Song: Beat It by Michael Jackson

The Gaunts

Harry was relieved to discover that the detention he received from Snape, following the incident in class, had to be put back to make way for his first private lesson with Dumbledore. Harry's stomach was fluttering as he ascended the moving spiral staircase at eight o'clock on Saturday night, and found himself in the familiar, round room that was the headmaster's office.

"Come in, Harry," Dumbledore addressed him with a smile. "And sit down, please." He motioned to the desk, and Harry perched himself on the chair.

It took a few minutes for the headmaster to explain that they would be using the Pensieve to examine old memories that Dumbledore had collected, in order to form some sort of description of Voldemort's past. The first was from a man named Bob Ogden, a Ministry official, and as Harry fell through the swirling mist to land in a quiet country lane, his feeling of apprehension intensified.

They followed the stout, nervous-looking Ogden towards a tumbledown house overrun with undergrowth and crumbling to pieces. As they moved closer, Harry was shocked to see a dead snake nailed to the door.

Ogden knocked once, twice, before a man with bulging eyes and a moth-eaten frock coat threw open the door.

(Gaunt - in Parseltongue)

I thought I told you - you're not welcome today!

You better move along, go on, get on your way!

I don't care if the Ministry has anything to say,

So beat it, just beat it!

(Ogden)

Don't want to argue, I just want some respect!

And do you really have to use that dialect?

I can't understand anything that you've said,

So repeat it, please repeat it.

Repeat it, repeat it.

I don't want to feel defeated.

I'm here on business, not just for fun,

It's pertinent that I talk to your son.

So repeat it, repeat it.

(Gaunt - in English)

Fine, I'll repeat it.

But just as Bob Ogden stepped over the threshold into the Gaunt house, he was confronted with a horrible spell cast by Gaunt's son, Morfin; as he recovered, Gaunt carried the tune.

Why can't the Ministry just leave us alone?

You're always stamping all over our ancient home.

(Ogden)

It's important that we keep you all under control…

(Gaunt)

Well beat it, just beat it!

(Ogden)

Your son did magic on a Muggle last night,

The Ministry want me to come and set it right.

(Gaunt)

I don't give a damn what the Ministry'd like

So beat it - just get out of my house!

Beat it, beat it!

The Gaunts will never be defeated!

The oldest family for miles around,

We're the most powerful people in town

So beat it, beat it!

Don't you make me repeat it!

You, useless daughter - pick up that pan!

You, mister Ogden - you can just scram!

Just beat it, beat it!

It was only while the musical intro sizzled into action that Bob Ogden noticed another person in the room beside Gaunt and his son - his daughter. Harry and Dumbledore noticed her too; she was shrivelled and ragged, weak and unable to use her magic properly, and watching her gave Harry a feeling of immense pity. Unfortunately, it seemed her father didn't feel the same.

(Gaunt)

Beat it, beat it!

Don't you think I don't mean it!

(Ogden)

You're a bad wizard, and a bad dad!

Look at your daughter, she's going mad!

(Gaunt)

Just beat it! Beat it!

Don't you make me repeat it!

None of your business, protecting my land.

Merope shouldn't be watching that man!

You beat it, beat it!

You can take your 'law' and eat it!

Morfin's my boy and he'll do what he likes,

You, Mister Ogden, can get on your bike!

Just beat it, beat it!

But Ogden's efforts only seemed to enrage the Gaunts further, and eventually, Harry and Dumbledore witnessed him hurtling out of the house, pursued by Morfin holding a bloody knife.

"Whew," Harry said as they arrived back in Dumbledore's office; he looked outside and saw that it was already dark, yet it seemed that the lesson was not quite finished. Through another hour of discussion, Harry learnt that Merope, the shrivelled daughter, was actually Voldemort's mother, and that the Gaunt family were the last descendents of none other than Slytherin. With all of this buzzing in his brain, Harry returned to his dormitory, still feeling an unbidden well of pity for the poor girl.