The Secret Keeper
Image © 2004 by TikiGeek
Image © 2004 by TikiGeek
Copyright 2004, 2005 by Literary Luminary
The Prison Out to Sea
To the tune of The House Upon the Hill
SCENE: On a tiny island in the North Sea, Azkaban Prison stands, dark and foreboding. Lily and James (playing the Dreamers*) look on it sorrowfully.
JAMES:
LILY:
But one held there is innocent
JAMES:
There he sits and bides his time
LILY:
*For those of you unfamiliar with the original play and wondering what in blazes James and Lily are doing in this scene, the Dreamers are the spirits of the dead. They watch over the living characters, occasionally commenting on their actions (similar in some ways to the classical Greek chorus).
All My Fault
To the tune of There's a Girl
SCENE: Flashback -- In the aftermath of Halloween, 1981, Sirius discovers the ruins of Godric's Hollow, and blames his own folly for James and Lily's deaths just before going after Peter.
SIRIUS:
How could I have placed
There's a baby who's left crying,
Three Boys on the Express
To the tune of A Girl in the Valley
SCENE: Remus, observing the Trio's camaraderie, reminisces on his own childhood friends.
REMUS:
I had been sitting all alone,
From the door
I let them-
But James, Sirius and Peter
What wouldn't I give
"Why'd you leave me,
We were
Three boys I met on the Express,
I Hear Someone…
To the tune of I Heard Someone Crying
SCENE: Harry, Ginny, Neville, and Lupin reflect on the Dementor-induced horrors recollected on the Hogwarts Express.
HARRY:
GINNY:
BOTH:
NEVILLE:
ALL THREE:
LUPIN:
I hear someone crying,
Last Moments
To the tune of Final Storm
SCENE: In the Hospital Wing following the Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff match, Harry has nightmares of his parents' last moments. (Note: The shades of Voldemort's previous victims will function as an unseen-but-audible Chorus)
CHORUS:
VOLDEMORT:
CHORUS:
JAMES:
LILY (simultaneous with James):
Only one re-
JAMES (simultaneous with Lily's last line):
Lily rushes up the stairs to the nursery, searching for means of escape but finding none. Finally, she stands before Harry's cot. He begins to cry
LILY:
Cut to front door, where Voldemort has disarmed James. Simultaneous with Lily's last two lines, he gloats
VOLDEMORT:
His Killing Curse dispatches James, and he moves on to his real quarry. Cut to nursery, where Lily is still standing in front of Harry. She continues to comfort him
LILY:
Cut to Voldemort, advancing up the stairs in classic horror movie style-i.e., very slowly. Simultaneous with Lily, he sings
VOLDEMORT:
Cut back to nursery. For the purposes of this filk-I'm invoking creative license-Lily has cast a protective charm over Harry with advance knowledge of its effect
LILY:
Cut to Voldemort, just outside the nursery, who has conveniently missed hearing Lily. Simultaneous with her, he sings
VOLDEMORT:
He enters, wand drawn, and addresses Lily
Stand aside, foolish girl
Just give the boy to me,
LILY:
Voice calls out, beginning to break through the nightmare
Harry!
VOLDEMORT /(VOICE):
VOLDEMORT:
Come and Join Me for Tea
To the tune of The Girl I Mean to Be
SCENE: Harry, unable to go to Hogsmeade, joins Professor Lupin for tea and conversation.
LUPIN:
HARRY:
LUPIN:
HARRY:
You stopped me from trying 'gainst the Boggart-
Why thus expel me?
LUPIN:
Owing to a need to fit more subject matter into this filk, I'll pause here to let you all cue up the music again. Ready? Good. And we resume…
HARRY:
LUPIN:
He is about to go on, but is interrupted - right on schedule - by Snape, bearing a goblet of Wolfsbane.
SNAPE:
Exit Snape
HARRY (thinking):
Despite Harry's not-very-subtle attempts to hint to him that Snape may, in fact, be trying to poison him, Lupin drinks the potion, then bids Harry farewell
LUPIN:
It's a Shame
To the tune of It's a Maze
SCENE: Harry rushes into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and is dismayed to find Snape has taken his mild-mannered mentor's place behind the desk. Furthermore, Snape has made some interesting changes to the lesson plan.
SNAPE:
Today you will learn how to recognize
Miss Granger, five points; your hand wasn't raised.
HARRY:
HERMIONE:
SNAPE:
(It's a shame, this class; its ignorance is
A good teacher knows how the lesson goes
Show Me the Charm
To the tune of Show Me the Key
SCENE: Harry, feeling he needs help to combat the influence of the Dementors on him, appeals to Professor Lupin.
HARRY (hesitant):
LUPIN (prompting):
HARRY:
LUPIN:
HARRY:
LUPIN:
HARRY:
LUPIN (contemplative):
HARRY:
LUPIN:
HARRY:
LUPIN (spoken):
HARRY:
So, this charm…
LUPIN:
HARRY:
LUPIN (interjecting):
HARRY:
HARRY/(LUPIN):
Harry leaves. Lupin marvels at Harry's willingness to undertake something so difficult.
LUPIN (contemplative):
The Patronus Charm
To the tune of Come Spirit, Come Charm
SCENE: In the DADA office, Remus coaches Harry in the casting of the Patronus Charm. James and Lily (playing the Dreamers) watch and encourage their son.
REMUS (spoken):
(Sung) A mem'ry you'll need
HARRY:
JAMES/LILY (SUNG THRICE):
If To Hogsmeade I Could Go
To the tune of If I Had a Fine White Horse
SCENE: Harry expresses his disappointment that he cannot accompany Ron and Hermione to Hogsmeade. They commiserate, but leave without him nonetheless. Harry thinks he'll never see the village-until Fred and George Weasley give him a very valuable gift.
HARRY:
HERMIONE:
HARRY:
RON:
HERMIONE:
They leave. Harry resumes his little bout of self-pity.
HARRY:
As though on cue, Fred and George pull Harry into a deserted classroom and explain the workings of the great and glorious Marauder's Map.
FRED AND GEORGE:
If to Hogsmeade you would go
Letter Unsent
To the tune of The Letter Song
SCENE: Remus writes a letter to James and Lily, telling them about Harry.
REMUS:
Harry looks so much like you, Prongs,
How I wish you could be with him
I've taught him the Patronus Charm
Oh, dear friends,
Forever,
He Should Have Had
To the tune of A Bit of Earth
Remus reflects on Harry's childhood and considers should-haves, what-ifs, and might-have-beens.
REMUS:
He should have had
He should have love,
If Black had been loyal,
A proper home.
He should have had a proper home.
Far out to sea is a lonely prison
Walls and sea's fury bind it
And only the lost
In guilt and fury ever find it.
Naught will cease their souls' torment
Their screaming or their crying.
They call out, raging,
As they are slowly dying.
He would never harm or kill;
Yet no one listens,
And he waits still.
His time to flee is coming soon
I know that he will make it
I gave him a task to do
And he will undertake it.
Burning with slow fury
At the rat who sent him there
Acting as judge and jury.
The Dementors are still drifting
But he isn't driven mad-
He knows his time is coming,
And justice will be had.
It must be a dream;
It cannot be true
How can they be gone?
I was such a fool.
My trust, so undeserved
In a trait'rous rat?
This is all my fault.
There's a baby left alone;
My godson, who's now orphaned
In a house that's not a home
In a house that's not a home.
Three boys I met on the Express,
Three boys I hardly knew,
Three boys I met on the Express
Befriended me.
Habitually solitary,
Then James, Sirius and Peter
All began knocking.
They called out quite loudly,
"Can't we please sit here;
Everywhere else is now full?"
Well, why not permit it?
Just harmless boys,
And eas'ly ignored.
Three boys, who I would soon see,
Three boys, who all were determined,
Befriended me.
Just to see them.
All I would ask is simply-
Simply "Why?"
Why'd you betray us,
Why am I alone now?
When
Once un-i, once un-i,
Once united?"
Three boys-who well I knew…
Three boys, all of them now fallen…
Once, they loved me.
I hear someone crying,
Who, though, could it be?
I think that it's my mother, crying out for me,
Pleading that I might live, even if she has to die-
When Dementors come too near, I hear my mother's cries…
I hear someone laughing,
Who else would it be?
I can hear Tom Riddle, reaching into me,
Mocking all my secrets, my dreams, my every choice-
When Dementors come too near, I hear Tom Riddle's voice.
They are horrid monsters, then, to force remembrance of our pasts.
They are horrid monsters-how I hope their spell here will not last…
I hear someone screaming,
Voices from long ago.
Voices that I long to hear, but will never really know.
My mother and my father-I can hear them shriek with pain.
When Dementors come too near, I recall that night again…
They force us into dreaming of
The terrors that we once endured.
Our joy pouring into them-we need release; aid, we implore!
I hear someone crying,
To me, the voice is known.
The cries that I am hearing-who else's, but my own?
I hear my own crying, on the night my friends all died…
When Dementors come too near-how bitterly I cried!
Three children, lost in pain,
Wondering desperately if they will know joy again-
I know what they're feeling; I will come to their defense:
Dementors, leave this place-I now end your pretense!
Late on this Halloween night,
Voldemort draws near your door,
Prophecy causing him fright,
Murder is what he's there for…
James and Lily Potter,
Oh, beware…
Three times you've defied me and lived;
Now it's your time to die.
Your baby won't be any threat to me;
I've been warned by clever spy…
Oh, hurry; he's at the door!
Lily, Harry, go;
Voldemort I'll slow;
Fidelius is no more.
Oh, our doomsday has come;
We have been betrayed!
Course now…
I will defend to my last breath…
Don't cry, baby;
Harm won't come to you.
You'll survive this, my
Son…
You've fought well, James Potter;
Just not well enough.
Hush, little one.
Victory's near.
The charm that I've spun
Will let you see through
This night…
I will
Void seer's
Warning…
And I'll let you live;
It's only your son I want.
And I'll let you live;
You're not the one I hunt.
Your husband is dead;
And soon your baby as well.
Please, not Harry! Please, not Harry!
Mercy I beg you show!
Anything I'll give,
If you'll let him live!
In his place, I'll gladly go!
Then Avada… (Harry!)
….Kedavra!
Harry, come in; you seem to be
Alone and needing company.
Come have a chat, perhaps some tea-
But mind the Grindylow tank.
Thanks, Professor; I think I will;
My friends are both in Hogsmeade still
(I wish I that I could go, but lack
The required permission).
You seem to have some worry on your mind,
If you would tell me?
I thought that if you took your place,
It would have worn Voldemort's face;
Though clearly I was wrong, it seemed
Quite prudent at the time.
I thought of Voldemort at first,
But fear the Dementors the worst.
So your worst fear is fear itself…
That is very wise, Harry.
You ought to drink that right away-
It won't profit you to delay.
I have more in my cauldron when the next
Dose is required.
I think, with eye of newt and slime of slug,
(For he is vicious)
Snape's concocted some truly deadly drug,
Not one nutritious.
Well, Harry, I have work to do-
And, most likely, so do you;
But thank you for a pleasant time,
And for your company.
Lupin's ill, so I'll teach
There's a need; I will fill it.
Potter, sit. Not a sound!
Insubordination? I'll kill it.
A werewolf-mere child's play.
Lupin's been lenient; you'll work hard today.
Werewolf, true wolf-differences?
Tormenting students, thus I spend my days.
Mr. Weasley, detention-infirmary.
That's how my Defense class goes.
Oh, how I wish that Lupin were well.
There's no denying that Snape's class is hell.
He's a sadist with a greasy-haired head
"Fantastic Beasts" went completely unread.
Everyone knows Kappas are native to Japan
But there's no telling this man.
He thinks they're Mongolian beasts
I have just one retort: not in the least!
Lost your minds? No surprise;
I will open your eyes.
Werewolves are bloodthirsty
And won't show you mercy.
Almost too much to abide.
But I'll see this through, so they'll have a clue
To the secret Lupin hides.)
How the students wail when their grades are Fail
To assign long essays and let them rail
As resentment climbs.
Act impervious
Test them when it's time.
That's how my Defense class goes.
I…
You?
I need help.
You need my help?
Then is there something that's the matter?
What is it?
The Dementors.
Why do they affect me so badly?
Am I just weak?
Certainly not.
It has nothing to do with weakness.
Then can you show me
How to fight against them?
Show me the charm?
Show you the charm…
I don't claim to be expert
And that charm's fiendishly difficult;
Are you quite sure you can manage?
It's far beyond O.W.L. standard.
I have to try.
So you will try.
If you're willing, I will help you.
Thanks so much, Professor;
I promise to give it my best shot-
I'll give it my all.
Indeed, Harry.
You're a Professor knows his craft;
I'll trust you, then, to teach
A charm to me to keep me from
Dementors' chilling reach.
I'll not falter and fall from skies,
Or fail the Snitch to catch,
Since you'll show to me a charm
That will keep me in the match.
The Quidditch Cup we must win;
Gryffindor, so it appears,
Has not been recipient
For so many, many years.
Captain Wood, his heart's set on it,
My team I dare not fail,
For if Dementors cause me distress,
I fear they'd me assail.
The Patronus.
Will keep all Dementors far from me.
I'm glad you'll teach me-
After the holiday.
Teach me the charm.
Teach me (I'll teach) the charm.
He's certainly determined.
Will it be enough? We'll see.
He has talent; perhaps he will
Surprise me.
The Patronus Charm
Will guard you from harm;
Dementors will it fell
To keep you safe and well.
To help you succeed
One that evokes joy
Guardian to deploy.
Guardian far above
Called up from on high,
Charge Dementors down,
Their powers deny.
Shield me from terrors
That dwell in my past;
Patronus Charm
I prepare to cast.
Come, Patronus Charm
To guard him from harm
Oh, magical spell,
Please protect him well!
If to Hogsmeade I could go
I'd visit Honeydukes today
And eat sweets till my stomach felt
Quite ready to give way.
I'd sample Fizzing Whizbees, Ice
Mice, Sugar Quills and such.
But what's there to do in
a candy shop?
It seems to me not much.
If to Hogsmeade I could go,
I'd visit the joke shop today.
They say that Zonko's features tricks
To take your breath away.
I'd stock up on Dungbombs and
Frogspawn soap and such.
But we'll bring you stuff back from Zonko's, so
You are not missing much.
Besides, you know it's important to
Keep you away from Black!
Harry, we both know he'll get at you
If caution you should lack!
If to Hogsmeade I could go
I'd enjoy my friends' company.
But since I'm the Boy-Who-Lived
I'll have no such luxury.
If only the Dursleys
Weren't my appointed wardens
I'd be able to visit shops;
My horizons broaden.
We happened upon this one day
Hidden inside Filch's drawer
We stole it right away from him
And rules troubled
Us nevermore.
Then tap the Map with your wand; say
"I solemnly swear I'm up
To no good" and you'll be on
Your way. Remember to clear it,
A "Mischief Managed" does
The trick. If you should happen to see
The passage guarded by the tree
And are not killed by its fury
Then come and tell my dearest twin
And me.
D-E-A-R James and Lily,
How are you?
I'm fine,
At least as fine as I can be.
I miss you.
But Lily, he has your eyes.
And it almost hurts to see him.
I miss you.
Of your son, you'd be so proud.
I want to tell him everything
But I know that's disallowed.
To keep Dementors all at bay.
He has it corporeal, Prongs,
In your image, I must say.
James and Lily,
Oh, if only you could see
How well your boy is growing up.
I miss you.
Sincerely,
Your friend,
Moony
A proper home.
He should have had a proper home.
His child's needs
They went ignored.
He was unloved,
He was unwanted:
Yes, I see.
His family,
His mother's sister and her lot,
They would not care:
For he is "strange",
And so affection
Though desired, was not shared.
James, yes, and Lily;
Brother, sister-
Loving arms.
He should have known
His heritage;
Grown up seeing
Spells, magic charms.
This surely is in my power to give
But I can't tell
The secrets that
Cannot now live.
What now would life be?
Could our pack of six have
Remained close-knit, family?
If only I could turn back time,
Prevent the whole tragedy,
Make them see
Who the traitor would be…
But I can't. And
We are alone.
I would give him this, if I could.
But I don't dare
I cannot trust
What I become
When full moon rises in the air.
I want so much to tell him all, to
Love him just as he should be…
Yet that path's barred by the curse that's
Forever within me.
He should have had his family.