A question about portkeys

[theultimatesen]

No: HPFGUIDX 91693

> Sue ponders:
> 
> In the beginning of GoF (I do not have my book :() Mr. Weasley 
> explains that a portkey is used to transport people at a particular 
> time to another place.  As a matter of fact there is a great deal 
of 
> discussion about the time on Stoteshead Hill, they even counted 
> down.  After the QWC, the whole group went to try to get an "early 
> portkey".  How is it then, that the portkey in the maze took Cedric 
> and Harry the moment they touched it?


Me:

Honestly, I don't think there's anymore to this other than taking a 
portkey that was scheduled to "leave earlier" than the one they were 
planning on taking originally. Sort of like us muggles trying to take 
an early flight if we have to fly somewhere. Remember all of the 
portkeys were very strictly timed so that they wouldn't draw muggle 
attention. I think they had the return portkeys already to go in the 
same way, but considering the events of that night, someone probably 
had to change them all. They'd still have to be strictly timed to 
avoid muggle attention again and considering everyone probably wanted 
to get home ASAP, having the timed portkeys would reduce the mass 
confusion, possible chaos of everyone leaving at once by the other 
types of portkeys someone else mentioned in their post. I didn't read 
too much into this phrase because it's a common one. "I'm going to 
try to take an early flight to *insert destination here*". 

Sen