How It All Goes Down
The Portkey
- It's very early the next day when Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, George, and Mr. Weasley all settle in at the breakfast table.
- They have a chat about Apparition, which is how skilled wizards over eighteen years old – like Charlie, Bill, and Percy – get around.
- You just use your wand to transport yourself somewhere – no Floo network, no muss, no fuss. (Convenient, no?)
- Just as everyone is enjoying their chat, Mrs. Weasley spots something coming out of George's pocket.
- It's a Ton-Tongue Charm! Even though Mrs. Weasley told them to get rid of these candies, George and Fred have (unsurprisingly) been trying to sneak them out of the house.
- So, once again, the atmosphere around the Burrow gets tense.
- Mr. Weasley walks Harry, Ron, and Hermione (who are all too young to Apparate) over to a distant hill in the village.
- At the top of this hill is a Portkey.
- A Portkey is a magical object. Once you touch it, you'll immediately be transported somewhere else.
- In this case, the Portkey will take the Weasleys, Hermione, and Harry straight to the World Cup site.
- Waiting at the Portkey is another wizard, Amos Diggory, and his son, Cedric.
- Cedric is attending Hogwarts, too, and is in Hufflepuff.
- As they wait for the Portkey to become active, Amos Diggory strikes up a conversation.
- The year before, Cedric (who's the captain of the Hufflepuff Quidditch team) beat Harry's team because Harry was attacked by Dementors – monstrous things that feed on fear.
- Amos Diggory says to Harry: "I said to him, I said – Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will ... You beat Harry Potter!" (6.72).
- Cedric looks embarrassed: "Harry fell off his broom, Dad [...] I told you ... it was an accident ..." (6.74).
- At this socially awkward moment, the time for the Portkey arrives.
- Harry, Ron, Hermione, Mr. Weasley, and the Diggorys touch the Portkey.
- The next moment, they find themselves on top of a hill somewhere else.