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
In the Potters’ home, Harry sits on Albus’s bed, mourning. Ginny comes in, apologizing for blaming him for driving Albus away, when in reality Albus was kidnapped by a dark witch. Harry says he did chase Albus away, and he apologizes, too. Harry worries, recalling that so many people had to die for him, but Ginny interrupts, saying that Albus isn’t dead. They hold each other for a minute.
Harry continues to acknowledge the mistakes he has made in parenting, in that his lack of understanding of Albus helped to drive Albus away. Harry also implies how his childhood struggles added to this problem, because of how many people died in the conflict between him and Voldemort, including Cedric—which is what made Albus go back in time in the first place.
Themes
Harry then picks up the blanket from where Albus tossed it, saying that it’s all he has left to remember his parents. Just then, Ginny realizes that there’s something written on the blanket. The stage splits: on one side, Albus and Scorpius are writing the message, and on the other, Ginny and Harry are trying to decipher it. Harry and Ginny eventually work it out: “Dad. Help. Godric’s Hollow. 31/10/81.” Harry realizes that it’s a message from Albus, telling him where and when to meet.
Just as the blanket represented Albus’s ability to connect with Harry, the blanket now also allows Albus to receive Harry’s support as Harry rescues Albus from being stranded in time. Through the blanket, which connects Harry to the love of his own mother, Harry and Albus are forging new bonds in their relationship as they begin to reconcile.
Themes
Harry kisses Ginny excitedly, knowing that they have a chance to get Albus back. They decide to send an owl to Hermione and Draco to meet them at Godric’s Hollow with the Time-Turner. Ginny and Harry kiss again, full of gratitude and love.
Harry’s reaction again illustrates the importance of family and love, as Ginny’s support has enabled Harry to figure out how to find Albus.
Themes
