Read a brand-new Harry Potter story from J.K. Rowling


Though the Harry Potter series ended in 2007, author J.K. Rowling has spent the past fews months treating fans to a series of brand-new Harry Potter tales on her website Pottermore. One story offered new insight into the Quidditch World Cup; another revealed a few tantalizing details about the middle-aged Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
Today, Rowling released yet another brief tale designed to expand the scope of the Harry Potter universe: a biography of Celestina Warbeck, commonly known as the "Singing Sorceress." Warbeck is a minor character in the Harry Potter universe, but a personal favorite of Rowling's. "Although we never lay eyes on Celestina during the whole seven volumes of the Potter books, I always imagined her to resemble Shirley Bassey in both looks and style," explained Rowling in an interview with Today. "I stole her first name from a friend with whom I worked, years ago, at Amnesty International's Headquarters in London; 'Celestina' was simply begging to be scooped up and attached to a glamorous witch."
Internationally-acclaimed singing sensation Celestina Warbeck (sometimes known as 'the Singing Sorceress') hails from Wales. Her father, a minor functionary in the Muggle Liaison Office, met her Muggle mother (a failed actress) when the latter was attacked by a Lethifold disguised as a stage curtain.
Celestina's extraordinary voice was apparent from an early age. Disappointed to learn that there was no such thing as a wizarding stage school, Mrs Warbeck reluctantly consented to her daughter's enrollment at Hogwarts, but subsequently bombarded the school with letters urging the creation of a choir, theatre club and dancing class to showcase her daughter's talents. [Today.com]
Read the rest of the story at Today.com.
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Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
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