// MARSCAPONE SCHOOL OF MAGIC //

It is about 4 AM in the morning when the party arrives at the Marscapone school.

KEVIN

(thinking) Rain, again.

On the front sidewalk is GEORGE HENRY, carrying in his arms the limp body of SUMMER HOLIDAY.

(thinking) He’s had to drain her memory.

(thinking) It’s for the best.

The CONJURER, DAYWALKER, the MASTER, parallel-park against the curb and climb out of the car.

GEORGE HENRY

IT’S ABOUT TIME Y’ALL GOT HERE.

The BUTLER follows soon after.

STRAUD

GEORGE HENRY. THERE WAS A FIRE?

GEORGE HENRY

YOU CAN SMELL IT?

STRAUD

GET AVAEL OVER HERE. WE’RE GOING TO NEED HER.

~ ~ ~

In a few moments, CEDRIC returns to the house with AVAEL.

GEORGE HENRY unlocks the door.

GEORGE HENRY

I COULDN’T GET THERE IN TIME.

I CAME AS SOON AS I HEARD THE FIRE.

STRAUD

LAY THE GIRL DOWN. SHE NEEDS SOME REST.

AND WE HAVE WORK TO DO.

GEORGE HENRY

WHERE? WILL SHE BE ABLE TO SLEEP IN THIS ODOR?

STRAUD

SHE NEEDS REST.

GEORGE HENRY takes SUMMER HOLIDAY upstairs and tucks her into bed. When he returns to the first floor, the party still collects in the dining room.

STRAUD

WHO WAS IT?

GEORGE HENRY

AGNES. IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN AGNES.

KEVIN

MY MOTHER’S FRIEND.

STRAUD

TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED.

GEORGE HENRY

I WAS… I WAS IN THE BASEMENT USING THE COMPUTER WHEN I HEARD THE SOUND.

I THOUGHT AT FIRST IT WAS JUST THE FIREPLACE AT FIRST SO I TRIED TO PUT IT OUT OF MIND.

BUT THEN I HEARD THE YELLING. IT WAS HEATED. I FELT SCARED.

I RUSHED UPSTAIRS. SUMMER WAS AT WORK…

STRAUD

WHAT WERE YOU WATCHING?

GEORGE HENRY

WHAT, SIR?

STRAUD

GODDAMN IT! ON THE COMPUTER! WHAT HAD YOU BEEN WATCHING?

GEORGE HENRY

UH… I… UH.

STRAUD

THINK, MAN, THINK!

GEORGE HENRY

ONE OF MY RERUNS…

STRAUD

DAMMIT!

GEORGE HENRY

OK! OK!

IT WAS DISNEY CRAP. UH.

THE SWORD IN THE STONE.

STRAUD

SHIT BOY! DON’T YOU KNOW BETTER THAN TO WATCH THE MOUSE?!

DID YOUR TIME WITH VINCENT TEACH YOU NOTHING?!

GEORGE HENRY is silent.

WHERE IS THE OLD WOMAN?

AVAEL

SHE’S IN THE SUITE.

BUT THERE’S NOT MUCH LEFT OF HER.

GEORGE HENRY

I LEFT THE FIRE TO BURN, JUST AS YOU TOLD –

STRAUD

SILENCE!

The group, now numbering six, shuffle through the crowded apartment.

LEAD THE WAY, AVAEL.

They exit the center apartment and make their way into the entryway.

AVAEL lifts her hand and the fingers retract, replaced by a circular saw. She runs a circuit around the door mechanism, leaving just a corner uncut.

She presses on the handle and it falls inside the locked apartment.

The door swings open on its hinges. The creaking is ominous. Inside is a large white piano. Nothing on the first floor seems to be touched. But the smell of ash permiates the space.

Before they ascend the stairs, STRAUD speaks.

STRAUD

DID YOU SEE ANYTHING?

GEORGE HENRY

WELL… NO. I KNEW THEY WERE FEUDING, I COULD HEAR THAT MUCH. BUT SHE’D LOCKED THE DOOR. ENCHANTED IT.

CEDRIC

(whispering) Newb.

STRAUD

IT IS FOR THE BETTER THAN YOU DID NOT GET INVOLVED IN A WITCHES’ SPAT. I AM GLAD YOU ARE SAFE.

AVAEL

THE BONES ARE UPSTAIRS, MASTER.

STRAUD

THANK YOU, AVAEL.

GEORGE HENRY

I SHOULD GO CHECK ON…

AVAEL

LIFESIGNS APPEAR STABLE.

STRAUD

WELL THERE YOU GO.

They all shuffle upstairs. The second floor is scarred with the remains of fire. Only the tatters of curtains remain on the wall.

STRAUD

ACTUALLY, CEDRIC.

GO TEND TO THE YOUNG WOMAN. IT IS BEST SHE REMEMBERS –

But his voice drops as they reach the landing. There is a clatter of charred bones on the floor. It brings down the hearts of the party.

MANDARC

HOW CAN WE KNOW…

AVAEL

BIOSIGNS INDICATE THEY ALL BELONG TO THE DECEASED MYRTLE MARSCAPONE.

STRAUD

GOOD. THAT MAKES OUR JOB EASIER.

EACH OF YOU TAKE WHAT YOU CAN CARRY. LEAVE THE REST.

A few short minutes later, the group is outside in the garden. They stand in front of a dark, weathered stone.

VINCENT MARSCAPONE

LAY THEM ATOP THE GRAVE.

Each, in his turn, follows suit. Soon, there is a small heap of blackened bones.

TAKEN. BEFORE HER TIME.

GEORGE HENRY

SIR. I’M SO SORRY…

STRAUD

THAT’S ENOUGH, GEORGE. HAVE A LITTLE REVERENCE.

Rain falls gently, coating their hair with a dusting of dew.

MANDARC holds the leash of his dog tight, firm, but the dog does not wince.

They have their heads bowed for an uncountable silence.

KEVIN

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO?

They lift their heads and peer, uncertain at each other.

STRAUD

THE MORTAR AND PESTLE. IT’S IN HER KITCHEN.

G.H. I’M SURE YOU’RE AWARE OF WHERE IT IS.

GEORGE HENRY looks at KEVIN.

GEORGE HENRY

SIR?

KEVIN

DO AS HE ASKS.

~ ~ ~

The rain continues to fall. The remains of MYRTLE MARSCAPONE are crushed into the bowl; CEDRIC holds up an umbrella to shield the bowl from the falling water.

Finally they are left with a dark marble cup of grey ash.

STRAUD

NOW THEN. KEVIN. SUMMON THE WOMAN.

He pauses a second. Unsure. He opens his mouth as if to make an objection but seems to think better of it.

KEVIN

…YES.

Unceremoniously, KEVIN grasps a heaping handful of the sticky dust and hurls it over the fence.

GEORGE HENRY leaps in his shoes when appears a gossamer figment of light echoing none other than the MATRON MYRTLE MARSCAPONE.

She doesn’t seem to recognize anything around her. She looks around blankly, twirling in her place as if searching for a lost bauble.

MYRTLE

VINCENT?

Her voice is unmistakable. This is the woman’s soul stuff.

VINCENT? WHERE ARE YOU?

She looks around. And suddenly, her face becomes fixated.

On KEVIN.

KEVIN?

And fiercely,

WHERE IS YOUR FATHER?

KEVIN

HE’S NOT HERE, MA.

MYRTLE

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, ‘HE’S NOT HERE’?

KEVIN

EXACTLY WHAT I SAID. HE’S NOT HERE.

MYRTLE

THEN WHERE THE HELL AM I?

HE PROMISED HE’D MEET ME HERE!

KEVIN

THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

HE’S NO LONGER ABLE TO KEEP THAT PROMISE.

HE SENDS HIS CONDOLENCES.

GEORGE HENRY shifts uneasily.

MYRTLE

KEVIN…

KEVIN

KEVIN NOTHING.

What little able to be gleaned from her transparent face melts into shock, fear, remorse. She looks around and her eyes settle upon the figures around her.

MYRTLE

VLAD? CEDRIC?

And with a spit of contention –

MYRTLE

…MANDARC?!

STRAUD

WE’RE ALL HERE.

MYRTLE

(pleading) IT… IT WAS AGNES! SHE FIRED FLAME UPON ME!

CEDRIC

WE CAN SEE THAT. THE SCHOOL IS SMOULDERING.

MYRTLE

(with bile) IT… IT WAS YOU!

She points at GEORGE HENRY.

YOU WERE PLAYING THAT… THAT STUPID SONG!

STRAUD

THAT “STUPID SONG” SAVED YOUR LIFE. AND BESIDES.

THE YOUNG ACOLYTE DIDN’T KNOW ANY BETTER.

MYRTLE

‘SAVED MY LIFE’?!

LOOK AT ME!

CEDRIC

IT’S NOT SO BAD. YOUR HAIR LOOKS GREAT.

~ ~ ~

The five are in the kitchen, silently reflecting on what to do, where to go next.

MYRTLE’s ghost has dissolved, but she will be back, they are sure. Once a spirit has been bound to a place, it never truly disappears.

A rush of water through pipes becomes audible.

GEORGE HENRY

IT’S SUMMER. SHE’S JUST WAKING UP, IT SOUNDS LIKE.

In a few minutes, the sliding door opens. In walks a young woman with her hair restrained in a tight French braid, just barely untidy from fitfull sleep.

SUMMER HOLIDAY

GEORGE, WHAT’S GOING ON?

WHAT HAPPENED?

GEORGE HENRY

MY MOTHER DIED.

She brings her hands to her face, gasping.

SUMMER HOLIDAY

OH NO, GEORGE! THAT’S TERRIBLE!

GEORGE

THESE ARE MY BROTHERS. AND MY DAD.

He waves toward the silver-haired gentleman VLADISLAUS STRAUD.

She reaches out her hand.

SUMMER HOLIDAY

MISTER MARSCAPONE. I’M SO SORRY.

STRAUD

WELL, ACTUALLY, WE WERE DIVORCED.

BUT IT’S OF NO MATTER.

VLADISLAUS STRAUD.

SUMMER HOLIDAY tries to say the name but it’s a mouthful and she mispronounces it.

STRAUD says his name again.

STRAUD

VLADISLAUS STRAUD.

SUMMER HOLIDAY

MISTER STRAUD. IT’S NICE TO MAKE YOUR ACQUAINTANCE.

YOUR SON HAS ALWAYS BEEN NOTHING LESS THAN A GENTLEMAN.

She turns toward GEORGE HENRY.

YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOU HAD BROTHERS!

GEORGE HENRY

IT NEVER CAME UP.

SUMMER HOLIDAY

I’M AN ONLY CHILD, MYSELF.

BUT I ALWAYS WANTED SIBLINGS.

A knock interrupts their conversation.

KEVIN

I’LL GET IT.

KEVIN goes to the front door of the MAGICADEMY and opens it.

It’s LARRY.

KEVIN

(irritated) LARRY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

LARRY POTTER

I’M… I’M LOOKING FOR –

KEVIN

LARRY, SHE’S DIED.

His face drops in shock.

LARRY POTTER

WHAT DO YOU MEAN, ‘SHE’S DIED’?

KEVIN

WHAT DO YOU MEAN ‘WHAT DO I MEAN’?

EXACTLY WHAT I SAID.

SHE HAS DIED.

LARRY POTTER

BUT WHAT ABOUT HER POTION?

KEVIN

SHE NEVER FINISHED HER RESEARCH. SHE RAN OUT OF TIME.

LARRY POTTER

BUT… THERE MUST BE SOMETHING WE CAN DO!

KEVIN

EXCUSE ME?

The sound of laughter comes from inside the house.

LARRY POTTER

CAN’T YOU CAST A RESURRECTION FOR HER?

KEVIN

CAST RESURRECTION?

POTTER.

THIS AIN’T FUCKIN’ … DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS.

NO, I CANNOT SIMPLY CAST RESURRECTION.

HER BONES WERE BURNT TO A CRISP.

LARRY POTTER

BURNT TO A CRISP? YOU DON’T MEAN…

KEVIN

YES. THERE WAS A FIRE.

IT SEEMS SHE WAS SMOKING IN THE BEDROOM AND A FIRE STARTED.

SHE PROBABLY THREW HER CIGARETTE BUTT IN THE GARBAGE OR SOMETHING.

SHE MUST HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP BEFORE THE FIRE STARTED.

LARRY POTTER

BUT… HASN’T THE SCHOOL GOT SPRINKLERS?

KEVIN

IT SEEMS SHE’D DISABLED THE ONES IN HER BEDROOM.

LISTEN, POTTER. I REALLY HAVEN’T GOT THE TIME TO PLAY TWENTY QUESTIONS WITH YOU. STRAUD’S HERE AND I’M GOING TO HELP HIM PERFORM THE RITES.

LARRY POTTER

DO YOU NEED A THIRD?

KEVIN

LARRY. HAVE YOU FOUND HERMIONE YET?

LARRY POTTER

WELL, NO. NOT YET.

KEVIN grits his teeth.

KEVIN

THEN. WHY. DON’T. YOU. WORK. ON. THAT.

LARRY POTTER

I WAS GOING TO HELP THE HEADMISTRESS GO THROUGH HER BOOKS.

KEVIN

WELL YOU’RE A LITTLE LATE, AIN’T YA.

LARRY POTTER

YEAH… I GUESS SO.

KEVIN

OK LARRY. I GOTTA GO.

LARRY POTTER

I’M SO SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.

KEVIN

YEAH, ME TOO.

LISTEN.

COULD YOU DO ME A FAVOR?

LARRY POTTER

SURE… ANYTHING.

KEVIN

I NEED YOU TO GO TO THE HOUSE OF CASSANDRA GOTH AND LET HER KNOW THAT MY MOTHER IS DEAD.

LARRY POTTER

CASSANDRA GOTH?

KEVIN

YES. IT’S LESS HER THAT NEEDS TO KNOW, BUT IN PARTICULAR THE YOUNG LUCIA EKSTROM STAYING WITH HER.

SHE’S A NORTHERN PRINCESS WHO WAS SEEKING MY MOTHER’S MENTORSHIP.

LARRY POTTER

SHIT. A NORTHERN PRINCESS?

KEVIN

YES. AND PLEASE.

TRY NOT TO HUMILIATE YOURSELF.

KEVIN shuts the door. But LARRY POTTER continues speaking. Muted by the door, KEVIN can still hear him speaking.

LARRY POTTER

WHERE AM I GOING? DO YOU HAVE –

KEVIN yanks the door open.

AN ADDRESS?

KEVIN

37 ASCOT.

LARRY POTTER

BUT WHERE…

KEVIN

YOU DON’T HAVE A PHONE?

LARRY POTTER

I DO, BUT –

KEVIN

PUNCH IT INTO YOUR G.P.S. OR WHATEVER. I’M SURE YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT.

GOODBYE, LARRY.