PLATFORM NINE AND
THREE-QUARTERS — 2018

There's the sound of whistles from off. We are back on the platform, back to the original décor of wanted posters and swiftly moving trolleys. Entering speedily are GINNY, JAMES, and LILY. GINNY looks thoroughly tousled, the visage of her mother, hair a sweaty mess, frantic to get her kids on the platform in time.

GINNY: Well, what are you all waiting for? Come on, hurry up.

LILY: We have fifteen minutes, Mum.

GINNY: We do? (grabs at JAMES's wrist to check his watch) Oh! Okay, then.

JAMES (to off): Slithering Slytherin, stop with your dithering. Time to get onto the train.

GINNY: Unnecessary, James.

HARRY and ALBUS enter gradually, in the middle of an uncomfortable conversation. GINNY sees this and looks distraught.

HARRY: Hogwarts is a big place. That's all I'm saying.

ALBUS: That's not all you're saying!

HARRY: Have you actually tried making more friends? Without Hermione and Ron, I wouldn't have survived Hogwarts. I wouldn't have survived at all.

ALBUS: Ron — you mean Uncle Ron, the one you don't get on with anymore?

GINNY (to herself): That's putting it mildly.

HARRY: Ginny, you're not helping.

ALBUS: I don't need a Ron and Hermione. I've — I've got a friend. A best friend. Scorpius Malfoy. And I know you don't like that but he's all I need.

HARRY: The other kids being unkind? Is that it?

Parents are whispering. GINNY sees this and pulls her children close.

GINNY: We should probably stand somewhere else.

HARRY looks flustered as they move downstage. GINNY maneuvers herself between them both, looks lovingly down at ALBUS.

Second year, Al! When I was your age, we had just returned from a month in Egypt to visit your Uncle Bill — and my face was absolutely covered in freckles.

ALBUS: Is that when Poppy won the Galleon draw?

GINNY: Yes. And that's the summer your Uncle Percy became Head Boy, James.

JAMES: Mum, do adjust your expectations.

An owl enters Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. HARRY notices right away. The owl is carrying a letter. HARRY is abruptly and entirely disturbed by the mere sight of it. He scratches absently at the scar on his forehead.

JAMES: Dad was in his third year, right? (to HARRY) Is that when you fell off your broom during the match against Hufflepuff?

HARRY doesn't answer. ALBUS pouts in the silence.

GINNY: That's right. A boy named Cedric Diggory had caught the Golden Snitch soon after. He wanted a rematch because of what happened with your father. He had many admirable qualities, Cedric.

LILY: Does that boy still play Quidditch?

GINNY: He died, sadly. You know old Amos who lives over the hill? Cedric is... was... his son.

LILY: That's so sad.

GINNY: It is, isn't it?

JAMES: That's when the Nimbus 2000 was destroyed by the Whomping Willow, yeah? Those are expensive now. Can't come upon one o' them anymore.

GINNY (to LILY): I made your dad a get-well card that sang when you opened it. Took me all afternoon. Albus Dumbledore helped with the charm, actually. It was rather complex.

HARRY (distractedly): He did? You never told me that.

GINNY: Dumbledore thought it would bring a smile to your face.

JAMES: Is that when you fancied Dad?

GINNY (in a sweet voice): I have always fancied your dad.

LILY (to HARRY): Is that when you started fancying Mum?

There's a long, tense silence as HARRY looks forlornly at the approaching owl. He shoos it away forcefully.

HARRY: Go on. Get out of here!

ALBUS (smartly): Fan mail, Dad?

HARRY: Huh? Yeah.

Entering through the barrier, DELPHI looks older, more put together. Her long, straight brown hair is perfectly styled, her make-up flawless. GINNY sees how keen HARRY looks to see her and tries in vain to spruce herself up. DELPHI searches the crowd.

GINNY (to HARRY): That can't be true. Owls aren't permitted to reach you directly, with your position.

HARRY: It...it was from Percy.

GINNY: I don't believe you.

HARRY (getting DELPHI's attention): Then trust me, instead.

GINNY: You're not making it easy.

HARRY (to GINNY, genuinely confused): What's that supposed to mean?

DELPHI approaches. She smiles at the Potters, then looks gravely at HARRY. He immediately leaves their side and pulls DELPHI away.

HARRY: I'll be right back.

GINNY (pursuing them): It's news about Teddy, isn't it?

HARRY: Ginny, you know I can't. It's...

GINNY: ...confidential.

HARRY: I'm sorry, but it is.

GINNY has lost her patience with this.

GINNY: You're not sorry at all. You're the one who decides what's classified, Harry!

HARRY: I'm doing this to protect you.

GINNY: I will never understand why it's necessary to —

HARRY: This is what we signed up for, Ginny. I cannot tell you.

GINNY: But you can tell her.

GINNY tramps back to the children. DELPHI looks guiltily at HARRY.

DELPHI: I shouldn't've come. I'm causing problems.

HARRY: There were already problems. (HARRY looks regretful) Forget I said that. (beat) You made it back from Azkaban quicker than I imagined. What did the Warden have to say?

DELPHI: You were right, Mister Potter. The Augurey mark. What you saw before the follower died wasn't your imagination. The image sprouts wings that flap when a member of the Tempest is signaling for help.

HARRY (mulling it over): I was afraid of this. Voldemort's Dark Mark changed in color. If they've learned that the mark on Teddy's shoulder is fake... We may have compromised him. I should've never sent Teddy underground with the Tempest. The mission was too risky.

DELPHI: He insisted.

HARRY: But it should've been someone else. What a fool.

DELPHI: You couldn't have known, Harry.

DELPHI reaches tenderly for HARRY's arm and pulls her hand away quickly. The heat of GINNY's gaze is still on them.

HARRY: And Percy is breathing down my neck about the escape. I've been hunting Rodolphus Lestrange since my first day in the office. No movements whatsoever — then he risks everything by coming out of hiding to free this man from Azkaban. I need to know why.

DELPHI: Because he's Blitzfanger.

They look at one of the nearby posters.

HARRY: Pariah Prince? Most likely. Lestrange must be the Augurey.

DELPHI (incredulous): Lord Blitzfanger... Is that name supposed to arouse fear?

HARRY: No one will be frightened to say that one in public, I assure you. Apparently, it means Lightning Catcher.

HARRY points at his scar.

DELPHI: They get right to the point, don't they? And we're taking them seriously?

HARRY: We must. There's a hierarchy to their leadership, they've spread out. The Tempest have learned from the mistakes of the Death Eaters.

HARRY sees a MAN IN BROWN ROBES approaching them, eager to show his devotion in a bow. HARRY turns his back to the MAN.

Lestrange has grown confident these past years, increasing their numbers, biding their time. At least with Voldemort, we learned what he was planning because he was impatient. He didn't wait twenty years to make a move.

DELPHI: And they say this Lord Blitzfanger has a knack for rallying stragglers to their cause. You should take a page from their book and use your celebrity to get information.

HARRY: That's what I should do, huh?

DELPHI (jokingly): Yeah, or just take it from their minds with your wand.

HARRY laughs.

HARRY: Were it only that easy. Frankly, my wand can be bested by every student on this platform.

DELPHI: I thought the new one was comparable to your Phoenix core wand.

HARRY: It rattles, the spells come out too slowly. I knew I shouldn't have gone with Elm. And it's too long.

DELPHI: What about my suggestion to —

HARRY (sharply): No! I...I've thought it over and the answer is no. However, you were using your mind in a way no one else would. I see the value in that. Which is why I'll never let you leave my department.

DELPHI: Thank you again for the promotion, Mister... Harry.

HARRY: You are surpassing my every expectation, Delphi. You have the makings of an Auror. Top marks in Subterfuge and Stratagem, Stealth and Tracking, Concealment and Disguise, Analysis and Pursuit. At this rate, you could pass the trials by Spring.

DELPHI: Not if I don't fair better with Sparring and Sorcery.

HARRY: My worst discipline was...

DELPHI and HARRY: ...Rumination and Restraint.

HARRY: And look where restraint has gotten me. I excelled in Sparring and Sorcery, though. I should be training you in private, practicing maneuvers I was unwilling to show Teddy. Had I done so, maybe... I don't know...

ALBUS strolls nonchalantly past them toward the train, his expression rebellious.

ALBUS: See you at Christmas, Dad.

HARRY: Al —

ALBUS: My name is Albus, not Al.

HARRY leaves DELPHI to try and catch his son.

DELPHI: I'll take you up on that.

HARRY (calling back): You should. I'm in need of a Dark wizard catcher.

Grinning, DELPHI exits through the crowd. HARRY emerges from the white steam, looking troubled. JAMES hugs his father and climbs on board. GINNY approaches HARRY, determined to say her piece.

GINNY: You had your chance to say goodbye.

HARRY: He'll be gone for months. And I doubt he'll be writing me.

GINNY: I told you to leave him be.

HARRY: But this is wrong, Ginny. This is not how it's supposed to go.

GINNY: Look, as long as he's happy, that's all that matters to me.

HARRY: So, I'm supposed to stand and watch as he makes friends with the wrong sort?

GINNY: No. You're supposed to teach him how to meet life.

HARRY: How? He won't listen.

GINNY: Perhaps he's waiting for you to see him clearly.

GINNY, LILY, and HARRY stand watching the train as whistles blow up and down the platform. HARRY still looks worried.

Stop that. We have lots of time.

HARRY: Hogwarts will be the making of him. And he was put in Slytherin...

GINNY: And what is wrong with that?

HARRY: Slytherin is the House of the snake, of Dark Magic. It's not a House of...brave wizards.

GINNY: If I'm not mistaken, Albus Severus was named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man we ever knew.

HARRY: Snape — brave? He was about as brave as I am evil. And Snape should never have been recognized as an official Headmaster of Hogwarts. He was the leader of an occupation of the castle. He was hardly Dumbledore, I don't know what the governors were thinking.

GINNY: When did your opinion of him change so drastically?

HARRY: A few years ago. My station at the ministry has afforded me certain privileges and access to information, which provided me insight into the former actions of the Death Eaters. The ones who fought and killed many of our relatives. As a Death Eater, Severus Snape was involved in most of their misdeeds and murders. I should've never named our son Severus without really knowing the man. I've cursed him.

GINNY (looking offended): You're wrong, and you know it. Children aren't defined by their blood, but what's in their hearts. No one is born evil. They're trained to be who they are by those who influence them, toward the light or the dark. Even then, no one is irredeemable. Right?

HARRY: Yes. Certainly.

HARRY and GINNY hold hands as the train starts moving. LILY waves.

GINNY (clearing her throat): Delphini was a little overdressed, don't you think? For a meeting at a train station.

HARRY: I hadn't noticed.

GINNY: C'mon, Harry. I see the way she looks at you. She's obsessed, can't you see it?

HARRY: Delphi is just a co-worker.

GINNY: Trust me, if there's anyone who knows what it looks like to be obsessed with the one and only Harry Potter, it's your wife.

HARRY: You have nothing to worry about.

HARRY looks apprehensively at the train as it exits the station.

GINNY: And neither do you.

HARRY: He'll be all right, won't he?

GINNY: Of course, he will.

HARRY: Especially with a mother like you.

GINNY: There's much more of you in Albus than me. He has your eyes.

HARRY: My mother's eyes, you mean.

GINNY: No, Harry. Those are your eyes. He's your son, through and through.

Fade to black