Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Harry Potter, #8)(22)

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: Dumbledore is dead, Harry. And I’ve told you before, portraits don’t represent even half of their subjects.

HARRY: He said love had blinded me.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: A head teacher’s portrait is a memoir. It is supposed to be a support mechanism for the decisions I have to make. But I was advised as I took this job to not mistake the painting for the person. And you would be well-advised to do the same.

HARRY: But he was right. I see it now.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: Harry, you’ve been put under enormous pressure, the loss of Albus, the search for him, the fears as to what your scar might mean. But trust me when I tell you, you are making a mistake.

HARRY: Albus didn’t like me before. He might not like me again. But he will be safe. With the greatest respect, Minerva — you don’t have children —

GINNY: Harry!

HARRY: — you don’t understand.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL (deeply hurt): I’d hope that a lifetime spent in the teaching profession would mean . . .

HARRY: This map will reveal to you where my son is at all times — I expect you to use it. And if I hear you don’t — then I will come down on this school as hard as I can — using the full force of the Ministry — is that understood?

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL (bewildered by this vitriol): Perfectly.

GINNY looks at HARRY, unsure of what he’s become. He doesn’t look back.





ACT TWO, SCENE ELEVEN





HOGWARTS, DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS CLASSROOM

ALBUS enters the classroom — slightly unsure.

HERMIONE: Ah yes. Our train absconder. Finally joining us.

ALBUS: Hermione?

He looks amazed. HERMIONE is standing at the front of the lesson.

HERMIONE: Professor Granger I believe is my name, Potter.

ALBUS: What are you doing here?

HERMIONE: Teaching. For my sins. What are you doing here? Learning, I hope.

ALBUS: But you’re . . . you’re . . . Minister for Magic.

HERMIONE: Been having those dreams again, have you, Potter? Today we’re going to look at Patronus Charms.

ALBUS (amazed): You’re our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?

There are titters.

HERMIONE: Losing patience now. Ten points from Gryffindor for stupidity.

POLLY CHAPMAN (standing, full of affront): No. No. He’s doing it deliberately. He hates Gryffindor and everyone knows it.

HERMIONE: Sit down, Polly Chapman, before this gets even worse. (POLLY sighs and then sits.) And I suggest you join her, Albus. And end this charade.

ALBUS: But you’re not this mean.

HERMIONE: And that’s twenty points from Gryffindor to assure Albus Potter that I am this mean.

YANN FREDERICKS: If you don’t sit down right now, Albus . . .

ALBUS sits.

ALBUS: Can I just say —

HERMIONE: No, you can’t. Just keep quiet, Potter, otherwise you’ll lose what limited popularity you already have. Now who can tell me what a Patronus is? No? No one. You really are a most disappointing bunch.

HERMIONE smiles a thin smile. She really is quite mean.

ALBUS: No. This is stupid. Where’s Rose? She’ll tell you that you’re being ridiculous.

HERMIONE: Who’s Rose? Your invisible friend?

ALBUS: Rose Granger-Weasley! Your daughter! (He realizes.) Of course — because you and Ron aren’t married Rose —

There’s giggling.

HERMIONE: How dare you! Fifty points from Gryffindor. And I assure you if anyone interrupts me again it’ll be a hundred points . . .

She stares around the room. No one moves a muscle.

Good. A Patronus is a magical charm, a projection of all your most positive feelings, and takes the shape of the animal with whom you share the deepest affinity. It is a gift of light. If you can conjure a Patronus, you can protect yourself against the world. Which, in some of our cases, seems like a necessity sooner rather than later.





ACT TWO, SCENE TWELVE





HOGWARTS, STAIRCASES

ALBUS walks up a staircase. Looking around as he does.

He doesn’t see anything. He exits. The staircases move in almost a dance.

SCORPIUS enters behind him. He thinks he’s seen ALBUS, he realizes he isn’t there.

He slumps down to the floor as the staircase sweeps around.

MADAM HOOCH enters and walks up the staircase. At the top, she gestures for SCORPIUS to move.

He does. And slopes off — his abject loneliness clear.

ALBUS enters and walks up one staircase.

SCORPIUS enters and walks up another.

The staircases meet. The two boys look at each other.

Lost and hopeful—all at once.

And then ALBUS looks away and the moment is broken—and with it, possibly, the friendship.

And now the staircases part — the two look at each other — one full of guilt — the other full of pain — both full of unhappiness.





ACT TWO, SCENE THIRTEEN





HARRY AND GINNY POTTER’S HOUSE, KITCHEN

GINNY and HARRY watch each other warily. There is an argument due, and both of them know it.

HARRY: This is the right decision.

GINNY: You almost sound convinced.

HARRY: You told me to be honest with him, but actually I needed to be honest with myself, trust what my heart was telling me . . .