Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Scorpius is greeted enthusiastically by fellow students on the school grounds, who address him as the “Scorpion King.” Polly Chapman, a pretty and popular girl, asks Scorpius out to the “Blood Ball,” asserting that she is “making a future” with Scorpius “like the Augurey insists” (182). There is screaming in the background; on questioning it, Scorpius discovers that “Mudbloods” (wizards and witches born to non-magical parents) are being tortured in the school dungeons, on his apparent suggestion. Before leaving, Polly repeats the slogan “For Voldemort and Valour” (182).

Scorpius visits Draco in his office at the Ministry, where he is now Head of Magical Law Enforcement; flags emblazoned with the symbol of the Augurey (a magical bird) decorate the room.

Draco chastens Scorpius for being late and humiliating him by asking questions about Harry Potter. Scorpius, in turn, questions Draco about his role in the rampant and organized violence against “Mudbloods,” asserting that Scorpius’s mother “always told [him] [Draco] was a better man” (184). Draco reacts violently to Scorpius bringing up Astoria; he quickly calms down, clarifies that he was not involved in the violence, and questions whether Astoria really said that about him. Scorpius affirms this and questions what the Malfoys have now become.

Draco questions Scorpius’s sudden interest in Harry Potter, to which Scorpius responds that he has “seen [himself] in a different way” (186). Draco observes that there is more of Astoria in Scorpius than he thought; he bids Scorpius to be safe in whatever he is doing. The two bid farewell to each other, repeating the Voldemort slogan.

Scorpius visits the Hogwarts library, looking for answers to the state of this reality in history books. He runs into another student, Craig Bowker Jr., who apologizes for not having Scorpius’s Potions homework ready yet—Scorpius hates homework and has bullied Craig into doing all his work for him. The conversation reveals that the once-deceased Severus Snape is the current Potions master.

Scorpius runs into the Potions classroom, exultant at the chance to meet Snape. Snape is initially dismissive of Scorpius, wary when Scorpius asks him about working undercover for Dumbledore; however, Scorpius fills Snape in on the events surrounding the Time-Turner and Cedric Diggory, to which Snape reveals that Cedric only killed one wizard—Neville Longbottom. Neville, however, had played a crucial role in Harry’s victory in the Battle of Hogwarts—his death in this reality led to Harry’s death and Voldemort’s victory.

Snape, believing Scorpius is playing a game, turns him away; Scorpius then quotes Snape’s greatest secret—Snape loved Harry’s dead mother, the reason why he spent years working undercover. Only Dumbledore had known this during Snape’s lifetime; in Scorpius’s world, this had been revealed to everyone after Snape’s death, leading Harry to name one of his sons after Snape.

Snape is deeply moved by this and acquiesces to Scorpius’s request for help. He takes Scorpius through a concealed door into a secret room where some people are living in hiding.

Scorpius is accosted by a warrior-like Hermione and is only released upon Snape’s reassurance that Scorpius is now on their side. Ron comes in and is initially alarmed at seeing Scorpius; on Snape’s insistence, he and Hermione then listen to Scorpius’s story.

Although slightly incredulous, Ron and Hermione agree to help Scorpius—they are the only ones left of the original resistance against Voldemort, “Dumbledore’s Army.” Ron and Hermione are astonished and pleasantly unsettled to find out what they do and who they are married to in Scorpius’s world; Snape gauges that he is dead based on Scorpius’s extreme surprise at having found Snape in the Potions classroom earlier.

Snape suggests that only he accompany Scorpius, as it is too dangerous for Hermione or Ron to be spotted; however, Hermione insists on them joining in, as “no risk is too great” (199) to ensure Harry’s victory and Voldemort’s demise. The four of them use the Time-Turner and disappear into the past.

Back at the scene of the first task, Hermione blocks the Disarming Spell that Albus aims at Cedric; Cedric continues with the task as he originally did.

The group returns to the present with Ron in a lot of pain; they are also outside and exposed. Before they can return to safety, the Dementors descend. Hermione confesses her love to Ron, and they stay to distract the Dementors so that Snape and Scorpius can escape; they kiss before the Dementors suck out their souls.

Snape and Scorpius walk to the lake together, Snape trying to calm Scorpius’s fear. Umbridge meets them on the way and informs them of Hermione’s capture; she is suspicious of Snape’s involvement, which he then confirms before fighting and defeating Umbridge. Dementors begin to descend again, and Snape stays, allowing Scorpius to escape into the lake. Snape screams as his soul is pulled from him before things fall silent.

Scorpius emerges from the lake, Albus beside him now, who has no idea what has happened—Scorpius countered Albus’s Engorgement Charm in the past, leaving things as they originally were. Albus is confused at Scorpius’s joy at failing to change the past. Before Scorpius can explain, Harry, Draco, Ginny, and McGonagall arrive and are greeted enthusiastically by Scorpius. Myrtle has filled them in. Scorpius declares that he has lost the Time-Turner, eliciting Albus’s annoyance and McGonagall’s demand for an explanation.

McGonagall is furious to hear everything the boys have gotten up to, giving them detention for the rest of the year. Hermione arrives, and McGonagall is furious with the Minister for having kept the illegal Time-Turner. She agrees Albus’s intentions to save Cedric were honorable but expresses that “bravery doesn’t forgive stupidity” (215). McGonagall chastises the boys and the adults alike for their recklessness, remembering all that was sacrificed during the wizarding wars. She dismisses them all, instructing them to find her the Time-Turner.

Harry visits Albus in the Slytherin common room and asks him why he decided to save Cedric; Harry expresses his anger at Albus’s recklessness, reminding his son that Harry never “volunteer[ed] for adventure” (218). Harry sees that Albus is sorry for his actions and apologizes to his son for keeping him apart from Scorpius. They acknowledge that their issues run deeper than Albus getting sorted into Slytherin.

In this dream sequence, Aunt Petunia takes Harry to visit Godric’s Hollow, where his parents lived and died. Contrary to what Aunt Petunia has told Harry about his parents not having any friends, their graves are covered with flowers. Aunt Petunia tries and fails to explain this to Harry, and Voldemort’s voice is heard, saying that he “smells guilt.” Aunt Petunia pulls Harry away as a cloaked Voldemort rises from the gravestone. As Harry is pulled away, Voldemort asks him, “Do you still see with my eyes?” (222); Harry exits, and Albus bursts forth from Voldemort’s cloak, reaching a desperate hand out toward his father.

Harry wakes up extremely agitated and tells Ginny about the dream. Unlike the other dreams, the events in this one never happened, leading Harry to believe that they are all in danger.

In the Slytherin dormitory, Scorpius wakes Albus, who is thrilled to be back. His experiences have left him “dreadless” and “unanxious”; he even tried to hug Rose earlier, who kicked him in response. Discussing the recent set of events, Albus acknowledges that he was motivated to prove something to Harry. Scorpius reveals the Time-Turner that he had with him all along and asks Albus to help him destroy it so that no one else can mess with time again.

Harry, Ginny, and McGonagall arrive at the Slytherin dormitory to find the boys missing. Ginny is angry with Harry, believing him to have said something to Albus that scared him away again.

Albus and Scorpius emerge onto a roof, debating the choice of spell with which to destroy the Time-Turner. Delphini arrives as well, having received a message from Albus, who fills her in on why they are destroying the Time-Turner. Hearing about a world in which Voldemort ruled, Delphini’s demeanor changes; however, she agrees with the boys’ decision to destroy the Time-Turner, and takes it from them.

As she does, Albus notices and comments on a tattoo visible on the back of Delphini’s neck. It is an Augurey, a bird whose call heralds rain and was once thought to foretell death. Delphini’s guardian used to have one in a cage. Delphini’s guardian is revealed to be Euphemia Rowle, and Scorpius remembers that the Rowles were “extreme Death Eaters.” Realizing that Delphini is the Augurey from the other world he saw, Scorpius demands the Time-Turner back; however, Delphini overpowers the boys, tying them up and snapping their wands.

In Hermione’s office, Ron shares his bewilderment that there are worlds in which they are not married; he expresses his desire to perform a renewal of vows, which delights Hermione, and they kiss.

The loving couple is interrupted by Harry, Ginny, and Draco, who inform them about Harry’s dreams and Albus and Scorpius’s disappearance. Ron reassures them that there is nothing to worry about because he had spotted the boys on the school roof the previous night, with whom he assumed was Albus’s “older girlfriend.” From Ron’s description of her, Harry realizes that the woman was Delphini Diggory.

Delphini, Albus, and Scorpius are at the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, where the third and final task took place—Delphini plans to go back and humiliate Cedric to ensure Voldemort’s return. Delphini tortures Scorpius to ensure Albus’s cooperation; when Craig Bowker Jr. finds them, she casually kills him.

Delphini reveals that a prophecy has foretold Voldemort’s return with the Augurey by his side, which would happen when “spares are spared, when time is turned, when unseen children murder their fathers” (247)—Cedric is the “spare” and Albus is the “unseen child.” Delphini uses the Time-Turner to take them back into the past again.

Harry and Draco arrive at St. Oswald’s to confront Amos about Delphini and the boys’ disappearance. They discover that Amos knows no such person; he does not have a niece at all.

Delphini, Albus, and Scorpius walk through the maze of hedges, which is a part of the final task, as the four champions are announced and begin competing. Still bound in ropes, Albus and Scorpius plan to run down the clock, as the Time-Turner has a five-minute limit in the past; however, Delphini flies and catches up with them when they try to run.

Scorpius defies Delphini, choosing to lay down his life to break the prophecy; Delphini tortures him but is disarmed and bound by Cedric before she can kill him. Believing the set-up to be a maze task, Cedric sets the boys free and goes on his way. Albus and Scorpius notice Delphini trying to use the Time-Turner again and go with her as she turns time back again. She then breaks the Time-Turner and flies away, vowing to try something new, leaving the boys stranded in a time they know nothing about.

Back at St. Oswald’s, Hermione informs Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Draco that no record of Delphini exists in the Ministry—she had used magic to fake being a nurse and Amos’s niece. They examine Delphini’s room, discovering a lamp chimney that utters words in Parseltongue; Harry, who understands the language, recognizes it as saying “Welcome Augurey.”

Speaking Parseltongue, Harry instructs the lamp chimney to open, transforming the room. The walls now bear painted snakes and the words of the prophecy. Ginny discovers something else painted on one of the walls: “I will rebirth the Dark. I will bring my father back” (260). The group realizes that Delphini is Voldemort’s daughter, who is trying to bring him back using Albus.