JKR's Single Biggest Error (GoF portkey)

[horridporrid03]

No: HPFGUIDX 124013


>> Dungrollin: 
>My pet gripe is the whole of GoF, and why Fake!Moody wasted a whole 
year when he could have given Harry a portkey at any time.<

Betsy:
I've seen some good theories thrown around for Fake!Moody's waiting 
until the end of the Tournament.  One is that the potion Voldemort 
had made took several months of brewing.  So why take the risk of 
grabbing Harry early?  Instead, brew the potion and then grab Harry 
when his blood is actually needed.

Another is that making a portkey from scratch that would operate 
within Hogwarts grounds is well nigh impossible.  So instead Fake!
Moody took the portkey Dumbledore had already made within his power 
as headmaster of the school, and just modified it a little bit to 
include a little detour from the ultimate destination.  This theory 
has the added benefit of explaining how the Cup worked as a return 
portkey when Harry grabbed Cedric's body and escaped.

The third theory is more psychological.  Voldemort knew enough about 
Harry to recognize that Harry would get a big boost out of actually 
winning the Tournament.  The thought of hitting Harry's pride by 
revealing the truth that Harry won only because Fake!Moody helped him 
was too much for Voldemort to resist.  The old, set him up high so he 
has farther to fall when you knock him down, plan.

Personally, I like all three in combination.  The brew takes a while 
so we can't grab Harry immediately, and the end of the Tournament 
involves a portkey which gives us an open window of opportunity if we 
can get Harry into the Tournament, and when we finally grab the boy 
we'll have a great time making him suffer.  Sounds dastardly clever 
and evil enough for me! ;)

I didn't come up with these theories, and I honestly can't remember 
where I stumbled across them - so if anyone recognizes any of these 
ideas, I apologize in advance for not giving credit.

Betsy