Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

SCORPIUS turns back and tries to pick up the Time-Turner pieces.

The Time-Turner? It’s destroyed?

SCORPIUS: Utterly. We’re stuck here. In time. Wherever in time we are. Whatever it is she’s planning to do.

ALBUS: Hogwarts looks the same.

SCORPIUS: Yes. And we can’t be seen here. Let’s get out of here before we’re spotted.

ALBUS: We need to stop her, Scorpius.

SCORPIUS: I know we do — but how?

ACT THREE, SCENE TWENTY-ONE

ST. OSWALD’S HOME FOR OLD WITCHES AND WIZARDS, DELPHI’S ROOM

HARRY, HERMIONE, RON, DRACO, and GINNY look around a simple oak-paneled room.

HARRY: It must have been a Confundus Charm she used on him. Used on them all. She faked being a nurse, she faked being his niece.

HERMIONE: I’ve just checked in with the Ministry — but there’s no record of her. She’s a shadow.

DRACO: Specialis Revelio!

Everyone turns to look at DRACO.

Well, it was worth a try, what are you waiting for? We know nothing, so we just have to hope this room reveals something.

GINNY: Where can she have hidden anything? It’s quite a spartan room.

RON: These panels, these panels must conceal something.

DRACO: Or the bed does.

DRACO starts examining the bed, GINNY a lamp, as the rest start examining the wooden wall panels.

RON (shouting as he hammers on the walls): What you hiding? What you got?

HERMIONE: Maybe we should all stop for a moment and have a think about what —

GINNY unscrews a chimney from an oil lamp. There’s a breathing-out noise. And then hissing words. They all turn towards it.

What was that?

HARRY: That’s — I’m not supposed to be understanding — that’s Parseltongue.

HERMIONE: And what does it say?

HARRY: How do I . . . ? I haven’t been able to understand Parseltongue since Voldemort died.

HERMIONE: And nor has your scar hurt.

HARRY looks at HERMIONE.

HARRY: It says “Welcome, Augurey.” I think I need to tell it to open . . .

DRACO: Then do it.

HARRY shuts his eyes. He speaks in Parseltongue.

The room transforms around them, becoming darker and more desperate. A writhing mass of painted snakes emerges on all the walls.

And on them, written in fluorescent paint, a prophecy.

What is this?

RON: “When spares are spared, when time is turned, when unseen children murder their fathers: Then will the Dark Lord return.”

GINNY: A prophecy. A new prophecy.

HERMIONE: Cedric — Cedric was called a spare.

RON: When time is turned — she has that Time-Turner, doesn’t she?

Their faces sink.

HERMIONE: She must do.

RON: But why does she need Scorpius or Albus?

HARRY: Because I’m a parent — who hasn’t seen his child. Hasn’t understood his child.

DRACO: Who is she? To be so obsessed with all this?

GINNY: I think I’ve got the answer to that.

They all turn to her. She points up . . . Their collective faces sink further and fill with fear.

Words are revealed on all the walls of the auditorium — dangerous words, horrible words.

“I will rebirth the Dark. I will bring my father back.”

RON: No. She can’t . . .

HERMIONE: How is it even — possible?

DRACO: Voldemort had a daughter?

They look up, terrified. GINNY takes HARRY’s hand.

HARRY: No, no, no. Not that. Anything but that.

Cut to black.

ACT FOUR

ACT FOUR, SCENE ONE

MINISTRY OF MAGIC, GRAND MEETING ROOM

Wizards and witches from all over cram into the grand meeting room. HERMIONE walks onto a hastily made stage. She raises her hand for silence. Silence falls. She’s surprised at the lack of effort it took. She looks around herself.

HERMIONE: Thank you. I’m so pleased so many of you were able to make my — second — Extraordinary General Meeting. I’ve got some things to say — I ask that we deal with questions — and there will be a lot of questions — after I speak.