ALBUS picks up his case and makes hard away.
HARRY
But I wanted to be here…
But ALBUS is gone. DRACO MALFOY, his robes perfect, his blond ponytail precisely placed, emerges from within the crowds to be beside HARRY.
DRACO
I need a favour.
HARRY
Draco.
DRACO
These rumours – about my son’s parentage – they don’t seem to be going away. The other Hogwarts students tease Scorpius about it relentlessly – if the Ministry could release a statement reaffirming that all Time-Turners were destroyed in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries…
HARRY
Draco, just let it blow over – they’ll soon move on.
DRACO
My son is suffering and – Astoria hasn’t been well recently – so he needs all the support he can get.
HARRY
If you answer the gossip, you feed the gossip. There’ve been rumours Voldemort had a child for years, Scorpius is not the first to be accused. The Ministry, for your sake as well as ours, needs to steer well clear.
DRACO frowns, annoyed, as the stage clears and ROSE and ALBUS stand ready with their cases.
ALBUS
As soon as the train leaves you don’t have to talk to me.
ROSE
I know. We just need to keep the pretence 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 realises she can’t be partial) your superb new Chaser – Rose Granger-Weasley.
The Hall erupts into cheers. SCORPIUS claps alongside them all.
ALBUS
Are you clapping her too? We hate Quidditch and she’s playing for another house.
SCORPIUS
She’s your cousin, Albus.
ALBUS
Do you think she’d clap for me?
SCORPIUS
I think she’s brilliant.
The students circle ALBUS again as suddenly a Potions class begins.
POLLY CHAPMAN
Albus Potter. An irrelevance. Even portraits turn the other way when he comes up the stairs.
ALBUS hunches over a potion.
ALBUS
And now we add – is it horn of Bicorn?
KARL JENKINS
Leave him and Voldemort’s child to it, I say.
ALBUS
With just a little salamander blood…
The potion explodes loudly.
SCORPIUS
Okay. What’s the counter-ingredient? What do we need to change?
ALBUS
Everything.
And with that, time moves ever onwards — ALBUS’s eyes become darker, his face grows more sallow. He’s still an attractive boy, but he’s trying not to admit it.
And suddenly he’s back on platform nine and three-quarters with his dad – who is still trying to persuade his son (and himself) that everything is okay. Both have aged another year.
HARRY
Third year. Big year. Here is your permission form for Hogsmeade.
ALBUS
I hate Hogsmeade.
HARRY
How can you hate a place you haven’t actually visited yet?
ALBUS
Because I know it’ll be full of Hogwarts students.
ALBUS screws up the paper.
HARRY
Just give it a go – come on – this is your chance to go nuts in Honeydukes without your mum knowing – no, Albus, don’t you dare.
ALBUS (pointing his wand)
Incendio!
The ball of paper bursts into flame, and ascends across the stage.
HARRY
Of all the stupid things!
ALBUS
The ironic thing is I didn’t expect it to work. I’m terrible at that spell.
HARRY
Al – Albus, I’ve been exchanging owls with Professor McGonagall – she says you’re isolating yourself – you’re uncooperative in lessons – you’re surly – you’re—
ALBUS
So what would you like me to do? Magic myself popular? Conjure myself into a new house? Transfigure myself into a better student? Just cast a spell, Dad, and change me into what you want me to be, okay? It’ll work better for both of us. Got to go. Train to catch. Friend to find.
ALBUS runs to SCORPIUS, who is sitting on his case – numb to the world.
(delighted) Scorpius…
(concerned) Scorpius… are you okay?
SCORPIUS says nothing. ALBUS tries to read his friend’s eyes.
Your mum? It’s got worse?
SCORPIUS
It’s got the worst it can possibly get.
ALBUS sits down beside SCORPIUS.
ALBUS
I thought you’d send an owl…
SCORPIUS
I