Suddenly the stage is invaded from all sides by HARRY, RON (who now has a side parting in his hair and whose wardrobe choices have become rather more staid), GINNY, and DRACO. SCORPIUS looks at them all - and slips the Time-Turner back into his pocket. ALBUS looks at them rather more blankly - hes in a lot of pain.

RON: I told you. I told you I saw them.

SCORPIUS: I think were about to find out.

ALBUS: Hello, Dad. Is something wrong?

HARRY looks at his son disbelievingly.

HARRY: Yes. You could say that.

ALBUS collapses onto the floor. HARRY and GINNY rush to help.

ACT TWO, SCENE EIGHT.

HOGWARTS, HOSPITAL WING.

ALBUS is asleep in a hospital bed. HARRY sits troubled beside him. Above them is a picture of a concerned kindly man. HARRY rubs his eyes - stands - and walks around the room. He stretches out his back.

And then he meets eyes with the painting. Which looks startled to be spotted. And HARRY looks startled back.

HARRY: Professor Dumbledore.

DUMBLEDORE: Good evening, Harry.

HARRY: Ive missed you. Whenever Ive dropped in on the headmistress lately, your frames been empty.

DUMBLEDORE: Ah, well, I do like to pop into my other portraits now and then. (He looks at ALBUS.) Will he be all right?

HARRY: Hes been out twenty-four hours, mostly in order so Madam Pomfrey could reset his arm. She said it was the strangest thing, its like it was broken twenty years ago and allowed to set in the "most contrary" of directions. She says hell be fine.

DUMBLEDORE: A difficult thing, I imagine, to watch your child in pain.

HARRY looks up at DUMBLEDORE, and then down at ALBUS.

HARRY: Ive never asked how you felt about me naming him after you, have I?

DUMBLEDORE: Candidly, Harry, it seemed a great weight to place upon the poor boy.

HARRY: I need your help. I need your advice. Bane says Albus is in danger. How do I protect my son, Dumbledore?

DUMBLEDORE: You ask me, of all people, how to protect a boy in terrible danger? We cannot protect the young from harm. Pain must and will come.

HARRY: So Im supposed to stand and watch?

DUMBLEDORE: No. Youre supposed to teach him how to meet life.

HARRY: How? He wont listen.

DUMBLEDORE: Perhaps hes waiting for you to see him clearly.

HARRY frowns as he tries to digest this.

(With sensitivity.) It is a portraits curse and blessing to . . . hear things. At the school, at the Ministry, I hear people talking . . .

HARRY: And what is the gossip about me and my son?

DUMBLEDORE: Not gossip. Concern. That you two are struggling. That hes difficult. That he is angry with you. I have formed the impression that - perhaps - you are blinded by your love for him.

HARRY: Blinded?

DUMBLEDORE: You must see him as he is, Harry. You must look for whats wounding him.

HARRY: Havent I seen him as he is? Whats wounding my son? (He thinks.) Or is it whos wounding my son?

ALBUS (mumbles in his sleep): Dad . . .

HARRY: This black cloud, its someone, isnt it? Not something?

DUMBLEDORE: Ah really, what does my opinion matter anymore? I am paint and memory, Harry, paint and memory. And I never had a son.

HARRY: But I need your advice.

ALBUS: Dad?

HARRY looks at ALBUS and then back at DUMBLEDORE. But DUMBLEDORE is gone.

HARRY: No, where have you gone now?

ALBUS: Were in - the hospital wing?

HARRY turns his attention back to ALBUS.

HARRY (discombobulated): Yes. And youre - you will be fine. For recuperation, Madam Pomfrey wasnt sure what to prescribe and said you should probably eat lots of - chocolate. Actually, do you mind if I have some - ? Ive got something to tell you and I dont think youll like it.

ALBUS looks at his dad, what does he have to say? He decides not to engage.

ALBUS: Okay. I think.

HARRY takes some chocolate, he eats a big chunk. ALBUS looks at his dad, confused.

Better?

HARRY: Much.

He holds out the chocolate to his son. ALBUS takes a piece. Father and son munch together.

The arm, how does it feel?

ALBUS flexes his arm.

ALBUS: It feels great.

HARRY (soft): Where did you go, Albus? I cant tell you what it did to us. Your mum was worried sick . . .

ALBUS looks up, he is a great liar.

ALBUS: We decided we didnt want to come to school. We thought we could start again - in the Muggle world. We discovered we were wrong. We were coming back to Hogwarts when you found us.

HARRY: In Durmstrang robes?

ALBUS: The robes were . . . The whole thing - Scorpius and I - we didnt think.

HARRY: And why - why did you run? Because of me? Because of what I said?

ALBUS: I dont know. Hogwarts isnt actually that pleasant a place when you dont fit in.

HARRY: And did Scorpius - encourage you to - go?

ALBUS: Scorpius? No.

HARRY looks at ALBUS, trying to see almost an aura around him, thinking deeply.

HARRY: I need you to stay away from Scorpius Malfoy.

ALBUS: What? Scorpius?

HARRY: I dont know how you became friends in the first place, but you did, and now - I need you to - ALBUS: My best friend? My only friend?

HARRY: Hes dangerous.

ALBUS: Scorpius? Dangerous? Have you met him? Dad, if you honestly think hes the son of Voldemort . . .

HARRY: I dont know what he is, I just know you need to stay away from him. Bane told me - ALBUS: Whos Bane?

HARRY: A centaur with profound Divination skills. He said theres a black cloud around you and - ALBUS: A black cloud?

HARRY: And I have very good reason to believe that Dark Magic is in a resurgence and I need to keep you safe from it. Safe from him. Safe from Scorpius.

ALBUS hesitates a moment, and then his face strengthens.

ALBUS: And if I wont? Stay away from him?

HARRY looks at his son, thinking quickly.

HARRY: Theres a map. It used to be used for those wanting to get up to no good. Now were going to use it to keep an eye - a permanent eye - on you. Professor McGonagall will watch your every movement. Any time you are seen together - shell come flying - any time you attempt to leave Hogwarts - shell fly. I expect you to go to your lessons - none of which you will now share with Scorpius, and between times, you will stay in the Gryffindor common room!

ALBUS: You cant make me go into Gryffindor! Im Slytherin!

HARRY: Dont play games, Albus, you know what House you are. If she finds you with Scorpius, I will fix you with a spell which will allow me eyes and ears into your every movement, your every conversation. In the meantime, investigations will begin in my department as to his true heritage.

ALBUS (starting to cry): But, Dad - you cant - thats just not . . .

HARRY: I thought for a long time I wasnt a good enough dad for you because you didnt like me. Its only now I realize that I dont need you to like me, I need you to obey me because Im your dad and I do know better. Im sorry, Albus. It has to be this way.

ACT TWO, SCENE NINE.

HOGWARTS, STAIRCASE.

ALBUS pursues HARRY across the stage.

ALBUS: What if I run? Ill run.

HARRY: Albus, get back in bed.

ALBUS: Ill run away again.

HARRY: No. You wont.

ALBUS: I will - and this time Ill make sure Ron cant find us.

RON: Do I hear my name?

RON enters on a staircase, his side parting now super-aggressive, his robes just a little bit too short, his clothes now spectacularly staid.

ALBUS: Uncle Ron! Thank Dumbledore. If ever we needed one of your jokes its now . . .

RON frowns, confused.

RON: Jokes? I dont know any jokes.

ALBUS: Of course you do. You run a joke shop.