Chapter Thirty Two – Bucking Authority
Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. Me, I'm just a PR professional. I don't profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world. However, its her sandbox and she's left the gate unlatched so we can go in and play a bit. Which, I've done.
Chapter Thirty Two – Bucking Authority
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Tracey was sitting on her bed in her pyjamas trying to read a novel but failing. She thought she must have read the page she was on at least half a dozen times and still couldn't remember what it said. No, her focus was on the door to their dorm from the outside hallway.
At a few minutes before curfew the door opened and Tracey was both happy and relieved to see her blonde friend walk in. She could see the girl had a grin from ear to ear, so obviously the 'date' had gone well.
"Let me quickly get changed and I've got something to show you!" said Daphne before Tracey could even ask her a single question.
Tracey was just about bouncing in excitement waiting for her friend to ready herself for bed.
After she'd quickly removed her jewellery, unravelled her hair from it's bun, cleaned away the little makeup she wore and changed into pyjamas; which Tracey swore she took longer to do than normal; Daphne closed the curtains around her bed and gestured for her friend to join her.
Both girls then cast the Silencing and Do-Not-Disturb Charms on the canopy and curtains about them Harry had taught them the previous year, when they'd complained about Millicent's snoring keeping them awake.
Sitting on the bed the girls sat opposite, Indian-style. And Daphne showed her friend the mirror Harry had loaned to her.
Opening it, Daphne gently whispered, "Padfoot." onto the mirrored surface and waited.
A few moments later the image changed to one of her mother, Isabel.
"Hi Mum!" squealed the girl, happy.
"Hello sweetheart!" replied Isabel. "I heard Harry planned on taking you on a bit of a date, tonight."
Tracey quickly came around and sat alongside her friend instead of opposite and both stared into the mirror.
"He did! And it was amazing!" gushed Daphne. "The best day of my life! Let me tell you what happened..."
Daphne showed her the twined roses she found that morning when she first awoke, what Neville did at breakfast - with Tracey showing off her miniature white rose - all the way through to them dressing up for dinner and how special Harry made the dinner they privately enjoyed.
Though both girls should have been asleep much earlier than when they finally went to bed properly, the girls spent almost two hours reliving how special the day was; and just engaging in 'girl talk'.
Before she signed off, due to how late it was getting, Daphne promised to send her mother some memories of the highlights of the day.
As Isabel sighed after the connection was broken, and folded the mirror back away; from where he had been listening in from out of sight, Cygnus said, "It sounds like Harry made it truly special for her."
Quickly grabbing a tissue to dab her watery eyes, Isabel replied, "Yes, he did. He really wants to allow her the experience of courting while they're at school. He's such a good and thoughtful boy."
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After the excitement of Valentine's Day the school returned to normal activities. It was still bitterly cold outside but the Seven made a lot of use of the Come and Go Room.
Daphne, as she had said she would, had approached Professor McGonagall and the stern but romantic at heart professor was quite happy to permanently transfigure the twined roses. She transfigured them into a small metallic brooch with a glazed ceramic coating about two inches high. Daphne had taken to wearing it all the time on her robes
Harry was using his practicing against the target dummies as both a way to get fit, improve on his use of combat magic and cast more accurately.
When he wasn't actually using the target dummies for himself, he was happily teaching the others how to do the same.
Though he didn't understand why, and left the explanation as 'because it's magic', everyone was also quite a bit faster in their movements and motion. Daphne had said his wand hand and wand almost became a blur it was moving so fast.
By the end of March they were all able to keep their magic effusing from themselves while casting, dodging and being otherwise distracted. As a result of their private training they were all becoming quite fit.
Neville was rapidly losing his lingering baby fat and both boys were becoming quite toned. The girls loved how it was making their own bodies look and were looking forward to when they would finally start to develop, as Hermione called it, 'shape'. However, Susan had already begun since before Christmas.
On hearing some of this talk, Neville leaned over to Harry and whispered, "Boobies." That had both boys blushing and sniggering.
The girls were not happy when they worked out what had the boys snickering to themselves.
Over the next half hour, both boys found themselves happy they'd spent a lot of time dodging and avoiding curses the target dummies had been throwing at them; as that training helped them to avoid a lot of the Stinging Hexes and similar the girls threw at them in retaliation, while shrieking imprecations about them being 'such boys' as they ran about the room ducking, weaving and dodging.
Harry's logical argument that, as they were boys, being 'such boys' wasn't actually a bad thing, apparently fell on deaf ears.
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As spring bloomed outside, Daphne had gone looking for Harry one weekend for lunch and found him in earnest conversation with the Weasley twins and a couple of the Gryffindor chasers.
As she joined them, Alicia Spinnet was singing the praises of the Cleansweep 7 over the Nimbus 2000 as a Quidditch player's broom.
"It's better at manoeuvring, it's sturdier, it's better at taking hits, it's just better," she said.
"Now, that might be a good thing for a beater or a chaser," replied Harry. "But speed is essential for a seeker. The Nimbus 2000 is a much faster broom and still excellent at manoeuvring when you need it to. And I think the Comet 260 should be the broom of choice for a keeper."
"Our Cleansweep 5s may not be as fast as the newest model," said one twin, cutting in.
"However, they're more than adequate for the job as beaters' brooms," said the other.
"Not if you wanted to press the seeker," disagreed Harry. "A seeker on a Nimbus 2000 will render that strategy useless. He or she will just out fly you if you try."
"Yes, but they'd do that against any other broom bar the Cleansweep 7," said Alicia. "Hence, why it's the better broom. It allows the press yet retains the sturdiness needed for a beater."
"Why a 260 for the keeper?" asked Daphne.
"Tail smacking," said Angelina Johnson. "It may be a racing broom but it's supposedly great at being able to be used for tail smacking a quaffle away from the hoops due to its brush shape."
The conversation was lively enough it caught the attention of other Quidditch players around the room. An older Ravenclaw, who Harry recognised as the Ravenclaw Quidditch team captain, was trying to surreptitiously listen in.
"I'd love to put my Nimbus 2000 against your Cleansweep 7 in a battle for the snitch!" declared Harry. "I'd have you tasting my brush twigs in seconds if you tried to apply the press on me. Especially if, like Fred and George, you're only on 5s."
"Oh, Harry, my man," declared one twin.
"We'd only need mere moments to have you knocked off your chase," said the other.
"That's if you two ever decided to apply the press," said Alicia. "You're far too busy dealing with the opposing chasers."
Harry felt a light tapping on his shoulder as the others were arguing. Turning to look over his shoulder, he saw the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain beckoning him away.
After excusing themselves, both Harry and Daphne walked away from the table to the older Ravenclaw.
"Is it true you own a Nimbus 2000?" he asked.
Harry nodded and said, "Yes. It was a gift from my family at Christmas."
"And you play seeker?" he asked.
"I'd prefer seeker, but I'd probably play anywhere except keeper if given the opportunity," said Harry.
"He can really fly, Mister..." said Daphne, leaving it hanging.
"Martin," said the older boy, offhandedly. "Simon Martin."
"Well, he can really fly, Mister Martin," said Daphne.
Looking amusedly at his betrothed, Harry asked, "You're not worried I'll beat your Slytherins?"
"No," she said with a frown. "Flint will only accept boys onto the Slytherin team, and only older years at that. He doesn't deserve my support."
"That's because they play rough and cheat," said the older boy.
No one disagreed with his view.
Looking thoughtful towards Harry, he said, "Our seeker, this year, is Cho Chang; a second year. It's only her first year but she's not displaying the daring needed for a go-get-'em seeker; which is what we need. Bring your broom next year and I'll give you a try-out for the position. If you get it there's a chaser position opening up and I'll offer that to her."
"Thank you," replied Harry, a little stunned at the offer. "I'll make sure to bring it with me."
The older boy gave a firm short nod and walked away.
"Oh, Harry!" gushed Daphne, happy for him. "That's wonderful!"
"I guess I'm going to have to do some practicing chasing down a snitch over summer," he grinned. "But, at least I'm going to be able to keep my promise to Cygnus and Sirius and try out for the team."
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It seemed not much longer before exams were closing in. Harry revelled in the feeling of opposing emotions of fear of the exams and joy the summer holidays were coming, among the students.
Though Harry didn't need it, the rest of the group were working hard on revising the work they'd done over the year. He was happy to assist by writing up practice test sheets for them all, or just asking pop quiz style questions.
Harry walked in to each exam sitting, happy he'd do quite well. As the exams were only held in each normal class, he only had a few classes where he could watch the others at different times. And he was happy to take each slowly enough that he was never the first out of the room. Often, he'd wait until he was in the last third.
It was only in Charms and Transfiguration did he work at his normal pace and be one of the first out of the room.
Each afternoon he would escort Daphne down to the now warmer lakeside so she could unwind from the stress of the exams. But, it was on the Wednesday of the exam period the others insisted on dragging Hermione down to the lake's edge, to try and get the girl to unwind.
And the only way they could even accomplish that much was for Harry to quote a study where it said a person did better in exam situations when they entered them more relaxed than they would otherwise be. The times they spent on the lake's edge did them all some good.
Once the last exam was done Hermione asked, "When do we get our results?"
"Next week, on Wednesday," replied Harry.
When the others looked at him a little funny, he said, "I asked Professor McGonagall. She was happy to tell me."
"But, that's more than a week before we head home on the Express!" said Hermione. "What ever will we do?"
"I dare say the coming fortnight will be filled with the Professors handing out summer assignments," said Harry.
"Really?" asked Hermione, almost eagerly.
Lightly berating the girl in response, Harry replied, "Hermione. Haven't I taught you yet that you don't need assignments to study?"
Looking a little sad, she replied, "Yes; but assignments get marked and we get to see how well we're doing according to the Professors' own schedules."
That elicited a round of amused chuckles from the others.
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On the next Wednesday, two days after the End-of-Year Feast where it was found Slytherin won the House Cup, they received their exam results hand-delivered to their breakfast table. Hermione was the most distressed about what the results could have been and Neville had to take it from her hand and open it lest the poor girl pass out with anxiety.
After he threatened to read them out loud if she didn't read it for herself, she almost frantically, ripped the results out of Neville's hand and avidly read the parchment through. As she finished the others could all see she was ever so pleased with her results.
The only downside, she felt, was that she didn't get higher than second in any class.
As the others all read their own it was Harry who picked up top marks in most subjects: Charms, Transfiguration, DADA and Astronomy. He was second in Herbology and third in Potions.
Neville beat him out for top spot in Herbology and Daphne and Hermione, in that order, beat him out for the top spot in Potions.
Hermione pulled out a sheet of parchment, quill and ink and charted everyone's results. The final result was they took all seven top marks in Charms, Transfiguration, DADA, History of Magic and Astronomy. Fifth and seventh in Potions went to others.
"Bloody Hell!" said Neville. "Gran's going to be ever so pleased!"
It didn't take long for it to be known that The Seven scooped the top spots across the board. There were quite a few, especially in Ravenclaw, who weren't happy with that.
Harry's response, when his year mates in the House of the Eagle confronted him about it, was, "It is not my responsibility to ensure you people do your work to the best standard you can. You're supposed to be in the House of intelligence and wit; demonstrate it!"
The older Ravenclaws backed him and scowled down anyone who thought they had a right to complain to him.
One older Ravenclaw said to Morag MacDougal, who wanted to berate Harry for not helping them instead of his friends, "You seem to think this is Hufflepuff House; where friends stick together and work hard together. It's not! Push it, and I'll inform Professor Flitwick you need to be resorted!"
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That Sunday afternoon, Harry and Daphne held a party for the members of the etiquette club, whose membership swelled to forty members before they closed off membership for the year.
The elves happily supplied some snacks and Professor Flitwick supplied a keg of butterbeer. Though some Ravenclaws were just a little disappointed there wouldn't be an exam; Harry had to point out it was a club, not a class, they attended.
Standing at the front after everyone became settled, Daphne said, "Harry and I first - conceived of this idea when we learned a good friend of ours was completely unaware of the traditions and customs of our world. And that Hogwarts did not provide any lessons for those unaware to learn.
"We felt we would be lucky if we had two dozen people interested in our little club. We were very happy that, within a few weeks of starting, the numbers swelled to forty. The numbers would have swelled even further, if we did not make the difficult decision to close off membership and advise those who didn't get in on time to apply next year.
"We two feel you have all gained so much over this year we are comfortable you can now go into wizarding society and purport yourselves with dignity. You will not disappoint us. Very well done to you all."
It was a Second Year Gryffindor who then stepped forward and, offering a proper courtly bow to Daphne, then Harry, said as he did so, "Lady Daphne - Lord Potter - on behalf of the members, I pass to you our sincere thanks for you setting aside some of your personal time to assist us in this matter. I am at your service."
With a small but pleased smile Daphne dropped a little into a formal curtsey while Harry, as Head of a Noble and Most Ancient House, gave a small nod in return. As it was his place to do so, Harry said, "The honour was ours, Mister Chambers; we accept your thanks in the spirit it was given. And your service is unnecessary - And that was very well done."
Chambers gave an acknowledging bow in response while wearing a pleased smile.
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The last two 'lazy' weeks had passed slowly enough that Harry was about ready to go and get the Hogwarts Express, drive and have it at Hogsmeade Station himself. He felt the last week at the castle was a complete waste of time.
When Hermione pointed out they wouldn't have received their summer assignments if they didn't remain for the extra week, Harry argued back the assignments could have been handed out the week earlier.
It was Tracey who said the last week was occupied with the Fifth Years doing their OWLS. And that was why the Great Hall wasn't available when classes were normally on. And the train couldn't really do the run back to Kings Cross until the Fifth Years were finished.
Finally, on the morning of 20th June, it was time to head home for summer. The Seven gathered in the Entrance Hall, said goodbye to the few Professors who came to see them all off, and walked out of the castle for the carriages.
The last week, as Harry suspected, they had received their summer assignments from each of the Professors. It made Hermione happy, at least.
It took them a little effort to convince her they didn't need to complete them before they headed for home.
Finally boarding the Express, the Seven found themselves an unoccupied compartment. Harry had his note for the outside of the door ready and quickly stuck it to the door with a Sticking Charm. This time, the note said, 'Try Knocking' on one line with, 'The Seven' directly underneath.
As soon as the trunks were all stored overhead, Harry closed and locked the door before using the Door Sealing Charm on it. He had thought about using a Notice-Me-Not Charm, one of the latest spells he had taught himself, but thought it was for the best if he didn't, just in case someone really did need to come and see them.
Just after the train departed from the platform, they had their first 'victim'. They were still settling down and pulling out books and magazines to read - for Harry, it was the Daily Prophet as he deliberately saved reading it until now - when there was an attempt to open the door with the latch rattling.
They all waited for a few moments to see if the 'non-reader' would knock but, when it was apparent they wouldn't, they ignored it.
It happened again about half an hour later.
"That'll be one of the Prefects coming to check on us," said Hermione. "We should let them in."
"What on earth for?" asked Harry.
"The rules state that the Prefects are responsible for checking on the students during the times we're aboard the Express," replied Hermione almost as if she was explaining to a small child. "It's their duty."
"That it is, Hermione," said Harry. "However, it states nowhere in the rules that we have to open the doors for them."
"But they can't do their duty if they can't get in!" she said exasperatedly.
"And that's their problem," said Harry almost snapping back, before he relented a little and said, "It's a simple Door Sealing Charm, Hermione. There's no password component or anything tricky about it. All they need to do is strip the charm off the door, then use the Door Unlocking Charm to enter. As Prefects I would have thought they would know the Spells.
"Of course, if they simply knocked, I'd be happy to open it for them. It would only take me but a few moments. But no; whoever was on the other side of that door, as I'm sure they've moved off by now, was being rude; even if they are wearing a Prefect's badge. And there is no excuse for rudeness; Prefect badge or no Prefect badge."
Hermione huffed and clearly appeared to be angry about it.
It was Tracey who said, "Hermione, you really need to take a breath and think before you speak. Just because someone has authority does not make them right. And there are a significant number of Prefects who, when they get their badges, let it go to their heads and think it means the rules no longer apply to them.
"Common courtesy dictates you knock first before even thinking about entering a space not your own. A Prefect badge does not absolve you of breaching those basic rules of human decency. What if we were stripped down and getting changed in here; and the person who suddenly wrenched open that door was an older bloke? Would that make it alright?"
Hermione frowned while she thought about that. "No, it wouldn't. But we weren't getting changed," she replied.
With a shrug, Tracey said, "But how would whoever was outside that door know that?"
Hermione frowned for a while more before she sighed and replied, "You're right. I didn't think it through enough. I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted," said Harry before Tracey said, "All we can ask you to do is think it through before jumping to a conclusion. What might be wrong on first look, might actually be right if you consider it for a while. And vice versa."
Harry gave the girl a few minutes to think about that before asking, "Do you know that, by rights, Hagrid should have been executed last September?"
Hermione looked at him in shock. "What?" she blurted. "But - why?"
"He committed a crime that has as it's consequence the sentence of death," said Harry. "And the crime he committed was on the orders of Albus Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore ordered him to?!" she squeaked.
He nodded and replied, "On the night my parents were murdered, Dumbledore sent Hagrid to my parent's cottage in Godric's Hollow, with orders to collect me and return with me to Hogwarts.
"Hagrid, doing as he was ordered by his boss, went to the cottage and found me in my crib upstairs. He carried me downstairs and out the door. As he was walking away up the path, my godfather, Sirius, stopped him and told Hagrid to hand me over. Hagrid refused and cited the order, by Dumbledore, to return with me to Hogwarts. With me so far?"
She nodded.
"Alright, Sirius didn't push the issue. Instead, he foolishly went off after Pettigrew. For that, Hagrid was very lucky. At that time I was already the Heir Apparent to a Noble and Most Ancient House. Hagrid would have known that. He stepped over the lifeless bodies of my parents, after all. He comes across as a gentle soul but he's not an idiot.
"Because he didn't hand me over to one of my rightful named guardians, when requested by that guardian to do so, he committed the criminal act of kidnapping. Because I was the Heir Apparent to a Noble and Most Ancient House, the consequence of that action meant he should have been given the Dementor's Kiss.
"It is only that I, and my guardians, knew that it was because of Hagrid's blind and foolish loyalty to Dumbledore that he did not hand me over to Sirius that night; that we didn't push to have him tried. We knew he would have been Kissed if we did."
Hermione looked like she was about to burst into tears from shock. Tracey handed her a handkerchief.
Neville sighed and said, "He's right, Hermione. Do not doubt that. Hagrid lives today only because of the grace of Harry, Sirius, my Gran, Aunt Amelia and the Greengrasses. Any one of them could have demanded a trial and there would have been one."
"But, he was only doing as he was told," sniffled Hermione.
"Ah! The Nuremberg defence," said Harry. "The Nazis tried that at the Nuremberg trials. It held no water then; it holds no water now. They were still executed by hanging, in many cases.
"Lawful and just orders from authority should be obeyed, I agree," said Harry softly. "If we didn't we would have anarchy. However, it is also our duty and responsibility not to obey those orders that are either unlawful or unjust. Doing so can get you anywhere up to, and including, executed."
"But I still think people in authority should be obeyed," said Hermione a little adamantly. "Sometimes, they have information we do not. And it's not for us to question them about it."
'Alright, this is going to be a little harder than I thought,' thought Harry.
"That's alright if you believe that, Hermione," said Harry. The others all looked at him a little weirdly.
"You are my Protectee, are you not?" he asked her.
"Yes," she said.
"I am your Protector, am I not?" he asked.
"Yes," she frowned.
"I'm sure you read up on what that means, correct?"
"Yes."
"So, I have authority over you, correct?"
"Yes."
Nodding with a serious look on his face, he said, "Good. Stand up, right where you are, and strip yourself naked."
He received a few incredulous looks from the others. And, Daphne suddenly clenched his arm tight. But, no one said anything.
"Wh - what?" asked Hermione in a soft tremulous voice.
"I thought I made myself quite clear with what I said," he calmly replied. "I want to stare at your naked body. Stand up and strip naked."
Again, his friends said nothing. He realised they were now beginning to understand what he was doing.
"I - I..." she stuttered. "But..."
She seemed to gather herself a little and think it through before she pulled an angry expression and glared at him. "No!" she half-screamed.
"Why ever not?" he calmly asked.
"Because - because you have no right to demand that of me!" she glared at him.
"I don't?" he also calmly asked. "You already admit I have authority over you."
"No! That falls outside the bounds of your authority over..." she started to say before suddenly and abruptly coming to a halt.
She looked at him with fury and outrage but now understanding.
"You!... You!..." she stuttered.
"Tricked you into disobeying authority; yes," he said. "Congratulations on taking that step."
Daphne unlatched herself from his, now slightly numb, arm. And went over to scootch in next to Hermione.
She then gave the girl a hug just as she burst into tears.
After a few sobs Hermione said, "You can be a bastard sometimes, you know that?"
"Sweet Merlin! Hermione Granger just swore. The world must be coming to an end and the denizens of Hell are getting ready for a snowball fight," grinned Harry. "Oh, and I happen to have it on good authority my parents were happily married when I was conceived and born."
That earned him a few snickers from the others, including Hermione.
"I'm sorry, Hermione," he honestly said, a few moments later. "I've just shattered one of your personal beliefs about the world around you. And, for that, I'm truly sorry to have been the one who caused it."
In a soft voice, Hermione then asked with her head down, "So. You don't want to see me naked, then?"
Stupidly, he replied, "Oh, I didn't say that."
Suddenly, wands appeared. And Harry learned the valuable lesson that you cannot dodge Stinging Hexes while sitting in a crowded train compartment. By the time he managed to get a shield up, he'd already been hit by five.
But, at least Hermione was also laughing, even if it was a little watery.
Neville, from where he was laughing further along the bench, said, "You squeal like a girl, Harry!" Thereby proving Harry wasn't the only one who could say something stupid.
He was luckier, though. He was only hit by three Stinging Hexes before getting a shield up. And that was because two of the girls were too shocked Neville said it to get a cast in early enough.
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When Harry disembarked from the train he was limping just a little, as was Neville.
"What happened to you two?" asked Cygnus.
Before he had a chance to answer, Harry winced when he was grapple-hugged on a tender spot by a brunette haired missile who made a "Squee!" sound.
Before either boy could respond, Daphne said, "Because boys can say really stupid things, sometimes, that earn them a hexing."
Both boys blushed but couldn't help grinning.
"You got hexed?" asked Tori, backing away a little, putting her hands on her hips, and staring up at him with a frown. "Who hexed you?"
"It's alright, Tori," said Harry soothingly. "I think we might have deserved it."
"Think?" asked Hermione.
"Might?" asked Daphne.
The boys were just about to try and explain when a voice with a decided Weasley twin sound to it, called out, "Beware for your daughters, mothers!"
And then the other voice, "Neville Lothario Longbottom is on the platform!"
Both roared with laughter while their mother, Molly Weasley, admonished them both for their behaviour.
Harry sniggered while Neville blushed even further but stood up, proudly.
"Lothario?" asked Sirius, perking up.
"Neville sent four valentines on Valentines Day," said Daphne with a little glee. "One each to Tracey, Susan, Hannah and Hermione. When they all arrived at the same time in the Great Hall at breakfast, each of the four kissed him in front of everyone."
"Neville!" said Gran, a little shocked.
"Daaawwwggg!" said Sirius, quite pleased. "Here. You wouldn't happen to be in need of a godfather, would you? No? What about a wingman?"
"Sirius Black! You will not encourage him like that," huffed Gran.
"Actually, it was a very nice thing Neville did, Madam Longbottom," said Daphne. "The girls knew it was meant in friendship."
"Tracey told us about it the night it happened and Daphne sent us a memory of it," said Isabel. "Would you like to come over to Greengrass Estate to watch it?"
Frowning, Gran said with a bit of an irritated timbre, "Yes. I think I must."
Neville tried to act like he'd been told off, but couldn't help grinning from ear to ear.
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