RON (now supremely confused): A joke shop? Well now. Anyway Im pleased I caught you. I was going to bring some sweets - for a, uh, sort of, a, get well soon, but, uh . . . Actually Padma - she thinks about things a lot more - deeply - than I do - and she thought itd be nicer for you to get something useful for school. So we got you a - set of quills. Yes. Yes. Yes. Look at these bad boys. Top of the range.

ALBUS: Whos Padma?

HARRY frowns at ALBUS.

HARRY: Your aunt.

ALBUS: I have an Aunt Padma?

RON (to HARRY): Taken a Confundus Charm to the head, has he? (To ALBUS.) My wife, Padma. You remember. Talks slightly too close to your face, smells a bit minty. (Leans in.) Padma, mother of Panju! (To HARRY.) Thats why Im here, of course. Panju. Hes in trouble again. I wanted to just send a Howler but Padma insisted I come in person. I dont know why. He just laughs at me.

ALBUS: But . . . youre married to Hermione.

Beat. RON doesnt understand this at all.

RON: Hermione. No. Nooooo. Merlins beard.

HARRY: Albus has also forgotten that he was sorted into Gryffindor. Conveniently.

RON: Yes, well, sorry, old chap, but youre a Gryffindor.

ALBUS: But how did I get sorted into Gryffindor?

RON: You persuaded the Sorting Hat, dont you remember? Panju bet you that you couldnt get into Gryffindor if your life depended on it, so you chose Gryffindor to spite him. I cant blame you, (dry) wed all like to wipe the smile off his face sometimes, wouldnt we? (Terrified.) Please dont tell Padma I said that.

ALBUS: Whos Panju?

RON and HARRY stare at ALBUS.

RON: Bloody hell, youre really not yourself, are you? Anyway, better go, before Im sent a Howler myself.

He stumbles on, not even an inch of the man he was.

ALBUS: But that doesnt . . . make sense.

HARRY: Albus, whatever youre feigning, it isnt working. I will not change my mind.

ALBUS: Dad, you have two choices, either you take me to - HARRY: No, youre the one with the choice, Albus. You do this, or you get in deeper, much deeper trouble - do you understand?

SCORPIUS: Albus? Youre okay. Thats fantastic.

HARRY: Hes completely cured. And weve got to go.

ALBUS looks up at SCORPIUS and his heart breaks. He walks on.

SCORPIUS: Are you mad at me? Whats going on?

ALBUS stops and turns to SCORPIUS.

ALBUS: Did it work? Did any of it work?

SCORPIUS: No . . . But, Albus - HARRY: Albus. Whatever gibberish youre talking, you need to stop it, now. This is your final warning.

ALBUS looks torn between his dad and his friend.

ALBUS: I cant, okay?

SCORPIUS: You cant what?

ALBUS: Just - well be better off without each other, okay?

SCORPIUS is left looking up after him. Heartbroken.

ACT TWO, SCENE TEN.

HOGWARTS, HEADMISTRESSS OFFICE.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL is full of unhappiness, HARRY is full of purpose, GINNY is not sure what shes supposed to be.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: Im not sure this is what the Marauders Map was intended for.

HARRY: If you see them together, then get to them as quickly as possible, and keep them separate.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: Harry, are you sure this is the right decision? Because far be it from me to doubt the wisdom of the centaurs, but Bane is an extremely angry centaur and . . . its not beyond him to twist the constellations for his own ends.

HARRY: I trust Bane. Albus is to stay away from Scorpius. For his sake, and others.

GINNY: I think what Harry means is . . .

HARRY (with finality): The professor knows what I mean.

GINNY looks at HARRY, surprised that hed talk to her that way.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: Albus has been checked by the greatest witches and wizards in the country and no one can find or sense a hex or a curse.

HARRY: And Dumbledore - Dumbledore said - PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: What?

HARRY: His portrait. We spoke. He said some things which made sense - PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: Dumbledore is dead, Harry. And Ive told you before, portraits dont represent even half of their subjects.

HARRY: He said love had blinded me.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: A head teachers portrait is a memoir. It is supposed to be a support mechanism for the decisions I have to make. But I was advised as I took this job to not mistake the painting for the person. And you would be well-advised to do the same.

HARRY: But he was right. I see it now.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: Harry, youve been put under enormous pressure, the loss of Albus, the search for him, the fears as to what your scar might mean. But trust me when I tell you, you are making a mistake.

HARRY: Albus didnt like me before. He might not like me again. But he will be safe. With the greatest respect, Minerva - you dont have children - GINNY: Harry!

HARRY: - you dont understand.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL (deeply hurt): Id hope that a lifetime spent in the teaching profession would mean . . .

HARRY: This map will reveal to you where my son is at all times - I expect you to use it. And if I hear you dont - then I will come down on this school as hard as I can - using the full force of the Ministry - is that understood?

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL (bewildered by this vitriol): Perfectly.

GINNY looks at HARRY, unsure of what hes become. He doesnt look back.

ACT TWO, SCENE ELEVEN.

HOGWARTS, DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS CLASSROOM.

ALBUS enters the classroom - slightly unsure.

HERMIONE: Ah yes. Our train absconder. Finally joining us.

ALBUS: Hermione?

He looks amazed. HERMIONE is standing at the front of the lesson.

HERMIONE: Professor Granger I believe is my name, Potter.

ALBUS: What are you doing here?

HERMIONE: Teaching. For my sins. What are you doing here? Learning, I hope.

ALBUS: But youre . . . youre . . . Minister for Magic.

HERMIONE: Been having those dreams again, have you, Potter? Today were going to look at Patronus Charms.

ALBUS (amazed): Youre our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?

There are titters.

HERMIONE: Losing patience now. Ten points from Gryffindor for stupidity.

POLLY CHAPMAN (standing, full of affront): No. No. Hes doing it deliberately. He hates Gryffindor and everyone knows it.

HERMIONE: Sit down, Polly Chapman, before this gets even worse. (POLLY sighs and then sits.) And I suggest you join her, Albus. And end this charade.

ALBUS: But youre not this mean.

HERMIONE: And thats twenty points from Gryffindor to assure Albus Potter that I am this mean.

YANN FREDERICKS: If you dont sit down right now, Albus . . .

ALBUS sits.

ALBUS: Can I just say - HERMIONE: No, you cant. Just keep quiet, Potter, otherwise youll lose what limited popularity you already have. Now who can tell me what a Patronus is? No? No one. You really are a most disappointing bunch.

HERMIONE smiles a thin smile. She really is quite mean.

ALBUS: No. This is stupid. Wheres Rose? Shell tell you that youre being ridiculous.

HERMIONE: Whos Rose? Your invisible friend?

ALBUS: Rose Granger-Weasley! Your daughter! (He realizes.) Of course - because you and Ron arent married Rose - Theres giggling.

HERMIONE: How dare you! Fifty points from Gryffindor. And I assure you if anyone interrupts me again itll be a hundred points . . .

She stares around the room. No one moves a muscle.

Good. A Patronus is a magical charm, a projection of all your most positive feelings, and takes the shape of the animal with whom you share the deepest affinity. It is a gift of light. If you can conjure a Patronus, you can protect yourself against the world. Which, in some of our cases, seems like a necessity sooner rather than later.

ACT TWO, SCENE TWELVE.

HOGWARTS, STAIRCASES.

ALBUS walks up a staircase. Looking around as he does.

He doesnt see anything. He exits. The staircases move in almost a dance.

SCORPIUS enters behind him. He thinks hes seen ALBUS, he realizes he isnt there.