HARRYs face drops.

HARRY: Ginny, its Albus - Albus and Scorpius - they never made it to school. Theyre missing.

ACT ONE, SCENE SIXTEEN.

WHITEHALL, CELLAR.

SCORPIUS is squinting at a bottle.

SCORPIUS: So we just take it?

ALBUS: Scorpius, do I really need to explain to you - bergeek and Potions expert - what Polyjuice does? Thanks to Delphis brilliant preparation work, we are going to take this potion and be transformed, and thus disguised we will be able to enter the Ministry of Magic.

SCORPIUS: Okay, two points, one, is it painful?

DELPHI: Very - as I understand it.

SCORPIUS: Thank you. Good to know. Second point: Do either of you know what Polyjuice tastes of? Because Ive heard it tastes of fish and if it does I will just vomit it back up. Fish doesnt agree with me. Never has. Never will.

DELPHI: Consider us warned. (She knocks back the potion.) It doesnt taste of fish. (She begins to transform. Its agonizing.) Actually it tastes quite pleasant, yum. It is painful but . . . (She burps, loudly.) Take it back. There is a - slight - (She burps again, she turns into HERMIONE.) Slight - overpowering - fishy residue.

ALBUS: Okay, thats - wow.

SCORPIUS: Double wow.

DELPHI/HERMIONE: This really doesnt feel how I - I even sound like her! Triple wow.

ALBUS: Right. Me next.

SCORPIUS: No. No way, Jose. If were doing this, were doing it (he puts on a pair of familiar-looking glasses with a smile) together.

ALBUS: Three. Two. One.

They swallow.

No, thats good. (Hes racked with pain.) Thats less good.

They both start to transform and its agonizing.

ALBUS turns into RON, SCORPIUS into HARRY.

The two look at each other. Theres a silence.

ALBUS/RON: This is going to be slightly weird, isnt it?

SCORPIUS/HARRY (full of drama - hes really enjoying this): Go to your room. Go straight to your room. Youve been an incredibly awful and bad son.

ALBUS/RON (with a laugh): Scorpius . . .

SCORPIUS/HARRY (tossing his cloak over his shoulder): It was your idea - I be him and you be Ron! I just want to have a little fun before I . . . (And then he burps loudly.) Okay, so thats utterly horrible.

ALBUS/RON: You know, he hides it well, but Uncle Rons got a bit of a gut growing.

DELPHI/HERMIONE: We should go - dont you think?

They emerge onto the street. They enter a telephone box. They dial 62442.

TELEPHONE BOX: Welcome, Harry Potter. Welcome, Hermione Granger. Welcome, Ron Weasley.

They smile as the telephone box disappears into the floor.

ACT ONE, SCENE SEVENTEEN.

MINISTRY OF MAGIC, MEETING ROOM.

HARRY, HERMIONE, GINNY, and DRACO pace around a small room.

DRACO: Have we searched thoroughly beside the tracks . . .

HARRY: My department have searched once and are searching again.

DRACO: And the Trolley Witch is not able to tell us anything useful?

HERMIONE: The Trolley Witch is furious. She keeps talking about letting down Ottaline Gambol. She prides herself on her Hogwarts delivery record.

GINNY: Have there been any instances of magic reported by the Muggles?

HERMIONE: None so far. I have made the Muggle Prime Minister aware and he is filing what is known as a misper. Sounds like a spell. It isnt.

DRACO: So now were relying on Muggles to find our children? Have we told them about Harrys scar too?

HERMIONE: Were merely asking the Muggles to help. And who knows how Harrys scar might be involved but its certainly a matter were taking seriously. Our Aurors are currently investigating anyone involved in Dark Magic and - DRACO: This is not Death Eaterrelated.

HERMIONE: Im not sure I share your confidence.

DRACO: Im not confident, Im right. The sort of cretins pursuing Dark Magic now . . . My son is a Malfoy, they wouldnt dare.

HARRY: Unless theres something new out there, something to - GINNY: I agree with Draco. If this is a kidnap - taking Albus I understand, taking them both . . .

HARRY locks eyes with GINNY, it becomes clear what she wants him to say.

DRACO: And Scorpius is a follower, not a leader, despite everything Ive tried to instill in him. So its undoubtedly Albus who got him from that train and my question is, where would he take him?

GINNY: Harry, theyve run away, you and I know it.

DRACO notices the couple staring at each other.

DRACO: Do you? Know it? What arent you telling us?

Theres a silence.

Whatever information youre concealing, I recommend you share it now.

HARRY: Albus and I had an argument, the day before last.

DRACO: And . . .

HARRY hesitates and then makes brave eye contact with DRACO.

HARRY: And I told him that there were times when I wished he werent my son.

Theres another silence. A profoundly powerful one. And then DRACO takes a dangerous step towards HARRY.

DRACO: If anything happens to Scorpius . . .

GINNY steps in between DRACO and HARRY.

GINNY: Dont throw around threats, Draco, please dont do that.

DRACO (roar): My son is missing!

GINNY (an equal roar): So is mine!

He meets her look. Theres real emotion in this room.

DRACO (lip curling, every inch his father): If you need gold . . . Everything the Malfoys have . . . Hes my sole heir . . . Hes my - only family.

HERMIONE: The Ministry has plenty in reserve, thank you, Draco.

DRACO makes to leave. He stops. He looks at HARRY.

DRACO: I dont care what you did or who you saved, you are a constant curse on my family, Harry Potter.

ACT ONE, SCENE EIGHTEEN.

MINISTRY OF MAGIC, CORRIDOR.

SCORPIUS/HARRY: And youre sure its in there?

A guard walks past. SCORPIUS/HARRY and DELPHI/HERMIONE try to affect performances.

Yes, Minister, I definitely think this is a matter for the Ministry to ponder at length, yes.

GUARD (with a nod): Minister.

DELPHI/HERMIONE: Lets ponder it together.

He walks on, they let out a sigh of relief.

It was my uncles idea to use the Veritaserum - we slipped it into a visiting Ministry officials drink. He told us that the Time-Turner had been kept and even told us where - the office of the Minister for Magic herself.

She indicates a door. Suddenly they hear a noise.

HERMIONE (from off): Harry . . . we should talk about it . . .

HARRY (from off): Theres nothing to talk about.

DELPHI/HERMIONE: Oh no.

ALBUS/RON: Hermione. And Dad.

The panic is instant and infectious.

SCORPIUS/HARRY: Okay. Hiding places. No hiding places. Anyone know any Invisibility Charms?

DELPHI/HERMIONE: Do we go . . . in her office?

ALBUS/RON: Shell be coming to her office.

DELPHI/HERMIONE: Theres nowhere else.

She tries the door. She tries it again.

HERMIONE (from off): If you dont talk to me or Ginny about it . . .