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

Delphi, are you . . . ?

  DELPHI

  Wow. Quite a ride.

  ALBUS notices the book SCORPIUS is holding to his chest.

  ALBUS

  Is that? Scorpius? What’s inside that book?

  DELPHI

  I think we should find out don’t you?

  SCORPIUS opens the book. In the centre of it – a spinning Time-Turner.

  SCORPIUS

  We’ve found the Time-Turner – I never thought we’d get this far.

  ALBUS

  Mate, now we’ve got this, the next stop is saving Cedric. Our journey has only just begun.

  SCORPIUS

  Only just begun and it’s almost half-killed us. Good. This is going to be good.

  Whispers rise to a roar. And we cut to black.

  INTERVAL

  PART ONE

  ACT TWO

  ACT TWO SCENE ONE

  DREAM, PRIVET DRIVE, CUPBOARD UNDER THE STAIRS

  AUNT PETUNIA

  Harry. Harry. These pots aren’t clean. THESE POTS ARE A DISGRACE. HARRY POTTER. Wake up.

  YOUNG HARRY wakes to see AUNT PETUNIA bearing down on him.

  YOUNG HARRY

  Aunt Petunia. What time is it?

  AUNT PETUNIA

  Time enough. You know, when we agreed to take you in, we hoped we could improve you – build you – make you a decent human being. So I suppose it’s only ourselves we’ve got to blame that you’ve turned out – such a limp disappointment.

  YOUNG HARRY

  I try—

  AUNT PETUNIA

  Trying is not succeeding, though, is it? There are grease smears on the glasses. There are scuff marks on the pots. Now get up and go to the kitchen and get scrubbing.

  He gets out of bed. There’s a wet smear down the back of his trousers.

  Oh no. Oh no. What have you done? You’ve wet the bed, again.

  She pulls back the covers.

  This is very unacceptable.

  YOUNG HARRY

  I’m . . . sorry, I think I was having a nightmare.

  AUNT PETUNIA

  You disgusting boy. Only animals wet themselves. Animals and disgusting little boys.

  YOUNG HARRY

  It was about my mum and dad. I think I saw them – I think I saw them – die?

  AUNT PETUNIA

  And why would I have the slightest bit of interest in that?

  YOUNG HARRY

  There was a man shouting Adkava Ad-something Acabra – Ad – and the noise of a snake hissing. I could hear my mum scream.

  AUNT PETUNIA takes a moment to reset herself.

  AUNT PETUNIA

  If you were really reliving their death, all you’d hear would be a screech of brakes and a horrific thud. Your parents died in a car accident. You know that. I don’t think your mother had even time to scream. Lord spare you the details more than that. Now strip those sheets, get in the kitchen and get scrubbing. I don’t want to have to tell you again.

  She exits with a bang.

  And YOUNG HARRY is left holding the sheets.

  And the stage contorts and trees rise as the dream twists into something else entirely.

  Suddenly, ALBUS appears and stands looking at YOUNG HARRY.

  And then right from the back of the room Parseltongue whispers around everyone.

  He’s coming. He’s coming.

  Words said with an unmistakeable voice. The voice of VOLDEMORT . . .

  Haaarry Pottttter . . .

  ACT TWO SCENE TWO

  HARRY AND GINNY POTTER’S HOUSE, STAIRCASE

  HARRY wakes in the darkness, breathing deeply. His exhaustion palpable, his fear overwhelming.

  HARRY

  Lumos.

  GINNY enters, surprised by the light.

  GINNY

  Okay . . . ?

  HARRY

  I was sleeping.

  GINNY

  You were.

  HARRY

  You weren’t. Any – news? Any owls or . . . ?

  GINNY

  None.

  HARRY

  I was dreaming – I was under the stairs and then I – I heard him – Voldemort – so clearly.

  GINNY

  Voldemort?

  HARRY

  And then I saw – Albus. In red – he was wearing Durmstrang robes.

  GINNY

  Durmstrang robes?

  HARRY thinks.

  HARRY

  Ginny, I think I know where he is . . .

  ACT TWO SCENE THREE

  HOGWARTS, HEADMISTRESS’S OFFICE

  HARRY and GINNY stand in PROFESSOR McGONAGALL’s office.

  PROFESSOR McGONAGALL

  And we don’t know where in the Forbidden Forest?

  HARRY

  I haven’t had a dream like it for years. But Albus was there. I know he was.

  GINNY

  We need to get searching as quickly as possible.

  PROFESSOR McGONAGALL

  I can give you Professor Longbottom – his knowledge of plants might be useful – and—

  Suddenly there is a rumble in the chimney. PROFESSOR McGONAGALL looks at it, concerned. Then HERMIONE tumbles out.

  HERMIONE

  Is it true? Can I help?

  PROFESSOR McGONAGALL

  Minister – this is quite unexpected . . .

  GINNY

  That may be my fault – I persuaded them to put out an emergency edition of the Daily Prophet. Asking for volunteers.

  PROFESSOR McGONAGALL

  Right. Very sensible. I expect . . . there will be quite a few.

  RON bursts in. Covered in soot. Wearing a gravy-stained dinner napkin.

  RON

  Have I missed anything – I couldn’t work out which Floo to travel to. Ended up in the kitchen somehow. (HERMIONE glares as he pulls the napkin off himself.) What?

  Suddenly there is another rumble in the chimney and DRACO comes down hard, surrounded by cascading soot and dust.

  Everyone looks at him, surprised. He stands and brushes the soot off himself.

  DRACO

  Sorry about your floor, Minerva.

  PROFESSOR McGONAGALL

  I dare say it’s my fault for owning a chimney.

  HARRY

  Quite a surprise to see you, Draco. I thought you didn’t believe in my dreams.

  DRACO

  I don’t, but I do trust your luck. Harry Potter is always where the action is at. And I need my son back with me and safe.

  GINNY

  Then let’s get to the Forbidden Forest and find them both.

  ACT TWO SCENE FOUR

  EDGE OF THE FORBIDDEN FOREST

  ALBUS and DELPHI face each other, holding wands.

  ALBUS

  Expelliarmus!

  DELPHI’s wand flies through the air.

  DELPHI

  You’re getting it now. You’re good at this.

  She takes her wand back from him.

  In a posh voice.

  ‘You’re a positively disarming young man.’

  ALBUS

  Expelliarmus!

  Her wand flies back again.

  DELPHI

  And we have a winner.

  The two high-five.

  ALBUS

  I’ve never been good at spells.

  SCORPIUS appears at the back of the stage. He looks at his friend talking to a girl – and part of him likes it and part of him doesn’t.

  DELPHI

  I was rubbish – and then something clicked. And it will for you too. Not that I’m a super witch or anything but I think you’re becoming quite some wizard, Albus Potter.

  ALBUS

  Then you should stick around – teach me more—

  DELPHI

  Of course I’m sticking around, we’re friends aren’t we?

  ALBUS

  Yes. Yes. Definitely friends. Definitely.

  DELPHI

  Great. Wizzo!

  SCORPIUS

  What’s wizzo?

 
SCORPIUS steps forward decisively.

  ALBUS

  Cracked the spell. I mean, it’s pretty basic, but I was – well, I cracked it.

  SCORPIUS (over-enthusiastic, trying to join in)

  And I’ve found our way through to the school. Listen, are we sure this will work . . .

  DELPHI

  Yes!

  ALBUS

  It’s a brilliant plan. The secret to not getting Cedric killed is to stop him winning the Triwizard Tournament. If he doesn’t win, he can’t be killed.

  SCORPIUS

  And I understand that but . . .

  ALBUS

  So we just need to mess up his chances supremely badly in task one. The first task is getting a golden egg from a dragon – how did Cedric distract the dragon—

  DELPHI puts her hand in the air. ALBUS grins and points at her. These two are getting on really well now.

  Diggory.

  DELPHI

  —by transfiguring a stone into a dog.

  ALBUS

  —well, a little Expelliarmus and he won’t be able to do that.

  SCORPIUS isn’t enjoying the DELPHI-ALBUS double act.

  SCORPIUS

  Okay, two points, first point we’re certain the dragon won’t kill him?

  DELPHI

  It’s always two points with him isn’t it? Of course it won’t. This is Hogwarts. They won’t let damage happen to any of the champions.

  SCORPIUS

  Okay, second point – more significant point – we’re going back without any knowledge of whether we can travel back afterwards. Which is exciting. Maybe we should just – try going back an hour, say, first and then . . .

  DELPHI

  I’m sorry, Scorpius, we’ve no time to waste. Waiting here this close to the school is just too dangerous – I’m sure they’ll be looking for you and . . .

  ALBUS

  She’s right.

  DELPHI

  Now, you’re going to need to wear these—

  She pulls out two large paper bags. The boys pull out robes from them.

  ALBUS

  But these are Durmstrang robes.

  DELPHI

  My uncle’s idea. If you are in Hogwarts robes people will expect to know who you are. But there are two other schools competing at the Triwizard Tournament – and if you’re in Durmstrang robes – well, you can fade into the background, can’t you?

  ALBUS

  Good thinking! Hang on, where are your robes?

  DELPHI

  Albus, I’m flattered, but I don’t think I can pretend to be a student, do you? I’ll just keep in the background, and pretend to be a – ooh, maybe I could pretend to be a dragon tamer. You’re doing all the spell stuff anyway.

  SCORPIUS looks at her and then at ALBUS.

  SCORPIUS

  You shouldn’t come.

  DELPHI

  What?

  SCORPIUS

  You’re right. We don’t need you for the spell. And if you can’t wear student robes – you’re too big a risk. Sorry, Delphi, you shouldn’t come.

  DELPHI

  But I have to – he’s my cousin. Albus?

  ALBUS

  I think he’s right. I’m sorry.

  DELPHI

  What?

  ALBUS

  We won’t mess up.

  DELPHI

  But without me – you won’t be able to work the Time-Turner.

  SCORPIUS

  You taught us how to use the Time-Turner.

  DELPHI is really upset.

  DELPHI

  No. I won’t let you do this . . .

  ALBUS

  You told your uncle to trust us. Now it’s your turn. The school is close now. We should leave you here.

  DELPHI looks at them both and takes a deep breath. She nods to herself and smiles.

  DELPHI

  Then go. But – just know this . . . today you get an opportunity few are given – today you get to change history – to change time itself. But more than all that, today you get the chance to give an old man his son back.

  She smiles. She looks at ALBUS. She leans down and gently kisses him on both cheeks.

  She walks away into the woodland. ALBUS stares after her.

  SCORPIUS

  She didn’t kiss me – did you notice? (He looks at his friend.) Are you okay, Albus? You look a little pale. And red. Pale and red at the same time.

  ALBUS

  Let’s do this.

  ACT TWO SCENE FIVE

  THE FORBIDDEN FOREST

  The forest seems to grow bigger, thicker, and amongst the trees – people searching – looking for the missing wizards. But slowly people melt away until HARRY is left alone.

  He hears something. He turns to his right.

  HARRY

  Albus? Scorpius? Albus?

  And then he hears the sound of hooves. HARRY is startled. He looks around for where the noise is coming from.

  Suddenly BANE steps forward into the light. He is a magnificent centaur.

  BANE

  Harry Potter.

  HARRY

  Good. You still recognise me, Bane.

  BANE

  You’ve grown older.

  HARRY

  I have.

  BANE

  But not wiser. For you trespass on our land.

  HARRY

  I have always respected the centaurs. We are not enemies. You fought bravely at the Battle of Hogwarts. And I fought beside you.

  BANE

  I did my part. But for my herd, and our honour. Not for you. And after the battle, the forest was deemed centaur land. And if you’re on our land – without permission – then you are our enemy.

  HARRY

  My son is missing, Bane. I need help finding him.

  BANE

  And he is here? In our forest?

  HARRY

  Yes.

  BANE

  Then he is as stupid as you are.

  HARRY

  Can you help me Bane?

  There’s a pause. BANE looks down at HARRY imperiously.

  BANE

  I can only tell you what I know . . . but I tell you not for your benefit but for the benefit of my herd. The centaurs do not need another war.

  HARRY

  Neither do we. What do you know?

  BANE

  I’ve seen your son, Harry Potter. Seen him in the movements of the stars.

  HARRY

  You’ve seen him in the stars?

  BANE

  I can’t tell you where he is. I can’t tell you how you’ll find him.

  HARRY

  But you’ve seen something? You’ve divined something?

  BANE

  There is a black cloud around your son, a dangerous black cloud.

  HARRY

  Around Albus?

  BANE

  A black cloud that may endanger us all. You’ll find your son again, Harry Potter. But then you could lose him forever.

  He makes a sound like a horse’s cry – and then makes hard away – leaving a bewildered HARRY behind. HARRY begins to search again – now with even more fervour.

  HARRY

  Albus! Albus!

  ACT TWO SCENE SIX

  EDGE OF THE FORBIDDEN FOREST

  SCORPIUS and ALBUS round a corner to be faced with a gap in the trees . . .

  A gap through which is visible . . . a glorious light . . .

  SCORPIUS

  And there it is . . .

  ALBUS

  Hogwarts. Never seen this view of it before.

  SCORPIUS

  Still get a tingle, don’t you? When you see it?

  And revealed through the trees is HOGWARTS – a splendid mass of bulbous buildings and towers.

  From the moment I first heard of it, I was desperate to go. I mean, Dad didn’t much like it there but even the way he described it . . . From the age of ten I’d check the Daily Prophet first thing every morning – certain some sort of tragedy would have befa
llen it – certain I wouldn’t get to go.

  ALBUS

  And then you got there and it turned out to be terrible after all.

  SCORPIUS

  Not for me.

  ALBUS looks at his friend, shocked.

  All I ever wanted to do was go to Hogwarts and have a mate to get up to mayhem with. Just like Harry Potter. And I got his son. How crazily fortunate is that.

  ALBUS

  But I’m nothing like my dad.

  SCORPIUS

  You’re better. You’re my best friend, Albus. And this is mayhem to the nth degree. Which is great, thumbs-up great, it’s just – I have got to say – I don’t mind admitting – I am a tiny bit – just a tiny bit scared.

  ALBUS looks at SCORPIUS and smiles.

  ALBUS

  You’re my best friend too. And don’t worry – I have a good feeling about this.

  We hear RON’s voice from off – he’s clearly in close proximity.

  RON

  Albus? Albus!

  ALBUS turns towards it, scared.

  ALBUS

  But we’ve got to go – now.

  ALBUS takes the Time-Turner from SCORPIUS – he presses down upon it and the Time-Turner begins to vibrate, and then explodes into a storm of movement.

  And with it the stage starts to transform. The two boys look at it.

  And there is a giant whoosh of light. A smash of noise.

  And time stops. And then it turns over, thinks a bit, and begins spooling backwards, slow at first . . .

  And then it speeds up.

  ACT TWO SCENE SEVEN

  TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT, EDGE OF THE FORBIDDEN FOREST, 1994

  Suddenly everything is a riot of noise as a crowd consumes ALBUS and SCORPIUS.

  And suddenly ‘the greatest showman on earth’ (his words, not ours) is on stage, using Sonorus to amplify his voice, and . . . well . . . he’s having a ball.

  LUDO BAGMAN

  Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, I give you – the greatest – the fabulous – the one – and the only TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT.

  There’s a loud cheer.

  If you’re from Hogwarts. Give me a cheer.

  There’s a loud cheer.

  If you’re from Durmstrang – give me a cheer.

  There’s a loud cheer.

  AND IF YOU’RE FROM BEAUXBATONS GIVE ME A CHEER.

  There’s a slightly limp cheer.

  Slightly less enthusiastic from the French there.

  SCORPIUS (smiling)