(with a grin)
What you doing in my office, Hermione?
HERMIONE
I was anxious to hear about Theodore Nott and – thought I’d check whether you’d kept your promise and were on top of your paperwork.
HARRY
Ah. Turns out I’m not.
HERMIONE
No. You’re not. Harry, how can you get any work done in this chaos?
HARRY waves his wand and the papers and books transform into neat piles. HARRY smiles.
HARRY
No longer chaotic.
HERMIONE
But still ignored. You know there’s some interesting stuff in here. . there are mountain trolls riding graphorns through Hungary, there are giants with winged tattoos on their backs walking through the Greek Seas, and the werewolves have gone entirely underground—
HARRY
Great, let’s get out there. I’ll get the team together.
HERMIONE
Harry, I get it. Paperwork’s boring. .
HARRY
Not for you.
HERMIONE
I’m busy enough with my own. These are people and beasts that fought alongside Voldemort in the great wizarding wars. These are allies of darkness. This – combined with what we have just unearthed at Theodore Nott’s – could mean something. But if the Head of Magical Law Enforcement isn’t reading his files—
HARRY
But I don’t need to read it – I’m out there, hearing about it. Theodore Nott – it was me who heard the rumours about the Time-Turner and me who acted upon it. You really don’t need to tell me off.
HERMIONE looks at HARRY – this is tricky.
HERMIONE
Do you fancy a toffee? Don’t tell Ron.
HARRY
You’re changing the subject.
HERMIONE
I truly am. Toffee?
HARRY
Can’t. We’re off sugar at the moment.
Beat.
You know, you can get addicted to that stuff?
HERMIONE
What can I say? My parents were dentists, I was bound to rebel at some point. Forty is leaving it a little late, but. . you’ve just done a brilliant thing. You’re certainly not being told off – I just need you to look at your paperwork every now and again, that’s all. Consider this a gentle – nudge – from the Minister for Magic.
HARRY hears the implication 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
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
