Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Page 16

by J. K. Rowling


  ALBUS: In an alternate reality where you were significantly -- really significantly more popular -- a different girl asked you out -- and that means --

  SCORPIUS: And yes, logic would dictate I should be pursuing Polly -- or allowing her to pursue me -- she's a notorious beauty, after all -- but a Rose is a Rose.

  ALBUS: You know logic would dictate that you're a freak? Rose hates you.

  SCORPIUS: Correction, she used to hate me, but did you see the look in her eyes when I asked? That wasn't hate, that was pity.

  ALBUS: And pity's good?

  SCORPIUS: Pity is a start, my friend, a foundation on which to build a palace -- a palace of love.

  ALBUS: I honestly thought I'd be the first of us to get a girlfriend.

  SCORPIUS: Oh, you will, undoubtedly, probably that new smoky-eyed Potions professor -- she's old enough for you, right?

  ALBUS: I don't have a thing about older women!

  SCORPIUS: And you've got time -- a lot of time -- to seduce her. Because Rose is going to take years to persuade.

  ALBUS: I admire your confidence.

  ROSE comes past them on the stairs. She looks at them both.

  ROSE: Hi.

  Neither boy knows quite how to reply -- she looks at SCORPIUS.

  This is only going to be weird if you let it be weird.

  SCORPIUS: Received and entirely understood.

  ROSE: Okay. "Scorpion King."

  She walks off with a smile on her face. SCORPIUS and ALBUS look at each other. ALBUS grins and punches SCORPIUS on the arm.

  ALBUS: Maybe you're right -- pity is a start.

  SCORPIUS: Are you heading to Quidditch? Slytherin are playing Hufflepuff -- it's a big one --

  ALBUS: I thought we hated Quidditch?

  SCORPIUS: People can change. Besides, I've been practicing. I think I might make the team eventually. Come on.

  ALBUS: I can't. My dad's arranged to come up --

  SCORPIUS: He's taking time away from the Ministry?

  ALBUS: He wants to go on a walk -- something to show me -- share with me -- something.

  SCORPIUS: A walk?

  ALBUS: I know, I think it's a bonding thing or something similarly vomit-inducing. Still, you know, I think I'll go.

  SCORPIUS reaches in and hugs ALBUS.

  What's this? I thought we decided we don't hug.

  SCORPIUS: I wasn't sure. Whether we should. In this new version of us -- I had in my head.

  ALBUS: Better ask Rose if it's the right thing to do.

  SCORPIUS: Ha! Yeah. Right.

  The two boys dislocate and grin at each other.

  ALBUS: I'll see you at dinner.

  ACT FOUR, SCENE FIFTEEN

  A BEAUTIFUL HILL

  HARRY and ALBUS walk up a hill on a beautiful summer's day. They say nothing, enjoying the sun on their faces as they climb.

  HARRY: So are you ready?

  ALBUS: For what?

  HARRY: Well, there's the fourth-year exams -- and then the fifth year -- big year -- in my fifth year I did --

  He looks at ALBUS. He smiles. He talks quickly.

  I did a lot of stuff. Some of it good. Some of it bad. A lot of it quite confusing.

  ALBUS: Good to know.

  HARRY smiles.

  I got to watch them -- you know -- for a bit -- your mum and dad. They were -- you had fun together. Your dad used to love to do this smoke ring thing with you where you . . . well, you couldn't stop giggling.

  HARRY: Yes?

  ALBUS: I think you'd have liked them. And I think me, Lily, and James would have liked them too.

  HARRY nods. There's a slightly uncomfortable silence. Both are trying to reach each other here, both are failing.

  HARRY: You know, I thought I'd lost him -- Voldemort -- I thought I'd lost him -- and then my scar started hurting again and I had dreams of him and I could even speak Parseltongue again and I started to feel like I'd not changed at all -- that he'd never let me go --

  ALBUS: And had he?

  HARRY: The part of me that was Voldemort died a long time ago, but it wasn't enough to be physically rid of him -- I had to be mentally rid of him. And that -- is a lot to learn for a forty-year-old man.

  He looks at ALBUS.

  That thing I said to you -- it was unforgivable, and I can't ask you to forget it but I can hope we move past it. I'm going to try to be a better dad for you, Albus. I am going to try and--be honest with you and . . .

  ALBUS: Dad, you don't need to --

  HARRY: You told me you don't think I'm scared of anything, and that -- I mean, I'm scared of everything. I mean, I'm afraid of the dark, did you know that?

  ALBUS: Harry Potter is afraid of the dark?

  HARRY: I don't like small spaces and -- I've never told anyone this, but I don't much like -- (he hesitates before saying it) pigeons.

  ALBUS: You don't like pigeons?

  HARRY (he scrunches up his face): Nasty, pecky, dirty things. They give me the creeps.

  ALBUS: But pigeons are harmless!

  HARRY: I know. But the thing that scares me most, Albus Severus Potter, is being a dad to you. Because I'm operating without wires here. Most people at least have a dad to base themselves on -- and either try to be or try not to be. I've got nothing -- or very little. So I'm learning, okay? And I'm going to try with everything I've got -- to be a good dad for you.

  ALBUS: And I'll try and be a better son. I know I'm not James, Dad, I'll never be like you two --

  HARRY: James is nothing like me.

  ALBUS: Isn't he?

  HARRY: Everything comes easy for James. My childhood was a constant struggle.

  ALBUS: So was mine. So you're saying -- am I -- like you?

  HARRY smiles at ALBUS.

  HARRY: Actually you're more like your mum -- bold, fierce, funny -- which I like -- which I think makes you a pretty great son.

  ALBUS: I almost destroyed the world.

  HARRY: Delphi wasn't going anywhere, Albus -- you brought her out into the light and you found a way for us to fight her. You may not see it now, but you saved us.

  ALBUS: But shouldn't I have done better?

  HARRY: You don't think I ask myself the same questions?

  ALBUS (stomach sinking further, he knows this is not what his dad would do): And then -- when we caught her -- I wanted to kill her.

  HARRY: You'd watched her murder Craig, you were angry, Albus, and that's okay. And you wouldn't have done it.

  ALBUS: How do you know that? Maybe that's my Slytherin side. Maybe that's what the Sorting Hat saw in me.

  HARRY: I don't understand your head, Albus -- actually, you know what, you're a teenager, I shouldn't be able to understand your head, but I do understand your heart. I didn't -- for a long time -- but thanks to this -- "escapade" -- I know what you got in there. Slytherin, Gryffindor, whatever label you've been given -- I know -- know -- that heart is a good one -- yeah, whether you like it or not, you're on your way to being some wizard.

  ALBUS: Oh I'm not going to be a wizard, I'm going into pigeon racing. I'm quite excited about it.

  HARRY grins.

  HARRY: Those names you have -- they shouldn't be a burden. Albus Dumbledore had his trials too, you know -- and Severus Snape, well, you know all about him --

  ALBUS: They were good men.

  HARRY: They were great men, with huge flaws, and you know what -- those flaws almost made them greater.

  ALBUS looks around himself.

  ALBUS: Dad? Why are we here?

  HARRY: This is where I often come.

  ALBUS: But this is a graveyard . . .

  HARRY: And here is Cedric's grave.

  ALBUS: Dad?

  HARRY: The boy who was killed -- Craig Bowker -- how well did you know him?

  ALBUS: Not well enough.

  HARRY: I didn't know Cedric well enough either. He could have played Quidditch for England. Or been a brilliant Auror. He could have been anything. And Amos is right -- he was stolen. So I come here. Just
to say sorry. When I can.

  ALBUS: That's a -- good thing to do.

  ALBUS joins his dad in front of CEDRIC's grave. HARRY smiles at his son and looks up at the sky.

  HARRY: I think it's going to be a nice day.

  He touches his son's shoulder. And the two of them -- just slightly -- melt together.

  ALBUS (smiles): So do I.

  The End

  ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

  Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two was first produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender, and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions. It premiered at the Palace Theatre in London, England, on July 30, 2016, with the following cast (in alphabetical order):

  CRAIG BOWKER JR

  Jeremy Ang Jones

  MOANING MYRTLE, LILY POTTER SR

  Annabel Baldwin

  UNCLE VERNON, SEVERUS SNAPE, LORD VOLDEMORT

  Paul Bentall

  SCORPIUS MALFOY

  Anthony Boyle

  ALBUS POTTER

  Sam Clemmett

  HERMIONE GRANGER

  Noma Dumezweni

  POLLY CHAPMAN

  Claudia Grant

  HAGRID, SORTING HAT

  Chris Jarman

  YANN FREDERICKS

  James Le Lacheur

  AUNT PETUNIA, MADAM HOOCH, DOLORES UMBRIDGE

  Helena Lymbery

  AMOS DIGGORY, ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

  Barry McCarthy

  TROLLEY WITCH, PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL

  Sandy McDade

  STATIONMASTER

  Adam McNamara

  GINNY POTTER

  Poppy Miller

  CEDRIC DIGGORY, JAMES POTTER JR., JAMES POTTER SR

  Tom Milligan

  DUDLEY DURSLEY, KARL JENKINS, VIKTOR KRUM

  Jack North

  HARRY POTTER

  Jamie Parker

  DRACO MALFOY

  Alex Price

  BANE

  Nuno Silva

  ROSE GRANGER-WEASLEY, YOUNG HERMIONE

  Cherrelle Skeete

  DELPHI DIGGORY

  Esther Smith

  RON WEASLEY

  Paul Thornley

  YOUNG HARRY POTTER

  Rudi Goodman, Alfred Jones, Bili Keogh, Ewan Rutherford, Nathaniel Smith, Dylan Standen

  LILY POTTER JR

  Zoe Brough, Cristina Fray, Christiana Hutchings

  OTHER ROLES PLAYED BY

  Nicola Alexis, Jeremy Ang Jones, Rosemary Annabella, Jack Bennett, Paul Bentall, Morag Cross, Claudia Grant, James Howard, Lowri James, Chris Jarman, Martin Johnston, James Le Lacheur, Helena Lymbery, Barry McCarthy, Andrew McDonald, Adam McNamara, Tom Milligan, Jack North, Stuart Ramsey, Nuno Silva, Cherrelle Skeete

  SWINGS

  Helen Aluko, Morag Cross, Chipo Kureya, Tom Mackley, Joshua Wyatt

  MOVEMENT CAPTAIN

  Nuno Silva

  ASSISTANT MOVEMENT CAPTAIN

  Jack North

  VOICE CAPTAIN

  Morag Cross

  PRODUCTION CREDITS

  ORIGINAL STORY

  J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, Jack Thorne PLAYWRIGHT

  Jack Thorne

  DIRECTOR

  John Tiffany MOVEMENT DIRECTOR

  Steven Hoggett SET DESIGNER

  Christine Jones COSTUME DESIGNER

  Katrina Lindsay COMPOSER & ARRANGER

  Imogen Heap

  LIGHTING DESIGNER

  Neil Austin

  SOUND DESIGNER

  Gareth Fry

  ILLUSIONS & MAGIC

  Jamie Harrison

  MUSIC SUPERVISOR & ARRANGER

  Martin Lowe

  CASTING DIRECTOR

  Julia Horan CDG

  PRODUCTION MANAGER

  Gary Beestone

  PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER

  Sam Hunter

  ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

  Des Kennedy

  ASSOCIATE MOVEMENT DIRECTOR

  Neil Bettles

  ASSOCIATE SET DESIGNER

  Brett J. Banakis

  ASSOCIATE SOUND DESIGNER

  Pete Malkin

  ILLUSIONS & MAGIC ASSOCIATE

  Chris Fisher

  CASTING ASSOCIATE

  Lotte Hines

  ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER

  Adam King

  COSTUME DESIGN SUPERVISOR

  Sabine Lemaitre

  HAIR, WIGS & MAKE-UP

  Carole Hancock

  PROPS SUPERVISORS

  Lisa Buckley, Mary Halliday

  MUSIC EDITOR

  Phij Adams

  MUSIC PRODUCTION

  Imogen Heap

  SPECIAL EFFECTS

  Jeremy Chernick

  VIDEO DESIGN

  Finn Ross, Ash Woodward

  DIALECT COACH

  Daniele Lydon

  VOICE COACH

  Richard Ryder

  COMPANY STAGE MANAGER

  Richard Clayton

  STAGE MANAGER

  Jordan Noble-Davies

  DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER

  Jenefer Tait

  ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS

  Oliver Bagwell Purefoy, Tom Gilding, Sally Inch, Ben Sherratt RESIDENT DIRECTOR

  Pip Minnithorpe

  HEAD OF WARDROBE

  Amy Gillot

  DEPUTY HEAD OF WARDROBE

  Laura Watkins

  WARDROBE ASSISTANTS

  Kate Anderson, Leanne Hired

  DRESSERS

  George Amielle, Melissa Cooke, Rosie Etheridge, John Ovenden, Emilee Swift HEAD OF HAIR, WIGS & MAKE-UP

  Nina Van Houten

  DEPUTY HEAD OF HAIR, WIGS & MAKE-UP

  Alice Townes

  HAIR, WIGS & MAKE-UP ASSISTANTS

  Charlotte Briscoe, Jacob Fessey, Cassie Murphie HEAD OF SOUND

  Chris Reid

  DEPUTY HEAD OF SOUND

  Rowena Edwards

  SOUND NO. 3

  Laura Caplin

  SFX OPERATOR

  Callum Donaldson

  HEAD OF AUTOMATION

  Josh Peters

  DEPUTY HEAD OF AUTOMATION

  Jamie Lawrence

  AUTOMATION NO. 3

  Jamie Robson

  SHOW CHIEF LX

  David Treanor

  PERFORMER FLYING TECHNICIAN

  Paul Gurney

  CHAPERONES

  David Russell, Eleanor Dowling

  GENERAL MANAGEMENT

  Sonia Friedman Productions

  EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

  Diane Benjamin

  EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

  Pam Skinner

  ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

  Fiona Stewart

  ASSISTANT PRODUCER

  Ben Canning

  GENERAL MANAGEMENT ASSISTANT

  Max Bittleston

  PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

  Imogen Clare-Wood

  MARKETING MANAGER

  Laura Jane Elliott

  REVENUE MANAGER

  Mark Payn

  ASSOCIATE PRODUCER (DEVELOPMENT) Lucie Lovatt

  DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

  Lydia Rynne

  LITERARY ASSOCIATE

  Jack Bradley

  OFFICE ASSISTANT

  Jordan Eaton

  HOUSE SEATS ASSISTANT

  Vicky Ngoma

  BIOGRAPHIES OF THE ORIGINAL STORY TEAM

  J.K. ROWLING

  is the author of the seven Harry Potter novels, which have sold over 450 million copies and have been translated into 79 languages, and three companion books originally published for charity. She is also the author of The Casual Vacancy, a novel for adults published in 2012, and, under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith, is the author of the Cormoran Strike crime series. J.K. Rowling is making her screenwriting debut and is a producer on the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a further extension of the wizarding world, due for release in November 2016.

  JOHN TIFFANY

  directed the stage adaptation of Once for which he was the recipient of multiple a
wards both in the West End and on Broadway. As Associate Director of the Royal Court, his work includes The Twits, Hope, and The Pass. He was the director of Let the Right One In for the National Theatre of Scotland, which transferred to the Royal Court, West End, and St. Ann's Warehouse. His other work for the National Theatre of Scotland includes Macbeth (also Broadway), Enquirer, The Missing, Peter Pan, The House of Bernarda Alba, Transform Caithness: Hunter, Be Near Me, Nobody Will Ever Forgive Us, The Bacchae, Black Watch, for which he won the Olivier and Critics Circle Best Director Awards, Elizabeth Gordon Quinn, and Home: Glasgow. Other recent credits include The Glass Menagerie at American Repertory Theatre and on Broadway and The Ambassador at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Tiffany was Associate Director of the National Theatre of Scotland from 2005 to 2012, and was a Radcliffe Fellow at Harvard University in the 2010-2011 academic year.

  JACK THORNE

  writes for theater, film, television, and radio. His theater credits include Hope and Let the Right One In, both directed by John Tiffany, The Solid Life of Sugar Water for the Graeae Theatre Company and the National Theatre, Bunny for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Stacy for the Trafalgar Studios, and 2nd May 1997 and When You Cure Me for the Bush. His adaptations include The Physicists for the Donmar Warehouse and Stuart: A Life Backwards for HighTide. On film his credits include War Book, A Long Way Down, and The Scouting Book for Boys. For television his credits include The Last Panthers, Don't Take My Baby, This Is England, The Fades, Glue, Cast-Offs, and National Treasure. He won 2016 BAFTAs for Best Mini-Series (This Is England '90) and Best Single Drama (Don't Take My Baby), and in 2012 won Best Drama Series (The Fades) and Best Mini-Series (This Is England '88).

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  All the actors from the Cursed Child workshops, Mel Kenyon, Rachel Taylor, Alexandria Horton, Imogen Clare-Wood, Florence Rees, Jenefer Tait, David Nock, Rachel Mason, Colin, Neil, Sonia, everyone at SFP and The Blair Partnership, Rebecca Salt from JKR PR, Nica Burns and all the staff at the Palace Theatre, and, of course, our incredible cast who helped shape every word.

  Pottermore Digital Editions eBooks and Digital Audio Books: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows eBooks:

  The Tales of Beedle the Bard

  Quidditch Through the Ages

  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay

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  We are the home of worldwide digital publishing, entertainment and news for fans of J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World. Visit www.pottermore.com, where your own Sorting Ceremony, exclusive new writing by J.K. Rowling and all the latest news and features from the Wizarding World awaits. Register with Pottermore and join us in unlocking the power of imagination.

 

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