Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

RON thinks and then does. And then the two are yanked apart. And pinned to the ground. And we watch as a golden-whitish haze is pulled from their bodies. They have their souls sucked from them. And it is terrifying.

SCORPIUS watches — helplessly.

SNAPE: Let’s get down to the water. Walk. Don’t run.

SNAPE looks at SCORPIUS.

Stay calm, Scorpius. They may be blind but they can sense your fear.

SCORPIUS looks at SNAPE.

SCORPIUS: They just sucked out their souls.

A dementor swoops down low over them and settles in front of SCORPIUS.

SNAPE: Think of something else, Scorpius. Occupy your thoughts.

SCORPIUS: I feel cold. I can’t see. There’s a fog inside me — around me.

SNAPE: You’re a king, and I’m a professor. They’ll only attack with good reason. Think about those you love, think about why you’re doing this.

SCORPIUS: I can hear my mother. She wants me — my help — but she knows I can’t — help.

SNAPE: Listen to me, Scorpius. Think about Albus. You’re giving up your kingdom for Albus, right?

SCORPIUS is helpless. Consumed by all the dementor is making him feel.

One person. All it takes is one person. I couldn’t save Harry for Lily. So now I give my allegiance to the cause she believed in. And it’s possible — that along the way I started believing in it myself.

SCORPIUS smiles at SNAPE. He steps decisively away from the dementor.

SCORPIUS: The world changes and we change with it. I am better off in this world. But the world is not better. And I don’t want that.

Suddenly DOLORES UMBRIDGE emerges in front of them.

DOLORES UMBRIDGE: Professor Snape!

SNAPE: Professor Umbridge.

DOLORES UMBRIDGE: Have you heard the news? We’ve caught that traitorous Mudblood Hermione Granger. She was just out here.

SNAPE: That’s — fantastic.

UMBRIDGE is staring at SNAPE. He looks back.

DOLORES UMBRIDGE: With you. Granger was with you.

SNAPE: With me? You’re mistaken.

DOLORES UMBRIDGE: With you and Scorpius Malfoy. A student I’m becoming increasingly concerned about.

SCORPIUS: Well . . .

SNAPE: Dolores, we’re late for class, so if you’ll excuse us . . .

DOLORES UMBRIDGE: If you’re late for class, why are you not heading back to the school? Why are you heading to the lake?

There’s a moment of pure silence. And then SNAPE does something hugely unusual — he smiles.

SNAPE: How long have you suspected?

UMBRIDGE rises off the ground. She opens her arms wide, full of Dark Magic. She takes out her wand.

DOLORES UMBRIDGE: Years. And I should have acted upon it far earlier.

SNAPE is faster with his wand.

SNAPE: Depulso!

UMBRIDGE is propelled backwards through the air.

She always was too grand for her own good. There’s no turning back now.

The sky turns even blacker still around them.

Expecto Patronum!

SNAPE sends forward a Patronus, and it’s a beautiful white shape of a doe.

SCORPIUS: A doe? Lily’s Patronus.

SNAPE: Strange, isn’t it? What comes from within.

Dementors start to appear all around them. SNAPE knows what this means.

You need to run. I will keep them at bay for as long as I can.

SCORPIUS: Thank you for being my light in the darkness.

SNAPE looks at him, every inch a hero, he softly smiles.

SNAPE: Tell Albus — tell Albus Severus — I’m proud he carries my name. Now go. Go.

The doe looks back at SCORPIUS, and then starts to run.

SCORPIUS thinks and then runs after the doe, and around him the world gets scarier. A bloodcurdling scream goes up at one side. He sees the lake and throws himself inside.

SNAPE readies himself.