Joanne Rowling - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

DRACO: Have we searched thoroughly beside the tracks . . .

HARRY: My department have searched once and are searching again.

DRACO: And the Trolley Witch is not able to tell us anything useful?

HERMIONE: The Trolley Witch is furious. She keeps talking about letting down Ottaline Gambol. She prides herself on her Hogwarts delivery record.

GINNY: Have there been any instances of magic reported by the Muggles?

HERMIONE: None so far. I have made the Muggle Prime Minister aware and he is filing what is known as a misper. Sounds like a spell. It isn’t.

DRACO: So now we’re relying on Muggles to find our children? Have we told them about Harry’s scar too?

HERMIONE: We’re merely asking the Muggles to help. And who knows how Harry’s scar might be involved but it’s certainly a matter we’re taking seriously. Our Aurors are currently investigating anyone involved in Dark Magic and —

DRACO: This is not Death Eater–related.

HERMIONE: I’m not sure I share your confidence.

DRACO: I’m not confident, I’m right. The sort of cretins pursuing Dark Magic now . . . My son is a Malfoy, they wouldn’t dare.

HARRY: Unless there’s something new out there, something to —

GINNY: I agree with Draco. If this is a kidnap — taking Albus I understand, taking them both . . .

HARRY locks eyes with GINNY, it becomes clear what she wants him to say.

DRACO: And Scorpius is a follower, not a leader, despite everything I’ve tried to instill in him. So it’s undoubtedly Albus who got him from that train and my question is, where would he take him?

GINNY: Harry, they’ve run away, you and I know it.

DRACO notices the couple staring at each other.

DRACO: Do you? Know it? What aren’t you telling us?

There’s a silence.

Whatever information you’re concealing, I recommend you share it now.

HARRY: Albus and I had an argument, the day before last.

DRACO: And . . .

HARRY hesitates and then makes brave eye contact with DRACO.

HARRY: And I told him that there were times when I wished he weren’t my son.

There’s another silence. A profoundly powerful one. And then DRACO takes a dangerous step towards HARRY.

DRACO: If anything happens to Scorpius . . .

GINNY steps in between DRACO and HARRY.

GINNY: Don’t throw around threats, Draco, please don’t do that.

DRACO (roar) : My son is missing!

GINNY (an equal roar) : So is mine!

He meets her look. There’s real emotion in this room.

DRACO (lip curling, every inch his father) : If you need gold . . . Everything the Malfoys have . . . He’s my sole heir . . . He’s my — only family.

HERMIONE: The Ministry has plenty in reserve, thank you, Draco.

DRACO makes to leave. He stops. He looks at HARRY.

DRACO: I don’t care what you did or who you saved, you are a constant curse on my family, Harry Potter.

SCORPIUS/HARRY: And you’re sure it’s in there?

A guard walks past. SCORPIUS/HARRY and DELPHI/HERMIONE try to affect performances.

Yes, Minister, I definitely think this is a matter for the Ministry to ponder at length, yes.

GUARD (with a nod) : Minister.

DELPHI/HERMIONE: Let’s ponder it together.

He walks on, they let out a sigh of relief.

It was my uncle’s idea to use the Veritaserum — we slipped it into a visiting Ministry official’s drink. He told us that the Time-Turner had been kept and even told us where — the office of the Minister for Magic herself.

She indicates a door. Suddenly they hear a noise.

HERMIONE (from off) : Harry . . . we should talk about it . . .

HARRY (from off) : There’s nothing to talk about.

DELPHI/HERMIONE: Oh no.

ALBUS/RON: Hermione. And Dad.

The panic is instant and infectious.

SCORPIUS/HARRY: Okay. Hiding places. No hiding places. Anyone know any Invisibility Charms?

DELPHI/HERMIONE: Do we go . . . in her office?

ALBUS/RON: She’ll be coming to her office.

DELPHI/HERMIONE: There’s nowhere else.

She tries the door. She tries it again.

HERMIONE (from off) : If you don’t talk to me or Ginny about it . . .

SCORPIUS/HARRY: Stand back. Alohomora!

He aims his wand at the door. The door swings open. He grins — delighted.

Albus. Block her. It has to be you.

HARRY (from off) : What is there to say?

ALBUS/RON: Me. Why?

DELPHI/HERMIONE: Well, it can’t be either of us, can it? We are them.

HERMIONE (from off) : What you said was obviously wrong — but — there are more factors at play here than —

ALBUS/RON: But I can’t . . . I can’t . . .

There’s a small kerfuffle and then ALBUS/RON ends up standing outside the door as HERMIONE and HARRY enter from off.

HARRY: Hermione, I’m grateful for your concern but there’s no need —

HERMIONE: Ron?

ALBUS/RON: Surprise!!!

HERMIONE: What are you doing here?

ALBUS/RON: Does a man need an excuse to see his wife?

He kisses HERMIONE firmly.

HARRY: I should go . . .

HERMIONE: Harry. My point is . . . whatever Draco says — the things you said to Albus . . . I don’t think it’ll do any of us any good for you to dwell on it.

ALBUS/RON: Oh, you’re talking about how Harry said sometimes he wished I — (he corrects himself) Albus weren’t his son.

HERMIONE: Ron!

ALBUS/RON: Better out than in, that’s what I say . . .

HERMIONE: He’ll know . . . We all say stuff we don’t mean. He knows that.

ALBUS/RON: But what if sometimes we say stuff we do mean . . . What then?

HERMIONE: Ron, now’s not the time, honestly.

ALBUS/RON: Of course it isn’t. Bye-bye, darling.

ALBUS/RON watches her go, hopeful she’ll walk past her office and away. But of course she doesn’t. He runs to block her before she enters through her door. He blocks her once, and then blocks her again, swinging his hips to do so.

HERMIONE: Why are you blocking the entrance to my office?

ALBUS/RON: I’m not. Blocking. Anything.

She again makes for the door, he blocks her again.

HERMIONE: You are. Let me into my room, Ron.

ALBUS/RON: Let’s have another baby.

HERMIONE tries to dodge past him.

HERMIONE: What?

ALBUS/RON: Or if not another baby, a holiday. I want a baby or a holiday and I’m going to insist on it. Shall we talk about it later, honey?

She tries to get into the room one final time, he blocks her with a kiss. It develops into quite a struggle.

Maybe with a drink in the Leaky Cauldron? Love you.

HERMIONE (relenting) : If there is another stink pellet in there then Merlin won’t help you. Fine. We’re due to update the Muggles anyway.

She exits. HARRY exits with her.

ALBUS/RON turns towards the door. She reenters, this time, alone.

A baby — OR — a holiday? Some days you are off the scale, you know that?

ALBUS/RON: It’s why you married me, isn’t it? My puckish sense of fun.

She exits again. He starts to open the door but again she reenters, he slams it closed.

HERMIONE: I can taste fish. I told you to stay away from those fishfinger sandwiches.

ALBUS/RON: Right you are.

She exits. He checks she’s gone and the relief floods out of him as he opens the door.