus was amazed how she sounded just the same as she sang. He also couldn't believe how much make up she wore, he was pretty sure that it was hiding eighty percent of her winkles. Albus swallowed dryly, swallowing his nerves as he walked up on the stage, hoping that he won't trip or make a fool out of himself. He took out the guitar and laid the case on the floor next to him.
"I'm Albus Potter, and I'm 18," he said, and a loud gasp came from the judges. None of them expected the son of Harry Potter to be auditioning in front of them.
"Well Mr. Potter, good luck to you," said a male judge who sat right next to Celestina. The judge was a short plump man in his forties with his black hair plastered his head. The rest of the judges were middle aged or older, with only two other women and the rest were men.
(The song belongs to 5 Seconds Of Summer, not me…)
"..You're like perfection, some kind of holiday
You got me thinking that we could run away
You want I'll take you there,
You tell me when and where,
Oh oh oh oh
But then I asked for your number,
Said you don't have a phone
It's getting late now,
I gotta let you know
That everybody wants to take you home tonight
But I'm gonna find a way to make you mine
Don't stop doin' what you're doin'
Every time you move to the beat
It gets harder for me
And you know it, know it, know it
Don't stop 'cause you know that I like it
Every time you walk in the room
You got all eyes on you
And you know it, know it, know it
You're coming close now, swear I can taste it,
You got me tongue tied, I can't escape it
I'm loving what you got,
But then you push me off,
Oh oh oh oh…"
Albus finished the song, he performed the best way he could and Albus felt pretty great afterward. He grinned, feeling happy about his performance. All of the judges were looking at one another and chatting, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.
"Mr. Potter, you do have talent, I am not going to lie about that at all," said a male judge. Albus heard that line before, and normally meant no in his experience, but Albus knew he couldn't show that he was feeling crestfallen at the judge's words. "Your guitar skills are impressive, "
"Oh yes lots of it," said a older female at the end of the table.
"Mr. potter, I will like to see you here next week at two o'clock sharp," said Celestina Warbeck, as she stood up and held out a yellow sheet of paper.
"I am in?" Albus asked, he could ot believe his ears. Did she really tell him that she wanted to see him back next week? Albus smiled even more, feeling happy with himself.
"Yes Mr. Potter, I am pretty confident in saying that you are in," Celestina said, she was smiling back at him. Albus walked toward the judges table, doing all of his best not to yell at the top of his lungs that he was chosen to come back.
...
"So the audition went very well?" Asked Albus's live in, stay at home girlfriend, Victoria Weeks.
"Yeah it did, you should have been there, it was—it was amazing," Albus said, he couldn't keep still as he paced the small family room. Victoria just looked at him. "Aren't you happy for me? I finally got a gig."
"Of course I know how you feel," Victoria told him, and she stood up from the two seated couch. "I just don't understand why you can't take a desk job."
Albus looked at Victoria, and he was beginning to guess that she must be spending time with his mother while he was out.
"Your sounding like my mum you know," he said to her.
"I don't mean to Albus, its just that I am concerned. What if this doesn't go well? What then?" Victoria Weeks looked at Albus, her soft brown eyes looked into his emerald green ones. She loved Albus, and she knew that he was a good artist, but she had her doubts about his future in the music industry. She knew what happens when artists don't make it, and she was also aware on what will happen if they do become famous. In short words, her boyfriend's face will be all over the world, and girls would be constantly trying to get with them. That was the part that made Victoria the most nervous. "Why can't you just take a desk job, or the job my father has offered you?"
"You know Vic, speaking of desk jobs, why don't you get one?" Albus asked, he was growing tired of Victoria bringing up the idea of him working behind a desk. Sure Albus could take up a job about potions, and work in Weeks potions testing labs, but at the moment, ever since he was fourteen, he wanted to be in a band and perform. "Do you even know what it is like to pay the bills of this place? Its not easy on me working three jobs."
Victoria just stared at him, her mouth gaped, she was surprised at his outburst, but she quickly regained her posture.
"Do you have any idea what it's like hearing about your dreams of being in a band? No, because its all I ever hear from you," She replied, she was doing her best not to raise her voice. "Why can't you just do something that doesn't sound immature?"