SCENE: The Ministry. (This scene takes place during the events of Chapter Thirteen, "The Muggle-Born Registration Committee." In this version, Harry, Ron and Hermione have become separated after the snatch of the locket horcrux.)
Voldemort's servants are chasing Harry. Bureaucrats look up from their desks for a moment at the chase, then hastily look down again as they see that somebody is in for it. The camera focuses on one paper-pusher who does a double-take on seeing Harry run past and hastily gets up to join the chase. Those of us with good memories from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire recognize him as Amos Diggory. He points his wand at Harry, who doesn't stop running but whose eyes widen as he sees Diggory apparently joining in the attack.
DIGGORY: Ave Atque Vale!
Harry turns to see what the spell is and what it has done: he finds no harm to himself, but a glance around him shows that everybody and everything is frozen, except for Diggory, who is walking calmly towards him.
DIGGORY: Harry, you may not remember me-
HARRY: Of course I do Mr. Diggory. (He looks again at the tableau.) I don't know that spell, but – sorry, I mean, thanks, but shouldn't we run? How long before it wears off?
DIGGORY: Not until we're finished.
HARRY: Thats... some spell. Why don't wizards use it more often?
DIGGORY: Nobody can use it more than once. Harry, you were brought up outside the wizarding world, so perhaps you don't know much about our religious beliefs...
Harry is obviously mystified by this odd segué.
DIGGORY (continuing): ...but most of us believe that after we go on, our souls survive based on people's thoughts of us. So obviously, we would like, all things being equal, to have thoughts, memories, well, deposited, so to speak, in somebody else. Before we die.
Comprehension is beginning to dawn on Harry.
DIGGORY (continuing): And that person will think of us, and our spirits take... sustenance from those thoughts. Well, this spell is designed to give us that chance, even in desperate circumstances. Do you understand, Harry?
HARRY (having difficulty looking at Diggory): It can only be used once. Because -
DIGGORY: Yes. Because once it's done its business, the spell caster has to die. There can't be any hesitating or delaying, or it loses its power. A price for everything, you know. But really, Harry, you don't need to feel sorry for me. I think of myself as lucky, I never thought I would have this kind of chance to use it, to do some damage to the bastards who took Cedric, and snatch you away from them. Oh, they'll be disappointed won't they! Do you think You-Know-Who will torture them when he finds out how you got away? Maybe kill them? Have you killed any of them yet, Harry?
Diggory has become more agitated as this speech goes on, and Harry is clearly disturbed.
HARRY: No -
DIGGORY: You could do it now, you know. I can't – all my magic's gone. The problem is, I think the spell ends when magic is used, so it would be hard to get all three of them -
HARRY (putting his hands on Diggory's shoulders to stop the speech): No! Mr. Diggory. I won't do that. I can't - (Harry decides to change tactics) I can't risk it; can't risk not getting them all and then getting caught with this. (He holds up the locket horcrux.) This is terribly, terribly important. We can't beat Voldemort without it.
DIGGORY (waving off his previous suggestion): Say no more, then. (Pause. He takes a breath to gather himself.) Well, I'm ready. All you need to do is look me in the eye, and you'll start receiving the memories. Seventeen years worth. Just seventeen...
HARRY: Why...? Oh.
DIGGORY: Ah, you thought it was for me! Harry, if you're ever a father... Cedric never had a chance to do this for himself, they just – they just cut him down, like, like he – of course, you know that – so how could I -
HARRY: I understand, sir. I do. And I'll do my best to – you know, make it count. Keep him with me, keep him in my thoughts. (Pause, considers for a moment, goes on under his breath) If I get much past seventeen myself.
DIGGORY: You do that, Harry Potter. It'll be one of the best things you'll ever do with your life, if you live to be a hundred, and I hope you do. You hear me?
Harry nods. The two look at one another, and we see a barrage of images:
Cedric playing childhood games...
Cedric doing his first magic...
Cedric laughing with his parents over his school experiences...
up until the last memory which we see at normal speed: Amos and Mrs. Diggory hugging Cedric just before the third task in the Triwizard tournament.
MEMORY AMOS: You're going to show them all, Cedric. You don't have to show us anything, but (turning to his wife) - God, can you believe two duffers like us got together and made something like him?
MEMORY CEDRIC: I'm a changeling, didn't you know, Dad? (Laughter.) Got to go now. (He kisses both parents.) Love you both; see you in a while!
Memory Cedric turns away. His face grows larger and larger on the screen as he does, and the movement slows, as – we deduce – Amos tries desperately to hold onto this last memory as long as he can. The image fades, and we return to Mr. Diggory and Harry in the present.
MR. DIGGORY: Did it work, Harry?
HARRY: Yes. I have it. Will you be –
He stops as he realizes this sounds like the unbeatable ultimate in stupid questions, but Mr. Diggory understands.
MR. DIGGORY: They won't have a chance to do anything to me before I go. Now you get away, do what you have to do, and when you get a chance, you'll let Rachel know what happened here. Tell her I'm going to give God a piece of my mind, too, from both of us.
HARRY: Yes sir. Goodbye. Thank you.
Harry begins to run, sparing an occasional glance back at Mr. Diggory, who waves him on. Finally Diggory is alone. He taps his wand against his hand, the sound and image becoming softer and dimmer.
FADE OUT.
