Cue No. 4

The string section swirls around in anticipation of the final flight from Privet Drive. Hedwig’s Theme is partially played in the woodwinds, then it transitions into the modulation section of its concert work, continuing to the note as they take off. Once in the sky, the swirling motion returns with another half-Hedwig in the winds. 

The sting of muted horns crescendos underneath flutes flurrying around in triadic motion. The clouds part, revealing a swarm of Death Eaters, and the music notches up to a much faster tempo with gestures flying all over the orchestra. Whooshing and upwards flourishes attach themselves to violent spells flying left and right. Only the wide shots have big full orchestral gestures that slow down the harmonic motion. Elements of different action music technique appear throughout the sequence, especially with no motifs to anchor it. 

Once inside the tunnel, however, the Death Eater theme arrives in the horns with a frantic string section to accompany them. The theme does not finish though, as the motorcycle flips upside down and Harry hangs out of the sidecar. The orchestra aurally flips with the motorcycle, then lands with a crash back on the street, in both a new tempo and time signature. When they exit the tunnel and start flying up into the night again, harps glissando aggressively while the orchestra provides offbeat thumps in anticipation of what will happen next. 

Hedwig’s Theme plays over Hedwig herself as she flies towards Harry and Hagrid. The theme, like all of the others in this cue, is interrupted, and a killing curse flies by Harry, ending the life of his owl. The horns burst out in a cry of loss, and the rest of the brass keep the frenetic energy up as the chase has not ended yet. 

The low strings hold, all motion has ceased in the orchestra. The high strings and xylophone hit with sharp pains as Harry feels his scar burning. Voldemort 2 begins playing in the woodwinds as the piano and harp rumble underneath. Voldemort has arrived. As the two wands begin to attract one another, the timpani crescendos through a rumbled 3-note motif, exploding into a choir entrance on the wand connection. A declamatory Wand of the Phoenix cuts through the texture from the entire horn section. Dissonance enters as Voldemort’s wand begins to crack, and a massive 3-Note expands as Harry escapes. Voldemort screams into the night, and the action returns as Harry and Hagrid approach the magical barrier around the Burrow. A pause in the music with “magical” percussion brings out the moment they pass through the barrier, then tight repetitive strings play as Molly looks up, wondering which survivors are approaching the house. 

The cue concludes with the music that once accompanied the crash landing of the flying car in Chamber of Secrets (2002). This is both a reprise and an appropriate use of the music considering the motorcycle’s landing is not the most gentle. Once in the swamp, the orchestra hits a low B-flat and fades away. Harry is safe.