Chapter 26. The Shrieking Shack
"So Harry, why are we running?" asked Luna. Rolf and Hagrid were also in a hurry to follow the two, but had no idea why.
"Wait a second, Luna." Harry raised his wand and pointed to the sky. "Expecto Patronum!"
His stag Patronus jumped out of nowhere and flew into the air to deliver a message to Hermione.
"Oh, are we going over that spell again? I'll summon one too," said Luna cheerfully. She tried to pull out her wand, running right next to Harry.
"No. I've just sent mine to the Ministry of Magic for reinforcements," Harry said, gasping for breath. "By the way, are you familiar with the Deathly Hallows?"
"Yes, of course," she replied, her eyes wide open. "It's been a life-long quest for my father to find them."
"Right, your father was the one who first told me about the Hallows," said Harry. "He also said that whoever possessed all three would become master of Death. . . . And I just realized it in the clearing: Eisenbein must have collected them all."
"Are you sure? You mean Eisenbein is now master of Death?" asked Luna calmly, as if she were talking about today's weather. "Maybe The Quibbler should interview him."
"Not yet," said Harry firmly. "The Elder Wand may be in his hands, but I am the one to whom it actually gives its allegiance. Eisenbein cannot become master of Death if this continues."
Harry had no other hope. The disaster could be averted as long as he was not defeated by Eisenbein. . . . What would happen if Eisenbein possessed all the Deathly Hallows and became master of Death? Did he really intend to use his newfound power to wipe out all Muggles, like he had claimed? To put these troubling questions to rest, Harry focused all his energy on following the winding path through the forest.
He almost tripped over overgrown tree roots several times, but he never stopped and kept running. Finally, he saw a bright light ahead of him, and the trees around him suddenly thinned out, allowing Harry to reach the vegetable patch behind Hagrid's house. Harry waited impatiently while Luna sat on one of the large pumpkins, humming. Soon Hagrid and Rolf followed them out of the woods.
"Could you please explain what on earth is going on here, Mr. Potter?" Rolf panted.
"It's a complicated story, and we don't have much time," Harry said, looking at Luna. "Luna, you and your husband should find Neville at Hogwarts. We need to mobilize all the professors and tighten security around the grounds." Then he looked up at Hagrid, who looked confused but not tired. "Tell Professor McGonagall to send all students back to their dormitories and all staff to the Great Hall. It hasn't been long since the Dawn Breakers gathered in the Forbidden Forest — they may try to kidnap the rest of the Hogwarts students as well."
Hagrid and the Scamanders nodded solemnly and hurried across the lawn. To meet the Ministry of Magic staff, Harry made his way to the school gates. He was almost there when he saw Ron and Hermione between two pillars topped by winged boars.
"Harry! What's wrong?" Hermione ran through the gates and asked. "Is Hogwarts under attack?
"Is everything okay with the children?" asked Ron with a worried look on his face.
"Everything's still fine at school," said Harry flatly. When he saw that the Aurors, including Teddy, were following closely behind them, he continued in a whisper, "Now listen carefully. I've just inspected the Forbidden Forest, and it seems that Eisenbein has secured the Resurrection Stone."
"WHAT?" Ron raised his eyebrows. "How could that happen? You assured us no one knew where it was — not even you!"
"I have no idea," said Harry weakly. He told them about the clearing in the middle of the forest, full of spider corpses and shallow pits all over the ground. "The Dawn Breakers were there until recently. . . . It's only a matter of time before they make a bolder move, so we must secure Hogwarts first."
"Harry, that he's collected all three Deathly Hallows," Hermione said, her voice shaking, "that means he's now . . ."
"Eisenbein isn't a master of Death, not yet," said Harry resolutely. "I met him recently at the Department of Mysteries, and I Disarmed him then. . . . So the true possession of the Elder Wand still belongs to me. This is a serious situation, I admit — but if I use that fact as I did with Voldemort, we might have a chance."
"It seems like every time you convince us, Harry, things get worse," snapped Ron. "What if he attacks you unexpectedly? What if you lose possession of the wand again?"
"That's why I called you," said Harry. "To prevent another ambush, I'm going to travel with as many people as possible from now on. I'll ask the professors to ensure the safety of Hogwarts, and then I'll take all the Aurors into the forest. Hopefully we'll be able to subdue the Dawn Breakers, and if not, we might find some clues to their current location in that clearing."
"Harry, I understand. We'll do as you say," said Hermione. "But Ron and I will lead the search party instead of you. Stay at Hogwarts today; you shouldn't be out in the woods."
"This is absurd! I get my gold from the taxpayers for this!" shouted Harry, but then he suddenly remembered what Ronan had told him. The centaur had clearly warned him not to enter the Forbidden Forest tonight. Could Eisenbein be waiting for him in the forest? To truly become master of Death by defeating his greatest enemy?
"I want you to listen to me, Harry. This is no time to argue," Hermione said, looking more serious than ever. "Billions of lives, including my parents', may depend on who holds the allegiance of the Elder Wand."
"I agree with her, Harry," said Ron grimly. "As far as I know, we've never regretted following her advice. Leave this matter to us and keep an eye on Hogwarts, will you?"
For a long time, Harry stared at his two friends with determined faces. He felt he had to tell them that he wasn't just staying at the school, that he was following them into the forest. Still, Ronan's ominous warning kept ringing in his ears. . . .
"I see," said Harry at last. "Do that for now, but if anything happens, send me a Patronus. I'll be right over to help."
"You can always count on us, mate." Ron patted Harry on the shoulder, rolled up his sleeves and walked off into the dark woods. It wasn't long before Ron and Hermione were leading all the Aurors into the Forbidden Forest. Harry reluctantly took steps toward the castle after looking for a while in the direction they had disappeared.
The professors who had been waiting anxiously at the High Table stared at Harry in unison when he entered the Great Hall.
"Harry! I would like to know more details." McGonagall stood up and trotted over to him from her seat in the middle. "Hagrid and Luna mentioned something about giant spiders being killed. . . . Can you clarify what they meant?"
"The situation is grave, Professor," said Harry. "Those spiders were killed by the Dawn Breakers. It seems they have been operating just outside Hogwarts until recently."
"Are you sure about that?" McGonagall's face turned pale and her mouth had become nothing more than two thin lines. "Do they intend to take over Hogwarts again? Is this another attempt to harm my students?"
"The Resurrection Stone is in Eisenbein's hands, Minerva," Harry said in a whisper so that only she could hear him. McGonagall's thin lips twitched and trembled at the words. "Fortunately, I won the last duel with him, so for now I am the true master of the Elder Wand. But if he becomes master of Death, I can't imagine what kind of power he would have. . . . Also, it's known that the Dawn Breakers are trying to open a new school that favors pure-blood students. Then Eisenbein's next goal will be to take over the rest of Hogwarts."
"Ah, Harry — I never thought Hogwarts would be attacked again in my lifetime," McGonagall said, staggering a bit. "I guess I've lived too long. . . . If Dumbledore were alive — if his portrait remained —"
"Dumbledore is no longer with us. In leaving us, he entrusted us with everything he cared about," said Harry firmly. "Now it's up to us to protect the students and the school. The first step will be for the professors here to patrol the school in pairs. Once the Aurors return, we'll decide what to do next."
McGonagall took a deep breath. Gathering her strength, she called to all her staff seated around the table.
"Now, everyone. The safety of Hogwarts is in question. Begin by gathering all students into their House common rooms and preventing them from leaving. After that, it would be helpful if you could patrol the corridors and stairwells in pairs. Mr. Potter and I will remain here — if you see any intruders, please alert us as soon as possible," said McGonagall in a calm, confident voice. "I'd ask you to take care of the stairs and corridor upstairs with Mrs. Luna Scamander, Professor Longbottom. Keep an eye out for any Gryffindors sneaking out of their dormitories. Professor Flitwick — go downstairs with Mr. Scamander, who is fortunately with us at the moment . . ."
It was impressive to see how McGonagall arranged her staff in the right places and in the right order. Only Filch and Hagrid remained in the Great Hall once the people had gone to their designated places in pairs.
"I'll watch the grounds from my cabin, Professor," Hagrid said as he pulled himself up. "If anythin' happens, I'll let yeh know righ' away, Madam."
"Let me go with him, headmistress," Filch grumbled as he got to his feet. Harry could hear the creaking of bones in his rheumatoid knees. "If no one looks after him, that great oaf might burn down his own house . . ."
"Wha' did yeh say? Yeh ruddy Squib —"
"Hagrid, this is no time for fighting." McGonagall pulled him away. "You two would be safer if you traveled together. There's no doubt that you're not the dearest friends, but please put aside your animosity toward each other for today."
The two exchanged murderous glances before Filch headed for the door. The call came from Hagrid just as Harry was about to go to the High Table with McGonagall.
"Harry! There's somethin' I need ter tell yeh."
"You fool, there's no time to waste," hissed Filch angrily.
"Then yeh go firs', yeh sneaky Squib! I can always catch up with yer creakin' legs." Hagrid shot a threatening look at Filch, who muttered swearwords but still stood by the door leading to the entrance hall. When Filch was far enough away, Hagrid bent his knees to meet Harry's eyes and made a friendly face. "Could yeh make it ter my cabin before midnigh', Harry?"
"What? But Hagrid, you heard Ronan's words," Harry said in surprise. "It would be better if I didn't go into the forest tonight."
"Nah, it's not abou' goin' ter the woods," said Hagrid. "Did yeh forget wha' day it was 'cause yer too busy?"
It was then that Harry calculated the date in his head. Because he had been so busy after his encounter with Eisenbein in the Department of Mysteries, he belatedly realized that the end of July was just around the corner.
"Look at yeh — it's yer birthday, Harry!" chuckled Hagrid. "I was jus' abou' ter bake a chocolate cake. I called yeh in the mornin' not jus' because of Aragog's family, bu' ter wish yeh a happy birthday as well…. I know things are tough aroun' here, but wha' do yeh think o' throwin' a small party with me an' yer friends?"
Harry found it hard to keep his eyes dry. Now that he thought about it, Hagrid was the one who had given him a birthday cake for the first time in his life. He was the one who had taken him out of his destroyed home as a baby, when he had been orphaned, and the one who had taken him home again — his true home, his beloved Wizarding world. Harry tried to put into words how he felt, but he couldn't because his throat was choking. Instead, he hugged Hagrid as tightly as he could.
"Boy, yeh've grown up a lot…. I coulda fit yeh in one hand when we firs' met," said Hagrid tearfully. "Harry, I always bin proud o' yeh … yeh know tha', eh? Yer parents woulda bin the same, I'm sure."
"Yes, I know, Hagrid," Harry said, letting him go. "I'll come and see you tonight."
A warm smile spread across Hagrid's face as he turned to join Filch. Harry sat next to McGonagall for the painful wait once the two had left the Great Hall. His upcoming birthday party made it a little less painful, though.
Eventually, the midsummer sun had disappeared behind the distant mountains at dusk, and the ceiling of the Great Hall turned black along with the sky. He was waiting with McGonagall in uncomfortable silence when he heard the roar of dozens of voices just outside the door. He and McGonagall rushed into the entrance hall. Seeing them, Ron walked up; his face was drained of color and looked very serious; his flaming hair was sweaty and his robes were badly tattered.
"No luck, Harry. There's no sign of them in the forest."
"Ron's right," supplied Hermione. Dirt and leaves were everywhere in her bushy hair. "We searched every inch of the clearing you mentioned. . . . There certainly was a group of people there until recently, but now that they have found what they wanted, they seem to have left."
His relief that his friends were unharmed was tempered by his disappointment that they had found no useful clues. There was little he could do for now if Eisenbein and his band had decided to lay low. He would have to stay hidden like every other student to maintain the Elder Wand's allegiance, which only added to his depression. Harry looked back at the Aurors, who looked tired and disfigured like his two friends, and addressed them.
"Okay, everyone. Thank you for all the hard work you've put into the search. Despite the fact that there are no signs of Dawn Breakers in the forest, Hogwarts should remain heavily guarded for the time being, given the mass abduction of Slytherins." Pointing to the middle-aged veteran Aurors in the front row, Harry went on, "Savage, Berrycloth, Proudfoot and Williams — I would appreciate it if the four of you would patrol the Hogwarts grounds. If anything goes wrong, please contact me through your Patronus. You don't need to worry about the gamekeeper's hut, since Hagrid and Mr. Filch are already there." This time Harry turned to Susan Bones and Teddy Lupin. "Susan, stay here in the entrance hall with the other Aurors. As for you, Teddy, guard the entrance to the Great Hall and keep an eye out for eavesdroppers."
The four veteran Aurors sent from Azkaban went out into the grounds like Harry had just instructed, while Susan and the others remained inside. Back in the Great Hall, Harry sat down at the table with Ron, Hermione and McGonagall.
"So what are your plans now, Harry?" asked Ron nervously.
For a moment, Harry was lost in thought as he looked out the transparent ceiling at the clear dark sky, full of moon and stars. Mars looked unusually bright with red light that night, possibly due to the centaurs' foreboding warnings.
"The Quaffle goes to Eisenbein now," said Harry. "His primary target seems to be the students at Hogwarts, from what I've heard of his plans to open a new Wizarding school. . . . Those with so-called inferior Blood Status will have to be included there if he wants to give special treatment only to pure-blood students. However, he may not attack here first. Until they move, we should remain vigilant —"
There was a commotion outside the hall, interrupting Harry's speech. Ron and Hermione followed his lead and quickly stood up, wands outstretched.
"Put down your wands," said McGonagall sternly. "I know the voices of all my ex-students when I hear them . . . and Draco Malfoy seems to be trying to gain entry right now."
She was right: it was indeed Draco Malfoy entering the Great Hall, the door bursting open. It was the middle of summer, but he still wore a black cloak buttoned to the neck, and his pale face looked even paler against the dark clothing.
"I urge you, Mr. Malfoy, to leave the room!" Teddy hurried into the hall and pointed his wand at Malfoy's back. "Disobeying the lawful orders of an Auror on duty —"
"I understand that Mr. Malfoy's son is also missing due to this unfortunate incident," McGonagall interjected. "The decision is yours, Harry, but I think Mr. Malfoy deserves to hear what you have to say."
Harry thought for a moment as Malfoy stared at him with icy gray eyes. Finally he nodded to Teddy and allowed him to stay. Malfoy stood with his palms on the table once Teddy had left the Great Hall and the door had closed again.
"How did you find out we were here, Malfoy? Oh, I almost forgot — your family has always had good connections to the Ministry of Magic," said Ron coolly. "Probably your criminal father taught you that nasty habit."
"My only concern is finding my son," Malfoy said to Harry, ignoring Ron. "The Ministry needs gold, I know. If necessary, my family could help you cover the costs of the World Cup. Please, just find Scorpius. . . ."
"It's a waste of time if you're here to say that," said Harry dryly. "We're already pursuing the kidnappers to the best of our ability, with or without your bribes."
"I disagree," said Malfoy stiffly. "Your investigation doesn't seem to be conducted properly at the moment . . . Instead of looking for the missing children, you're hiding behind a safe wall."
"The first thing we have to do is prevent more abductions, don't we?" Hermione snapped this time, and Malfoy glared back at her. "Unlike previous regimes, the current Ministry is trying to improve the welfare of everyone, not just the wealthy."
Harry wondered if Malfoy was going to call Hermione a Mudblood like he used to when he was younger. Harry's hand went to his wand; whether it was to protect Malfoy from Ron or to punish him himself if that happened, he wasn't sure. But then Malfoy swallowed his words and turned to Harry instead.
"The location of the Dawn Breakers' hiding place has been on my mind lately, Potter."
"Send an owl to my department if you have any information about the investigation," said Harry icily. "If you want to be an amateur detective, sit by your manor's cozy fireplace instead of snooping around here and there."
"Is it true that your Aurors have been searching the Forbidden Forest all day?" Malfoy continued, ignoring him. He drawled less than usual, perhaps due to his desperation. "Given the circumstances, it seems the kidnappers have been there recently. . . ."
"Right. According to Albus's recollection, Crabbe senior tried to cross the forest to reach their base," agreed Harry reluctantly. "There must have been some digging going on in the clearing in the middle of the forest, judging by the traces. But the place is empty now —"
"On the other hand, do you have any reason to believe that the empty place was their base?" Malfoy retorted.
"Is there any proof that it wasn't?" asked Hermione, looking irritated.
"Keep your ears open, Granger. The Forbidden Forest is vast, but it is all within the grounds of Hogwarts," Malfoy said calmly, looking at McGonagall. "Professor, am I correct?
"It's true, Mr. Malfoy." McGonagall raised her eyebrows. "Hogwarts fills the position of gamekeeper for this reason — to manage the forest under our jurisdiction. It seems you did some research in your sixth year while neglecting your schoolwork."
"You're right, the knowledge I have about getting in and out of this school may be superior to anyone else's. I was about to say that you cannot Apparate or Disapparate within the Forbidden Forest, just as you cannot within the school grounds."
"That's a good point, why didn't I remember that?" said Hermione, running her fingers through her bushy hair. "It was all mentioned in Hogwarts: A History . . ."
"Potter, let's say you're Eisenbein," Malfoy stared directly at Harry and said. "Would you want to set up your headquarters in a forest full of dangerous creatures if you had to lead dozens of people in there? Where you cannot even Apparate or Disapparate?"
Harry regretfully admitted Malfoy's point. Still, he refused to give up without a fight.
"Let's say so. But Crabbe senior took Albus and Scorpius into the forest. How do you explain that?"
"Perhaps he wanted to avoid the eyes of the people of Hogsmeade by going through the woods," said Malfoy confidently. "Potter, you call yourself an Auror? If I were you, a certain name would immediately come to mind. Being so close to the forest, this is a great place to Apparate and Disapparate freely without being seen."
"I see what you mean," Hermione said with a hand on her forehead. "So Malfoy, you think —"
"Yes, Granger. If I were him, I'd make my headquarters at the Shrieking Shack."
"Are you taking his words seriously?" groaned Ron for the third time. Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking along the moonlit road to Hogsmeade with Susan Bones leading her Aurors close behind. Ahead of them all was Malfoy walking alone.
"I guess there's no harm in checking, is there?" said Hermione flatly. "Actually, Malfoy has a point. It's worth noting that Voldemort also stayed in the Shrieking Shack during the last battle at Hogwarts."
"Malfoy is a former Death Eater — of course he can think like one," said Ron sharply. "Sorry, but that's not a skill I want to get."
Ron continued to complain about Malfoy's spoiled behavior during their childhood, mentioning that he was still angry when he remembered the insults his parents had received from Malfoy. Before they knew it, they were in the dark streets of Hogsmeade. They were passing the Three Broomsticks when an old man with a long gray beard and hair emerged from an alley.
"Harry, what's all the fuss about? Hogsmeade is full of Aurors," Aberforth Dumbledore said grumpily.
"Hello, Aberforth. To make a long story short, we're on our way to the Shrieking Shack," Harry said, pointing at Malfoy, who was standing a short distance away. "There was a report that it might be the headquarters of the Dawn Breakers."
"Really? Then I'll come with you," Aberforth said, adjusting the hem of his shabby cloak. "All my guests left this town when your Aurors arrived, anyway. . . ."
"My apologies, Mr. Dumbledore," said Hermione regretfully.
"No need. Better Aurors than dementors, eh?" Aberforth smiled faintly, walking toward them. Now accompanied by Aberforth, the group made their way up the slope. The shack stood a bit above the other buildings, overlooking Hogsmeade below, and looked extremely grim with its boarded-up windows and rotting wooden walls.
"Look at that — there's nobody there," said Ron. "There's no lights on."
"We won't know for sure until we get inside. Could it be that you're scared?" said Hermione.
"Ha, ha, that's funny," said Ron. "Aberforth, have you seen people coming and going from the house?"
"No," said Aberforth, his eyes fixed on the shack. "Still, it would be foolish not to go in and check it out."
Ron shut his mouth in discontent at these words. Harry was out of breath by the time they reached the perimeter of the house. The fence, made of moldy wood, looked so flimsy that it would fall over at the slightest push. One by one, they stepped into the garden, which was covered with wild, overgrown weeds. Their feet were stuck in the muddy ground as if in a swamp. Approaching the front door, Harry signaled to Susan and the Aurors to surround the shack and keep a safe distance, letting only Ron, Hermione, Malfoy and Aberforth cross the garden with him. He had entered the house twice in the past through secret passageways leading from Hogwarts, but this was the first time he went into the front door.
"Alohomora!" The door creaked open when Malfoy pointed his wand and whispered.
"Lumos!" Harry lit his wand and went inside first. Just like in his memories, the inside of the Shrieking Shack was extremely dirty and filthy: The torn pieces of peeling wallpaper were folded all the way to the floor, which was covered in a thick layer of dust and stains. Moth-eaten remnants of broken furniture littered the room.
"Malfoy, look at this," snapped Ron. "The place is completely empty."
Silently, Malfoy ran his hand through the layers of dust as he sat on his knees. "There's a spell that creates dust, isn't there, Potter? If they used it to cover their tracks —"
"Stop it, you moron," grunted Ron. "Why don't you get a job at The Quibbler? You seem to have a knack for conspiracies . . ."
"Magic can indeed make dust, Ron. Better check it out," said Harry quietly.
Like Malfoy, he lowered his stance and brought the light closer to the dirty floor. The dust had formed neat layers that did not look natural. Then he noticed a very faint breeze brushing his cheeks. An old display case stood in front of the wallpaper, which had barely been peeled off, unlike in other places. Harry sneaked up to the cabinet and held his palm against it without saying a word. He wasn't wrong. Though it was as faint as the breath of a dying man, a cold aura could be felt behind the cabinet. With his wand, Harry pushed the furniture away and aimed at the wallpaper.
"Diffindo!"
The paper was torn as if a giant bear had used its claws, revealing a hidden room underneath. Hermione gasped beside him — a tunnel lay ahead of them. . . . Using the light at the tip of his wand, Harry peered into the passageway. He couldn't see the end because of the twists and turns, but the narrow passageway certainly seemed very long.
"There's no doubt where this leads," said Malfoy quietly. "The forest is definitely on the other side. That's why Crabbe senior took the children to the Forbidden Forest."
Harry didn't answer, but he had to admit that Malfoy was right. Ron stared silently into the dark tunnel like he couldn't think of anything to say.
"Hogwarts and here have always been connected by a secret route," said Harry. "Some parts of the existing tunnel may be shared with this new one."
"Harry, are we too late? Have they already left?" said Hermione in a worried voice.
"You shouldn't give up yet," said Malfoy firmly. "Let's take a look at the second floor, shall we?"
Carefully they climbed the crumbling stairs. Since the stairs were too weak to support all of their weight, they had to step on them very slowly, one at a time. Trying to see if the second floor had been disturbed, Harry opened his eyes wide, but the darkness that filled the house remained. Harry's foot touched something rattling just as he reached the landing. He looked down and saw a collapsed tin bucket on the dusty floor.
"A sign of their presence, I suppose. Maybe they didn't cover their tracks up here," said Hermione excitedly. Anticipation turned to horror when everyone came upstairs and she straightened the bucket: Dry blood had congealed on its metal surface.
"I knew it! I-I should've brought g-garlic," Ron said with a shaky voice, seemingly having forgotten Malfoy's presence.
"Garlic? What for?" Harry said, sniffing the bucket. The smell of iron confirmed that the crimson stain was indeed blood.
"You have no idea, do you? It was the vampires who did this!" cried Ron in a panicked voice. "I'm sure they must've followed us from Bulgaria . . . and Krum certainly played a part in this, no doubt about it."
"Nothing is certain at this point," Hermione said, trying to sound calm. "Besides, it may not even be human blood."
"It's definitely human blood," said Aberforth gruffly. "Vampires visit my bar from time to time . . . there's no doubt what it is."
Hearing that, Ron's face went pale, almost as if someone had taken a sip of his blood.
"We'll keep looking. Get your wands out, everyone," said Harry. One by one he opened the locked doors, only to find the rooms empty and littered with broken furniture and torn clothing. Taking a deep breath, Harry stood with the others outside the last room at the end of the corridor. It was the same room where he had faced his godfather for the first time in his third year. In his vivid memory of that night, he had been tense, but not nearly as tense as he was now. . . .
Harry turned the doorknob. The door opened without a struggle; his wand gave him light as he stepped inside. The sight before him was so horrific that he almost lost his footing. About twenty dead people were hanging upside down by their ankles, their faces bloodless and white. His vision blurred by shock and confusion, it was Crabbe senior's face that first caught his attention. A bluish knot covered Crabbe's thick neck, his mouth open as though he were about to scream. Markus Dolohov hung beside him, his bloodshot eyes wide open and his twisted face pale.
Harry stumbled forward and stood in front of another corpse that was hanging over the other side of the door. It was Edmund Slughorn, once one of his most trusted men. Were it not for his completely pasty face, Edmund looked as if he had fallen asleep. Dizzy, Harry fought not to fall — it felt like he was trapped in a nightmare on foot.