Once More with Phoenix

Once More with Phoenix

Scene 9

Dark Lord of the Dance

MUSIC: "Dawn's Ballet"

Harry is sitting in the Great Hall taking his History of Magic OWL. A wasp is buzzing against the window and the very elderly Professor Marchbanks is standing next to a desk with a large hourglass to mark the time. Harry is seated behind Parvati, looking distracted; he starts to write some words but then his quill hovers over his parchment. In a rush, the viewer is drawn into Harry's eye and then his mind. We see from Harry's PoV: he is dancing down the corridor in the Department of Mysteries, moving to the rhythm of the music, growing closer and closer to the door at the end, sometimes breaking into a dance-run. The black door springs open and Harry is seen from someone else's point of view now--he's in the circular room of doors. He twirls in the center, then pushes through one of them and is in a glittering room, the sound of clocks ticking in the background; he pushes through another door and he is in the Hall of Prophecies. Harry dances through it, the glass spheres shining on the shelves, and sees, at the end of an aisle, a dark shape lying on the floor. The ballet music stops and the sound of tap-dancing is heard, clearly coming from the person whose point of view it is. Harry sings to the figure on the floor--yet it is not his voice.

HARRY

Why'd you hide away?
Don't you like my--style?

Cut to an omniscient PoV, which reveals that the singer is Voldemort, in a voluminous black hooded cloak lined with red silk, and Harry is not actually there. Voldemort is singing in a high, cruel, falsetto. He points his wand at the figure on the floor; the figure convulses under the onslaught. He lifts the spell from his victim, still singing mockingly, then points his wand again.

VOLDEMORT

Why don't you come and play?
Imperio! Now--you will smile!

The victim convulses again but does not rise nor show his face. Voldemort lifts his wand again and twirls around, his robes swirling, as he does a little soft-shoe step while he sings.

VOLDEMORT, cont'd.

You shall obey every instruction
Before your little friends learn of your abduction.
So what do you say?
Why don't we dance a while?

He points his wand again and makes the man's body levitate; his head is bowed forward, long hair obscuring the face, as the spell makes his arms and legs move in the same dance steps as Voldemort.

VOLDEMORT, cont'd.

I'm the heart of it.
I'm what it's all a--bout.

He gestures to the many glass globes on the shelves around them as he continues to tap dance.

VOLDEMORT, cont'd.

That Dumbledore won't quit!
He tried his best to--keep me out.

Some Death Eaters appear, their heads covered by hoods with small slits for the eyes and mouths, and begin to do some backup dancing while pointing their wands at the eerily dancing body to which Voldemort is singing.

VOLDEMORT, cont'd.

I can't touch it--
You'll take it for me.
And all your stalling is just
Starting to bore me.

He points his wand at the figure, again, which starts to convulse in pain. The hair falls back from the face and we can see now that it is Sirius, his face bleeding, screaming in agony. Cut back to Harry in the Great Hall, whose eyes are glazed over as he points his wand in front of him, the other fifth-years scrambling out of his way; he's singing, but it's Voldemort's voice that's coming from his mouth.

HARRY

Now we're partying:
That's what it's all about.

Cut back to Voldemort, who is standing in exactly the same posture as Harry, pointing his wand. Sirius convulses in pain, screaming as the Death Eaters continue to dance in a circle around him.

VOLDEMORT

'Cause he knows
How you feel, Black.
Lord Vol--demort is wait--ing, Black...

SIRIUS
(whispered, not sung)

You'll have to kill me... You'll have to kill me...

VOLDEMORT
(shrugging as he dances)

Un--doubtedly
I shall in the end...
Ah--

Voldemort points his wand at Sirius again; he convulses in pain. The Death Eaters dance around Sirius some more, who is on the floor, trying to catch his breath, looking as horrified by the dancing around him as by the torture.

VOLDEMORT, cont'd.

But before I do
You'll fetch it for me,
Black, my friend...

He points his wand at Sirius, who screams.

VOLDEMORT, cont'd.

Soon you'll dance for me--
You'll know true pain.
And who knows?
Maybe you'll luck out and go insane...
Scream! No one'll hear.
We've all got loads of time to spend.
Ah.

Cut back to Harry, who is standing in the middle of the Great Hall, singing with Voldemort's voice and evil facial expressions while everyone stares at him, horrified.

HARRY

You are what Potter values most
I heard it from a friend
If he wants you living, not a ghost,
He'll come before your end!

Cut back to Voldemort, who is making Sirius dance again.

VOLDEMORT

'Cause he sees you right here, Black!

SIRIUS

(overlapping slightly with Voldemort's lyrics)

Harry help, hurry please, I can't stand it much longer...

VOLDEMORT

What is it you fear, Black?

SIRIUS

Don't be late!
Do you hate
Me? Don't wait
Too much longer!

Voldemort goes into an elaborate jazz routine, ignoring Sirius now, just looking pleased with himself.

VOLDEMORT

I can bring whole cities to ruin
And still have time to get a soft-shoe in.

SIRIUS

Well that's brill, but he'll kill
You and then this'll be done!

Dancing more elaborately while backed up by the Death Eaters.

VOLDEMORT

I heard Grindelwald had two left feet
But I am diff'rent--I'm Dark Lord of the Downbeat!

SIRIUS

It's your head! You're so dead!
You see, Harry's my godson.

The music stops abruptly but Voldemort smiles wickedly, very pleased.

VOLDEMORT
(speaking, not singing)

Yes, I know...

Voldemort cackles evilly; cut back to Harry, standing in the Great Hall, singing in the same posture as Voldemort, with his voice.

HARRY

Now we're partying...
That's what it's all about.

Harry collapses, holding his scar and screaming. The hall breaks into pandemonium.

---