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Post by Alex Kameren on Sept 2, 2010 11:11:11 GMT -5
Alex Kameren was not a pooper-scooper. Yet here he was, walking his dog, in a city. People expected poop-scooping when dogs were walked in cities. And Rasp was a big dog. Wrinkling his nose with distaste, Alex drew his wand and turned the offending object into a small pile of ash.
Well, to hell with them. He was not a pooper-scooper.
Gathering the shepherd’s leash, the auror strode straight for the alley wall in front of him. Rasputin still didn’t like this, but he reluctantly followed his master as they walked through the wall, appearing in an alley way on the other side. A Muggle alley. Alex tucked his wand in the long sleeve of his sweater -- the day was rather cool -- patted Rasp reassuringly and headed for his brother’s flat. It was the first time he’d seen Curse since he got out.
‘Achooo!’ Alex sneezed, waving a hand again to ward away the cat hair. No matter how much he used that spell, there was always more. Alex had thought once or twice about shaving Tabby, but had always thought better of it. He figured cats had claws and teeth for reasons not all dealing with mice. ‘Well anyway, welcome home.’ He told his brother, waving at the clean apartment, something it had never achieved with its packrat owner in residence. ‘Sorry, I gotta run. Late for work.’ An awkward pat on the shoulder later and he was out the door.
Rasp trotted beside his human as they went up stairs and down a hall, pausing in front of a door.
Knock, knock.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Sept 2, 2010 12:28:58 GMT -5
Right as Curse was reaching for the handle, A knock sounded at the door. That will be Alex, he thought to himself. He opened the door abruptly, meeting his brothers eyes immediately upon seeing him. For the first time in a long while, the elder Kameren's emerald green eyes were crystal clear. Curse pointed down the hall in the direction from where Alex had come. "Walk with me."
Curse brushed past his brother in the hall, his half-smile lighting up at the sight of the dog. "Oh, you brought the dog! excellent. That's perfect. Come on, I'm late," Curse nodded his head in the direction he was moving, casually stuffing his hands in his pockets as he sauntered down the apartment hallway. He took the staircase rather than the elevator; the ex-auror had been in his apartment all day preparing for his first week with a new tenant in his apartment, and he welcomed the steady movement of the stairs. He looked back at his brother, still moving briskly down the staircase and grinning his half-grin. "How have you been, little brother? It's been months since I've seen you. Not since I've left the Ministry, I believe..."
As the duo reached the bottom floor Curse turned and looked at his brother questioningly. "How is the Ministry, by the way? Any better? I've been out of the Wizarding World for months. I'm dying to know what's going on over there. The doctors never let me get the news, figured I'd read too far into it or something." The ex-auror shrugged. "I suppose that's fair. I probably would have."
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Post by Alex Kameren on Sept 2, 2010 14:26:14 GMT -5
Alex didn’t know what he expected to see when Curse opened the door, to be honest, when he had gotten out of Mungo’s last month Alex hadn’t had the time to be specific on what his older brother looked like, other than to observe that he looked better. Now, however, he got a good look at what nine months in St Mungo’s mental ward had done, and to be honest, Alex hadn’t seen Curse look this good, this relaxed, this sane, since he met him.
"Oh, you brought the dog! excellent. That's perfect. Come on, I'm late,"
Alex smiled one of his rare true smiles and walked beside Curse back the way he had come. Rasp barked, wagging his tail at the newcomer, following after him and smelling his ankles. There were cats! And some dry raspy scent he didn’t recognize.
"How have you been, little brother? It's been months since I've seen you. Not since I've left the Ministry, I believe..."
Alex shrugged, letting the other man go ahead in the narrow stairwell. ‘I’ve been well enough, I suppose. Can’t really complain.’
As the duo reached the bottom floor Curse turned and looked at his brother questioningly. "How is the Ministry, by the way? Any better? I've been out of the Wizarding World for months. I'm dying to know what's going on over there. The doctors never let me get the news, figured I'd read too far into it or something." The ex-auror shrugged. "I suppose that's fair. I probably would have."
Alex smirked, recalling Curse’s brief stint as Head Auror. He definitely would. It was extremes with Curse, either he didn’t care at all or he cared too much. ‘Ministry’s been getting on as well as usual. Harkness isn’t popular, but what can you expect? The people loved Lloyd. Mysteries think they have the beginning of a handle on what was stolen. Some lady told me last spring that they were new items Mysteries had just started studying when they were stolen.' Alex shrugged as they walked out the door.
'By the way, what’s the big rush?'
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Post by Curse Kameren on Sept 2, 2010 19:11:03 GMT -5
‘Ministry’s been getting on as well as usual. Harkness isn’t popular, but what can you expect? The people loved Lloyd. Mysteries think they have the beginning of a handle on what was stolen. Some lady told me last spring that they were new items Mysteries had just started studying when they were stolen.'
Curse stopped mid-step in the lobby, turning to look at his brother with surprise. "What happened to Lloyd? And when did things get stolen from Mysteries?" Curse didn't like the fact that he didn't know these important things; he had no recollection of when he was being controlled by Mosrael, and after that he was so gone that nothing in the world could reach him. His brow furrowed in frustration, "I can't stand this. I disappeared off the bloody planet for nearly a year and now I have no idea what's going on anymore..." He turned on his heel, beckoning his brother onward.
As soon as they hit the London sidewalks, Curse popped a cigarette in his mouth. Going to the Mental Hospital only increased his addiction; cigarettes were used much like a black-market currency among the patients. He lit it with a snap of his fingers on the end, pulling a crumpled note out of his pocket as he took his first puff. "Twenty-Fifth and Powers. Inner-city obviously... Oh. Yes." Curse started off to their left, stuffing the note back into his pocket.
'By the way, what’s the big rush?'
"I told you, I'm late," he said, upping their pace slightly as he blew smoke towards the heavens, "I need to be at Twenty-Fifth and Powers by 3:15. I--ah..." Curse faltered, unsure how to awkwardly step into his news of the last few months. Should he just drop it like a bomb? Should he avoid it and let Alex see for himself? No, he couldn't do that, he can't have Alec in shock when he meets him...
Curse stopped in his tracks, awkwardly avoiding his brother's gaze as he put out his cigarette butt on the sidewalk. "The reason why I went into rehabilitation and left the Ministry and everything is because I sort of found a new purpose..." He anxiously reached for another cigarette, stopping himself midway up to his mouth. He had no idea how he was going to tell his brother this; he was still blown away by it.
"Right after you managed to free me from Mosrael's control I was in a really dark place," He started, stumbling over his words, "I retreated back into the muggle world, in hopes to either get better or just to bring it all to an end. But anyways, while I was living like that an old friend of mine came to visit me. An old girfriend, Amelia; she had something important to say."
Curse tensed up slightly as he prepared to break the news; it was obvious he was scared for what Alex might think. "We broke up back in 2011. I was seventeen, and she was moving to France. Neither of us knew... well... that she was pregnant at the time." Curse smiled awkwardly, and a silence fell for a moment between them.
Checking his watch almost as a form of escape, Curse snapped out of his awkward demeanor. "Oh, 3:02! Danm it I knew we were going to be late! We're picking up my son from school!" He exclaimed, but this time instead of the uncomfortable tone he had earlier, he had excitement. Curse Kameren was happy to become a father, even if it was nine years late. He hurried down the sidewalk, calling back to his brother: "I thought you might want to meet your nephew! Hurry up, or he'll be the last one waiting and he'll complain the whole way back..."
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Post by Alex Kameren on Sept 2, 2010 22:19:53 GMT -5
Curse stopped mid-step in the lobby, turning to look at his brother with surprise. "What happened to Lloyd? And when did things get stolen from Mysteries?" […] "I can't stand this. I disappeared off the bloody planet for nearly a year and now I have no idea what's going on anymore..."
Alex sighed, looking around at their surroundings. ‘I can’t go in depth here, but it happened last summer. Before you went into the hospital.’
"I told you, I'm late," he said, upping their pace slightly as he blew smoke towards the heavens, "I need to be at Twenty-Fifth and Powers by 3:15. I--ah..."
Alex raised an eyebrow, urging his brother to continue. Curse was nervous for some reason, avoiding Alex’s eyes. Alex stopped as well, watching the older Kameren suspiciously. Whenever Curse started to hesitate, surprises were usually in store, not always good.
"The reason why I went into rehabilitation and left the Ministry and everything is because I sort of found a new purpose..." […] "Right after you managed to free me from Mosrael's control I was in a really dark place,"
Alex remembered that time, he'd actually been afraid Curse would try to top himself. And then he had appeared, announcing his intent to go to St Mungo's.
"I retreated back into the muggle world, in hopes to either get better or just to bring it all to an end. But anyways, while I was living like that an old friend of mine came to visit me. An old girfriend, Amelia; she had something important to say."
Curse tensed up slightly as he prepared to break the news; it was obvious he was scared for what Alex might think. "We broke up back in 2011. I was seventeen, and she was moving to France. Neither of us knew... well... that she was pregnant at the time."
Whatever guff Alex had expected, this wasn’t it. He stood and stared at Curse for a moment. He opened his mouth to make a comment when Curse checked his watch and took off down the pavement. Alex shook his head incredulously and followed.
"Oh, 3:02! Damn it I knew we were going to be late! We're picking up my son from school!" […] "I thought you might want to meet your nephew! Hurry up, or he'll be the last one waiting and he'll complain the whole way back..."
Nephew… Good Merlin. Alex came up beside Curse. ‘A kid.’ He said flatly, still finding it hard to believe.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Sept 2, 2010 22:51:12 GMT -5
‘A kid.’
"Umm yeah, Alex, that's generally what tends to happen in those circumstances," Curse replied, slightly bothered by Alex's incredulous tone. Did he think Curse was joking about this? But then again, Curse didn't believe it at first either. At least, not until he saw him. "Wait until we get there. He is a Kameren, you can tell by looking at him. Ah, here it is--"
Curse's voice was cut off by the joyous yells of children as they approached The Bernard Perperatory School. Curse had nothing to worry about; Max was going to be far from the last child picked up. "Now we've got to bloody find him in this mess..." Curse towered over the crowd of children, and even most of the parents. "Max? MAX!" He called through the screaming mass of children. Curse turned with a smirk to Alex: "This is why I could never be a Hogwarts professor. I'd be back in the nuthouse a week after classes start." He chuckled to himself; one thing Curse had been practicing was good humor about his stay in Mungo's. Others treated it as a taboo, but he saw it as a good thing. He as better now. He was functional enough to be involved with his son.
.. .. .. .. .. ..
As Curse weathered the chaotic sea of children looking for his son, a young boy around the age of ten tapped Alex on the forearm. "Dad?" The boy was an average height for his age, though rather thin. He had fair skin, with a messy nest of wavy black hair. His nose and cheeks were riddled with freckles, as were his arms and legs. He looked skeptically up at Alex with piercing emerald green eyes. "Oh, sorry. Wrong guy," he glanced around them, "Have you seen my dad? He looks, uhh... kinda like you? I don't know, it's his first day coming for me and, between you and me, I think he probably got lost."
The young boy shrugged, smirking smartly. His emerald gaze widened when it wandered to the german shepherd. "You have a dog!" He grinned, kneeling down on his clean school uniform to pet the canine. "What's his name? I have a cat at my dad's house, and a pet snake too! I'm staying there this week for the first time..."
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Post by Alex Kameren on Sept 2, 2010 23:09:46 GMT -5
"Umm yeah, Alex, that's generally what tends to happen in those circumstances,"
‘Its just the… the thought of…’ Alex held back a laugh, though a few chuckles managed to escape, ‘the great bloody Curse Kameren, terror of the ministry…’ Alex sputtered to a stop, not able to finish his thought coherently. He straightened his face, clearing his throat. 'Ahem. Just surprising I guess.'
"Wait until we get there. He is a Kameren, you can tell by looking at him. Ah, here it is--"
Curse was practically glowing with excitement, something Alex had never seen before. He smiled slightly, not even the crowd of children seemed to deter him. Alex personally could have done without the masses, one kid he figured he could handle, but… Curse shouted something at him, but Alex only heard something vaguely concerning a nuthouse. He smirked, turning to search the crowd.
"Dad?"
'Uh, no.' Alex said, returning the boy’s look with his own green eyes. Merlin, he did look like a Kameren. Cedric would have scoffed, he knew, for in his mind none were Kamerens but those pure-blooded. But Alex could see his brother in the boy.
"Oh, sorry. Wrong guy," he glanced around them, "Have you seen my dad? He looks, uhh... kinda like you? I don't know, it's his first day coming for me and, between you and me, I think he probably got lost."
Alex smirked, looking across the grounds to where Curse stood out like a sore thumb. He waved, then crouched next to the dog and boy. His hand patted the dog, who stuck his tongue out and beat his tail on the ground at this dual attention. His eyes observed the boy.
"You have a dog!" He grinned, kneeling down on his clean school uniform to pet the canine. "What's his name? I have a cat at my dad's house, and a pet snake too! I'm staying there this week for the first time..."
'His name is Rasputin, but I call him Rasp.' He told the boy as the dog reached with his tongue to lick the young face in front of him. 'And the cat’s name is Tabby, while the snake’s name is Lucy.' He looked up, seeing Curse come into view. 'And here's daddio.' The last was said teasingly, aimed at Curse.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Sept 2, 2010 23:37:49 GMT -5
‘Its just the… the thought of…’ Alex held back a laugh, though a few chuckles managed to escape, ‘the great bloody Curse Kameren, terror of the ministry…Ahem. Just surprising I guess.'
Curse rolled his eyes, understanding what Alex was getting at. "I suppose it is ironic, to go from the scourge of the Ministry to, well, this." Curse gestured ahead of them, at the playground and screaming children around the school.
((ooc: do doo doo doo... don't want to post all the same things i just posted so i'm now moving forward to after Max finds Alex...))
Curse turned around to see Alex already standing with Max next to him. "Naturally," He muttered to himself, weaving his way across the courtyard to rejoin Alex and his son.
'His name is Rasputin, but I call him Rasp.' He told the boy as the dog reached with his tongue to lick the young face in front of him. 'And the cat’s name is Tabby, while the snake’s name is Lucy.'
Max stared up at Alex, perplexed. "How did you know that?" He asked warily. His wide green eyes fell upon Curse making his way towards them and understanding dawned on him. "Oh, you're one of Kris's friends," Max thought out loud, momentarily forgetting to call Curse by his newfound title.
'And here's daddio.'
Curse arched a brow at Alex before addressing Max. "I see you two have already met each other. Alex, this is Max Kameren," Max held his hand up to Alex to shake, still not really taking his attention from the dog, "And Max, this is Uncle Al," Curse smiled crookedly, throwing a glance at Alex that said two can play at that game. "Shall we get out of this mob?"
"Yes please!" Max replied, weaving easily through the crowd further ahead of Curse and Alex.
Curse followed, making sure Alex (whose dog was gaining more notice from the school children) kept up. Curse didn't need to say it, as it was entirely obvious; this was the happiest he had ever been. "Max, don't get too far ahead! Max! The apartment isn't in that direction!"
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Post by Alex Kameren on Sept 2, 2010 23:57:52 GMT -5
Max stared up at Alex, perplexed. "How did you know that?" He asked warily. His wide green eyes fell upon Curse making his way towards them and understanding dawned on him. "Oh, you're one of Kris's friends,"
Alex shook his head as he stood. ‘I suppose you could call it that.’
Curse arched a brow at Alex before addressing Max. "I see you two have already met each other. Alex, this is Max Kameren," Max held his hand up to Alex to shake, still not really taking his attention from the dog, "And Max, this is Uncle Al,"
‘Please.’ Alex rolled his eyes at Curse as he shook the boy’s hand briefly, amused at the attention he paid Rasp. ‘Call me Alex.’ If I have to be called Uncle Anything, I will at least not be called Al. He scowled at his brother and snapped his fingers, Rasputin came off his haunches smoothly, his tail wagging slowly as he followed his master through the mob of children, who he ignored now.
“Max, don't get too far ahead! Max! The apartment isn't in that direction!"
‘Well, at least you’re happy.’ Alex said, smiling. It was warm in the sun, but the breeze blew with a cool breeze. ‘It’s a good thing.’ He said as they extracted themselves from the crowd and headed up the sidewalk with Max.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Sept 3, 2010 0:14:53 GMT -5
Well, at least you’re happy.’
"Yeah," Curse replied, his attention being more towards wherever Max was going. "I wish I could snap my fingers and make him obey me," he replied with a light chuckle, speeding up slightly as the boy rounded a corner. To be honest, Curse wasn't too worried about Max running ahead; what could happen to him in the muggle world that two experienced aurors couldn't handle?
‘It’s a good thing.’
"Yeah it is," Curse replied contentedly. He smirked. "And to think I never wanted kids. Now look at me..." he chuckled, his green eyes scanning for Max as they rounded a corner. A profanity suddenly burst from Curse's lips. "Max? God, now where'd he go? That kid manages to disappear faster than any invisibility specialist I know. ...Max?"
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Post by Alex Kameren on Sept 3, 2010 0:34:42 GMT -5
“Yeah," Curse replied, his attention being more towards wherever Max was going. "I wish I could snap my fingers and make him obey me,"
Alex smirked, tugging lightly on the leash as Rasp took a detour. ‘Heh. A Kameren, being obedient? Impossible.’ His own childhood could be held up as a great, shining example. In fact, he’d chosen Ravenclaw over Slytherin just to spite his father. His face twisted wryly, see how well that worked out for him.
"Yeah it is," Curse replied contentedly. He smirked. "And to think I never wanted kids. Now look at me..." he chuckled, his green eyes scanning for Max as they rounded a corner. A profanity suddenly burst from Curse's lips. "Max? God, now where'd he go? That kid manages to disappear faster than any invisibility specialist I know. ...Max?"
‘Great.’ Alex muttered, his eyes searching the crowd, but he wasn’t nearly as upset as Curse. Sure, he felt a little annoyed, but not even ten minutes of knowing the child meant he didn’t feel as alarmed. He slipped the leash off of Rasp, pointing down the sidewalk. ‘Go get him boy!’ Hopefully this would work… barely a year old, the dog was well trained but still a puppy and distractible. The dog streaked down the side walk, his nose questing.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Sept 3, 2010 13:03:54 GMT -5
Curse sighed, shaking his head when he heard no reply from Max. He muttered an incantation tracking spell, lifting his hand and extending his fingers to release it. A green smoke poured out from his fingertips, forming a path that led one street over and down an alleyway. "He does this a lot," Curse started, the smoke disintegrating as Curse walked through it, "I think just because he likes making me do things like this. You'd think after years of being an auror I'd be able to keep an eye on a 9-year-old..."
As the elder Kamerens approached the alleyway, it appeared empty. Nothing was in sight. "Hold on," Curse said, closing his eyes. He re-opened them to reveal the cat-like slitted pupils of his animagus form. Without a word, Curse kneeled down on the ground a few feet from Alex, picking up what appeared to be nothing in his arms.
"Aww," The small form of Max faded into view in his father's arms, "using cat-eyes is cheating!"
"Would you rather I kicked around the alley until I hit something?" Curse arched a brow at Max, throwing the small boy under one arm with ease. "Come on, going home. Your walking-ahead privileges have been revoked." Curse turned out of the alleyway, Max looking none-too-pleased in his grip. They hit the sidewalk once more, not stopping until they were in front of the building. He let Max go from there, the young boy taking off through the lobby and into the elevator. He'd get into the apartment somehow, Curse knew. Or he'd be taken in by Violet.
Curse turned to his brother, now very serious. "When we get back up to the apartment I want you to tell me more about these Ministry break-ins. I know I have memory of some of my captive time, but I just need to find a way to access it," the ex-auror's brow furrowed, and he could feel the auror gears in his head dusting off, starting to move again. Curse Kameren could never stay away from the chase for long.
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Post by Alex Kameren on Sept 3, 2010 23:27:51 GMT -5
"He does this a lot," Curse started, the smoke disintegrating as Curse walked through it ,"I think just because he likes making me do things like this. You'd think after years of being an auror I'd be able to keep an eye on a 9-year-old..."
Rasp deviated from his assignment to investigate a bratwurst stand. Alex bent and grabbed the dog’s collar as he passed by, securing the leash as he did so. “Welcome to the fun of having a kid in your life.” He said, amused. He raised a brow as the other Kameren cast a spell that would lead them to the boy. He thought perhaps he’d refrain from mentioning that he could arrest Curse for that, it probably wouldn’t go over well. His mouth twisted into the slightest of smirks as they arrived at an alleyway.
Alex chuckled, walking a little behind the pair as they continued on their way. Quite a trick Max had there. He doubted he’d done it by accident, evidently he’d already learned some things from his father. Now that still had a strange ring to it.
Curse turned to his brother, now very serious. "When we get back up to the apartment I want you to tell me more about these Ministry break-ins. I know I have memory of some of my captive time, but I just need to find a way to access it,"
“Tsk. Aren’t you retired?” Alex asked glibly as he started up the stairs two at a time.
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Post by Curse Kameren on Sept 4, 2010 1:35:07 GMT -5
Curse flashed a wry half-smile, his eyes glinting at his brother. "I'm on mental health watch. If they're trusting me with my 9-year-old kid for a week I think they have enough faith in me to do what I was trained to do," he pushed the door to the apartment building open, letting Alex and his dog in before him. "Besides, what will you people do without me? Finally get the paperwork done probably. Ha!" Curse laughed at his own quip, starting up the stairs after his brother.
Curse quickly passed Alex on the stairs, as his brother was weighed down by Rasp. "You know what, though," He said, thinking more out loud to himself while speaking to his brother, "I don't think I'll be returning to the Ministry. I'll get much more done if I don't have someone breathing down my neck..."
As the two reached the top of the stairwell, Curse could hear Violet talking excitedly to someone through their apartment walls. "Max must be in there. She never gets that excited about Jasper," he poked fun at his elderly parents, before turning and unlocking his door with a few separate spells. Curse pulsed his hands as he walked in, and all the hair in the apartment disintegrated. Cat hair, human hair, anything that wasn't currently attached to a body. Curse had been tuning up that spell for the last few weeks. "Come in, it's safe..." He said, pulling up a stool at the bar counter of the kitchen.
Curse's lighthearted demeanor dampened when he turned to Alex. "Now. Tell me."
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Post by Alex Kameren on Sept 6, 2010 23:15:00 GMT -5
"Come in, it's safe..." He said, pulling up a stool at the bar counter of the kitchen.
Curse's lighthearted demeanor dampened when he turned to Alex. "Now. Tell me."
Alex grabbed a stool, sitting in his customary place. His gaze wandered around as he thought of what to say, how to condense the happenings of a year into one conversation. Rasp exchanges sniffs with Tabby and lay down next to Alex. The dog had had plenty of previous encounters with the sleek tabby before.
“Lloyd.” He decided to start with the old Minister. “You know there’s no such thing as an ex-unspeakable. The old man was working with Mysteries, working with a new object that they had just acquired.” Alex paused, summoned a water glass with a flick of his wand and filled it as he continued. “They used Crucio on him.” He said flatly, “killed him too. Harkness was there, he fought in the battle with us. Succeeded Lloyd, naturally.” Alex skimmed through the details of the battle, then gave his brother a run-down of the laws and events of the last year.
“Suddenly Harkness isn’t so popular,” He finished. “These cards, the prejudiced use them as an excuse to discriminate.” He took a long gulp of water, his mouth dry. “Now tell me about Max.”
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