Delphi Diggory Character Analysis in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Delphi introduces herself as Amos’s niece and caretaker at St. Oswald’s Home for Old Witches and Wizards. When Albus comes up with the plan to try to save her cousin Cedric, Delphi helps them retrieve the Time-Turner and then change the events of the Triwizard Tournament so that Cedric lives. As she and Albus grow closer, Scorpius becomes particularly suspicious of Delphi—especially after he notices her Augurey tattoo, which was a symbol of Voldemort’s government in an alternate timeline in which Voldemort stayed in power. This leads Delphi to reveal that she is not actually Amos’s niece; she was raised by Death Eaters and she is actually Voldemort’s daughter. She then uses Albus, Scorpius, and the Time-Turner to try to fulfill a prophecy, hoping to create a reality in which Cedric lives and Voldemort survives the Battle of Hogwarts. Albus and Scorpius are able to stop her plan, but she tries another tack—preventing Voldemort from attacking Harry as a baby so that he doesn’t become weakened and she and Voldemort can rule the wizarding world together. However, with Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Draco’s help, Albus and Scorpius are able to stop Delphi, and they vow to take her back to the present and let her spend the rest of her days in the wizard prison, Azkaban.

Delphi Diggory Quotes in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

The Harry Potter and the Cursed Child quotes below are all either spoken by Delphi Diggory or refer to Delphi Diggory. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

DELPHI: I can think of one reason why you should trust them, Uncle.

They stop.

They’re the only ones volunteering to help. They’re prepared to bravely put themselves at risk to return your son to your side.
In fact, I’m pretty sure they put themselves at risk even getting here…

AMOS: This is Cedric we’re talking about…
DELPHI: And—didn’t you say yourself, having someone inside Hogwarts might be a massive advantage?

DELPHI kisses the top of AMOS’s head. AMOS looks at DELPHI, and then turns to look at the boys.

AMOS: Why? Why do you want to put yourself at risk? What’s in it for you? ALBUS: I know what it is to be the spare. Your son didn’t deserve to be killed, Mr. Diggory. We can help you get him back.

Related Characters: Albus Severus Potter (speaker), Delphi Diggory (speaker), Amos Diggory (speaker), Scorpius Malfoy, Voldemort, Cedric Diggory

Page Number and Citation: 61-62

Explanation and Analysis:

SCORPIUS: You—Polly Chapman—want me to take you to a—ball?

There is the sound of screaming behind him.

What is that screaming?

POLLY CHAPMAN: Mudbloods, of course. In the dungeons. Your idea, wasn’t it? What’s going on with you? Oh Potter—I’ve got blood on my shoes again…

She bends and carefully cleans the blood of her shoes.

Like the Augurey insists—the future is ours to make—so here I am, making a future—with you. For Voldemort and Valor.

SCORPIUS: For Voldemort it is.

POLLY walks on, SCORPIUS look agonized. What is this world—and what is he within it?

Related Characters: Scorpius Malfoy (speaker), Albus Severus Potter, Harry Potter, Delphi Diggory, Draco Malfoy, Voldemort

Related Symbols: The Augurey

Page Number and Citation: 166

Explanation and Analysis:

SCORPIUS: An Augurey?

DELPHI: Haven’t you met them in Care of Magical Creatures? They’re sinister-looking black birds that cry when rain’s coming. Wizards used to believe that the Augurey’s cry foretold death. When I was growing up, my guardian kept one in a cage.

SCORPIUS: Your… guardian?

DELPHI looks at SCORPIUS, now she has the Time-Turner she’s enjoying the game of this.

DELPHI: She used to say it was crying because it could see I was going to come to a sticky end. She didn’t like me much. Euphemia Rowle… she only took me in for the gold.

ALBUS: Why would you want a tattoo of her bird, then?

DELPHI: It reminds me that the future is mine to make.

Related Characters: Albus Severus Potter (speaker), Scorpius Malfoy (speaker), Delphi Diggory (speaker), Harry Potter

Related Symbols: Time-Turners, The Augurey

Page Number and Citation: 215

Explanation and Analysis:

CEDRIC: Emancipare! Emancipare!

The boys are freed.

And now I can go on? Finish the maze?

The boys look at CEDRIC—they know exactly what it means for him to finish the maze.

ALBUS: I’m afraid you have to finish the maze.

CEDRIC: Then I shall.

CEDRIC walks confidently away. Albus looks after him—desperate to say something, unsure what to say.

ALBUS: Cedric-

CEDRIC turns towards him.

Your dad loves you very much.

Related Characters: Albus Severus Potter (speaker), Cedric Diggory (speaker), Scorpius Malfoy, Delphi Diggory, Voldemort, Amos Diggory

Related Symbols: Time-Turners

Page Number and Citation: 231-232

Explanation and Analysis:

DELPHI: Two of you? Choices, choices. I think I’ll kill the boy first. Avada Kedavra!

She fires the Killing Curse at ALBUS—but HARRY throws him out of the way. The bolt smashes into the ground.

He fires a bolt back.

You think you’re stronger than me?

HARRY: No. I’m not.

They fire bolts mercilessly at each other as Albus rolls quickly away and slams a spell into one door and then another, opening them.

ALBUS: Alohomora!

HARRY: But we are.

ALBUS: Alohomora!

HARRY: I’ve never fought alone, you see. And I never will.

And HERMIONE, RON, GINNY, and DRACO emerge from the doors, and fire up their spells at DELPHI, who screams out in exasperation. This is titanic. But she can’t fight them all.

Related Characters: Albus Severus Potter (speaker), Harry Potter (speaker), Delphi Diggory (speaker), Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Lily Potter (Harry’s Mother)

Page Number and Citation: 287

Explanation and Analysis:

HARRY: Voldemort is going to kill my mum and dad—and there’s nothing I can do to stop him.

DRACO: That’s not true.

SCORPIUS: Dad, now is not the time…

ALBUS: There is something you could do—to stop him. But you won’t.

DRACO: That’s heroic.

GINNY takes HARRY’s hand.

GINNY: You don’t have to watch, Harry. We can go home.

HARRY: I’m letting it happen… Of course I have to watch.

HERMIONE: Then we’ll all witness it.

RON: We’ll all watch.

Related Characters: Albus Severus Potter (speaker), Harry Potter (speaker), Scorpius Malfoy (speaker), Draco Malfoy (speaker), Ginny Weasley (speaker), Hermione Granger (speaker), Ron Weasley (speaker), Delphi Diggory, Voldemort, James Potter (Harry’s Father), Lily Potter (Harry’s Mother)

Page Number and Citation: 291

Explanation and Analysis:

Delphi Diggory Character Timeline in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

The timeline below shows where the character Delphi Diggory appears in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Friendship, Family, Love, and Bravery Theme Icon

Suddenly, a young woman approaches Albus on the stairs, startling him. She introduces herself as Delphi Diggory and says that she looks after Amos. When Albus introduces himself, she’s amazed that... (full context)

As Delphi gets up to leave, she acknowledges that they don’t choose who they’re related to. Amos... (full context)

...and walkers conjured into life. Albus and Scorpius enter in wonder, asking after Amos Diggory. Delphi appears, pleased that Albus has come. She shows them into another room to see Amos. (full context)

Delphi interjects, explaining that Albus and Scorpius are the only ones volunteering to help, bravely putting... (full context)

Outside the Ministry of Magic, Albus thanks Delphi for her amazing prep work on the Polyjuice Potion so that they can get into... (full context)

Outside Hermione’s office, Scorpius, Albus, and Delphi (still transformed into Harry, Ron, and Hermione) try to act casually. They’ve used Veritaserum on... (full context)

Scorpius and Delphi are waiting—still in disguise— as Albus enters. They commend him on keeping Hermione away, though... (full context)

Delphi, Scorpius, and Albus start to search the bookshelves, noticing how many cursed and banned books... (full context)

...Scorpius another riddle. They figure out that the answer is Voldemort, and the bookcase spits Delphi back out—now as herself, no longer as Hermione. Scorpius finds Marvolo: The Truth, and the... (full context)

At the edge of the Forbidden Forest, Albus and Delphi are practicing their disarming spells. Albus feels like he’s getting better—he’s never been particularly good... (full context)

Scorpius emerges, going over the plan with Albus and Delphi. If Cedric hadn’t won the Triwizard Tournament, then he wouldn’t have been killed. So they... (full context)

Delphi then produces Durmstrang robes for the boys to wear so that they can blend in... (full context)

At Hogwarts, Delphi approaches Scorpius surreptitiously. She acknowledges that she shouldn’t be there, but she notes that there’s... (full context)

Scorpius tells Delphi sadly that nothing changed. Delphi knows this—Albus sent her an owl explaining what happened. Losing... (full context)

...Hogwarts owlery, Albus and Scorpius debate what spell to use to destroy the Time-Turner. Suddenly, Delphi appears, and Albus explains that he sent her an owl to let her know what... (full context)

As Delphi takes the Time-Turner, Albus notices a tattoo on the back of her neck for the... (full context)

Scorpius says that he doesn’t believe Delphi was ill, or that that’s the reason she didn’t come to Hogwarts. In the other... (full context)

...owlery roof. When Ron describes the girl’s silver and blue hair, Harry realizes that it’s Delphi Diggory—this is about Cedric again. (full context)

...and Harry look at each other in horror, realizing they have to figure out who Delphi is. (full context)

Delphi takes Albus and Scorpius, who are still bound, to the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch. Scorpius realizes... (full context)

Albus refuses to do Delphi’s bidding, until she turns her wand on Scorpius and shouts “Crucio,” causing Scorpius to yell... (full context)

Delphi says that it took her a while to discover Albus’s weakness—she thought it was pride,... (full context)

At the third Triwizard Tournament task in 1995, Delphi drags Albus and Scorpius through the ever-shifting hedge maze. Ludo Bagman is once again announcing,... (full context)

...the clock on the Time-Turner—it only lasts five minutes. They try to run away, but Delphi flies without a broom and finds the boys, throwing them to the ground. She knows... (full context)

Scorpius and Albus insist that they will defy Delphi, but Delphi says that the prophecy has to be fulfilled. Scorpius points out that prophecies... (full context)

As Albus watches Cedric go, Delphi crawls away and pulls out the Time-Turner from her robes. Scorpius and Albus realize that... (full context)

Back at St. Oswald’s, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Draco, and Ginny look around Delphi’s room. They realize that she must have used a Confundus Charm to fake being Amos’s... (full context)

Harry and the others realize in horror that Delphi must have the Time-Turner and that she’s using Albus (the “unseen child”) and Scorpius to... (full context)

Hermione goes on, explaining that they think Delphi has hidden herself in time. Professor McGonagall, who is in the crowd, is shocked that... (full context)

...and Scorpius debate how to get information, knowing that they can’t talk to Muggles about Delphi. Albus is frustrated; he knows that Harry will think he ran away on purpose. Scorpius... (full context)

...late and handing them an amended timetable. Seeing the date on the timetable, Albus realizes Delphi’s plan. It’s October 30th, 1981—the day before Hollow’s Eve, the day that Voldemort attacked Harry... (full context)

...back, explaining that he can’t damage time. They look around, trying to figure out where Delphi is and how they can protect Harry. (full context)

...wait in hiding for 40 years and deliver the message themselves, but Albus knows that Delphi would try to find them and kill them. They need to figure out something that... (full context)

...thrilled that they got the note. Draco and Scorpius hug awkwardly, too. Albus explains that Delphi is trying to kill Harry before Voldemort attempts to do the same and inadvertently curses... (full context)

...Albus is sleeping in a church pew while Harry looks out the window, waiting for Delphi. Harry tells Ginny that Albus thought he had to save the world. Ginny points out... (full context)

Harry and Ginny turn back to focus on stopping Delphi, but Ginny realizes suddenly that Delphi could have killed Harry at any point in the... (full context)

...their advantage: Albus suggests that they can try to transfigure someone into Voldemort to throw Delphi off, because then she won’t know when Voldemort actually arrives. They all offer themselves up... (full context)

The group works through the rest of a plan: Harry will lure Delphi into the church and then they can all attack her. Draco isn’t sure, saying there... (full context)

...loves shrouded in the man she hates. Albus confesses to Ginny that he really liked Delphi, and she turned out to be Voldemort’s daughter. Ginny assures him that it’s what Voldemort... (full context)

Scorpius interrupts—Delphi has arrived. Hermione instructs everyone to hide in their positions behind the doors, and Harry... (full context)

Harry (as Voldemort) tries to draw her into the church, but Delphi warns him about killing the baby Harry Potter—that his spell will rebound and make him... (full context)

Delphi disarms Harry easily, saying that she’s studied his weaknesses. As she shoots spells at him,... (full context)

Delphi asks if Harry thinks he’s stronger than her. He agrees he isn’t, but as Albus... (full context)

Delphi says pitifully that she only wanted to know her father. Harry says that she can’t... (full context)

Albus points out that he almost destroyed the world, but Harry says that Delphi was going to find a way to try to fulfill her prophecy, and Albus found... (full context)

Albus admits that when they caught Delphi, he wanted to kill her, wondering if that’s his Slytherin side. Harry acknowledges that Albus... (full context)