Joanne Rowling: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two may not be performed in whole or in part and no use may be made of it whatsoever except under express license from the rights holders of the work, J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions Limited.

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A busy and crowded station. Full of people trying to go somewhere. Amongst the hustle and bustle, two large cages rattle on top of two laden trolleys. They’re being pushed by two boys, JAMES POTTER and ALBUS POTTER, their mother, GINNY, follows after. A thirty-seven-year-old man, HARRY, has his daughter, LILY, on his shoulders.

ALBUS: Dad. He keeps saying it.

HARRY: James, give it a rest.

JAMES: I only said he might be in Slytherin. And he might so . . . (Off his dad’s glare.) Fine.

ALBUS (looking up at his mum) : You’ll write to me, won’t you?

GINNY: Every day if you want us to.

ALBUS: No. Not every day. James says most people only get letters from home about once a month. I don’t want to . . .

HARRY: We wrote to your brother three times a week last year.

ALBUS: What? James!

ALBUS looks accusingly at JAMES.

GINNY: Yes. You may not want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts. He likes a laugh, your brother.

JAMES (with a grin) : Can we go now, please?

ALBUS looks at his dad, and then his mum.

GINNY: All you have to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms nine and ten.

LILY: I’m so excited.

HARRY: Don’t stop and don’t be scared you’ll crash into it, that’s very important. Best to do it at a run if you’re nervous.

ALBUS: I’m ready.

HARRY and LILY put their hands on ALBUS’s trolley — GINNY joins JAMES’s trolley — together, the family run hard into the barrier.

Which is covered in thick white steam pouring from the HOGWARTS EXPRESS.

And which is also busy — but instead of people in sharp suits going about their day — it’s now wizards and witches in robes mostly trying to work out how to say good-bye to their beloved progeny.

ALBUS: This is it.

LILY: Wow!

ALBUS: Platform nine and three-quarters.

LILY: Where are they? Are they here? Maybe they didn’t come?

HARRY points out RON, HERMIONE, and their daughter, ROSE. LILY runs hard up to them.

Uncle Ron. Uncle Ron!!!

RON turns towards them as LILY goes barreling up to him. He picks her up into his arms.

RON: If it isn’t my favorite Potter.

LILY: Have you got my trick?

RON: Are you aware of the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes–certified nose-stealing breath?

ROSE: Mum! Dad’s doing that lame thing again.

HERMIONE: You say lame, he says glorious, I say — somewhere in between.

RON: Hang on. Let me just munch this . . . air. And now it’s just a simple matter of . . . Excuse me if I smell slightly of garlic . . .

He breathes on her face. LILY giggles.

LILY: You smell of porridge.

RON: Bing. Bang. Boing. Young lady, get ready to not being able to smell at all . . .

He lifts her nose off.

LILY: Where’s my nose?

RON: Ta-da!

His hand is empty. It’s a lame trick. Everyone enjoys its lameness.

LILY: You are silly.

ALBUS: Everyone’s staring at us again.

RON: Because of me! I’m extremely famous. My nose experiments are legendary!

HERMIONE: They’re certainly something.

HARRY: Parked all right, then?

RON: I did. Hermione didn’t believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I’d have to Confund the examiner.

HERMIONE: I thought nothing of the kind, I have complete faith in you.

ROSE: And I have complete faith he did Confund the examiner.

RON: Oi!

ALBUS: Dad . . .

ALBUS pulls on HARRY’s robes. HARRY looks down.

Do you think — what if I am — what if I’m put in Slytherin . . .

HARRY: And what would be wrong with that?

ALBUS: Slytherin is the House of the snake, of Dark Magic . . . It’s not a House of brave wizards.

HARRY: Albus Severus, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.

ALBUS: But just say . . .

HARRY: If it matters to you, you , the Sorting Hat will take your feelings into account.

ALBUS: Really?

HARRY: It did for me.

This is something he’s never said before, it resonates around his head a moment.

Hogwarts will be the making of you, Albus. I promise you, there is nothing to be frightened of there.

JAMES: Apart from the Thestrals. Watch out for the Thestrals.

ALBUS: I thought they were invisible!

HARRY: Listen to your professors, don’t listen to James, and remember to enjoy yourself. Now, if you don’t want this train to leave without you, you should leap on . . .

LILY: I’m going to chase the train out.

GINNY: Lily, come straight back.

HERMIONE: Rose. Remember to send Neville our love.

ROSE: Mum, I can’t give a professor love!

ROSE exits for the train. And then ALBUS turns and hugs GINNY and HARRY one last time before following after her.

ALBUS: Okay, then. Bye.

He climbs on board. HERMIONE, GINNY, RON, and HARRY stand watching the train — as whistles blow up and down the platform.