When I was a little girl
Like really little, like eight or so
I was playing in my father's study
A place in the house
I wasn't supposed to go
My father fancied himself a sailor
His study was filled with nautical decor
He kept a boat in a bottle
On the top of a shelf
And it shattered on the ground
When I slammed the door
I told Dumbledore everything
I told him I was so, so sorry
he told me, "Don't cry
When he comes home tonight
We can make everything okay
This is all we have to say"
"We don't remember a boat in a bottle
It must've fallen off its shelf alone
We know you loved it, we're so sad it's broken
But neither one of us was even home"
And it's our word
Yes, our word
Against his
So I hid screw-ups from Dumbledore
Made up school awards to please my parents
Whatever made the steak taste better
Whatever kept the waters calm
I was told to keep his secrets
And in turn, he'd keep mine
As I got older, I got dumber
I couldn't help but cross the line
Three times I nearly wrecked my life
Three times I nearly came to ruin
Three times went crying to Dumbledore
Who said he'd make it go away
Yes, this is all we had to say
"We never rented a house in Sedona
We didn't see Camille the day she died
We haven't been on our boat
In some years now
So we don't care what you found inside"
And it's our word
Yes, our word
It's our word
Yes, our word
Against theirs
Somebody was paid
To make it go away
Everyone was paid
To make the problems go away
Doesn't matter who gets screwed
Or who is blamed
Do what you need to do
To clear your name
An inconvenient truth
Can be easily erased
When I was 26
I was living with my husband
I developed some fun habits
Put my white blood cells to work
I remember it so clearly
I was home alone on a Tuesday night
To level out, I'd drank some potions (from Albus)
But couldn't seem to get my mind right
I drew a bath and slipped into it
And suddenly became aware
I couldn't keep my head above water
I took a final gasp of air
And as I laid there helplessly
A million different thoughts came to me
I saw Dumbledore hearing the news
"Your only protege drowned today"
I thought about what they might say
"My student, Pandora?
No, she moved to Catchpole
She's very happy there, or so we hear
She's always been so goddamned independent
The years go by, and now I barely see her"
"My student, Pandora?
You must be mistaken
You mean the girl I raised as if my own?
I loved her so much, she felt like my child
But eventually I had to send her home"
It'd be his word
Only his word
It'd be his word
Only his word
On its own