Tuesday, July 7, 2009

SEVERUS REJOINED and the HP Alliance

Here's the latest in my series of What Would Dumbledore Do playlets. I'm in the home stretch now. Only three major characters left, really and I think two of them will share one play.

To be honest, this is the big one. This is the death and the set of revelations that followed that so much of the series hinged on. I was a little hesitant to try this one, since it's so major and there's so much to say.

So how'd I do? Um ... okay. Others could have done better, but I think I contribute something here. Hope you like it.

SEVERUS REJOINED
a very short play by Dean O’Carroll


Lights up on a playground. It greatly resembles the one near Spinner’s End where SEVERUS SNAPE first met LILY EVANS, but it is cleaner, brighter, impossibly perfect.

SNAPE is there. His eyes are closed and he has a look of great focus, as if he were trying to burn something into his memory. Eventually he opens his eyes and sees his surroundings.

SNAPE
I see.

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE enters.

DUMBLEDORE
Severus! I must say, of all the places I have met with people on their journeys, this is by far my favorite.

SNAPE
Why am I not surprised?

DUMBLEDORE
How did he do it?

SNAPE
The snake. He used the snake on me. I imagine he considered that an honor.

DUMBLEDORE
Care for a go on the swings, Severus?

SNAPE
Thank you, Professor, no.

DUMBLEDORE
Suit yourself.

SNAPE
If you have further instructions for me there is no reason to be coy.

DUMBLEDORE
No, no Severus. Your job and mine are done. Responsibility lies with Harry Potter now.

SNAPE
So Lily’s son marches off to his death. I assume he will be joining us shortly.

DUMBLEDORE
Yes, but, I hope not for long. Perhaps you have deduced my theory.

SNAPE
That the Dark Lord’s curse will destroy the part of his soul inside the boy and Potter will be unscathed? Yes, I thought that might be part of your calculations. You’ve gambled a great deal on chance and theory, Professor.

DUMBLEDORE
And before me stands perhaps my greatest gamble, one which has returned my investment a thousandfold.

SNAPE
Yes. Well done. Once again your insight reigns supreme. And for the rest of us, for Moody and Scrimgeour, even Black? Should we take solace in the validation of your brilliance? Is that our reward as well?

DUMBLEDORE
I cannot speak for the others, but I had never thought you joined our side in search of reward.

SNAPE
No. No, and I never asked for one. I sought only … only …

DUMBLEDORE
Redemption?

SNAPE
I will kindly ask you not to put words in my mouth, Professor.

DUMBLEDORE
Of course.

A long silence as DUMBLEDORE swings gently.

SNAPE
Is … she here?

DUMBLEDORE
She is.

SNAPE
And … him as well.

DUMBLEDORE
They made a pledge to be bonded for all eternity, Severus. The one silver lining of their tragic early deaths was that they would never have to be apart.

SNAPE
Then even now I am … I am never …

DUMBLEDORE
Severus, your life was painful, woefully short, and often unfair. I will never deny that. For your sacrifices you have my endless gratitude and my deepest admiration. But your life was not devoid of joy and you are too intelligent and mature a man to claim it was.

SNAPE
I … do not claim that.

DUMBLEDORE
Are you familiar with a Muggle poet by the name of Omar Khayyam?

SNAPE
No.

DUMBLEDORE
He once wrote:
A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread--and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness--
Ah, Wilderness were Paradise enow!

SNAPE
I have no ear for poetry, Professor.

DUMBLEDORE
How little you understand yourself, my friend. What was the last thing you saw in all your life?

SNAPE
Eyes. Those eyes.

DUMBLEDORE
And was that not paradise enough?

SNAPE
… It was.

DUMBLEDORE
Then perhaps it is time for you to be reunited with someone who is hoping to see you.

SNAPE
No! No, Dumbledore! I could not! I couldn’t!

LILY POTTER is there.

LILY
Hello, Sev.

SNAPE turns and sees her.

SNAPE
Lily.

DUMBLEDORE
And at this point my exit is long overdue. Farewell.

DUMBLEDORE goes.

SNAPE
Is he … ?

LILY
James didn’t come. He might like to see you later. But he understood that I needed to talk to an old friend.

SNAPE
I …

LILY
We used to have wonderful talks, Sev. I miss them.

SNAPE
I thought you had nothing further to say to me.

LILY
That was a long time ago. Quite a bit has happened since then. Let’s have a swing and a chat. We have a lot of catching up to do.

LILY sits in a swing and gestures for SNAPE to join her.

SNAPE
And … things will be just as they were?

LILY
Well, probably not exactly. And you know they cannot be the way you wanted them to be.
(Pause.)
But … a swing … a chat … maybe a laugh or two?

SNAPE
… Paradise enow.

She smiles. He sits in the swing next to her. They begin to talk as …

The lights fade.



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