Chapter 6 - The Portkey

[flying_ford_anglia]

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No: HPFGUIDX C6826
From: flying_ford_anglia
Subject: Chapter 6 - The Portkey
Date: 8/14/00 7:25 am  (ET)

Here is this week's chapter summary for discussion, if you feel so
inclined. For information on the schedule for future weeks, see this
page at Melanie's site:

http://www.geocities.com/ravenclawlady/discussion.html

I'll post on 'Arthur Weasley' a bit later on today.

Neil

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Chapter 6 - The Portkey

We're at The Burrow on the morning of the Quidditch World Cup trip. When
Harry and Ron arrive in the kitchen, Mr Weasley is already dressed in his
best guess at 'incognito' Muggle attire - a golfing jumper and roomy old
jeans - and leafing through the World Cup tickets. As the twins wander
in, the conversation turns to the three older boys, who are reported to
be staying in bed and apparating to the campsite later. "You don't mess
around with Apparition," warns Mr Weasley, as Fred annoys his Mother by
expressing an interest. Arthur goes on to explain that there are heavy
fines for apparating without a licence and that it's possible to 'splinch'
yourself, leave part of yourself behind. Harry imagines "a pair of legs
and an eyeball lying abandoned on the pavement of Privet Drive".

Ginny and Hermione make a drowsy entrance, and just before they all leave,
Mrs Weasley uses an Accio spell to relieve the twins of pocketfuls of
Ton-Tongue Toffees. She is none too pleased about this and they leave
her glowering. Mr Weasley explains that they have a bit of a walk to
Stoatshead Hill, where the Portkey is located. Because the World Cup
attracts such a large congregation of wizard folk, he says, the MoM has
had a difficult job preventing Muggles from noticing anything out of the
ordinary. Arrivals are being staggered - some people are apparating,
a few are braving public transport, but many are using one of the 200
Portkeys - unobtrusive, everyday objects which transport witches and
wizards to another location at a specified time.

On arrival at Stoatshead Hill, the gang begin hunting for the Portkey. A
shout goes up, and they go over to join ruddy-faced Amos Diggory and his
"extremely handsome" son Cedric. Amos is holding a mouldy-looking old
boot - the Portkey. Amos, Arthur tells them, works for the Department of
Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Cedric, as Harry and the
others already know, is Captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff Quidditch
team at Hogwarts. Amos boasts that Cedric had beaten Harry in one of
last year's school Quidditch matches, although Cedric tries to shows a
little more modesty, given the circumstances of the win.

As they wait to be transported, we learn that there are only two other
wizard families in the area - the Lovegoods and the Fawcetts. The group
assembles around the boot and Arthur makes sure they are all touching
it. Harry imagines what Muggles might think if they happened across this
strange gathering on the hill. Then, suddenly, at the appointed time,
they are whisked away to the campsite, where most of them arrive sprawled
on the ground.

Comments/Questions:

- Useful background on apparating and Portkeys, and first appearance of
Amos Diggory.

- Arthur appears not to know that the Diggorys live on the other side
of Ottery St Catchpole, which seems a bit odd.

- Did they know what the Portkey was? If not, how would they know what
they were looking for? What would have happened if they hadn't found it
by the appointed time?

- If there are only four wizarding families in the area, do they live
among Muggle families or on the outskirts of the village [er...see
recent discussion].