Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Harry Potter, #8)(37)

HOGWARTS, SLYTHERIN DORMITORY

SCORPIUS leans ominously over ALBUS’s headboard.

SCORPIUS: Albus . . . Psst . . . Albus.

ALBUS doesn’t wake.

ALBUS!

ALBUS wakes with a shock. SCORPIUS laughs.

ALBUS: Pleasant. That’s a pleasant and not scary way to wake up.

SCORPIUS: You know it’s the strangest of things, but ever since being in the scariest place imaginable I’m pretty much good with fear. I am — Scorpius the Dreadless. I am — Malfoy the Unanxious.

ALBUS: Good.

SCORPIUS: I mean, normally, being in lockdown, being in constant detention, it’d break me, but now — what’s the worst they can do? Bring back Moldy Voldy and have him torture me? Nope.

ALBUS: You’re scary when you’re in a good mood, you know that?

SCORPIUS: When Rose came up to me today in Potions and called me Bread Head I almost hugged her. No, there’s no almost about it, I actually tried to hug her, and then she kicked me in the shin.

ALBUS: I’m not sure being fearless is going to be good for your health.

SCORPIUS looks at ALBUS, his face grows more contemplative.

SCORPIUS: You don’t know how good it is to be back here, Albus. I hated it there.

ALBUS: Apart from the Polly Chapman fancying you bits.

SCORPIUS: Cedric was a different person entirely — dark, dangerous. My dad — doing anything they wanted him to. And me? I discovered another Scorpius, you know? Entitled, angry, mean — people were frightened of me. It feels like we were all tested and we all — failed.

ALBUS: But you changed things. You had a chance and you changed time back. Changed yourself back.

SCORPIUS: Only because I knew what I should be.

ALBUS digests this.

ALBUS: Do you think I’ve been tested too? I have, haven’t I?

SCORPIUS: No. Not yet.

ALBUS: You’re wrong. The stupid thing wasn’t going back once — anyone can make that mistake — the stupid thing was being arrogant enough to go back twice.

SCORPIUS: We both went back, Albus.

ALBUS: And why was I so determined to do this? Cedric? Really? No. I had something to prove. My dad’s right — he didn’t volunteer for adventure — me, this, it’s all my fault—and if it wasn’t for you everything could have gone Dark.

SCORPIUS: But it didn’t. And you’re to thank for that as much as me. When the dementors were — inside my head — Severus Snape told me to think of you. You may not have been there, Albus, but you were fighting — fighting alongside me.

ALBUS nods. Touched by this.

And saving Cedric — that wasn’t such a bad idea — not in my head, anyway — though, you know, right — that we definitely can’t try again.

ALBUS: Yes. I do. I do know that.

SCORPIUS: Good. Then you can help me destroy this.

SCORPIUS reveals the Time-Turner to ALBUS.

ALBUS: I’m pretty sure you told everyone that was on the bottom of a lake.

SCORPIUS: Turns out Malfoy the Unanxious is a pretty good liar.

ALBUS: Scorpius . . . We should tell someone about this . . .

SCORPIUS: Who? The Ministry kept it before, do you really trust them not to keep it again? Only you and I have experienced how dangerous this is, that means you and I have to destroy it. No one can do what we did, Albus. No one. No, (slightly grandly) it’s time that time-turning became a thing of the past.

ALBUS: You’re quite proud of that phrase, aren’t you?

SCORPIUS: Been working on it all day.





ACT THREE, SCENE FIFTEEN





HOGWARTS, SLYTHERIN DORMITORY

HARRY and GINNY move quickly through the dormitory. CRAIG BOWKER JR. trails after them.

CRAIG BOWKER JR.: Can I repeat again? This is against the rules and it’s the middle of the night.

HARRY: I need to find my son.

CRAIG BOWKER JR.: I know who you are, Mr. Potter, but even you must understand that it’s against school covenant for parents or professors to enter a House quarters without express permission from . . .

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL charges in behind them.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: Please don’t be tiresome, Craig.

HARRY: You got our message? Good.

CRAIG BOWKER JR. (shocked): Headmistress. I’m — I was just — HARRY pulls open a bed-curtain.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: He’s gone?

HARRY: Yes.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: And young Malfoy?

GINNY pulls open another.

GINNY: Oh no.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: Then let’s turn this school upside down. Craig, we’ve work to do . . .

GINNY and HARRY stay, looking at the bed.

GINNY: Haven’t we been here before?

HARRY: Something feels even worse this time.

GINNY looks at her husband, full of fear.

GINNY: You spoke to him earlier?

HARRY: Yes.

GINNY: You came to his dorm and talked to him?

HARRY: You know I did.

GINNY: What did you say to our son, Harry?

HARRY can hear the accusation in her voice.

HARRY: I tried to be honest like you said — I didn’t say anything.

GINNY: And you controlled yourself? How heated did it get?

HARRY: . . . I don’t think I . . . You think I’ve scared him away again?