HARRY POTTER'S HOUSE — CHRISTMAS

Lights come up on the living room, now festooned with garlands and Christmas decorations, an ornament-laden tree stands tall beside the fireplace, surrounded by hovering candles. Under the tree — open boxes, shredded shiny paper, and discarded ribbon. ROBESPIERRE is passed out on the sofa, a gravy-stained dinner napkin around his neck. A knock comes to the door. HARRY enters from the kitchen. He is wearing an apron, looking frazzled, a dish towel draped over one shoulder. He opens the door. It's DELPHI, she's holding a wrapped gift.

HARRY: Delphi. What a pleasant surprise.

DELPHI: Well, it's Christmas. I thought you might want company.

HARRY: Yes, please come in.

He dries his hands with the towel and escorts her inside. HARRY lifts off his apron. His glasses are now askew, his hair a total mess. He catches a glimpse of himself in the hallway mirror.

Would you mind?

DELPHI giggles and styles his hair with a charm. She pushes back those wayward strands that always fight the spell as he adjusts his glasses. They both smile, reminded of simpler days.

DELPHI: Better?

HARRY: Much. What's in the box?

DELPHI hands it to him. HARRY shakes the box. There's a muffled rumble.

Sounds like an old shoe.

DELPHI: That's because it is.

HARRY unwraps the package curiously. He pulls back the tissue paper. It's a shoe.

HARRY: You brought me an old shoe.

DELPHI (laughing): It was a tradition in my family every year for someone to get the shoe. I don't even remember how the joke got started. I was very little. Something with my Uncle and his short-term memory loss. Anyhow, I thought if anyone deserved the shoe this year, it's Harry Potter.

HARRY: I... don't know how to thank you. Honestly. It's about the worst gift I've ever gotten. And that's saying something. The Dursleys gave me a thumbtack one year.

They share a much-needed laugh and HARRY adds her shoe to the heap of gifts and paper below the tree. Next to them, ROBESPIERRE snores on. DELPHI looks surprised by the number of gifts.

Ginny didn't have much growing up, so she never let us buy too many presents for the kids. I was always envious of my cousin Dudley on Christmas morning, how much he got to unwrap. And this being their first holiday without her, I... I may have overcompensated.

DELPHI: Maybe a little. But it's the thought, isn't it? You wanted to give them hope for the future, show them you care. They probably spent hours around the tree this morning, smiling, laughing. That's a good thing.

HARRY: I suppose.

DELPHI: My family life wasn't so warm. I am who I am because there was so much pressure to achieve. I never got a day to myself. It was always — "Our hope lies in you" — because none of them ever accomplished their goals. They're living vicariously through me these days.

HARRY: You should bring your parents by the Ministry some time. Give them the grand tour.

DELPHI hesitates, they lock eyes for a moment. Her face is suddenly more serious than expected.

DELPHI: It's complicated. Mum passed away when I was very young and Dad... well, as I said, it's complicated. My Uncle was the one who raised me. And he's a very intense person. I'm a little jealous of Lily, to be honest. I would've given anything to grow up in a home like this.

HARRY: Maybe you can relate to Lily, now that her Mum has passed as well. She could use a woman in her life who isn't a relative. And I'm no replacement for Ginny. No one is. (beat) Any news on that front? Voldemort, and that? I don't know anything.

DELPHI: Yeah, I saw your stack of unread, frozen newspapers on the stoop. Are you sure you're ready to hear any of this?

HARRY nods.

Well, Voldemort was charged with violating hundreds of laws, as you would've guessed, most under penalty of death. The first round of trials has run its course. The Wizengamot found him guilty, naturally. There's more to go, but the sentence for his crimes remains the same.

HARRY: The Dementor's Kiss. (DELPHI nods) Has Voldemort said anything to defend himself?

DELPHI: He still hasn't spoken a word.

LILY enters from the kitchen.

LILY: Dad, can we be done? I'd like to spend some time with my new broomstick.

HARRY: Sure, Lily.

Hearing them, JAMES enters.

JAMES: I'll be taking this.

He snatches a wooden box from under the tree and stops for a moment to consider DELPHI with an unemotional smile, as LILY fishes out a polished broomstick from a flurry of wrapping paper. Then we watch as JAMES walks up the stairs and exits through a door off the second-floor hallway.

HARRY (to LILY): Just keep to the neighborhood. We can't have the Muggles seeing. I need the Ministry harping on me like I need another killing curse to the head. They're on me enough as it is for taking time off work. Have you seen? They sent someone to reprimand me.

LILY grins and dresses for the cold.

LILY: That's not true, Dad. Happy Christmas, Delphi.

DELPHI: Hi, Lily. Happy Christmas.

LILY (to HARRY): Did you even offer her something to eat?

HARRY (to DELPHI): Are you hungry? Let me fix you a plate.

DELPHI: I'm fine, thank you.

LILY pulls a thick winter hat onto her head.

LILY: Are you staying for dessert? Dad has been working on a cranberry trifle all afternoon. (she lowers her voice) It looks dreadful.

DELPHI: I'd like that.

LILY opens the door and exits with the broomstick. ALBUS is last to enter from the kitchen. He sees DELPHI and is immediately displeased.

ALBUS: What's she doing here? It's Christmas. Only family, remember?

We are to assume that ALBUS' displeasure is in relation to a former argument about visitors, namely SCORPIUS MALFOY.

HARRY: Delphi has no one to spend Christmas with... and Robe is living with us...

ALBUS: Oh, she's moving in now?

HARRY: What? Al, can we take a break from fighting for at least a day. You win, all right?

ALBUS approaches DELPHI and HARRY, his abject condescension coming off like an aura.

ALBUS (to DELPHI): Looks like he's found a shoulder to cry on after all. There are some cold scraps left on the table. Try not to choke on them. (beat) Or do.

He mounts the stairs, two steps at a time.

HARRY: Albus, apologize.

ALBUS reaches the landing and exits through another door off the second-floor hallway.

DELPHI: It's okay, Harry.

HARRY (loudly): Come down here and apologize. That's it, I'm donating all your Christmas presents to an orphanage.

The bedroom door opens slightly.

ALBUS (from off): Splendid! Find out if they have an extra bed for me, will you?

HARRY tries to brush it off in front of DELPHI, but he is visibly heartsick.

HARRY (to DELPHI): I need to clean up the kitchen. Care to join me?

DELPHI: I'd love to.