OPENING TITLE.
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" upon a black sky.VOLDEMORT
One year. One year I spent sending Harry Potter dreams, luring him to enter the Department of Mysteries and retrieve the Prophecy, so that I might know what role he is destined to play in opposing me. And all I asked of you was to take it from him and bring it to me. You have failed me, Lucius.
LUCIUS
My Lord, I...I have no excuses. I have always tried my utmost for you. I beg to be given another chance to prove myself.
VOLDEMORT
I can be generous, Lucius. I can allow a second chance. But not, I think, to you.
The Death Eaters' ranks part and a white-faced DRACO MALFOY is pushed forward.
INT. HARRY'S BEDROOM IN THE DURSLEY'S HOUSE. NIGHT.
HARRY POTTER wakes, jerks his cheek off the window where's he's fallen asleep in the chair before it. He adjusts his glasses (his wand is in his hand), rubs at his cheek, rubs the mist off the window. He has a notecard resting on his knee; he picks it up and his eyes scan it briefly with a sense of having done so a dozen times today. Shot shows the words on it, handwritten in large script: "I will be there tonight. -A. Dumbledore" Harry sets it back on his lap, settles back into his vigil, chin on his hand. Shot scans around the bedroom. Harry's bedroom has never been a cheery place, but now even the few illustrations he once had up have been replaced with newspaper clippings, some from the Prophet and a few from Muggle newspapers. Without overwhelming the viewer, the shot lingers on the following headlines:
"Unprecedented Rise In Murders In Britain" (Muggle newspaper)
"Dark Mark Seen Nightly: No End To Reign Of Terror?" (Prophet)
"Muggle-Borns Targeted by You-Know Who" (Prophet)
"Dementor Attacks Increase" (Prophet)
"Fugitive Sirius Black Killed; Exonerated Posthumously" (Prophet)
The shot tracks down to the animated wizarding photos Harry has at his bedside, beneath the clippings on the wall. Harry still has the photo of his mother and father spinning about together on a happier autumn; near it is a new one, one of Sirius, smiling, laughing at some private joke.
Hedwig in her cage turns her head towards the window and hoots. Harry sits up straighter in response. Outside the window an intense point of light can be seen. It flares and Harry has to avert his eyes. As he does so there is a knock on his bedroom door; the door opens. ALBUS DUMBLEDORE stands in the doorway, the flare from his wandtip fading.
DUMBLEDORE
Good evening, Harry.
He enters the room. (Dumbledore keeps his left hand concealed until specified later.)
I apologize for the short notice. May I sit?
Harry
nods. Dumbledore sits on the only other available spot in the room, the
edge of
Harry's bed.
DUMBLEDORE
I know your summers here have never been particularly pleasant, Harry, but I imagine this one is even less so. I would like to remedy that in a small way, if I can. If you will let me.
Harry meets his eyes, then drops his gaze to his lap.
DUMBLEDORE
There is a matter or two I must tell you about first. Sirius, in his will, left you Grimmauld Place, as well as ownership of his house-elf, Kreacher.
HARRY
I don't want either of them.
DUMBLEDORE
I can see why you might feel that way. I don't expect you to take possession of either of them just yet, but I will ask you to accompany me tonight on a task. After which I will take you to surroundings where I believe it will please you far more to spend the summer. The Weasleys have invited you to stay with them.
Harry looks up at that, not quite brightening but clearly it's a more hopeful prospect.
INT. DURSLEY HOUSE GROUND FLOOR AND STAIRCASE. NIGHT.
Dumbledore leads Harry down the stairs. Harry carries Hedwig's cage in one hand and is floating his trunk down the stairs behind him with his wand. Staring up at them from the bottom of the staircase is VERNON DURSLEY, shocked to be seeing them.
DUMBLEDORE
Good evening. You will want to say goodbye to Harry, I am sure. He will be leaving you for the duration of the summer.
MR. DURSLEY
Goodbye? Good riddance, more like. You're welcome to him.
Dumbledore gives him a small polite smile.
DUMBLEDORE
Such affection for your nephew is admirable.
He and Harry continue down the stairs.
MR. DURSLEY
Don't make me the butt of your jokes, you...weirdo!
Dumbledore stops and looks directly at him with that same smile.
DUMBLEDORE
Jokes? No, no, these are manners.
They turn to go.
EXT. PRIVET DRIVE. NIGHT.
DUMBLEDORE
You are not yet of age to Apparate, so I will take you with me by side-along. Take my arm, Harry.
He extends his left arm to Harry. His left hand bears a silver ring with a cracked black stone, but even more striking is that his left hand is blackened and withered-looking.
HARRY
Sir--! Your hand--?
DUMBLEDORE
Oh, that. I fear that would take quite a lot of explaining. Later, perhaps.
After a beat, Harry carefully takes his arm.
EXT. STREET IN BUDLEIGH BABBERTON VILLAGE. NIGHT.
With a flash, Harry and Dumbledore materialize on the street.
DUMBLEDORE
Ah, here we are. Budleigh Babberton.
HARRY
What's here, sir?
DUMBLEDORE
I have lost
count of the number
of times I have said this in recent years, but we are, once again, one
member
of staff short. We are here to persuade an old colleague of mine to
come out of
retirement and return to Hogwarts. Stay close to me, Harry. Nighttime
is not a
good time to be out, these days.
I've heard.
He pulls his trunk behind him
as they go. Dumbledore has stopped at a doorway and raps on the door.
After a
second's pause, the door is opened by a portly older balding man,
walrus-mustached, in a velvet dressing gown--HORACE SLUGHORN.
DUMBLEDORE
Good evening,
Horace.
SLUGHORN
No. Oh, no,
Albus. No. You're
not going to get your way this time.
Dumbledore
reacts as if
Slughorn is not protesting.
DUMBLEDORE
Harry, this is
my old friend
and former Hogwarts professor, Horace Slughorn.
SLUGHORN
Oh, no you
don't, Albus. It
won't work. I'm staying safe right here.
DUMBLEDORE
Horace, this is
Harry Potter.
Slughorn
stops short. He turns
surprised eyes on Harry.
SLUGHORN
Harry Potter?
Oh, my, I--of
course I'm pleased to meet the famous Harry Potter--pleased to meet
you, Harry,
I mean.
He takes
Harry's hand and
shakes it. His voice is warming in a "must cultivate the famous kid"
way, not horribly smarmy but clearly trying to make up for his earlier
gaffe.
SLUGHORN
Your mother was
a favorite
student of mine, you know.
DUMBLEDORE
Harry will be in
his sixth year
at Hogwarts, this coming year.
Dumbledore's
motives dawn on
Slughorn and he looks much as he did when he opened the door.
SLUGHORN
Oh, no, Albus.
You don't know
what you're asking.
DUMBLEDORE
I do, and I know whom I'm asking it of. Horace, think. Can you resist the chance to say that you had a hand in the education of this boy? Now that lines of alliance are being drawn?
SLUGHORN
Why are you doing this in front of the boy? What he must think of me!
DUMBLEDORE
He will remember you as someone who taught him what he needed.
Slughorn is torn. Then:
SLUGHORN
I must be mad. I'll do it.
DUMBLEDORE
Excellent. I knew you could be counted on. We will see you the first of September, Horace.
He turns to go, Harry follows.
SLUGHORN
I expect a pay rise, Dumbledore!
He slams the door. Harry and Dumbledore glance over their shoulders at it, then continue walking away.
HARRY
What was that about?
DUMBLEDORE
Professor Slughorn is a Slytherin, Harry. Like Professor Snape, he is one of the few members of that house I would trust with my life. We will need allies among all the houses in the times to come.
He stops upon the street; Harry stops too and faces him.
DUMBLEDORE
Now. Off to the Weasleys. Your friend Miss Granger has been invited to stay as well. I would encourage you to keep both her and your friend Ron Weasley close this year. In fact I suggest that you share with them what you and I have discussed, and will discuss. You especially will need allies in the times to come.
The shot rises up into the sky. Fade to black.
Fade up on:
INT. HARRY'S BEDROOM AT THE WEASLEY'S. DAY.
Shot of Harry, asleep face up. A pillow is thrown at his head and he jerks awake as it falls aside.
HERMIONE'S VOICE
Ron, don't hit him!
HERMIONE GRANGER and RON WEASLEY bound up to Harry, plunking themselves next to him as Harry grabs for his glasses and puts them on.
RON
When'd'you get here, mate? We only just found out!
HARRY
Late.
HERMIONE
You all right, Harry?
He knows what she's asking.
HARRY
Yeah. I'm okay.
RON
We heard Dumbledore was bringing you.
HARRY
He did. We stopped off to see someone he knew. Horace Slughorn.
RON
Who's he?
HARRY
Used to be a Hogwarts professor. Guess we need a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
HERMIONE
They do seem to disappear with uncommon speed. You'd think that position was cursed or something.
With a pop, FRED and GEORGE WEASLEY appear. They are dressed rather nicely; not quite as gaudy as "wizarding pimp" but with a touch of flamboyance.
GEORGE
Hello, Harry.
FRED
Good to get away from those muggles, isn't it?
Harry is pleased to see them.
HARRY
Hey, Fred, Hey, George. How's the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes business?
FRED
Brilliant. We've got a shop in Diagon Alley and our own flat right above it.
GEORGE
Rent was cheap, too. Lots of places closing up because of the attacks.
FRED
So we're just what people need to take their mind off gloomy things, aren't we?
FRED AND GEORGE
(with a little bow and flourish; this is obviously a "thing")
Entertainment Enterpreneurs!
GINNY'S VOICE
Hello!
GINNY WEASLEY enters through the door, bearing a breakfast tray. She looks different from the last time Harry saw her: older, subtly made-up, quite pretty. (A/N: In other words, without the mousy appearance that's been foisted on Bonnie Wright in the films to dull her down in comparison to the other girls.)
FRED
Hello, Ginny. Pleased to see us, little sis?
He makes as if to get her into a playful headlock.
GINNY
Careful.
She indicates the tray but isn't upset; she maneuvers around him without difficulty.
GINNY
I'm happy to see anyone who isn't Marie Antoinette down there. Hello, Harry.
She sets the tray down next to Harry's bed. Note that during this she has not avoided Harry's eyes but nor has she had any special moony gazes for Harry. She speaks to him like anyone she'd be pleased to see, without any awkwardness.
GEORGE
Is she still here?
GINNY
She'll be here the whole summer! You remember Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons, Harry? She's marrying our oldest brother Bill next year! And she's staying here for the summer planning the wedding and if I hear one more word about what colors we've all got to wear I think I'll scream.
RON
'S a bit much, yeah.
Harry is looking at Ginny. He's clearly surprised by this easily-conversing (and not to mention pretty) Ginny.
HERMIONE
I hear all brides-to-be get like that.
GINNY
(lowering her voice conspiratorially)
Even Mum thinks she's a snob, but don't let on I told you.
FLEUR DELACOUR appears in the doorway.
FLEUR
Oh, hello, Harry. Good to see you again. Ginny, could you come with me? I have the most marvelous idea for how you and my sister could wear your hair for the wedding.
GINNY
Okay.
Fleur leaves; Ginny dramatically rolls her eyes and goes after her, Hermione stifling a giggle. Harry is left staring after Ginny for a beat.
EXT. WEASLEY BACKYARD. DAY.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione are in mid-conversation; though it is a pretty day their mood is somber because of what Harry has told them. Ginny and the twins are seen in the distance in the yard.
HERMIONE
That's what Dumbledore said about the Prophecy? That you've got to kill Voldemort or he's got to kill you?
RON
Could be worse, couldn't it? It could have said that he was doomed to become Voldemort, or something. It's not as if Voldemort doesn't deserve killing.
HERMIONE
But Voldemort still doesn't know. The Prophecy was smashed before any of them could hear it.
RON
So they did all that for nothing.
HARRY
Sirius died for it. Don't say it was for nothing.
A moment of eye-exchange silence, broken by Ginny running up to them.
GINNY
Hermione, come save me, will you? Fleur's coming this way and she's got that look.
Hermione runs off with Ginny, Harry looking after them.
HARRY
Ginny's...talking more these days.
RON
Yeah, she's over her crush on you at last! Thank God for that. She started dating Dean Thomas.
HARRY
She's dating someone?
RON
Yeah. It's all right, though. Dean knows she's got six brothers who'll break him in half if he tries anything.
Harry doesn't quite gulp, but he's still looking after Ginny. An owl swoops by and drops a letter into Harry's hands; Harry rips it open.
RON
What's it say?
Harry has the first full smile he's had all film.
HARRY
I'm Quidditch Captain.
EXT. THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS AT KING'S CROSS STATION. DAY.
Faces familiar and unfamiliar are seen as the Hogwarts Express prepares to board and depart. There is unprecedented security; Aurors are patrolling, standing with wands at the ready like guards with guns. One or two are ushering the students onto the train and follow them on as the last ones board at that particular door. We see MAD-EYE MOODY and NYMPHADORA TONKS among them. (Tonks is brown-haired.) Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny board; as Ginny is nearing the train DEAN THOMAS comes up to her and she is pleased to see him. She moves away from the others with Dean, evidently to board at a different door with him. Harry notices this as she moves out of the shot but does not linger on it and turns back to board.
INT. HARRY'S COMPARTMENT ON THE TRAIN. TWILIGHT.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, LUNA LOVEGOOD, and NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM are all in the compartment together. The countryside goes by outside the window in the dimming afternoon.
LUNA
Will we be having the D.A. again this year, Harry?
HARRY
(kindly; he's flattered she asked)
I don't think so. It looks like we'll have a good Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, so, no need.
LUNA
Pity. I rather liked the D.A. It was almost like having friends.
A beat of reaction, but before anyone can speak, two glittering notes poof into existence in the compartment, one in front of Harry and one in front of Neville. Startled, Harry unrolls his.
HARRY
It's from Slughorn. He wants me to come to his compartment for a little get-together with a few others.
Neville has unrolled and read his.
NEVILLE
I've got one too.
They look at each other nonplussed.
INT. SLUGHORN'S COMPARTMENT ON THE TRAIN. TWILIGHT.
Harry and Neville shoulder through the door. Slughorn is present along with BLAISE ZABINI, CORMAC MCLAGGEN, and MARJORIE BELBY. Zabini looks a snobbish aristocrat, McLaggen is well-built and wiry, Belby pretty and fashionable. Because of the angle we cannot see who is in the seat closest to the door, opposite the side Slughorn is on (which is whom Harry and Neville are looking at, so they do not see that corner or that person either). Slughorn has set out a small feast including champagne goblets on the little table in the middle.
SLUGHORN
Harry, my boy, come in, sit down! And Mr. Longbottom, such a pleasure to meet you! The son of two such brave war heroes; you must do them proud every day.
He's really turning on the charm. He's shaking Neville's hand as Neville finds a seat. Both Neville and Harry are sitting down keeping their eyes on Slughorn, so they still do not see who is in the corner by the door.
NEVILLE
I--I don't really--well, I try, sir.
SLUGHORN
I'm sure you do, splendid, splendid. Help yourselves; I'm sure you've met everyone? Mr. Zabini, Mr. McLaggen, Miss Belby, and of course you know Mr. Malfoy.
The person in the corner is suddenly the focus. Harry sees Draco Malfoy seated there; Harry looks as if he could shoot lasers from his eyes. Draco, however, isn't even looking in Harry's direction. He looks as if he does not want to be there, sour-faced as usual, but for once it does not appear to do with Harry--something different than just avoiding Harry's eyes because he dislikes that Harry is here. Harry senses it and his look of hatred shifts to just a little puzzlement. Meanwhile Slughorn is still talking.
SLUGHORN
Such a pleasure to have the cream of Hogwarts here for a little get-together! Now, Mr. McLaggen--may I call you Cormac?--how is your Uncle Tiberius? I know you went hunting nogtails with him in, I think, Norfolk?
Slughorn is picking up his champagne and a pheasant leg as he speaks. He bites into the pheasant as McLaggen answers. McLaggen also takes a piece of something tasty from the table as he does.
MCLAGGEN
Oh, yes, that was fun. We went with Bertie Higgs and Rufus Scrimgeour--that was before Rufus became minister, of course--
SLUGHORN
Of course, of course.
During this Draco still hasn't shown any interest in the conversation and Harry is still looking puzzled.
INT. CORRIDOR JUST OUTSIDE SLUGHORN'S COMPARTMENT. NIGHT.
Night has fallen; Harry and Neville push their way out of the compartment.
NEVILLE
That was dead boring. Food was good, though.
Draco and Zabini push their way out of the compartment. They pass Harry and Neville; Zabini gives them the once-over but Draco ignores them. Harry follows Draco with his eyes.
NEVILLE
Malfoy didn't look like he was having a good time either.
HARRY
He should have been eating it up.
(beat)
Neville, go back to the compartment. I'll be there soon.
He is pulling something folded out of his trouser pocket.
NEVILLE
Train's almost there, Harry.
HARRY
Tell the others to go on ahead. I'll catch up.
Neville goes (in the opposite direction from where Zabini and Draco went). The item Harry is unfolding is his Invisibility Cloak. He waits for a moment, clearly making sure no one sees him, then throws it over himself. There is the momentary glittery haze around him (which will be used later in scenes where it is suggested only the audience, or a particular individual, can see Harry behind the cloak), then he disappears; the shot follows the place he would be, falling in behind Draco and Zabini (Zabini behind). When Draco and Zabini go through their compartment door Zabini has a moment of puzzlement as he goes to close the door and feels something whisper across his hand; then he closes the door.
INT. SLYTHERIN COMPARTMENT. NIGHT (CONTINUOUS WITH THE LAST SCENE)
PANSY PARKINSON, VINCENT CRABBE, and GREGORY GOYLE are seated within as Zabini and Draco enter and take seats.
PANSY
How was it?
The shot swoops a little to indicate Harry climbing up onto a momentarily empty seat and hoisting himself up to the empty back corner of the luggage rack. After the shot settles there for a second, it cuts back to the Slytherins.
ZABINI
That Slughorn. My mother told me about him. "He'll try to cultivate you, darling, just like all those with connections."
PANSY
Sly old devil!
ZABINI
That's why he's Slytherin, like us.
He gives her a tweak, and she giggles.
CRABBE
Was the food any good?
DRACO
I dunno, I didn't eat anything.
Pansy, all solicitous, turns to Draco (who is sitting next to her).
PANSY
Poor thing, aren't you feeling well?
She pulls at Draco's shoulders, draws him into a casual lying position with his head in her lap.
DRACO
I just haven't time for all that nonsense.
ZABINI
I would have thought you'd have liked being part of his Slug Club.
DRACO
What's it going to matter, anyway? When the Dark Lord takes over, you think it's connections like Slughorn's that'll matter?
PANSY
You say that like you have different connections in mind.
DRACO
Maybe I do.
ZABINI
(laughing)
Watch out, Pansy, you've got a would-be Death Eater on your lap.
Draco sits up, annoyed.
DRACO
Oh, shut up. Come on, we're here.
The train is indeed slowing. Everyone stands, grabs his or her trunk in preparation to leave Crabbe and Goyle's trunks are on the luggage racks while Draco's is on the seat and Pansy and Zabini's are by the door. Crabbe swings his off the luggage rack next to where Harry is; it appears to hit something in the space where Harry is and there's a little involuntary noise, just a tiny one, from Harry. Shot of Draco's face, who does not look in that direction but hesitates for the smallest moment. Goyle opens the compartment door and everyone goes; Draco lingers last, fixing the straps on his trunk.
PANSY
Coming?
DRACO
Go ahead. I'll be right behind you.
The instant the door closes behind her Draco whips around, wand in hand, aiming a jinx at the corner where Harry is.
DRACO
Petrificus Totalis!
The jinx not only freezes Harry; it shakes him and he topples from the rack, hitting the ground, frozen, face up, the Invisibility Cloak partly over him so that parts of him--his middle, part of his leg--are still invisible. Low shot aimed up, almost from Harry's POV but not quite as part of his face can be seen. Draco stands over him, neither smug nor furious but grim.
DRACO
Hello again, Potter.
Shot of Harry's frozen face. His eyes can move, but he mostly keeps them on Draco. Back to same low shot aimed up at Draco. He crouches over Harry.
DRACO
You've got no idea what you've done to my family, do you, Potter.
He straightens up. Shot on Draco from the waist up. He brings his foot down deliberately (below the level of the shot). There is a crack.
DRACO
That's for my father.
Shot of Harry's face, bridge of his nose showing blood under the skin surface, blood coming from his nose. Shot takes in both Harry and Draco. Draco lifts the cloak and throws the cloak over Harry. Harry disappears under it.
DRACO
And that's for me. I don't reckon they'll find you until the train's back in London. See you around, Potter. Or...not.
He takes his trunk handle and leaves, letting the compartment door slide shut.
EXT. ARRIVAL AT HOGWARTS STATION. NIGHT.
Crane shot-type pan; Students are walking away from the train, boarding the thestral-driven coaches. A shot of Ron and Hermione with their trunks, waiting to board a coach looking at each other, puzzled, still looking about to see where Harry is.
INT. SLYTHERIN COMPARTMENT. NIGHT.
Harry's POV. Conveyed by the angle of the shot and by the haze-filter used to suggest what Harry sees through the cloak. The compartment is darkened, but a little light can still be seen. Harry's breathing is loud and rapid, suggesting his panic that he will be forgotten on the train (or maybe suffocate in his own blood) (A/N:I know, too dark.) There is no other noise, suggesting everyone has moved off the train and is well away from it.Then footsteps are heard in the corridor, a light gets brighter. A silhouette walks by in the corridor: a figure holding a Lumos-ed wand. The compartment door opens just an inch and the lit wand pokes inside, then goes back out. The figure almost moves by, then stops. The door opens fully.
TONKS
Aparecium!
Light fills the compartment, outlining Tonks as well as making the haze-filter of the cloak glow (like the crazing on porcelain). Tonks inhales.
Harry!
She steps into the compartment and drags the cloak off Harry (the haze-filter swoops away). She aims her wand.
Finite Incantatum!
Shot changes to Tonks helping Harry up. She aims her wand at his face.
TONKS
Episkey!
A
flash and Harry's nose is healed. The blood disappears from his face
though not
from his shirt (which is quite a mess). Tonks puts her hand on his
cheek in a
sisterly "Glad you're safe" way and smiles.
Come on, let's get your trunk. I'll take you to the Gate entrance. I'll send a Patronus to let them know we're coming that way.
She nudges open the window of the compartment, pushes her wand out of it.
TONKS
Expecto Patronum!
The silver Patronus is large and four-footed, suggesting a dog or a wolf but it streaks off too quickly for an observer to be sure.
EXT. APPROACHING HOGWARTS GATE. NIGHT.
Harry and Tonks approach the gate, appearing to be in mid-conversation. Harry's trunk floats behind them with Hedwig's cage on top of it.
HARRY
Is that your real hair color? I'm just used to seeing you in purple.
TONKS
I haven't felt very festive recently.
HARRY
The war.
TONKS
(after
a beat)
Something like that.
As they arrive at the gate, there's a black shape behind it.
TONKS
Snape.
It is.
TONKS
I thought Hagrid would get the message.
SNAPE
Hello, Nymphadora.
TONKS
(wearily,
as if this
is old conflict)
Don't call me Nymphadora.
SNAPE
Not particularly glamourous these days, are we?
Short reaction shot on Tonks from the shoulders up, to give the hint he also means her hair, during Snape's lines.
SNAPE
Ah well. I suppose that when one's--
TONKS
Shut it, Snape.
SNAPE
Mr. Potter. Once again The Chosen One must make a grand entrance.
TONKS
It wasn't his fault--
HARRY
Let it go, Tonks.
She hugs him briefly.
TONKS
Bye, Harry.
HARRY
Thanks again.
Snape opens the gate for him and he steps inside.
SNAPE
Oh, and, Tonks? I see your Patronus has changed. I preferred the previous one. This one looks a little...shabby.
She shoots him a dirty look and stalks off out of the shot. The shot lingers on Harry and Snape looking daggers at each other.
SNAPE
Fifty points from Gryffindor for lateness, I think. And twenty more for the disrespectful state of your attire. You know, I don't believe any house has ever been in negative figures this early in the term. You might have set a record, Potter.
INT. THE GREAT HALL. NIGHT.
The Arriving feast. Harry, still in bloody shirt, makes his way down the tables. He exchanges glances with Malfoy, who can hardly be bothered to glare at him. Hermione sees him before Ron; Ron is still scarfing down pudding.
HERMIONE
Harry!
Ron turns. Both of them see his bloody shirt.
RON
(mouth full)
Wha' happened?
Harry
sits, too tired to seethe properly.
HARRY
Malfoy. What else? And then Snape.
RON
Snape. Eeuch. One good thing about this year--we never have to have class with him again. I'm not taking Advanced Potions, not if it means we have to put up with that git.
Hermione dips a serviette into a waterglass and begins to dab at the blood on Harry's shirt, mothering him as she answers. (After a moment Harry decides he might as well not try to stop her.)
HERMIONE
You'd have to if you want to become an Auror. That, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.
RON
Yeah, well, some things just aren't worth it, are they?
Hermione looks at Harry as if to say she knows what's on his mind.
HARRY
I'm going on with Defense Against the Dark Arts, but I doubt Snape would let me in Potions anyway. Doesn't matter.
Dumbledore is calling for attention at his podium.
DUMBLEDORE
Welcome to you all.
Harry notices Dumbledore's blackened left hand, still as ugly as it had been when he last saw it.
HARRY
His hand's not better.
Hermione too looks surprised.
HERMIONE
But it's been all summer!
DUMBLEDORE
I should like to introduce our new teachers to you. Will you welcome Professor Horace Slughorn, who has kindly agreed to come from his comfortable retirement to resume his old position of Potions Master.
A beat.
RON
Potions Master? I thought he was going to teach Defense.
HARRY
I thought so too.
DUMBLEDORE
And the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be filled by Professor Snape.
Shot and zoom in of Snape's impassive face. Shot and zoom on Harry's dismayed one.
HARRY
Oh, no.
INT. POTIONS CLASS. DAY.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione are all about the same table. The class gives the impression of more of a lab than a sit-down class; there are protective gloves and cauldrons and flasks and vials and a large multi-shelf of glass-jarred ingredients along one wall. The class may include a familiar face or two such as PARVATI PATIL and SEAMUS FINNEGAN.
SLUGHORN
Welcome, welcome! Well! My advanced sixth-year class, how very nice. Now, if you'll all begin by opening your copies of Advanced Potion-Making--
Harry raises a hand.
HARRY
Professor Slughorn--Ron and I didn't know if we'd be taking this class, so, we don't have books yet. Is it all right if we share with Hermione until...
SLUGHORN
Oh, you needn't do that, the class has a few old copies still, I'm sure. Let me look...
He rummages in the desk and pulls out two battered copies.
SLUGHORN
Here you are.
One for you, Harry,
and--Rupert, was it?
Ron.
SLUGHORN
Very good, very good! Now, before we begin, you've all had the opportunity to observe these three cauldrons on your way in.
He gestures at three cauldrons bubbling away with different contents in front of his desk.
SLUGHORN
Can any of you hazard a guess at what is in any of them?
Hermione raises her hand. Slughorn indicates she should answer. Hermione points at each in turn.
HERMIONE
That's Polyjuice potion, sir, and that's Veritaserum, and that's Amortentia.
Slughorn looks pleasantly taken aback.
SLUGHORN
Why, that's excellent! All three! I didn't expect anyone to get the Amortentia; it's rare.
HERMIONE
I recognized the mother-of-pearl sheen, and the steam rising in characteristic spirals.
SLUGHORN
Well! I shall have to keep an eye on you, young woman! You have great promise. Now, everyone, I have a little incentive for your first lesson.
He holds up a tiny sealed vial full of golden liquid.
SLUGHORN
The name of this potion is Felix Felicis. I expect, my dear, that you can tell me what that is?
HERMIONE
Oh! That's...luck potion, sir. Liquid luck.
SLUGHORN
Indeed! Quite controlled except in the most minute doses, and highly illegal in sporting events, examinations, or elections. But on an ordinary day, the contents of this vial would provide twenty-four hours of perfect bliss. Now, how can you win this little vial? I am putting you all to the task of producing a cauldronful of Draught of the Living Death.
There is murmuring about the class.
SLUGHORN
I know, I know it is far more advanced than anything you have done so far. I do not expect anyone to do it perfectly. But whoever makes the most succesful attempt, will, at the end of the class, win little Felix here. The best of--
He winks.
SLUGHORN
--luck to you all!
Ron and Harry and most of the rest of the class open their books. Hermione is already heading to the storage shelves.
RON
Draft of the Living Death...here we go.
Harry also finds the page. Shot of the inside of the book.
HARRY
Mine's all marked up with notes.
RON
Hm. Saw a dirty limerick on the inside of my cover, but that's all. Ooh, long list of ingredients.
He looks over his shoulder at Hermione, who has gathered four jars already, balancing them.
RON
Think we should even try? Against her?
HARRY
Guess we ought to give it a go.
Hermione plunks down her jars of ingredients.
HERMIONE
Here. There's enough Valerian roots in here for all of us, but don't think I'm going to coddle you at every step!
Harry is still looking in his book.
HARRY
This note says that sopophorous beans work better than Valerian root.
HERMIONE
What?
HARRY
Look.
He shows her the book. Handwritten in the text are the words, "Use 1 sopophorous bean instead--releases more juice"
HERMIONE
(reading aloud)
"...releases more juice." Well, I'm not going to take the word of some unknown person's notes over the text! You do as you please.
She turns back to her own cauldron. Harry and Ron exchange a look, then Ron shrugs and turns back to his own book. Harry looks at the text again, then turns to get his ingredients. Shot of him picking up the jar marked Sopophorous Beans, considering. Then he turns to take it back to his desk.
INT. POTIONS CLASSROOM. DAY.
Later in class. Slughorn has a large pocket watch that he consults, then begins to walk down the aisles, looking into the cauldrons.
SLUGHORN
Time's up! Let us see how you have all done.
Hermione is looking into Harry's cauldron. She is astounded, speaks quietly to Harry.
HERMIONE
How did you--Harry, the text says you're not even supposed to be able to finish it within an hour. That looks like the completed potion!
Harry looks at his open book, touches the page, lingering on the handwritten notes that are here and there on it. He looks contemplative, not smug, as if even he cannot believe it.
SLUGHORN
(in the background)
Very nice; very good; hmm; oh, you used a brass stirring rod, didn't you, Mr. Finnegan, too bad; very good; not bad at all, Miss Patil...
He arrives at Harry, Ron, and Hermione's desk.
SLUGHORN
Well! Miss Granger, I could have guessed you'd do so well. Very nice indeed! I think--
He sees Harry's cauldron and stops short.
SLUGHORN
Oh, my. Oh, my, Harry, I was not wrong about you--you have your mother's cleverness, don't you! Why, that's perfect, it looks very nearly completed, even in such a short time! Class, we have a winner.
He hands the Felix Felicis to Harry. Harry is quietly respectful, still not quite able to believe the results.
HARRY
Thank you, sir.
SLUGHORN
Remember, no sporting competitions! All right, class, very nicely done for your first day.
Everyone begins to pack up. Hermione puts her things in her bag with a neutral expression, not looking at Harry.
HARRY
I suppose you think I cheated?
She looks up at him, obviously not quite wanting to go that far with her thoughts. She chooses words that are a gentle compromise.
HERMIONE
Well, you had help. Just because it worked once, I wouldn't believe everything those notes say. You can get in trouble trying unknown things in magic.
RON
I wonder whose that book was?
Harry picks up the book, looks inside the front cover. Looks inside the back cover. Stops and reads. Shot of the inside of the back cover. Written in the same hand are the words: "This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince."
EXT. QUIDDITCH PITCH. DAY.
Harry stands on the pitch in front of a small set of stands set up for those who are trying out. Students are clustered in them; at the top of the stands are those who have come to observe, including Hermione. Harry is in the middle of his announcement. KATIE BELL stands next to him holding her broom.
HARRY
...the only ones still here are me and Katie Bell, so we've got room for two more Chasers, two Beaters, and a Keeper. Everyone who's trying out, onto the pitch with your broom.
Ron descends from the stands with the others, holding his broom. He passes by Harry.
HARRY
You gonna do this? What position?
RON
Keeper, I hoped.
HARRY
Okay. Do great. I can't play favorites.
RON
Yeah, I know.
Ginny also walks by. Harry's at first surprised, then he smiles at her.
HARRY
You, too?
GINNY
Course. I'm a Weasley!
EXT. QUIDDITCH PITCH. DAY.
The tryouts are almost over. Spectators and disappointed hopefuls are on the stands. (Hermione is still there.) Still on the pitch are DEMELZA ROBINS, JIMMY PEAKES, RITCHIE COOTE, Katie, Ginny, Ron, and Cormac McLaggen.
HARRY
Okay. Chasers, Demelza Robins, Ginny Weasley.
They fist-pump in celebration with Katie.
HARRY
Beaters, Jimmy Peakes, Ritchie Coote.
They too look happy.
HARRY
Keeper.
He turns to Ron and McLaggen, who exchange competitive glances.
MCLAGGEN
Come on, Potter! You can't just choose your friends!
HARRY
Say that to me again and it definitely won't be you. McLaggen, you and Ron tied on saves.
He gestures to Katie Bell.
HARRY
You'll go up against Bell one at a time--first one who misses is out.
Ron, McLaggen, and Katie all fly up to the hoops on their brooms. Harry and the others follow a moment later to watch from a distance. Ron positions himself in front of the hoop, looking nervous. Katie has the Quaffle. She goes soaring by, throws it at Ron, who deflects it but it's a near thing. Ron flies back to join Harry. McLaggen looks more confident than Ron on his broom as he takes his place behind Harry with Ginny and Demelza and Ritchie and Jimmy. Again Katie goes soaring by, throwing the Quaffle at the hoop. McLaggen puts out a confident hand but he misses by a hair, looking surprised when the Quaffle goes through the hoop. Harry grins over his shoulder at Ron--then sees past him to Hermione, who appears to be reading a book on the stands but he sees her putting her wand away. He hesitates but recovers.
HARRY
Weasley's in.
McLaggen departs grumpily; as Ron, Ginny, and the rest of the new team fly about each other celebrating, Harry flies over to Hermione.
HARRY
Did you actually jinx McLaggen?
Hermione doesn't even look up from her book.
HERMIONE
You wouldn't have wanted McLaggen. He's argumentative and a bad team player and Ron's just as good. You've got the best team now, so it's perfectly fair.
HARRY
That's not the point! I can't believe--
He trails off. Now he's looking past Hermione to the other end of the pitch.
HERMIONE
What?
HARRY
Isn't that the Slytherin tryouts?
Hermione looks over her shoulder. A long view of silver-and-green players trying out at the other end of the pitch, with their own little set of stands.
HERMIONE
Yes...?
HARRY
Where's Malfoy?
INT. DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS CLASSROOM. DAY.
Students in the classroom, talking before class. (No desks.) Harry, Ron, and Hermione are together. Draco Malfoy is off in another corner, talking to no one. The classroom already seems darker and gloomier. Hermione, Ron, and Harry are glancing over at Draco.
HERMIONE
If Malfoy's not going out for Quidditch this year, good riddance, I say.
RON
Yeah, but it's not like him, is it?
Snape enters.
SNAPE
Quiet.
RON
(whispers)
Remind me why I let you talk me into this?
HARRY:
(wryly whispers)
I thought you talked me into this.
SNAPE
I wish to have your full attention.
He flicks his wand and a tiny spark hits Ron's arm, who winces and rubs the spot resentfully.
SNAPE
You have had five different teachers on this subject. The Dark Arts are many, varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many-headed monster, which, each time a head is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed. Mutating. Indestructable.
Harry's expression is resentful, but a little torn--Snape is clearly promising to be a more useful teacher than many they've had.
SNAPE
You are, I believe, complete novices in the use of non-verbal spells. We shall begin to remedy that. Those who progress in magic without shouting incantations gain an element of surprise in their spell-casting. Not all wizards can do this; it is a question of concentration and mind-power which some--
He looks pointedly at Harry.
SNAPE
--lack.
On his lips it has five syllables. Harry glares back.
INT. DEFENSE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS CLASSROOM. DAY.
Later in class. In pairs, the students try to duel each other soundlessly. Ron and Harry are paired. Ron is trying to cast wordlessly without any success. Snape walks by, watching.
SNAPE
Pathetic, Weasley. Here, let me show you--
He raises his wand to Harry, who reacts instinctively, raising his wand.
HARRY
Protego!
Snape is knocked off-balance and goes right into a desk. He scowls as he rights himself. Any titters are quickly snuffed.
SNAPE
Do you remember me telling you we are practicing nonverbal skills, Potter?
HARRY
Yes.
SNAPE
"Yes, sir."
HARRY
There's no need to call me "sir," Professor.
Snorts and giggles from a few.
SNAPE
Detention, Saturday night, my office. I do not take cheek from anyone, Potter...not even "the chosen one."
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE CLASS. DAY.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione file out with the others.
RON
That was brilliant, Harry.
HERMIONE
You shouldn't have done it, though. What made you?
HARRY
He tried to jinx me, in case you didn't notice! I had enough of that during those Occlumency lessons. What's Dumbledore playing at, anyway, letting him teach Defense? Did you hear him talking about the Dark Arts? Like he's in love with them! "Ever-changing and eternal." "Unfixed and indestructable."
HERMIONE
I thought he sounded a bit like you, actually.
HARRY
What?
HERMIONE
The way you taught us last year. How fighting the Dark Arts comes down to being brave and quick-thinking. That's a lot of what he was saying, I thought.
Harry's taken aback; at that moment a note poofs into existence in front of Harry much as the one from Slughorn did. Harry unrolls it.
HARRY
It's from Dumbledore. He wants me to come see him in his office Saturday night.
He lets the parchment roll back with a satisfied snap as Ron and Hermione exchange a look of curiosity.
HARRY
Ha. So much for Snape's detention.
INT. DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE. NIGHT.
Harry enters through the door.
HARRY
Good evening, Professor.
Dumbledore is standing by Fawkes, stroking the
phoenix. (A/N:
And a new euphemism is born.)
DUMBLEDORE
Good evening, Harry. You have been busy, haven't you? A detention under your belt already!
Harry smiles. Dumbledore takes a bit of bird food from a container in his left hand and gives it to Fawkes.
HARRY
How is your hand, sir?
DUMBLEDORE
Professor Snape has a been a great deal of help with it. Nothing to worry about. Do you know why I asked you here, Harry?
HARRY
No, sir.
DUMBLEDORE
War is coming, Harry. Indeed, it is already here. Soon you will be at the heart of it. You know this.
HARRY
Yes.
DUMBLEDORE
I would be remiss if I let you go into it unprepared.Your teachers are doing what they can but there is other knowledge that you need that I think I am best prepared to give you. Knowledge about Tom Riddle.
HARRY
You still call him that.
Dumbledore opens a drawer of his desk and takes out a painted miniature.
DUMBLEDORE
This, Harry, is Tom Riddle's mother.
The portrait is of an odd-eyed, plain- and dull-faced girl. It moves, like a wizarding portrait, but she does not appear to want to interact with the observer. She has a locket around her neck.
DUMBLEDORE
Merope Gaunt. Daughter of a long line of pureblood wizards, descended from Salazar Slytherin himself, whose family were fiercely proud of it.
HARRY
Do you have a picture of his father?
DUMBLEDORE
I do not. Indeed, I do not believe there are any. Tom Riddle Senior was a Muggle, Harry.
HARRY
A Muggle--!
He is astounded.
HARRY
Voldemort, a half-blood? After all his--rubbish about purebloods? The stuff his Death Eaters go on and on about?
DUMBLEDORE
Indeed. It should be no surprise Tom Riddle rejects his Muggle heritage so vehemently. His mother used a love potion to ensnare his Muggle father, who abandoned her and their child when the potion wore off. She then died, leaving Tom to be raised in an orphanage. The Muggle world was not kind to young Tom Riddle.
HARRY
But he came to Hogwarts.
DUMBLEDORE
You are thinking of yourself, orphaned, unloved by your aunt and uncle, and how happy you were when you learned you were a wizard. The parallels have not gone unnoticed by me, either. But the difference, Harry, goes deeper. Tom Riddle, when I brought him to Hogwarts--
HARRY
You brought him?
DUMBLEDORE
Oh, yes. I, personally. He was a strange boy, knowing he had powers that made him different, but he was already using them to prove he was superior to those around him. Even when other children got hurt. You never were like that, Harry.
Harry looks shy in the face of the praise.
HARRY
He never changed, did he?
DUMBLEDORE
I thought he might, when he first came here. I thought being among other wizards would make him happy, would make him stop his petty and childish torments of others. Harry, you have touched Voldemort's soul; you have felt it. He's never changed from the frightened unhappy boy that he was; his defenses against his fear have only grown on a much larger scale. I do not believe he's ever loved, or ever been loved. That is the difference between you.
He gestures towards his pensieve.
DUMBLEDORE
I have something I want to show you. It is a memory of mine when Tom Riddle was at school. Come see.
Harry and Dumbledore approach the pensieve. They swirl into it.
INT. HOGWARTS MID-TWENTIETH CENTURY HALLWAY. DAY.
Harry and Dumbledore arrive. Sepia-toned surroundings. Red-haired, younger Professor Dumbledore walks by students. A short distance ahead, TOM RIDDLE, student, is standing near the younger Professor Slughorn. As the younger Dumbledore, with Harry and the older Dumbledore walking with him, gets near, he hears Riddle asks Slughorn:
RIDDLE
Sir, I wondered what you know about... about Horcruxes, sir?
The younger Dumbledore hesitates, but then keeps walking What Riddle and Slughorn are saying is lost as Dumbledore moves on. Harry and Dumbledore swirl out of the pensieve.
INT. DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE. NIGHT.
DUMBLEDORE
Would that I had stayed to listen that day.
HARRY
Horcruxes, sir? What are Horcruxes?
DUMBLEDORE
For you to learn that, I need you to perform a task. I need you to get the memory of that conversation from Professor Slughorn.
HARRY
Me? Sir, why don't you ask him?
DUMBLEDORE
I have. He has refused me.
HARRY
But, sir, if he won't give it to you, why should I--
DUMBLEDORE
Harry. There will come a time when I am no longer here for you. I need to know that, when I am gone, I have left you capable. This task is for you.
INT. POTIONS CLASSROOM. DAY.
Shot of Harry's bubbling cauldron, which looks identical to Hermione's.
HERMIONE
I don't believe it.
Harry is grinning, Ron is smiling too, clearly siding with Harry.
RON
Guess you can't criticise that book now. His looks just as good as yours!
HERMIONE
Yes I can! I still don't think following the directions of an unknown someone is wise!
RON
Not unknown. He's the Half-Blood Prince!
HERMIONE
Who calls himself that, anyway?
HARRY
Whoever he was, he was handy with spells as well as potions. He's got them written in the margins all over this thing. Check this out:
Harry has the book open in his left hand, gestures with his wand in his right as he consults the book.
HARRY
Levicorpus!
A student at the next table suddenly upends and flies into the air, yelling. There is much laughter from everyone. Harry looks stricken.
HERMIONE
Harry!
HARRY
Hang on--!
He flips forward a page hurriedly. In the same manner, holding and consulting the book while he casts, he gestures with his wand differently.
HARRY
Liberocorpus!
The student crashes to the ground. More laughter.
HARRY
Sorry.
SLUGHORN
What in Merlin's name is all this? I hope you've all--
He sees Harry and Hermione's cauldrons.
SLUGHORN
Oh, so you have! Marvelous work, both of you. Miss Granger, I really think you must join Harry and the rest of us at my next little get-together. I know you'd enjoy it, and we'd be honored having a witch of your caliber in my little Slug Club.
Hermione is not really paying much attention to Slughorn. Her attention is still on Harry.
HERMIONE
Thank you, sir.
SLUGHORN
(dismissing everyone) Good day, class!
Harry looks at Slughorn's retreating back, thinking. He starts to take a step forward.
HARRY
Professo--
But he's stopped by Hermione's finger in his chest. She's not happy.
HERMIONE
I want to talk to you.
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE POTIONS CLASSROOM. DAY.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione file out with the rest. Harry's rubbing the spot on his chest where Hermione poked him. He's not happy he missed the opportunity to talk to Slughorn.
HARRY
What is it?
HERMIONE
That spell! That...horrid, cruel spell! Honestly, Harry, if this Half-Blood Prince is all you two think he's cracked up to be, what is he doing inventing nasty spells like that?
RON
Oh, Hermione, let it go. You're just upset because you've never had competition before.
HERMIONE
That is not the point at all!
During the last exchange, Draco Malfoy walks off in the other direction. Harry follows him with his eyes.
RON
I think it's exactly the point. You feel threatened!
HERMIONE
I feel threatened by spells that hurt other people, yes!
During the last exchange, Harry slips away from Ron and Hermione and begins to follow Draco at a distance.
INT. SEQUENCE: HOGWARTS CORRIDORS. DAY.
Harry follows Draco around a couple of twists and turns, keeping his distance so that Draco won't know he's following him. At last Draco comes to a corridor and walks toward a blank wall. As he approaches, a door forms in the wall. When he reaches it, he goes through and closes it behind him. Harry starts to run toward the door but by the time he reaches it the door has disappeared entirely. He touches the wall in dismay.
That...git is using the
Room of Requirement!
EXT. VILLAGE OF HOGSMEADE. DAY.
Long establishing shot of students and village residents making free in Hogsmeade. The weather is chilly, pushing into early winter. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walk up one of Hogsmeade's streets, carrying bags of sweets. They are mid-conversation.
HERMIONE
Harry, anyone can use the Room of Requirement. And if they get there first, it won't open for anyone the first person doesn't want to come in.
RON
Yeah, but it's not right, is it? I mean, Malfoy! In our Room!
Hermione rolls her eyes.
HARRY
What's he up to in there? I'd like to know.
HERMIONE
He might not be up to anything, Harry.
HARRY
It's Malfoy. He's up to something.
RON
Look, change the subject, Harry, you're getting obsessed. Anyone find any information about Horcruxes?
HARRY
No.
HERMIONE
I couldn't find a word about them. Not in any library book I could think of.
RON
That's it, then. If Hermione can't find anything about them in a book, they don't exist, Harry. Dumbledore's having you on.
HAGRID'S VOICE
Harry! Ron, Hermione!
They turn at the voice. HAGRID, with Fang the dog, is coming up the street toward them. They all grin and Hermione shouts:
HERMIONE
Hagrid!
They run up to him.
HAGRID
Good to see yer! I hardly get to, these days, with you three so busy.
Ron leans in, mock-conspiratorial.
RON
It's sixth-year classes. They're hell.
The others laugh.
HAGRID
Come to my cabin for tea tomorrow night, if you can spare the time?
HARRY
(happily)
We will. Tomorrow!
HAGRID
Good, good!
He ruffles them all up good-naturedly and he and Fang move on. Harry, Ron, and Hermione start to saunter on; Katie Bell walks by them very rapidly, carrying a package, blank-faced.
HARRY
Hey, Katie. Good practice the other day!
Katie does not even blink as she continues on. It strikes Harry that this is odd.
HARRY
Katie?
Behind them, Fang has stopped in his tracks and is barking in their direction.
HAGRID
Fang? C'mon, stop that, you silly dog--
Fang bolts toward Katie.
HAGRID
Fang!
Fang is suddenly before Katie, barking. She stops. Fang gets a hold of the package in his teeth. She holds on and there is a sudden struggle. The package tears and a silver-and-opal necklace falls out of the package. It slides across a bit of Katie's bare wrist as it does, flashing malevolently where it contacts her skin. Katie screams and falls; the necklace is on the ground next to her, not touching her. Fang whines and backs away from them both. Hagrid, Ron, Hermione and Harry all run up to the fallen Katie.
HERMIONE
Don't touch it!
They draw back from the necklace.
HAGRID
'Ere, I'll carry her back to the castle.
He lifts the unconscious Katie as Hermione aims her wand at the necklace. A bubble forms around it and it lifts into the air. As Hagrid carries her, Hermione directs the necklace ahead of her carefully and she, Ron, Harry, and Fang all follow Hagrid.
INT. INFIRMARY. DAY.
Katie lies in a bed, weak but conscious. MINERVA MCGONAGALL, MADAME POMFREY, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all stand nearby. Katie has been talking.
KATIE:
The last thing I remember--someone commanding me to take the package back to the castle and to Professor Dumbledore. But they were behind me. I never saw them.
HERMIONE
The Imperius curse.
MCGONAGALL
Indeed, Miss Granger. The necklace, Professor Snape found, has a dreadful curse on it--you're lucky to be alive, Miss Bell.
POMFREY
Yes, and you'll be in the infirmary for a good week or more.
KATIE
I'll miss the first game of the season. Sorry, Harry.
POMFREY
All right, out, the lot of you. Let Miss Bell rest.
Ron, Harry, and Hermione move away.
HERMIONE
They wanted a cursed necklace to go to Dumbledore? Who would have done something like that?
HARRY
Bet I've got a guess.
A beat as Hermione realizes.
HERMIONE
Malfoy? Oh, Harry, he couldn't have.
HARRY
His father's house is probably full of cursed stuff like that.
RON
Look, Harry, Malfoy's a git, but that's murder you're talking about. Besides, it wouldn't have been a very smart murder, would it have?
HARRY
No one ever accused Malfoy of being smart.
EXT. QUIDDITCH PITCH. DAY.
The Gryffindor Quidditch team, minus Katie and plus Dean Thomas, are on the pitch flying, practicing. Dean Thomas tosses the Quaffle through the hoop as Ron fails to block it.
HARRY
Nice one, Dean!
Dean beams. Ron looks disgusted with himself. Harry gives an awkward smile to Ginny, who's hovering near him.
HARRY
You were right, Ginny, Dean was a good choice for substitute. He's doing really well.
GINNY
Ron's not. Look at him.
HARRY
Nerves, that's all.
GINNY
It's going to get worse before it gets better. The game's tomorrow.
She flies off to Dean; the two of them hover, talking happily as Harry watches with a twinge of jealousy.
HARRY
Good work, everyone, I think we'll flatten Slytherin.
Ron flies to Harry.
RON
I played like a sack of dragon dung.
HARRY
No, you didn't. You're the best keeper I tried out, Ron. It's just nerves. You'll be brilliant tomorrow.
Ron flies off morosely. Harry does not quite bite his lip. He glances back at Dean and Ginny. Dean leans in for a kiss from Ginny. Harry turns back, rolling his eyes, and zooms off after Ron. Hermione comes onto the pitch, looking rather tailored.
RON
Where've you been?
HERMIONE
Oh, fine, don't say hello. Professor Slughorn had one of his get-togethers.
RON
The Slug Club?
HERMIONE
Look, I didn't name it that.
HARRY
So how was it?
HERMIONE
Quite fun, actually. I mean, he drones on about his famous exploits, and fawns over McLaggen because he's so well-connected, but the food was good. And we met Gwenog Jones.
RON
You met Gwenog Jones? Do you even know who she is?
HERMIONE
She's captain of the Holyhead Harpies.
RON
You don't even appreciate that!
HERMIONE
Yes I do. Anyway, he's going to have a Christmas party, and he says you won't be able to miss that for practice, Harry, so he expects you there--
RON
Christmas Party! Well, you can enjoy your little Slug Club. Hook up with McLaggen, why don't you, then Slughorn can make you King and Queen Slug--
HERMIONE
We're allowed to bring guests! And I was going to ask you, but if you think it's so stupid I won't bother.
RON
You were going to ask me?
HERMIONE
Yes. But obviously if you'd rather I "hook up" with McLaggen...!
RON
No, I wouldn't.
Hermione's face is unreadable.
RON
Look, can we not...do this right now? It hasn't been a good day.
She nods. Ron moves off. Harry and Hermione exchange a look.
INT. GRYFFINDOR BOYS' DORMITORY. DAWN.
Harry wakes in his dormitory, fetches his glasses, and sees Ron staring out the window at the dawn, obviously not having slept. Harry sighs quietly. Then something crosses his face. He upends himself over the side of his bed, quietly slides his near-empty trunk out, and fetches out a tiny vial, holding it up. It glints in the dawnlight--the Felix Felicis. He closes his fist about it just as Ron turns around.
RON
What's that?
HARRY
Nothing.
He smiles cheerily.
HARRY
You're going to be brilliant today.
INT. GREAT HALL. DAY.
The hall is full of breakfasting students; the Gryffindors and Slytherins are especially excited. Ron, at the table, looks like he's going to his execution even as the other Gryffindors pass by him and pound on his back, saying, "Crush 'em, Weasley!" and the like. LAVENDER BROWN and ROMILDA VANE are among them.
LAVENDER
Cheer up, Ron! I know you'll be brilliant.
RON
(without enthusiasm) Thanks, Lavender.
ROMILDA
Good luck, Harry!
Her smile is coy.
HARRY
Uh, thanks, Romilda. Come on, Ron. You need your strength. Drink up.
He pours a glass of pumpkin juice for Ron, then tips his hand over it oddly. Ron doesn't see, but Hermione does. Ron takes the glass.
HERMIONE
Ron, don't drink that!
RON
Why not?
HERMIONE
(to Harry)
You just put something in that drink. I saw you.
HARRY
I don't know what you're talking about.
He is stowing a bottle in his pocket.
HERMIONE
You--Felix Felicis! Ron, don't drink it; you know that's illegal in games!
RON
Stop bossing me around, Hermione.
He drinks it.
HERMIONE
I can't believe it. You should both be expelled!
HARRY
You're a fine one to talk. Jinxed any Quaffles recently, Hermione?
Her eyes get large and she suppresses any more talk with an effort. Ron looks at his empty juice glass with a dawning smile.
EXT. QUIDDITCH PITCH. DAY.
The match. A short sequence of just-having-joined-the-action scenes, during which Ron is showcased making some great saves. A voice describes the game.
ANNOUNCER:
...another ten points to Gryffindor! And Slytherin just can't seem to connect today. Ron Weasley hasn't let a single Quaffle go by him!
Harry is grinning hugely as he hears this. The Snitch goes whizzing by him, chased by Slytherin's seeker (unnamed). Harry follows at great speed and after a bit of fancy broom maneuvering, Harry catches the Snitch to much fanfare.
ANNOUNCER
And that's the game! Potter has the Snitch--Gryffindor wins!
Harry flies directly to Ron, who grabs his hand and they spin about on their brooms, celebrating in mid-air as the rest of the team comes to join them.
INT. QUIDDITCH LOCKER ROOM. DAY.
The team celebrates. Hermione comes up to Harry and Ron, quietly unhappy.
HERMIONE
You shouldn't have done it. You heard Slughorn; it's illegal.
RON
What are you going to do, turn us in?
HARRY
Wouldn't matter if she did. We didn't do anything wrong.
HERMIONE
Harry, I saw you!
HARRY
No you didn't.
He plucks the bottle out of his locker and holds it up--it's still full and sealed.
HARRY
You saw what I wanted you to see. I wanted you to think I put it in. There was nothing in your juice, Ron; all that mattered was that you thought there was. You thought you were lucky, and you were fantastic.
Both Hermione and Ron look astounded; then, just as Hermione's face is starting to give way to a smile, Ron turns on her.
RON
So you thought that was the only reason I won? Because I'd drunk luck potion? Is that what you think of me?
HERMIONE
What? No!
Ron storms off.
HERMIONE
Ron, wait--Ron, you thought it too! I didn't...
She and Harry exchange an unhappy look, then she runs off after Ron.
INT. OUTSIDE GRYFFINDOR PORTRAIT HOLE. DAY.
Harry, washed and back in regular clothes, is about to give the password to the portrait hole when it opens and Hermione pushes past him angrily. He turns as if to after her but hands grab his arm and pull him inside--it's the members of his team, happy and celebrating among the other Gryffindors.
INT. GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM (CONTINUOUS WITH LAST SCENE). DAY.
They mess Harry's hair, punch his arm, etc. Romilda Vane smiles coyly at Harry.
ROMILDA
Great game, Harry! You were wonderful.
HARRY
Uh, thanks, Romilda.
GINNY
Harry! Looking for Ron? He's over there, the filthy hypocrite.
In the corner, Ron is on the couch, Lavender on his lap, and they're kissing in a way that suggests they've been doing it for some time and aren't stopping any time soon.
GINNY
Looks like he's eating her face, doesn't it?
Harry watches for a second soberly. Then he turns to go back out the portrait hole.
ROMILDA
Harry, I was wondering if you were taking anyone to Slughorn's Christmas--?
HARRY
Not now, Romilda.
INT. OUTSIDE GRYFFINDOR PORTRAIT HOLE. DAY.
Harry climbs out the potrait hole. Hermione is just down the corridor, leaning against the wall, conjuring things with her wand in mid-air to distract herself: flowers, which turn into salt cellars, which turn into canaries. She sees Harry; they stand there awkwardly unsure of what to say. A giggle, and Lavender climbs out of the portrait hole hand in hand with Ron. Ron stops when he sees Hermione. Then he looks deliberately at Harry.
RON
Hi, Harry. Wondered where you'd got to.
Hermione turns to walk away down the corridor, the canaries twittering where she's left them. Then she turns, shoots a bolt from her wand into the center of the canaries. They immediately form an attack formation and divebomb Ron as Hermione runs off in the other direction. Ron dives for cover, yelling, while Lavender gasps and Harry flattens himself against the wall, stricken.
INT. GREAT HALL. DAY.
A meal, probably breakfast, with students at all the tables. Ron and Lavender sit cozily at the table. Ron has sticky plasters on his face that Lavender mushily sympathizes over. Hermione and Harry sit near each other. Hermione is writing at the table and diligently not looking at Ron. Harry contemplates the cozy couple.
HARRY
It is kind of disgusting, actually.
HERMIONE
It's not any of my business. I really couldn't care what he does.
She dots an "i" ferociously.
HERMIONE
And if you don't want to end up like them, I'd be careful if I were you.
HARRY
What?
HERMIONE
Over there.
She gestures subtly to further down the table where Romilda and other girls are looking in their direction and giggling.
HERMIONE
I heard them talking. They've been brewing love potions on the sly and were talking about slipping them to boys they fancy.
HARRY
What, me?
HERMIONE
Yes, you! They're all hoping you'll ask them to Slughorn's Christmas Party. If you'd just ask someone they'd stop competing with each other.
Harry looks past Hermione; the focus settles on Ginny and Dean further down the table, affectionate but not drippingly saccharine in the way Ron and Lavender are. Harry sighs and the focus shifts back to Harry as he turns his head away.
HARRY
There isn't anyone I want to ask.
INT. POTIONS CLASS. DAY.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione look up from their desk as Slughorn calls everyone to order. Hermione is standing well away from Ron.
SLUGHORN
Today, we will
be trying something a
little more advanced! I want each of you to come and take one of these
phials
from my desk. You are to create an antidote for the poison within it
before the
end of the lesson. Good luck!
Ron groans. Hermione smiles.
HARRY
You look happy.
HERMIONE
Maybe I am.
Harry's grin is wry.
HARRY
You're happy because this is something the Prince's book isn't going to help me with.
HERMIONE
Maybe that too.
She moves away to get her phial. Harry picks up his potions textbook.
HARRY
Get me one, would you, Ron?
Ron nods and moves to Slughorn's desk. The shot stays on Harry, who opens his text and thumbs through it.
HARRY
(under his breath) Poisons...antidotes...
He finds a page with the heading Antidotes at the top of a long list. Harry runs his finger down it and there at the bottom is a line of the Prince's writing.
HARRY
(reading aloud) "Just shove a bezoar down their throat."
He looks up, speculative, then moves to the potions shelves where a number of students are already rummaging to get ingredients. A jar there is labeled Bezoars, and Harry plucks one of the several in the jar out, returning the jar to the shelf while looking at the bezoar contemplatively.
INT. POTIONS CLASS. DAY.
End of the hour. Slughorn passes by Hermione's cauldron, which contains a sparkling potion.
SLUGHORN
Very well done as always, my dear!
Ron's cauldron is emitting dreadful fumes and pops and Ron looks unhappy.
SLUGHORN
Oh, dear. Better luck next time, yes?
Harry stands with arms folded. His cauldron is empty and what is evidently the original phial of murky poison is still capped next to it.
SLUGHORN
Well, Harry?
Harry unfolds his arms and shows the bezoar on his palm. Slughorn looks startled, then erupts in laughter.
SLUGHORN
Well done, Harry, well done indeed! A bezoar would indeed counter all the poisons found here. Oh, you've got nerve, my boy! Ten points to Gryffindor for sheer cheek.
Hermione looks disgruntled. Ron grins.
SLUGHORN
All right, off with you, the lot of you!
As the class breaks up, Lavender appears in the door.
LAVENDER
Won-Won!
Ron looks stricken at the nickname, but forces himself to smile. Hermione rolls her eyes and moves off as Lavender flounces up to Ron and pulls him away with her. Ron glances back at Harry, almost in a "Save me?" look. Harry has glanced over toward Slughorn.
HARRY
Go on. I've got something to do.
He moves back to Slughorn, who is making marks in his book at his desk as the class empties.
SLUGHORN
Very well done, my boy. Clever as your mother was. Oh, she was a rare student indeed.
HARRY
Sir. I wanted to talk to you. Can you tell me anything about horcruxes?
Slughorn stops, stares.
SLUGHORN
What?
HARRY
Horcruxes.
SLUGHORN
Dumbledore put you up to this.
He is almost panicky.
HARRY
What?
SLUGHORN
Dumbledore's shown you that--that memory.
HARRY
Yes. But I only--
SLUGHORN
I don't know anything about Horcruxes, Harry. Not anything.
HARRY
Sir--If there was anything in your memory--
SLUGHORN
Nothing! There's nothing in my memories that could help you!
He gets control of himself.
SLUGHORN
Harry. You're a clever boy. I like you. But this is my last word on the subject. Good day.
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE POTIONS CLASS. DAY.
Outside the classroom, Harry walks along disgruntled at his failure.
ROMILDA
Hi, Harry!
She has three giggling girlfriends behind her and is bearing a gilt box.
ROMILDA
I brought you a gift! Chocolate Cauldrons. They're really good.
HARRY
Oh...
He takes them gingerly.
HARRY
Er, thanks.
ROMILDA
Don't you want to try one now?
HARRY
Er, maybe later.
ROMILDA
You'd really like--
HARRY
Sorry, I've got to go--
He backs away and goes rather hurriedly down a corridor. He almost bangs into Luna, who is standing on a bench aiming her wand at some mistletoe.
HARRY
Luna!
LUNA
Hello, Harry.
Her eyes are still on the mistletoe.
LUNA
There's mistletoe everywhere in the castle, this close to Christmas. I'm checking to see it's not infested with Nargles.
HARRY
Right.
LUNA
Is that chocolate?
HARRY
I really don't think we'd better eat it.
He glances over his shoulder, worried that Romilda and the others might have followed.
HARRY
Luna, I--I'm glad I ran into you, I was wondering--d'you want to go to Slughorn's Christmas Party with me? Tomorrow night?
Luna looks down at him, surprised. Harry's look grows less furtive and a bit warmer and more hopeful.
HARRY
I mean--as friends?
LUNA
Oh, Harry, how lovely! I'd love to go with you as friends.
Harry smiles. Noise at the end of the corridor draws his attention and Romilda and her friends are there, watching the scene from a distance, their faces disappointed.
INT. POTIONS CLASS. NIGHT.
The classroom is quite transformed for the party. Festive gay atmosphere. Fairy lights (real fairies providing them), coloured wall hangings, well-robed guests, a champagne fountain, etc. Harry enters with Luna, who likely has one odd accessory on her robes but otherwise looks quite nice. Slughorn gestures them over. SANGUINI the vampire is with him.
SLUGHORN
Harry, dear boy.
HARRY
My friend Luna.
SLUGHORN
Meet an old friend of mine, Mr. Sanguini.
Sanguini smiles at them, takes Luna's hand and bows over it.
SANGUINI
Charmed.
LUNA
Oh! You're the vampire Eldred Worple interviewed for his book "Blood Brothers"!
SANGUINI
Indeed, my dear.
LUNA
I thought your story was fascinating...
They begin to talk in the background as Harry turns and sees Hermione entering with Cormac McLaggen. Slughorn is greeting them and drawing McLaggen into conversation. Harry moves to Hermione.
HARRY
You didn't really come with McLaggen?
HERMIONE
I knew he'd annoy Ron most.
Snape is skulking near the wall looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. Slughorn's voice rises back into general audibility.
SLUGHORN
Severus, come join us; you know, I haven't had the chance to compliment you on the fine job you've done teaching my subject all these years!
He draws both Snape and Harry together, not noticing their awkwardness in being forced to face each other.
SLUGHORN
Harry here is the perfect example. Such a deft hand at Potions!
SNAPE
How
interesting. I never had the
impression that I managed to teach Potter anything at all.
FILCH
Professor Slughorn, sir! I found this one lurking about in the upstairs corridors. Claims he was on his way here. Dressed like that, I said? A likely story!
SLUGHORN
Draco! I'm glad you decided to accept my invitation after all. Of course he may stay.
SNAPE
I'd like a word with Mr. Malfoy, actually.
SLUGHORN
Now, Snape, it's Christmas. Don't be too hard on the boy for his attire.
SNAPE
I'm his head of house, and I shall decide how hard, or otherwise, to be.* Come with me, Draco.
*(-A/N: Did you have any doubts I would leave that line out?)
Snape escorts Draco out of the door. Harry follows with his eyes.
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE POTIONS CLASS. NIGHT.
Harry has slipped out the door of Slughorn's party. Quietly he walks down the corridor, listening, until he hears voices. Flattening himself against the wall, he peers into a classroom with a partially open door, crouching behind the door, careful not to be seen. Snape and Draco are visible through the open door.
SNAPE
...cannot afford mistakes, Draco, because if you are expelled--
DRACO
I didn't have anything to do with it, all right?
SNAPE
I hope you are telling the truth, because it was both clumsy and foolish.
DRACO
And stop looking at me like that! I know what you're doing.
SNAPE
Ah, so your Aunt Bellatrix has been teaching you Occlumency, has she. What thoughts are you concealing from your Master, Draco.
DRACO
Nothing from him. From you. It's my job, I'm doing it, it's just taking me a bit longer and I don't need your help!
SNAPE
If you tell me your plan, I can assist you, Draco.
DRACO
Want to steal my glory, more like. I don't need you!
Draco stalks toward the door; Harry manages to shrink back against the wall and be concealed by the door as Draco flings it open and stalks out. Snape walks to the door and stands framed in it, inscrutable, then follows in the direction Draco has gone, more slowly. Several beats, and Harry lets the door fall back, holding in his breath, wide-eyed, staring after Snape.
INT. DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE. NIGHT.
Harry comes in, a little breathless. Dumbledore is in a chair by the fire, reading.
HARRY
Professor! I need to talk to you. It's about Snape.
DUMBLEDORE
Professor Snape, Harry.
HARRY
Listen to me. Draco Malfoy's doing something. I don't know what, but it's got to do with Voldemort, I know it does. And it's bad. And Snape's helping him!
DUMBLEDORE
Harry--
HARRY
I heard them talking!
DUMBLEDORE
Harry. Whatever you heard, I must ask you to believe me on two things. I know what concerns Draco Malfoy, and I have it in hand. And I trust Severus Snape with my life.
HARRY
You didn't hear them--
DUMBLEDORE
Harry, I am blessed with more than adequate brainpower. And I know things about both Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape that you do not, and I would have you trust me concerning this. Do not pursue this any more. I have, I think, left you with enough to pursue. Have you been successful in obtaining the memory from Slughorn, as I charged you?
HARRY
No.
DUMBLEDORE
I see. Then all I have to add is to wish you a Happy Christmas, Harry.
Harry is silent, abashed. He turns to go.
EXT. THE WEASLEY HOUSE. NIGHT.
Swooping low aerial (or crane) shot of the Weasley house, covered in snow and lit for Christmas.
INT. WEASLEY LIVING ROOM. NIGHT.
In the background, BILL WEASLEY and Fleur sit together, MR. WEASLEY and MRS. WEASLEY next to them. Mrs. Weasley is turning up the volume on the wireless radio.
MRS. WEASLEY
Oh, one of my favorites! We danced to this when we were eighteen, remember, Arthur?
He nods. Fleur turning to Bill makes a face and puts her hands over her ears. Bill laughs and even Mr. Weasley has to stifle a laugh. Mrs. Weasley looks good-naturedly put-out.
During this the camera has been pulling back to bring Harry into the foreground. Ginny comes into the shot from the side.
GINNY
Harry, Professor Lupin's here!
HARRY
Yeah?
He looks around as if he might see him.
GINNY
In the kitchen. Mum invited him. She invited Tonks too but she couldn't come. I'm wondering if Mum invited Tonks to see if Bill will fall for her instead of Miss Full-of-herself over there.
Harry laughs, moves in the direction of the kitchen.
INT. WEASLEY KITCHEN. NIGHT.
REMUS LUPIN looks thin and tired, but smiles to see Harry.
REMUS
Harry. Good to see you.
He sets an arm on Harry's shoulder.
HARRY
You, too. You look--I mean--
REMUS
I don't look my best, do I? That's all right. I've been on Order business.
HARRY
Can I know what?
REMUS
Yes, I don't see why not. I've been sent to infiltrate the werewolves who are on Voldemort's side. Fenrir Greyback is their leader. Very bad sort. Scorns wizards. Acts like a wolf even in human form, when it's not the full moon.
HARRY
Can he turn someone to a werewolf when it's not the full moon?
REMUS
No, but his human bite still carries some degree of the curse. Greyback was the wolf who turned me, in fact.
HARRY
That's awful. How do you do it--pretend you're on his side?
REMUS
I do it because I must. For the greater good. So that those who have sacrificed so much more won't have done it in vain.
HARRY
I miss Sirius. A lot. He offered me a home, and now, that's--
Remus nods.
REMUS
That's why I do it. Why we all do what we have to.
HARRY
I wanted to ask you about him. Or...well, I don't know if it's just about him. It might be about you. Or even my father. Have you ever heard about someone who called himself "the Half-Blood Prince?"
Remus leans back.
REMUS
Can't say that I have. There are no Wizarding princes. Why, is this a title you're thinking of adopting? I would have thought "The Boy Who Lived" was quite enough.
HARRY
No! It's someone who used to go to Hogwarts; I've got his old Potions book and he wrote all over it. Potions, spells that he invented. There was one called Levicorpus--
REMUS
Oh, I remember that one. It was rather in vogue when I was in school. There were a few months in my fifth year when you couldn't move for being hoisted into the air by your ankle.
HARRY
I saw my father use something like it. In a memory. He used it on Snape. I thought maybe one of you invented it.
REMUS
No telling where it came from. It wasn't I. And your father and Sirius were both purebloods, and neither of them ever asked us to call him "Prince."
Harry looks disappointed.
INT. HOGWARTS HALLWAY. DAY.
Harry enters from a door, shaking snow off. Hermione is there, still in wraps.
HARRY
Hermione!
HERMIONE
Hello, Harry. How was Christmas at Won-Won's?
Harry rolls his eyes.
HARRY
It was fine.
He looks over his shoulder at Ron framed in the door, still outside struggling with his trunk.
HARRY
Look, Hermione, don't you think you--
HERMIONE
No, I can't. So don't even ask.
Behind Hermione, Harry sees Malfoy, with Crabbe and Goyle talking to him. Crabbe and Goyle are wearing snowy outer wraps and removing them, while Malfoy's wearing indoor clothing.
HARRY
(after a beat)
Did Malfoy go home for Christmas?
Hermione looks over her shoulder at Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle.
HERMIONE
No, I think I heard he was staying here over the holiday.
Harry stares, thinking.
INT. GRYFFINDOR BOYS' DORMITORY. DAY.
Harry comes in to find Ron sitting on his bed eating from a box of chocolates. Harry's trunk is sitting open and most of his things are on his own bed. Harry smiles at Ron.
HARRY
Didn't you get enough over the holiday?
He begins to tidy up his things.
RON
Chocolate? Never. Where'd you get these, they're good.
HARRY
Are those mine?
RON
They were just sitting on top of your trunk. Shame to see them go to waste.
HARRY
That'll never happen around you.
Ron stands up suddenly, letting the chocolate fall onto the floor. He looks far-off and stricken. (There may be a tiny note of musical cue.)
HARRY
Ron?
RON
Harry? Harry, why didn't I see it before, it's so obvious? I love her.
HARRY
What?
RON
I don't know if she even knows I exist and I love her!
HARRY
Who are you
talking about?
RON
Romilda Vane. Her eyes...her hair. I'm in love with her, Harry.
HARRY
Is this a joke?
RON
How dare you? You take that back!
Harry retreats back and his foot hits the box of chocolates from which Ron was eating.
HARRY
Oh, my God, Ron, those are the chocolate cauldrons she gave me! You weren't supposed to eat those, they're spiked with love potion!
RON
Shut up! Just shut up! You're talking about the woman I love!
Harry holds up his hands.
HARRY
All right, all right--Ron, listen to me. If you...
A look of inspiration crosses his face.
HARRY
If you come with me, I'll introduce you to her. Right now.
RON
You will? Aw, mate, that's great--
Harry grabs his hand.
HARRY
But you have to come with me right now.
He pulls Ron toward the door.
INT. POTIONS CLASS. DAY.
Harry and Ron burst through the door.
RON
...what would she be doing in here?
HARRY
She'll be by any minute, she's got extra Potions classes. Professor Slughorn!
Slughorn looks surprised. Harry runs up to him.
HARRY
Ron's swallowed a love potion by mistake. Can you help him?
RON
Why isn't she here, Harry?
HARRY
She's coming.
He gives Slughorn a "see?" look.
SLUGHORN
Oh, yes, I see. Well, yes, I should have the antidote right here.
RON
How do I look?
He's smoothing his hair back anxiously.
SLUGHORN
Oh, very handsome, Mr. Weasley, but--
He selects a vial off the storeroom shelf, adds a pinch of something to it that goes poof.
SLUGHORN
I suggest you drink that off before she arrives. It'll help steady your nerves when you see her.
RON
Right. That's good!
He takes the vial and drinks it down. Comic moment of Ron gagging and feeling the effect of the antidote, then he plunks down in a chair looking horrified.
RON
Bloody hell!
His head falls into his hands. Harry and Slughorn look relieved.
SLUGHORN
Ah, well, that's done it, hasn't it.
He looks at Harry.
SLUGHORN
A little pick-me-up, that's what he needs for afters. Let me see...
He bustles under his desk as Harry comforts Ron.
HARRY
Cheer up, Ron, it's over.
RON
I acted like an idiot.
SLUGHORN
...wine, oh, here's that mead I was going to give Dumbledore for Christmas--well, what he doesn't know about he won't miss.
He waves his wand at the bottle; it uncorks and pours itself into three goblets which appear. The goblets zoom over to each of the three.
SLUGHORN
There we are.
He raises his goblet in a toast, Harry does the same.
SLUGHORN
To unrequited--
Ron tosses back his mead without bothering with the toast.
SLUGHORN
--love, and--
The instant the mead hits Ron's throat he grabs his throat, dropping the goblet with a crash. His eyes bulge, and he collapses, twitching on the floor. Harry, shocked, drops his goblet too, rushes to Ron and drops at his side. Slughorn stands shocked, looking at the goblet with horror.
HARRY
Do something!
Slughorn backs away a step.
SLUGHORN
I didn't know--I would never--!
Harry stands and grabs the front of Slughorn's robes.
HARRY
Help him!
An agonized moment as Slughorn is still in shock, and Harry throws Slughorn aside and dashes behind him to the Potions shelves. He seizes a familiar jar, wrenches out a bezoar, dashes back to Ron's side, and shoves the bezoar down his throat. Ron gasps, trembles, closes his eyes and falls still. The shot zooms overhead to take in the scene of the three.
INT. INFIRMARY. NIGHT.
Ron is unconscious in a bed. Madam Pomfrey, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, Hermione are hovering over him. Harry comes in and Mrs. Weasley envelops him in a tearful hug.
MRS. WEASLEY
Oh, Harry! Dear, dear boy!
She kisses the top of his head, releases him as Hermione comes over to him. Mrs. Weasley turns back to Ron as Hermione and Harry take a step away to talk.
HERMIONE
You don't think Slughorn did it deliberately.
HARRY
No.
HERMIONE
But what if he meant to poison you?
HARRY
I don't think so. Slughorn's not that stupid to do it like that.
HERMIONE
So maybe someone was trying to poison Slughorn.
HARRY
He said something about...the mead was meant for Dumbledore, but he never gave it to him.
Hermione looks wide-eyed, as if she can hardly believe what that might mean. A sound comes from Ron.
RON
Errr...my...nee...
The others look at Hermione, who only has eyes for Ron, crossing slowly back to the bed and picking up Ron's hand as she sits next to him. Ron seems to take on an air of resting better. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley exchange meaningful tearful glances.
Ginny, whose eyes are red from crying, gives a little hiccuping laugh.
GINNY
Another Quidditch match where you'll need substitutes, Harry.
Her lip trembles as she bravely tries to smile at her joke. Harry gives a wry smile and a small laugh, connecting with her eyes.
INT. HALLWAY. DAY.
The Gryffindor Quidditch Team, in Quidditch robes, marches through the corridors to their game. Ron and Dean are not among them, but Cormac McLaggen is. Harry's giving last-minute instructions.
HARRY
Katie, Ginny, Demelza, Ravenclaw's Keeper's weakest on her left. McLaggen, you're the best substitute I've got for Keeper but if you get in my way of the Snitch like you did in practice, I swear I'll end you. Ritchie--
At that moment Draco walks by in the other direction. Harry actually stops and follows him with his eyes.
HARRY
Where's he going? Everyone else will be at the bloody game!
GINNY
Harry, come on, you can't worry about him now, we've got the match.
HARRY
That's why he's sneaking around now, blast him, he knows I can't follow.
GINNY
Harry!
HARRY
All right!
They resume the march toward the game.
INT. INFIRMARY. DAY.
Harry, looking quite grubby and battered in his Quidditch gear, flops into the chair next to Ron's bed with a frustrated yell. Ron is awake, looks sheepish.
RON
I heard.
A bludger! Hit a bludger at me! What was he doing with the bludgers, he was supposed to be Keeper!
He curls over, head sinking into his hands.
HARRY
Oh, Ron, you've got to get out of here fast. I'm going to kill him. Three hundred twenty to sixty.
RON
Ouch.
HARRY
And on top of that, Malfoy's up to his old tricks again.
RON
What's he up to?
HARRY
I don't know! But he's caught onto me watching him, so he's doing whatever it is when he knows I can't follow. I've got to find out, Ron.
A voice calls from the door.
LAVENDER
(just coming in)
Won-Won?
Ron instantly pretends to be asleep.
LAVENDER
Oh, is he asleep again? I never seem to find him awake!
Harry hides a wry smile.
INT. HALLWAY. DAY.
Harry is walking along with Hermione between classes. He has his potions book open and his wand in hand.
HARRY
(reading aloud from book)
Sectum...semp...ra. Sempra. Sectumsempra.
He accompanies it with an experimental move of his wand (which does nothing at the moment).
HERMIONE
Are you still practicing spells from that book? I don't get it, Harry.
HARRY
After that bezoar saved Ron's life, I thought you'd lay off on the Prince.
Hermione points to words in the book (the shot does not show us the page).
HERMIONE
"For enemies," Harry, look at what it says next to that spell! How can you keep experimenting with something that could be dark magic?
HARRY
Oh, let it go, Hermione, I've got enough to worry about.
HERMIONE
Harry, you just don't realize how dangerous--
But Harry and Hermione have walked by a room marked "Boys" and Harry, with a roll of his eyes, pushes the door open and goes through it. Hermione is confronted by the door closing in her face, registers the sign on it and walks off fuming.
INT. BOYS' BATHROOM. DAY.
Harry leans against the closed door and sighs. A voice surprises him.
MOANING MYRTLE
Hello, Harry Potter. I haven't seen you in ever so long.
HARRY
Oh--hello, Myrtle. Um, isn't this the boys' bathroom?
MOANING MYRTLE
I can visit other bathrooms if I want. You never come to visit me any more.
HARRY
I've--been busy.
Myrtle sniffs.
MOANING MYRTLE
Doesn't matter. I have other friends. Better friends than you, anyway. Friends who aren't afraid to come here and tell me everything on their minds.
HARRY
Well, that's...great.
MOANING MYRTLE
So why don't you go away and maybe he'll come back instead! People bully him, you know. He hasn't anyone to talk to, and he's not afraid to show his feelings to me!
HARRY
Who?
Never you mind, who! He's special. More special than you!
Harry pulls open the door.
HARRY
All right, I'm going!
Myrtle starts to wail.
MOANING MYRTLE
Ooh, no one ever wants to stay with me! Oooooh!
INT. GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM. DAY.
Harry enters through the portrait hole unhappily. Ron is there.
RON
Hi, Harry.
HARRY
They let you out!
Hermione is just coming down from the steps to the girls' dormitory. She stops when she sees Ron and breaks into a smile.
HERMIONE
Ron!
He smiles back, and then their faces freeze, remembering they're still on the outs with each other. It looks as if they might reconcile for a moment, then there is a sudden poof of a note manifesting in front of Harry.
HARRY
Oh, no.
He unfolds it, reads it.
HARRY
Dumbledore wants to see me tonight.
He folds the note, uncomfortable.
HARRY
He's going to have expected me to have got the memory from Slughorn by now. I just don't see how.
RON
He's been a stubborn bastard about it, hasn't he? You won't get it unless you get lucky.
HERMIONE
Ron. That's brilliant!
Ron and Harry look unenlightened.
HERMIONE
Felix Felicis!
INT. GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM. NIGHT.
Later that evening. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are not far off from their earlier positions. All are sitting. Harry uncaps the vial of Felix Felicis.
HARRY
Slughorn said it was enough to last a day. I'll try to drink just an hour's worth.
He sips from the vial. A golden sparkle surrounds Harry, then fades.
HERMIONE
How do you feel?
Harry smiles slowly.
HARRY
Lucky.
INT. OUTSIDE THE PORTRAIT HOLE. NIGHT.
The portrait opens. Harry, clad in his invisibility cloak, steps out of it, pulling the cloak over his head so he disappears entirely.
Ginny and Dean approach, eyes not on him, mid-conversation.
GINNY
...Harry's not playing favorites, Katie was the original team member and you were a substitute; of course he'd play her again before you!
DEAN
I was just saying--
They're going through the portrait hole and Ginny brushes the edge of Harry's cloak.
GINNY
And don't push me! You're always doing that, like I can't go through a door by myself--
DEAN
I didn't mean--
The portrait hole swings shut, cutting them off. Harry uncovers his face a little and cannot help but grin.
INT. HALLWAY. NIGHT.
Harry in his Invisibility Cloak is moving down a dim hallway. Harry's POV, the filter-haze effect of seeing through the cloak. Filch and Mrs. Norris, on nightly patrol, step into the corridor, blocking the way he has to go. Harry stops. Mrs. Norris prowls forward a step or two, as if she senses something, but then a mouse runs across her path and she miaows and runs down the side corridor to chase it. Filch goes after her as he mutters.
FILCH
Mrs. Norris! Come back, my love, don't chase that nasty filthy thing.
Harry chuckles to himself as he moves on.
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE POTIONS CLASS. NIGHT.
The door is slightly open and the sound of two men's voices are heard as Harry approaches in his cloak.
INT. POTIONS CLASS. NIGHT.
Harry in his Invisibility Cloak stands in the doorway, the shot shifts to take in what he sees: Slughorn and Hagrid at Slughorn's table, making free with the liquor. Hagrid is in tears, Slughorn sympathetic and pouring Hagrid another drink. Both look good and sloshed, and all of their words and actions during this scene are affected by it.
HAGRID
I had him from an egg, you know. Tiny little thing. About the size of a Pekingese.
SLUGHORN
How sweet.
HAGRID
Used ter keep him in a cupboard in the school, until...
Harry looks uncertain, then determined, and slips the cloak from himself.
HAGRID
Harry!
Slughorn turns to look.
HAGRID
Oh, I'm glad yer came!
He blows his nose with a handkerchief.
HAGRID
Aragog died.
HARRY
Aragog the spider? Oh. I'm...sorry to hear that.
SLUGHORN
What are you doing out, Harry? Oh, never mind, on a night like tonight it's provident that you did. Hagrid can use the company. Come, sit down, join us.
Harry crosses to the table and sits. Hagrid downs another huge tankard and gets even more morose.
HAGRID
Ah, the good die young. Me dad was no age to go...nor were yer mum and dad, Harry.
His eyes look sleepy.
HAGRID
Best wiz and witchard of their age. Terrible thing, terrible thing.
His eyes close and he snores.
SLUGHORN
Truly terrible.
He sees Harry's eyes on him and looks awkward.
SLUGHORN
Er--I don't suppose you remember it, do you, Harry?
HARRY
Well, I was only one.
His eyes suddenly have a tiny gold sparkle shine in them, the same effect as when he drank the Felix Felicis.
HARRY
But I've heard about it. Voldemort killed my dad first, did you know?
SLUGHORN
Oh!
HARRY
He killed my dad and told my mum to move out of the way. She could have saved herself, but she died for me. I still hear her screaming in my dreams.
SLUGHORN
Oh! No more, Harry, no more.
HARRY
That's right, you liked her, didn't you? She was a favorite student of yours.
SLUGHORN
She was so clever. So dear and so brave.
HARRY
But you won't help her son. She gave me her life, but you won't give me a memory.
SLUGHORN
Oh, don't say that. Oh, you don't know what you ask, Harry. It can't help.
HARRY
But it can. Professor, I've got to kill him. And I need information. The memory would help me.
SLUGHORN
I am not proud...I am ashamed of what that memory shows. I think I may have done great damage that day.
HARRY
You'd cancel that guilt by giving me the memory now. It would be a very brave and noble thing to do. Like my mother was brave.
SLUGHORN
Oh, Harry.
Slughorn slowly takes out his wand, picks up an empty vial from the table, and extracts a long silver thread of memory from his temple and puts it in the vial. He gives it to Harry.
HARRY
Thank you, professor.
As Harry moves off with the vial, starting to throw his cloak over himself again, Slughorn in the background is already nodding off.
INT. DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE. NIGHT.
Harry peels the invisibility cloak off himself as he enters.
HARRY
Professor, I've got it!
He holds up the memory vial, crossing to Dumbledore.
HARRY
Slughorn's memory.
Dumbledore takes it.
DUMBLEDORE
Excellent. Excellent work, Harry! I knew you could do it.
Harry is more sober than smiling.
DUMBLEDORE
And now let us see the fruits of your labour.
He pours the vial into his pensieve, holds out a hand to Harry, who takes it. They zip into the pensieve.
INT. HOGWARTS MID-TWENTIETH CENTURY HALLWAY
The scene from before from Slughorn's vision of it (though not completely from Slughorn's POV.) Riddle is standing by the younger Slughorn, Harry and Dumbledore are near as the younger Dumbledore glides away.
RIDDLE
Sir, I wondered what you know about... about Horcruxes, sir?
SLUGHORN
Project for Defense Against the Dark Arts? You'll be hard-pressed to find any information about them at Hogwarts, my boy. That's dark stuff. Very dark magic indeed.
RIDDLE
But, sir, I thought if anyone knows about them, it would be a wizard clever as you. Though if you can't--
SLUGHORN
No, no, I suppose it won't hurt to give you an overview. A Horcrux is an object in which one has concealed part of one's soul. Split the soul off into pieces, hide the parts into objects outside of one's body. Then even if one's body is attacked, one cannot die.
RIDDLE
Why is it dark magic? It sounds very useful.
SLUGHORN
Useful! My boy, even if existence in such a form were not already dreadful to contemplate, the making of a Horcrux, the splitting of the soul, requires one to commit a murder. To kill another human being, each time a Horcrux is made.
RIDDLE
So if one wanted to make more than one Horcrux--I mean, that would make the most sense, if one wanted to make, say, seven Horcruxes--
SLUGHORN
Seven!
RIDDLE
Well, it is the most powerfully magical number, so, I assumed if one--
SLUGHORN
Tom, this is--a very odd academic conversation. I think we've talked enough. And--don't go about saying that I told you about Horcruxes, will you? There's a reason they don't even talk about the subject at Hogwarts.
RIDDLE
I won't say a word, sir.
Riddle's expression is entirely too cool and smiling. Dumbledore and Harry swirl up out of the pensieve.
INT. DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE. NIGHT.
Harry and Dumbledore are silent for a moment.
DUMBLEDORE
Seven. Well. It is perhaps better and worse than I had hoped.
HARRY
He made them, didn't he? Horcruxes. That's why he lived when the Killing Curse rebounded off me onto him, when I was a baby.
DUMBLEDORE
Yes. I knew there were at least two. I destroyed one of them...and you destroyed the other.
HARRY
Me?
DUMBLEDORE
You. Tom Riddle's diary, which you destroyed with a basilisk fang your second year. That was a fragment of Riddle's soul, and it is gone now.
HARRY
Voldemort can't have been happy to have learned that. Lucius Malfoy put that diary into my way.
DUMBLEDORE
The question is whether he knows it. If Lucius Malfoy has not revealed the diary's fate, I doubt Voldemort trusted him with the knowledge of what it was he kept in that diary. One does not feel it when a Horcrux is destroyed; that piece of soul has already been fragmented away.
HARRY
You said you destroyed another.
DUMBLEDORE
Yes. It is here.
He holds up his hand with the cracked stone ring.
HARRY
That's what happened to your hand, sir?
DUMBLEDORE
Partly. The ring itself was cursed, another artifact that can be traced back to its original owner, Salazar Slytherin. Handed down his line all the way to Tom Riddle's pureblood mother.
He closes his hand with a smile of regret.
DUMBLEDORE
The ring set me on my path, you see. And the memory of Slughorn's confirms it.
HARRY
Sir?
DUMBLEDORE
Seven Horcruxes. And a man as vain as Tom Riddle--a man who would choose an artifact owned by one of Hogwarts's founders would hardly choose lesser items for the remainder of his Horcruxes, would he?
Harry's face shows his mind whirling.
HARRY
Artifacts that the other three founders owned.
DUMBLEDORE
Look at this, Harry.
He gestures to a tapestry on the wall of his office. It shows the four founders of Hogwarts: Godric Gryffindor holds a sword, Helga Hufflepuff holds a cup (Note: the cup is gold, this will be important later), Rowena Ravenclaw wears a diadem, and Salazar Slytherin's clenched fist displays a ring on one finger (silver with a black stone--the stone is intact). Harry contemplates it.
HARRY
You think Voldemort saw this?
DUMBLEDORE
Tom Riddle was in my personal office once, Harry. When he came to ask me for a job upon finishing Hogwarts. He coveted the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, but I could not give it to him. Not knowing him as I did. He went away empty-handed, but he would have seen this tapestry.
HARRY
So that's three other Horcruxes. Ravenclaw's crown, Hufflepuff's cup, and Gryffindor's sword.
DUMBLEDORE
Two Horcruxes.
He looks toward the case where Gryffindor's sword rests; Harry looks in the same direction.
DUMBLEDORE
Riddle never got his hands upon the sword. I can be glad of that, at least.
HARRY
If there are seven...where are the other three, then?
DUMBLEDORE
A very good question indeed. I think one, at least, was an item like the diary that had personal significance to Tom Riddle. And I may be close to finding it.
HARRY
If you do go to find it, sir...can I come and help you?
Dumbledore gives Harry an intense look.
DUMBLEDORE
Yes, Harry. I think you have earned that right.
INT. GREAT HALL.
Breakfast. Harry sits down by Ron (who is Lavender-less). Hermione is across the table.
RON
You got in late last night. I didn't even hear you come in.
HARRY
I had a lot to think about after Dumbledore.
Lavender walks by. She glances at Ron but then passes on. Harry looks at Ron.
RON
We've broken up. Thank God.
HERMIONE
So have Ginny and Dean, last night.
HARRY
Yeah?
HERMIONE
They came in the portrait hole arguing, and one thing led to another. They've been a bit rocky for some time now.
HARRY
Oh. Really.
He tries to keep the smile off his face.
INT. HALLWAY. DAY.
Shortly after. Harry is walking by the corridor that has the Boys' bathroom in it. He's almost whistling with jauntiness. He passes the Boys' bathroom and hears a voice.
MOANING MYRTLE
(from inside bathroom)
...tell me what's wrong. I can help you.
DRACO
(from inside bathroom)
No one can help me.
Harry's eyes go wide to hear Draco's voice. He pushes the door open a crack.
INT. BATHROOM. DAY.
Draco leans against the sinks, Myrtle behind him. Behind them both the door opens a crack and Harry can be glimpsed, but this is silent and neither one notices. Draco is as miserable as he's ever looked. His eyes are red and he is staring down into the basin.
DRACO
I can't do it. Nothing's working. And if I can't do it soon, he says he'll kill me. Kill my family.
He looks up, choking up. His breath stops when he sees Harry in the mirror. He whirls as Myrtle leaps out of the way. For a moment they stand fixed, then Draco goes for his wand and Harry does as well.
DRACO
Reducto!
HARRY
Expelliarmus!
Both duck out of the way of both blasts. A sink explodes and water shoots everywhere. Myrtle shrieks.
HARRY
Levicorpus!
DRACO
Locomotor Mortis!
Draco avoids the first spell but Harry catches part of Draco's. He falls. Draco casts again.
DRACO
Cru--!
Harry aims from the ground.
HARRY
Sectumsempra!
The spell slices into Draco. He falls back as blood spurts everywhere. Harry is horrified. Myrtle screams again.
MOANING MYRTLE
Murder! Murder! Murder in the bathroom! Murder!
INT. HALLWAY. DAY.
Myrtle's "Murder in the bathroom! Murder!" echoes. Students look about for the direction the cry is coming from.
INT. BATHROOM. DAY.
Malfoy's hands scrabble at his bleeding chest. Harry is on his knees next to him in utter terror, trying to do something with his own hands but having no idea what to do.
HARRY
I didn't--I didn't mean--!
The door is flung back and Snape stalks in. He stops short when he sees Draco. He and Harry exchange a terrible moment, then Harry leaps away as Snape drops beside Draco, pulling out his wand and muttering an incantation over him. Light travels over Draco's wounds and blood visibly slows. Harry staggers back against the wall, gasping, and slides down it.
SNAPE
I must get you to the infirmary. If you take dittany you might minimize scarring.
He looks over his shoulder at Harry.
HARRY:
I didn't know. I didn't know what that spell did.
SNAPE
Potter. Where did you learn that spell.
HARRY
A...a book. A library book.
SNAPE
Liar.
Snape stands, helping Draco up.
SNAPE
Bring me every one of your schoolbooks, Potter. Bring them to me in the infirmary.
He shoulders past Harry with Draco. Harry sits there fixed, then he gets to his feet and runs.
INT. GRYFFINDOR DORMITORY. DAY.
Harry bursts in. He's still covered in blood and water. Ron is there.
RON
Harry!
HARRY
Ron. I need your potions text.
RON
What?
Harry grabs his schoolbag full of books.
HARRY
Just give it to me!
Ron reaches out and picks it up. Harry grabs it and runs.
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE OF ROOM OF REQUIREMENT. DAY.
Harry runs up to the wall where the Room of Requirement's door should be. He stops, gasping. He pulls his own potions text out of his bag. He turns from the wall and closes his eyes. Close shot on Harry.
HARRY
A place to hide something. I need a place to hide something. A place to hide something.
A grinding as of stone on stone. Harry turns and the door to the Room of Requirement is there. Harry flings it open.
INT. THE ROOM OF LOST TREASURES.
Harry enters. It's vast, dark. Think Department of Ministries except with corridors of random junk instead of glass balls. Harry looks around, then plunges down one corridor. He runs a bit, then skids to a stop in front of a chest of drawers. Atop it is a bust of an ugly creature with an out-of-place powdered wig and a battered tiara hanging from one ear (the shot should not linger on this). Harry opens the middle drawer, slides the book in and turns to run out again.
INT. INFIRMARY. DAY.
Harry comes to a panting stop just inside the infirmary. Pomfrey attends to Draco, who looks in a bad way but alive. Snape is near and whirls on Harry as he comes in. Harry, still panting, holds up the bookbag. Snape takes it, pulls out the books one by one, throwing them aside in angry disgust until he comes to the Potions book. He looks at it. Opens it. Snaps it shut.
SNAPE
This is your copy of Advanced Potions-Making, is it, Potter?
HARRY
Yes.
SNAPE
Liar.
HARRY
Don't call me liar! Don't you call me liar!
They hold each other's glare.
SNAPE
You're nearly a murderer as well, Potter. I think I have the perfect punishment for you.
INT. GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM. DAY.
Harry walks in very slowly, still bloody and wet. Most of Gryffindor house is there; it's evident Malfoy's near-murder was big news.
Harry looks at his housemates. His face and voice are utterly hollow.
HARRY
I've got detention with Snape. This Saturday.
RON
Is that all?
HARRY
All day Saturday. And every Saturday for the rest of the year.
Is that all?
GINNY
Hermione, he's made it so that Harry can't play Quidditch. If we lose the last game we lose the cup. Snape's punishing all of Gryffindor house for what Harry did.
There's a murmur as the rest of the students take this in.
HARRY
Katie. You're captain.
Shot of Katie, Dean, and Ginny as Harry says his next sentences.
HARRY
Dean. Play Chaser for the team again. Please. Ginny, I want you to play Seeker.
He turns away to head up the stairs to the dormitory.
RON
It's not fair! Malfoy could have killed you; he was trying to!
HARRY
I don't want to talk about it, Ron.
INT. AT THE DOOR TO SNAPE'S CLASSROOM. DAY.
Shot of the door, which Snape is opening from the inside. Harry stands framed in it.
HARRY
Reporting for detention, sir.
Shot of Snape's nasty smile.
INT. SNAPE'S CLASSROOM. EVENING.
Harry sits at a desk with many dusty filing boxes about him. He's clearly doing tedious busy work and has been at it for hours, judging from the pile in front of him. He glances at the clock on the wall, which shows a minute or two after five p.m. Snape looks up.
SNAPE
That will do for today, Mr. Potter. We will resume next Saturday.
Harry stands to go.
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE PORTRAIT HOLE. EVENING.
Harry trudges up to the portrait hole. Everything is dim and quiet.
Dilligrout.
The portrait slides aside. As light spills out, there's a bit of noise and then a quiet whisper from inside that silences the noise.
VOICE
Here he comes!
Harry climbs in to silence. He looks at those assembled in the common room. The shot moves across the unreadable faces of everyone in the house including the Quidditch Team (still in their gear) with Hermione, Ginny, and Ron at the very end. As the shot ends on Ron's face, he breaks into a smile and holds up the cup.
RON
We won!
Cheers erupt, everyone fairly explodes. Harry breaks into a huge smile. Ginny runs toward Harry and hugs him. Harry hugs her back, and then pulls back to look at her face amidst the cheering, puts his hands on both side of her face and kisses her. She kisses back just as deeply. There's a little gasp and much of the noise quiets. Shot of Hermione standing next to Ron; Hermione has her hands at her mouth but there's delight on her face; Ron is utterly gobsmacked.
Harry breaks the kiss with Ginny and both of them stare at Ron. Harry gives a little laugh and glances at Ginny.
HARRY
This is a scary moment for me. You've got six older brothers, you know.
He's looking back at Ron; so is Ginny, fiercely.
GINNY
And I'll break all of them in half if they try anything!
Everyone laughs as Harry and Ginny kiss again. Ron closes his mouth, sighs good-naturedly, accepting it. (Dean, if he's noticed in the shot, doesn't look happy but only moderately disgruntled.)
INT. HALLWAY NEAR THE HOGWARTS TROPHY DISPLAY. LATE AFTERNOON.
Some days later. Harry, Ginny, and Ron move along a hallway, their attitude one of good cheer. Harry has his arm about Ginny's shoulders. Hermione is a little behind them.
GINNY
You'd think people had better things to gossip about. All Romilda Vane wants to know is if its true you've got a Hippogriff tattooed on your chest.
HARRY
What did you tell her?
GINNY
I told her it's a Hungarian Horntail. Much more macho.
HARRY
Thanks. And what did you tell her Ron's got?
GINNY
A pygmy puff, but I didn't say where.
RON
Hey!
Harry and Ginny laugh. Hermione catches up to them.
HERMIONE
Harry, can I talk to you? There's something I want you to see.
GINNY
I've got to go study. See you later.
HARRY
Okay.
Ginny busses him on the cheek and goes off. Ron makes a face at the kiss.
RON
It's disgusting, that's what it is.
HERMIONE
Look who's talking.
Ron makes another face, but it's good-natured. He goes off in the same direction as Ginny.
HERMIONE
It's about the Half-Blood Prince.
HARRY
Look, I don't want to talk about that.
HERMIONE
Just hear me out. I was trying to find out who might have made a hobby of inventing dark spells--
HARRY
He didn't make a hobby out of it.
HERMIONE
I didn't say it had to be a he.
HARRY
Prince, Hermione? Remember?
HERMIONE
Look.
They have arrived at the Hogwarts' Trophy Display. Hermione points to a plaque on the wall; it has a picture of a heavy-browed, black-haired girl and reads, "Eileen Prince, Gobstones Team Captain."
HARRY
So?...Oh, no way.
HERMIONE
Why not?
HARRY
Because it doesn't fit. The Prince is a bloke, I just know it.
HERMIONE
Because you don't think a girl can be clever enough?
HARRY
How can I have been around you for six years and believe something like that? It's the way he writes, that's all. It's hard to explain.
HERMIONE
But there aren't any princes in the wizarding world! What if she were a half-blood? She might call herself, "the half-blood, Prince."
HARRY
Yeah, but it just doesn't feel--
A note poofs into existence in front of Harry. He and Hermione exchange a look, then he unrolls it.
HARRY
Dumbledore says to come now.
He moves off, Hermione looking worriedly after him.
INT. DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE. SUNSET.
Dumbledore is gazing out at a gold sunset as Harry walks in. Dumbledore has a black travelling cloak in his arms. (He is no longer wearing the ring on his hand.)
DUMBLEDORE
Well, Harry. I promised that you could come with me, if you wish it.
HARRY
You've...found a Horcrux?
Dumbledore takes something off his desk--the picture of Merope Gaunt he had shown Harry before.
DUMBLEDORE
All along, it was something I should have seen. That locket around Tom Riddle's mother's neck--see the S on it? That too, I believe, came down to her from Salazar Slytherin. I have tracked its location, but fetching it is not likely to be easy.
HARRY:
I want to come.
DUMBLEDORE
Will you promise to obey any command I give you?
HARRY
Of course.
DUMBLEDORE
Be sure to understand me, Harry. If I tell you to flee, will you?
HARRY
I--yes.
DUMBLEDORE
If I tell you to leave me behind and save yourself, will you?
Harry opens his mouth, closes it.
DUMBLEDORE
Will you?
HARRY
Yes, sir.
DUMBLEDORE
Good. We will have to Apparate there.
HARRY
I'm getting better at apparating, sir. We've been practicing in class.
DUMBLEDORE
And soon you will be of age and able to do so freely. For tonight, since you have never been to the place we are going, I shall take you by side-along once more. And since we cannot apparate in or out of Hogwarts grounds, I will ask you to fetch your Invisibility Cloak, Harry, and meet me just at the border of the Forbidden Forest in half an hour.
Harry furrows his brow. He's seen Dumbledore's ringless left hand.
HARRY
You're not wearing that ring anymore. Sir.
DUMBLEDORE
No, I am not. Half an hour, Harry.
INT. GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM. NIGHT.
Harry rushes down the stairs from the boys' dormitory to where Ron and Hermione are in the common room. He has the cloak clutched to his chest and has the bottle of Felix Felicis in the other hand.
HARRY
Take this.
HERMIONE
What?
HARRY
Listen. Dumbledore's going out of the castle. Malfoy got out of the infirmary yesterday--
HERMIONE
He's hardly in fit shape to do anything--
HARRY
Listen. If he is going to try anything, he'll might do it tonight, while Dumbledore's gone. This is just in case, all right? Take the Felix Felicis. Use it yourselves, share it with Ginny. Protect yourselves.
Harry pushes it into Ron's hand and starts to rush off in the direction of the portrait hole.
RON
Didn't you take any?
Harry stops.
HARRY
I'll be with Dumbledore. I'll be all right.
He turns and goes.
EXT. EDGE OF THE FORBIDDEN FOREST. NIGHT.
Dumbledore is there. Harry rushes up, decloaking.
HARRY
I'm here, sir.
DUMBLEDORE
Very good, Harry. Remember: do as I tell you.
Harry nods. Dumbledore takes his arm.
EXT. SEA EDGE NEAR A CLIFF. NIGHT.
Harry and Dumbledore pop into existence.
DUMBLEDORE
Well. Lovely site for a picnic.
HARRY
Maybe during the day.
DUMBLEDORE
I think our destination is there.
A cave entrance is set into the cliff off the beach.
DUMBLEDORE
Voldemort would not have wanted to make it easy.
EXT. CAVE MOUTH. NIGHT.
They are seen approaching the cave. Dumbledore holds out his wand.
DUMBLEDORE
Lumos.
His light illuminates the cave. They enter the cave; the shot swings around to follow them as they move into its depths, which turn out to be not that deep. Dumbledore stops at the high back wall of it, makes a gesture at the wall with his wand. The outline of an elaborate arch comes into existence, the same color as the blue-white light from his wand.
HARRY
You found it!
DUMBLEDORE
The first part of it, yes. Hmm.
He studies the arch and the runes picked out in light.
DUMBLEDORE
Ah, Tom. Yes, I would have expected blood magic from you.
He takes out a sharp silver knife, prepares to nick his forearm with it.
HARRY
It wants your blood? Is that safe?
Dumbledore smiles.
DUMBLEDORE
Nothing we do tonight could be considered safe, but I think we will survive this first step. Riddle would have wanted his enemy to weaken himself along the way, but we are more enemy than he expected.
He has nicked his arm with it, gathers the blood on his fingers and flicks them at the arch. The arch fizzles, the light of the arch transforms red, and the arch solidifies into a door that swings open.
EXT. UNDERGROUND CAVERN/LAKE. NIGHT.
...to reveal a vast underground lake, a misty greenish point of light shining off in its distance. A tiny boat, the sort deep enough to stand in, bobs tied up at the lake's edge. The boat is covered in runes similar to those on the arch. The overall effect is univiting, to say the least.
DUMBLEDORE
Well, well.
HARRY
The horcrux is here, isn't it?
DUMBLEDORE
Out there, I suspect.
He gestures to the light.
HARRY
Do we have to
go and get it? Couldn't
we try a summoning charm?
DUMBLEDORE
Tom might have anticipated that, but it's worth a try.
He gestures to Harry in a "go ahead."
HARRY
Accio Horcrux!
In the distance, there's a reverberation, a visible splash and a subsiding of water upon the lake. Nothing else happens.
HARRY
What does that mean?
DUMBLEDORE
It means he anticipated it.
Dumbledore takes a few steps down to the boat, studies the runes.
DUMBLEDORE
The boat is charmed, too. It will accommodate only one wizard.
HARRY
I'll go.
DUMBLEDORE
Very noble of you, Harry, but we can both go. You're not yet of age, so the spell should not acknowledge you as a wizard.
He steps onto the small boat, holds out a hand.
DUMBLEDORE
Be careful not to touch the water.
Harry takes his hand with some nervousness as he steps onto the boat next to Dumbledore. Nothing happens to reject him. They are forced to stand close because of the smallness of the boat.
There we are.
He gestures with his wand, the rope unties itself from the boat, and begins to slide off over the water. It rocks a tiny bit, as a small boat would, but Harry and Dumbledore are able to stand without difficulty as it moves over the water. Harry looks down as the boat travels.
HARRY
Professor. There's something in the water.
DUMBLEDORE
I am sure there is.
HARRY
Professor...!
Something marble-white is seen below the surface. Several marble-white things. The closest one takes on a human cast.
HARRY
I think
they're people...!
DUMBLEDORE
They were, once. Inferi.
Voldemort fears
death so much it makes sense he would use the undead as his guardians,
assuming
they would terrify an enemy too much to risk them. I think we should be
very
careful to avoid touching the water.
Harry seems to shiver and stand a little closer to Dumbledore. The marble-white human forms grow thicker and seem to be swirling more purposefully through the water as the boat approaches its destination.
EXT. STONE ISLAND IN UNDERGROUND CAVERN/LAKE. NIGHT.
The boat arrives at the greenly-lit stone island in the center of the lake. Cautiously, Dumbledore and Harry disembark. The island is only a dozen yards or so in diameter. The green light shines around the object at the center of the island; a silver goblet hovering at eye level.
HARRY
I thought you said we were expecting a locket.
Dumbledore walks up to it. The goblet tilts a little in midair for him.
DUMBLEDORE
Look.
They can see a liquid in the goblet (some unhealthy looking color, maybe yellow-green), filling the goblet, and at the bottom of it is the locket. Dumbledore lifts a hand, tries to reach into the goblet. His fingers cannnot go past the surface of the liquid. He tries to take the goblet from where it hovers. It does not move. He lifts his wand, throws a spell at it which rebounds. He tries again with no better results. He steps back, the goblet rights itself. He steps closer to it again and it tilts once more.
DUMBLEDORE
Hm. Well, the answer's plain. One doesn't get the locket...unless one drinks the liquid out of the cup.
He begins to lean forward.
HARRY
No! If that's--
Dumbledore stops.
DUMBLEDORE
Poison? I think it likely is.
HARRY:
I don't even have a bezoar on me.
DUMBLEDORE
Oh, I doubt a bezoar would help in this case. Tom would be sure of that. Harry, it is likely that this liquid is designed to render the drinker incapable of taking the Horcrux. Whatever happens to me, you must make sure you get it.
HARRY
I could drink it.
DUMBLEDORE
Thank you, Harry. But no. Be ready.
Dumbledore puts his lips to the goblet, sets his fingers to the bottom of the cup to tip it further as he drinks. Harry watches as he drains it. The moment the cup is drained Dumbledore breaks away from the cup with a cry. The goblet falls to the ground with a clang and Dumbledore also falls down, twitching and gasping. Harry instinctively starts to go to him, then changes his direction and grabs for the goblet, which is threatening to roll away to the edge of the island. He gets it, upends it so the locket drops into his hand. He loops it over his neck, and, still holding the cup, dashes back to Dumbledore.
HARRY
Professor! Professor!
He shakes him, touches his face, does helpless physical things as Dumbledore twitches, eyes open and staring, a dreadful look on his face. Dumbledore's hand goes to his own throat, clutches at it.
DUMBLEDORE
Water...
His voice is a horrible rasp. Harry looks at the cup in his hand, moves rapidly to the water's edge. He stares down at the water for an instant, knowing he may be making a terrible mistake. He throws a look back at Dumbledore.
DUMBLEDORE
Water...!
Harry turns back to the water and drops to his knees. He extends the cup to the water's surface. Shot of Harry's hand with the cup pushing into the black water and a marble-white hand, crabbed and grasping, breaking the surface and grabbing Harry's wrist. (Musical cue; a good old-fashioned cat scare.) Harry screams and tries to break free. More hands break the surface. Heads start to emerge. The Inferi are identifiable as dead men and women, fish-white, hollow-eyed, rags trailing from them. Harry tries to scrabble back onto the island, goes for his wand instead as he's dragged almost into the water.
HARRY
Petrificus Totalis!
The hand holding him goes stiffens and Harry pulls free, diving back toward the center of the island as the Inferi begin to crawl onto the island. Harry is terrified, looking around and realizing the Inferi are coming up from all sides.
HARRY
Petrificus Totalis!
Another freezes but more are climbing over it.
HARRY
Impedimenta! Incarcerous!
Harry is blasting away at the Inferi as they reach for him, but each spell only takes out one Inferi.
HARRY
Stupefy!
Shot of an Inferi struck by the Stupefy spell; it doesn't even slow it.
HARRY
Sectumsempra!
Slashes appear in the chest of the Inferi this spell hits, but there is no blood and the Inferi does not slow. Harry's really panicked now.
HARRY
Reducto! Petrificus--!
They are upon him. He yells as one touches his wand.
HARRY
Reducto!
It falls back but four more are there surrounding him, and more besides. He yells again. He knows he's finished.
Dumbledore rises from the ground as if on slow majestic wings; his eyes are fixed, staring, and terrible, and his wand is pointing. All this happens at the same moment that he screams:
DUMBLEDORE
INCENDIO!
It sounds as if it comes from the chest of a giant. Huge orange flames shoot from his wand in a curtain. The inferi fall back from him, wailing horribly. Dumbledore swings around to aim at the Inferi surrounding Harry.
DUMBLEDORE
INCENDIO!
Another curtain of flames that the Inferi retreat from; Harry ducks low to avoid the flames. Dumbledore turns again, then gasps. The mad light goes from his eyes; he is a weak gasping old man again, and collapses to the ground once more. Harry leaps over him to protect him.
HARRY
Incendio!
His flames are not quite so engulfing as Dumbledore's but the Inferi retreat from them. He shoots more of them; they seem to get stronger each time he casts. Inferi fall back, wailing.
HARRY
Incendio! Incendio!
He ducks, loops his arm through Dumbledore's and hauls him up.
HARRY
Incendio!
His arm outstretched, Harry manages to sustain this gout of flame as he drags Dumbledore towards the boat. His arm moves back and forth in a jerky arc, keeping the Inferi away as they threaten him. He pushes Dumbledore onto the boat, shoving with his foot against the island as he himself leaps onto the boat. It begins to move away from the island.
EXT. UNDERGROUND CAVERN/LAKE. NIGHT.
Shot of the surface of the water, more Inferi breaking the surface to claw at the boat.
HARRY
Incendio! Incendio!
He continues to aim the flames at the water, at the hands and faces of the Inferi who try to grab the boat. Harry looks desperately towards the shore of the lake.
EXT. WATER'S EDGE IN UNDERGROUND CAVERN/LAKE. NIGHT.
The boat moves forward and hits the shore. Harry stumbles out, dragging Dumbledore. The Inferi begin to crawl from the water and follow. Harry yells, casts once more:
HARRY
Incendio!
Then he turns and runs for the cavern wall. Reaching it, the door has closed up again. Harry aims his wand. The Inferi continue to advance up the shore towards him and Dumbledore.
HARRY
Aparecium!
The rune-covered arch appears in light. Harry digs his wand into his wrist, drawing blood. He smears his bloody wrist on the wall and the light of the arch transforms red, then the door solidifies. The Inferi are almost upon them. Harry shoves the door open and pulls Dumbledore through, then shoves the door shut upon the Inferi. Their wails are abruptly cut off. The door fades as Harry falls back from it, gasping, still supporting Dumbledore. He turns and staggers away from it in the near-darkness.
EXT. CAVE MOUTH. NIGHT.
Harry, still supporting Dumbledore, staggers from the cave. He does not have the strength to go all the way down to the sea edge, but collapses there with him, gasping. At last he leans over Dumbledore.
HARRY
Professor.
Dumbledore is not blank and staring, but simply looks old and exhausted and beyond speech. He manages, but his voice is a rasp.
DUMBLEDORE
That potion was no health drink.
HARRY
Professor. I'm going to apparate us both back to the Forbidden Forest. I can do it, I'm sure I can.
DUMBLEDORE
I am not worried, Harry. I am with you.
Harry sets his hands on Dumbledore's shoulders.
EXT. EDGE OF THE FORBIDDEN FOREST. NIGHT.
Harry and Dumbledore appear in a flash of light. Harry looks relieved.
HARRY
We made it, Professor! Let me get--
He is looking about as he says this. He stops as he sees something that cuts him off and causes his expression to change to horror. The shot swings around to reveal what he sees: the hideous skull-and-snake Dark Mark hanging in the sky above Hogwarts.
HARRY
Professor Dumbledore! Professor--
He looks at Dumbledore and realizes he cannot ask Dumbledore to take charge. He takes a moment to think, then aims his wand at Hogwarts.
HARRY
Accio Firebolt!
Tiny at first, then larger, Harry's broom sails out of a Hogwarts window and towards them. Harry throws a leg over and pulls Dumbledore on to perch behind him, pulling Dumbledore's hands onto his shoulders.
HARRY
Hold on to me, Professor.
They zoom into the air, becoming a small speck that bursts straight through the Dark Mark, distorting a bit of it, then enlarging as they land on the top of the highest tower in Hogwarts.
EXT. TOWER TOP (CONTINUOUS WITH THE LAST SCENE) NIGHT.
They land. Harry slides off the broom and helps Dumbledore into a sitting position against the wall of the tower. The spot on which they have landed is a partial turret with a crenellated edge, jutting off another tower wall that has a door set into it. Dumbledore is propped against the turret edge. He still appears weak, but his voice is a little stronger.
DUMBLEDORE
Harry. Fetch Severus. I need Severus to come to me.
HARRY
Snape? Are you sure, Professor?
DUMBLEDORE
Obey me, Harry. Please.
HARRY
All right.
He stands, pulls out his Invisibility Cloak and dons it. (At this moment, use the shimmery haze through which we can still see Harry, rather than having him disappear completely.) He takes a step toward the door set in the tower wall. Suddenly footsteps and a clunky sound as if the door is being unbolted are heard. Harry looks over his shoulder at Dumbledore (who reacts as if he is making eye contact.) Dumbledore surges forward with great effort as he draws his wand and pushes Harry off to one side, aiming the wand at him. Harry hits the wall and slides down it as Dumbledore casts in a hiss:
DUMBLEDORE
Petrificus Totalis!
Harry, still completely covered by the cloak, freezes there, crouched against the wall. At the same time the door swings open and Draco Malfoy, wand drawn, casts at Dumbledore:
DRACO
Expelliarmus!
Dumbledore's wand flies away, over the side of the tower's edge. Dumbledore slumps back against the tower wall.
DUMBLEDORE
Good evening, Draco.
Draco comes forward, wand still pointed at Dumbledore. (Harry is no longer visible as a shimmery-hazed figure; use the "completely invisible" default for all except for close-ups of Harry's face.) Shot of Harry's desperate face beneath the filter of the cloak. His eyes dart but that is all he can move. Shot back to Draco, who is also glancing around. There is a good bit of fear beneath Draco's determination.
DRACO
Is someone else here?
DUMBLEDORE
A question I might ask of you. Are you acting alone?
Dumbledore's tone is as calm as if he's sitting in his office with a friend.
DRACO
No. I've got back-up.
DUMBLEDORE
You've let Death Eaters into Hogwarts, have you?
DRACO
Yeah. He told me to find a way or he'd kill me. And my family. Funny what you can accomplish when you've got motivation.
DUMBLEDORE
Where are they?
DRACO
Below. Ran into trouble with some of your lot. I came on alone. I've got a job to do.
DUMBLEDORE
Well, then, you must get on and do it, my dear boy.
Draco's breathing increases. He steps forward until his wand is only a few feet from Dumbledore. Another shot of Harry's desperate eyes.
DUMBLEDORE
Draco, Draco, you are not a killer.
DRACO
Shut up. You don't know anything about me.
DUMBLEDORE
I know that you have made two attempts already to kill me, and sad attempts they were. You came no closer than nearly murdering Katie Bell and Ron Weasley, which I know was not your intention. I cannot think but that your heart has not really been in the task.
DRACO
Shut up! Didn't you hear me? It doesn't matter whether I want to or not! I've got to! He's going to kill me and my family if I don't.
DUMBLEDORE
Then do so, my boy. I am unarmed. Quite helpless. Nothing to prevent you.
Draco's white face and pinched lips remain fixed on Dumbledore. His wand hand begins to tremble.
DUMBLEDORE:
You see? If you thought you could do it alone, you would have had no need to bring Death Eaters into the school to succeed where you failed. I understand the logic perfectly.
DRACO
I brought them in because it was part of the plan! I found that room, the one with all the lost items.
He regains a bit of his confidence in the telling of this, lauding his cleverness.
DRACO
There was a
vanishing cabinet, twin of
the one my father's got. It let me bring the Death Eaters through from
our
Manor.
DUMBLEDORE
And if they arrive here and found you have not done your appointed task? Failed to kill one helpless old man, when you clearly had him at wandpoint? I do not think you want to be here when they do arrive and find me still alive.
DRACO
You're so sure of yourself.
DUMBLEDORE
What I am sure of is you. If you were going to kill me you would have done so by now.
DRACO
I haven't any choice!
It's a scream; his voice cracks and he looks utterly stricken.
DUMBLEDORE
You always have. And you have made it.
Behind the cloak Harry's eyes look as if he is barely daring to hope.
DUMBLEDORE
The order can protect you, can protect your family. We can take you in to hiding so deep the Dark Lord will never be able to find you.
DRACO
Don't try to bargain when I've got you at my mercy.
DUMBLEDORE
No, Draco. It is my mercy, not yours, that matters now.
The door is thrown wide. Death Eaters RODOLPHUS LESTRANGE and Bellatrix Lestrange and the werewolf (in human form, but looking feral all the same) Fenrir Greyback burst through it.
DUMBLEDORE
(almost
to himself)
And so it ends.
BELLATRIX
Cornered! Well done, Draco.
DUMBLEDORE
Good evening, Bellatrix. And you've brought Rodolphus, too, how charming.
RODOLPHUS
You will have your little jokes, won't you, Dumbledore?
DUMBLEDORE
Jokes? No, no. These are manners.
FENRIR
What've you been waiting for, Draco? Why isn't he dead already?
BELLATRIX
Don't rush him, Fenrir! My neffy-weffy wants to play a bit; his auntie's taught him well.
Draco looks sick, but Bellatrix can't see.
DUMBLEDORE
Fenrir Greyback. Well, well.
FENRIR
Pleased to see me, Dumbledore?
DUMBLEDORE
No, I can't say that I am.
FENRIR
Ah, but I wouldn't have missed it. You know how I love the taste of children.
He licks his pointed teeth obscenely.
Whom have you killed in my school?
BELLATRIX
You'll find out soon enough when you join them! Do it, Draco!
Draco slowly lifts his wand again. Fenrir makes a noise of disgust.
FENRIR
Ah, the boy's not got the nerve, anyone can see.
Bellatrix hisses. The door bangs again and Snape stands framed in it, taking in the scene.
FENRIR
Problem, Snape. The boy can't do it. His lordship won't be pleased.
RODOLPHUS
Draco, it's the simplest thing in the world. Say the words!
DUMBLEDORE
Severus.
The quiet words draw every eye to either Dumbledore or Snape.
DUMBLEDORE
Severus, please.
Snape stands immobile. Then his mouth pinches, his eyes glitter. He lifts his wand.
SNAPE
Avada Kedavra!
The green light blasts Dumbledore over the side of the tower. Behind the cloak, Harry's eyes bulge and his mouth falls open in shock (he does not quite realize that he can move).
SNAPE
Out of here. Quickly.
He grabs Draco by the scruff of the neck and shoves him through the door. Fenrir, Rodolphus, and Bellatrix follow swiftly, Bellatrix cackling.
He's de-ad, he's de-ad!
Harry, still against the wall, lifts his trembling hands, then leaps to his feet as he realizes the paralysis is really gone. He flings himself at the wall, grasping its edge as he looks over.
EXT. GROUNDS BELOW TOWER. NIGHT.
A sprawled shape is seen far below.
EXT. TOWER TOP. NIGHT.
Harry gasps, turning and flinging the cloak from himself as he tears through the door.
INT. TOWER STAIRS. NIGHT.
Harry runs down the spiral stairs as quickly as he can.
INT. HALLWAY AT THE BOTTOM OF STAIRS. NIGHT.
Harry leaps down the last steps of the spiral staircase; in the foreground the first thing Harry sees (the first thing we see) as the shot pulls back and widens is Ron, dueling a nameless Death Eater (whom we see as the shot widens further). Smoke and dust are all around and as the shot continues to widen we see many faces familiar and unfamiliar, throwing hexes and jinxes: Neville, Fred and George, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Professor McGonagall, Tonks, Moody, Lupin, Bill and Fleur, fighting against other Death Eaters. Bellatrix and Rodolphus are not visible, but Fenrir is, and he turns to face Harry with a snarl. Harry stuns him:
HARRY
Stupefy!
As Fenrir falls, he reveals what his outline had concealed: Snape in the distant background hustling Draco out a door. Shot of Harry's face. It goes blind with rage, and Harry dashes forward, ducking hexes and jinxes thrown by pairs of duellists. The place continues to erupt with the explosions of missed spells, smoky and fiery as the pit of a volcano.
EXT: HOGWARTS GROUNDS. NIGHT.
Harry tears out a door. Far ahead, he sees Snape and Draco fleeing. Hagrid's hut is between them and the edge of the Forbidden Forest and there are figures in front of it, wandspells flying back and forth between them. Shot focuses on Snape and Draco running; they pass the figures in front of the hut and they are Hagrid and a nameless Death Eater. Snape and Draco move into the distance as the shot lingers on Hagrid and the Death Eater duelling. The Death Eater casts a spell at Hagrid, who dodges it; the spell hits the hut and the explosion of it causes the hut to catch on fire. A frantic barking begins and a dog's form can be glimpsed at the window (there is no shot focusing on this, however). Hagrid looks stricken as he turns to look at the hut and the Death Eater readies the next spell. Harry has reached the Hut as he runs, he aims a spell.
HARRY
Stupefy!
It hits the Death Eater in the back and he drops. Harry does not stop as Hagrid begins to tear the door off the hut to get to Fang inside. Harry is closing the distance on Snape and Draco. He sets off another spell as he runs, aiming at Snape.
HARRY
Stupefy!
It misses by a hair, Snape turns.
SNAPE
Run, Draco!
He pushes him on, turns to face Harry.
HARRY
(a
shriek)
He trusted you! Why!
Snape's lip curls back in anger. Harry casts another spell.
HARRY
Crucio!
Protego!
Harry's spell is blocked.
SNAPE
No Unforgivables from you, Potter!
He spins away to run after Draco. Harry continues to follow, readies another spell.
HARRY
Incarcerous!
Snape whips back and blocks it seemingly effortlessly.
SNAPE
Blocked again and again until you learn to keep your mouth shut and your mind closed, Potter!
He turns back to run. The rage in Harry drives him over the top. He casts wildly:
HARRY
Sectumsemp--
Snape whirls and his arms spread and a huge wave of force emanates from him. He looks almost like Dumbledore did when casting the Incendio on the stone island. The wave of force knocks Harry over.
No!
He stalks forward a pace towards the fallen Harry.
SNAPE
You will not turn my own spells on me as your father did! Not the spells I created and that you both stole from me!
A shot of the shock on Harry's face.
SNAPE
Yes, I was the Half-Blood Prince, Potter! My book, my spells! Mine!
Harry raises his wand. Snape casts and Harry's wand goes flying. Harry looks back at him snarling.
HARRY
Kill me, then, like you killed Dumbledore! You traitor! You coward--
Snape's rage is terrible as he cuts him off.
Don't call me coward!
He flings out his arms and the wave of force knocks Harry backward; the scene goes to grey to suggest near-unconsciousness and as it fades back in, Harry lies upon the grass, eyes open and staring.
HAGRID
Harry!
Harry's POV; Hagrid appears bending down over Harry.
HAGRID
Harry! Yeh all right?
Shot back on Harry's face. Harry blinks. Hagrid pulls Harry up to a sitting position; he is kneeling next to Harry on the grass.
HAGRID
Harry.
Hagrid is treating Harry gently, able to see Harry's in some kind of shock. Harry is staring through Hagrid.
HARRY
Is Fang all right?
HAGRID
Fang's fine. Got him out safe. What happened, Harry? Was Snape chasing them Death Eaters?
Harry still stares through him.
HARRY
Snape. Snape killed Dumbledore.
HAGRID
What? Oh, no, Harry.
HARRY
Hagrid.
Harry fixes his eyes on Hagrid's.
HARRY
Snape killed Dumbledore.
HAGRID
Harry, you can't say that. You're wrong. You must be.
Harry stands. He takes Hagrid's hand in his and tugs him up; Hagrid gets to his feet, still puzzled. Harry turns and begins to lead Hagrid.
EXT. HOGWARTS GROUNDS BELOW TOWER. NIGHT.
Harry and Hagrid approach the spot where Dumbledore fell. Just a hint of his shape can be seen from where Harry and Hagrid are.
HAGRID
You must be wrong. Dumbledore must have told Snape to go with them Death Eaters, to keep his cover. Snape would never--
He stops. He's seen it.
HAGRID
What's that?
Now it's obviously a body. Harry releases Hagrid's hand and walks forward to it; after a few steps it's identifiable as Dumbledore, sprawled, unquestionably dead, his spectacles next to him on the grass. Harry kneels next to him.
No--! Oh, no.
The shot tracks up to take in Harry next to Dumbledore and Hagrid standing behind them, then as the shot rises a little higher, people can be seen walking across the grass to where Dumbledore's body has fallen. Some move slowly, some move a little more quickly as they get closer. From this distance one can still make out the reactions of those who stop, turn to their companions, put their hands over their mouths to gasp, etc.
Cut back to Harry, kneeling by Dumbledore, now with a number of people around them. There are quiet gasps and choking noises. Ginny, her face streaked with soot and tears, kneels down next to Harry, puts her hand in his.
GINNY
Harry.
She stands, still holding Harry's hand.
GINNY
Come away, Harry.
Harry shakes his head, not wanting to go, still looking at Dumbledore.
GINNY
Please come, Harry. We need to go to the infirmary.
Harry turns his head to look at her. He stands, his hand still in hers.
HARRY
Who else--
GINNY
It's Bill.
INT. INFIRMARY. NIGHT.
Hand in hand, Harry and Ginny enter the infirmary. There are lightly wounded students in a few beds, but the majority of the assembled are near a bed where Bill lies, his face heavily bandaged. He is still. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are standing next to him; Mrs. Weasley is crying. Fleur sits on the edge of his bed. Tonks is near, Lupin and Moody are a little removed. The twins and Ron and Hermione stand at the head of the bed. Pomfrey and McGonagall are also near. Ginny and Harry move closer.
POMFREY
I've done what I can, but these are cursed bites.
MOODY
Greyback's signature. Even when he's not in wolf form.
POMFREY
He'll live, but there will be scarring. And he may take on some wolf traits even if he isn't a true werewolf.
Mrs. Weasley chokes up.
MRS. WEASLEY
It doesn't matter how he looks--but h-he was always such a handsome boy...and he was g-going to be married--
FLEUR
What do you mean, "was going to be married"?
She stands up, the picture of indignation.
FLEUR
You think, because of these bites, because he is part wolf, he will not love me anymore?
MRS. WEASLEY
Oh, no, I didn't--
FLEUR
Or you thought that because he is scarred, I would not wish to marry him?
Her pretty, angry bosom heaves.
FLEUR
It would take more than a werewolf to stop Bill loving me! And what do I care how he looks? All his scars show is how brave he is! I am good-looking enough for both of us, I think!
Mrs. Weasley puts her hand to her mouth with a half-laughing gasp, half-sob in the otherwise dead silent infirmary, and then she and Fleur break the moment falling into each others' arms and sobbing. The shot pulls back to take in the others, with Tonks now in the foreground with Remus a little behind her, and Tonks turns on him.
TONKS
You see! He's been bitten, and she doesn't care!
REMUS
It's different.
Other eyes, including Harry's, are turning to look at Tonks and Remus.
REMUS
Bill won't be a full werewolf.
TONKS
But I don't care either! I've told you a million times--
REMUS
Tonks, I've told you, I'm too old, too poor, too dangerous--
TONKS
Do you love me or not? Because that's all that matters.
MR. WEASLEY
They really don't care, you know.
He gives Remus a small smile, puts his hand on his wife's shoulder.
MR. WEASLEY
I tried to convince this one she was making a foolish choice. Didn't stop her.
He indicates Tonks with a gesture of his head.
MR. WEASLEY
Won't stop
that one, I'm thinking.
It won't.
Remus looks at Tonks helplessly, then gently takes her into his arms. Wide shot of everyone looking somber, yet no longer quite so devastated, as Remus and Tonks hold each other. Their embrace is not a joyous celebration here in this place of sadness, but Tonks's hair turns six different colours in succession as she holds Remus.
Fade to black.
Fade up on:
INT. GREAT HALL. DAY.
A somber tone. There are few students present; all who are form little clusters at the tables. Everyone is dressed neatly. Ron and Hermione are sitting together across from each other, not speaking. They look up as Harry approaches. His face is worse than drawn; there's empty shock on it, and Ron and Hermione look at him with dawning concern.
Close shot on Harry. His voice is hollow.
HARRY:
It's a fake.
He extends his hand, opens it, and drops the locket on the table.
HARRY
It doesn't even have the "s" on it. It's not the Horcrux.
Hermione picks it up in dismay and wonder. She opens it. Harry holds up a folded piece of paper.
HARRY
This was inside it.
Ron takes it, unfolds it, reads it aloud.
RON
"To the Dark
Lord: I know
I will be dead long before you read this. I have stolen the Horcrux and
intend
to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you
meet
your match you will be mortal once more. R.A.B."
He looks up.
RON
Who the bloody
hell is R.A.B.?
HERMIONE:
I wanted to
show you this,
Harry.
She slides an old news clipping
across the table. Her eyes are on Harry's and not the clipping.
HERMIONE
It's a wedding
announcement.
Eileen Prince. Married Tobias Snape. He was a Muggle. And she a witch.
A beat.
HERMIONE
She was
Snape's mother, Harry.
Snape was a half-blood.
Close shot of Harry's face.
HARRY
Is a
half-blood. He's still out
there.
His eyes flick off to an unseen
distance.
HARRY
Somewhere.
The look of cold determination
in his eyes is terrible.
EXT. HOGWARTS GROUNDS. DAY.
Close shot on Harry's face,
same angle as the last shot. Shot pulls back to show that he is seated
outdoors
between Hermione and Ginny, Ron on the other side of Hermione, and all
of them
are in the sort of chairs you'd expect for an outdoor wedding, except
of course
that this is the funeral of Albus Dumbledore. The shot pulls back to
take in
the rows and rows of students, teachers, all the mourners. And there
are many.
The shot takes in the unnamed man in front of them giving the elegy,
whose
words are only partly heard (Most are deliberately obscured by the film
score).
FUNERAL
SPEAKER
...but without
his nobility of
spirit, his greatness of heart, Albus Dumbledore's intellectual
contributions
would only have been notes in a textbook, awards on a wall. Because of
his
bravery, his goodness, the wizarding world knew it had a champion for
the great
and small alike...
The shot continues to pull back
during this and the white tomb of Dumbledore comes into view. The shot
pulls up
to take in the grand scope of the funeral. A spot of red alights upon
the white
tomb, then it shoots up into the air, resolving itself as Fawkes, who
bursts
into glorious flame just as he fills the shot and then fades.
EXT. HOGWARTS GROUNDS. DAY.
Harry is walking towards a spot
that juts out over the lake. He stops upon this prominence. Ginny
appears
behind him. He seems to know she is there, looks back at her.
HARRY
Dumbledore
left me something to
do.
Her brow furrows just a bit, as
if not understanding the question. Then, as if she's decided she does,
it
smooths, though she does not smile.
GINNY
Then I'll help
you.
Harry keeps looking at her. He waits
to speak for a moment, but he does not falter. He shakes his head a
little.
HARRY
Can't. These
weeks with you,
it's been like...living someone else's life. Someone else's fantastic
life.
He shakes his head again.
HARRY
I can't. I
look at you, and I
think, if that were you, back there--your funeral because of me...
Her face is sober, but she does
not cry, does not look angry.
HARRY
I want to
chuck everything he
left me to keep on having that fantastic life. And I can't.
Ginny looks down, then looks at
him again and nods. She's not angry.
GINNY
Do what you
have to. I'll wait.
I've waited this long, haven't I?
HARRY
Ginny--
GINNY
Let me do what
I have to. It's
all right. It's part of why I like you so much.
She does not kiss him, but she
smiles a little, backs away a few steps with her eyes on him, then
turns and
walks away. Harry makes himself look away from her. The prominence he's
on has
a little pathway below it that leads a number of feet down to the very
edge of
the lake and Harry walks down this to stand right at the edge. Fairly
close
shot on Harry looking out at the lake. Suddenly Ron and Hermione come
into the
shot on either side of him. They are smiling a little.
HERMIONE
You don't get
rid of us that
easily.
She hugs him from the side. Ron
puts his hand on Harry's shoulder on the other side of him.
RON
Yeah. Always
thinking you've
got to go it alone. You've got a complex a mile wide, mate.
Harry looks almost bewildered.
HARRY
You
don't--this is too
dangerous.
Hermione actually laughs.
HERMIONE
Not more than
a troll in the
bathroom.
Ron is jaunty.
RON
Or a
three-headed dog. Or a
game of wizard's chess.
HERMIONE
We've had
plenty of opportunity
to turn back, Harry. Don't you get it now that we never will?
RON
With you to
the end. After Bill
and Fleur's wedding, of course. Rather face Voldemort than mum's wrath
if the
three of us miss that.
Though it doesn't quite reach
his eyes, Harry smiles. He looks out towards the lake. Short distance
shot of
the three of them holding onto each other, all looking out over the
lake. Fade
to black.
ROLL CREDITS.
Author's Notes:
When I started this I did not know it was going to be a full screenplay. Hell no. I started out describing scenes shorthand--"Lucius grovelling before Voldemort, V. reprimands him for breaking the prophecy, L. begs for another chance," etc. But immediately I found I was separating out things scene by scene, and all these lines kept slipping in here and there. I found myself typing: "VOLDEMORT: I can allow a second chance. But not, I think, to you," and feeling a little mmph of satisfaction. And then I was describing Harry noticing Dumbledore's blackened hand and what came out after was, "DUMBLEDORE: Oh, that. I fear that would take quite a lot of explaining. Later, perhaps." And the lines kept showing up here and showing up there, dropped in wherever they seemed to burst out within the short notes of description (I heard the whole post-Quidditch-tryouts dialogue with Harry and Hermione in my head, right up to and including the "Where's Malfoy?" moment and had to put all of that down, had to, because it pleased me so to hear it in my head), until I got to a scene--the first scene in Dumbledore's office--where I knew I was about to do some big-time compression of Tom Riddle's family history and half-a-dozen pensieve jaunts and all the Horcrux hints, and I could not craft it any other way except line by spoken line. Hearing what one character said and what it would make the other character say in response until I'd told the audience everything I needed them to know in that scene--pretty much the way I write everything I write. And I finished that scene, line by spoken line, and saw what I'd done to compress it and how it was going to lead to more compression later, and my entire body was just singing, seeing and feeling how it had all just fallen out on paper that way. It was exactly the way I had felt when I was writing my first HP fanfic. And I thought, oh, shit, I can't do this one halfway after all, can I.
Note that "not doing it halfway" still does not mean that every nuance, every gesture or facial expression or bit of business or volume of voice or pause is described here, the way it would be if this were a story meant to be read. This screenplay may feel a little flat to some in the reading, but that's because I wanted to make it as much a real screenplay as I could. A screenplay isn't supposed to include every camera angle or every throat-catch or every movement of the eyes; it is supposed to leave room for the director and the actors to make those choices. It's a screenplay, not a shooting script.
I did not go back and reread HBP before I began to write it. I didn't even read HBP cover to cover during the writing of it. What I did--what let me write it, made me want to write it--was to rely on what I remembered in HBP and therefore what I remembered as important. Also, I had just finished my second go-through--detailed, via audiobook--of Deathly Hallows, so I knew what was going to be important to establish for the last film and what could be let go if it didn't contribute. As I wrote, I had my textfile of HBP open and consulted it hugely, of course, remembering what scenes had lines that deserved to be lifted entirely, skimming through chapters to see if I'd missed anything vital--for the most part, in the skimming, what I found were bits that made me say, "Oh, I would have liked to have got that line in there," but finding nowhere to put them and, indeed, abandoning them. What I had from memory, other than the actual spoken lines that I lifted, turned out to be enough to make into a screenplay, without looking for bits that I'd forgotten. They'd been forgotten for a reason; they weren't vital.
Which is not to say there weren't parts I did remember and would have liked to have seen but just couldn't find room for. In fact, here are the DVD extras--the bits I wish I'd found room to put in but had to abandon. 1. I wish I could have named Regulus Black somewhere. I wanted Slughorn to do it in his line about Sirius going into Gryffindor and Regulus into Slytherin, "but I'd have liked the set." But a lot of dialogue goes into getting him even to the subject of Sirius. Couldn't justify it. 2. I would have liked to have had a line about how the Dark Mark is left over houses where Death Eaters have committed murder, but I reduced the hint of it to a newspaper headline instead. And I figured no one would see the Dark Mark over Hogwarts and assume that the DEs had just come for tea. 3. After Harry meets Slughorn, I wanted to give Dumbledore this line somewhere: "I'll warn you, he'll try to cultivate you. He's that sort." But there was no proper segue for it; Dumbledore's statements about needing allies seemed too showcased to interrupt them with that line. I ended up giving a transmogrification of it to Zabini on the train. 4. Ron was supposed to say something after his line about Harry becoming obsessed with Draco Malfoy, a subtextual shout-out like, "You'll be engaged at this rate." And then I cut it, not out of shame but because the scene was already too talky. Meh.
And I solemnly swear I am not the actress who plays Madam Pomfrey; I have no agenda about her. There just turned out to be a hell of a lot of infirmary scenes.
When I was done, I read this out loud to myself, at about the pace I imagined it filmed, pausing for the action and action sequences and such, and it clocked at 1 hour 40 minutes. So adding on all the exterior-establishing shots that the HP films always include and the credits, whaddya know, it might not be too far off.
HBP is not my favorite book of the series. It is, in fact, my least favorite, because of the endless pensieve exposition, the flat Harry/Ginny romance, and, worst of all, the way the Spinner's End chapter robbed me of any suspense about Snape's motives as well as anvil-ing me that Snape would have to kill Dumbledore before the book's end--which would have been acceptable had Harry also been in on that knowledge by the book's end, but it didn't so it ain't. And that's why, I imagine, the frenzy took me to write out every line of this--to have the utterly arrogant opportunity to craft a film out of this that I wanted to see, while still maintaining the backbone of the story. The film of OotP, in particular, showed me how much one can cut and compress and change a text while still pleasing even this die-hard fan.
While I wrote, I thought to myself, "People are going to hate some of these choices with a passion. Some of the cuts and compresses and changes will give them, 'Dude, what are you smoking?' conniptions." And I LOVED that. The idea that anyone would give a s**t spurred me on, I mean it. Because to me there is no meta more passionate than full-on fanfiction, and I think this is my most ambitious meta/fanfiction to date.
So, yes, please, there is a giant "Discuss" that
should be inferred at the end of this thing. Telll me what you would
have done
differently, what breaks your heart to see cut. (Maybe it broke mine to
cut it
too.) Tell me if you see what you think are mistakes, and I'll admit if
I
messed up or I'll tell you if I did that deliberately. If you would
like to participate in discussion on my livejournal
or on my
insanejournal, those are the links to the discussion posts.
And yes, I want to do Deathly Hallows too. JUST
NOT QUITE
YET. *collapses*
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