HARRY POTTER'S HOUSE

HARRY: I didn't notice you were here.

HARRY hugs DUDLEY's wife, JUNE DURSLEY. They kiss cheeks.

Sorry, June... about all the magic.

JUNE DURSLEY: It's fine, Harry. I knew what I was getting into when I married your cousin.

A long moment of silence passes, it is hard to know what to say.

DUDLEY DURSLEY (quickly, but stunted): The funeral was very...

HARRY: It was.

JUNE DURSLEY: Ginny was loved. I wish I got to spend more time with her.

HARRY's face sinks. He does, too.

You'll let us know, won't you — if there is anything we can do to help? Bring the kids by.

HARRY: I might take you up on that.

JUNE DURSLEY: We'd be delighted to spend some quality time with them. Wouldn't we, Dudley?

DUDLEY DURSLEY: Yes, delighted.

HARRY (hesitating): Might be nice. I'm needed at the Ministry, but I don't want them out of my sight.

He makes eye contact with LILY, who smiles at him as she sits to join the others around GEORGE. HARRY's grief is overwhelming.

They tell me change can bring a family together. Robespierre stepped up to watch over the kids, but with all he's been through, I don't want the poor elf to feel like it's required of him. I could bring them to their grandparents, but, for some reason, I — I'd like to keep them away from magic for a while. Of course, no one here would understand that feeling. Except you. Honestly, I don't even know if I understand why I feel that way.

DUDLEY DURSLEY: Then you have your answer, Harry. There's no better place than the Dursley's. You should know.

HARRY (nodding): Still at number four, Privet Drive?

DUDLEY DURSLEY: Still. Mum and Dad retired to a cottage in the middle of... somewhere. (he laughs) Gave us the house, said it was the perfect place to raise a family... but then — well, when we learned we couldn't...

DUDLEY and JUNE briefly lock eyes, revealing their own grief.

JUNE DURSLEY: As I said, it would be nice to have the kids over.

The mood shifts as HAGRID lumbers toward them. DUDLEY tenses up and the two exchange glances. HARRY can't help but grin. The moment passes faster than it appeared.

DUDLEY DURSLEY: Right, then. You know how to find us.

HARRY: I do.

JUNE DURSLEY: Please. Don't hesitate to ask.

JUNE places a hand on HARRY's cheek.

HARRY: Okay.

JUNE DURSLEY: Anytime, really. Even tomorrow. We want to help.

HARRY: I'll call you. Promise.

DUDLEY gives one last, cautionary look to HAGRID before exiting with JUNE through the front door. HAGRID sits down uncomfortably next to HARRY, who smiles at him. They are now the same height.

HAGRID: Had somewhere to go, did he? Tha' one's 'bout as Muggle as they come.

HARRY: Dudley probably thought you'd give him horns this time.

HAGRID (in a hush): Say the word.

At that, HERMIONE leaves RON's side and approaches HARRY and HAGRID. RON stands with BILL and FLEUR. HARRY is happy to see her, but the smile is faint. So much conversation is had without a word being spoken.

HARRY (to HERMIONE): It's almost as if...

HERMIONE: ...there's a Dementor in the room?

HARRY: Yes, exactly that.

HERMIONE: Well then, you should probably eat lots of — chocolate.

HERMIONE takes some chocolate out of her purse to HARRY's unexpected delight.

HARRY: Actually, do you mind if I have some —?

HERMIONE holds out the chocolate to her old friend. HARRY takes a piece, he eats a big chunk.

HERMIONE: Better?

HARRY: Much.

HERMIONE: Silly, isn't it?

Another moment of concentrated silence passes.

HARRY: This is... harder than I thought, Hermione. Maybe because I never imagined it would happen.

HERMIONE: Why would you?

HARRY: Head of Magical Law Enforcement. Married to Ginny. Three kids. We were hoping to have a chance to... (beat) It's like my whole future has been erased.

HERMIONE (sniffling): She fought bravely. Gryffindor to the last. The kids got to see that. She's been feeling so weak lately. Ineffectual.

HARRY: I know. One blunder led to another. It went pretty badly wrong from there. I said some things to Ginny...

HERMIONE: I heard.

HARRY: She deserved better.

HERMIONE: Harry, I'm here, okay? If you need me.

HARRY: I need something. It's like I'm not myself anymore.

HERMIONE (cautiously): And your scar is hurting again.

HARRY touches the back of his left hand nervously.

HARRY: Did we miss something? What if Dumbledore was wrong about the Horcruxes? Some part of Voldemort lived on and I can't understand it for the life of me.

HERMIONE: With all that's gone on, I think you're forgetting — you survived the killing curse again, wandless and against all odds. There is still so much we don't understand. Perhaps, there is more connecting the two of you than Dumbledore ever realized.

HARRY: Right as always, Hermione. We've captured Voldemort, and yet my scar has never burned so intensely.

HAGRID glances around the room.

HAGRID: Where's Albus?

HARRY (looking suddenly furious): I have an idea.

HERMIONE calms him with a careful touch on his shoulder.

HERMIONE: Harry, is your family still in danger?

HARRY: I think we all are.

Across the room, PERCIVAL lifts PENELOPE's hand and kisses the back of it sweetly, before making his way over to HARRY. Here, PERCIVAL shows why he was sorted into Gryffindor because it takes great courage for him to face HARRY after the incident with the Pumpkin Pasty. When the silence gets to him, PERCIVAL clears his throat, slides his hands into the pockets of his fine suit, and turns to HERMIONE.

PERCIVAL: Hermione Granger, how much I would love for you to work for me.

HERMIONE: Percy, I've been a Weasley for as long as you've been a Clearwater. And this is neither the place nor the —

PERCIVAL: Hermione, I've thought for a long time that you have great potential, as you know. A natural leader.

HERMIONE: Whatever the job is, I'm not the right fit.

PERCIVAL: No need to be modest, Hermione. You are a highly valued witch. Valued by the Ministry. Valued especially by me. I've positively glowed about you in dispatches to Ethel.

HERMIONE: Try asking Ron. That office is turning him into your father.

PERCIVAL looks at HARRY, troubled.

PERCIVAL: I would, but... current circumstances require a more measured approach.

HARRY (his gaze averted): You needn't be concerned, Minister. I'm still very much committed to my job.

PERCIVAL: Of course. Of course you are, Harry. Our work together flushing out the Tempest has made this world a safer, purer place. I merely thought you — would be charting different waters. I know you're grieving and this might not be the best time...

HARRY catches PERCIVAL's gaze.

HARRY: What are you saying?

PERCIVAL: Don't be upset with me. I ordered Beggarsbush not to leave his portrait to disclose my intrusion into your office, but the schedule of things was unclear, what with the funeral, quite understandable, naturally, and... well, I thought you might want to attempt this now, rather than later. You know, because of Ginny.

Beat. HARRY slowly realizes what PERCIVAL is saying as he reveals the Time-Turner. HARRY looks at them all — he takes the Time-Turner from PERCIVAL and slips it into his pocket.

HAGRID: Blimey! Is tha' wha' I think it is?

HERMIONE: Percy, you can't be serious? Bringing a Time-Turner into the open was reckless. Using it would be —

HARRY: Perilous. We've already lost one life because someone acted without thinking.

PERCIVAL: Well, I don't want anyone else to die. That's the point, really. You can go back and save her, can't you? Just... give it a spin?

HERMIONE: The fact that you're suggesting such a thing here, now... at Ginny's...

HERMIONE starts to cry into HARRY's shoulder. PERCIVAL scans the room guardedly. He lowers his voice.

PERCIVAL: It is certainly, without a smidgeon of doubt, breaking numerous violations. But my little sister, your wife, is worth it, is she not?

HERMIONE: What you're suggesting...

PERCIVAL: Is brilliant, I know.

HERMIONE: No, it's unbelievably stupid. Because it won't work. You can't change the past.

PERCIVAL: Are you so sure?

HERMIONE: Yes, in fact.

Grimacing, HAGRID scratches his beard.

HAGRID: But din' yeh save Buckbeak with one o' them?

HERMIONE: We did. And we didn't. A Time-Turner aids in reliving and fulfilling the past. It cannot rewrite it. Buckbeak was always meant to survive.

HARRY: We can't save her, Percy. That's not how it works.

PERCIVAL: But what if it does?

Beat. HARRY looks at PERCIVAL, understanding him perfectly. The hope in PERCIVAL's eyes is as unmistakable as the lack of hope in HARRY's.

I have to fix this, Harry. Ginny can't be dead. She can't.

HARRY (pained): She is.

There's a LARGE BOOM. Then there's a LARGE CRASH. It came from the kitchen. Everyone turns. HAGRID scrambles to his feet, emptying out his pockets.

HAGRID (mumbling to himself): Knew summat would go wrong if I brought 'im.

Every eye on stage turns to HAGRID, as he shuffles to the kitchen. ROBESPIERRE follows.

Everythin's fine. Nothin' ter worry about — jus' Benedict. He got loose, is all.

HARRY sighs and the room is silent until ROBESPIERRE returns.

ROBESPIERRE: It was a Niffler, Master Harry. Found the silverware. There is an unfortunate amount of damage, sir.

HARRY: Thanks, Robe.

HERMIONE: Carry on, everyone. It's nothing a spell can't fix.

Suddenly there is a rumble in the chimney. Then ALBUS tumbles out, unlike every other arrival that afternoon. Everyone looks at him, surprised. He stands and brushes the soot off himself. ALBUS looks at his dad, unsure for a moment. For some reason, they're at odds. HARRY looks at his son — full of anger, but cautious to not let it spill. Then there is another rumble in the chimney and SCORPIUS MALFOY comes down hard, surrounded by cascading soot and dust. ANGELINA has to save the portrait of GINNY from falling off the mantle.

And this is too much for HARRY to handle.