Yes, he did have a business to run much like Cassandra Rae said and that was exactly what the man had been up to. That and the fact that he had been sort of distracted by the Poltergeist and admitedly lack-luster Hufflepuffs that were taking up camp in the Entrance Hall.

After making it through the soapy mess out there, Harold found his way after asking a few portraits to the room that the Headmistress was showing to Ian and Cassandra. Opening the door slowly and popping a salt-and-peppered head into the room Hops spoke, appologetically. "Sorry Annie, little emergency at the Broomsticks. Some goblins from Gringott's were a little...let's just say heated, at my choice to close up early." Hops knew very little Gobbledygook but he understood when someone was mad perfectly well.

"So this is where we will be able to take comfort when visiting and doing work then?" he looked around the room nodding with satisfaction. The Board president seemed to like it and that was good enough for him.