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To: The Admissions Office,Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Re: A TODAY reporter's earnest letter of application to wizard school
Dear Sir/Mdm,
I am writing with as much faith and fervour as any magically challenged girl can conjure in hope that you might consider including me into your wondrous, enchanted world.
I am fully aware that as a Muggle, it is impossible for me to locate the charmed and spell-protected Hogwarts, much less enrol in it. But I have a very good reason for being the first Singaporean non-wizard to be accepted: I, like, really, really, really want to.
I'M GOOD WITH PEOPLE
An education at your esteemed school was immediately clear to me the minute I accidentally bumped into a certain Mr Potter (known to the Muggle world as Daniel Radcliffe) at London's posh Claridges hotel in Mayfair during the press conference of Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince.
Yes, I, Genevieve Loh, somehow managed to miss the media registration counter, stumble onto the second floor and literally bump into "The Chosen One" just before he was about to walk into a TV interview.
How fortuitous! And all this, I might add, without the help of any Felix Felicis (it's a "Liquid Luck" spell - I do my homework, see?).
It was the boy wizard's shy smile and strikingly blue eyes (sans familiar black-rimmed glasses) aimed at me as I mumbled, "Oops, excuse me!", that hit my weak spot and prompted me to write this letter.
That and the fact that his standing at 5ft 5in meant that it was the first time in a long time that I have been able to actually meet a guy eye to eye.
I have to say, the soon-to-be-20-year-old has turned into quite the charmer since he first picked up the wand at the tender age of 11 to play J K Rowling's little hero. This was demonstrated extensively at the press conference where he held court.
How does he feel about turning 20? "I've lived longer - so that's good. I've survived another one. Up till that, I haven't gotten anything planned. I mean, nothing really happens at 20, does it? You probably had a fantastic 20th, so here's hoping mine is half as good as yours."
Do people still yell out, "Harry!" at him? "I used to get it quite a lot ... I think it was easier for people and they just didn't know my name. But now, not so much."
He even told us about his reputation as a teen heartthrob. "When I go to Japan and the girls all scream, it all goes mad - and it happens all over the world - that's the me on the red carpet; that's the me that they are attracted to," he said, smiling.
"But the real me sits in a darkened room for eight hours with a big bowl of pasta on my lap, and in my socks and underwear, watching cricket. Not nearly as appealing, eh?"
Well, that'd depend on what underwear he's wearing. And what type of pasta it is.
I'M ALL FOR TEAM SPIRIT
Another pressing reason to enrol is the evident chemistry and camaraderie between headmaster and students at your esteemed school.
When asked which spell he would like most to be able to replicate in real life, Radcliffe aimed his cheeky answer directly at Michael Gambon - Dumbledore himself.
"Invisibility would be good," he said, with a twinkle in his eye. "Then you can sneak up on people like Michael and give him a heart attack."
Gambon, who took over the much-beloved role from the late Richard Harris, gave as good as he got.
"That would certainly be a good one to have," replied the 68-year-old Olivier- and Bafta-winning actor. "So when you're telling your bad jokes, I wouldn't have to pretend to laugh."
As the young wizard and his on-screen nemesis Draco Malfoy (played by Tom Felton), discussed at length about how hilarious and disruptive it was on the Half-Blood Prince set with Gambon, Radcliffe announced, causing the entire room to break into laughter: "Michael, I've actually gone on record saying that you're the least professional actor I've ever worked with."
"And the most respected," he added, with a grin.
Showing his sentimental side, Radcliffe revealed how poignant it'll be after this multi-billion dollar phenomenon - reportedly the most successful film franchise in history - comes to an end.
"I had a fantastic time with Potter and I'll be very sad to leave it. Every time I look back at one of these films, it'll forever be linked to a memory of what happened that day, whether it was my first kiss... what happened during the formative years of my life."
Coincidentally, kissing brings me to the last - and certainly not least important - reason I would love to be part of Hogwarts: I have been informed that the school has turned into a "veritable snogfest". Yay!
I (SPEAK) FRENCH
In the sixth silver-screen instalment - where the evil of Voldemort is more than ever apparent in the once safe halls of Hogwarts - I have noticed that romance and raging hormones are most definitely in the air.
Playing tonsil-Quidditch are faithful sidekicks Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) - caught in a love triangle with Ron-besotted Lavender (Jessie Cave) - while Harry himself shares a "gentle but passionate" smooch with Ron's sister Ginny (Bonnie Wright).
Sure, 19-year-old Watson shared that "on-screen kisses are strange because we've known each other since we were nine, and we are like brother and sister".
But ginger-haired-Grint - who turns 21 next month - said although his kiss with Lavender was "a bit embarrassing to start off with" seeing as the two had just met, it was, nonetheless, "good fun". I really would like to get in on the snogging action, please.
I do hope you will consider my application to attend Hogwarts in this much- anticipated final year.
I understand that the cast and crew currently being in only the fourth month of a gruelling 19-month shoot for films No 7 and 8 (the sprawling final book Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows has been split into two parts) makes it difficult to arrange for an admissions interview.
However, I daresay having had the opportunity to bump into your most famous student has afforded me the confidence to be a well-adjusted, all-rounded, non-star-struck pupil that Hogwarts would be proud to claim.
I look forward to your favourable reply.
Yours Sincerely,
Genevieve "Muggle-no-more" Loh
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince opens in cinemas on Thursday.
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