Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Tell Albus — tell Albus Severus — I’m proud he carries my name.

And — Snape? What does Snape do in this other world?

SNAPE: I’m dead, presumably.

He knew, you see — he knew your secret — what you did for Dumbledore. And he admired you for it — greatly. And that’s why he named his son — my best friend — after you both. Albus Severus Potter

“The truth is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.”

Albus Severus, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.

SCORPIUS (overjoyed): Harry! It’s Harry Potter! And Ginny. And Professor McGonagall. And Dad. My dad. Hi. Dad.

DRACO: Hello, Scorpius.

hears the implication in her emphasis, he

ALBUS: As soon as the train leaves you don’t have to talk to me.

ROSE: I know. We just need to keep the pretense up in front of the grown-ups.

SCORPIUS

runs on — with big hopes and an even bigger case.

SCORPIUS (hopeful): Hi, Rose.

ROSE (definitive): Bye, Albus.

SCORPIUS (still hopeful): She’s melting.

And suddenly we’re in the Great Hall and

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL

is standing at the front with a big smile on her face.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: And I’m pleased to announce Gryffindor’s newest member of the Quidditch team — our — (she realizes she can’t be partial) your superb new Chaser — Rose Granger-Weasley.

The hall erupts into cheers.

ALBUS: Everyone’s staring at us again.

RON: Because of me! I’m extremely famous. My nose experiments are legendary!

HERMIONE: They’re certainly something.

HARRY: Parked all right, then?

RON: I did. Hermione didn’t believe I could pass a Muggle driving test, did you? She thought I’d have to Confund the examiner.

HERMIONE: I thought nothing of the kind, I have complete faith in you.

ROSE: And I have complete faith he did Confund the examiner.

RON: Oi!

ALBUS: Dad . . .

ALBUS

pulls on

HARRY

’s robes.

HARRY

looks down.

Do you think — what if I am — what if I’m put in Slytherin . . .

HARRY: And what would be wrong with that?

ALBUS: Slytherin is the House of the snake, of Dark Magic . . . It’s not a House of brave wizards.

HARRY: Albus Severus, you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew.

ALBUS: But just say . . .

HARRY: If it matters to you, you, the Sorting Hat will take your feelings into account.

ALBUS: Really?

HARRY: It did for me.

This is something he’s never said before, it resonates around his head a moment.

Hogwarts will be the making of you, Albus. I promise you, there is nothing to be frightened of there.

JAMES: Apart from the Thestrals. Watch out for the Thestrals.

ALBUS: I thought they were invisible!

HARRY: Listen to your professors, don’t listen to James, and remember to enjoy yourself. Now, if you don’t want this train to leave without you, you should leap on . . .

LILY: I’m going to chase the train out.

GINNY: Lily, come straight back.

HERMIONE: Rose. Remember to send Neville our love.

ROSE: Mum, I can’t give a professor love!

ROSE

exits for the train. And then

ALBUS

turns and hugs

GINNY

and

HARRY

one last time before following after her.

ALBUS: Okay, then. Bye.

He climbs on board.

HERMIONE

,

GINNY

,

RON

, and

HARRY

stand watching the train — as whistles blow up and down the platform.

GINNY: They’re going to be okay, right?

HERMIONE: Hogwarts is a big place.

RON: Big. Wonderful. Full of food. I’d give anything to be going back.

HARRY: Strange, Al being worried he’ll be sorted into Slytherin.

HERMIONE: That’s nothing, Rose is worried whether she’ll break the Quidditch scoring record in her first or second year. And how early she can take her O.W.L.s.

RON: I have no idea where she gets her ambition from.

GINNY: And how would you feel, Harry, if Al — if he is?

RON: You know, Gin, we always thought there was a chance you could be sorted into Slytherin.

GINNY: What?

RON: Honestly, Fred and George ran a book.

HERMIONE: Can we go? People are looking, you know.

GINNY: People always look when you three are together. And apart. People always look at you.

The four exit.

GINNY

stops

HARRY

ACT ONE, SCENE ONE

KING’S CROSS

A busy and crowded station. Full of people trying to go somewhere. Amongst the hustle and bustle, two large cages rattle on top of two laden trolleys. They’re being pushed by two boys, JAMES POTTER and ALBUS POTTER, their mother, GINNY, follows after. A thirty-seven-year-old man, HARRY, has his daughter, LILY, on his shoulders.

ALBUS: Dad. He keeps saying it.

HARRY: James, give it a rest.

JAMES: I only said he might be in Slytherin. And he might so . . . (Off his dad’s glare.) Fine.

ALBUS (looking up at his mum): You’ll write to me, won’t you?

GINNY: Every day if you want us to.

ALBUS: No. Not every day. James says most people only get letters from home about once a month. I don’t want to . . .

HARRY: We wrote to your brother three times a week last year.

ALBUS: What? James!

ALBUS

looks accusingly at

JAMES

.

GINNY: Yes. You may not want to believe everything he tells you about Hogwarts. He likes a laugh, your brother.

JAMES (with a grin): Can we go now, please?

ALBUS

looks at his dad, and then his mum.

GINNY: All you have to do is walk straight at the wall between platforms nine and ten.

LILY: I’m so excited.

HARRY: Don’t stop and don’t be scared you’ll crash into it, that’s very important. Best to do it at a run if you’re nervous.

ALBUS: I’m ready.

HARRY

and

LILY

put their hands on

ALBUS

’s trolley —

GINNY

joins

JAMES

’s trolley — together, the family run hard into the barrier.

ACT ONE, SCENE TWO

PLATFORM NINE AND THREE-QUARTERS

Which is covered in thick white steam pouring from the HOGWARTS EXPRESS.

And which is also busy — but instead of people in sharp suits going about their day — it’s now wizards and witches in robes mostly trying to work out how to say good-bye to their beloved progeny.

ALBUS: This is it.

LILY: Wow!

ALBUS: Platform nine and three-quarters.

LILY: Where are they? Are they here? Maybe they didn’t come?

HARRY

points out

RON

,

HERMIONE

, and their daughter,

ROSE

.

LILY

runs hard up to them.

Uncle Ron. Uncle Ron!!!

RON

turns towards them as

LILY

goes barreling up to him. He picks her up into his arms.

RON: If it isn’t my favorite Potter.

LILY: Have you got my trick?

RON: Are you aware of the Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes–certified nose-stealing breath?

ROSE: Mum! Dad’s doing that lame thing again.

HERMIONE: You say lame, he says glorious, I say — somewhere in between.

RON: Hang on. Let me just munch this . . . air. And now it’s just a simple matter of . . . Excuse me if I smell slightly of garlic . . .

He breathes on her face.

LILY

giggles.

LILY: You smell of porridge.

RON: Bing. Bang. Boing. Young lady, get ready to not being able to smell at all . . .

He lifts her nose off.

LILY: Where’s my nose?

RON: Ta-da!

His hand is empty. It’s a lame trick. Everyone enjoys its lameness.

LILY: You are silly.