Cue No. 11

The tone of the story shifts quite a lot in this film. There is a clear attitude of wanting to continue the school year as normally as possible despite the times, and the music reflects the students’ will to have a good year. These tonal shifts are heard throughout the score in the form of reprisals and re-orchestrations of music from their earlier years at Hogwarts.

At the beginning of this cue, a bouncy texture is introduced with Nimbus 2000 getting a playful statement above it. Clarinets begin and then are taken over by flutes. Bassoons take a turn playing the theme while the flutes swirl around in triads on top of the texture. Harry’s conversation with Professor McGonagall ends rather abruptly, and the scene cuts to an empty hallway with him and Ron walking briskly to the pace of a nostalgic horn rendition of Hedwig’s Theme.

The new harmonies suggest an old friendship in a well-known castle. Harry and Ron are far from the days where they would get lost on their way to class, and the music reflects that distance from childhood. At the moment Slughorn turns around and sees the two of them stumble into the potions classroom, pizzicato strings and triangle accent the moment as if Slughorn is both pleased to see them while simultaneously having a sudden idea.