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The
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two
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men
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appeared
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out
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of
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nowhere,
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a
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few
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yards
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apart
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in
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the
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narrow,
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moonlit
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lane.
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For
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a
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second
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they
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stood
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quite
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still,
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wands
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directed
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at
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each
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other's
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chests;
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then,
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recognizing
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each
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other,
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they
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stowed
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their
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wands
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beneath
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their
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cloaks
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and
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started
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walking
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briskly
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in
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the
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same
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direction.
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"News?"
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asked
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the
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taller
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of
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the
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two.
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"The
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best,"
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replied
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Severus
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Snape.
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The
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lane
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was
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bordered
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on
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the
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left
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by
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wild,
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low-
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growing
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brambles,
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on
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the
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right
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by
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a
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high,
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neatly
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manicured
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hedge.
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The
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men's
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long
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cloaks
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flapped
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around
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their
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ankles
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as
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they
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marched.
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"Thought
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I
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might
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be
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late,"
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said
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Yaxley,
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his
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blunt
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features
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sliding
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in
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and
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out
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of
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|
sight
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as
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the
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branches
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of
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overhanging
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trees
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broke
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the
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moonlight.
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"It
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was
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a
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little
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trickier
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than
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I
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expected.
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But
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I
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hope
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he
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will
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be
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satisfied.
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You
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sound
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confident
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that
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your
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reception
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will
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be
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good?"
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Snape
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nodded,
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but
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did
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not
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elaborate.
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They
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turned
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right,
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into
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a
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wide
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driveway
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that
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led
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off
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the
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|
lane.
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The
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high
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|
hedge
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curved
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with
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them,
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running
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off
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into
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the
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|
distance
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beyond
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the
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pair
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of
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impressive
|
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|
|
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wrought-
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iron
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gates
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barring
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the
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men's
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|
way.
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Neither
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of
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them
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broke
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|
step:
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In
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|
silence
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both
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raised
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their
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left
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|
arms
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in
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a
|
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kind
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of
|
|
salute
|
|
and...
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