Spoiler warning for those who have not seen or read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is now in place.
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During their time at Hogwarts, Harry (a Gryffindor) and Draco (a Slytherin) were sworn enemies, and even as adults their relationship was cordial at best. It was a complete surprise, then, when their sons didn’t just get along but formed a deep and unbreakable friendship in Cursed Child – and also showed us a closer look at the lives of Slytherin students at Hogwarts. Here’s some of our favourite moments from these new kids on the block.
When Scorpius’s ‘geekness’ was ‘a-quivering.’
One of our favourite things about Scorpius was his unashamed ‘geekness’ – because it’s not just Ravenclaws who are bookworms. He didn’t mind admitting that he loved studying, books and learning, even while Albus was struggling to get his charms, potions and transfigurations right.
Scorpius wasn’t just book-smart, he also had an emotional intelligence that Albus lacked – particularly when it came to understanding Scorpius’s difficult relationship with his father.
Albus knew how Scorpius ticked – he understood that his friend used learning as a way to escape his difficult family life, joking that the best way to distract Scorpius from difficult emotional issues was to ‘take him to a library’. But despite his eye-rolling, Albus realised that Slytherins have a thirst for knowledge
ALBUS
I’m going to do this, Scorpius. I need to do this. And you know as well as I do, I’ll entirely mess it up if you don’t come with me. Come on.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
When two Slytherins had each other’s back
In Harry’s days at Hogwarts, his experience of Slytherin students were hardly filled with happy memories – with Draco, Crabbe and Goyle usually being quite awful to him and the fellow Gryffindors. On the Quidditch pitch, things got even more merciless, and even in private, Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle seemed to have a friendship based on malice and scheming. So, it was nice seeing Albus and Scorpius’s friendship built on a foundation of kindness and mutual respect, even if it took a while for Albus to come round to the idea of being both a Potter and a Slytherin.
One particular moment that really exhibited this kindness was when Albus found Scorpius sitting on his case, ‘numb to the world’, and we suddenly knew that things were not okay.
Scorpius’s mum, Astoria, ill for so long, had passed away and Albus didn’t know what to do, or what to say. It was Scorpius though who voiced what their friendship really meant – that it was enough just to be there, to be a good friend.
SCORPIUS
I couldn’t work out what to say.ALBUS
And now I don’t know what to say . . .SCORPIUS
Say nothing.ALBUS
Is there anything . . .SCORPIUS
Come to the funeral.ALBUS
Of course.SCORPIUS
And be my good friend.Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Who didn’t feel a lump in their throat when Scorpius told Albus that he would be there for him even if it meant the end of the world?
When Albus taught his dad that Hogwarts houses were more than just labels
HARRY POTTER
Slytherin, Gryffindor, whatever label you’ve been given – I know – know – that heart is a good one – yeah, whether you like it or not, you’re on your way to being some wizard.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Despite Harry telling his son that it didn’t matter which house he was sorted into, there was clearly tension between them when Albus was sorted into Slytherin. However, Harry eventually realised that not all Slytherins were like the students he experienced at Hogwarts – with his son’s determination showing him that Hogwarts houses weren’t ‘labels’ but were there to bring out the strengths of Hogwarts students.
Are you a proud Slytherin like these lads? Maybe wear something green today to flaunt your own house pride!
