Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two Read online

  He lets out a sob.

  Hard though it is to leave yeh. I want yeh to know – yeh won’t be forgotten – not by me – not by anyfolk.

  And then he hears a sound – the sound of a baby snuffling. HAGRID turns towards it, walking with more intensity now.

  He looks down and stands over the crib, which seems to radiate light.

  Well. Hello. Yeh must be Harry. Hello, Harry Potter. I’m Rubeus Hagrid. And I’m gonna be yer friend whether yeh like it or not. ’Cos yeh’ve had it tough, not that yeh know it yet. An’ yer gonna need friends. Now yeh best come with me don’t yeh think?

  As flashing blue lights fill the room giving it an almost ethereal glow, he lifts HARRY gently into his arms.

  And then – without looking back – he strides away through the house.

  And we descend into soft black.

  ACT FOUR SCENE FOURTEEN

  HOGWARTS, CLASSROOM

  SCORPIUS and ALBUS run into a room, full of excitement. They slam the door after themselves.

  SCORPIUS

  I can’t quite believe I did that.

  ALBUS

  I can’t quite believe you did that either.

  SCORPIUS

  Rose Granger-Weasley. I asked out Rose Granger-Weasley.

  ALBUS

  And she said no.

  SCORPIUS

  But I asked her. I planted the acorn. The acorn that will grow into our eventual marriage.

  ALBUS

  You are aware that you’re an utter fantasist.

  SCORPIUS

  And I’d agree with you – only Polly Chapman did ask me to the School Ball . . .

  ALBUS

  In an alternate reality where you were significantly – really significantly, more popular – a different girl asked you out – and that means—

  SCORPIUS

  And yes, logic would dictate I should be pursuing Polly – or allowing her to pursue me – she’s a notorious beauty after all – but a Rose is a Rose.

  ALBUS

  You know logic would dictate that you’re a freak? Rose hates you.

  SCORPIUS

  Correction, she used to hate me, but did you see the look in her eyes when I asked? That wasn’t hate, that was pity.

  ALBUS

  And pity’s good?

  SCORPIUS

  Pity is a start my friend, a foundation on which to build a palace – a palace of love.

  ALBUS

  I honestly thought I’d be the first of us to get a girlfriend.

  SCORPIUS

  Oh, you will, undoubtedly, probably that new smoky-eyed Potions professor – she’s old enough for you, right?

  ALBUS

  I don’t have a thing about older women!

  SCORPIUS

  And you’ve got time – a lot of time – to seduce her. Because Rose is going to take years to persuade.

  ALBUS

  I admire your confidence.

  ROSE comes past them on the stairs, she looks at them both.

  ROSE

  Hi.

  Neither boy knows quite how to reply – she looks at SCORPIUS.

  ROSE

  This is only going to be weird if you let it be weird.

  SCORPIUS

  Received and entirely understood.

  ROSE

  Okay. ‘Scorpion King’.

  She walks off with a smile on her face. SCORPIUS and ALBUS look at each other. ALBUS grins and punches SCORPIUS on the arm.

  ALBUS

  Maybe you’re right – pity is a start.

  SCORPIUS

  Are you heading to Quidditch? Slytherin are playing Hufflepuff – it’s a big one—

  ALBUS

  I thought we hated Quidditch?

  SCORPIUS

  People can change. Besides, I’ve been practising. I think I might make the team eventually. Come on.

  ALBUS

  I can’t. My dad’s arranged to come up—

  SCORPIUS

  He’s taking time away from the Ministry?

  ALBUS

  He wants to go on a walk – something to show me – share with me – something.

  SCORPIUS

  A walk?

  ALBUS

  I know, I think it’s a bonding thing or something similarly vomit-inducing. Still, you know, I think I’ll go.

  SCORPIUS reaches in and hugs ALBUS.

  What’s this? I thought we decided we don’t hug.

  SCORPIUS

  I wasn’t sure. Whether we should. In this new version of us I had in my head.

  ALBUS

  Better ask Rose if it’s the right thing to do.

  SCORPIUS

  Ha! Yeah. Right.

  The two boys dislocate and grin at each other.

  ALBUS

  I’ll see you at dinner.

  ACT FOUR SCENE FIFTEEN

  A BEAUTIFUL HILL

  HARRY and ALBUS walk up a hill on a beautiful summer’s day.

  They say nothing, enjoying the sun on their faces as they climb.

  HARRY

  So are you ready?

  ALBUS

  For what?

  HARRY

  Well, there’s the fourth-year exams – and then the fifth year – big year – in my fifth year I did—

  He looks at ALBUS. He smiles. He talks quickly.

  I did a lot of stuff. Some of it good. Some of it bad. A lot of it quite confusing.

  ALBUS

  Good to know.

  HARRY smiles.

  I got to watch them – you know – for a bit – your mum and dad. They were – you had fun together. Your dad used to love to do this smoke ring thing with you where you . . . well, you couldn’t stop giggling.

  HARRY

  Yes?

  ALBUS

  I think you’d have liked them. And I think me, Lily and James would have liked them too.

  HARRY nods. There’s a slightly uncomfortable silence. Both are trying to reach each other here, both are failing.

  HARRY

  You know, I thought I’d lost him – Voldemort – I thought I’d lost him – and then my scar started hurting again and I had dreams of him and I could even speak Parseltongue again and I started to feel like I’d not changed at all – that he’d never let me go –

  ALBUS

  And had he?

  HARRY

  The part of me that was Voldemort died a long time ago, but it wasn’t enough to be physically rid of him – I had to be mentally rid of him. And that – is a lot to learn for a forty-year-old man.

  He looks at ALBUS.

  That thing I said to you – it was unforgiveable, and I can’t ask you to forget it but I can hope we move past it.

  I’m going to try to be a better dad for you, Albus. I am going to try and – be honest with you and . . .

  ALBUS

  Dad, you don’t need to—

  HARRY

  You told me you don’t think I’m scared of anything, and that – I mean, I’m scared of everything. I mean, I’m afraid of the dark, did you know that?

  ALBUS

  Harry Potter is afraid of the dark?

  HARRY

  I don’t like small spaces and – I’ve never told anyone this but I don’t much like – (he hesitates before saying this) pigeons.

  ALBUS

  You don’t like pigeons?

  HARRY (he scrunches up his face)

  Nasty, pecky, dirty things. They give me the creeps.

  ALBUS

  But pigeons are harmless!

  HARRY

  I know. But the thing that scares me most, Albus Severus Potter, is being a dad to you. Because I’m operating without wires here. Most people at least have a dad to base themselves on – and either try to be or try not to be. I’ve got nothing – or very little. So I’m learning, okay? And I’m going to try with everything I’ve got – to be a good dad for you.

  ALBUS

  And I’ll try and be a better son. I know I’m not James, Dad, I’ll never be li
ke you two—

  HARRY

  James is nothing like me.

  ALBUS

  Isn’t he?

  HARRY

  Everything comes easy for James. My childhood was a constant struggle.

  ALBUS

  So was mine. So you’re saying – am I – like you?

  HARRY smiles at ALBUS.

  HARRY

  Actually you’re more like your mum – bold, fierce, funny – which I like – which I think makes you a pretty great son.

  ALBUS

  I almost destroyed the world.

  HARRY

  Delphi wasn’t going anywhere, Albus – you brought her out into the light and you found a way for us to fight her. You may not see it now, but you saved us.

  ALBUS

  But shouldn’t I have done better?

  HARRY

  You don’t think I ask myself the same questions?

  ALBUS (stomach sinking further, he knows this is not what his dad would do)

  And then – when we caught her – I wanted to kill her.

  HARRY

  You’d watched her murder Craig, you were angry Albus, and that’s okay. And you wouldn’t have done it.

  ALBUS

  How do you know that? Maybe that’s my Slytherin side. Maybe that’s what the Sorting Hat saw in me.

  HARRY

  I don’t understand your head, Albus – actually, you know what, you’re a teenager, I shouldn’t be able to understand your head, but I do understand your heart. I didn’t – for a long time – but thanks to this – ‘escapade’ – I know what you got in there. Slytherin, Gryffindor, whatever label you’ve been given – I know – know – that heart is a good one – yeah, whether you like it or not, you’re on your way to being some wizard.

  ALBUS

  Oh, I’m not going to be a wizard, I’m going into pigeon racing. I’m quite excited about it.

  HARRY grins.

  HARRY

  Those names you have – they shouldn’t be a burden. Albus Dumbledore had his trials too you know – and Severus Snape, well, you know all about him—

  ALBUS

  They were good men.

  HARRY

  They were great men, with huge flaws, and you know what – those flaws almost made them greater.

  ALBUS looks around himself.

  ALBUS

  Dad? Why are we here?

  HARRY

  This is where I often come.

  ALBUS

  But this is a graveyard . . .

  HARRY

  And here is Cedric’s grave . . .

  ALBUS

  Dad?

  HARRY

  The boy who was killed – Craig Bowker – how well did you know him?

  ALBUS

  Not well enough.

  HARRY

  I didn’t know Cedric well enough either. He could have played Quidditch for England. Or been a brilliant Auror. He could have been anything. And Amos is right – he was stolen. So I come here. Just to say sorry. When I can.

  ALBUS

  That’s a – good thing to do.

  ALBUS joins his dad in front of CEDRIC’s grave. HARRY smiles at his son and looks up at the sky.

  HARRY

  I think it’s going to be a nice day.

  He touches his son’s shoulder. And the two of them – just slightly – melt together.

  ALBUS (smiles)

  So do I.

  THE END

  Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two was first produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions. It premiered at the Palace Theatre, London, on 30 July 2016 with the following cast.

  Cast names in alphabetical order

  CRAIG BOWKER JR

  Jeremy Ang Jones

  MOANING MYRTLE, LILY POTTER SR

  Annabel Baldwin

  UNCLE VERNON, SEVERUS SNAPE, LORD VOLDEMORT

  Paul Bentall

  SCORPIUS MALFOY

  Anthony Boyle

  ALBUS POTTER

  Sam Clemmett

  HERMIONE GRANGER

  Noma Dumezweni

  POLLY CHAPMAN

  Claudia Grant

  HAGRID, SORTING HAT

  Chris Jarman

  YANN FREDERICKS

  James Le Lacheur

  AUNT PETUNIA, MADAM HOOCH, DOLORES UMBRIDGE

  Helena Lymbery

  AMOS DIGGORY, ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

  Barry McCarthy

  TROLLEY WITCH, PROFESSOR McGONAGALL

  Sandy McDade

  STATION MASTER

  Adam McNamara

  GINNY POTTER

  Poppy Miller

  CEDRIC DIGGORY, JAMES POTTER JR, JAMES POTTER SR

  Tom Milligan

  DUDLEY DURSLEY, KARL JENKINS, VIKTOR KRUM

  Jack North

  HARRY POTTER

  Jamie Parker

  DRACO MALFOY

  Alex Price

  BANE

  Nuno Silva

  ROSE GRANGER-WEASLEY, YOUNG HERMIONE

  Cherrelle Skeete

  DELPHI DIGGORY

  Esther Smith

  RON WEASLEY

  Paul Thornley

  YOUNG HARRY POTTER

  Rudi Goodman

  Alfred Jones

  Bili Keogh

  Ewan Rutherford

  Nathaniel Smith

  Dylan Standen

  LILY POTTER JR

  Zoe Brough

  Cristina Fray

  Christiana Hutchings

  OTHER ROLES PLAYED BY

  Nicola Alexis, Jeremy Ang Jones, Rosemary Annabella, Annabel Baldwin, Jack Bennett, Paul Bentall, Morag Cross, Claudia Grant, James Howard, Lowri James, Chris Jarman, Martin Johnston, James Le Lacheur, Helena Lymbery, Barry McCarthy, Andrew McDonald, Adam McNamara, Tom Milligan, Jack North, Stuart Ramsay, Nuno Silva, Cherrelle Skeete

  SWINGS

  Helen Aluko, Morag Cross, Chipo Kureya, Tom Mackley, Joshua Wyatt

  Nuno Silva

  Movement Captain

  Jack North

  Assistant Movement Captain

  Morag Cross

  Voice Captain

  CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM

  Original Story

  J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne

  Playwright

  Jack Thorne

  Director

  John Tiffany

  Movement Director

  Steven Hoggett

  Set Designer

  Christine Jones

  Costume Designer

  Katrina Lindsay

  Composer & Arranger

  Imogen Heap

  Lighting Designer

  Neil Austin

  Sound Designer

  Gareth Fry

  Illusions & Magic

  Jamie Harrison

  Music Supervisor & Arranger

  Martin Lowe

  Casting Director

  Julia Horan CDG

  Production Manager

  Gary Beestone

  Production Stage Manager

  Sam Hunter

  Associate Director

  Des Kennedy

  Associate Movement Director

  Neil Bettles

  Associate Set Designer

  Brett J. Banakis

  Associate Sound Designer

  Pete Malkin

  Illusions & Magic Associate

  Chris Fisher

  Casting Associate

  Lotte Hines

  Assistant Lighting Designer

  Adam King

  Costume Design Supervisor

  Sabine Lemaître

  Hair, Wigs & Make-up

  Carole Hancock

  Props Supervisors

  Lisa Buckley, Mary Halliday

  Music Editor

  Phij Adams

  Music Production

  Imogen Heap

  Special Effects

  Jeremy Chernick

  Video Design

  Finn Ross,
Ash Woodward

  Dialect Coach

  Daniele Lydon

  Voice Coach

  Richard Ryder

  Company Stage Manager

  Richard Clayton

  Stage Manager

  Jordan Noble-Davies

  Deputy Stage Manager

  Jenefer Tait

  Assistant Stage Managers

  Oliver Bagwell Purefoy, Tom Gilding, Sally Inch, Ben Sherratt

  Resident Director

  Pip Minnithorpe

  Head of Wardrobe

  Amy Gillot

  Deputy Head of Wardrobe

  Laura Watkins

  Wardrobe Assistants

  Kate Anderson, Leanne Hired

  Dressers

  George Amielle, Melissa Cooke, Rosie Etheridge, John Ovenden, Emilee Swift

  Head of Hair, Wigs & Make-up

  Nina Van Houten

  Deputy Head of Hair, Wigs & Make-up

  Alice Townes

  Hair, Wigs & Make-up Assistants

  Charlotte Briscoe, Jacob Fessey, Cassie Murphie

  Head of Sound

  Chris Reid

  Deputy Head of Sound

  Rowena Edwards

  Sound No. 3

  Laura Caplin

  SFX Operator

  Callum Donaldson

  Head of Automation

  Josh Peters

  Deputy Head of Automation

  Jamie Lawrence

  Automation No. 3

  Jamie Robson

  Show Chief LX

  David Treanor

  Performer Flying Technician

  Paul Gurney

  Chaperones

  David Russell, Eleanor Dowling

  General Management

  Sonia Friedman Productions

  Executive Director

  Diane Benjamin

  Executive Producer

  Pam Skinner

  Associate Producer

  Fiona Stewart

  Assistant Producer

  Ben Canning

  General Management Assistant

  Max Bittleston

  Production Assistant

  Imogen Clare-Wood

  Marketing Manager

  Laura Jane Elliott

  Revenue Manager

  Mark Payn

  Associate Producer (Development)

  Lucie Lovatt

  Development Assistant

  Lydia Rynne

  Literary Associate

  Jack Bradley

  Office Assistant

  Jordan Eaton

  House Seats Assistant

  Vicky Ngoma