Joanne Rowling: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

The TROLLEY WITCH’s hands transfigure into very sharp spikes. She smiles.

So please retake your seats for the remainder of the journey.

ALBUS: You were right, Scorpius. This train is magical.

SCORPIUS: At this precise moment in time, I take no pleasure in being right.

ALBUS: But I was also right — about the viaduct — that’s water down there, time to try the Cushioning Charm.

SCORPIUS: Albus, this is a bad idea.

ALBUS: Is it? (He has a moment’s hesitation, then realizes the time for hesitation has passed.) Too late now. Three. Two. One. Molliare!

He incants as he jumps.

SCORPIUS: Albus . . . Albus . . .

He looks down desperately after his friend. He looks at the approaching TROLLEY WITCH. Her hair wild. Her spikes particularly spiky.

Well, as fun as you clearly look, I have to go after my friend.

He pinches his nose, he jumps after ALBUS, incanting as he goes.

Molliare!

The stage is flooded with wizards and witches. They rattle and chatter like all true wizards and witches can. Amongst them, GINNY, DRACO, and RON. Above them, on a stage, HERMIONE and HARRY.

HERMIONE: Order. Order. Do I have to conjure silence? (She pulls silence from the crowd using her wand.) Good. Welcome to this Extraordinary General Meeting. I’m so pleased so many of you could make it. The wizarding world has been living in peace now for many years. It’s twenty-two years since we defeated Voldemort at the Battle of Hogwarts, and I’m delighted to say there is a new generation being brought up having known only the slightest conflict. Until now. Harry.

HARRY: Voldemort’s allies have been showing movement for a few months now. We’ve followed trolls making their way across Europe, giants starting to cross the seas, and the werewolves — well, I’m distressed to say we lost sight of them some weeks ago. We don’t know where they’re going or who’s encouraged them to move — but we are aware they are moving — and we are concerned what it might mean. So we’re asking — if anyone has seen anything? Felt anything? If you could raise a wand, we will hear everyone speak. Professor McGonagall — thank you.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: It did look like the potions stores had been interfered with when we returned from summer break, but not a huge amount of ingredients were missing, some Boomslang skin and lacewing flies, nothing on the Restricted Register. We put it down to Peeves.

HERMIONE: Thank you, Professor. We shall investigate. (She looks around the room.) Nobody else? Fine, and — gravest of all — and this hasn’t been the case since Voldemort — Harry’s scar is hurting again.

DRACO: Voldemort is dead, Voldemort is gone.

HERMIONE: Yes, Draco, Voldemort is dead, but these things all lead us to think that there is a possibility that Voldemort — or some trace of Voldemort — might be back.

This gets a reaction.

HARRY: Now this is difficult but we have to ask it to rule it out. Those of you with a Dark Mark . . . have you felt anything? Even a twinge?

DRACO: Back to being prejudiced against those with a Dark Mark, are we, Potter?

HERMIONE: No, Draco. Harry is simply trying to —

DRACO: You know what this is about? Harry just wants his face back in the newspapers again. We’ve had rumors of Voldemort coming back from the Daily Prophet once a year every year —

HARRY: None of those rumors came from me!

DRACO: Really? Doesn’t your wife edit the Daily Prophet ?

GINNY steps towards him, outraged.

GINNY: The sports pages!

HERMIONE: Draco. Harry brought this matter to the attention of the Ministry. And I — as Minister for Magic —

DRACO: A vote you only won because you are his friend.

RON is held back by GINNY as he charges at DRACO.

RON: Do you want a smack in the mouth?

DRACO: Face it — his celebrity impacts upon you all. And how better to get everyone whispering the Potter name again than with (he does an impression of HARRY) “my scar is hurting, my scar is hurting.” And do you know what this all means — that the gossipmongers once again have an opportunity to defame my son with these ridiculous rumors about his parentage.

HARRY: Draco, no one is saying this has anything to do with Scorpius . . .

DRACO: Well, I, for one, think this meeting a sham. And I’m leaving.

He walks out. Others start to disperse after him.

HERMIONE: No. That’s not the way . . . Come back. We need a strategy.

This is chaos. This is magic. This is St. Oswald’s Home for Old Witches and Wizards and it is as wonderful as you might hope.

Walker frames are conjured into life, knitting wool is enchanted into chaos, and male nurses are made to dance tango.

These are people relieved of the burden of having to do magic for a reason — instead these witches and wizards do magic for fun. And what fun they have.

ALBUS and SCORPIUS enter, looking around themselves, amused, and let’s face it, slightly scared.

ALBUS and SCORPIUS: Um, excuse me . . . Excuse me. EXCUSE ME!

SCORPIUS: Okay, so this place is wild.

ALBUS: We’re looking for Amos Diggory.

There is suddenly total silence. Everything is instantly still. And slightly depressed.

WOOL WOMAN: And what you boys want with that miserable old sod?

DELPHI appears with a smile.

DELPHI: Albus? Albus! You came? How wonderful! Come and say hello to Amos!

AMOS looks at SCORPIUS and ALBUS — irritated. DELPHI watches the three of them.

AMOS: So let me get this straight. You overhear a conversation — a conversation which was not meant for you to overhear — and you decide — without prompting, in fact, without leave — to interfere, and interfere hard, in someone else’s business.

ALBUS: My father lied to you — I know he did. They do have a Time-Turner.

AMOS: Of course they do. You can move along now.

ALBUS: What? No. We’re here to help.

AMOS: Help? What use could a pair of undersized teenagers be for me?

ALBUS: My father proved you don’t have to be grown-up to change the wizarding world.

AMOS: So I should allow you to get involved because you’re a Potter? Relying on your famous name, are you?

ALBUS: No!

AMOS: A Potter who is in Slytherin House — yes, I’ve read about you — and who brings a Malfoy with him to visit me — a Malfoy who may be a Voldemort? Who’s to say you’re not involved in Dark Magic?

ALBUS: But —

AMOS: Your information was obvious but the confirmation is useful. Your father did lie. Now leave. The pair of you. And stop wasting my time.

ALBUS (with power and strength) : No, you need to listen to me, you said it yourself — how much blood is on my father’s hands. Let me help you change that. Let me help correct one of his mistakes. Trust me.

AMOS (his voice raised) : Did you not hear me, boy? I see no reason to trust you. So go. Now. Before I make you leave.