NUMBER FOUR PRIVET DRIVE
A single, golden light illuminates a street sign on a darkened stage — Privet Drive. JAMES, ALBUS, and LILY enter, followed by HARRY, his hair a mess. They pass the sign and walk up to the façade of a brick house, a brass number four beside the front door.
LILY: I was wondering if we'd ever see this place.
ALBUS: This is where you grew up, huh? Bit drab, wouldn't you say?
HARRY ignores ALBUS, who looks ready to start an argument.
JAMES: You need to explain this one, Dad. How are we safer here than at The Burrow? They're Muggles.
HARRY stops at the front door, LILY admires the flowerbed.
HARRY: The Tempest are still after you. Or, rather, me. Until you return to Hogwarts, you aren't safe. And home.... it's not the same without your mother. This is the next best option.
HARRY knocks on the door.
In terms of magic, number four Privet Drive is still considered my home. And although the Blood Dwelling charm that Dumbledore placed on me expired when I turned seventeen — a charm that was sealed when my Aunt Petunia took me in — it has transferred to you three. Your grandmother's sacrifice lives on in her blood, which has passed on to her heirs. As long as a Dursley owns this home, you are protected under its roof. Uncle Dudley is your blood. That bond will safeguard you while I am away.
ALBUS: What are we supposed to do here?
JAMES: That's why we brought our schoolwork, Al.
HARRY: And I expect you to pull out your books and quills straight away. Mum would want that. Everything is changing, I know, but that shouldn't. School will always be important.
The door opens. JUNE DURSLEY and DUDLEY DURSLEY are there with bright smiles. Lights come up on the rest of the house behind them. It looks quite familiar.
JUNE (pleasantly): Welcome, Potters!
DUDLEY: It's so good to have you.
HARRY: Hi, Dudley. Thanks, again.
DUDLEY: Don't mention it.
JUNE: Come in, won't you?
The Potters enter the house. HARRY gestures to their shoes and the kids take them off. This had been discussed beforehand.
Make yourselves at home.
LILY (eagerly): Do you have a television? Poppy told me about televisions once. He has a broken one in the shed. It lights up and everything. Nana doesn't know about it.
HARRY: I'm sure your Aunt June would be happy to show you the telly, once you've completed your scrollwork.
JUNE: Gladly.
DUDLEY: How are you holding up, Harry?
HARRY (sighing): I wish I knew how to answer that.
JAMES makes his way into the kitchen, where he sits. The unsteady tower of thick books he empties onto the table does not match the size of his schoolbag. LILY joins him, unrolling a scroll across the table. JUNE looks on, mesmerized. ALBUS finds a lounge chair in the living room and puts his feet up on the coffee table. He fishes a rolled-up comic from his pocket and reads at his leisure.
YOU ARE READING
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (The M. Clifford MOD)
Fanfiction"It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn't much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and the father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where...
