Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

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

There is a bang and a flash and our gang disappear.

ACT THREE, SCENE EIGHT

EDGE OF THE FORBIDDEN FOREST, 1994

And we watch our scene from Part One replayed, but at the back of the stage rather than the front. We pick out ALBUS and SCORPIUS in their Durmstrang robes. And through it all we hear the “brilliant” (his words again, his words) LUDO BAGMAN.

SCORPIUS, HERMIONE, RON, and SNAPE watch out anxiously.

LUDO BAGMAN: And Cedric Diggory has entered the stage. And he seems ready. Scared but ready. He dodges this way. He dodges that. The girls swoon as he dives for cover. They cry as one: Don’t damage our Diggory, Mr. Dragon! And Cedric skirts left and he dives right — and he readies his wand —

SNAPE: This is taking too long. The Time-Turner is spinning.

LUDO BAGMAN: What has this young, brave, handsome man got up his sleevies now?

As ALBUS attempts to summon CEDRIC’s wand, HERMIONE blocks his spell. He looks at his wand — disconsolate, unsure why it hasn’t worked.

And then the Time-Turner spins and they look at it and panic as they’re pulled into it.

A dog — he’s transfigured a stone into a dog — dog diggity, Cedric Diggory — you are a doggy dynamo.

ACT THREE, SCENE NINE

EDGE OF THE FORBIDDEN FOREST

They are returned from time, at the edge of the woods, and RON is in a lot of pain. SNAPE looks around, immediately aware of the mess they’re in.

RON: Ow. Ow. Owwwwwww.

HERMIONE: Ron . . . Ron . . . What has it done to you?

SNAPE: Oh no. I knew it.

SCORPIUS: The Time-Turner did something to Albus too. The first time we went back.

RON: Useful — time to — ow — tell us.

SNAPE: We’re aboveground. We need to move. Now.

HERMIONE: Ron, you can still walk, come on . . .

RON does stand up, shouting in pain. SNAPE raises his wand.

SCORPIUS: Did it work?

HERMIONE: We blocked the spell. Cedric kept his wand. Yes. It worked.

SNAPE: But we came back to the wrong place — we are outside. You are outside.

RON: We need to use the Time-Turner again — get out of here —

SNAPE: We need to find shelter. We’re horribly exposed.

Suddenly from around the auditorium, the feel of the breath of an icy wind.

Some black robes arise around people. Black robes that become black shapes. That become dementors.

HERMIONE: Too late.

SNAPE: This is a disaster.

HERMIONE (she realizes what she has to do): They’re after me, not any of you. Ron. I love you and I always have. But the three of you need to run. Go. Now.

RON: What?

SCORPIUS: What?

RON: Can we talk about the love thing first?

HERMIONE: This is still Voldemort’s world. And I am done with it. Reversing the next task will change everything.

SCORPIUS: But they’ll kiss you. They’ll suck out your soul.

HERMIONE: And then you’ll change the past. And then they won’t. Go. Now.

The dementors sense them. From all sides, screaming shapes descend.

SNAPE: Go. We go.

He pulls on SCORPIUS’s arm. SCORPIUS reluctantly goes with him.

HERMIONE looks at RON.

HERMIONE: You’re supposed to be going too.

RON: Well, they are after me a bit and I really am in quite a lot of pain. And, you know, I’d rather be here. Expecto —

As he reaches up to cast the spell, HERMIONE stops his arm.

HERMIONE: Let’s keep them here and give the boy the best chance we can.

RON looks at her and then nods sadly.

A daughter.

RON: And a son. I liked that idea too.

He looks around — he knows his fate.

I’m scared.

HERMIONE: Kiss me.