Chapter 15

'That's the thing,' said Hopkins eagerly. 'How do you become the best wizards' school? What even is a "best school"? Drink it, please,' he added, lifting up the goblet. 'It won't harm you.'

With a note of reluctance, Hermione drank the potion Hopkins had given her. Nothing much seemed to happen.

'Over the past twenty years or so,' said Hopkins, 'while other schools have stuck to their traditions, Dartford has pushed the boundaries of what is possible. The Muggle world, I admit, can no longer be ignored — and so I've learned a great deal from their most powerful discipline.'

Hopkins seemed to be waiting for Harry and Hermione to ask him what this 'discipline' was, but when neither of them did so, he went on.

'I am referring, of course, to science,' he explained simply. 'The principles of observation, measurement and experiment used in scientific analysis; the patience to iterate, to innovate; the emphasis on real-world problem-solving.'

Hermione, Harry noticed, was avoiding Hopkins' gaze — she kept looking off to the side, towards the bench with Muggle electronics.

'Dartford students all appreciate that science is just another kind of wizardry,' he told them. 'And that its applications, combined with magic, are virtually boundless. You've seen evidence of this ideal in the little "Finder" you carry around — a device that was invented by not me, but my son.'

It was at this moment that Hermione let out a loud shriek: Harry noticed an odd, green glow had begun to emanate from her feet.

'When I am gone,' said Hopkins, 'when I am laid to rest, my Echo will be a mere caretaker of this place. It is Blake who will truly be able to carry out my vision — it's him that will take Dartford to the top.'

As Hermione stood up, trying anxiously to shake the glow from off her feet, Harry caught a glance of something on the bench — something orange. It was a tiny frog, with an odd set of markings around the top of its head: these markings vaguely resembled a head of flaming, red hair…

Harry could see in the corner of his eye a look of warning from Hermione, and all of a sudden he realised what was going on.

'Why the Echoes?' Harry asked quickly, trying to keep his eyes off the frog on the bench. 'How come your "plan" involves making copies of us?'

Hopkins smiled. 'Excellent question,' he said. 'But the answer, I think, is straightforward enough. The reason, Harry, is because you are the Boy Who Lived; you are the one who conquered the Dark Lord.'

Harry looked again at the frog: it was now hopping very quietly towards the odd-looking controller.

'What I mean,' Hopkins said, 'is that you are famous. More than famous. And when everyone finds out that Harry Potter has moved to Dartford College, well… where will parents want to send their children? Now, hang on just a moment, let me find just go find another goblet — Harry, I want to get your Moulding started —'

'Wait!' said Hermione, as Hopkins stood up.

Hopkins gave her a strange look. 'Yes?'

'I — er… um…'

Hermione was wearing an anxious expression, and Harry knew the reason why: if Hopkins turned around, he would definitely see the orange frog, and —

'Ron,' said Hermione suddenly. 'I — I know where he is. Where he escaped to.' And she then bowed her head in resignation.

'You do?' said Hopkins eagerly.

'Hermione,' Harry said. 'What are you doing —'

'I'm sorry, Harry,' whispered Hermione. 'Hopkins is going to find him anyway. Let's face it. It's just better if — aaah!'

Hermione had jumped in fright — a pair of green, glass-like feet had materialised on the ground next to the cauldron. They looked exactly like Hermione's, and they were even wearing the same black shoes.

'It seems the Moulding has begun,' Hopkins explained. 'Don't be afraid, my child. Now, I believe you were about to tell me how your friend escaped the cage?'

'Hermione, no,' Harry urged.

But Hermione ignored him.

'If I tell you,' Hermione said to Hopkins, 'then — then… you have to make us deal…'

'What deal?'

'You let us go,' said Hermione, 'after you finish making all of your Echoes. And we promise we won't tell anyone what happened.'

Hopkins thought about this, then he nodded. 'All right, Miss Granger,' he said. 'We have a deal. Now, where did your red-haired friend go?'

'Well, he didn't escape,' said Hermione, pointing to the cage. 'He's still in there somewhere.'

'What?' said Hopkins, surprised.

'We were stuck in that place for ages,' Hermione explained. 'And — I know we didn't have wands, but somehow, we could still do some magic… and I conjured a secret room — it's under the bed…'

'You made a secret room?' said Hopkins, sounding impressed. 'That kind of magic is beyond even our oldest and best students. Very impressive. So Mr Weasley is under the bed?'

'Yes,' Hermione said.

Hopkins smiled. 'Well, that's a relief,' he said. 'And I trust there's no trap in that secret room? Nothing sinister waiting for me?'

Hermione shook her head.

'Very well,' said Hopkins. Then he raised his wand, and pointed them at Harry and Hermione — Harry felt shackles enclosing around his wrists.

'What are you doing?' said Harry. 'Why are you tying us up?'

'Well, I'm afraid I'll be going back on our deal,' Hopkins admitted. 'No-one can know about the Echoes, unfortunately. There simply can't be any loose ends. But I also can't bring myself to murder Harry Potter… and so I will be sending you to the Void.'

'No!' Hermione shrieked. 'Please!'

'It's sad, you know,' Hopkins sighed. 'Because the Void is perhaps my greatest invention of all. It's what I call a pocket dimension, and it's hidden in the foundations of this castle. The laws of space and time are quite different there, you see — that's why the time you Mr Weasley spent down in the Void felt a great deal longer than what it was…'

'You won't get away with this,' Harry said fiercely. 'Someone's going to figure out what you've done…'

'Well, if they do,' Hopkins replied, 'I'm afraid you won't be alive to see it. Now, I'll just go get Mr Weasley, and we'll do his Moulding, too…'

Hopkins went over to the cage, which was dimly lit by the solitary light fixture atop the ceiling. With a flick of his wand, he raised the bed up into the air — however the floor beneath it was smooth stone.

'Where is this "secret" room,' muttered Hopkins, who was kneeling down, staring confusedly at the stone floor. 'Miss Granger,' he then called out, 'you were telling me that it is hidden? Hello?'

'Hurry, Ron!' Hermione was whispering under her breath.

The little orange frog was holding up its slimy, orange hands — and with as much force as it could muster, it pressed the button on the Muggle-made controller.

'You know, I'm starting to think,' said Hopkins, 'hey — WAIT —!'

A loud clink! had suddenly filled the air as the deadbolts locked into the place, followed by the same rumbling, grinding sound as before.

'No,' Hopkins breathed. 'No — this can't be happening…' In a moment of desperation, Hopkins aimed a spell at the cage's lock — but the look on his face suggested he knew it wouldn't work.

As the cage began to disappear from sight, Hopkins lowered the floating bed back to the ground. Hopkins sat on it, calmly, as Harry and Hermione watched on: he was now looking up at them through the smallest of cracks.

'Sofia,' said Hopkins gently, to himself.

Harry and Hermione stared at him.

'That's the name of the Wailing Bride,' Hopkins added, then he smiled. 'My wife,' he explained. 'She was the very first Echo I ever made. She left us when Blake was only very young, you see, and — well��� let's just say that it's not the brightest idea to raise people from the dead.

'Tell the kids,' he asked them. 'They've always wanted to know. Tell them it was Sofia who used to roam the corridors at night.'

'Headmaster…' said Harry tensely; he felt suddenly scared for Hopkins as he descended into the pit of darkness.

'I'm not afraid, Harry,' said Hopkins calmly. 'I am all right. I've experienced far worse things than what awaits me in the Void. And fortunately,' he said, 'I have my wand.'

With a casual flick, Hopkins' wand suddenly lit up the room — this was the last thing Harry and Hermione saw before he disappeared completely.