Act one, scene fifteen

HARRY AND GINNY POTTER’S HOUSE, KITCHEN

HARRY, RON, HERMIONE, and GINNY sit, eating together.

HERMIONE: I’ve told Draco again and again — no one in the Ministry is saying anything about Scorpius. The rumors aren’t coming from us.

GINNY: I wrote to him — after he lost Astoria — to ask if there’s anything we could do. I thought maybe — as he was such a good friend to Albus — maybe Scorpius might want to stay over part of the Christmas break or... My owl came back with a letter containing one simple sentence: “Tell your husband to refute these allegations about my son once and for all.”

HERMIONE: He’s obsessed.

GINNY: He’s a mess — a grieving mess.

RON: And I’m sorry for his loss but when he accuses Hermione of... Well... (He looks across at HARRY.) Oi droopy drawers, like I say to her all the time, it could be nothing.

HERMIONE: Her?

RON: The trolls could be going to a party, the giants to a wedding, you could be getting bad dreams because you’re worried about Albus, and your scar could be hurting because you’re getting old.

HARRY: Getting old? Thanks, mate.

RON: Honestly, every time I sit down now I make an “ooof” noise. An “ooof.” And my feet — the trouble I’m having with my feet — I could write songs about the pain my feet give me — maybe your scar is like that.

GINNY: You talk a lot of rubbish.

RON: I consider it my speciality. That and my range of Skiving Snackboxes. And my love for all of you. Even Skinny Ginny.

GINNY: If you don’t behave, Ronald Weasley, I will tell Mum.

RON: You wouldn’t.

HERMIONE: If some part of Voldemort survived, in whatever form, we need to be prepared. And I’m scared.

GINNY: I’m scared too.

RON: Nothing scares me. Apart from Mum.

HERMIONE: I mean it, Harry, I will not be Cornelius Fudge on this one. I will not stick my head in the sand. And I don’t care how unpopular that makes me with Draco Malfoy.

RON: You never really were one for popularity, were you?

HERMIONE shoots RON a withering look as she aims to hit him but RON jumps out of the way.

Missed.

GINNY hits RON. RON winces.

Hit. A very solid hit.

Suddenly an owl is in the room. It swoops in low and drops a letter on HARRY’s plate.

HERMIONE: Bit late for an owl, isn’t it?

HARRY opens the letter. Surprised.

HARRY: It’s from Professor McGonagall.

GINNY: What does it say?

HARRY’s face drops.

HARRY: Ginny, it’s Albus — Albus and Scorpius — they never made it to school. They’re missing.