Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

A constant companion. Sometimes behind. Sometimes in front. Hang on. I’ve missed it. Shadow. You’re a shadow.

Shadows and Spirits

. It must be . . .

He climbs up the bookcase, which is horrifying as it rises up at him. Grabbing at him with his every step.

He pulls the book from the shelf. It comes out and the noise and chaos suddenly stop.

Is that —

Suddenly there’s a smashing and

ALBUS

and

DELPHI

fall out of the shelves and down to the floor.

We beat it. We beat the library.

ALBUS: Delphi, are you . . . ?

DELPHI: Wow. Quite a ride.

ALBUS

notices the book

SCORPIUS

is holding to his chest.

ALBUS: Is that? Scorpius? What’s inside that book?

DELPHI: I think we should find out, don’t you?

SCORPIUS

opens the book. In the center of it — a spinning Time-Turner.

SCORPIUS: We’ve found the Time-Turner — I never thought we’d get this far.

ALBUS: Mate, now we’ve got this, the next stop is saving Cedric. Our journey has only just begun.

SCORPIUS: Only just begun and it’s almost half killed us. Good. This is going to be good.

Whispers rise to a roar. And we cut to black.

ACT TWO, SCENE ONE

DREAM, PRIVET DRIVE, CUPBOARD UNDER THE STAIRS

AUNT PETUNIA: Harry. Harry. These pots aren’t clean. THESE POTS ARE A DISGRACE. HARRY POTTER. Wake up.

YOUNG HARRY

wakes to see

AUNT PETUNIA

bearing down on him.

YOUNG HARRY: Aunt Petunia. What time is it?

AUNT PETUNIA: Time enough. You know, when we agreed to take you in, we hoped we could improve you — build you — make you a decent human being. So I suppose it’s only ourselves we’ve got to blame that you’ve turned out . . . such a limp disappointment.

YOUNG HARRY: I try —

AUNT PETUNIA: Trying is not succeeding though, is it? There are grease smears on the glasses. There are scuff marks on the pots. Now get up and go to the kitchen and get scrubbing.

He gets out of bed. There’s a wet smear down the back of his trousers.

Oh no. Oh no. What have you done? You’ve wet the bed, again.

She pulls back the covers.

This is very unacceptable.

YOUNG HARRY: I’m — sorry, I think I was having a nightmare.

AUNT PETUNIA: You disgusting boy. Only animals wet themselves. Animals and disgusting little boys.

YOUNG HARRY: It was about my mum and dad. I think I saw them — I think I saw them — die?

AUNT PETUNIA: And why would I have the slightest bit of interest in that?

YOUNG HARRY: There was a man shouting Adkava Ad-something Acabra — Ad — and the noise of a snake hissing. I could hear my mum scream.

AUNT PETUNIA

takes a moment to reset herself.

AUNT PETUNIA: If you were really reliving their death, all you’d hear would be a screech of brakes and a horrific thud. Your parents died in a car accident. You know that. I don’t think your mother had even time to scream. Lord spare you the details more than that. Now strip those sheets, get in the kitchen, and get scrubbing. I don’t want to have to tell you again.

She exits with a bang.

And

YOUNG HARRY

is left holding the sheets.

And the stage contorts and trees rise as the dream twists into something else entirely.

Suddenly,

ALBUS

appears and stands looking at

YOUNG HARRY

.

And then, right from the back of the room, Parseltongue whispers around everyone.

He’s coming. He’s coming.

Words said in an unmistakable voice. The voice of

VOLDEMORT

 . . .

Haaarry Pottttter.

ACT TWO, SCENE TWO

HARRY AND GINNY POTTER’S HOUSE, STAIRCASE

HARRY wakes in the darkness, breathing deeply. His exhaustion palpable, his fear overwhelming.

HARRY: Lumos.

GINNY

enters, surprised by the light.

GINNY: Okay . . . ?

HARRY: I was sleeping.

GINNY: You were.

HARRY: You weren’t. Any — news? Any owls or . . . ?

GINNY: None.

HARRY: I was dreaming — I was under the stairs and then I — I heard him — Voldemort — so clearly.

GINNY: Voldemort?

HARRY: And then I saw — Albus. In red — he was wearing Durmstrang robes.

GINNY: Durmstrang robes?

HARRY

thinks.

HARRY: Ginny, I think I know where he is . . .