TRANSITION SCENE — WIZARDING VILLAGES

We enter a busy market town — there are vegetable and fruit vendors, bread and flower carts abound, all beside shops for everyday wizarding supplies. A group is gathered in the village square, full of confusion and waving newspapers. Percy has stirred them into a frenzy over the conspiracy that Voldemort has returned.

This scene is all about pacifying and reassuring the public. The changes are rapid as we skip between speeches and villages. There are individual scenes and fragments that show the constant progression of time. We are to understand that this is taking place over many months, from fall to winter. Initially, we're behind a short, raised platform and everyone is crowding the front, slightly obscured and grumbling. This is chaos.

HARRY walks through the center of the bustling, beautiful little village. He looks at them all and hides behind the platform. DELPHI enters and trots up to HARRY, unseen.

DELPHI: Booo!

HARRY (startled, he spins): Delphi! Y'know — I'm armed and — entirely dangerous and seriously advise you — to be very careful —

DELPHI (cheekily): Just keeping you on your toes, Mister Potter.

HARRY smirks and peeks around the steps that lead to the raised platform. He frowns.

HARRY: Run back to the Ministry, will you? Look through my desk for a device that will help me skip to the end of this speech.

DELPHI (gasping, she smiles): Harry, playing with time? You know we can't do that.

HARRY: Let me use the Time-Turner. Just this once.

DELPHI: Out of the question. Completely. (beat) Standing in front of this platform is an entire village of nervous witches and wizards who only get their news from the Daily Prophet. They urgently need to hear from someone with a strong, authoritative voice.

HARRY (with a sigh): I think we sent the wrong person.

DELPHI grins, instantly ready to admonish him with a wisecrack.

DELPHI: Harry Potter. An irrelevance. Even portraits turn the other way when he walks through the room.

HARRY plays along. This is how they routinely behave.

HARRY: True. 'Tis true. People don't know much about me. They stare — but they never really notice me. I don't remember the last time someone asked my name.

She smiles at HARRY, he smiles back.

DELPHI: You really are an enormous fool, you know that?

HARRY mounts the first step, looking indecisive. His shoulders slump.

HARRY: Are you sure about this?

DELPHI: Not with you looking like that.

DELPHI takes out her wand. She fires a spell at his hair. It styles itself as she adjusts HARRY's robe.

Your posture is horrendous. Ugh... You're so tense. Relax!

She spins him round and begins to chop at his back and shoulders. HARRY loosens right away.

HARRY: That feels good. Never used to enjoy that. But when you get to my age, you take what you can...

DELPHI: And I'll be hearing no more of this negative talk.

HARRY: But they sound so outraged.

DELPHI: Harry — you're not just any man — you changed everything. You are the most famous wizard in the whole world.

DELPHI turns HARRY back to face her.

Are you too blind to see how much they love you? Those people — out there — they would trust any word that comes out of your mouth.

Leaning forward, DELPHI kisses HARRY encouragingly on both cheeks.

Don't ever forget — you're Harry Potter. The Harry Potter.

HARRY nods. As he climbs the short flight of steps, the entire platform begins to rotate clockwise toward the audience. The crowd of villagers moves with the rotation — in a sort of slow dance — until HARRY is standing at the front of the platform. Everyone turns to HARRY and the shouting and grumbling mellows, but not entirely. He steps forward bravely.

VILLAGER 01: Is that —?

VILLAGER 02: It is.

VILLAGER 03: Harry Potter!

An over-attentive, crazed-looking wizard enters at the back of the square as two of the villagers genuflect. There's a slightly limp cheer, particularly from the wizard at the edge of the crowd, his clothes tattered and worn — this is JUSTIN FINCH-FLETCHLEY. He begins to circle them.

HARRY (a little bit scared, a tiny bit courageous): Thank you for welcoming me here today. I see that many of you want answers after learning of the news that Voldemort... has resurfaced. This is not the truth.

VILLAGER 01: But the Daily Prophet...

VILLAGER 02: Is this your finding or the Minister's?

HARRY: You can consider this the official response from the Ministry of Magic

VILLAGER 03: Even if it contradicts the words of Percival Clearwater?

HARRY: Yes.

Beat, the crowd stills. HARRY is moved by this. DELPHI steps out and watches him.

I'm sure that many of you have questions. I will do my best to answer them.

At once, a flurry of questions fills the air. Their voices cannot be individually discerned. HARRY points, nods, and tries to answer.

I pride myself on my department's arrest record.

He turns to another villager. Then another.

My department has searched once and are searching again. — None so far. — No, I have not made the Muggle Prime Minister aware, but it's certainly a matter we're taking seriously. — Yes, you. — Not unless there's something new out there, something to — We all say stuff we don't mean. Clearwater knows that.

Gradually, the villagers quiet themselves until only HARRY's voice is heard.

Yes, what you read about the Horcruxes is correct. There were six of them, each with a piece of Voldemort's soul. The only living Horcrux was Nagini, the snake.

FINCH-FLETCHLEY (sounding deranged): How do you know he's not back, Potter?! How do you know?!

HARRY: I, and my department...

FINCH-FLETCHLEY: Have you seen him?!

HARRY: ...will strive to carry on the very best.

FINCH-FLETCHLEY: I've seen him!

HARRY recognizes FINCH-FLETCHLEY and is thrown off by his manic interruptions.

HARRY: There is no need to worry about Pariah Prince. And certainly, no need to fear the return of Lord Voldemort.

There's a fulsome cheer. HARRY waves at them. The entire platform continues rotating clockwise. With graceful ease, HARRY descends the steps on the opposite side of the platform. Before he reaches the bottom, where DELPHI is waiting, he is confronted by FINCH-FLETCHLEY, who tries to grab HARRY. FINCH-FLETCHLEY drifts to the back with the rest of the rotating crowd. The platform stops.

DELPHI: Who was that?

HARRY: Justin Finch-Fletchley.

DELPHI: Percy's... source?

HARRY (looking shaken): Yes, I haven't seen him since Hogwarts.

DELPHI: We may need more security.

HARRY: Good idea.

HARRY and DELPHI walk to the other side of the stage, where a slightly taller platform with steps on both sides has arrived. Gradually, a new, larger crowd gathers around the second platform. We are to assume that time has passed and that they have reached a new village. DELPHI straightens HARRY's robes, fixes his hair with a spell, and kisses both cheeks. A guard walks past.

DELPHI: Remember, you are Harry Potter. The Harry Potter.

HARRY nods, more confidently than before. The second platform rotates slowly as he climbs the steps. There's applause from the crowd as HARRY joins them. More villagers genuflect. DELPHI grins.

HARRY (slightly grandly): Thank you for your warm welcome. I see that many of you want answers after hearing the news that Voldemort has resurfaced. This couldn't be further from the truth.

VILLAGER 04: What about his heir? He had an heir.

HARRY: We don't know the full details about this rumor. We're only just investigating — questioning... but, it looks like there's no truth to it either.

HARRY turns to another villager, listens to their question, and grins.

You may not want to believe everything the Daily Prophet tells you about a werewolf uprising.

There is laughter and more clapping. HARRY seems to be answering questions, then he sees FINCH-FLETCHLEY again and is immediately alarmed. HARRY touches his scar absentmindedly.

HARRY: I, and my department will strive to carry on the very best. There is no need to worry about Fenrir Greyback. And certainly, no need to fear the return of Lord Voldemort.

The crowd erupts into cheers. DELPHI claps alongside them all. HARRY descends the steps on the opposite side of the platform. He joins DELPHI and they start walking to the other end of the stage. FINCH-FLETCHLEY sees where they're heading. He makes to block HARRY and DELPHI, but they skirt around him. They are back at the first platform, it is much taller now. The stages get increasingly higher as more and more people come to see him speak.

HARRY and DELPHI have arrived at another town square. Villagers follow the front of the rotating platform. Some leave, some join. The weather is getting colder, which is seen in their clothing. DELPHI changes HARRY into warmer robes and straightens them. She fixes his hair with a spell and kisses both cheeks.

DELPHI: Remember, you are Harry Potter. The Harry Potter.

There's a loud cheer and even more genuflecting as HARRY climbs the steps.

HARRY (charmingly): Thank you, really. I  can see that many of you want answers with all this so-called news that Voldemort has resurfaced. This is not...

A familiar owl swoops down to deliver a ratty old letter to HARRY. His bright expression falls as he shoos it away. DELPHI applauds loudly to bring HARRY back. He completes his thought.

This is not the truth.

VILLAGER 05: What about today's cover story in the Daily Prophet... "Voldemort Is Back!" Percival Clearwater thinks you're just trying to stop us from panicking so much that the Muggles notice.

HARRY: I'm pretty sure the Minister spends most of his time thinking about his collection of cravats.

The villagers laugh and clap. HARRY seems to be answering their questions with greater ease. FINCH-FLETCHLEY appears within the crowd and tries to get to the front, shoving wizards out of his way. A fight breaks out. One of HARRY's guardsmen enters the crowd as the platform begins to rotate.

I, and my department will strive to carry on the very best. There is no need to worry about Rodolphus Lestrange. And certainly... no need to fear the return of Lord Voldemort!

HARRY skips down the steps and rejoins DELPHI. They run over to the second platform, which is higher than ever and hurry through their pep talk as more and more villagers take over the town square. HARRY straightens his robes briskly, while DELPHI uses magic to style his hair. She hastily moves to kiss his cheeks and they both unintentionally tilt their heads to the right, almost kissing on the lips. They shake it off with awkward laughter that dies to diminishing smiles.

And time stops. The auditorium goes silent. There is a perfect stillness. The two lock eyes. DELPHI is the first to break away, hiding her smile by biting her bottom lip.

DELPHI: Remember... (she clears her throat) you are Harry Potter.

HARRY: Yes, I've heard. The Harry Potter.

DELPHI shoves HARRY up the stairs and the crowd goes wild as the platform slowly rotates. All of them are delighted to be visited by HARRY POTTER. He stands much higher over them now.

HARRY (with a great smile): Hello, everyone. Thank you for welcoming me to your village. Before I answer your questions, I should say that there is no truth to the rumor that Voldemort has resurfaced.

VILLAGER 06: I'm not sure I share your confidence.

HARRY: I'm not confident. I'm right.

This gets a reaction. And then, FINCH-FLETCHLEY returns. He approaches the stage through the crowd, his demented gaze focuses on HARRY. There are too many people in the way for the guards to intervene and HARRY fails to notice.

HARRY: I, and my department will strive to carry on the very best. There is no need to worry about the Tempest. And certainly, no need to fear the return of Lord Voldemort.

DELPHI sees what's about to happen as the platform rotates. HARRY is surprised to find her standing beside him and turns to notice a rather desperate-looking JUSTIN FINCH-FLETCHLEY climbing the struts to the platform. HARRY and DELPHI rush to descend the steps to the sound of raucous approval.

HARRY makes to walk away. DELPHI takes him by the hand and pulls him into an empty storage shed between two vendors. The sounds of the crowd dampen.