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Albus Dumbledore’s portrait speaks to Harry; Draco Malfoy has a confession

"….there is never a perfect answer in this messy, emotional world. Perfection is beyond the reach of humankind, beyond the reach of magic."
-- Dumbledore's portrait (CC4.4)

Albus Dumbledore’s portrait speaks to Harry; Draco Malfoy has a confession

31 October 2020

While Harry Potter is in his office at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Albus Dumbledore visits his portrait and they have a conversation. Dumbledore attempts to speak to Harry about love. Harry counters that that he is so bad at understanding his own child because Dumbledore hadn’t been a very good example of being a father to Harry (CC4.4).

Draco Malfoy arrives. He reveals to Harry that he has another working Time-Turner, made for his father Lucius – ostentatiously manufactured in gold. It doesn’t have the same limitations as the Experimental version that their sons were using. Draco also talks about his relationship with his wife and son, and the reasons why he has kept the Golden Time-Turner a secret until now (CC4.4).

Timeline Notes

After the meeting at the Ministry - on the 31st October 2020 due to the events that follow

Commentary

Notes

This event takes place during the Voldemort Final timeline, as described in the essay "Albus Potter and the lesson in Quantum Mechanics" by Nick Moline.

While looking at Snape's memories in the Pensieve, Harry sees a portrait of Albus Dumbledore on the wall in the Headteacher's office (DH33), but his surprise at speaking to Dumbledore at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in the Ministry must mean that Dumbledore has never visited that portrait while Harry was in his own office (CC4.4).

Draco Malfoy's description of his father Lucius and his life with wife Astoria is quite sad. Astoria understood Draco, better than his parents had

"She wanted me to have somebody when she left.... it is exceptionally lonely, being Draco Malfoy.... There is no escaping the past" (CC4.4).

Harry and Draco realise that they have both made mistakes as fathers. Harry comments:

"Love blinds. We have both tried to give our sons not what they needed, but what we needed. We've been so busy trying to rewrite our own pasts, we've blighted their present" (CC4.4).

From the Web

Pottermore: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

The theatre production opened in the West End of London at the Palace Theatre on 30 July 2016, with Jamie Parker in the role of Harry Potter and Alex Price as Draco Malfoy: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two

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