Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (The M. Clifford MOD)

Act 1: Scene 10

MINISTRY OF MAGIC, CORRIDOR

HARRY walks steadily down a dark corridor of burnished black-olive tiles. His steps are cavalier, but cautious. HARRY's shrewd grin grows wider with each wizard and witch he passes until he sees a hunched man, mid-sixties — AMOS DIGGORY — roaming the hall appearing tired and weak. When AMOS sees HARRY, he removes an ivy cap. His face brightens as HARRY's expression falters. NOTT was right — there was someone waiting for him. Suddenly full of energy, AMOS scurries up to HARRY.

AMOS: Harry! I wonder if we could have a moment.

HARRY: Mister Diggory. Sorry... Amos.

AMOS: I've tried to make an appointment. They said, "Ah, Mr. Diggory, we have an appointment for you, let's see, in two months."

HARRY: Amos, I understand, I really do —

AMOS: The reason I'm here with such urgency is I've just heard rumor — strong rumor — that the Ministry —

HARRY: — but I'm afraid it's been a rather busy day thus far and —

AMOS: Is it true?

HARRY: Not at all, sir. Voldemort has not returned.

AMOS (hesitating): Voldemort? No no... (He is filled with excitement) A Time-Turner has been found. The Ministry has a Time-Turner, does it not? Kept... for investigation?

HARRY (in a stupor): How...? No, the Time-Turners were all destroyed.

AMOS (off Harry's look): Oh. But I was told you knew. Arthur Weasley... He explained it all to me. His son Ronald discovered one during last night's raid at the home of Theodore Nott. Arthur was quite proud. (trembling, he grabs for HARRY's hand) Mister Potter, please. Please, use the Time-Turner to save my son, Cedric. You do remember Cedric, don't you?

HARRY: Yes, I remember your son. His loss was —

AMOS: As one father to another... I implore you. Get him back.

HARRY: Get him back? Amos, that's not possible.

AMOS: You must stop Voldemort from taking my son, Harry. You owe it to him.

HARRY is overcome with emotion. He looks down at AMOS DIGGORY's hand and steadily pulls away. DELPHI enters but remains out of sight.

HARRY (punctuated by many pauses): I...I'm sorry, Amos. You are misinformed.

AMOS: Please, Harry. You cannot understand the pain I have suffered. I've never gotten over it.

AMOS examines the corridor quizzically, his voice distant.

Since the moment he died, I have felt it. Everything about this world is wrong. I've never been more certain of anything. For years, I've suspected that we've been living in some sort of...parallel universe, in a warped existence where everything is higgledy-piggledy. I could never explain why, but I've known — in my heart of hearts — that this was never supposed to be our reality.

His roving gaze focuses intensely on HARRY.

Now I understand. Now I have hope that it could be set right. Because now it all makes sense. We are living in an alternate timeline. Harry, you must —

HARRY: Mr. Diggory, as you know, I sympathize with your efforts to memorialize Cedric. You'll find no greater advocate and no one who wishes more than I do that we could somehow have prevented his death, but —