He walks down the train. ROSE follows, still determined to say her piece.

ROSE: Albus!

ALBUS turns decisively.

ALBUS: Whos told you that you have to talk to me?

ROSE (sprung): Okay, maybe your mum owled my dad - but only because shes worried about you. And I just think - ALBUS: Leave me alone, Rose.

SCORPIUS is sitting in his usual compartment. ALBUS enters first, ROSE still tailing him.

SCORPIUS: Albus! Oh hello, Rose, what do you smell of?

ROSE: What do I smell of?

SCORPIUS: No, I meant it as a nice thing, you smell like a mixture of fresh flowers and fresh - bread.

ROSE: Albus, Im here, okay? If you need me.

SCORPIUS: I mean, nice bread, good bread, bread . . . whats wrong with bread?

ROSE walks away, shaking her head.

ROSE: Whats wrong with bread!

ALBUS: Ive been looking for you everywhere . . .

SCORPIUS: And now youve found me. Ta-da! I was hardly hiding. You know how I like to - get on early. Stops people staring. Shouting. Writing "son of Voldemort" on my trunk. That one never gets old. She really doesnt like me, does she?

ALBUS hugs his friend. With fierceness. They hold for a beat. SCORPIUS is surprised by this.

Okay. Hello. Um. Have we hugged before? Do we hug?

The two boys awkwardly dislocate.

ALBUS: Just a slightly weird twenty-four hours.

SCORPIUS: Whats happened in them?

ALBUS: Ill explain later. We have to get off this train.

Theres the sound of whistles from off. The train starts moving.

SCORPIUS: Too late. The train is moving. Hogwarts ahoy!

ALBUS: Then we have to get off a moving train.

TROLLEY WITCH: Anything from the trolley, dears?

ALBUS opens a window and makes to climb out.

SCORPIUS: A moving magical train.

TROLLEY WITCH: Pumpkin Pasty? Cauldron Cake?

SCORPIUS: Albus Severus Potter, get that strange look out of your eye.

ALBUS: First question. What do you know about the Triwizard Tournament?

SCORPIUS (happy): Ooooh, a quiz! Three schools pick three champions to compete in three tasks for one Cup. Whats that got to do with anything?

ALBUS: You really are an enormous geek, you know that?

SCORPIUS: Ya-huh.

ALBUS: Second question. Why has the Triwizard Tournament not been run in over twenty years?

SCORPIUS: The last competition included your dad and a boy called Cedric Diggory - they decided to win together but the Cup was a Portkey - and they were transported to Voldemort. Cedric was killed. They canceled the competition immediately after.

ALBUS: Good. Third question: Did Cedric need to be killed? Easy question, easy answer: No. The words Voldemort said were "Kill the spare." The spare. He died only because he was with my father and my father couldnt save him - we can. A mistake has been made and were going to right it. Were going to use a Time-Turner. Were going to bring him back.

SCORPIUS: Albus, for obvious reasons, Im not a massive fan of Time-Turners . . .

ALBUS: When Amos Diggory asked for the Time-Turner my father denied they even existed. He lied to an old man who just wanted his son back - who just loved his son. And he did it because he didnt care - because he doesnt care. Everyone talks about all the brave things Dad did. But he made some mistakes too. Some big mistakes, in fact. I want to set one of those mistakes right. I want us to save Cedric.

SCORPIUS: Okay, whatever was holding your brain together seems to have snapped.

ALBUS: Im going to do this, Scorpius. I need to do this. And you know as well as I do, Ill entirely mess it up if you dont come with me. Come on.

He grins. And then disappears ever up. SCORPIUS hesitates for a moment. He makes a face. And then hoists himself up and disappears after ALBUS.

ACT ONE, SCENE ELEVEN.

ROOF OF THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS.

The wind whistles from all angles and its a fierce wind at that.

SCORPIUS: Okay, now were on the roof of a train, its fast, its scary, this has been great, I feel like Ive learnt a lot about me, something about you, but - ALBUS: As I calculate it we should be approaching the viaduct soon and then itll be a short hike to St. Oswalds Home for Old Witches and Wizards . . .

SCORPIUS: The what? The where? Look, I am as excited as you are to be a rebel for the first time in my life - yay - train roof - fun - but now - oh.

SCORPIUS sees something he doesnt want to see.

ALBUS: The water will be an extremely useful backup if our Cushioning Charm doesnt work.

SCORPIUS: Albus. The Trolley Witch.

ALBUS: You want a snack for the journey?

SCORPIUS: No. Albus. The Trolley Witch is coming towards us.

ALBUS: No, she cant be, were on top of the train . . .

SCORPIUS points ALBUS in the right direction, and now he can see the TROLLEY WITCH, who approaches nonchalantly, pushing her trolley.

TROLLEY WITCH: Anything from the trolley, dears? Pumpkin Pasty? Chocolate Frog? Cauldron Cake?

ALBUS: Oh.

TROLLEY WITCH: People dont know much about me. They buy my Cauldron Cakes - but they never really notice me. I dont remember the last time someone asked my name.

ALBUS: What is your name?

TROLLEY WITCH: Ive forgotten. All I can tell you is that when the Hogwarts Express first came to be - Ottaline Gambol herself offered me this job . . .

SCORPIUS: Thats - one hundred and ninety years. Youve been doing this job for one hundred and ninety years?

TROLLEY WITCH: These hands have made over six million Pumpkin Pasties. Ive got quite good at them. But what people havent noticed about my Pumpkin Pasties is how easily they transform into something else . . .

She picks up a Pumpkin Pasty. She throws it like a grenade. It explodes.

And you wont believe what I can do with my Chocolate Frogs. Never - never - have I let anyone off this train before they reached their destination. Some have tried - Sirius Black and his cronies, Fred and George Weasley. ALL HAVE FAILED. BECAUSE THIS TRAIN - IT DOESNT LIKE PEOPLE GETTING OFF IT . . .

The TROLLEY WITCHs hands transfigure into very sharp spikes. She smiles.

So please retake your seats for the remainder of the journey.

ALBUS: You were right, Scorpius. This train is magical.

SCORPIUS: At this precise moment in time, I take no pleasure in being right.

ALBUS: But I was also right - about the viaduct - thats water down there, time to try the Cushioning Charm.

SCORPIUS: Albus, this is a bad idea.

ALBUS: Is it? (He has a moments hesitation, then realizes the time for hesitation has passed.) Too late now. Three. Two. One. Molliare!

He incants as he jumps.

SCORPIUS: Albus . . . Albus . . .

He looks down desperately after his friend. He looks at the approaching TROLLEY WITCH. Her hair wild. Her spikes particularly spiky.

Well, as fun as you clearly look, I have to go after my friend.

He pinches his nose, he jumps after ALBUS, incanting as he goes.

Molliare!

ACT ONE, SCENE TWELVE.

MINISTRY OF MAGIC, GRAND MEETING ROOM.

The stage is flooded with wizards and witches. They rattle and chatter like all true wizards and witches can. Amongst them, GINNY, DRACO, and RON. Above them, on a stage, HERMIONE and HARRY.

HERMIONE: Order. Order. Do I have to conjure silence? (She pulls silence from the crowd using her wand.) Good. Welcome to this Extraordinary General Meeting. Im so pleased so many of you could make it. The wizarding world has been living in peace now for many years. Its twenty-two years since we defeated Voldemort at the Battle of Hogwarts, and Im delighted to say there is a new generation being brought up having known only the slightest conflict. Until now. Harry.

HARRY: Voldemorts allies have been showing movement for a few months now. Weve followed trolls making their way across Europe, giants starting to cross the seas, and the werewolves - well, Im distressed to say we lost sight of them some weeks ago. We dont know where theyre going or whos encouraged them to move - but we are aware they are moving - and we are concerned what it might mean. So were asking - if anyone has seen anything? Felt anything? If you could raise a wand, we will hear everyone speak. Professor McGonagall - thank you.

PROFESSOR McGONAGALL: It did look like the potions stores had been interfered with when we returned from summer break, but not a huge amount of ingredients were missing, some Boomslang skin and lacewing flies, nothing on the Restricted Register. We put it down to Peeves.

HERMIONE: Thank you, Professor. We shall investigate. (She looks around the room.) Nobody else? Fine, and - gravest of all - and this hasnt been the case since Voldemort - Harrys scar is hurting again.

DRACO: Voldemort is dead, Voldemort is gone.

HERMIONE: Yes, Draco, Voldemort is dead, but these things all lead us to think that there is a possibility that Voldemort - or some trace of Voldemort - might be back.

This gets a reaction.

HARRY: Now this is difficult but we have to ask it to rule it out. Those of you with a Dark Mark . . . have you felt anything? Even a twinge?

DRACO: Back to being prejudiced against those with a Dark Mark, are we, Potter?

HERMIONE: No, Draco. Harry is simply trying to - DRACO: You know what this is about? Harry just wants his face back in the newspapers again. Weve had rumors of Voldemort coming back from the Daily Prophet once a year every year - HARRY: None of those rumors came from me!

DRACO: Really? Doesnt your wife edit the Daily Prophet?

GINNY steps towards him, outraged.

GINNY: The sports pages!

HERMIONE: Draco. Harry brought this matter to the attention of the Ministry. And I - as Minister for Magic - DRACO: A vote you only won because you are his friend.