HOGWARTS, GREENHOUSE THREE

It is dark. HARRY sits in an otherwise empty greenhouse, at a desk that is far too small. He is surrounded by all sorts of peculiar plants and fungi, each looking more dangerous than the next. Giant, umbrella-sized flowers hang from the ceiling behind him. A door opens and a man enters, late 30s, his long face in a massive book. We mostly see the side parting in his hair until he glances up keenly at HARRY — it is NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM.

HARRY: Find anything, Neville?

NEVILLE: It's the flies. That's your difficulty. They must be snuffed during a very particular age... near the end of their life expectancy. That's — one hundred and ninety years.

HARRY: The Lacewing flies have to be one hundred and ninety years old?

NEVILLE closes the book and sits on a trestle bench in the center of the greenhouse.

NEVILLE: Yes, I'm afraid. And you can't rightly borrow the potion from someone before they have a chance to use it. Even after. There's always leftovers. Wizards often brew too much Polyjuice. Err on the side of caution. Spillage and so forth. But even if you found a cauldron full of the stuff, none'll be usable. The form will have already been assigned from the hair that was added.

HARRY: It's a shame you can't reverse it, you know?

NEVILLE looks away in thought.

NEVILLE: Well... come to think of it...

There's a silence.

HARRY (off NEVILLE's expression): It's possible?

NEVILLE takes down a book from a nearby shelf. It's covered in earth. He wipes it clean and flips through the pages, not hesitating to lick his finger periodically.

NEVILLE: You came to the right person, Harry. This is certainly a Herbological problem. If you're able to gather the right ingredients — and enough Polyjuice that won't be missed — it's possible to reverse the designated form and reassign the potion.

HARRY seizes the book.

HARRY (excitedly): Neville, you've cracked it!

NEVILLE: The effects will diminish in half the time — but that's not exactly the problem, is it?

NEVILLE looks uncomfortable with how keen HARRY is to find a solution.

Now, the... the book doesn't list the exact measurements... or, say, the temperature... and these items may be hard to come by...

HARRY tears out the page.

Harry, I don't know why you're so enthusiastic. Finding a readily brewed cauldron of Polyjuice Potion that won't be missed sounds next to impossible. Especially with you being on the run from the Ministry.

HARRY (charmingly): Magic makes everything possible, Mister Longbottom.

HARRY holds out the Time-Turner.

Fourth year. Triwizard Tournament. A certain Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor and the never-ending flask of Polyjuice Potion on his hip.

NEVILLE (incredulously): When Crouch was disguising himself as Mad-Eye Moody? But he'll definitely notice it missing.

HARRY: Which is precisely why I need to wait until the very end. Take it from him during the final task.

NEVILLE looks increasingly concerned as HARRY paces the room and stares at the thick condensation on the greenhouse windows, recalling a tournament long past.

He'll be in the stands. I can swipe it from him — right then and there. In fact, I'll solve that one straightaway. I'm already at Hogwarts. After a quick jaunt to the past, I'll get to collecting everything off this list. Honestly, Neville, I couldn't have done it without you.

HARRY is grinning confidently as he pockets the torn page from NEVILLE's book.

Now, a hair from Lucius Malfoy is going to be tough.

NEVILLE: But... the proper specifications...

HARRY: Minor setback.

NEVILLE (softly): Harry.

HARRY: What?

NEVILLE steadily removes a magic wand from his robe. His eyes are heavy with frightened determination. HARRY's smile fades as we hear a sequence of celestial but unsettling music.

NEVILLE: I didn't know if I'd be able to do this... when the time came... but...

HARRY is taken aback. This is not the first time a friend has held a wand on him tonight.

HARRY (carefully): Maybe you don't understand.

NEVILLE: You can't go back. You'll change things. The wizarding world will be in even more trouble.

HARRY raises his arms. He is defenseless.

Do you know how much I relied on the forest? It was a vital part of my curriculum. What you did with the centaurs... I can't step a toe past the trees. Hagrid has to gather everything for me, Harry. They only allow him because he's half giant. And I'm meant to believe you'll fix things for the better? What happened to Albus and Ginny is awful, but there's no way I'm letting you leave here with that Time-Turner.

HARRY: Neville, you don't know what you're doing.

NEVILLE: Your mission is a mistake. Going back to the Triwizard Tournament? Right as Voldemort is returning? One wrong step and we're all dead. I won't let you do it. I'll fight you, if I must.

HARRY (calmly): And if I run?

NEVILLE: Even if you manage to escape, I'll alert the Ministry. You're done, Harry.

NEVILLE motions for HARRY to leave the greenhouse. They enter the stone corridor, lit by a row of torch brackets.

HARRY: Where are you taking me?

NEVILLE: The dungeons. Until the Aurors arrive. The students will be awake in a few hours. I can't have you disrupting —

They stop suddenly as a MALE VOICE is heard.

MALE VOICE: Out for an evening stroll?

HARRY spins on his heels. NEVILLE keeps his wand on HARRY. Then we see who was speaking to them as RON steps out from behind a large statue. HERMIONE follows, her wand at the ready.

NEVILLE: Ron. Hermione. I know how this must look, but —

HERMIONE (genuinely apologetic): Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this.

She raises her wand. NEVILLE sighs, accepting his fate.

NEVILLE: Not again...

HERMIONE: Petrificus Totalus!

NEVILLE drops his wand as his arms and legs snap together. His face goes rigid. NEVILLE sways for a moment until he tips to the right and slams to the ground. RON and HERMIONE approach him looking guilty. Then RON coughs.

RON: We had to, Neville. For Harry.

HARRY: Am I pleased to see you.

He looks at them both, stricken with emotion.

I thought I had to face this fight alone.

HERMIONE: You've never fought alone.

RON: And you never will.

HARRY, RON, and HERMIONE hug and the audience give a collective sigh. The Trio is back and we just know that nothing will ever come between them again! HARRY rubs the tears from his eyes and, honestly, so does everyone in attendance.

HARRY: This is going to be dangerous.

RON: We know.

HARRY: You do understand... even using the Time-Turner will risk your lives.

HERMIONE: We're ready to put our lives at risk.

RON: If we're doing this, we're doing it together.

HARRY can hardly look at his friends, he's so grateful to have them back.

HARRY: I'm sorry. For it all.

RON: So am I. But that's all in the past, mate.

RON and HARRY nod to one another. They smile.

Now... let's go save your family.

They step over NEVILLE. They exit, arm in arm.

Fade to black