SCORPIUS looks at POLLY and drops his volume.
SCORPIUS: As friends. And they danced in a friendly way, and it was nice, and then he danced with Padma Patil and that was nicer, and they started dating and he changed a bit and then they got married and meanwhile Hermione became a —
ALBUS: — psychopath.
SCORPIUS: Hermione was supposed to go to that ball with Krum — do you know why she didn’t? Because she had suspicions the two strange Durmstrang boys she met before the first task were somehow involved in the disappearance of Cedric’s wand. She believed we — under Viktor’s orders — cost Cedric the first task . . .
ALBUS: Wow.
SCORPIUS: And without Krum, Ron never got jealous and that jealousy was all-important and so Ron and Hermione stayed very good friends but never fell in love — never got married — never had Rose.
ALBUS: So that’s why Dad’s so — did he change too?
SCORPIUS: I’m pretty sure your dad is exactly the same. Head of Magical Law Enforcement. Married to Ginny. Three kids.
ALBUS: So why is he being such a —
A LIBRARIAN enters at the back of the room.
SCORPIUS: Have you heard me, Albus? This is bigger than you and your dad. Professor Croaker’s law — the furthest someone can go back in time without the possibility of serious harm to the traveler or time itself is five hours. And we went back years. The smallest moment, the smallest change, it creates ripples. And we — we’ve created really bad ripples. Rose was never born because of what we did. Rose.
LIBRARIAN: Ssshhh!
ALBUS thinks quickly.
ALBUS: Fine, let’s go back — fix it. Get Cedric and Rose back.
SCORPIUS: . . . is the wrong answer.
ALBUS: You’ve still got the Time-Turner, right? No one found it?
SCORPIUS takes it out of his pocket.
SCORPIUS: Yes, but . . .
ALBUS snatches it from his hand.
No. Don’t . . . Albus. Don’t you understand how bad things could get?
SCORPIUS grabs for the Time-Turner, ALBUS pushes him back, they wrestle inexpertly.
ALBUS: Things need fixing, Scorpius. Cedric still needs saving. Rose needs bringing back. We’ll be more careful. Whatever Croaker says, trust me, trust us. We’ll get it right this time.
SCORPIUS: No. We won’t. Give it back, Albus! Give it back!
ALBUS: I can’t. This is too important.
SCORPIUS: Yes, it’s too important — for us. We’re not good at this stuff. We’ll get it wrong.
ALBUS: Who’s saying that we’ll get it wrong?
SCORPIUS: I say. Because that’s what we do. We mess things up. We lose. We’re losers, true and total losers. Haven’t you realized that yet?
ALBUS finally gets the upper hand and pins SCORPIUS to the ground.
ALBUS: Well, I wasn’t a loser before I met you.
SCORPIUS: Albus, whatever you’ve got to prove to your dad — this isn’t the way.
ALBUS: I don’t have anything to prove to my dad. I’ve got to save Cedric to save Rose. And maybe — without you holding me back — I can make a proper go of it.
SCORPIUS: Without me? Oh poor Albus Potter. With his chip on his shoulder. Poor Albus Potter. So sad.
ALBUS: What are you saying?
SCORPIUS (exploding): Try my life! People look at you because your dad’s the famous Harry Potter, savior of the wizarding world. People look at me because they think my dad is Voldemort. Voldemort.
ALBUS: Don’t even —
SCORPIUS: Can you even slightly imagine what that’s like? Have you even ever tried? No. Because you can’t see beyond the end of your nose. Because you can’t see beyond the end of your stupid thing with your dad. He will always be Harry Potter, you know that, right? And you will always be his son. And I know it’s hard, and the other kids are awful, but you have to learn to be okay with that, because — there are worse things, okay?
Beat.
There was a moment I was excited, when I realized time was different, a moment when I thought maybe my mum hadn’t got sick. Maybe my mum wasn’t dead. But no, turns out, she was. I’m still the child of Voldemort, without a mother, giving sympathy to the boy who doesn’t ever give anything back. So I’m sorry if I’ve ruined your life because I tell you — you wouldn’t have a chance of ruining mine — it was already ruined. You just didn’t make it better. Because you’re a terrible — the most terrible — friend.
ALBUS digests this. He sees what he’s done to his friend.
PROFESSOR McGONAGALL (from off): Albus? Albus Potter. Scorpius Malfoy. Are you in there — together? Because I advise you not to be.
ALBUS looks at SCORPIUS, he pulls a Cloak from his bag.
ALBUS: Quick. We need to hide.
SCORPIUS: What?
ALBUS: Scorpius, look at me.
SCORPIUS: That’s the Invisibility Cloak? Isn’t it James’s?
ALBUS: If she finds us, we’ll be forced apart forever. Please. I didn’t understand. Please.
PROFESSOR McGONAGALL (from off — trying to give them every chance): I am about to enter.