OK, The Portkey

[btk6y]

No: HPFGUIDX 57521

Geist:
> I don't agree with this. I don't see that any aspect of the maze 
need negate
> any of the Hogwarts defenses, and I don't think Dumbledore would 
have
> allowed it (even if he *could*--I suspect the defenses of Hogwarts 
are not
> something you can "turn off" like an alarm system).
> 
> I have presumed that Portkeys would have worked at any time. Given 
that
> their only other occurrence (that we have seen) is controlled 
quite strictly
> by the Ministry, I had presumed that they were (a) complicated to 
make and
> (b) controlled, as are most non-broom forms of wizard travel. In 
other
> words, they aren't so common as to be guarded against, and when 
they are
> needed, they must be useful. Floo Powder works into Hogwarts too, 
and
> Dobby's elf magic allows him to pop up, so clearly there are 
existing
> loopholes. I thought Portkeys were one of those.

Me: 
I have to agree with the first poster of this thread- the final task 
for the Tournament required that Hogwart's defenses be "turned off" 
in the maze allowing for the cup to be a Portkey.  The reason that I 
don't think that Portkeys can work anytime is that this would be a 
serious breach of security that cannot just be explained away- if 
anybody can Portkey into Hogwarts, then how in the world can it be a 
safe place?  About the Portkey being controlled and difficult to 
make- well, Moody/Crouch says in GoF that HE turned the cup into a 
Portkey- so obviously he had the ability to do so, why didn't he do 
it before?  Because outside of the Triwizard tournament, it would 
have been impossible.  We know that Floo Powder works IN Hogwarts, 
but we don't know that it allows you to get INTO Hogwarts.  I 
suspect you can use it to get around the castle but not to get in.  
Again, otherwise it would be a serious and unexplainable breach of 
security.  Agreed, Dobby's elf magic does allow him to disappear and 
such on Hogwarts grounds, but we know that house-elves have 
a "powerful magic" of their own and he can provide directed magic 
without a wand, simply his finger; house-elves do not appear to be 
subject to all these wizarding rules and may be able to exempt 
Hogwarts security.  Why wouldn't a Death Eater like Lucius send his 
house-elf to sabatoge Hogwarts then?  I suspect that house-elves 
have an innate moral code that would not allow them to do that- it 
allows them to keep secrets for bad wizards, but I doubt they would 
be able to kill others and other badness (speculation on my part of 
course).  

Bobby