Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

She looks at them both.

Voldemort will return and the Augurey will sit at his side. Just as it was prophesized. “When spares are spared, when time is turned, when unseen children murder their fathers: Then will the Dark Lord return.”

She smiles. She pulls SCORPIUS viciously towards her.

Cedric is the spare, and Albus —

She pulls ALBUS viciously towards her.

— the unseen child who will kill his father by rewriting time and so return the Dark Lord.

The Time-Turner starts rotating. She pulls their hands to it.

Now!

And there is a giant whoosh of light. A smash of noise.

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

And then it speeds up.

And then there’s a sucking noise. And a BANG.

ACT THREE, SCENE TWENTY

TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT, MAZE, 1995

The maze is a spiral of hedges that don’t stop moving. DELPHI walks determinedly through it. Behind her she drags ALBUS and SCORPIUS. Their arms bound, their legs reluctantly moving.

LUDO BAGMAN: Ladies and gentlemen — boys and girls — I give you — the greatest — the fabulous — the one — and the only TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT.

There’s a loud cheer. DELPHI turns left.

If you’re from Hogwarts. Give me a cheer.

There’s a loud cheer.

If you’re from Durmstrang — give me a cheer.

There’s a loud cheer.

AND IF YOU’RE FROM BEAUXBATONS GIVE ME A CHEER.

There’s a fulsome cheer.

DELPHI and the boys are forced to move as a hedge closes upon them.

The French, finally showing us what they’re capable of there. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you — the final of the Triwizard tasks. A maze of mysteries, a disease of uncontrollable darkness, for this maze — it lives. It lives.

VIKTOR KRUM passes across the stage, moving through the maze.

And why risk this living nightmare? Because inside this maze is a Cup — and not just any Cup — yes, the Triwizard trophy stands within this vegetation.

DELPHI: Where is he? Where is Cedric?

A hedge almost dissects ALBUS and SCORPIUS.

SCORPIUS: The hedges want to kill us too? This gets better and better.

DELPHI: You will keep up or face the consequences.

LUDO BAGMAN: The perils are plentiful, but the prizes are palpable. Who will fight their way through? Who will fall at the final hurdle? What heroes do we have within our midst? Only time will tell, ladies and gentlemen, only time will tell.

They move through the maze, SCORPIUS and ALBUS being compelled by DELPHI. As she moves ahead, the boys have a chance to talk.

SCORPIUS: Albus, we need to do something.

ALBUS: I know, but what? She has snapped our wands, we’re bound, and she’s threatening to kill you.

SCORPIUS: I’m ready to die if it’ll stop Voldemort returning.

ALBUS: Are you?

SCORPIUS: You won’t have to mourn me for long, she’ll kill me and quickly kill you too.

ALBUS (desperate): The flaw in the Time-Turner, the five-minute rule. We do all we can to run down the clock.

SCORPIUS: It won’t work.

As another hedge changes direction, DELPHI pulls ALBUS and SCORPIUS in after her. They continue through this maze of despair.

LUDO BAGMAN: Now let me remind you of the current standings! Tied in first place — Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter. In second place — Mr. Viktor Krum! And in third place — sacré bleu, Miss Fleur Delacour.

Suddenly, ALBUS and SCORPIUS emerge from behind a hedge, they’re running.

ALBUS: Where did she go?

SCORPIUS: Does it matter? Which way do you think?

DELPHI rises up after them. She’s flying, and without a broom.

DELPHI: You poor creatures.

She throws the boys to the ground.

Thinking you can escape me.

ALBUS (astonished): You’re not — even on a broom.

DELPHI: Brooms — such unwieldy, unnecessary objects. Three minutes gone. We have two minutes left. And you will do what you’re told.