Entertainment

Courtesy of Charlie Gray

Who Is The Cursed Child In 'Harry Potter & The Cursed Child'? It May Not Be Who You Think

by Leah Rocketto

Well Potter heads, the day you've waited months for is finally here. As of midnight, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child is available for purchase (and is being performed for the public, but only in London. Boo!) Whether you chose to read about the wizarding world in a hardbound book or on your e-reader, chances are you have a lot of questions as you open the eighth Harry Potter book, like just who is the cursed child in Harry Potter and The Cursed Child?

(Warning: This post contains spoilers from Harry Potter and The Cursed Child.)

Fans of the franchise went into July 31 thinking one of two characters would wear the title of The Cursed Child. The first, and most obvious choice, would be Harry's youngest son Albus Severus. When readers first met Albus Severus, he was anxiously awaiting for the Hogwarts Express at King's Cross Station and worried over what house her would be sorted into. Being the son of two legendary Gryffindors, the middle Potter child felt pressure to be put in the same house and fear over being put in Slytherin. Despite his father's efforts to assure him that both houses breed brave, amazing wizards, Albus didn't seem convinced. Albus does end up in Slytherin, but that isn't enough to qualify him as the cursed child. Sorry kid.

The other likely candidate for The Cursed Child would be the OG of the series, Harry Potter. Also know as The Boy Who Lived and The Chosen One, it's logical to assume that Harry would be giving another nickname. Especially when you consider that the "curse" may not be a literal curse. According to the official Harry Potter and The Cursed Child website, adult Harry is "an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic," who is grappling, "with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs." He's clearly under a lot of pressure to live up to the glory of his youth, and that can be a curse in and of itself.

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But the downside to adulting doesn't make you a cursed child either. Rather, the cursed child in Harry Potter and The Cursed Child is Scorpius Malfoy, son of former dark mark-carrier Draco Malfoy. Or so you assume. It turns out, Scorpius is actually the son of Lord Voldemort. How? Well, it turns out The Dark Lord used the Time-Turner to impregnate Draco's wife, Astoria, who then gave birth to Scorpius. This causes Scorpius to be bullied a lot at Hogwarts, but also creates a bond between he and Albus as they try to change time and prevent this curse from happening.

Courtesy of Charlie Gray

Time-Turners, Voldemort, and mayhem — oh my! It's clear that Harry Potter and The Cursed Child pleasers the series's longest dans while simultaneously bringing in a new generation of readers.