Thanks to Pottermore, "Harry Potter" fans have been treated to regular installments of author J.K. Rowling's ramblings and writings of lesser-known characters from the popular book series.
Recently, Rowling published a short story about the singing sorceress Celestina Warbeck and her music on Pottermore.com -- to celebrate Celestina's birthday on August 18.
"Celestina Warbeck is one of my favourite 'off-stage' characters in the Harry Potter series, and has been part of the Potter world ever since its inception, making an early appearance in the short-lived 'Daily Prophet' series I produced for members of the equally short-lived fan club run by my British publisher, Bloomsbury," Rowling shared on the Today.com.
"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," Rowling wrote. "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."
Celestina Warbeck hails from the Hogwarts House of Gryffindor. She can sing, tap dance, bake and most importantly, drown out a chorus of banshees. Her wizard father and Muggle mother met when her mom, also a failed actress, was "attacked by a Lethifold disguised as a stage curtain."
"Celestina's extraordinary voice was apparent from an early age," Rowling wrote. "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."
Warbeck's most famous song is "You Stole My Cauldron but You Can't Have My Heart," which she performs with a chorus of backing banshees. Fans may have already caught her act in Diagon Alley at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter.