The Mysterious Identity of the Cursed Child in Harry Potter
Unveiling the enigmatic sequel to the beloved Harry Potter series, discover the captivating narrative of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Explore the identity of the mysterious Cursed Child, witness the thrilling climax, and delve into the possibility of a movie adaptation
Since the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 in 2011, fans eagerly awaited another appearance of the Golden Trio on Platform 9 3/4. Their wish was granted in 2016, albeit in an unforeseen way, with the arrival of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a stage play.
Since its premiere, the reception of Cursed Child among fans has been rather divisive. However, what unfolds in the sequel to the cherished franchise and who exactly is the enigmatic Cursed Child?
What is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child About?
The Cursed Child picks up right after the events of Deathly Hallows, with Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione watching their children board the Hogwarts Express on Platform 9 3/4. Albus Severus Potter, the middle child of Harry and Ginny, and Rose Granger-Weasley, the eldest child of Ron and Hermione, search for a seat on the train. They stumble upon Scorpius Malfoy, the son of Draco and Astoria Greengrass.
From there, their own stories diverge from their parents' experiences. While Rose chooses to distance herself from Scorpius due to their parents' historic rivalry, Albus decides to stay and befriends him instead. During the Sorting Ceremony, Rose is sorted into Gryffindor as expected, but Albus surprises everyone by joining Scorpius in Slytherin. Throughout his years at Hogwarts, Albus faces constant challenges – being bullied for his Slytherin house affiliation, struggling with basic magic, and lacking his father's natural talent on a broomstick.
Where Rose achieves immense popularity, both within her class and as a Chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Albus gradually finds himself becoming more isolated from both his peers and his father. He feels an overwhelming sense of suffocation, as he constantly grapples with the pressure of living up to the renowned Potter name. Albus firmly believes that, if it weren't for his father's fame, he would have a much easier time navigating through school life. As Rose resides in a different house and socializes with a completely different circle, Albus heavily relies on his close bond with Scorpius. The two individuals become inseparable, culminating in a revelation that their connection has evolved into a romantic relationship.
At Hogwarts, Scorpius faces his own troubles amidst rumors that question his parentage. It is said that Draco and Astoria merely adopted him, and he is believed to be the secret offspring of Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange. Tragedy strikes during the summer prior to Scorpius' fourth year when his mother succumbs to a fatal blood curse. Meanwhile, Harry experiences the return of pain in his scar and comes into possession of a cutting-edge Time-Turner prototype. This device allows the user to travel back in time, but only for a duration of five minutes. Unbeknownst to them at the time, Lucius Malfoy had commissioned Theodore Nott to create this enhanced Time-Turner with the intention of altering the timeline and saving Voldemort. Ultimately, two Time-Turners were produced - the original prototype Harry found and a superior model that enabled extended stays in the past. Although Lucius and Nott never utilized these devices, Lucius entrusted the improved version to Draco, who kept it concealed from prying eyes.
Hearing about the confiscated Time-Turner, Amos Diggory encounters Harry and implores him to utilize it in order to prevent his son Cedric from being assassinated during the Triwizard tournament. Harry declines, clarifying that tampering with the timeline carries significant dangers. Overhearing their discussion, Albus encounters Delphi Diggory, who asserts to be Amos' niece. She divulges to Albus the immense anguish her uncle has endured since his son's demise, planting a notion in the young boy's mind.
Ultimately, Albus and Scorpius, driven by their curiosity, decide to seize the confiscated prototype Time-Turner from Hermione Granger, who is now the Minister for Magic. This decision comes about unintentionally when Rose inadvertently confirms the existence of the Time-Turner. To retrieve the Time-Turner, the young boys employ the use of the transformative Polyjuice Potion and meticulously plan to infiltrate the highly secure Ministry of Magic. Against all odds, they successfully break into the Ministry and, unexpectedly, join forces with Delphi in their mission to rescue Cedric Diggory. However, the shocking revelation emerges that Delphi is, in fact, the hidden progeny of the infamous Voldemort and his loyal ally, Bellatrix Lestrange. As the trio embarks on their journey, they unknowingly become ensnared in a series of intricate timeline modifications. Tragically, in a devastating turn of events, Delphi betrays her newfound companions with the sinister intention of reshaping reality. Her ultimate goal is to forge a new timeline where Harry Potter succumbs to his untimely demise, Albus Potter is never brought into existence, and Voldemort successfully conquers the entire Wizarding World.
Who is the Cursed Child?
The true identity of the Cursed Child remains a mystery throughout the play. Some fans claim that Albus is the one cursed, as he feels the weight of a family name he can never truly fulfill. Others, although less persuasively, suggest that Scorpius carries the curse. Their reasoning is that his mother's deadly curse could have been inherited by him, and that he is cursed by public perception due to the prevailing belief that he is the son of Voldemort in the Wizarding World.
Arguably, the most compelling theory posits that Delphi is the Cursed Child. Born to deranged and malevolent parents, she shares the tragic fate of being orphaned from infancy, mirroring Harry's own tragic beginnings. This draws an intriguing parallel between the two characters. Harry had always longed for the chance to grow up with his parents, even willing to do anything to reunite with them. Similarly, Delphi possesses the same yearning. The key difference is that, unlike Harry, she had the opportunity to save her parents. However, through no fault of her own, she inherited a much darker legacy.
Condemned to eternally exist on the fringes of the Wizarding world, Delphi remains caught in a grim reality. The very existence she desperately craves is the world in which destruction and chaos reign. For Delphi, everything is inverted; what is up becomes down, and what is left becomes right. Harry confronts this reality during their ultimate clash, advising her to come to terms with her parents' death, as he eventually did. Refusing to do so would only prolong her suffering.
How does Harry Potter and the Cursed Child end?
Will There Be A Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Movie?
Harry and Draco, along with the rest of the adult group, utilize Draco's enhanced Time-Turner to travel back in time and rescue their children. They follow Delphi to the fateful night when Voldemort murdered Harry's parents and thwart her attempts to warn the Dark Lord about the attack on the family. By capturing Delphi, Harry chooses to witness his parents' tragic demise once more, sacrificing himself for the greater good.
In short, it is highly unlikely that a Cursed Child adaptation will happen. Warner Brothers is rebooting the universe for a Max Original TV series, and many of the original cast members have expressed their disinterest in returning to the Rowling-affiliated universe. However, there is a possibility that Max might adapt it for a straight-to-streaming release once the show concludes. As of now, no release date has been announced for the new series. Therefore, fans will have to continue waiting for an update on the Hogwarts Express.
