HOGWARTS, CORRIDORS — YEAR 1

We are met by the familiar sounds of the Time-Turner in action. Lights come up on the stage, revealing the set piece from ACT 3 — a massive wall with multi-level platforms and adjoining stairs — remodeled to appear like four floors of Hogwarts Castle. The corridors glow with torchlight, sparsely decorated for Halloween. There are many portraits, tapestries, and small windows where the darkness of night can be seen beyond the leaded glass. There is a massive, polished door on the wall of the uppermost platform, high above the stage — the entrance to the Room of Requirement. The door opens. HARRY and HERMIONE enter the corridor. When they close the door behind them, a bit of stage magic makes the door disappear.

HERMIONE: First year.

HERMIONE steps further into the corridor, the Marauder's Map in her hands. She studies it.

Everyone is in the Great Hall.

HARRY: Professor Quirrell should be interrupting the Halloween feast any second.

HERMIONE: It's brilliant, Harry. Once the prefects lead the students back to their dormitories...

HARRY: ...and the rest head to the staffroom and the dungeons to deal with the troll...

HERMIONE: ...we'll be free to sneak into Quirrell's office to retrieve the book that'll show us how to strip Moody from the Polyjuice Potion.

HARRY: Sounds easy enough.

HERMIONE: Let's do this.

HARRY and HERMIONE walk along the top floor and descend the stairs to the next corridor. They stop. They watch the map, then hide behind a moving bookcase as a line of students appears on the floor below them, murmuring about a troll in the dungeons. The students ascend the steps and walk past HARRY and HERMIONE before exiting. HARRY and HERMIONE check the map before rushing down the steps to the landing below. A toad hops across their path. HARRY points it out.

HARRY (surprised): Look, Hermione.

HERMIONE: Is that...?

HARRY: Neville's toad. Trevor.

They share a smile and progress further down the corridor. HERMIONE checks the map, then abruptly throws a door open. She thrusts HARRY inside. HERMIONE follows and carefully closes the door. Moments later, a man comes creeping down the corridor, wheezing — mid-50s, greasy features, with a permanent leer — this is MISTER FILCH. He hesitates at the door. FILCH tries the handle. It is locked. He moves on. FILCH exits. HERMIONE and HARRY reenter the corridor.

HERMIONE: Mister Filch. That was close.

HARRY (putting his wand away): Shame. I would've enjoyed cursing the old git.

HERMIONE: I almost did. (beat) For Ron.

HERMIONE looks back at the map, she looks at HARRY. She smiles to herself.

HARRY: What is it?

HERMIONE: Have a look.

She hands HARRY the map. He smiles.

The two of you just came to my rescue in the girls' bathroom.

HARRY: I had no clue what I was doing. I just... jumped on the troll's back. Threw my skinny little arms around its neck.

HERMIONE: It's a wonder you weren't pummeled to death.

They laugh together. HARRY points to the map.

HARRY: I've got the cloak. If we wait a bit, take a detour...

HERMIONE nods.

HERMIONE (emotional): I'd like that very much.

HARRY and HERMIONE make their way to the ground floor. HARRY covers them in the invisibility cloak. They inch toward a partially open door. A young female voice can be heard speaking, followed by the stringent tones of PROFESSOR McGONAGALL.

YOUNG FEMALE VOICE: ...with its own club. They didn't have time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they arrived.

McGONAGALL (sternly, from off): Well — in that case... (beat) Miss Granger — you foolish girl — how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own? Five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this. I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses.

HARRY and HERMIONE step back as the door opens wide. A young girl with bushy brown hair and a Gryffindor house robe enters the corridor — it is YOUNG HERMIONE. She closes the door, then hurries with her head down toward the stairs.

YOUNG HERMIONE (hushed, to herself): Concentrate, Hermione. Do what she said. And study. A troll will do less damage to you than — any of those more — intense — people.

HARRY (to HERMIONE, in a whisper): Who were you calling intense?

They smile together as YOUNG HERMIONE exits.

McGONAGALL (from off): Well, I still say you were lucky — but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go.

The door opens again and two boys come clomping into the corridor, one with fiery red hair, the hem of his oversized robe covered in green, gelatinous goop, the other wearing glasses and looking proud of himself — it is YOUNG RON and YOUNG HARRY. HERMIONE looks across, her heart leaps a bit. HARRY puts his arm around HERMIONE. They watch in awe as the two boys pass.

YOUNG RON (grousing): We should have gotten more than ten points.

YOUNG HARRY: Five, you mean. (beat) Once she's taken off Hermione's.

YOUNG RON frowns then shrugs.

YOUNG RON: Good of her to get us out of trouble like that. Mind you, we did save her.

YOUNG HARRY: She might not have needed saving... if we hadn't locked the thing in with her.

They climb the stairs to the next floor.

I'd say that ordeal makes us all friends now, don't you?

YOUNG RON: No choice in the matter, really. There are some things you can't share with another person without ending up liking each other. And knockin' out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of 'em.

YOUNG HARRY and YOUNG RON exit. PROFESSOR McGONAGALL suddenly emerges from the girls' bathroom. She shakes her head at the unseen mess and closes the door before exiting the corridor swiftly. HARRY and HERMIONE step out from under the cloak. HERMIONE is crying but smiling. HARRY doesn't say anything. They simply enjoy re-experiencing the moment that defined their lifelong friendship.

HERMIONE: You were there for me. Every time it really counted.

HARRY: And you for me.

HERMIONE looks around.

HERMIONE: This place is magical, isn't it?

HARRY: Yes. Very.

HERMIONE: To Quirrell's office, then?

HARRY: After you.

They exit with HERMIONE leading the way, Marauders Map in hand.