Summary and Analysis of Act Two, Scene 1-9
In a dream, young Harry Potter is revealed sleeping in the Cupboard under the stairs at Privet Drive. His Aunt Petunia wakes him up because the pots he cleaned weren’t clean enough. Harry gets up from the bed when she notices that he wet the bed, she begins insulting him, saying that only animals and disgusting little boys wet the bed. He tells her that he was dreaming about his parents, how he saw them die. She reminds him that if he was truly reliving their death, he would hear the sound of a car accident. The dream begins dissolving into something else, and we see Albus staring at young Harry, then the voice of Voldemort hissing “Harry Potter.”
Harry wakes up and illuminates the staircase as Ginny enters and tells him that there isn't any news involving Albus. He tells her that he was dreaming that he was under the stairs and he heard the voice of Voldemort. He also saw Albus wearing Drumstrang robes, and he begins to think he knows where his son could be.
Harry tells McGonagall that he dreamt that his son was somewhere in the Forbidden Forrest. Suddenly, Hermione enters through the chimney using Floo Powder and asking if she can assist. Ginny is working on printing an emergency edition of the Daily Prophet, asking for volunteers. Then Ron bursts through the door...he too used Floo Powder, but landed in the kitchen and ate some food. Typical Ron. Suddenly the chimney rumbles and Draco pops out. The whole gang is here. Harry is surprised by Draco's change of heart, believing in his dreams for the first time. Draco snarks that he still doesn't believe him, but Harry Potter is always where the action is and he would do anything to get his son back.
Scorpius, Albus, and Delphi are in the Forbidden Forrest. Delphi is teaching Albus the Disarming spell “Expelliarmus.” Incidentally, this is the first time he is actually doing a good job at casting spells. Scorpius observes his friend talking to Delphi; part of him likes it and the other part doesn’t. Delphi says Albus is becoming a good wizard; he tells her that she should stick around and teach them more spells. There is a slight flirtation, and Delphi says that she's not going anywhere without them since they are all friends now. Albus comes up with a plan: all they have to do is make sure that Cedric loses the First Task, so he doesn’t get killed in the Third. Albus is going to disarm Cedric before he distracts the dragon and wins the task. Delphi gives them two school uniforms; Albus and Scorpius wear Durmstrang robes, because if they use Hogwarts uniforms people are expected to know who they are. Scorpius tells Delphi to let them go back in time on their own. Delphi doesn't want to stay behind and momentarily gets upset, before calming down. She wishes them luck, that they have the opportunity to change history and give an old man his son back. She kisses Albus on the cheeks and leaves him blushing. Scorpius is slightly jealous.
Harry calls for Albus in the Forbidden Forest until he finds Bane, a centaur. Bane tells him that it wasn’t a good idea to trespass on centaur land, which was given to them after the Battle of Hogwarts as a gift of gratitude for helping defeat Voldemort. Harry tells him that his son is missing and he needs help finding him. Bane tells him that he saw his son in the movements of the stars, and that his son has a black cloud around him, which could endanger him and the entire wizard community. Harry redoubles his search for his son.
At the Edge of the Forbidden Forest, Scorpius tells him that since the first time he heard about Hogwarts, he has wanted to go; his father didn’t like it, but he still wanted to go. All he wanted was to go to Hogwarts and have a crazy adventure like Harry Potter and his friends, and he hoped that Harry's son might be one of his friends. Albus reminds Scorpius that he is not like his father, but Scorpius tells him that he is better, because he is his best friend. Then, Ron’s voice calls Albus’ name. Albus and Scorpius use the Time-Turner and travel back in time.
They travel back to 1994 to the first Tri-wizard Tournament task. The task was to retrieve a golden egg from a nest protected by a dragon. Hermione tells Scorpius to stop breathing on her. Scorpius asks “Rose” what she's doing in 1994, before Albus realizes that it's his Aunt Hermione in her fourth year at Hogwarts. He tells her that his friend confused her with another person and calls her Hermione; she asks how he knew her name. Before they draw more suspicion, the sound of a dragon roar distracts them all and Scorpius starts to get concerned because the Time-Turner is starting to shake. Cedric Diggory is close enough to grab the dragon egg when Albus extends his arm and disarms him. Scorpius tells Albus that there is something wrong with the Time-Turner; suddenly a flash of light appears, and the boys are transported back to the present. Albus screams in pain; Scorpius realizes that the Time-Turner must have a time limit. Albus asks if it worked just as his parents and uncle arrive. Albus asks if he did something wrong before collapsing on the floor.
While Albus sleeps, Harry addresses the portrait of Albus Dumbledore in the Hospital Wing, saying that sometimes he looks at his portraits, but they are empty. Dumbledore speaks to him, saying that he occasionally likes to visit his other portraits. Dumbledore asks Harry about his son, and he tells him that Madam Pomfrey was able to reset his arm. Dumbledore tells him that it must be difficult to watch his child in pain. Harry responds by apologizing for never having asked him about naming Albus after him; Dumbledore tells him that it seemed like a great weight to put on him. Harry asks him how can he protect his son, and Dumbledore tells him to see Albus for who he is. He believes that Harry has been blinded by his love for him. Albus wakes up, and Dumbledore leaves; Albus tells him that he and Scorpius wanted to start living in the Muggle world instead of going back to Hogwarts. Harry tells him that he needs to stay away from Scorpius Malfoy because he is dangerous and he might be the black cloud Bane described. Harry gives Professor McGonagall the Marauder’s Map to follow his every move; during breaks Algbus will stay in the Gryffindor Common Room and she will check up on him. Albus tells his father that he can’t go into Gryffindor because he is a Slytherin. Harry tells him to stop playing games; in this reality, Gryffindor is his House. Meanwhile his department will be investigating Scorpius's true heritage.
On the Hogwarts staircase, Albus runs into Ron. Albus asks his Uncle to make a joke; Ron doesn't know any jokes. Albus tells him that's impossible because he runs a joke shop. Ron seems confused when he says that, but he tells Albus that he brought him a gift: a brand new set of quills. He wanted to bring him some sweets, but his wife Padma thought it was better to get him school supplies. Albus is shocked to hear that he has an Aunt Padma. Ron reveals that he came to Hogwarts because his son Panju was in trouble. Albus tells him incredulously that he was married to Hermione. Ron laughs tells him that his cousin Panju bet that he wouldn’t get sorted into Gryffindor, so he asked the Sorting Hat to place him in Gryffindor to prove his cousin wrong. Scorpius arrives and asks Albus if he's alright, and Albus tells Scorpius that they were better off apart than together.
Analysis
Dreams play a significant part in this play beyond simply revealing character or providing flashbacks: they provide the characters with new information. Harry dreams of living back in Privet Drive with his Aunt and Uncle. This was a traumatizing time for Harry, suggesting a parallel between his misery and his son's misery at the beginning of the play. Aunt Petunia appears, insulting Harry and trashing the memory of his parents. Encouraging the comparison, Albus appears and juxtaposes their two childhoods and giving Harry the sense that his son is in danger. After seeing his clothing he realizes where exactly he might be. The device of dreams serves a necessary function by providing information not only to the audience, but also to the main characters.
An aspect of the play that will be scrutinized by readers of the original series is the characterization of the main characters as adults. Even though the trio has grown, many of their core qualities remain intact. Harry remains slightly disorganized but determined, Hermione remains clever and ambitious, and Ron is always quick with a joke and loves eating. In many ways, their banter mirrors the banter between the two friends, Albus and Scorpius.
Delphi's friendship and magical tutelage completes an aspiration that Albus and Scorpius share: for each of them to be accepted as a friend by someone besides each other. We see Albus's confidence grow as he succeeds in casting a spell in the Forbidden Forest in preparation for their trip back in time. The budding friendship between Albus and Delphi creates tension between the boys; Scorpius doesn't like the attention shared, and it seems to threaten their friendship.
The implications of meddling in the past have long-term effects on the future, as we begin to see. Cedric's failure in the First Task creates ripples beyond his own life. Time traveling laws dictate that one must not communicate with other people in the past, thus Scorpius and Albus talking to young Hermione will likely bring repercussions. In an example of dramatic irony, Scorpius addresses Hermione as Rose. The audience is in on the joke.
In the present, Harry watches his son in the hospital wing as he talks to the portrait of Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore was a man who spoke in riddles and his portrait does the same. Dumbledore says that Harry is putting too much pressure on his son, expecting him to be something that he is not. Dumbledore expresses dismay that in naming his son after two accomplished wizards, he creates a set of very high expectations which might cause his son to worry that he might not do justice to the original bearers of the names.
