YOU KNOW, IT'S ACTUALLY A WONDER WHY MCGONAGALL NEVER PUT STUDENTS TO CLEAN UP ALL OF THIS FOR DETENTION. IT'LL BE THE ULTIMATE TORTURE OF THE SENSES.
Chapter Four. Clearly, I'm uploading so slowly. I really need to get my act together. It's just this job I have is taking up all of my time – I don't even have time to comb my hair sometimes… I'm such a dork. Anyway, I'm in a good mood. I'll tell you why… I just found out that one or more of my original pieces are going to be published! Yay! So, watch out for that and I'll tell you more about it later on…
Anyway, enough rambling as I'm sure I'm starting to bore you…
But anyway, here goes chapter four. Hope you enjoy reading and kindly leave a review afterwards.
So, since Book 6 has been released and obviously I've started Oblivious before Book 5 and then started Curtain Calls right where Oblivious finished, there would be inconsistencies with the present canon. But, anyway, if you're a sport about it… you'll realize it's fanfiction, right? And by the way, JK Rowling – only the richest author in the magical land! – she's the one who owns Harry Potter. Just borrowing some characters for the story.
everybody knows that something's wrong... but nobody knows what's going on... -- phantom planet, "lonely day"
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CHAPTER FOUR: Lycan in the Afternoon
"He's in there," Peter squeaked as he pointed at the bathroom, which was locked by a latch on the outside. Clearly, Peter just tried to incarcerate Remus in the toilet.
Sirius approached the door slowly as if something would come leaping out of it if he made any sudden movements. Curiously, Remus wasn't able to get himself out of a latched door. "You locked him in the bathroom?"
"And what do you suppose I should've done? Lead him out into the common room?"
Sirius shrugged. Good point.
"Shshsh…" James waved them off as he listened for any sign of movement behind the door. He knocked, hoping to stir anything conscious inside the bathroom to make any kind of sound. "Remus?" he called, when nothing happened.
"What happened?" Sirius asked Peter while James was still listening at the door.
"I don't know! One minute he was sitting silently. The next minute he was growling at me."
Sirius shook his head. What? "That's not possible."
"Well, that's easy for you to say!" Peter yelled not really because Sirius wasn't taking him… seriously. But because the tension building inside him was going to blow him up in any minute if he wouldn't let it out.
"Oh, put a sock in it, you two!" James called; apparently sure that Remus was already unconscious inside the bathroom. He unlocked the door and opened it slowly. Unable to realize that he was holding his breath in, he stuck his head in first to take a peek – which, come to think of it, wasn't a very good idea. It was like sticking your face first inside a snake pit, really.
He was able to exhale when he saw Remus lying passed out on the ground; and opened the door widely to let Sirius and Peter in.
The room was in disarray. It looked like a scared cat came in and jumped from one place to another – throwing everything out of its place. But in this case, it most probably was a scared dog – actually, most likely a humungous monstrously-fanged hungry dog.
"Look," Sirius said, pointing at Remus' fingers. Some of his nails had dried blood and splinters in them as if they scratched a surface repeatedly so hard out of desperation.
Sirius walked to the door and turned it to show the inside of the bathroom door full of claw scratches.
"What are we going to do?" came Peter's diminishing voice. He almost sounded like he was running out of air.
"Get the Invisibility Cloak."
* * * * *
In a separate room in the Hospital Wing, Remus lay in the bed that was especially meant for him during those monthly transformations he had under the full moon. But as everyone in that room knew… there was nowhere near a full moon that night.
As Madam Prenny treated the bruises on Remus, James was restlessly walking in circles, Sirius was staring out the window beside Remus' bed, and Peter was curled up in a chair – waiting for the impending end of the world, as he believed.
Suddenly, a familiar red head girl came barging in through the door with her hands on her hips. "And I suppose you had absolutely no plan of telling me about this, did you?" she demanded of James the second she caught sight of him – quite surprised – as she ignored the similar astonished looks the others were giving her.
James almost tripped over himself as soon as he saw Lily. It took him five whole seconds in order to realize what was happening. "How'd—?"
How did she know what happened? Well, not that she really knew… she just wanted to let be known to everyone that she knew something happened. But just then, Dumbledore entered right after her.
"Professor."
"Headmaster," Madam Prenny began, collecting her healing tools. She walked towards Dumbledore still carrying her kit and continued, "he experienced more cuts and bruises than usual. He's already resting. I'll have to attend to another patient." Then Dumbledore nodded his permission for the school nurse to leave the room.
"Professor, is there something happening that we don't know about?" James started as soon as the nurse closed the door behind her. "Because this—" he said, pointing at Remus "—is not possible. There's no full moon for another two weeks. And it wasn't even night time."
"What?" Lily asked with knitted brows. "Are you saying that Remus—?"
"A full blown werewolf," Peter interrupted not really appreciating that the anxiety he had been trying to subside for the last hour was starting to come back to him. "Almost had me for dinner! If I hadn't transformed into a rat and lured him into the bathroom, I would've been—" he swallowed, not being able to finish his sentence and just squeaked and covered his face at the idea that he would've been digesting in Remus' stomach right now if he…
Lily gasped with a hand on her mouth. She glanced worriedly at Remus who was still sleeping quite peacefully now. "But that's impossi—!" she trailed off and looked at Dumbledore who was standing quietly by the door waiting for all of them to calm down.
Dumbledore gazed at them from behind his glasses, as if thinking the best words to say what was in his mind. He motioned towards Remus and studied him before he looked up at the four anxious teenagers waiting. "It was a catalyst. The spell was a catalyst – the spell that was perhaps cast by some silly students who thought it would be nice experimenting with charms like these."
"Every witch and wizard has magical abilities – abilities that in time are honed through schooling and polished in practice. But some magic are unique per chance or per destiny. Some of us carry abilities and qualities that are, most of the time, yet to be developed or known. While some… are meant to be hindered…" he said, glancing at Remus.
"What does that mean?" James asked a little impatient. Maybe he had no time trying to decode Dumbledore's riddles right now. He wanted straight answers.
Yet Dumbledore only took a deep breath and looked at James on top of his crescent-shaped spectacles. "Expect magic, Mr. Potter," he answered for indeed, more magic was bound their midst.
He stood there for another second, looking concerned at Remus. But actually, it seemed that he was waiting for something – something that any one of them would say back to him. But when he was insistently greeted with silence, he nodded his head to each of them and smiled goodbye before he went out the door.
"Uhhmmm…" Sirius cleared his throat. He appeared to have been very agitated since he saw Remus in the dormitories. He cleared his throat again and then said, "I'm going to get a glass of water," and then headed out.
* * * * *
"Professor Dumbledore! Professor Dumbledore!" Sirius' voice resonated in the hallways as he ran after the Headmaster.
Professor Dumbledore slowed down his pacing and waited for Sirius to catch up with him. "Yes, Mr. Black? What's the hurry?"
"Does this have to do with anything?" Sirius demanded at once. It almost seemed that he wasn't the playful and carefree Sirius he had always been. Clearly, what happened to Remus was stirring something in him like a restless ghost.
Dumbledore paused just before the stairway down then turned to Sirius and searched his eyes. "Is there something you wish to tell me… Sirius?"
"Uh—" Sirius suddenly hesitated and avoided Dumbledore's gaze. Somehow, it seemed like a pull of more gravity emptied his mind to prevent him from saying anything. "Nothing," he replied shaking his head.
Oddly, Dumbledore only smiled and with always a hint in his voice, said, "Then I will be in my office."
* * * * *
"Wait a second! You're not leaving me here!" Peter squealed almost like a girl when James called on Lily to come back to the Gryffindor Tower with him.
"Oh, come on now," James teased him. "There's a bathroom just right there," he said pointing at the corner of the room.
Peter's eyes narrowed. "Not funny," he said as he jumped from his armchair and almost ran to the door.
James sighed audibly and looked at Remus then back at Peter. "Fine. I think he's going to be okay. Besides, Madam Prenny's going to kick us out of here any minute now anyway."
"Well good," Peter said, almost skipping out of the room ahead of them afraid that James would dare lock him in there with Remus.
James rolled his eyes at the door and went back to Lily who had been sitting beside Remus. "Lils, come on," he said, resting a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Lily went with James out of the room and into the part of the Hospital Wing that all Hogwarts students actually knew. Then, as they were passing through the ward, she quickly spotted Adrian sitting on one of the beds.
Adrian was rubbing his temple with both hands like he was having a massive headache while he waited for the school nurse to finish pouring some probably ghastly tasting medicine into a drinking glass. When he looked up, he saw Lily (and most likely James too) and flashed an apparently forced smile.
Lily waved and smiled back.
Although James was bothered by the thought of his best friend turning into a killer werewolf amidst a sunny afternoon, this exchange of greetings did not escape him. And also because of the same stirring thoughts, he didn't mind it at all – considering that he was still after that boy the redhead girl (who was Lily by the way – as James concluded) was with that afternoon. But then again, this incident would certainly come back to him in the most crucial of times.
* * * * *
"A catalyst?" Toni reiterated with furrowed eyebrows. She threw the book she was reading to the foot of her bed and tucked herself under her blankets. "What use is that really?" she wondered while lying on her back with her arms under her head.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the room was Kiara sitting attentively on her own bed – looking at Lily with much curiosity. "So, did that… catalyst thing had something to do with Remus?"
"Kiara!" Toni exclaimed, rolling her eyes, before Lily could even answer. "What in the world kind of magical ability is that?"
Kiara smirked at her. "I was just asking," she said, rolling her eyes then she turned to Lily with that pensive stare. "So… is he… like… one of those people who gets a cold for one week when exposed to a light breeze? Cause, you know, the wind came with the spell."
Lily smiled in spite of her worries. "Oh come one. Give him a break. He's just a bit off lately."
"Lately? He's like always sick, isn't he?" Kiara insisted.
Well, apparently, that always came with the fact when someone involuntarily turns into a beast once a month. And it would always be a wonder to everyone else why someone would be so sickly especially when they don't know the truth.
Yes, Lily had kept Remus' secret from her friends. It probably was the biggest lie – or omission of truth, for that matter – that she had to do to her best friends. But then again, it wasn't her secret to reveal either…
"But anyway," Kiara continued, shaking her head implying to forget what she just said. "I was thinking… what happened to you during that time?"
"Nothing," came Lily's and Toni's replies at the same time. Then Toni leaned on her arm and turned to Kiara. "Why?" she asked. "What happened to you? Did something happen to you?"
"Umm…" Kiara started reluctantly. "Professor Dumbledore said that it doesn't necessarily mean that you're aware of those abilities, right? Well…" her voice trailed then she stood up from her bed and started shaking her arms trying to relieve herself of apparent tension. "I'm just saying… What if you suddenly turned into a flying moose or something and you didn't know that you could turn into a flying moose before?"
A moment of silence had fallen all over the room as both Lily and Toni stared at her in utter confusion.
Lily chuckled. "You turned into a flying moose?"
Kiara stopped and breathed in about to say something to obviously object to that. But Toni was faster and said out loud, "With antlers? Did you have wings?"
Kiara let out a frustrated sigh and sneered at her. "No," she replied with a roll of her eyes. "I didn't turn into a flying moose—"
"Vince turned into a flying moose then!"
"I am asking a serious question here, people!"
Toni rolled her eyes but with a grin plastered on her face. Sometimes, Kiara's serious questions could sound really ridiculous to be taken seriously. Yet, Lily didn't seem to mind all the ridiculousness. Kiara had always been that way. Maybe, she was serious.
Lily sighed as Kiara looked at her almost desperately. "I think…" she began, not really believing that she was carrying on with this foolish conversation. "…if you suddenly turned into a flying… animal… during that time… it would be the effect of the spell. Dumbledore said that these abilities are, most of the time, yet to be developed or known."
"Yeah," Toni spoke up again. "But that would mean that Kiara could fly, wouldn't it?" This made Lily look at her and then at Kiara.
"You can fly?"
Kiara's eyes grew wide open. "Do I look like an owl?"
"Well now you kind of do," Toni responded with a teasing smile. "Kiara, where is this going?"
Kiara sighed audibly and started towards her bed. "Nowhere really." Then, with another deep breath, she turned around and rushed beside Lily. "Did James turn into a stag?"
"A what?"
"You know… he's an Animagus."
"Well then Sirius must've turned into an oversized dog, then," Toni cut in.
Lily stopped for a moment as if recalling what happened during that afternoon in the Head Prefects Room. Actually, with everything that had occurred during the day… it seemed to have happened several years ago. "Uh… no. Because they're not actually hindering that. And being an Animagus is something learned, not innate."
"Oh," Kiara muttered in contentment. "So, it's safe to say that Peter didn't turn into a rat, right? I mean, I haven't really seen Peter turn into a rat and I don't think I want to…" she trailed off and asked the question. "What about Remus?"
"Uh…" Lily stirred in her bed, suddenly feeling quite uncomfortable. "I – I – um – don't… think—" she looked down and started playing with the edge of her blanket "—he's an… Animagus." She looked at Kiara, hoping against hope that she would stop her questions right there.
And fortunately… "Yeah, I guess so. I mean it seems to me that being an Animagus takes a lot of energy… look at James and Sirius… Remus might faint before he actually could transform…"
* * * * *
Lily's eyes snapped open while still feeling her heart throbbing right through her chest. She had been dreaming again. That same dream that had been haunting her lately. But this time, it was more vivid that she could still see the face of the stranger that always woke her up with fear. For a minute she lay still in her bed feeling as if the man in her dreams would materialize in front of her if she made even one faint of a sound. She closed her eyes again chiding herself that it was just a dream… and after what seemed like an eternity, she finally moved her cramping legs and sat up on her bed. Everything seemed to be clearing now. In the darkness, she could see her roommates' sleeping figures under their blankets as the chilly winds playfully blew the drapes hanging from the window.
It was one in the morning. Fairly short sleep for a frightful dream that seemed to always last for… forever. She wanted more than anything to go back to bed and enjoy the rest of the night slumbering. But she wouldn't want to meet with the eyes staring at her with so much wickedness just right then. So she decided to put on her robes and step down into the common room for a while.
It wasn't actually against the new-found school rules for students to hang out in their common rooms beyond curfew. After all, the rule said they should be in their Houses not in their rooms. As Lily slowly went down the stairs, she could hear a faint sound coming from the common room. It sounded like music playing. Strings. When she reached the final step, she peeked and saw someone sitting in front of the hearth quietly fiddling with his guitar. Without hesitation, she walked towards the boy as she felt every strum begin to relax her troubled mind.
She was only halfway towards the fireplace when the music stopped.
"Evans…" that familiar calm, soothing voice muttered without even turning to look at her.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Lily said, snapping out of her recent trance. "I didn't mean to— How'd you know it was me?"
Adrian smiled as Lily sat beside him with a curious expression. "Wild guess," he said.
Lily smiled back although she couldn't help raising an eyebrow of mock suspicion. "Why… are you playing guitar in the middle of the night?"
Adrian sat still for a moment and then strummed his guitar once and said, "Good question."
"Aren't you—?"
"Supposed to be asleep?" Adrian cut in with another pluck of his guitar. Then started playing softly. "Can't sleep… You? Bad dream?"
"Uh… yeah…" Lily answered with knitted brows. It almost seemed like Adrian could read her mind. Then she remembered something that happened that afternoon. "Hey… what were you doing in the Hospital a while ago?"
Adrian opened his mouth to answer but then said, "You know I should ask you the same thing. Head aches?"
"No," Lily shook her head. "I – I was just—"
"Don't worry. You don't have to tell me."
Lily listened to him start playing a familiar song. Oddly enough, it was a Muggle song. "So… where exactly did you learn to play the guitar? Aren't you a…" she paused "…born and bred wizard?"
Another one of those smiles flashed across Adrian's face. "I reckon you mean a Pureblood?" Lily nodded. "Well, Muggles interest me." He paused and looked at her sleepy face. "Tell you what," he offered, "give me a song that will help you sleep and I'll play for you until you fall asleep."
Lily chuckled. "Well, thanks but I don't think I want to be seen down here in my pajamas come morning."
"That's alright," Adrian said. Then he stood up and sat in one of the armchairs. "I'll take this chair. And you take the couch over there," he said, pointing at the couch across the room from him. "I promise to wake you up before any Gryffindors can see their Headgirl in pajamas."
Lily smiled. She stood up and started walking towards the couch. She wasn't really planning on sleeping in the common room. But she decided to take on Adrian's offer to play a song for her to relax. "Alright, I'll sit here and listen… but I'm not sleeping."
"Suit yourself, Headgirl." And he made himself comfortable in the chair as Lily made herself snug at one corner of the couch. "So what d'you wanna hear?"
Lily closed her eyes saying, "Anything," and heard Adrian start strumming his guitar.
This would be a much nicer dream. No icy stares coming from a dark figure she had only met in her sleep. No green lights triggered by magic. Just the pacifying sounds of melody.
Adrian played one song after another without exchanging any words with the Headgirl… Both of them sat in soft silence with only the guitar strings playing in the background. After several songs, Adrian paused when Lily stirred in her place.
Lily yawned and then smiled. "That will do," she said, standing up from the couch. "Goodnight." She was nowhere taking her second step when the portrait hole suddenly swung open and in less than a second – before she even could turn her eyes towards that direction – she knew who was at the door.
James, Sirius, and Peter came in… and were quite surprised to see people in the common room. Then, James recognized them as Lily and Adrian. Lily swore that James had a different kind of surprised expression that he quickly hid.
"Lily!" came that greeting from one and only James Potter.
Lily put her hands on her hips. "James… wandering about the castle again…"
But before James could speak, Sirius yawned loudly at the back. "My, I'm going to sleep," he said between fake yawns and then hurried to the stairs up the dormitories.
"Wait for me," Peter squeaked just behind as he ran after his friend.
James sighed audibly after watching them retreat from Lily Evans. "Look," he started turning back to her, "we were not out turning Malfoy into a ferret."
Lily opened her mouth to speak but someone else in the room cleared his throat. "Uhmm. I should be going too," said Adrian, pointing towards the stairs.
"Alright, goodnight," Lily replied.
"Look," Adrian turned around, hesitating a little, "about that… thing… I asked you… Maybe it's not a good idea—"
"Don't be silly," Lily said waving him off. "I've got it under control."
Adrian smiled. "Alright," he said and acknowledged James before carrying on up the boys' dormitories.
"Well, well, well," James started when he was sure that Adrian was already out of earshot. "Suddenly you have a new best friend. What's up with that?"
"Nothing's up with that. You're changing the subject. Where were you?"
"And then you changed it back. So, technically, you were the one who changed the subject last."
Lily narrowed her eyes. It's almost two in the bloody morning! "Oh, you don't pick a time do you?"
James smirked and spread his arms. "I'm open twenty four seven. Hit me."
And thus, Lily hit him in the arm. Probably because it was two in the morning and cold that was why it took a while before any feelings could sink in. But after a second or two… "Oouu…ch…" James complained when his nerves finally reacted. "Why do women have to always hit?"
"You just said to hit you."
"That's not what I meant."
"It's past midnight. I'm not open for interpretations of what anyone says tonight. I'm going back to sleep," Lily muttered as she turned around from James.
"So… by the way, then there's not any chance you could interpret what just happened a while ago with that… 'about that… thing… I asked you…'"
"It's private and confidential," Lily answered not turning back to look at him.
"Fine. Then I'm not telling where we were."
"I'll find out tomorrow, I'm sure."
"Ha ha! No you won't," James declared taunting Lily to look at him but she didn't even stop in her tracks. "I guess," he muttered to himself – vividly aware of Lily's complete ignorance of him – before he, himself, went back to his room.
* * * * *
It was just after sunrise. Lily had been back in bed for probably only three hours… when another one of those constant disturbances decided to come about.
This time, it was for Toni.
She was woken up by the maddening twitter of an owl that had made itself quite comfortable on her bed… more accurately – beside her face. Who sends a bloody owl in this time of the day?! She opened her eyes and saw the blurry figure of a little barn owl – probably one of those owned by the school – carrying a piece of paper tied on its leg. Without bothering to wait for her vision to clear up, she blindly grasped the owl's leg. "Well, I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be asleep, you know," she muttered when the owl gave a begrudged hoot after she carelessly pulled the paper tied around its leg.
She went back to her comfortable position, holding the paper in her hand – thinking whether to read it or not. Then, opening one eye, she struggled to read what was written…
"Unbelievable," she grumbled in her pillow before she pushed herself up, grabbed her robes and quickly went out the door.
* * * * *
"Tell me again," James began with his eyes half-closed. He knew he was conscious and walking but he had forgotten all about why. "Why are we climbing the never ending stairs up to—" he paused. Where were these stairs leading up to anyhow? "Where are we going?"
"The Owlery," a very awake Sirius replied, as he led the way up to the school's owlery.
"Oh, yeah," James raised his eyebrows in realization and then paused again before asking, "Tell me why again?"
Sirius sighed audibly. He gazed out the school grounds looking like he was trying to catch some kind of owl… any owl for that matter so that he could eat it for breakfast. "Where were you this morning?"
"I was asleep!" James replied with eyes that were begging to keep closed. "And then this shadow – person – woman came barging in. Toni!" he exclaimed with realization. "Cause she's the only one so far who could get you up at six in the bloody morning marching up the stairways to" he paused again before continuing; he needed some major brain processing "the Owlery. But tell me again… why are we going up there?" he asked again and realized that they were actually already in the owlery.
James snorted like he just inhaled some ghastly stench. He then turned and looked around with his nose scrunched up as if that would filter any anomalous smells emanating from virtually all over the place. "Apparently, it has been a long time since I've been here. I forgot how this place smelled like owl… droppings… You know, it's actually a wonder why McGonagall never put students to clean up all of this for detention. It'll be the ultimate torture of the senses— Achoo!"
"I'm going to find that bloody bird that keeps sending Toni those notes," Sirius answered a question that had been quite lost with all of James' senseless blabbering.
"Women…" James muttered under his breath, his eyes staring at the distance. "You see," he began – an apparently different conversation but, no matter, because he wasn't aware of himself, "it was better back then. I could tell if we were having a fight. But now, everything is just a blur."
"What?" Sirius turned to him, confused. "We're not having a fight."
James woke up from his trance and glared at Sirius. "Not you and I, you idiot. Me and Lily."
"Arguing again? Last night? Was it about that bloke she was with? Sawyer?"
"No…" James answered quickly. And then paused for a while… thinking. "You see, that's what I can't figure out! I don't know! Hey, I bet he's the one with Lily yesterday."
Sirius looked at James and scratched his nose. He had been looking around the owlery for fifteen minutes and all he could sense was the smell of owl droppings. "Talk about paranoid. Why don't you just waste that energy on pissing her off? That way, you'd be able to tell what's up with her."
"You're the one to talk – using Omnioculars to spy on his girlfriend. Very mature."
Sirius turned around and stared at James. Then he walked over and sniffed him as if the stench was coming from somewhere within the vicinity of James Potter. While James tried to avoid Sirius' sudden peculiar behavior.
"You're the one who stinks of wretched paranoia," Sirius declared circling James, who was starting to get dizzy from what he was doing. "Spying on Lily, James? I thought you were doing your ultra secret Quiddtich practice yesterday, huh? The one even your best friend for seven years couldn't watch."
James snorted. He was about to deny everything that Sirius just said but all he could come up was a smirk and a, "Sod off."
"I'm telling you," Sirius began again, his hands on his chest. "Don't give Toni a Beater's club. You might regret it if she comes after you on Lily's request after those absolutely bizarre fights you always tend to start without you knowing—"
"Look!" James exclaimed all of a sudden, pointing at a random direction. "That's the owl!"
Even before the last syllable escaped James' mouth, Sirius turned around to the direction his friend was pointing so fast, he probably could snap his neck and drop dead at that time. He squinted and searched the sky for some sign of the owl… but he was a bit distracted when he heard a lunatic laughing hysterically behind him – James.
"You don't even know what the owl is supposed to look like…" James spoke in between laughs that his eyes were barely visible. He paused and then continued saying, "I mean… owls. Now I remember why I was asking why we were going up here."
Well, that sounded just about right. All Sirius knew was that the birds were probably school owls… but he didn't actually realize – up until he was in the Owlery looking for something he couldn't seem to find – that the sender writing Toni was using different owls each time.
Sirius ran a hand on his face realizing how pointless it was standing there. And in his frustration, grabbed his hair and messed it all up. He badly wanted to go back to sleep. He was about to answer back James when both of them heard footsteps approaching the owlery. They both looked at the entrance to see who it was and unexpectedly… of all places they could meet…
Regulus came into view. And Sirius' face suddenly turned grim like he just ate a really bad pumpkin pie.
~*~*~*~
oh, i'm sorry... you did not wanna see... acting like i did when you betrayed me... -- lene marlin, "so i see"
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