Once More with Phoenix

Once More with Phoenix

Scene 8

Wish I Could Stay

Marietta is standing outside Umbridge's office, hesitating once more before finally knocking. Umbridge swings open the door; upon seeing Marietta she smiles "sweetly."

UMBRIDGE

Yes? Can I help you?

Marietta looks around the corridor cautiously.

MARIETTA

May I come in, please, Professor?

Umbridge nods and steps back to allow Marietta to enter.

UMBRIDGE

What is your name?

MARIETTA

Marietta Edgecombe, ma'am.

UMBRIDGE

Edgecombe... Edgecombe... Where do I know that name?

MARIETTA

My mum works for the Floo Network Office...

Umbridge is smiling brightly now–for her.

UMBRIDGE

Ah, yes! Your mum has been very helpful, very helpful indeed. And I take it you'd like to be just as helpful, eh? All right, then, what is it? Some rule-breaking I should know about...?

Umbridge sits behind her desk and waves Marietta to a chair; Marietta fumbles with her robes, looking away from Umbridge. The light is catching a mirror hanging on the wall, surrounded by the kitten plates, and Marietta sees reflected in the mirror an image of Harry helping Cho conjure a Patronus, standing very close to her.

MARIETTA

There's something I want to tell you. I--I thought you should know... There's this secret room on the seventh floor... some people call it The Room of Requirement. You have to need it for it to appear. Anyway, if you go there... you'll find out something. Something important to you...

Umbridge stands and walks around her desk, leaning on it and peering closely at Marietta.

UMBRIDGE

What sort of something? Come on, girl. Speak!

Marietta is staring at the mirror again, seeing images of Harry and Cho together; she does not stop looking at the mirror while she speaks.

MARIETTA

A meeting. Right now.

UMBRIDGE

A meeting, eh?

She smiles nastily. Marietta is still looking at the mirror; the images of Harry and Cho fade and she sees her own face, with the word SNEAK written across it in raised purple pustules. She gasps; Umbridge is unsympathetic.

UMBRIDGE, cont'd.

What sort of meeting? Talk! You'll feel better after you do... This is really all for the best, you know...

Marietta is still looking at the mirror in horror. Umbridge looks impatient.

UMBRIDGE, cont'd.

Don't fret, don't fret... All right, then, we'll find a counter-curse... That'll make you quite chatty, yes?

She pulls down a book from a shelf and leafs through it hastily; she takes down another, and another, while Marietta looks back at the mirror; instead of her own image, however, she sees Harry and Cho again; Cho is conjuring a swan Patronus, beautiful and silvery, while she smiles broadly and Harry looks on with approval. When Umbridge throws down another book Marietta looks back at her.

UMBRIDGE, cont'd.

Never mind the counter-curse! You wait here--I need to alert my Inquisitorial Squad. Don't go anywhere!

Umbridge storms out; Marietta turns back to the mirror, to the images of Harry and Cho.

MARIETTA

I wish I could stay in the DA, but I just couldn't watch the two of you any more... It hurts too much to see that--

She begins to sing to the tune of "Under your Spell".

MARIETTA, cont'd.

You're under his spell.
That's why I confessed.
Umbridge feels it's for the best.

Cut to the Room of Requirement; while Marietta continues to sing in voice-over (V.O.) we see Dobby talking soundlessly to Harry, then all of the members of the DA fleeing the room; in the corridor Harry trips and is caught by Malfoy. Umbridge grabs Harry's arm.

MARIETTA, cont'd. (V.O.)

He worked his charm too well.
Have some faith in me,
Let him have Hermione!

Cut to Dumbledore's office; it's in a shambles, Umbridge, Shacklebolt, Fudge, Percy and Dawlish having been stunned. Dumbledore stands in the middle of the room, his wand drawn. McGonagall huddles on the floor with Harry, in the debris; Marietta sits beside them, but she is looking at an image of Cho in one of Dumbledore's silver instruments, to which she sings.

MARIETTA, cont'd.

I wish you'd--

MARIETTA & DUMBLEDORE
(singing in unison)

Believe--

DUMBLEDORE
(while Marietta holds her note he sings to Harry)

--me I don't want to go.

BOTH
(in unison)

And it'll grieve me ‘cause I love you so.
But we both know...
Wish I could--

Dumbledore holds out his hand to Harry, who is oblivious, as he sings to the tune of "Standing in the Way" in harmony with Marietta.

DUMBLEDORE

--say the right words
To lead you through this land,
Wish I could play the father
And take you by the hand--

Marietta is still singing to Cho's image, overlapping and harmonising with Dumbledore.

MARIETTA

--make you see that it's best this way,
For I must do what I must
I can't adjust to this disgust
It's done and I just--

BOTH
(harmonising)

--wish I could stay!
Wish I could stay...
Wish I could stay...
Wish I could--
Stay.

Marietta sadly touches the silvery image of Cho before it disappears and she sinks down onto the floor with Harry and McGonagall, her disoriented expression now reflecting her memory-charmed state. On the other side of the room Dawlish starts to stir. Dumbledore bends over and grasps Harry's wrist.

DUMBLEDORE

Remember--close your mind--

Harry convulses in pain, closing his eyes; Dumbledore lowers his voice to a whisper.

DUMBLEDORE, cont'd.

--you will understand.

Fawkes circles the office and swoops low; Dumbledore releases Harry, raises his hand and grasps the phoenix's long golden tail. There is a flash of fire and the pair of them are gone. Fudge gets to his feet; he is furious.

FUDGE

Where is he? WHERE IS HE?

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