Following behind Barty Crouch Jr., Snape made his way deeper into Durmstrang Castle along the dimly lit corridor.
Once inside the castle, that strange feeling born of instinct grew clearer and more intense.
For instance, Barty Crouch Jr. walking ahead of him—if he had been the Barty Crouch Jr. of the past, he should have started complaining by now, saying things like "what a waste of time," rather than remaining silent.
The state of the castle itself was also more devastating than he had expected.
Now and then, the walls on either side of the corridor bore cracked bricks riddled with scorched pits of varying depths, clearly caused by violent magical impacts.
Some of those blackened pits had even punched through the walls. Looking through the damaged holes, he saw that the classrooms within had already become chaotic ruins.
As he looked ahead, the entire wall seemed to have been repeatedly smeared with messy ink, making the corridor resemble a hideous ghostly face.
As he passed the entrance to an abandoned classroom, his brows drew together.
At the doorway lay a trail of dark brown stains that extended deep into the classroom. From his experience, they were traces left behind by dried blood.
He could even imagine the scene at the time: a student lying in a pool of blood, then being coldly dragged away by others, leaving only such a trail behind.
Just then, the door of the classroom ahead suddenly exploded open.
Amid the flying debris, a student staggered out of the classroom.
The student's face was covered in blood. He turned toward Barty Crouch Jr. and Snape, a distinct murderous glint appearing in his eyes.
"You all deserve to die!" He raised his still-trembling arm and pointed it directly at Barty Crouch Jr. as he began to