Percy Jackson and the Locket of Salazar [Book 6]

20) Chicken Man

"Mr. Gaunt," Ogden began, and I forced myself to look away from Merope, "as I've said: the reason for my visit —"

"I heard you the first time!" Gaunt snarled. "And so what? Morfin gave a Muggle a bit of what was coming to him — what about it, then?"

"Morfin has broken wizarding law," Ogden said sharply,

"Morfin has broken wizarding law," Gaunt mocked, making his voice higher, though I felt like this wasn't the best time, as his son had just committed a serious crime and law enforcement was in their house. "He taught a filthy Muggle a lesson, that's illegal now, is it?"

"Yes," Ogden nodded, "I'm afraid it is." He pulled from an inner pocket a slip of parchment,

Gaunt eyed the paper warily, voice rising. "What's that, then, his sentence?"

"It is a summons to the Ministry for a hearing —"

"Summons! Summons? Who do you think you are, summoning my son anywhere?"

"I'm Head of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad," Ogden said, and, if I were Gaunt, that would've been enough qualifications for me.

Unfortunately, Gaunt was not me. He sneered, lips smacking together ostentatiously with each word. "And you think we're scum, do you? Scum who'll come running when the Ministry tells 'em to? Do you know who you're talking to, you filthy little Mudblood, do you?" He stomped forward, one yellowed nail poking Ogden in the chest.

Ogden, weary, stood his ground. "I was under the impression that I was speaking to Mr. Gaunt."

"That's right!" Gaunt bellowed, flipping Ogden off. I blinked at the gesture until I realized that he was wearing a black-stoned ring on his middle finger, waving it dramatically in Ogden's face as if jewelry were of such importance. "See this? See this? Know what it is? Know where it came from? Centuries it's been in our family, that's how far back we go, and pure-blood all the way! Know how much I've been offered for this, with the Peverell coat of arms engraved on the stone?"

"I'd give three dimes and half a toothpick for it," I said helpfully. "Maybe even a full toothpick."

Ogden did not have such a helpful guess. "I've really no idea, and it's quite beside the point, Mr. Gaunt. Your son had committed —"

Abruptly shrieking in rage, Gaunt suddenly rushed at Merope, looking quite like an angry chicken attempting to demolish the legs of whomever had dared come near its coup. I thought he was going to throttle his poor daughter, but instead he latched onto a golden chain dangling around her neck, tugging her toward Ogden. "See this?" He displayed what appeared to be a heavy gold locket.

"I see it, I see it!" Ogden rushed, looking more concerned about the girl than he did about the locket, which was normal behavior that would hopefully rub off on Gaunt.

"Slytherin's!" Gaunt roared. "Salazar Slytherin's! We're his last living descendants, what do you say to that, eh?"

To that Ogden said, "Mr. Gaunt, your daughter!" Gaunt had released Merope, leaving her to rub at her sore throat, eyes wide with alarm.

"So!" Gaunt smirked with misplaced pride. "Don't you go talking to us as if we're dirt on your shoes! Generations of pure-blood, wizards all — more than you can say, I don't doubt!" And thus he spat at the floor before Ogden's feet. I didn't think people actually did that; it was just kind of gross and hardly threatening. Oh no, your spit got on me? Whatever shall I do without a tissue to come and save me?

Morfin cackled at the spit, though. Freaky guy probably couldn't wait to lick it up. Merope, sane, huddled back near the window, hiding her face behind her limp hair.