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The two men halted at a heavy wooden door leading into the next room, hesitated for the space of a heartbeat, then Snape turned the bronze handle.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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The eyes of the pale-faced portraits on the walls followed Snape and Yaxley as they strode past.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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The hallway was large, dimly lit, and sumptuously decorated, with a magnificent carpet covering most of the stone floor.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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Gravel crackled beneath their feet as Snape and Yaxley sped toward the front door, which swung inward at their approach, though nobody had visibly opened it.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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Somewhere in the dark garden beyond the hedge a fountain was playing.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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A handsome manor house grew out of the darkness at the end of the straight drive, lights glinting in the diamond-paned downstairs windows.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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'Peacocks . . .' Yaxley thrust his wand back under his cloak with a snort.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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He always did himself well, Lucius.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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There was a rustle somewhere to their right: Yaxley drew his wand again, pointing it over his companion's head, but the source of the noise proved to be nothing more than a pure-white peacock, strutting majestically along the top of the hedge.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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The yew hedges muffled the sound of the men's footsteps.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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Neither of them broke step: In silence both raised their left arms in a kind of salute and passed straight through, as though the dark metal were smoke.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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The high hedge curved with them, running off into the distance beyond the pair of impressive wrought-iron gates barring the men's way.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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They turned right, into a wide driveway that led off the lane.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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Snape nodded, but did not elaborate.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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You sound confident that your reception will be good?

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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But I hope he will be satisfied.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

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It was a little trickier than I expected.

JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows