Why did Moody wait?

[Aberforths_Goat]

No: HPFGUIDX 4655

> The most recently reasonable explanation I have heard was that it
> wasn't only a portkey to take harry away - it was also a portkey to
> bring Voldemort onto Hogwarts' grounds <snip>

Hmm, hmm,  hmmm. <scatching beard & lighting pipe> Thanks Heidi, very
enlightening  This looks like an artful combination of "easy catch" and "big
catch" theories.  "Easy catch" in that the Triwizard Tournament has granted
a special dispensation on  portkeys (which would normally fall into the
proscribed apparation category), such that Moody/Crouch can kidnap Harry
more easily here than at any other point in the story.  Also, it might be
less dangerous to add an extra stop to a preset portkey itenerary than to
make a portkey from scratch.

And "big catch" too: showing up in the winner's circle of the TWT and
proceeding to go postal would be an excellent PR strategy. It wouldn't leave
those MoF spin warlocks any chance to insinuate that Voldy has gone soft in
his old age ...

Of course this all assumes (1) that portkeys don't normally work in Hogwarts
and (2) that it would, under certain circumstances, be possible to suspend
the anti-porting spells. Premis (1) remains an inference, though.  True,
apparating is barred--but Sirius *was* able to ... to ... do the burning
head thing in the common room fire, which also belongs to the same category
of magic. (No: it's *not* just an image of his head, since Amos Diggory
could eat toast in the Burrow!) Still, it's a reasonable inference. Premis
(2) seems entirely possible--although it would have to require a sort of
spell Moody/Crouch couldn't have done on his own.

Hmmmm.  Assuming goats ruminate, I'll be doing so for a day or two ...

<now pondering whether Jo is as obsessive about her world as we fans are>

Aberforth's Goat (a.k.a. Mike Gray)
http://profiles.yahoo.com/aberforths_goat