My Thoughts on Scorpius Malfoy

* Contains Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Spoilers *  

"Draco Malfoy was standing there with his wife and son, a dark coat buttoned up to his throat. His hair was receding somewhat, which emphasised the pointed chin. The new boy resembled Draco as much as Albus resembled Harry. Draco caught sight of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny staring at him, nodded curtly and turned away again.

  'So that's little Scorpius,' said Ron under his breath. 'Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains.'"

- Deathly Hallows, Nineteen Years Later

Scorpius Malfoy
Played by Anthony Boyle.

We initially meet Scorpius Malfoy in the epilogue of Deathly Hallows. It is fleeting, resigned to only a few lines. It is intended to give the avid Harry Potter fan a small insight into what became of the Malfoy family after the defeat of Lord Voldemort. After all, Draco was a character many were enamoured with, and people were keen to know he was alright.

All the epilogue told us was that Scorpius closely resembled his father. When Draco was that age, he was described as pale with a pointed face, white-blond hair and grey eyes, so it can assumed Scorpius fits this mould too. 

A little while after the publication of Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling published a hand-drawn family tree on her website with new information on the extended Weasley family, the Potter children's middle names and what became of Luna Lovegood. Squeezed amongst them was a small pedigree showing Draco Malfoy married to a woman named Astoria Greengrass, a name not even included in the epilogue. Below them was the full name of their only child - Scorpius Hyperion Malfoy. The middle name was new, revealing that Draco had conformed to the old Black family tradition of naming children after stars, constellations and other astronomical bodies. 

A few other snippets of information about Scorpius were released through Pottermore. Little did I know then that Scorpius would become my favourite character in the whole wide Wizarding World.

We first meet Scorpius on the Hogwarts Express, a few minutes into Act One. He is sitting alone in a train compartment, uncomfortable, gawkish and extremely awkward.

As the play progresses we do find out more about Scorpius's childhood. He grew up in isolation with only his parents for company, mollycoddled and protected from vicious gossipers. Allusions to his father must be made, because the differences between them are both similar and stark in contrast. 

Draco Malfoy grew up as an only child at Malfoy Manor too. He was made to be friends with the children of his father's Death Eater cronies, who were also taught the same pure-blood doctrine. Throughout history the Malfoy family attached and associated themselves with nobility, the rich and powerful, generally people with status. They never held public office or wielded power themselves, but they were always one step behind those who did. Of course, Draco believed he was honouring his family name when he tried to befriend The Boy Who Lived on the Hogwarts Express, not realising he had already blown it.

But Scorpius had no friends growing up, apart from an imaginary friend named HECTOR! It can be guessed that he filled that void with books and stories about Harry Potter and his friends. He probably lived vicariously through Harry, inspired by his ability to make long-lasting friends, and gloried in his success at defeating the Dark Lord. In that sense, Scorpius Malfoy is the biggest fanboy of Harry Potter there is. 

How lucky he was, then, when Albus Potter and Rose Granger-Weasley entered his compartment that day. Scorpius is flustered instantly. Of course he knows exactly who they are, after all, he's read all about them. He is intrigued by Albus - a Potter in his compartment. And Rose Granger-Weasley, daughter of the Minister for Magic! She's feisty, and of course Scorpius fancies her.

In many ways it's rather poetic that Scorpius should fancy Rose Granger-Weasley, the daughter of a Mudblood and blood traitor. In terms of storytelling it makes the greater impact. Hermione was bullied incessantly about her blood status by Draco, so it is quite right that Scorpius is drawn to Rose. What a slap in the face to the elder Malfoys and others of their ilk.

Out of his parents Scorpius is closest to his mother, Astoria, who encourages him to make friends with the aid of sweets. "Sweets they always help you make friends!" Scorpius proudly exclaims before getting embarrassed, but thankfully Albus takes him up on the offer. 

His mother was raised as his father was, believing in pure-blood supremacy. With the defeat of Lord Voldemort, the Greengrass family changed their beliefs, and so Astoria refused to raise her only child to believe Muggles and Muggle-borns were scum. The Malfoys were displeased with their son's choice of wife, but he defied them out of love for her.

Draco and Scorpius Malfoy,
played by Alex Price and Anthony Boyle, respectively.

When Astoria died shortly before Scorpius's third year he was left distraught, naturally. He was left with an assertive and often domineering father, whose shadow he lived in, and only one friend in the entire world.

Scorpius says it himself, he has his "[father's] nose, his hair and his name. Not that that's a great thing either." Like Albus, Scorpius is burdened with his father's fame, or rather infamy in this instance. But Scorpius actually lives under a greater shadow.

A vicious rumour has been going around that he is in fact the son of Lord Voldemort. Nonsense of cause, but naturally it bothers Scorpius, who is dismayed and distressed that people could actually believe that of him.

Sadly we never get to see Astoria Malfoy in the play, but what a woman she must have been. It is thanks to her Scorpius is the way he is, we can also be thankful to her for the further redemption of Draco Malfoy.

When it comes to the Sorting, Scorpius is sorted into Slytherin, like everyone in his family. He likely values and respects Slytherin house because of his mother, and in that sense chooses the house himself. Scorpius is more aware than most about the reputation the house has, as his family played a great part in that.

Scorpius Malfoy and Albus Potter,
played by Anthony Boyle and Sam Clemmett, respectively.

Scorpius and Albus become firm friends from their first meeting onwards. Scorpius is not a natural leader, he's a geek with impeccable comic timing. You could say he is to Albus, what Ron and Hermione were to Harry, all rolled into one. Scorpius is "an enormous geek," loves quizzes, but also has the best humour, whether it's intentional or not. He has a self-deprecating nature, but that only makes him all the more loveable. 

Scorpius is a very socially anxious person, perhaps even a tad neurotic, but it is completely understandable. He has absolutely no social skills, and so his voice is squeaky, he has nervous tics, and he doesn't always say the right thing. He is particularly flustered in front of Rose.

He joins Albus when he suggests stealing the Time-Turner to bring Cedric back, despite protesting, knowing how dangerous it could be, because he values the only friend he has ever had and would be lost without him. 

When Harry forces the boys apart, their sadness is palpable and so real. There are no spoken words in Act Two, Scene Twelve, but for me it is one of the most heartbreaking. The only accompaniment to the staircase scene is Imogen Heap's brilliant music, coincidentally named Half Life, which is exactly what Scorpius and Albus lead when they're not together. The staircases dance, and it's just beautiful.

One scene which stands out to me and many others is the library scene, Act Two, Scene Sixteen. There is dramatic irony at play in this scene. Scorpius has no idea why he and Albus have been forced apart, but of course Albus and we, the audience, know that Harry is the cause. He's suspicious of Scorpius's parentage and speculates whether he is the spawn of Voldemort and the "dark cloud" which is said to be surrounding Albus. 

It's a very fraught scene to say the least. Despite his abject sadness, Scorpius hasn't been wallowing in pity, in fact he's been piecing together the events as to what went wrong and why the present has been changed. 

Scorpius understands the severity of the situation, whereas Albus seems consumed with the fractured relationship he has with his father. At the same time, Scorpius is apprehensive to go back to fix things. He's nervous and doesn't hold much faith in himself or Albus, because even in this changed world he's still a loser. He just didn't have Albus to be a loser with. 

Albus's ambition threatens to override the friendship completely, like when he says that he "wasn't a loser before [he] met [Scorpius]," and tells him that he's been holding him, Albus, back. And then Scorpius changes. He explodes. 

Scorpius

Oh poor Albus Potter. With his chip on his shoulder.

For the first time in a while, we see the impact which Astoria's death has had on Scorpius. Scorpius tells Albus to check himself; he's so consumed and caught up with the issues he has with Harry that he is so deeply ignorant of the situation and the struggles and suffering which Scorpius has went through.

Scorpius explains, brokenheartedly, the excitement which he felt at the prospect of being in a new world, one in which his mother might still be alive. Sadly, as in the real world, his beloved mother had died in the same way. For a second time, Scorpius lost his mother, but this time Albus wasn't there to help him through it.

Albus

I know we don't talk about her enough.

The penny finally drops for Albus. He understood Scorpius and his ways, but not in the same sense that Scorpius understood him. Scorpius is grief-stricken, afraid to bring up the subject of his mother with both his father and best friend.

The bullies their taunts had distracted Scorpius somewhat from his grief. They were nothing compared to the loss of his mother, and it's hard to imagine what must have been going on his head at that time; issues with his father, separated from his best friend, and afraid to broach the subject of the loss of his mother, Astoria.

Albus then reveals that Harry is investigating Scorpius's parentage. Scorpius is hurt, as would be expected, but it's deeper than just his best friend's dad being wary of him. 

Scorpius, of course, grew up surrounded by books, isolated, a solace in a library. He read about Harry Potter's adventures with his friends, how they defeated evil, and that same man believed him to be a product of that same evil. His hero, thinks he is a dark cloud. 

Of course, Scorpius has heard this vicious rumour his whole life. It shouldn't matter anymore but it does. If Harry Potter suspects it to be true, is it? There's some confirmation in that for Scorpius. When you hear something so many times, you're bound to start believing it.  

Albus

... you're kind, Scorpius. To the depths of your belly, to the tips of your fingers.

Albus cleverly adopts the same eloquent flowery language which Scorpius is known for in an attempt to comfort his only friend. And it works. Scorpius could never be the son of the Dark Lord. Their friendship is solidified and was forever changed in that moment. Friends, always.

The second time the Time-Turner is used Scorpius returns without Albus, and is now in a world so very different to the one he left. Time has changed, and Scorpius has quite literally woken up in a nightmare. Lord Voldemort is alive, Professor Umbridge is Headmistress of Hogwarts, but thankfully Snape is still alive and still resisting. 

Scorpius in the alternative world is very different to the one previously established throughout Part One. He has a penchant for cruelty and Mudblood gut spilling. Our Scorpius is disgusted. He is also a popular student with a cool nickname, 'Scorpion King,' which is perhaps the strangest thing of all. He's also incredibly athletic, loves Quidditch and hates homework, which completely bemuses Scorpius. Pretty Polly Chapman even asks him out, which completely throws him. 

In this alternative world, Scorpius meets with Snape and manages to convince him that another world is possible. He's from there, he's seen it. He thinks it an honour to meet Severus Snape, who was a great friend of the family and a mentor to his father. But he also knows he was good. 

Scorpius

Only Dumbledore knew, am I right? And when you lost him you must have felt so alone. I know you're a good man. Harry Potter told his son you're a great man. 

Being from the other world, the true and real world, Scorpius is able to bring Snape around by talking about Lily Potter. He guesses at how Snape must have felt when he lost Dumbledore, but it isn't guessing for Scorpius. He was living through it too. He had all the friends in the world in that world, but none were Albus. 

Scorpius's love for Albus and their friendship even saves him from the Dementors when he feels their effects in the Forest. Without the aid of a Patronus, Scorpius is able to repel their effects simply by thinking about Albus, and that's such a stunning sentiment. Thanks to Ron, Hermione and Snape's respective sacrifices, Scorpius is able to right the world.

Just moments before Delphi reveals herself, it is Scorpius who works out she's a wrong'un, but it's too late. He is tortured by Delphi (his cousin, it turns out) to test Albus and force him into helping her bring back her father, Lord Voldemort. In the face of such danger we once again see Scorpius's immense bravery, which even Godric Gryffindor himself beam with pride at.

Although it is Albus who has the brainwave at Godric's Hollow, it is Scorpius who helps him refine it, simply because he knows all about Bathilda Bagshot. If his geekness was a-quivering at the very sight of Bathilda Bagshot, it does make you wonder what his mind was doing when Albus walked into his compartment that day.

It's made clear from the beginning that Scorpius is a geek, and he's obviously very bookish. He is even a match for Hermione in the final phase of the plan at Godric's Hollow. I'm positively sure that Hermione put in good word with Rose for him afterwards...

Throughout the play, Albus is desperately seeking approval from his dad, but Scorpius is too. Draco, however, doesn't need or want to seek approval from his son, because that's all he ever wanted from his own father, and that's what messed him up. Draco just wants Scorpius to be alright, and he is. Their tense relationship comes to an end when they are reunited at Godric's Hollow, and they hug for the first time. From that point on the relationship is different. 

Scorpius and Draco Malfoy,
played by Anthony Boyle and Alex Price, respectively.

Along with the others, Scorpius stands and watches with Harry, as Lord Voldemort brutally murders James and Lily Potter. It's harrowing and sick, and it's hard not to cry at that scene. Throughout, Scorpius and Draco embrace. When Voldemort kills Lily in particular, Scorpius is distraught, undoubtedly thinking of his sweet mother.

When they return to the right time, Scorpius is still the underdog, especially with Rose, but her stance has softened somewhat. Outright hatred and distain had turned to pity, and that is always a start.

Scorpius has such a wide character arc, and it's simply stunning to witness. From the anxious and slightly neurotic 11-year-old we meet at the top of Part One, to the brave, confident 14-year-old at the end of Part Two, who resisted Lord Voldemort and repelled the dark forces of the ghastly Dementors through thought alone - it is inspiring. 

It's remarkable to see how Scorpius changes the negatives in his life into positives. From his time spent in the alternative world, he learnt what he could achieve. He no longer had to be ashamed for being his father's son. He didn't have to be hurt by the bullies if he didn't give them that power. Scorpius took note of Delphi's mantra - the future is ours to make - though he can't bet on Rose to make it easy for him, but he'd never expect her to. 

Harry Potter has always been a tale about underdogs; from bookish Hermione, to Ron living in his brothers' shadows, to the ethereal Luna Lovegood, to Harry himself, to Albus, and Scorpius, who truly means so much to me.