Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Parenthood
Time, Mistakes, and the Past
Friendship, Family, Love, and Bravery
Reputation and Expectation
Death and Sacrifice
Summary
Analysis
Back at the Potter home, Draco apologizes for losing his temper. He says that he can’t reach Scorpius, and he knows that Harry struggles to connect to Albus, too. That’s what this is really about—not about Scorpius being evil.
Draco points out here the problems with Harry’s actions. Harry is struggling with being a good parent (just as Draco is) and would rather try and blame something external than work through his problems with Albus and see his son—and Scorpius, for that matter—genuinely for who they are.
Themes
Draco then explains that he always envied Harry for having Ron and Hermione. Draco didn’t really have fun with Crabbe and Goyle, nor did they like each other that much. Ginny agrees, saying that she envied the trio, too. Harry says he’s trying to protect his son, but Draco explains that Harry isn’t helping Albus grow up. Boys need a parent or a friend, and Albus clearly hates Harry and no longer has a friend.
Draco emphasizes how important friendship is in helping people get through school. Harry understands this because of the relationship he shared with Hermione and Ron, but Ginny and Draco provide the opposite perspective—the difficulty of isolation, of not feeling the same sense of courage and adventure that comes from true friendship.
Themes
Draco explains that being truly alone is very difficult—it sends you to a dark place. Voldemort was also lonely, and Draco understands that. Ginny says she understands that, too. Draco suggests that maybe the black cloud Bane saw was Albus’s loneliness, and that Albus needs Harry and Scorpius.
