Act four, scene ten

GODRIC’S HOLLOW, ST. JEROME’S CHURCH, 1981

The group are gathered and full of confusion.

RON: So let me get this right — we’re fighting to protect Voldemort?

ALBUS: Voldemort killing my grandparents. Voldemort trying to kill my dad?

HERMIONE: Of course, Ginny. Delphi’s not trying to kill Harry — she’s stopping Voldemort trying to kill Harry. Brilliant.

DRACO: So — we just wait? Until Voldemort turns up?

ALBUS: Does she know when he does turn up? Hasn’t she come here twenty-four hours early because she isn’t sure when he’ll arrive and in what direction? The history books — correct me if I’m wrong, Scorpius — show nothing about when and how he arrived in Godric’s Hollow?

SCORPIUS and HERMIONE: You’re not wrong.

RON: Blimey! There are two of them!

DRACO: So how can we use this to our advantage?

ALBUS: Do you know what I’m really good at?

HARRY: There’s plenty you’re good at, Albus.

ALBUS: Polyjuicing. And I think Bathilda Bagshot may have all the ingredients for Polyjuice in her basement. We can Polyjuice into Voldemort and bring her to us.

RON: To use Polyjuice you need a bit of someone. We don’t have a bit of Voldemort.

HERMIONE: But I like the concept, a pretend mouse for her cat.

HARRY: How close can we get through Transfiguration?

HERMIONE: We know what he looks like. We’ve got some excellent wizards and witches here.

GINNY: You want to transfigure into Voldemort?

ALBUS: It’s the only way.

HERMIONE: It is, isn’t it?

RON steps forward bravely.

RON: Then I would like to — I think I should be him. I mean, it won’t be — exactly nice being Voldemort — but without wishing to blow my own trumpet — I am probably the most chilled out of all of us and... so maybe transfiguring into him — into the Dark Lord — will do less damage to me than — any of you more — intense — people.

HARRY steps away, introspective.

HERMIONE: Who are you calling intense?

DRACO: I’d also like to volunteer. I think being Voldemort requires precision — no offense, Ron — and a knowledge of Dark Magic and —

HERMIONE: And I’d like to volunteer too. As Minister for Magic I think it’s my responsibility and right.

SCORPIUS: Maybe we should draw lots —

DRACO: You’re not volunteering, Scorpius.

ALBUS: Actually —

GINNY: No, no way. I think you’re all mad. I know what that voice is like inside your head — I won’t have it in mine again —

HARRY: And anyway — it has to be me.

Everyone turns to HARRY.

DRACO: What?

HARRY: For this plan to work she has to believe it’s him, without hesitation. She’ll use Parseltongue — and I knew there was a reason why I still have that ability. But more than that, I — know what it is to feel — like him. I know what it is to be him. It has to be me.

RON: Rubbish. Beautifully put but beautiful rubbish. No way are you going to —

HERMIONE: I’m afraid you’re right, my old friend.

RON: Hermione, you’re wrong, Voldemort is not something to be — Harry should not —

GINNY: And I hate to agree with my brother, but —

RON: He could get stuck — as Voldemort — forever.

HERMIONE: So could any of us. Your concerns are valid, but...

HARRY: Hang on, Hermione. Gin.

GINNY and HARRY make eye contact.

I won’t do it if you don’t want me to. But it feels like the only way to me, am I wrong?

GINNY thinks a moment and then softly nods. HARRY’s face hardens.

GINNY: You’re right.

HARRY: Then let’s do this.

DRACO: Don’t we need to discuss the route you’re taking — the —

HARRY: She’s watching for him — she’ll come to me.

DRACO: And then what? When she’s with you. May I remind you this is a very powerful witch.

RON: Easy. He gets her in here. We zap her together.

DRACO: “Zap her”?

HERMIONE looks around the room.

HERMIONE: We’ll hide behind these doors. If you can get her to this point, Harry (she indicates the point where the light from the rose window hits the floor), then we come out and make sure she has no chance to escape.

RON (with a look to DRACO): And then we’ll zap her.

HERMIONE: Harry, last chance, are you sure you can do this?

HARRY: Yes, I can do this.

DRACO: No, there’s too many what-ifs — too many things that can go wrong — the Transfiguration could not hold, she could see through it — if she escapes us now there’s no telling the damage she can do — we need time to properly plan, to —

ALBUS: Draco, trust my dad. He won’t let us down.

HARRY looks at ALBUS — moved.

HERMIONE: Wands.

Everyone withdraws their wands. HARRY clasps his.

There’s a light that builds — that overwhelms...

The Transfiguration is slow and monstrous.

And the form of VOLDEMORT emerges from HARRY.

And it’s horrendous.

He turns.

He looks around at his friends and family.

They look back — aghast.

RON: Bloody hell.

HARRY/VOLDEMORT: It worked, then?

GINNY (gravely): Yes. It worked.