Cue No. 40

The trio runs to the safety of a kind stranger’s Hogsmeade home, though the music is static and seeps in underneath their fleeing from the streets. When they enter the basement of this man’s house, woodwinds play in trios of parallel triads. This location is suspicious, but seems safe. They mention that the man who rescued them looks like Albus. An English horn plays Fawkes A over much dissonance, as there is still confusion around the identity of this man. 

A portrait of a young woman hangs above the fireplace, and the camera pans by her over the somber tones of a celesta. After the portrait, there is a mirror hanging on the wall. It is small, and is missing a shard. Hermione looks in and sees Harry. It’s the other side of the enchanted mirror he’s had with him. The man who has been helping them all along lives here, but who is he? 

Harry walks over to the mirror to see for himself. A fragment of musical material used in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2022) around the mirror moments gets a small reprise to connect it all together. After this inspection, Aberforth Dumbledore, their rescuer, enters the room. He asks about Dobby, and a short version of his theme plays as they deliver the news that the house elf has died. 

Lots of moving low strings accompany this conversation, so as to not intrude on the importance of the dialogue in this moment. The first thematic moment that occurs is when Aberforth mentions that the Order of the Phoenix is finished. A tired, noble Order Theme plays; but then the conversation turns towards the mystery of the Dumbledores, the quest for the Horcruxes, and the necessity of breaking into Hogwarts. 

Chord changes come slowly as harp and vibraphone decorate the sonorities. The Fawkes B theme plays in the celesta, heightening the mysteries around the Dumbledore family and the man Harry thought he knew so well. He mentions at the end of the conversation that he trusted the Dumbledore he knew, and that the trio must get into the castle tonight. 

Aberforth tells the portrait of Ariana, who is revealed to be the sister of the Dumbledore brothers, to go fetch someone. She walks away, leaving Aberforth with the trio. Flute and celesta accompany this moment before Aberforth gives a last statement to Harry, Ron, and Hermione about his brother. An oboe solo sees the scene out, and flutes return as a trio, like at the beginning of the cue. Ariana is returning to the portrait with someone behind her. Pulsing begins with strings trilling on top as the anticipation grows. The portrait itself opens, revealing a secret passageway, and an old friend.

Neville, who is worn and tattered, greets the trio. His theme gets the most heroic statement heard yet, and then the music quickly shifts into an insistent pulse. The four of them begin walking up the passageway to the castle, Neville filling them in about how much Hogwarts has changed since they left. Fragments of motivic material waste time as the conversation above the music takes precedence. Outside, a slow pan up reveals Hogwarts in the distant night sky. A dark and magical Hedwig’s Theme plays in the low horns, creating both an exciting entrance into the finale, but also a callback to the first time these friends saw the magnificent castle. 

The motion stops with Neville as he waits, then slowly opens a portrait in front of him, revealing the room of requirement. Dumbledore’s Army is all sitting around, waiting for Neville’s return. The motivic material from the glory days of the DA plays, exciting the situation, then the music holds to reveal Harry to everyone. A warm and triumphant reprise of Harry’s Wondrous World plays as they all applaud his arrival. 

The strings wind down after the initial excitement, and they get out of the way as Harry’s dialogue comes to the foreground. This cue ends with a moment of comedic levity as the seriousness of the situation is suddenly brought to light through the eyes of the teenagers: they are after an object, but they do not know what it is, or what it looks like, or where it might be other than that it is in the castle. It is the only moment that truly feels like the old days. The gang is back together again, and for the last time.