Not My Canon!

WTF: The Darlingest Darling

In HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, there is one little darling that takes the cake. It is used often, causing it to take on a new role, thematically. The concept of a character being a "light in the darkness" for another is not a failure. The application, however...

This quote, while not directly from canon, has lineage within the Potterverse. In the third film, Prisoner of Azkaban, Dumbledore speaks a line of dialogue that has become one of the more popular quotes we have shared over the years.

"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."

It's a great quote, admittedly. Despite being absent from the books, it's very Dumbledorian in nature. Which is why it has resonated so long. Sometimes, these things are inexplicable.

I don't necessarily think "Always" was so impactful in JKR's mind when she had first written it, but the fans adopted "Always" as a lasting sentiment for Snape, and sincerity for their love of the series as a whole. The Cursed Trio (JKR and Co.) were aware of this, of course. Which is why we have this passage in the play:

ALBUS smiles and stretches out a hand.

ALBUS: Friends?

SCORPIUS: Always.

SCORPIUS extends his hand, ALBUS pulls SCORPIUS up into a hug.

I mean...that was a little cheap, but I don't fault them for trying to recapture the hearts of the fandom by provoking old emotions through similar language. I just think they shouldn't have put a twist on an old classic. "Light in the darkness" becomes a subtheme of the evil reality, when Scorpius is alone and Voldemort is still alive. In its first usage, the line was impactful. It was a way for the alternate universe version of Draco Malfoy (Alt-Draco) to express how his deceased wife, Astoria, had influenced him.

DRACO: You know what I loved most about your mother? She could always help me find light in the darkness. She made the world - my world, anyway - less - what was the word you used - "murky."

That was okay. Not entirely a little darling. People tend to be poetic when speaking of lost love. It was just enough and satisfied its purpose. But then they had to put glitter and sparkles and tiny, rounded mirrors on the damn thing, until it was fabulously bedazzled and just...DARLING! In its second usage, the delivery of the line was contrived and gimmicky.

SCORPIUS enters the library and starts desperately to look through books. He finds a history book.

SCORPIUS: How did Cedric become a Death Eater? What have I missed? Find me some - light in the darkness. Tell me your secrets. What have I missed?

And then, they dipped the phrase in so much honey it made you gag:

SNAPE: Strange, isn't it? What comes from within.

Dementors start to appear all around them. SNAPE knows what this means.

You need to run. I will keep them at bay for as long as I can.

SCORPIUS: Thank you for being my light in the darkness.

Nah, guys. Just nah. It was believable for Draco to use such a line. He was talking about the woman he hadn't seen in years, reflecting on the romantic journey they had taken during their limited time together. It had depth and purpose, while being a callback to a famous quote from Dumbledore. It showed us a side of Draco we've always wanted to see. So, good on you (I'll assume JKR wrote that part). But having Scorpius repeat this to Snape, when he'd only been with him for an hour at most, completely diminished the value of that line and robbed Alt-Draco of his authenticity. This is why they tell you to avoid self-congratulatory writing, because you undo the previously significant connection that readers may have had with your work. We get it, you think that line is amazing (and that you are amazing for writing it), but it only serves to cheapen your story and characters. Use it once, then excise the darling, Jack Thorne. Smother it with a pillow, if you must.

*rolls eyes melodramatically*

*mumbles something under his breath about "smothering" and "pillows"*