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After experiencing delays with the delivery of my book order, I finally got to read the latest installment of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, authorship of which she shares with playwright Jack Thorne and theater director John Tiffany.
It was weird to flip the pages in a script format – an obvious reminder that though it is the eighth book of the series, it is unlike the other seven books. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Draco Malfoy are all adults now – married and have kids. And though they are still part of the story, the narrative revolves mainly around the life of their children, specifically, the sons of Harry and Draco.
But though the book is essentially different from the rest, there are five things that connect it to the series that will make you feel nostalgic as you read it:
Warning: May contain spoilers.
1. Conversations with Dumbledore.
If you have read the complete installment, you will notice that Rowling has a knack for creating quotable lines from the wise headmaster of Hogwarts. Now that Dumbledore is gone, and the kids are grown up, you may think that this script is devoid of that. Fret not! Even Malfoy found himself quoting Dumbledore.
2. Adult Harry is still quick-tempered, stubborn, and full of angst.
When I read the epilogue of the seventh book, the glimpse of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Draco as adults made me wonder what they are like as grown-ups. It was something worth looking forward to in this book. I was surprised to find out a still quick-tempered, stubborn, and full-of-angst Harry Potter. And though he has become a father and a husband already, he is still very much like the Harry Potter in the past seven books.
3. Flashback to past events.
The book dabbled with the idea of going back in time and this led to recalling particular scenes in the Goblet of Fire, specifically during the Triwizard Tournament. The flashback to the first, second, and third tasks brought back some memories. But that was not all, it also gave us a glimpse of the scene at Godric’s Hollow – the night James and Lily Potter were murdered by Lord Voldemort.
4. Harry’s scar still hurts.
I didn’t quite expect this to still happen in this story line. After all, Voldemort was defeated already. The link should have been broken. But I noticed that in previous installments, Rowling used this as a cue to readers that something bad will happen. Yes. Something terrible happens whenever Harry’s scar hurts – and it did occur in this book.
5. “Mischief Managed”
If there’s anything entertaining about the Harry Potter series other than magic, I should say, these are the mischiefs, adventures, and friendships that drove the story forward. These three themes are still evident in this book and you know that it wouldn’t be a Harry Potter book without these! But this time around, Albus and Scorpius (Harry’s and Draco’s sons, respectively) are the ones entangled in another round of mischief and adventure!
