MINISTRY OF MAGIC, ATRIUM

And with that, time moves ever onwards. Regal flags, a distant fountain, and the occasional violet paper airplane tell us we are in the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. Clustered behind a velvet rope is a line of Daily Prophet REPORTERS. They whisper nervously to one another as PERCIVAL CLEARWATER looks on with ETHEL and his entourage. Beside him, HERMIONE. Judging by the looks on every face, they have heard the news and are ruined by it. But now they are here, and they are waiting for something.

REPORTER 01: Great, right? Voldemort — arrested!

REPORTER 02: Shh! Yes. I know. He evaded capture by the greatest witches and wizards in the country, except one.

REPORTER 03: The Boy Who Lived.

REPORTER 02: Again.

REPORTER 03: And without a wand.

REPORTER 02: Again.

Beat. REPORTER 02 can't believe it.

Potter took down Voldemort with his bare hands.

REPORTER 01: Shame about the wife.

REPORTER 03: Didn't she work for the Prophet?

REPORTER 02: Never heard of her.

REPORTER 01: Poor Harry, he must be devastated.

REPORTER 03: At least they saved the kids.

RON enters, looking haggard. He stays in the background. PERCIVAL notices him and moves away. The REPORTERS take this as a sign that he is ready to be interviewed.

REPORTER 02 (to PERCIVAL): Minister, where's HARRY?

PERCIVAL looks around, surprised. He hardly noticed them. He opens his mouth to speak, but the words don't come.

REPORTER 01: Will Voldemort be facing trial?

PERCIVAL (deeply distraught): Please... the name. I beg of you.

REPORTER 01: How can you feel secure leaving — You-Know-Who — in Azkaban after the breakout of Pariah Prince, who is still at large?

PERCIVAL: He will be kept here under constant watch. In the Pit of Silence.

Quills are moving. The REPORTERS look intrigued by this.

REPORTER 02: And you're sure you want to keep him alive?

PERCIVAL (hesitant): Yes. About that...

All turn to stage right as KINGSLEY SHACKLEBOLT leads the Aurors onto the scene. And there is HARRY, at the center of the group. There is nothing but utter devastation in his posture, in his expression, in his every step. Yet he remains. Behind him, HARRY drags LORD VOLDEMORT. His arms bound, his legs reluctantly moving. PERCIVAL reaches for his wand.

REPORTER 03: Professor Shacklebolt! Can you describe what took place?

PERCIVAL (incensed, to VOLDEMORT): You monster!

The group stops and everyone turns to see PERCIVAL aiming his wand at VOLDEMORT.

SHACKLEBOLT: Stand down, Minister.

PERCIVAL: He has to die. Once and for all!

SHACKLEBOLT: He must face trial...

PERCIVAL: Bureaucratics. Red tape. No! Never again! He attacked my family! Where's the justice? And... And Ginny...

PERCIVAL loses focus, his wand dips. HERMIONE sees this as an opportunity to reach him. She steps forward and places a hand on his shoulder.

HERMIONE (her voice fragile): Percy. He will face the Wizengamot. He will answer for his crimes. Trust the system. There will be justice.

PERCIVAL (with reluctance): I know. Just...

DELPHI watches the two of them as an over-attentive Ministry wizard proffers something for HARRY to sign — he signs it. GUARDS come forward to take VOLDEMORT. RON looks at HARRY and VOLDEMORT — irritated.

HARRY, pale and empty, watches VOLDEMORT exit. One of the REPORTERS genuflects as the group of Aurors dissipate. HERMIONE runs to HARRY and throws her arms around him, sobbing. HARRY stares forward, unemotional.

HERMIONE: Oh, Harry...

Pause. HARRY says nothing. They separate. He begins to walk away.

RON looks at his friend accusingly. He surges forward and coldcocks HARRY, who stumbles to the ground. Cameras flash as RON drops to his knees and hits him again.

RON (exploding): I should've been there! You kept me back!

HERMIONE: Ronald, stop!

RON (standing, full of affront): I trusted you to take care of her. And now she's dead.

GEORGE enters, looking miserable, as HARRY, glasses askew, puts his arms into the air in surrender.

GEORGE (quiet, his own arm raised in peace): Maybe we should all stop for a moment and have a think about what —

HERMIONE (to RON): We weren't there, you can't —

RON: He wasn't supposed to do it alone!

RON rushes at HARRY again, but GEORGE holds him back. Cameras flash as the brothers struggle violently, almost coming to blows themselves.

GEORGE (pleading): She wouldn't want this! Stop!

RON pulls away, both of them are crying. PERCIVAL thinks this is a good moment to step between them. RON exits in distaste and GEORGE lets PERCIVAL have it.

And you decide — without prompting, in fact, without leave — to interfere, and interfere hard, in their rescue efforts!

PERCIVAL (gravely): Yes, I did.

GEORGE: Do you realize what you've done?

PERCIVAL: Yes, I do.

And just when it seems a second fight is escalating, another member of the Weasley family enters — their father, ARTHUR WEASLEY, bald, slouching, his characteristic joy lost in grief. The mere sight of him is enough for GEORGE and PERCIVAL to go their separate ways. GEORGE exits.

A beat.

HARRY crumbles, still against the constant motion.

Watching all of this unfold, SHACKLEBOLT is joined by HERMIONE, who appears to be fixated on problems beyond the present infighting.

HERMIONE: Can we be sure it's him?

SHACKLEBOLT: Polyjuice potion would have run its course by now. And a transfiguration of this magnitude would be... (beat, he looks unconvinced) Even Albus Dumbledore would struggle to achieve such a perfect likeness.

HERMIONE: But you attempted a reveal, nonetheless?

SHACKLEBOLT (nodding): Nothing. It's Voldemort.

HERMIONE: But how?

SHACKLEBOLT: Could there have been an 8th Horcrux?

HERMIONE: No. Will you resort to using Veritaserum?

SHACKLEBOLT: We could. But it will only work if he speaks, and he hasn't said a word since we took their compound.

HERMIONE: And now they're escorting him to the Pit of Silence. (beat, Hermione looks deep in thought) None of this seems right. There's something going on here, Kingsley. And I can't put my finger on it.

SHACKLEBOLT: If there is anything to be discovered, let us hope you can find it in time.

ARTHUR comes forward and offers HARRY a hand. The moment HARRY is on his feet, the REPORTERS lob questions at him. DELPHI watches this take place from within the group of Aurors. Her face hardens as she approaches the velvet rope.

REPORTER 01: Harry, is it true you survived the killing curse again?

DELPHI: He will be answering no questions today, thank you.

REPORTER 02: We heard you saw Rodolphus Lestrange and Fenrir Greyback. Any comment?

REPORTER 03: Mister Potter, over here! Voldemort has returned. He is in custody. How do you respond to claims that you misled the public?

DELPHI (getting angry): I said there will be no questions!

REPORTER 02 (too eager to be silenced): Can you confirm the reports that your wife was killed by an inexperienced wizard from your own department through the use of unregulated magical munitions?

Overwhelmed, HARRY says nothing. He is consumed by his grief. DELPHI steps forward, she has had enough. She takes out her wand and grabs hold of REPORTER 02.

DELPHI: Ask another question. Please! I've been absolutely dying for an excuse to use the Enucleation Jinx.

REPORTER 02 (nervously): What's that?

DELPHI (coldly, pushing her wand closer): It swiftly extracts one's eye from its socket.

The REPORTERS back off, allowing HARRY and ARTHUR to move on. KINGSLEY steps back in silent reflection of what just took place. HERMIONE frowns at this, thinking rapidly, her suspicion growing. She corners DELPHI.

HERMIONE: I don't know what sort of station you think you hold under Harry's administration, but we do not threaten the press.

DELPHI (almost amused): What's your name again?

HERMIONE (continuing her thought): We cannot risk being —

DELPHI: I shall do whatever I please to protect Harry. If you're smart, you'll think twice before interfering next time.

Beat.

Are you smart?

HERMIONE and DELPHI stare at one another. Ribbons of heat are coming off both of these powerful women.

HERMIONE: Maybe you should stay away from him for a while. Think about what he needs.

DELPHI: What he needs? I know Harry in a way you never could.

HERMIONE (after a beat): You might be right about that.

DELPHI: Let's allow him to decide, shall we?

DELPHI glares at HERMIONE. She walks away into the Atrium. HERMIONE looks around herself. HARRY is full of unhappiness, DELPHI is full of purpose, HERMIONE is not sure what she's supposed to be. She exits stage right.

Stage left, HARRY is leaning against a barrier. ARTHUR sits beside him. They don't talk. HARRY begins to cry but tries to hide it. ARTHUR looks at HARRY.

ARTHUR: Your glasses.

HARRY takes them off. They are broken from the fight with RON.

May I?

HARRY nods. ARTHUR takes HARRY's glasses with great care and fixes them with a tap of his wand. He hands them back to HARRY who lets out a small laugh.

HARRY: Just like the first time you took me to Diagon Alley.

ARTHUR: How could I forget? You were twelve years old, and already so brave.

HARRY puts on his glasses. PERCIVAL watches from afar.

HARRY: I would've done it myself, but my wand... it...

ARTHUR (pained): I know.

A pause. The two men are overcome with emotion. They need not mention the fact that HARRY's faulty wand resulted in GINNY's death.

HARRY: I'm sorry, I should've...

ARTHUR: You mustn't.

HARRY: Did I do the right thing?

ARTHUR: You're far wiser than me. Even so, I would never question your judgment, Harry.

Pause. ARTHUR wipes away a tear, HARRY notices it and takes a breath.

Go home and be with the children. They will need you now, more than ever.

The mere mention of his surviving family pushes HARRY toward despair. But he pulls himself back from the brink as PERCIVAL joins them.

HARRY: No, I have to see this through.

He wipes his eyes and looks to PERCIVAL. This is the first time they have seen one another since their discussion in HARRY's office.

Where are they taking him, Percy?

PERCIVAL (tormented by guilt): Harry... I...

HARRY (simply): Where?

PERCIVAL: The Pit of Silence.

HARRY exits. PERCIVAL, looking a mess, tries to exit himself. ARTHUR grabs him by the arm.

ARTHUR: Come here, son.

PERCIVAL: If you're going to tell me that I failed this family, I know. (off his dad's look.) It's all my fault. Ginny's dead and it's all my fault.

ARTHUR: I want a hug.

PERCIVAL: A hug? But... the cameras... The Minister of Magic can't be seen as weak, it will —

ARTHUR (loud and exasperated): There's only five of you left!

PERCIVAL nods, teary-eyed. He hugs his father. Neither of them wants to let go.

The stage darkens, except for a single light that follows HARRY. He walks unhurriedly across the stage and arrives at a solitary door that stands alone, unsupported. A beat. HARRY looks up at the door, his face passive. A framed pane of glass rolls onto the stage, accompanied by two MINISTRY GUARDS. HARRY walks toward it. Behind the glass at a distance, within a blue glow, is LORD VOLDEMORT.

MINISTRY GUARD 01: You don't have to be here, Mister Potter.

HARRY: None of us should be here.

VOLDEMORT looks up at HARRY and for the first time — at the bottom of this dreadful pit — they look at each other as equals. VOLDEMORT approaches the glass. He attempts to reach out of the glass — but he can't. He grins.

MINISTRY GUARD 02: Go home, sir.

HARRY: What home?

Ever so slowly, the glass, the door, and the guards melt away until HARRY is left alone.