LEAN ON ME | HERMIONE

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Time seemed to have been going by rather slowly, though at least it was moving after all. Though there was a time when everything seemed to stop; it had been not too long ago; the sun had risen on April 30th, and she had gotten up to an empty bed. Ginny, at first believing that her husband was either going into work early or simply downstairs because he couldn’t sleep. A few days later, that hadn’t been the case. He had left her a note, one that she had refused to read in case it was him telling her that he was leaving her. After everything that had been through, including her memory loss that came crashing down upon their lives, she was scared. As days turned into a week, she knew that she would have to read it. It had to do with work, with the whole horrible deal that was happening within the Wizarding World. No one knew anything, she didn’t know anything, and it killed her.

A few nights ago she had sent an owl out, a letter to Harry, and hoped that the creature would find him. Not only was Harry missing, but so was that owl and the letter she wrote. She was so worried, and from what she learned, her husband was missing in action. She hated not knowing, hated him for acting like they were still teenagers again. This wasn’t Voldemort, this was something else, and she worried about him. Of course, she didn’t have to just worry about him. After what happened at Hogwarts, after the Triwizard Tournament and so many people dying or getting hurt, she knew that this was just the start. It reminded her of the Second Wizarding War, the one against Voldemort, just on a more horrible scale.

That was why, two days ago she had sent an owl to Hermione, not only a good friend of hers but also her sister-in-law, who also happened to be the Minister. She had written the letter to the other girl, asking her to meet her at the local tea shop in London, even given her the address in case she needed that, and told her to meet her in two days at noon.

So there she was, seated within the little shop, a mug of tea sitting before her. It was about five minutes until noon, and she hoped that Hermione would show.

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403 words ;; @hermionejean ;;
hope this works x.x

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Harry Potter was missing, and Hermione was worried. Not just because as Minister the current Head of her Magical Law Enforcement department was missing, but as a person one of her closest friends on the entire planet had simply….vanished without a trace. She had dispatched some of her best Aurors and Hitwizards to find him, but no trace had turned up so far. This was preposterous; Harry was one of the most famous wizards in modern times, he doesn’t just go….MISSING in the middle of the night. The longer he was gone, the longer she got reports that nothing had turned up yet, the more stress lines were added to Hermione’s forehead. Where was he? And why didn’t he tell anyone where he was going?

She was not altogether surprised when Ginny owled asking to meet up. Her friend was probably the only person aside from Hermione and Ron who was faring worse in the search for her missing husband. Harry had been her spouse, her partner for over twenty years now. She didn’t know what was going through her head, but she imagined it was ten times worse than what was going through hers.

Hermione reached the tea shop with a minute to spare, coming in wearing a pale blue sundress with a white linen coat over it. She spotted Ginny immediately - who couldn’t spot that red hair a mile away - and made a beeline towards the woman. “Ginny,” she said, reaching down and putting her arms around her friend. She squeezed tightly, then took the seat next to her. She folded her hands in her lap, her knees bouncing nervously. “How are you holding up?” she asked her softly. She hated to be the one to tell Ginny that there was still no trace of her husband, but who else was going to?

Ginevra Molly Potter

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Each time that poor Ginny heard the sound of the door jingle, her head popped up to see who it was. Each time it wasn’t Hermione, just another person or even a couple. Seeing couples made her bitter a few times, but she quickly got over it. It reminded her of the time that Harry broke up with her to keep her safe, it had broken her heart and she was upset with him for it, him and his stupid nobility that he held within himself. She remembered the first time she had gotten to know Hermione, and that had been back before their own Triwizard Tournament, back when Hermione had stayed at the Burrow for the summer before the whole Quidditch World cup. They had talked about Harry and Ginny’s constant shyness that came about around him. They grew as friends that day, and it continued well throughout Hogwarts and even into their adult lives. If there as anyone that Ginny trusted as much as she trusted her family and spouse, it was Hermione Granger.

Her thoughts were deterred from her friendship with Hermione, her attention snapping towards the door just as the bell rung. And at that moment, Ginny seemed to brighten up. Because it was at that moment that Hermione herself walked through the door to the shop; the woman wrapped her arm around Ginny and squeezed her tightly, but she needed it. She smiled, “It’s good to see you, Hermione,” she breathed out truthfully. And then came the burning question she had been getting these days, the question about how she was doing with all this.

“I’ve been better, how about yourself?” she breathed out before looking at Hermione, “Please tell me there is news on Harry,” she said in an almost begging manner. She was preparing herself for the worst, but by the way that Hermione was keeping herself together, at least she knew that Harry wasn’t dead. Or at least, they didn’t find him dead.

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331 words ;; @hermionejean

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Hermione noticed that Ginny seemed to brighten and that lifted her spirits a little. After her friend had lost most of her adult memories, she didn’t think anything worse than that could happen to her friend, but how wrong she was. This was Ginny’s worst nightmare, even with the lost memories, as she had loved Harry since she was just a ten year old child. She responded that she’s been better, which made perfect sense. Hermione opened her mouth to say how she had been, trying to get some small talk out of the way, when Ginny got out that next rushed sentence so fast that she had to blink several times to get her bearings straight. Of course, getting straight to the point. She knew the woman must have been burning to ask her this since the second she spotted her at the door, but had at least waited for Hermione to sit down.

“We haven’t found any trace of him yet Ginny,” Hermione said sadly, also getting to the point. She was never one to beat around the bush about things, and she would feel terrible if she built up the suspense of their quest to find Harry before letting her know what they had found so far. “Let me put in a tea order and we’ll go over what we know,” she promised, making her way to the counter. She ordered a cup of Earl Grey with a scone complete with jam and clotted cream before returning to her friend. “We know from your recollection that he’d gotten up before dawn that morning of the 30th of April, and then he vanished. You were there when the team collected anything that could possibly be evidence to bring back to the Ministry for processing, and I’m afraid nothing out of the ordinary has turned up. I’m trying to convince the temporary Head of Magical Law Enforcement on bringing in dogs for the task, but he’s an old pureblooded wizard that doesn’t believe in Muggle techniques,” Hermione explained, not bothering to hide her distaste for the man. Dogs like labradors and German Shepherds had keen noses, and had been used many times in the past to find missing persons. Why not try it for Harry Potter? “Have you heard anything, have the children heard anything?” Hermione asked.

Ginevra Molly Potter

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‘We haven’t found any trace of him yet Ginny,’

That entire sentence was something that Ginny had feared that she would hear, though hearing it made it ten times worse for her to grasp. Harry was gone, he wasn’t coming back. She could feel it in her bones, in her heart, that she might have lost her husband to his nobility to protect everyone around him. He didn’t seem to grasp that they were no longer teenagers and the evil was no longer Voldemort. They were adults, they had kids to take care of, and this was something else entirely evil. And while in no one’s mind would this group be worst then the Death Eaters and Voldemort himself, they were still a threat. She took a deep breath, forcing a smile on her face, and nodded her head as she brushed a strand of short red hair behind her ear. After she graduated from Hogwarts and went into her adult years, she had to remove the long hair that she had always sported and cut it short. While here and there she let it grow long, it was just easier to maintain.

“I had a feeling you’d say that,” she breathed out finally just seconds before Hermione excused herself to order herself some tea and then they’d talk more. Ginny nodded her head, tea sounded good at that moment, but she didn’t want anything. Instead, she found herself twirling her wedding ring around her ring finger, playing with it for support while she waited for Hermione to return to the table. And once she did, sporting a cup of tea in her hand, she quickly let go of the ring and turned her attention towards Hermione. The women went over everything, that he had left before dawn on the 30th of April, that he had just vanished without a trace. No evidence, besides what had been around the house that they had taken, but that was it. Nothing out of the ordinary, nothing. Absolutely and utterly, nothing. But she was quick to say that she was trying to talk the new Head of Magical Law Enforcement, or rather Harry’s temporary replacement, into using dogs to get the task done.

It was then that Hermione questioned if she had heard anything, or even her children had heard, and she shook her head. “The last thing I heard from Harry was the letter he wrote the day he disappeared. I think the same goes for the children,” she breathed out. She shook her head, “Though, a few nights ago I even sent an owl out with a letter for Harry, and the owl has yet to return,” she confided to Hermione with a small smile. Sending a letter through an owl, she prayed that the magical creature would find the person it belonged to. She prayed that he had, but she also feared that she had doomed the creature to the same fate as her husband if it was a horrible fate that Harry had procured for himself during his disappearance.

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510 words ;; @hermionejean

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Hermione noticed Ginny fiddling with her wedding band, and her heart went out to the woman. She did not wear hers all the time now, especially when she was out on the field with her Aurors and Hitwizards. Typically she knew it was unorthodox for her to be going out on locations, but she couldn’t help herself. She needed to be involved, especially in the case of her best friends’ strange disappearance. There was a reason she had been Head of Magical Law Enforcement before her rise to Minister, and her expertise were obviously needed now more than ever. “We’re going to find him Ginny,” Hermione said, sounding more confident than she felt. She didn’t need to add on the part of her sentence that lingered between the two women - dead or alive. She knew that the longer he remained missing, the likelihood of him turning up alive became more and more slim, but she didn’t want Ginny to lose hope.

There was another topic that Hermione had wanted to bring up to her sister in law, one that was sure to distract her for at least a few moments of her current predicament; her own marriage to Ron had been fraying terribly at the seams, and Harry disappearing had been the final straw. Ron had not wanted her to get directly involved; she was the Minister of Magic and therefore a top target for Elaine. While Hermione understood his fear, she hadn’t listened to him, and it had led to one of their worst fights in years. She was relieved the children were at Hogwarts still, for she did not see themselves in the best light afterwards. Normally, Harry would have been the one she told first, but Ginny was Ron’s sister, and understood him perhaps better than anyone else. Maybe she’d understand. “Ron and I are talking about separating, possibly divorcing,” Hermione said, matter-of-factly. It sounded more harsh than she intended it to, but there it was lying out in the open. “The trip to French Polynesia is a make or break for us really; we’ll make a final decision once we get back home,” she admitted, taking a sip of her tea and lapsing into silence.

Ginevra Molly Potter

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Hermione was one of Harry’s best friends, one of the members of their golden trio that had walked the halls of Hogwarts. Ginny knew that Hermione was doing all that she could, and she knew that if the woman weren't the Minister of Magic, she’d probably be out there looking for Harry with the search parties. Though she was sure that Hermione appeared at locations where they believed Harry to have gone, she knew that she could only do so much. And as Hermione quickly spoke that they were going to find them, the confidence in her voice clear and crisp, Ginny felt like maybe it was the truth. But time had already gone against them, for all they knew, Harry was long gone now. And Ginny felt like she could be doing more, but now she had her children to think about. Losing one parent was enough for them, having their mother go out hunting for her husband and getting herself lost in the process, she couldn’t do that to them. She wouldn’t do that to them. “I know we will,” she breathed out, though her voice lacked the confidence that Hermione herself held.

The silence seemed to sit between them as she watched Hermione for that moment, she wanted to ask how she was, how she and Ron were, even their kids, but it seemed that Hermione had other plans. The silence was pierced by the other woman’s own words, quickly telling her that she and her brother were thinking of divorcing and Ginny couldn’t hold in her emotions. Her eyes seemed to grow, and she opened her mouth to blubber out a shaking 'why’ but was quickly cut short as the other woman said that their trip to Polynesia was a test run to see if they would be separating or continuing their marriage. “How—how did this happen? You guys seemed so happy,” she breathed out shaking her head, “I’m so sorry Hermione,” she added in a defeated voice.

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333 words ;; @hermionejean

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Hermione gave Ginny an odd little smile; it was both full of sadness and sympathy. She was sad that her marriage to Ron was coming to a likely end, but in a way she felt worse for Ginny. Her sister-in-law had been through the ringer over the past year, with losing her memories, various things happening with the children, and finally the cherry on top with Harry disappearing. But Ginny was a full grown woman, and Hermione Granger had never been one to skirt around the truth. “It’s alright Gin, it’s…” she paused, trying to find the right words. Were there ever right words when discussing the end of one’s marriage? She wasn’t too sure. “I don’t want to say it’s alright, but it’s...less of a surprise than you might think. You know we’ve always been a quarrelsome couple, and with my career sort of rocketing in the Ministry this past year, I’ve had less and less time at home.” Hermione began to explain, and shrugged with a small sigh. “We began to feel like complete strangers, lying next to each other, staring up at the ceiling, wondering what the other was thinking and just being unable to.” Hermione wondered if her stoic nature was a bit standoffish, but she supposed she had seen this coming for quite some time, and couldn’t bring herself to break down. There was too much going on at the Ministry, she didn’t have time to cry over her marriage. Besides, perhaps Polynesia may bring a spark back to their marriage; if she was honest with herself though, Hermione didn’t hold out much hope.

“We both still love our children fiercely, our godchildren and nieces and nephews as well,” Hermione told her, reaching out to take her hand, noting her sister in law’s defeated tone of voice. “We will still be friends, and we’ll work together to find Harry - Ron is just as anxious to find him as we are. But….there’s just something that’s no longer there for us anymore,” she finished explaining, hoping her ramblings were enough for Ginny to see what was going on behind the closed doors of the Granger-Weasley marriage.

Ginevra Molly Potter

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When she learned, or rather re-learned, that Hermione and her brother had married along with giving birth to some beautiful children, Ginny was slightly shocked. Of course, if she had her memories still intact she wouldn’t have been, but with her memory not letting her remember the two grow into a couple, she just remembered the two of them fighting like an old married couple constantly. While she knew that there were some feelings there between the two friends, Ginny would never have guessed they would be acted up, but she was happy they had. She had gained a sister in one her closest friends, and while she didn’t want to lose that, she knew that she wanted them both to be happy. And if Hermione and Ron believed a separation was for the best, then Ginny would understand, she just felt bad for the children having to go through that. It seemed the Weasley clan has gone through a lot since the Battle of Hogwarts all those years ago, some good and some not so good.

Hermione began to explain herself, that everything was alright and it wasn’t that much of a surprise because of their past as a rather unlikely couple. But what the woman said, it made her feel sad, just a bit. But she understood, if they weren’t happy together, what was she to make them stay together. They were all adults, and while Ginny would kill to have Harry back, even if they were likely separating like Hermione and Ron were, she’d take it instead of having to deal with his disappearance. “I understand, the fact that I just remember the quarrelsome friends that likely never would have become anything in the eyes of those that saw, I probably understand a little more than anyone,” she said with a smile sad smile. It helped that most of her memories were old, back from when she was simply in Hogwarts during the battle. Everything after was blank, other than the images she got here and there, along with stories people told her.

“No matter what happens, you will always be my sister,” she breathed out with a truthful smile on her face.

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366 words ;; @hermionejean

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Hermione chuckled a little at Ginny’s comment. It had been hard on everyone when Ginny had lost her memories, but she was sure that it had been stranger still that her brother had managed to snag Hermione Granger, marry her and produce two children. Sometimes she was still surprised that it had ended up happening for them, as there had been plenty of moments where she really felt that perhaps they were not meant to be together. They had been happy though for almost twenty years, a lifetime really for anyone who had been a part of either Wizarding Wars. They had raised two good, strong children; Rose and Hugo were the reason, Hermione knew deep down, that they had held on for so long. She didn’t want to be seen as a disappointment or a failure to her children, even if they did understand that separating from their father didn’t mean she didn’t love him anymore. They were just...better off apart. She supposed the holiday would be the deciding factor, but she also knew she had made her mind up already.

“Thanks Gin, I really appreciate that,” Hermione said softly, reaching out to squeeze her sister in law’s hand gently. “It’s not as if I don’t love him anymore, it’s nothing like that. We’ve just grown apart, separate people with separate lives. We’ve been fighting a lot more about trivial matters, and not talking about the big things like Rose’s graduation and...well, Harry.” If she couldn’t talk to her husband about these types of things, was it really a working marriage still? Hermione had come to the conclusion that it was not. “We’ll keep up the facade until after the holiday with the children; I just hope they don’t notice something is amiss,” she added, sounding a little fretful. Rose and Hugo’s girlfriend were both Ravenclaws with inquisitive minds; it would be hard for one of them to not notice something was off.

Ginevra Molly Potter

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Ginny smiled, “Anytime,” she breathed as she squeezed the brunette’s hand, just as she did the same to Ginny’s own. While all that Ginny remembered, at least well enough that it only seemed like yesterday, was the bickering of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, she was glad to know they had worked past that. While it seemed that the tides were pulling them apart, at least she got Hugo and Rose out of the deal, even if she didn’t remember their birth. She hated not being able to remember; she didn’t remember her wedding or those around her, she didn’t remember the birth of children that entered the Weasley clan. “You don’t need to give me an explanation Hermione, I understand that it has nothing to do with not loving my brother, I just feel terrible that it seems that this has to be the breaking point. All the attacks, and Harry’s disappearance, it seems to be pulling everyone apart at the seams.”

Those words were entirely true, while she didn’t show it much, she was falling apart on the inside. How long could she keep her façade up in front of those that she loved, when everyone around her seemed to be falling apart as well. Ginny smiled, “They may…but they probably won’t comment in fear of being dragged home early,” she said trying to lighten the mood a bit.

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@hermionejean

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Hermione frowned slightly; she didn’t want Ginny to add to her troubles on her account. Ginny was a strong woman - even though she may not remember just how strong she truly was - but losing Harry was on an entirely different level. “Harry may have seemed like the breaking point Gin, but sadly it was a long time coming. Well, long-ish,” she admitted, her shoulders sagging a little as she admitted the truth. A lot of people didn’t really understand how Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley had ended up together; they didn’t have the perfect storybook romance Harry and Ginny, and they argued so much people wondered how they could possibly stay afloat. They had managed to for almost twenty years though, and most of it Hermione looked back on fondly. Still, she could see all the cracks and strains they had had over the years, and in reality she knew it was her elevation to Minister that had caused the final straw. She loved her job though, and currently she didn’t want to worry Ginny with that.

She went along with the subject change, and chuckled. “I imagine so, though I’m sure Albus is elated to go into the real world for a job that has nothing to do with anyone in his family,” she said. Albus had always been the one to want to get away from the Potter name; he had been named after two of their former Headmasters (though Hermione for obvious reasons had not attended the school when Snape was Headmaster) and the only Slytherin of the three Potter children. She knew her nephew wanted to be known for more than just being the son of the Boy Who Lived. “Has he decided on a career yet?” she asked Ginny curiously. She doubted Albus was destined for the Ministry, but she did wonder what her nephew planned on doing.

Ginevra Molly Potter

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Ginny watched her dear friend frown and waited for her to speak what was on her mind, which didn’t take much time at all. The other woman quickly admitted that while it seemed that Harry’s disappearance was the breaking point, the strain on Hermione and her brother’s relationship had been happening for a long time. She frowned, while many would see the fighting that the two of them had done to be a dooming point for a future together, and while Ginny didn’t remember anything that happened. She had never really saw the two as a fit couple, but they seemed to have worked things together – at least, that was what Ginny had thought.

Learning that this strain on the two of them was something that had been happening for a while, Ginny felt bad for never really seeing them as a couple that would fit, it was like all that negativity had finally weaved its way through and made it a reality. Ginny was rooting for the two though, once she learned that they had married and had children – or rather re-learned that is – and now she felt upset. “I’m sorry Hermione,” she breathed out, unsure what else to say.

“Actually – last I heard from Albus and what he wanted to do as become an Auror, though I’m not sure if that is where he still wants to head with Harry’s disappearance and all,” she said with a small frown. Ginny hadn’t talked to her son about his future, though from what Harry had told her was that he always wanted to follow in his footsteps. Though, who knew what he wanted to do now, where his life would lead him. “And if I'm honest, I don’t know if I want him to follow that path – I know I can’t stop him, he’s an adult now, I’ll just worry that he’ll go missing just like Harry, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle that…” she breathed out truthfully.

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@hermionejean

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Hermione just shook her head with a sad sort of smile. “Please, don’t be. I was sad initially, and don’t take offense to this, but I feel,” she paused, then took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh. “I feel as though a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. That I was carrying around this rock in my soul that wanted to get out and I had no idea how to do it.” She sat back, pursing her lips slightly. “This does not mean I am ready to date, by any means. I just need to rediscover myself, remind myself why I decided to join the Ministry, reawaken my passions,” she explained. She wasn’t sure how much sense she was making; in all honesty she wasn’t sure she made much sense to herself lately. What she wanted was becoming more and more clear though, and Hermione knew she’d need the people close to her to understand her decision, even if they didn’t necessarily agree with it.

Hermione racked her brain; she had become Minister before Albus and his year had graduated, so she hadn’t been helping sort through applications like she would have when she was Head of Magical Law Enforcement. She was positive that any of her nieces and nephews who wanted to be a part of the Ministry she’d know about; Ondina, Rosie and Anna had all decided to start careers within the Ministry, and she knew about all four of them. Rosie, obviously, but Anna now that she thought on it was starting off as an Auror in training. “I don’t know if he ended up getting in, or applying at all,” she said slowly, realizing she had been silent for a few moments. “I mean, Anna is an Auror in training and I knew about that, why wouldn’t I know about Albus?” At Ginny’s words, Hermiones’ expression softened. She stood up and wrapped her arms around her sister in law. “We’ll find him Ginny, I know we will,” she said, hoping she could make good on her word.

Ginevra Molly Potter

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As Hermione told her not to be sorry, that she didn’t feel as sad as one would think, Ginny, nodded her head; she didn’t take offense, and it wasn’t because Hermione told her not to. Ginny wanted her friend to be happy, and if that wasn’t with her brother that it wasn’t with her brother. Ginny would always see her as a sister, as a friend to turn to in troubling times. Ginny smiled gently, “Well I’m glad you are striving to find the old you Hermione, glad someone is,” she said in a small joking voice.

After losing her memories, Ginny went home to rediscover the woman she had become instead of the child she still believed that she was. She learned so much stuff about herself, from her marriage to her career, to even what she had done for her children. She remembered learning that she was a professional Quidditch player and questioned why she turned her back on that to join the prophet, but she had done it for her family. Slowly she had been trying to find herself once more, maybe even bring memories back, but with Harry gone now, her attention turned back towards him.

It was then that Ginny learned that Hermione knew nothing about Albus and being an auror, maybe he decided that he didn’t want to or maybe he wanted to take a break off before getting a job. She frowned, “Hm—maybe with everything going on he wanted to wait before joining,” she said softly. Hermione’s arm wrapped around Ginny after that, and she returned the gesture, smiling over her friend’s shoulder. She breathed out, “I know we will—I just hope he’s okay until we do,” she said softly and gently as if her breath was touching a delicate flower.

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@hermionejean

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