Chapter 6 The Portkey

hassle felt as though he had hardly lain pile to steep in Rons room when he was being shake awake by Mrs. Weasley.Time to go, be get, dear, she whispered, moving away to wake Ron. get at felt around for his eyeglasses, put them on, and sat up. It was still dark out office. Ron muttered dimly as his mother ro aimd him. At the foot of annoys mattress he saw deuce large, disheveled shapes emerging from tangles of blankets.S beat already? give tongue to Fred groggily.They dressed in silence, likewise sleepy to talk, then, yawning and stretching, the four of them headed downstairs into the kitchen.Mrs. Weasley was intake the contents of a large pot on the stove, while Mr. Weasley was academic term at the postpone, checking a sheaf of large parchment tickets. He looked up as the boys entered and blossom his arms so that they could see his clothes to a greater extent clearly. He was wearing what appe ared to be a golfing sweater and a very old meet of jeans, slightly too bi g for him and held up with a thick leather belt.What dyou think? he asked anxiously. Were supposed to go incognito do I look like a Muggle, get to?Yeah, state get at, smiling, very safe.W here(predicate)re Bill and Charlie and Per-Per-Percy? express George, failing to stifle a huge yawn.Well, theyre Apparating, arent they? verbalise Mrs. Weasley, heaving the large pot everyplace to the table and starting to ladle porridge into bowls. So they can poke out a catch of a lie-in.Harry knew that Apparating meant disappearing from one place and reappearing almost at present in another, sole(prenominal) had never k without delayn all Hogwarts student to do it, and understood that it was very difficult.So theyre still in bed? utter Fred grumpily, force his bowl of porridge toward him. why cant we Apparate too?Because youre not of age and you bring forthnt passed your examination, snapped Mrs. Weasley. And where have those girls got to?She bustled out of the kitchen and they heard her climbing the stairs.You have to pass a test to Apparate? Harry asked.Oh yes, said Mr. Weasley, tucking the tickets safely into the backbone pocket of his jeans. The Department of mastermindly Transportation had to fine a couple of people the other solar day for Apparating without a license. Its not easy, Apparition, and when its not done property it can lead to nasty complications. This pair Im lecture virtually went and splinched themselves.Everyone around the table omit Harry winced.Er splinched? said Harry.They left wing half of themselves behind, said Mr. Weasley, now spooning large amounts of treacle onto his porridge. So, of course, they were stuck. Couldnt move either way. Had to wait for the Accidental fantasy Reversal Squad to sort them out. Meant a fair old while of paperwork, I can tell you, what with the Muggles who spotted the body parts theyd left behind..Harry had a sudden vision of a pair of legs and an eyeball lying abandoned on the pavement of Privet Drive.Were they okay? he asked, startled.Oh yes, said Mr. Weasley matter-of-factly. alone they got a heavy fine, and I dont think theyll be stressful it again in a hurry. You dont mess around with Apparition. in that location are plenty of adult wizards who dont bother with it. Prefer brooms slower, but safer.But Bill and Charlie and Percy can all do it?Charlie had to take the test twice, said Fred, grinning. He failed the first time. Apparated five miles south of where he meant to, right on top of some poor old dear doing her shopping, remember?Yes, well, he passed the second time, said Mrs. Weasley, marching back into the kitchen amid hearty sniggers.Percy completely passed twain weeks ago, said George. Hes been Apparating downstairs every morning since, and to prove he can.There were footsteps down the passageway and Hermione and Ginny came into the kitchen, both looking pale and drowsy.Why do we have to be up so early? Ginny said, run her look and sitting down at the table.Weve got a bit of a walk, said Mr. Weasley.Walk? said Harry. What, are we walking to the creation shape?No, no, thats miles away, said Mr. Weasley, smiling. We only need to walk a short way. Its just that its very difficult for a large number of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention. We have to be very careful about how we travel at the go around of times, and on a huge occasion like the Quidditch World transfuseGeorge said Mrs. Weasley precipitously, and they all jumped.What? said George, in an innocent tone that deceived nobody.What is that in your pocket?NothingDont you lie to meMrs. Weasley pointed her wand at Georges pocket and said, Accio some(prenominal) small, brightly colored objects zoomed out of Georges pocket he made a grab for them but missed, and they sped right into Mrs. Weasleys outstretched hand.We told you to destroy them said Mrs. Weasley furiously, retention up what were unmistakably more Ton-Tongue T falseees. We told you to get rid of the lot muster out your pockets, go on, both of youIt was an unpleasant scene the twins had evidently been trying to smuggle as many t slayees out of the house as possible, and it was only by using her Summoning Charm that Mrs. Weasley managed to find them all.Accio Accio Accio she shouted, and toffees zoomed from all sorts of unconvincing places, including the lining of Georges jacket and the turn-ups of Freds jeans.We spent 6 months developing those Fred shouted at his mother as she threw the toffees away.Oh a fine way to spend six months she shrieked. No wonder you didnt get more O.W.L.sAll in all, the aureole was not very friendly as they took their departure. Mrs. Weasley was still glowering as she kissed Mr. Weasley on the cheek, though not nearly as much as the twins, who had each hoisted their rucksacks onto their backs and walked out without a word to her.Well, have a benignant time, said Mrs. Weasley, and behave yourselves, she called after the twins retrea ting backs, but they did not look back or answer. Ill send Bill, Charlie, and Percy along around midday, Mrs. Weasley said to Mr. Weasley, as he, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny set off across the dark yard after Fred and George.It was chilly and the corn liquor was still out. Only a dull, greenish tinge along the visible horizon to their right showed that daybreak was drawing closer. Harry, having been thinking about meters of wizards speeding toward the Quidditch World Cup, sped up to walk with Mr. Weasley.So how does everyone get there without all the Muggles noticing? he asked.Its been a viewive organizational problem, sighed Mr. Weasley. The trouble is, about a cardinal thousand wizards turn up at the World Cup, and of course, we just havent got a magical site big enough to accommodate them all. There are places Muggles cant penetrate, but imagine trying to pack a hundred thousand wizards into Diagon Alley or platform nine and three-quarters. So we had to find a nice dese rted moor, and set up as many anti-Muggle precautions as possible. The whole Ministrys been working on it for months. First, of course, we have to stagger the arrivals. People with cheaper tickets have to arrive two weeks beforehand. A limited number use Muggle transport, but we cant have too many clogging up their buses and trains remember, wizards are attack from all over the world. Some Apparate, of course, but we have to set up safe points for them to appear, well away from Muggles. I believe theres a accomplished wood theyre using as the Apparition point. For those who dont want to Apparate, or cant, we use Portkeys. Theyre objects that are apply to transport wizards from one spot to another at a prearranged time. You can do large groups at a time if you need to. There have been two hundred Portkeys placed at strategic points around Britain, and the nearest one to us is up at the top of Stoatshead Hill, so thats where were headed.Mr. Weasley pointed ahead of them, where a l arge black mass rose beyond the resolution of Ottery St. Catchpole.What sort of objects are Portkeys? said Harry curiously.Well, they can be anything, said Mr. Weasley. Unobtrusive things, obviously, so Muggles dont go choose them up and playing with themstuff theyll just think is litter.They trudged down the dark, dank lane toward the village, the silence broken only by their footsteps. The thrash lightened very slowly as they made their way through the village, its inky blackness diluting to deepest blue. Harrys hands and feet were freezing. Mr. Weasley kept checking his watch.They didnt have breath to spare for talking as they began to climb Stoatshead Hill, stumbling occasionally in hidden rabbit holes, slithering on thick black tuffets of grass. Each breath Harry took was sharp in his chest and his legs were starting to seize up when, at last, his feet engraft level ground.Whew, panted Mr. Weasley, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his sweater. Well, weve made good time weve got ten minutes.Hermione came over the crest of the hill last, clutching a secure in her side.Now we just need the Portkey, said Mr. Weasley, replacing his glasses and squinting around at the ground. It wont be big.Come onThey spread out, searching. They had only been at it for a couple of minutes, however, when a shout countenance the still air.Over here, Arthur Over here, son, weve got it.Two tall figures were silhouetted against the starry fling on the other side of the hilltop.Amos said Mr. Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man who had shouted. The rest of them followed.Mr. Weasley was shaking hands with a ruddy-faced wizard with a scrubby brown beard, who was holding a moldy-looking old thrill in his other hand.This is Amos Diggory, everyone, said Mr. Weasley. He works for the Department for the law and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?Cedric Diggory was an extremely expectant boy of around seventeen. He was Captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff House Quidditch group at Hogwarts.Hi, said Cedric, looking around at them all.Everybody said hi back except Fred and George, who merely nodded. They had never quite forgiven Cedric for beating their team, Gryffindor, in the first Quidditch match of the previous year.Long walk, Arthur? Cedrics father asked. Not too bad, said Mr. Weasley. We live just on the other side of the village there. You?Had to get up at two, didnt we, Ced? I tell you, Ill be well-chosen when hes got his Apparition test. Stillnot complainingQuidditch World Cup, wouldnt miss it for a sackful of Galleons and the tickets cost about that. Mind you, looks like I got off easy. Amos Diggory peered good-naturedly around at the three Weasley boys, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny. All these yours, Arthur?Oh no, only the redheads, said Mr. Weasley, pointing out his children. This is Hermione, friend of Rons and Harry, another friend -Merlins beard, said Amos Diggory, his eyeball widening. Harry? Harry Potter?Er yeah, said Harry.Harry was used to people looking curiously at him when they met him, used to the way their eyes moved at once to the lightning scar on his forehead, but it unceasingly made him feel uncomfortable.Ceds talked about you, of course, said Amos Diggory. Told us all about playing against you last yearI said to him, I said Ced, thatll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will.You beat Harry PotterHarry couldnt think of any reply to this, so he remained silent. Fred and George were both beetle-browed again. Cedric looked slightly embarrassed.Harry fell off his broom, Dad, he muttered. I told youit was an casualty.Yes, but you didnt fall off, did you? roared Amos genially, slapping his son on his back. Always modest, our Ced, always the human beingsbut the best man won, Im sure Harryd say the same, wouldnt you, eh? One move off his broom, one stays on, you dont need to be a star topology to tell which ones the better flierMust be nearly time, said Mr. Weasley quickly, pulling out his watch again. Do you know whether were waiting for any more, Amos?No, the Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldnt get tickets, said Mr. Diggory. There arent any more of us in this area, are there?Not that I know of, said Mr. Weasley. Yes, its a minute offWed better get ready.He looked around at Harry and Hermione.You just need to touch the Portkey, thats all, a finger will do -With difficulty, owing to their bulky backpacks, the nine of them crowded around the old advert held out by Amos Diggory.They all stood there, in a tight circle, as a chill breeze swept over the hilltop. Nobody spoke. It abruptly occurred to Harry how odd this would look if a Muggle were to walk up here nownine people, two of them grown men, clutching this manky old the boot in the semidarkness, waiting.Three muttered Mr. Weasley, one eye still on his watch, twooneIt happened immediately Harry felt as though a hook just behind his navel had been suddenly jerked overpoweringly forward. His feet left the ground he could feel Ron and Hermione on either side of him, their shoulders banging into his they were all speeding forward in a shout of wind and swirling color his forefinger was stuck to the boot as though it was pulling him magnetically onward and then His feet slammed into the ground Ron staggered into him and he fell over the Portkey hit the ground near his head with a heavy thud.Harry looked up. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric were still standing, though looking very windswept everybody else was on the ground. seven-spot past five from Stoatshead Hill, said a voice.