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Post by Nuriko Elsywth on Sept 8, 2010 20:31:05 GMT -5
At precisely 8 o'clock on the 1st of September, the Hogwarts Express pulled into station and blew its whistle with a sharp release of steam. Engineers and workers hurried to prepare the train for the soon coming influx of passengers. Every surface was inspected for polish, all systems checked and wood added to the tender.
By 10 o'clock sharp, the Express was ready for passengers.
Nuriko pushed a cart loaded down with her school trunk, owl cage and broom, the latter wrapped in brown paper. She stopped in front of the barrier, looking around. Seeing no muggles looking her way in her immediate vicinity, she took a deep breath and raced at the barrier, passing through it easily. She dragged it quickly to a stop, grinning and out of breath.
"Hey!" She addressed the person in front of her.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Sept 8, 2010 23:06:16 GMT -5
"Daaad, I'm bored..." Max kicked his legs anxiously where they hung off the edge of the seat in the Hogwarts Express boxcar. Lucy the snake stirred with Max's whining, coiled around his father's feet. Tabby the cat lay napping on Max's lap. Max watched his father's head lull forward, then snap back as Max spoke. Curse had been sleepless the past three days, preparing and moving the Kameren home to Hogwarts. Now that they only had themselves to move, Max could see his father's lack of sleep weighing on him. "Dad, when are we going to start moving? We've been sitting here for forever..."
"Sorry Max, they loaded the teachers first. Now we have to wait for the students," The tall, gaunt Potions Master yawned, leaning his head against the window. "A little more patience, kiddo. We'll be leaving soon."
Max pushed himself down from where he was sitting, keeping Tabby in his arms as he glanced out the glass-paneled door of their boxcar. "Dad?" Max turned around to see his father's emerald eyes closed. There was no reply. "Daaaad? Dad?" Still nothing. A small mischievous smile grew over the young Kameren's face. He glanced down at the cat dozing in his arms. "C'mon Tabby, time to go exploring..."
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
It didn't take much time for the young boy to get out of the boxcar without waking his father. Curse was out like a light. Max watched the students with wonder as they boarded the train; all their suitcases, their funny robes, and the many owls and animals they brought with them were quite a sight for the newly-discovered wizard. Max was the youngest person here, he knew. His father had told him. And though he wasn't allowed to take classes yet at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, that didn't mean he couldn't partake in other parts of student life. Right?
Still with Tabby in his arms, Max exited the train to get a good look at the crowd. Mothers and fathers were giving farewells to their children, friends were reunited, and Max could sense the excitement in the air. A new school year was starting. The young boy's round green eyes wandered everywhere as he explored the platform. There were so many things to see! So many new experiences! Max had never been this excited to find a new place. The younger Kameren couldn't wait to explore.
"Hey!" An older girl exclaimed at him, bringing her cart to a halt right before it knocked him over. Max jumped, accidentally dropping Tabby with an unceremonious plop
"Oh!" Max exclaimed, scrambling to recollect his cat before she ran away. "Sorry!" Max glanced up at the young lady with round emerald eyes as he stood with his pet in hand. "I didn't mean to get in your way..." Max glanced back in the direction of the boxcar he had left his father sleeping in. What if Curse woke up? He hated it when Max would wander off on his own, and Max didn't like making his father worry like that. "I probably should have stayed in the train," he muttered to himself with a slight frown, before turning back to the girl. He inspected her luggage cart, before looking the girl up and down as well.
"Are you a student?" Max asked curiously, meeting her eyes with a friendly look.
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Post by Matt Finch on Sept 8, 2010 23:34:54 GMT -5
Waving one final goodbye to his parents, Matt turned and pushed himself through the barrier to the Platform. They never came through with him. Apparently, it was already disturbing enough to see him disappear like that without having to do it themselves. He didn't mind, though; it just left him free to search out his friends. With Nuri still right by the entrance, though, finding her wasn't a problem. Not ramming into her, however, was more of a challenge, and Matt barely managed to swerve out of her way.
Sighing with relief, he turned to Nuriko. "Well, well, my old nemesis. We meet aga--oh," he cut off when he saw Max in front of her. Well, that explains her stopping here of all places... "Friend of yours?" he asked, leaning on his luggage cart and looking at her curiously.
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Post by Erin O'Reilly on Sept 9, 2010 21:06:28 GMT -5
They had not only arrived on time, they were actually early. The O'Reilly brood formed a small crowd on the magical platform, around a small hill of suitcases. Although there seemed to be a good collection of luggage, it was modest when one realized it was the total for all three of the O'Reilly children who were attending Hogwarts this year.
"The O'Reillys are early, we should mark this on a calendar, make it a family holiday," the oldest of the O'Reilly children, Ethan, joked. Well past his years at Hogwarts, he was simply there to see off his three youngest siblings. He scooped up the fluffy grey cat that was weaving around his ankles and after giving it an affectionate scratch between the ears, deposited it into the waiting arms of his younger sister.
Erin, a Hufflepuff girl going into her sixth year at Hogwarts, took the cat, who was now meowing loudly in protest. She sighed and shook her head, trying to calm her cat, Fuzz, down, while shooting Ethan a dirty look. "He's all spoiled and fat now, what with you sneaking him scraps this whole week you were home." She finally got the furball calmed down when the train whistle sounded, sending the cat scattering for cover, right up against Ethan's ankles.
"That's the teachers. We'll be getting on soon," Erin said, shouldering her bag. Ethan and her father helped take the large luggage to the storage area while Erin took her cat and her broom along with her. She nudged at her younger twin brothers, fourth years, to get on their feet. Having arrived early, the two of them had sat and nestled themselves up against the luggage for a nap. "Go help Ethan and Pa with the luggage."
One of them rubbed his bleary eyes and frowned at her. "Why? They've got it fine."
Erin stared at them, the shrugged. "You're right, you're only fourteen. It's a job best left to men."
Grumbling, they both immediately set about helping with the luggage. Erin laughed a little, then walked over to start saying her goodbyes to her mother (who was already tearing up) and her older sisters.
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Post by Nuriko Elsywth on Sept 9, 2010 22:25:04 GMT -5
"Oh!" Max exclaimed, scrambling to recollect his cat before she ran away. "Sorry!" Max glanced up at the young lady with round emerald eyes as he stood with his pet in hand. "I didn't mean to get in your way..."
Nuriko grinned, her hair an eye-catching blue that stood up in short spikes. “Is that your cat? I love cats. Oh and no problem.” She winked friendlily at the younger boy. “We’d better move though, cause everyone comes in this way.” To the discerning Englishman (or French boy) her tone and accent was entirely American, a novelty in Hogwarts.
"Are you a student?" Max asked curiously, meeting her eyes with a friendly look.
“Yes I am!” She eyed him critically. “But you’re not, right? Let me guess… younger sibling?” She took on a look of great, exaggerated concentration. “No, professor’s kid?”
"Well, well, my old nemesis. We meet aga--oh," he cut off when he saw Max in front of her. Well, that explains her stopping here of all places... "Friend of yours?"
“Matti!” She exclaimed, her hair changing to a pleased yellow and back again. “Yeah this is… ” She looked at the boy. “Er, this is… what’s your name kid? I’m Nuriko (but you can call me ‘Riko) and this is Matti.” As she chattered she carefully maneuvered the three of them out of the way.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Sept 9, 2010 23:11:47 GMT -5
“Is that your cat? I love cats. Oh and no problem.” She winked friendlily at the younger boy. “We’d better move though, cause everyone comes in this way.”
"Yeah, he's mine," Max smiled down at the writhing feline in his arms. She was none too pleased about the busy platform. Max noticed Nuriko's accent immediately, recognizing it as American like his father's. He followed the blue-haired girl as she got them out of the way, still struggling with his cat. "Are you a student?"
“Yes I am!” The young boy grinned up at the girl, his emerald eyes flashing with excitement. He was already making friends! “But you’re not, right? Let me guess… younger sibling?”
Max laughed, shaking his head back and forth. "Nope."
“No, professor’s kid?”
"Yeah!" Max exclaimed at her correct answer, startling Tabby all over again with his voice. "My dad's the Potions Master this year. He's sleeping on the train though. At least I hope he is..." Max glanced back at the Kameren's boxcar, but he couldn't see inside. If Curse really wanted to find Max, he knew he could. He'd found him in the past, and Max was busy. He wanted to make new friends at his new home. Max's emerald eyes wandered upon a new stranger as another student joined them.
“Matti!” Max gasped when the girl's blue hair suddenly turned bright yellow, then back again. He had never seen such a thing! Could all wizards do that? Could he do that?! “Yeah this is… ” She looked at the boy. “Er, this is… what’s your name kid? I’m Nuriko (but you can call me ‘Riko) and this is Matti.”
"I'm Max," he said, smiling as his emerald eyes met the two of them, "And this is Tabby. Is everyone that goes to Hogwarts American?" He asked curiously; the only people he'd met so far spoke in the accent of his father's country, and Max was confused. "I'd never even heard of Hogwarts until my dad said we were moving there..."
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Post by Matt Finch on Sept 14, 2010 0:31:29 GMT -5
“Matti! Yeah this is…Er, this is… what’s your name kid? I’m Nuriko (but you can call me ‘Riko) and this is Matti.”
"Yo," Matt deadpanned, offering a small wave to Max. Looking the boy up and down, he decided that this was definitely no student; he had no luggage, and besides, eleven-year-olds couldn't be that small. Could they?
"I'm Max," he said, smiling as his emerald eyes met the two of them, "And this is Tabby. Is everyone that goes to Hogwarts American? I'd never even heard of Hogwarts until my dad said we were moving there..."
Matt couldn't resist a laugh. Having been at Hogwarts for five years, the idea of it being attended solely by Americans was quite amusing to him. "No, just us, I think. Though," he added, glancing at the Express, "There'll be two less Americans there if we don't get on the train soon." As if in response, the train gave off a loud hiss as it vented excess steam. It was as though the scarlet locomotive was becoming impatient to leave.
"Shall we?" Matt asked, turning to the pair. If they didn't board soon, he and Nuri were going to get lousy seats. Theirs weren't ensured like Max's was.
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Post by Nuriko Elsywth on Sept 17, 2010 21:38:11 GMT -5
"Yeah!" Max exclaimed at her correct answer, startling Tabby all over again with his voice. "My dad's the Potions Master this year. He's sleeping on the train though. At least I hope he is..."
“Woah. Wait.” Riko held up a hand to forestall the child. “Kameren? Kameren is your dad?”
She looked at the train, watching as it filled up with students. Max gasped, bringing her attention back to the two boys. “I’m a metamorphagus.” she explained, shaking her hair into multicolours for the benefit of her young admirer.
"I'm Max," he said, smiling as his emerald eyes met the two of them, "And this is Tabby. Is everyone that goes to Hogwarts American?" He asked curiously; the only people he'd met so far spoke in the accent of his father's country, and Max was confused. "I'd never even heard of Hogwarts until my dad said we were moving there..."
"No, just us, I think. Though," he added, glancing at the Express, "There'll be two less Americans there if we don't get on the train soon."
Nuri snapped her fingers and levitated her trunks and owl cage. “Well then we’d better get going! C’mon Max!” She took off at a trot, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She was excited for this school year, she hoped to perhaps test well enough to graduate in the spring. She’d already done many of the required courses and more, if all things went well she’d be graduating soon after her coming of age.
"Shall we?"
“Matti! Did you hear the ex-auror Curse Kameren is Potions Master this year?” She asked as they wove through the scattered crowd. Matt had just recently come from the States, she herself had been here for weeks, and she made a point to keep up on all the gossip and rumours. “He’s really good! I’m actually looking forward to potions this year!” Potions was a subject she particularly enjoyed, but the previous professor had been boring in the extreme. Not even an accent from the Hildegard.
Riko knew that an ex-auror would greatly improve things.
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Post by Erin O'Reilly on Sept 21, 2010 23:03:34 GMT -5
Large luggage packed away and her small personal belongings safely in her grasp, Erin stood with her family, saying their last goodbyes. The train whistle sounded again, announcing that the professors were finished boarding and it was now time for the students to make their way onboard. The Hufflepuff girl looked behind her to the train with a sigh, then looked back at her family. "Well, I'll see you all at Christmas." She watched her mother's eyes tear up again. "It'll fly by! It always does."
She hugged her mother and father goodbye. She then went and hugged her brother Ethan goodbye, collecting the mewling cat who'd found its way into his arms yet again. Her younger twin brothers ducked from their mother's goodbye kisses and hurried their way onto the train, disappearing in the throng of students jostling their way through.
Erin followed shortly after, getting a firm grasp on her belongings, with a stuffed bag across her shoulders, broom in one hand and protesting cat in the other. Making her way through the train's narrow corridor, she was swept along quickly with students desperately trying to find empty compartments to share with their friends. In a stroke of luck, she found a still-empty compartment near the front of a train and quickly slid into it. Standing up on a seat, she stashed her belongings overhead, allowing Fuzz the cat free reign. The agitated animal wasn't about to dart out of the space into the crowded corridor.
Plopping herself into a corner seat, she leaned her forehead against the window as she waited for her friends to find the compartment and join her.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Sept 24, 2010 0:00:41 GMT -5
"My dad's the Potions Master this year. He's sleeping on the train though. At least I hope he is..."
“Woah. Wait.” Riko held up a hand to forestall the child. “Kameren? Kameren is your dad?” Max nodded at the girl, his eyebrows raising in surprise at her reaction. He got that a lot, actually, and he didn't understand why; everyone had a father, and his happened to be Curse Kameren. What was so strange about that?
Max followed happily behind the two Hogwarts students, a content youngster as he grasped his writhing feline in his arms. He stepped onto the train, this time in the students end. The train was bustling with students, all weaving in and out of the corridor into the compartments, preparing for their journey to their 9-month home. His emerald eyes wandered everywhere....
...except for right in front of him. Max failed to notice Riko's floating suitcase come to a stop in front of him; he ran right into it, dropping Tabby once more with the shock. The cat bolted this time, down the hallway and into a boxcar. "Tabby!" Max yelled, weaving past the two older students to the boxcar.
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Post by Emery Fletcher on Sept 26, 2010 19:39:37 GMT -5
A cool breeze drifted off the lake, gently teasing long blond strands of hair towards Emery. He smiled as the pretty girl beside him laughed at a teasing joke he had relaid. The pair sat in the shade of a tree, nearly touching as they relaxed. Another perfect day at Hogwarts. The sunny girl in yellow robes leaned forward, whispering how cute she thought Emery was. How very much she liked him... Emery leaned closer, his own lips an inch, then a half away from her own...
Rudeness personified violated the domain of teenage male. With the help of a hair pin, Eden stormed her way into her brother's bed room. She looked exceptionally chipper for a little girl who had barely rested the night before, as she launched her self at her brother. Knees and elbows managed to find all of the soft sensitive spots on Emery's person. Childish laughter and an onslaught of pain ruined Emery's perfect dream.
"AHHHRUGHHHHHHHHHHH" He screamed pushing at the monster that had invaded his space. His eyes blinked open to find his youngest sister giggling in his arms. He half shoved, half lifted Eden off of his stomach and onto the small space on the bed beside him.
As he rubbed his tired, gritty eyes she joyfully told him how she thought it silly that he was hugging his pillow. Then she asked who Erin was (she pronounced it Aiiirrrinnnn).
Emery glared at Eden trying to ignore her insistent chatter. He loved his sister dearly but she could try the patience of Merlin!
"no one." He mumbled as he threw the covers over Eden, musing her neatly plated hair. A glance at the clock told him the reason why Eden had broken her promise and somehow entered his room uninvited. Soon it would be time to go home. While Hogwarts was not the perfect haven his dreams made it out to be, it was better than having to listen to his grandfather's lectures on how to be a man. This year though Hogwarts was sure to be better, Eden was coming. It would be less of a worry to have her at school with him, where he could make sure she was behaving and not having nightmares.
"You feeling alright?" He asked her, worried as he watched her fuss with her clothes, the blankets now on the floor. The little nymph rolled her eyes. "I'm perfectly fine. You look horrible."
Emery glanced at the mirror and saw that she was right but it wasn't entirely his fault. Bloodshot eyes were often the result of three hours of sleep. Emery gently shoved Eden towards the door, as he told her how he couldn't help but look a mess after being kept up all night my a singing little monster.
Eden flashed an angelic smile at her brother, hugged his hips, and sung a quick happy birthday before leaving, her work finished.
Two hours later Emery was on the crowded platform looking for Eden. Excited, she had run off leaving him to deal with their trunks. The family house elf had accompanied them to the platform. The siblings had already said their goodbyes to their middle sister Elianora who sadly, did not attend Hogwarts. Grumbling about what a birthday, Emery stored the trunks and went off in search of Eden. While he tended to tower over the crowd at five nine, Eden could be hard to spot at four foot six, in a group of people she could easily hide amongst their legs. He spotted the little fairy down the corridor entering a compartment, seemingly following a young boy.
"EDEN!" Emery called out, trying to stop the little girl. Didn't she realize she couldn't enter strange compartments? Emery rushed through the rather crowded hallway, with an energy few had ever seen before. Quite Emery Fletcher, never shouted, nor ran. In fact he didn't do much of anything, especially if it attracted attention. Emery shoved past two students in his year, cutting in front of them to enter the compartment.
He was about to apologize for his sister when he noticed who else was in the compartment. Erin O'Riley. All Emery could do was stand their frozen, as brief flashes of his dream played in his mind. 'great, of all the compartments in all the world, my sister had to dash into this one Emery glared at his sister, wondering if she had planned this all along.
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Post by Eden Fletcher on Sept 26, 2010 19:54:10 GMT -5
The week leading up to hogwarts had been pure magic. The night before had been a trail. Eden Fletcher was far too excited to sleep. Her mind was buzzing with thoughts about the school she had heard so much about. She had dreamed about. Restless she had played in her room above Emery's nearly the entire night. For half of the night she had kept coming into Emery's domain to ask him a question, or for reassurance that she wouldn't flunk out. When she did sleep it was filled with strange dreams that felt like visions but without their normal clarity. Finally she had drifted off around four in the morning, to wake up early eager to get on the train.
Dressed and impatient she woke up Emery, planning on giving him his birthday present but he had kicked her out before she could. Once on the platform Eden was awed. She had never seen so many live people before. Wanting to see everything, she dash ahead of Emery and onto the train. She was searching for secrets when she noticed a small boy, nearly the same height as her. With a bright smile Eden walked forward planning on meeting him, when he dropped his unhappy cat and ran after it into a compartment. Eager to help, Eden followed, the door sliding shut behind her.
"Do you need help?" She asked as she stopped, just in front of the door, a helpful expression of concern on her face.
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Post by Erin O'Reilly on Sept 26, 2010 23:41:26 GMT -5
Erin was still sitting there, forehead resting against the window, and she had an amused smile on her face. She could see her family on the platform below, but they couldn't see her. She watched her mother dramatically brandish a handkerchief at her oldest brother who was desperately trying to calm her down. Any passerby would think it was the first time she was sending her children off to school; in reality she'd been down this road over a dozen times before.
The Hufflepuff girl wasn't really sad to leave. At least not yet. It was the same every year. When she climbed onto the train, she was brimming with excitement for another year. After the stress of her fifth, she was sure she'd never have this feeling again. She'd been ready to dig her escape out of Hogwarts by the end of the year. But another summer of hard work on the farm and being dragged through her sister's wedding to just the most awful man she'd ever known, Erin was ready to be back at Hogwarts.
Fuzz leapt into her lap, wanting to look out the window, too. Erin scratched him between the ears and quirked a half-smile as he purred. "Happy now? Good." The gray furball's contentment was short-lived though, as another cat bolted into the compartment, followed soon by two children. Erin yelped as her cat's claws dug into her lap as he leaped from her legs, scrambling for the safety of the overhead luggage bin. The presence of young ears stayed what would have been a string of curses from the frazzled girl, but she managed to compose herself. She didn't really want to be the one to terrify the first years. Although they both looked entirely too young to be first years. They really got smaller every year...
Standing and gingerly rubbing at the part of her thigh that still stung a bit, she smiled at the two kids. Indicating the other cat in the room (Fuzz was now completely hidden) she lifted her eyebrows. "Does that one belong to one of you?"
She looked up again as yet another person entered the room, looking visibly relieved to find it was someone her own age. Back-up! "Oh, hey Emery!" she said cheerfully. She was completely unaware that the young girl in the compartment was his little sister, and assumed he was simply looking for a place to sit for the trip. She indicated the space behind her vaguely. "You should join me, there's no one in here yet."
She hesitated, eyeing the children, and quickly added "Oh, I mean, unless you two were... were trying to find someplace, of course..." Oh, she hoped not. She really hoped not. Erin could really be friends with anyone, but the thought of spending the entire trip to Hogwarts with two kids who were at least five years younger than her was not fun. She hadn't talked to her friends for months and wanted to see them. She had so much to tell them.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Sept 27, 2010 22:35:59 GMT -5
Max tumbled into the train compartment, his body somehow getting ahead of his feet. He hit the knees of another older student, but he didn't mind her. His main focus was the frazzled, growling brown feline standing on the chair opposite her. "Tabby..." The young boy tried to reason with the cat, though every inch closer he got the cat backed up equally.
"Do you need help?"
Max put a finger to his lips, telling the girl to be silent. He had dealt with Tabby in this mood before, and it was a delicate situation. Without taking a step, the young boy shifted his weight forward. He leaped for the cat, tackling it into the seat before she could scurry away again "Gotcha!" He exclaimed, holding the cat up firmly in victory. "Bloody cat is no match for me..."
"Does that one belong to one of you?"
"She's mine," Max replied, glaring down at the squirming furball in his arms. "And she's not in a very good mood today." The young boy looked up, around at all the commotion he caused. Oops. "Sorry to get in your way..." Max stood up, still holding the feline firmly in his lanky arms.
"Oh, I mean, unless you two were... were trying to find someplace, of course..."
Max shook his head. "Nope, I've already got a compartment with my dad." The young boy turned to the other young person in the compartment, looking the girl up and down. She was the first person he'd found so far on the platform who he had height on. "How old are you?" He asked forwardly, "Are you a student? I'm not, and you're littler than me..."
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Post by Nuriko Elsywth on Sept 28, 2010 23:37:23 GMT -5
Nuriko levitated her trunk higher just as a young girl raced past her into the cabin. She seemed to be following Max. Another boy shouted and shoved past her, sliding the door open and entering the compartment.
"EDEN!"
“Bu--” Riko looked to Matti for an explanation, she pointed towards the compartment, her face shocked. “Matti! Was that… was that Emery??” Emery was in their year. He shared a dorm with Matti. But never had Nuri seen Emery run or even speak loudly. She waved her wand, hurrying into the room with her luggage floating in her wake.
“Hey Erin!” She grinned, glad to see her friend upon entering. She peered into Emery’s face, a look of great concentration on her face. “Wow, it really is you, Em! What possessed you to run’n’yell like that?” The irrepressible student twirled away, stowing her bags carefully, making sure Sirius was safely tucked in a corner and his cage secured from sliding. The blue haired witch tipped a wink to Fuzz, whose eyes glowed in a dark corner between luggage and the wall.
She jumped down just as the train gave a particularly large screech of whistle and jerked away from the station. Nuriko bounced a little, her short height detracting none at all from her enthusiasm. “Back to Hogwarts we go!”
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