Darkness Falls

Darkness Falls

Act 6

To Family and Good Friends

INT. HOGWARTS - GREAT HALL

The Great Hall in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is filled with students and parents, as the graduation ceremony has just finished.

Harry, Hermione, and Neville, stand next to the rest of the Weasley family, as they congratulate Ginny, who is dressed in a scarlet ceremonial robe.

She still appears very weak after her encounter in the Chamber of Secrets.

ARTHUR

Dumbledore really outdid himself

this year. This was the best

ceremony yet.

Fred and George grin mischievously.

GEORGE

I don't know Dad, me and Fred's

graduation was pretty memorable.

ARTHUR WEASLEY chuckles, but stops when his wife, MOLLY, glares at him. She shakes her finger at her twin sons, FRED and GEORGE.

MOLLY

Don't think I've forgiven you two

for leaving school early!

FRED

Oh come on mum, there was no reason

for us to take the N.E.W.T.S. We

already had everything we needed.

GEORGE

Yeah, thanks to Harry that is.

Molly glares at Harry, then softens and shakes her head, smiling wistfully.

MOLLY

Don't worry Harry. I don't blame

you.

Arthur attempts to change the subject, and turns to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

ARTHUR

So, how soon are you three going to

be back at work?

HARRY

We'll be back on Wednesday sir.

HERMIONE

We're going to see Ginny off at the

train station tomorrow.

ARTHUR

(smiles warmly)

Very good.

He turns to his wife.

ARTHUR (CONT'D)

Well, I think we should probably

leave now if we want to be home by

midnight.

Molly pulls Ginny into a tight embrace.

MOLLY

Congratulations dear. We're all

very proud of you.

GINNY

Thanks for coming Mum...Dad.

Arthur leans down and kisses his daughter on the cheek.

ARTHUR

We'll see you tomorrow.

Arthur and Molly Weasley turn and exit the great hall.

PERCY and his wife PENELOPE follow, as do BILL and his wife FLEUR. They wave as they leave.

CHARLIE, Ginny's second oldest brother, playfully grabs her from behind with his right arm.

CHARLIE

Sorry Gin, but I have to get back

as well.

GINNY

(disappointed)

Are you sure?

CHARLIE

(grins)

Well I do if I want to hang onto my

job.

Ginny laughs.

CHARLIE (CONT'D)

Hopefully I'll make it home for

Christmas this year. See you all

later.

He waves to the others and follows his parents from the Great Hall.

Fred turns to Ginny, and rubs his hands together in anticipation.

FRED

So Ginny, where's the party going

to be?

GINNY

(nervously)

You two aren't leaving?

GEORGE

And miss our last chance for a party

at Hogwarts? Never!

GINNY

Actually, we're not having it here.

It's going to be at The Three

Broomsticks.

Fred and George look at each other and grin.

FRED & GEORGE

Excellent!

EXT. HOGSMEADE - STREETS - NIGHT

The ground is still slightly moist from all the rain that fell over the weekend, but the sky is now clear and the stars are shining brightly in the night sky.

Harry and friends walk along the colorfully decorated streets of Hogsmeade, the United Kingdom's only all-wizard community.

Other seventh year students and their families are also out celebrating.

Harry notices that Hermione is walking behind the rest of the group, lost in thought. He drops back to talk to her.

HARRY

Anything wrong Hermione?

HERMIONE

It's nothing.

Harry says nothing for a few seconds as they continue to walk.

HARRY

Anything to do with Ron?

Hermione glances at him nervously.

HARRY (CONT'D)

You guys haven't spoken to each

other since the night after we

arrived.

HERMIONE

Is it that obvious?

HARRY

Well...yeah, actually.

HERMIONE

Did Ron tell you what happened?

Harry shakes his head as they continue to walk.

HERMIONE (CONT'D)

Do you remember how serious Ron

became last year? About us?

HARRY

(grins)

Ah...he started that up again did

he?

HERMIONE

Yes.

HARRY

Why don't you just tell him how you

feel? Maybe he'll finally give up.

Hermione looks over at him pleadingly.

HERMIONE

That's just it Harry. I don't want

him to stop, because I love him too.

Harry stops in front of her and grabs her gently by the shoulders.

HARRY

Then why don't you tell him?

HERMIONE

I can't!

HARRY

Why?

Hermione turns away from Harry.

HERMIONE

We're at war Harry.

HARRY

Who?

(grins)

You and Ron?

HEMIONE

With Voldemort.

Harry nods in understanding.

HERMIONE (CONT'D)

There haven't been any big battles

yet, but they are coming. You know

they are.

She turns to face Harry again, with tears in her eyes.

HERMIONE (CONT'D)

I couldn't bear to fall in love

with Ron, and start a family, just

to lose it, or lose him.

HARRY

I understand what you're saying

Hermione, but you can't just shut

off your emotions, it's not healthy.

Hermione frowns dejectedly as she wipes the tears from her eyes.

HERMIONE

That's rich, coming from you! The

Poster boy for the emotionally

disturbed....

Harry remains calm.

HARRY

Do you know who told me that?

HERMIONE

(angry)

Severus Snape? No? How about

Sirius then!

HARRY

No.

(pause)

You did.

Hermione looks down sadly.

HARRY (CONT'D)

It comes down to a simple choice

Hermione. Either you choose to

share a brief moment of happiness

with the person you love, or you

choose to live in regret for the

rest of your life, over something

that you could easily have had.

Hermione quickly wipes the tears from her eyes, as George suddenly appears out of the shadows and jogs up to them.

GEORGE

There you two are! Get lost did

ya?

He waves them on.

GEORGE (CONT'D)

Well, come on then!

(grins)

The party's waiting!

Harry and Hermione follow George as he turns and heads up the street.

INT. HOGSMEADE - THE THREE BROOMSTICKS

Harry sits next to Ginny at the group's favorite table at the Three Broomsticks, which is near the back, in a secluded corner.

Ron sits on the other side of Ginny, while Hermione sits on the other side of Harry. Fred, George, Neville, and LUNA LOVEGOOD, sit across from them.

Each of them has a large mug of butterbeer in front of them, as well as some cakes from Honeydukes.

They laugh as Fred and George reminisce about their Quidditch days, although Ron and Hermione are still avoiding each other's eyes.

FRED

So, Harry, I hear you turned down

an invite to play Seeker for

England.

GEORGE

Yeah. What's up mate? Lost your

nerve?

FRED

(grins)

Or did you just lose your marbles

like Charlie did?

All eyes at the table turn towards Harry, who shrugs uncomfortably.

HARRY

I had too much to do this year. No

time for practice and all that.

FRED

(grins)

That never stopped you before.

GINNY

Oh, leave him alone! It's hard

work training to be an Auror.

(pause)

Important work.

George glances over at Fred in amusement.

GEORGE

(teasing)

Is that the wee ickle Head Girl

speaking to us Fred?

Harry grins as Ginny looks over at him and rolls her eyes.

FRED

(teasing)

I believe it is George, and a

Prefect at that. You remember how

much we love ickle Prefects don't

you?

GEORGE

How could I forget? We have bloody

four of them in the family!

GINNY

I'm not speaking as Prefect or Head

Girl, I'm speaking as Harry's

friend. If he doesn't want to tell

us why he's not playing, it's his

business.

HARRY

You don't believe me?

She looks at him searchingly, piercingly, as if she can read his mind.

GINNY

Of course I do.

Harry doesn't believe her and is about to say so, when a large shadow falls across the table. Everyone looks up and smiles.

HERMIONE

Hagrid!

RUBEUS HAGRID, Care of Magical Creatures teacher, and gamekeeper at Hogwarts, grins through his bushy black beard. His black eyes shine warmly.

HAGRID

'Lo Hermione...Ron...Harry. Thought

I'd find you here!

(grins)

'Lo Professor Longbottom...Miss

Lovegood.

Neville and Luna blush as Hagrid pulls up a chair and sits down at the table.

HARRY

I thought you were....

(lowers his voice)

out of the country, with Grawp.

HAGRID

I was. 'Jus got back.

RON

Hogwarts business?

Hagrid looks around and leans forward conspiratorially.

HAGRID

(whispers)

Order's business.

(pause)

Things are startin' to heat up.

Probably be comin' to a head real

soon.

HARRY

(whispers)

What's heating up Hagrid? What's

about to happen?

HAGRID

(whispers)

Can't tell ya that right now Harry,

though I 'spect you'll be hearin

about it soon enough.

Harry glances at Ron and Hermione.

Hagrid straightens in his seat as Madame Rosemerta sets a large tankard of butterbeer in front of Hagrid. He takes a large draught and sets the tankard down again.

HAGRID (CONT'D)

So, Harry, how's Auror trainin

comin along?

HARRY

Great. Er...we're becoming quite a

team.

Hagrid smiles warmly as his eyes tear up.

HAGRID

Always knew you'd do good Harry!

Always knew it!

(looks at Ron and

Hermione)

And you two too, though Hogwarts

just ain't the same without ya!

HARRY

We miss you too Hagrid. You're

like family.

Hagrid smiles as he wipes a tear from his dark eyes.

Everyone at the table looks over at Fred and George, as they suddenly raise their mugs for a toast.

FRED

To family and good friends....

GEORGE

To health and happiness....

Hermione raises her mug.

HERMIONE

To love....

She glances at Ron, who looks up in surprise.

HARRY

And to wherever life takes us!

They tap their mugs together, and take a long draught of butterbeer.