The concert was over. Several Muggle and Magical Press Reporters alike were crowding around Mr. McConnel, who was giving out signed autographs.
“I am from Times Now, the Best Selling Newspaper in Europe!” a Muggle Reporter was saying.
“Daily Prophet!” Screamed another, and the muggles jeered. But McConnel seemed to understand. He raised a hand and said, “Please! One by one! I think I’ll begin with this lady.” He indicated the Daily Prophet reporter.
“Mr. McConnel, you have yet again released a wonderful music album which, I’m sure my readers would love to listen to! Any comments?”
“No, I’d just like to express my gratitude. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got an announcement to make. I’m taking a short break over some time, so I can take what I believe to be a well-deserved break.”
That evening, McConnel retired to his mansion. This was his fifth consecutive music album, and if he was well informed, which he was sure he was, his music was liked by muggles and the magical population alike. He had personally met the Muggle Prime Minister and the Minister for Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt personally. Shacklebolt had announced, just before meeting McConnel, that a charming young lady by name, Hermione Granger, would be his successor in a short while.
He had met the Granger-Weasleys too. They were a nice family and were related to the Potters. He didn’t know them at school. He attended his first year at Hogwarts in 1999, after all the Weasleys, Hermione and Harry had left. His whole time at Hogwarts was spent listening about them.
He fondly remembered how, as a student, he wished he had attended and met Granger, Potter, and the Weasleys. Little did he know then that he would meet them, not as a student, but as a celebrity! In fact, he was Mrs. Potter’s favorite singer! Mrs. Potter explicitly had asked for a ‘jiffy’, which her husband, Mr. Potter, confirmed that she meant ‘selfie’.
In his second year at Hogwarts, he was a Quidditch commentator. Not many people preferred him. He was a Slytherin, after all. But, he was in the Slug Club that Prof. Slughorn organized. Exactly why he was part of the Slug Club did seem a mystery to many. But Horace Slughorn had seen McConnel in his first year humming his favorite tunes. He liked a singer in his special group, so he invited McConnel.
Although he was a not-so-well-known Slytherin, by the time he reached his third year, even the Hufflepuff’s, Ravenclaw’s, and Gryffindor’s admired him for his singing skills sought friendship with him. He gained some popularity due to his unbiased commentary in the Quidditch matches of 2000–2001. But he didn’t want to continue it. He felt happier singing. He was so good at singing that Prof. Flitwick made him the leader of the choir in 2000. In his first ‘Care of Magical Creatures’ class, Prof. Hagrid asked McConnel to sing.
In 2004, he was made a Prefect. Everybody predicted that he would probably join the Ministry of Magic. Some people were jealous and would call him the New Age Voldemort, given that Voldemort also started out as a Prefect, Head Boy, and won several accolades. While others simply admired him.
McConnel chuckled suddenly, and his sleeping cat awoke with a start. She glared disapprovingly at him and went away to sleep in her basket. But McConnel had just remembered. During his time at Hogwarts, people would often request him to sing.
Initially, he would do that in the common room (after being shy and denying it for a few months during his first year). But then, the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs also wanted to listen to him but couldn’t access the Slytherin common room. So he started singing in the Great Hall on Saturday mornings at breakfast. Soon, the teachers got fed up and organized singing competitions in 2001 so that McConnel and others with interests in singing and music could sing there, and not disrupt daily activities. That was the start of extracurricular activities at Hogwarts. Within no time, there started a tradition of yearly contests of music, dance, skits, art, mimicry, etc. House rivalries reduced.
After graduating from Hogwarts, McConnel joined a magical music group to start his singing career. He was a natural at singing, so he soon made it to the top. He decided to try making his music albums, and they were successful. He left the band and made more albums, which became popular all over the Wizarding World! His fans included people he was himself a fan of!
He decided to branch out and try muggle albums. He always believed in muggle magical relations from his pre-Hogwarts days! So, he approached a muggle music director and asked for a chance. He became successful in his first muggle musical video too! That’s when he commenced earning name and fame globally in both the magical and muggle worlds. His muggle albums were decent sales in the magical world, which was a new record given that the magical people were ignorant of muggle music.
Everyone applauded him. Everybody yearned to invite him as chief guest to shows they hosted. Mrs. Granger Weasley, the successor for the post of Minister for Magic, even suggested that he sell his magical music albums in the muggle world. He tried that; even that earned decent sales. The entire world was convinced that he had everything a man could possibly ask for; name, fame, money, good looks, and people willing to do his work.
Perhaps, this was why it came as a shock when McConnel was found dead at his residence one evening. The red glow of the setting sun cast a bloody look. There was a dark secret about McConnel no one knew. He was depressed. Undergoing treatment, he had recently discovered that he had the Coronavirus. He needed someone to confide in, not somebody who worshipped him like God. But unfortunately for him, nobody was close to him. He had donated all his wealth to charity. Half of his wealth went to some muggle orphanages, homes for the disabled and old age homes, and the other half to Hogwarts, where he studied.
Mental Health is Real! Mental Illnesses are also Real. Do not ignore them. Even people who have everything can get depressed. This fanfiction is intended not only as a fun read but also to spread awareness.