Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Parts One and Two (Special Rehearsal Edition). Дж. К. Роулинг

in her emphasis; he nods.

      How’s Ginny? How’s Albus?

      HARRY

      It seems I’m as good at fatherhood as I am at paperwork. How’s Rose? How’s Hugo?

      HERMIONE (with a grin)

      You know, Ron says he thinks I see more of my secretary Ethel (she indicates off) than him. Do you think there’s a point where we made a choice – parent of the year or – Ministry official of the year? Go on. Go home to your family Harry, the Hogwarts Express is about to depart for another year – enjoy the time you’ve got left – and then come back here with a fresh head and get these files read.

      HARRY

      You really think this could all mean something?

      HERMIONE (with a smile)

      It could do. But if it does, we’ll find a way to fight it, Harry. We always have.

      She smiles once more – pops a toffee in her mouth and leaves the office. HARRY is left alone. He packs his bag. He walks out of the office and down a corridor. The weight of the world upon his shoulders.

      He walks, tired, into a telephone box. He dials 62442.

      TELEPHONE BOX

      Farewell, Harry Potter.

      He ascends away from the Ministry of Magic.

      ACT ONE

      SCENE SIX

HARRY AND GINNY POTTER’S HOUSE

      ALBUS can’t sleep. He is sitting at the top of the stairs. He hears voices below him. We hear HARRY’s voice before he’s revealed. An elderly man in a wheelchair is with him, AMOS DIGGORY.

      HARRY

      Amos, I understand, I really do – but I’m only just home and—

      AMOS

      I’ve tried to make appointments at the Ministry. They say ‘Ah, Mr Diggory, we have an appointment for you, let’s see, in two months.’ I wait. Very patiently.

      HARRY

      – and coming to my house in the middle of the night – when my kids are just getting ready for their new year at school – it’s not right.

      AMOS

      Two months pass, I receive an owl, ‘Mr Diggory, I’m awfully sorry, but Mr Potter has been called away on urgent business, we’re going to have to shift things around a little, are you available for an appointment in, let’s see, two months’ time.’ And then it repeats again, and again. . You’re shutting me out.

      HARRY

      Of course I’m not. It’s just, I’m afraid, as Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement I’m responsible—

      AMOS

      There’s plenty you’re responsible for.

      HARRY

      Sorry?

      AMOS

      My son, Cedric, you do remember Cedric, don’t you?

      HARRY (remembering Cedric hurts him)

      Yes, I remember your son. His loss—

      AMOS

      Voldemort wanted you! Not my son! You told me yourself, the words he said were ‘kill the spare’. The spare. My son, my beautiful son, was a spare.

      HARRY

      Mr Diggory, as you know, I sympathise with your efforts to memorialise Cedric but—

      AMOS

      A memorial? I am not interested in a memorial – not any more. I am an old man – an old, dying man – and I am here to ask you – beg you – to help me get him back.

      HARRY looks up, astonished.

      HARRY

      Get him back? Amos, that’s not possible.

      AMOS

      The Ministry has a Time-Turner does it not?

      HARRY

      The Time-Turners were all destroyed.

      AMOS

      The reason I’m here with such urgency is I’ve just heard rumour – strong rumour – that the Ministry seized an illegal Time-Turner from Theodore Nott and has kept it. For investigation. Let me use that Time-Turner. Let me have my son back.

      There’s a long, deadly pause. HARRY is finding this extremely difficult. We watch as ALBUS moves closer, listening.

      HARRY

      Amos, playing with time? You know we can’t do that.

      AMOS

      How many people have died for the Boy Who Lived? I’m asking you to save one of them.

      This hurts HARRY. He thinks, his face hardens.

      HARRY

      Whatever you’ve heard – the Theodore Nott story is a fiction, Amos. I’m sorry.

      DELPHI

      Hello.

      ALBUS jumps a mile as DELPHI – a twenty-something determined-looking woman – is revealed looking through the stairs at him.

      Oh. Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle. I used to be a big stair-listener myself. Sitting there. Waiting for someone to say something the tiniest bit interesting.

      ALBUS

      Who are you? Because this is sort of my house and. .

      DELPHI

      I’m a thief of course. I’m about to steal everything you own. Give me your gold, your wand and your Chocolate Frogs! (She looks fierce and then smiles.) Either that or I’m Delphini Diggory. (She ascends the stairs and sticks out a hand.) Delphi. I look after him – Amos – well, I try. (She indicates AMOS.) And you are?

      ALBUS (rueful grin)