The Hogwarts Players Present

The Prologue

Harry Gets Dramatic, Hermione Makes a Save, and Ron Has Some Costume Issues

The houselights in the auditorium go down, and lights up on stage, where the curtain is still closed. The audience settles down as the first notes of "Look Down" are heard. The curtain lifts to reveal the CHAIN GANG, all barefoot and dressed in dusty, dirty "convict clothes." They are all chained together at the ankles and moving rocks; one can also see, through the tattered shirts, tattoos of numbers on all the CONVICT'S chests.

Harry can be seen in the middle of the line, between a Hufflepuff First Year and a Ravenclaw First Year. He's dressed as VALJEAN--looking old and broken with wrinkles and the ratty wig dusted with gray. The tattoo on his chest, just visible, reads "24601" in blue numbers. The rest of the GANG is made up of four Random First Years. The two CONSTABLES, Crabbe and Goyle, move along the line, intermittently braining some the CHAIN GANG with their billy clubs. And so we begin:

LOOK DOWN

HARRY AND CHAINGANG

Look down, look down,

Don't look'em in the eye.

Look down, look down,

You're here until you die.

Dumbledore knew what he was doing--all of these solos were assigned according to house stereotype, more or less. All of the First Years get cheered by their own houses in the audience as they sing their solos. Gryffindor is first:

RANDOM GRYFFINDOR FIRST YEAR (wiping forehead dramatically)

The sun is strong,

It's hot as hell below.

The

First Year ducks as Crabbe tries to whack him with the billy club. Crabbe accidentally smashes Goyle in the elbow instead. There are snickers from the Gryffindors and others in the audience as Goyle grasps his injured arm, biting his lip, and Crabbe looks on dumbly. But the song must go on:

HARRY AND CHAINGANG

Look down, look down,

There's twenty years to go.

RANDOM RAVENCLAW FIRST YEAR

I've done no wrong,

Sweet Jesus, hear my prayer!

As the

Random Ravenclaw puts his hands in a prayer position, he drops the rock that he was holding. Hastily he scoops it back up and hands it down the line to Harry, who grins a little.

HARRY AND CHAINGANG

Look down, look down,

Sweet Jesus doesn't care.

RANDOM HUFFLEPUFF FIRST YEAR

I know she'll wait,

I know that she'll be true.

As the

Hufflepuff looks forlornly out at the audience, Goyle comes over and hits him in the small of the back with his billy club. Since Goyle doesn't quite understand "acting," it's a pretty good thump. Dumbledore and McGonagall wince as the Hufflepuff gasps in pain--the Slytherins in the audience just laugh.

The

Hufflepuff, meanwhile, sinks to his knees in agony. Harry looks at him nervously, then puts a hand on the his shoulder. The Hufflepuff mouths "I'm okay," and stands up again with Harry keeping him steady.

HARRY AND CHAINGANG

Look down, look down,

They've all forgotten you.

RANDOM SLYTHERIN FIRST YEAR

When I get free, you won't see me

Here for dust!

There are cheers from the Slytherin section of the audience, and the

Slytherin First Year winks. Not surprisingly, Crabbe and Goyle make no moves toward him with their billy clubs. We can hear Hermione and Ron snort disgustedly from backstage.

HARRY AND CHAINGANG

Look down, look down,

Don't look'em in the eye.

Now it's time for

Harry's first lyric in his first ever play, and he's going to play it to the fullest. While he sings his line, Harry looks up at the sky (well, at the lighting booth above the audience), and raises his arms with fists clenched, as though railing at God Himself. This holds up the progress of the stone that's been moving down the line, so the Ravenclaw First Year just stands there holding it, looking a bit foolish, while Harry sings.

HARRY (think Brando's "Stell-aaaah!!" in A Streetcar Named Desire)

How long, O Lord,

Before you let me die?

Harry ducks as both Crabbe and Goyle take swings at his head. They wind up bashing each other's fingers with their clubs, as Harry tries to suppress a grin. There is outright laughter from the Gryffindors in the audience, while Crabbe and Goyle look dumbly down at their smashed fingers. McGonagall, losing her temper, shushes the audience with violent arm gestures so that the song can continue.

HARRY AND CHAINGANG

Look down, look down,

You'll always be a slave.

Look down, look down,

You're standing in your grave.

During this last chorus,

Draco as JAVERT has entered from stage left. He's wearing a black police uniform, which only serves to make him look ten times more pale than usual. His hair is pulled back in a ponytail that reaches past his shoulders, and carrying a billy club in one hand and a yellow piece of paper in the other.

There are whistles and cheers from the Slytherins as

Draco appears, and he nods regally at them, posturing a bit downstage center. Then, hisses and muffled boos are heard from the other houses. Draco sneers out at the house, then straightens his shoulders and begins:

DRACO (standing at attention, facing the CHAINGANG)

Now bring me Prisoner 24601!

Crabbe and Goyle jerk the chain off of Harry's ankles, putting the rest of the CHAINGANG off balance. The Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw First Years, being closest to Harry, stumble backward as the CONSTABLES toss the chains away. The Ravenclaw, tripping over one of the rocks, falls on the floor at the Slytherin's feet, and the Hufflepuff collides with the Gryffindor, who falls flat on his back, the Hufflepuff sprawling across his legs.

As the First Years disentangle themselves, Crabbe and Goyle drag Harry by the arms to downstage center, where Draco has been standing impatiently, thumping his billy club against the palm of his hand. The CONSTABLES fling Harry onto the ground at Draco's feet. Harry lands on his knees and glares up at Draco, who sneers back and continues:

DRACO (pointing billy club right in Harry's face)

Your time is up, and your parole's begun.

You know what that means!

HARRY (looking at the yellow paper in Draco's hand)

Yes, it means I'm free.

Harry looks wistfully out at the audience, before Draco's snort of disgust jerks him back to earth.

DRACO (spitting the word out contemptuously)

NO.

It means you get your yellow ticket of leave.

He balls up the yellow paper, then flings it at

Harry's nose; he can't suppress a smirk of satisfaction as it bounces off of Harry's face onto the floor. Admittedly, Draco is enjoying the role of JAVERT a bit too much. Crabbe and Goyle snigger stupidly, grabbing Harry's arms again so that he doesn't try to retaliate. Harry, however, manages to maintain his character as he picks up the yellow paper, unfurls it, then looks it over, as Draco continues:

DRACO (again pointing with billy club)

You are a thief!

HARRY (looking up from paper and glaring at Draco)

I stole a loaf of bread!

DRACO (sneering)

You robbed a house!

HARRY

I broke a windowpane!

He gets to his feet, pocketing the yellow paper. He shakes off the CONSTABLES, and glares at them before turning to face

Draco furiously. The both of them are doing a very good job as VALJEAN and JAVERT--the contempt doesn't need to be acted at all. Harry goes on, explaining himself:

HARRY

My sister's child was close to death,

And we were starving...

Draco rolls his eyes skyward at Harry's explanation, then cuts Harry off, brandishing the billy club.

DRACO

You will starve again,

Unless you learn the meaning of the law!

He puffs himself up importantly, still sneering, holding billy club over his heart.

The

First Years in the background, meanwhile, have stopped moving rocks and are watching the action between the principals downstage with interest. Draco notices them, and with a glare, jerks his head at Crabbe and Goyle. Harry turns around to see what Draco's gesturing at, as Crabbe and Goyle, getting it, lumber back upstage to the CHAINGANG, the lot of whom quickly get back to their rock-hauling.

Draco and Harry, having watched the CONSTABLES depart, quickly get back into character. Harry turns back to Draco and fixes him with a cold stare, and sings the next bit in a quietly ferocious manner:

HARRY

I know the meaning of those 19 years

A slave of the law...

Draco's been waiting for this cue with malicious eagerness. As soon as the word "law" is out of Harry's mouth, Draco belts him, much harder than necessary for the stage, on the shoulder with the billy club. Harry, gritting his teeth, sinks back to one knee rubbing his shoulder blade, obviously trying hard to stay in character and not pop Malfoy one. Draco is obviously suppressing a snicker.

From offstage, voices can be plainly heard:

RON: That slimy git! He's supposed to be acting, not getting an excuse to maim Harry!

HERMIONE: Sssh! The audience will hear you!

Ron grumbles indistinctly as Harry, in an attempt to control his temper, keeps his eyes on the stage in front of him.

Draco continues the song, bending toward Harry and pointing the billy club right in his face.

DRACO

Five years for what you did!

The rest because you tried to run!

Yes, 24601!

Draco straightens up and glares down at Harry, who whips his head around to look Draco in the eye.

HARRY (angrily)

My name is Jean Valjean!

DRACO

And I am...

(he puts the billy club over his heart again and faces audience, nose in the air)

Javert!

(whips back around to

Harry)

Do not forget my name,

Do not forget me,

24601.

With a final sneer,

Draco does an about-face and stalks back offstage left. Crabbe and Goyle come back over to Harry, and throw a burlap bag with clothes in it on the stage next to him. This done, Crabbe and Goyle just stand there dumbly--there's an awkward pause. Finally, from offstage:

DRACO: (sotto voice) Exit, you morons!! Ex-it!!!

Crabbe and Goyle, comprehension dawning, turn and walk offstage right. The CONVICTS all look at one another for a moment, then scurry offstage after Crabbe and Goyle, carrying the rocks with them.

Harry, meanwhile, has gotten up, and is standing downstage center. He takes his yellow ticket out of his pocket and contemplates it, waiting for his next cue.

THE BISHOP/VALJEAN'S ARREST

HARRY (still looking at ticket)

Freedom is mine,

The world is waking.

(He looks angrily offstage left, where

Draco exited)

Never forget the years, the waste.

Nor forgive them for what they've done.

They are the guilty, every one!

(pockets the ticket, and stands up a bit straighter)

The day begins, and now let's see

What this new world will do for me.

Harry opens the burlap bag and takes out a vest, which he pulls on over his prison uniform. As he takes out a pair of tattered shoes and puts them on, we hear from offstage:

COLIN: Over here, Harry! Look this way!

Harry blushes and concentrates on his shoes. Over the music, there's audible camera clicking from the wings, and a flashbulb is obvious as Colin takes pictures of Harry from offstage. Finally, after about a dozen pictures are taken, we hear a smash, a crunch, and the sound of glass breaking. Then:

COLIN: Hey!!!

HERMIONE: Honestly! That wasn't necessary!

DRACO: Oh shut up, Granger, I did us all a favor!

Harry shakes his head a little as he stands up. There's the sound of Colin whimpering over the loss of his camera as the next round of singing begins.

During the above drama, two more Random Chorus Members have appeared center stage, dressed as FARMERS and carrying pitchforks. One of them hands Harry a pitchfork, and they all mime pitching hay.

RANDOM CHORUS MEMBER #1 (snatching Harry's pitchfork)

You'll have to go,

I'll pay you off for the day.

He takes a couple of Knuts out of his pocket and hands them to

Harry, who stares at his pay in disgusted disbelief.

HARRY (gesturing angrily with the hand holding the money)

You've paid me half of what

The other men get!

This handful of tin wouldn't buy my sweat!

RANDOM CHORUS MEMBER #2

You broke the law,

It's there for people to see.

Why should you get the same as honest men like me?

Harry glares after the Random Chorus Members as they exit stage right. He snatches up his bag and stalks down to the apron of the stage. As he sings the following, the set for the BISHOP'S HOUSE appears onstage behind him--a table and chairs, with silver cutlery, plates, and candlesticks on the table.

Harry paces back and forth, making it seem as though he's traveling.

HARRY (out to the audience, disgustedly)

Now I know how freedom feels,

The jailer always at your heels,

It is the law.

Like a cur, I walk the streets,

The dirt beneath their feet.

On cue "like a cur,"

Ron makes his entrance from stage left. As he struts toward the BISHOP'S HOUSE, we hear Draco sniggering from offstage, then voices:

HERMIONE: (frantic, sotto voice) Ron, wait! Come back here!

SEAMUS: (sotto) Oi, Ron! Hold it!

GINNY: (sotto) Ron!! Stop!!

Ron doesn't appear to hear them. The problem is that Ron has come strutting onstage dressed as the PIMP instead of the BISHOP--he's wearing a ratty top hat, an extremely seedy-looking overcoat, and jauntily swinging a walking stick. Harry, who has begun to walk toward the BISHOP'S HOUSE, sees Ron and immediately has to stifle a laugh. He bites his lip and turns away as Ron looks down at himself and realizes the mistake. Blushing furiously, Ron attempts to go on with his song. Harry is looking somewhere above Ron's head, knowing he'll crack up if he looks at Ron's face.

RON (blushing)

Come in sir, for you are weary.

(he tosses his walking stick offstage)

And the night is cold out there.

(takes off hat and tosses it, too)

Though our lives are very humble,

(removes overcoat and throws it into the wings--now he's only wearing trousers and a white shirt)

What we have, we have to share.

(a cassock comes flying at

Ron from offstage. He catches it and hastily pulls it on)

Now in character, Ron beckons Harry, who has controlled himself, to come and sit at the table. Harry sits, dropping his bag on the floor, and mimes eating. Ron takes the other seat and, unsure of what to do, just sits there smiling benignly at Harry.

HARRY (out to the audience)

The silver in my hands

Cost twice what I had earned

In all those nineteen years,

(looks at

Ron, who is still grinning)

And yet he trusted me.

(back out to the audience)

The old fool trusted me,

He'd done his bit of good.

Here

Ron gets up and backs offstage left, still smiling that dopey smile, hands held in front of him in a prayer position.

HARRY

But when the house was still, I got up in the night.

Took the silver--

(he picks up the burlap bag and crams the plate and silverware into it)

Took my flight!

Harry runs offstage right, only to collide halfway there with Crabbe and Goyle as the CONSTABLES. Crabbe and Goyle are supposed to grab Harry's arms and drag him back to the BISHOP'S HOUSE. Instead, new to the idea of "acting", they body-slam Harry instead, knocking him over and sending him skidding on his back across the stage. Harry, completely winded, lies prone on the stage next to the table, holding his stomach. Crabbe and Goyle cross the stage, smirking, and stand at Harry's feet. Ron reenters, now wearing a quilt around his shoulders over his cassock. He looks nervously at Harry wheezing on the floor.

Now it's time for a big solo from our favorite goons. Did you really think they'd be able to remember their lines? Obviously not--so there's yet another awkward pause onstage, which

Crabbe finally breaks:

CRABBE

Umm....

GOYLE

Duh....

Ron looks at the two of them disgustedly. Harry is too focused on getting his breath back to take much notice. From offstage:

HERMIONE: Oh no!

SEAMUS: We'd better do something...

HERMIONE: Quick, hand me the libretto!

DRACO: Granger, you're not actually going to...

But Hermione has already taken over, and she sings the lines for Crabbe and Goyle from offstage:

HERMIONE (with Crabbe, Goyle, and Ron looking in her direction in surprise)

Tell his Reverence your story,

Let us see if he's impressed.

You were lodging here last night,

You were the honest bishop's guest.

This all looks fairly stupid, since the dialogue is coming from offstage and the CONSTABLES are making no effort to lip sync--they're just standing there like lemons.

Ron, however, is at least trying to make it seem as though he's listening to Crabbe and Goyle speaking. There are scattered snickers in the audience as Hermione continues:

HERMIONE

When he learned about your plight,

You maintain he made a present of this silver...

RON (with a grateful glance at Hermione offstage)

That is right.

(to

Harry, who is moving his arms feebly, trying to get up)

But my friend, you left so early,

Surely something slipped your mind.

(he picks up the silver candlesticks from the table, and after a moment of hesitation, just places them on

Harry's chest)

You forgot I gave these also.

Would you leave the best behind?

(to

Crabbe and Goyle)

So messieurs you may release him,

For this man has spoken true.

I commend you for your duty,

And God's blessing go with you.

Ron makes an awkward sign of the cross in the air, not really sure how to do it. Crabbe and Goyle lumber offstage right.

From offstage:

SEAMUS: Wicked, Hermione!

GINNY: Great save!

DRACO: Are you joking? It looked absolutely ridiculous--even a silence would've been better. Oh, but of course...the Mudblood has to have her nose in everything...

SEAMUS: Oh, shut the hell up, Malfoy!

HERMIONE: (angrily) Where was your idea, ferret?

Draco just sniffs haughtily, as the scene onstage continues.

Ron turns back to Harry, who has now managed to pull himself into a sitting position by grabbing a table leg for support. He still looks a bit dazed.

RON

But remember this my brother,

See in this some higher plan.

You must use this precious silver

To become an honest man.

Ron helps Harry to his feet, gives him a little pat on the shoulder, then exits with the same dopey smile as previously. Harry watches Ron go, then puts the candlesticks in his bag.

Over the musical interlude, Draco is again audible from offstage:

DRACO: (sniggering) Hey Potter! Why not try that incredibly gracefully fall again--maybe you could break that scar-head of yours!

RON: (sotto) Shut your fat mouth, ferret!

DRACO: And YOU! You can't even keep your costumes straight! Although, being as poor as you are, Weasel, I guess you're just not used to having more than one set of clothes...

Ron lets loose a string of curse words, which, luckily, are inaudible as the music begins for the next number.

VALJEAN'S SOLILOQUY

Harry has moved to downstage center with his bag of silver, not quite in character--he's had one ear on the drama going on backstage, looking irritated. Finally he gives himself a little shake, and then begins:

HARRY (almost frantic, out toward audience, lots of arm gestures)

If there's another way to go,

I missed it twenty long years ago.

They gave me a number and murdered Valjean!

When they chained me and left me for dead,

Just for stealing a mouthful of bread.

He pauses, looking offstage after

Ron. His voice is quieter, more composed, as he delivers the next few lines.

HARRY

One word from him and I'd be back,

Beneath the lash, upon the rack.

He tells me that I have a soul.

How does he know?

Is there another way to go?

Harry falls dramatically to his knees, letting the bag fall from his hand onto the stage. He lifts one arm up to the sky, then lets it drop again.

HARRY

I am reaching, but I fall.

And the night is closing in.

As I stare into the void, to the whirlpool of my sin.

(he reaches into his pocket, pulls out the yellow ticket, and holds it up)

I'll escape now from that world,

From the world of Jean Valjean.

Jean Valjean is nothing now!

Another story must begin!

Harry leaps to his feet, and holding the long note on "begin," rips the ticket into shreds, one rip for every beat of music.

As the music finishes, Harry decides to add a little touch of his own to the number: he tosses the torn-up ticket into the air like confetti, and it showers the orchestra in the pit in front of the stage. Harry can't help grinning a little at the audience as the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs cheer and whistle. He scoops up his bag, and dashes offstage right.

*~End of Prologue~*