How about Portkeys? (was: Can't Apparate...)

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 111456

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Deb" <DBoyken at a...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, macfotuk at y... wrote:
> > --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tory Santillie" 
> > <fotoger1 at h...> wrote:
> > 
> > Apparition, yes, hmmmmmmmmmmm............. when does Harry get to 
> > learn it? 
> 

> Deb:
>
> My guess is that this may be taught in 6th year . . . sort of like 
> Driver's Ed, where you learn the rules so that you're "ready" when 
> you're old enough to actually get behind the wheel.
> 

Asian_lovr2:

I thought the same thing, and to some extent, still do. It seems
reasonable that they would train students before they were eligible to
take the test so they would be ready. I too based that on my own USA
model where you get your 'learning permit' at 15 so you are ready to
go when you turn 16 and take your test (ages vary from state to
state). However, that's not how it's done in the UK. In the UK, you
wait until you reach driving age, then get a learner's permit, then
take driver's training which you pay for yourself, then after paying
substantial fees, you are allowed to take the test. 

Regardless of that slight difference in the driver's license model, I
still believe the class will be taught in 6th year. Part of my
motivation is an intense desire to learn the details of Apparation.


Many people have asked how can they possibly learn Apparation when the
school is protected, and we are lead to believe that you definitely
can't apparate into and out-of the school boundaries; that is, you
can't cross the perimeter. And, in all likelihood, you can't apparate
within the school boundaries; say from room to room, floor to floor,
or house to house. 

The solution is simple, you just step outside the front gate. I assume
that, to begin with, you just try to apparate five feet or so. Once
you get the hang of it, you begin expanding the distance; you apparate
from the front gate down to the train station and back. Then you
apparate down to Hogsmeade's High Street and back. The following step
would be to apparate to a farm field that was nearby but out of sight
(apparate to a place you can't actually see). Etc...

Like I said, I'm convinced we will see it in book 6, but am not sure
whether that conclusion is based in my own biased desire, or logical
analysis. Either way, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.



> Deb:
>
> ...; Dumbledore makes a portkey to transport Harry and the 
> Weasleys at Christmas, and Harry back again after the disaster at
> the MOM . . . I know that you cannot apparate at Hogwarts, but if 
> portkeys are so easy to make . . . why don't people just use them, 
> then? ... I mean, even if you need some kind of permission to enter 
> the grounds, theoretically you can leave at any  time, right?
> 
> Deb in NJ

Asian_lovr2:

Well, it just so happens I have an elaborate theory on Portkeys too,
unfortunately the detail have been proven wrong by the latest book.
However, I think the foundation of my theory is still reasonable. 

That foundation was that Portkeys are difficult and dangerous magic.
Well, Dumbledore has now shown us that the incantation in nothing more
complex than "Portus", and while the incantation might be simple, I
still say that the intent, magical complexity, and difficulty in
getting it right make it a very dangerous spell for the average wizard. 

Several times in the book people have said something to the effect
that, it's more than my life's worth to create a portkey. Part of that
is that the Ministry very strictly controls Portkey, and anyone
creating an unauthorized Portkey will be in some deep legal trouble.
Minister Fudge even starts to take Dumbledore to task for creating an
unauthorized Portkey to take Harry back to Hogwarts.

So now we must ask, why? Why does the Ministry control Portkeys so
strictly? It could be that they want to control all transportation,
sort of a monopoly, and while they do control Floo and brooms, and
test and license people's apparation skills, those seem to be freely
available mode of transportation. In addition, let's not forget the
Knight Bus. So, we have many way in which wizard's can freely
transport themselves by magic. So, if all these alternates are
available, and just as magical, why such stict control on Portkeys?
The only logical conclusion I can come up with is that they must be
much more dangerous and difficult than these readily available means.

The incantation 'Portus' seems simple, but magic is driven by intent.
Dumbldore shatters what I assume is a strong door and stuns
fake!Moody, yet Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the DA class stun each other
freely with out any damage or destruction. That's just an attempt at
an illustration that what is behind a spell matters as much as the
spell itself. In the case of a Portkey, timing and destination are
critical. If not properly programmed by magical intent, it's possible
that a poorly implimented Portkey could have the same disasterous
results as a poorly implimented attempt at Apparation (Splinching).

So, my theory is that despite the simple incantation, implimenting a
Portkey is difficult and dangerous, so dangerous that the Ministry
must restrict it to experts.

Also, as I have said in the past, as headmaster, Dumbledore controls
the protective enchantments on Hogwarts, since he controls the
protections, he also controls the exceptions.

Can't prove it, but once again, that is my story and I am sticking to it.

Steve/asian_lovr2 (whose 'b_boymn' username crapped out after only a
few weeks)