Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Act I, Scenes 1-9

Reading Check

1. 37 (Act I, Scene 1)

2. Severus Snape (Act I, Scene 2)

3. Rose (Act I, Scene 4)

Short Answer

1. Theodore Nott is a former Death Eater found in possession of an illegal Time-Turner. (Act I, Scene 5)

2. Hermione urges Harry to file and go through the paperwork piling up on his desk so he is fully abreast of the strange occurrences happening in the wizarding world. (Act I, Scene 5)

3. Harry says that sometimes he wishes Albus was not his son. (Act I, Scene 7)

Act I, Scenes 10-19

Reading Check

1. Cedric Diggory (Act I, Scene 10)

2. Ottaline Gambol (Act I, Scene 11)

3. Delphi (Act I, Scene 14)

Short Answer

1. Ron’s dialogue lightens the tone of an otherwise serious conversation, bringing comic relief to the scene. (Act I, Scene 15)

2. Albus uses Polyjuice Potion to disguise himself as his uncle Ron. When he runs into Hermione, he must create a distraction, and he kisses his aunt. (Act I, Scene 18)

Act II, Scenes 1-9

Reading Check

1. Expelliarmus; it disarms wizards (Act II, Scene 4)

2. Luck (Act II, Scene 3)

3. He transfigures a stone into a dog to distract the dragon (Act II, Scene 4)

4. Bane (Act II, Scene 5)

Short Answer

1. Aunt Petunia’s reaction is heartless and cruel; she offers no sympathy for Harry’s fears or grief; this is in keeping with the Dursleys’ general treatment toward Harry as devoid of love and genuine affection. This dream sequence gives deeper insight into some of Harry’s unresolved trauma. (Act II, Scene 1)

2. The stage directions heighten the tension and suspense of the scene. The recurrent nightmares foreshadow conflicts to come. (Act II, Scene 1)

3. Unlike most characters, Albus does not find the sight of Hogwarts to be magical and welcoming. His line, “And then you got there and it turned out to be terrible after all,” symbolizes his disappointment in his experiences and how much they differ from others. Scorpius, on the other hand, loves his experiences at Hogwarts, despite being unpopular. The boys’ regard for Hogwarts relates to the theme of The Impact of Fame and Legacy on the Parent-Child Relationship. (Act II, Scene 6)

Act II, Scenes 10-20

Reading Check

1. Hermione Granger (Act II, Scene 11)

2. Ginny re-entering the room (Act II, Scene 13)

3. She believes the boys “belong together.” (Act II, Scene 14)

4. His loneliness (Act II, Scene 15)

Short Answer

1. Professor McGonagall is not convinced spying on Albus and Severus is wise nor morally just. The stage directions establish her inner struggle. Harry believes his opinion to be the only one that is correct; his will to make things right blinds him from the feelings of others and provides the motivation for his actions in the scene. Ginny is mostly present for support. She only has two lines, but stage directions provide her character with meaningful nonverbal actions. (Act II, Scene 10)

2. The stage directions best represent the theme of The Role of Friendship in Overcoming Crises. (Act II, Scene 12)

3. Draco’s confession shows character growth. It is hard for him to admit that he is similar to Voldemort and that he envies Harry’s friendships; doing so is evidence of emotional growth. (Act II, Scene 15)

Act III, Scenes 1-11

Reading Check

1. Scorpion King (Act III, Scene 2)

2. As a derogatory swear word or insult (Act III, Scene 2)

3. Head of Magical Law Enforcement (Act III, Scene 3)

4. She confesses her love to him. (Act III, Scene 9)

Short Answer

1. He is excited at the chance to meet Snape, who in Scorpius’s true reality is dead. (Act III, Scene 5)

2. She is a warrior-like member of Dumbledore’s Army who is on the run for her actions in the fight against Voldemort. (Act III, Scene 7)

3. Professor McGonagall is upset because the adults and students who have Time-Turners are reckless in their use and concealment of them. She warns them about the dangers of time and reminds them of the sacrifices that were made during the wizarding wars now that Voldemort is back in a Time-Turner-influenced reality. (Act III, Scene 10)

Act III, Scenes 12-21

Reading Check

1. Albus sends her an owl. (Act III, Scene 16)

2. Neville Longbottom (Act III, Scenes- 16-17)

3. Scorpius (Act III, Scene 16)

4. Friendship (Act III, Scene 19)

Short Answer

1. With these blocking directions, the actor will have the chance to show Aunt Petunia’s true emotions in the way she moves toward and sits by her sister’s grave (although her words to Harry are unsympathetic). (Act III, Scene 12)

2. Delphi’s attempts to change the past to influence the future suggest prophecies can be influenced and altered. This is ironic because her driving motivation is a steadfast dedication to a prophecy about Voldemort’s return. (Act III, Scene 20)

Act IV, Scenes 1-15

Reading Check

1. To wait and see what she changes in the past (Act IV, Scene 1)

2. He refused to go when Harry offered to take him. (Act IV, Scene 3)

3. Halloween night, October 31, 1981, is the day Voldemort killed Lily and James Potter. Delphi wants to prevent him from trying to kill Harry and losing his powers. (Act IV, Scene 7)

Short Answer

1. Albus shows much more care for his father after the trip to Godric’s Hollow. Where he was once apathetic or antagonistic regarding his actions’ impact on his father, now he actively tries to save his father’s life and learn more about him. (Act IV, Scenes 2-3)

2. Ginny describes being ostracized by everyone at Hogwarts after they found out she opened the Chamber of Secrets. She explains that Harry’s kindness to her made her fall in love with him. Even though Harry has always felt like an outsider, she has her own experiences with loneliness as well. (Act IV, Scene 9)