Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Portkeys====== =====Object Information===== * **Type:** [[Magical Transportation]], [[Magical Device]] * **Owners:** Portkeys are not typically "owned" but are temporarily enchanted objects. Their creation and use are heavily regulated by the [[Ministry of Magic]]. Notable independent creators include [[Albus Dumbledore]] and [[Barty Crouch Jr.]]. * **Maker:** The enchanting spell is //[[Portus]]//. The original inventor is not mentioned in the novels. (The inventor of the Portkey is Quintius MacBungus (Pottermore)). =====Description and Appearance===== A Portkey can be any inanimate object. To avoid attracting the attention of [[Muggles]], Portkeys are deliberately made from mundane, worthless, or discarded items that a Muggle would be unlikely to pick up. Known Portkeys have included a mangy old boot, a burnt-out kettle, a punctured football, a crumpled crisp packet, and an old newspaper. When the //[[Portus]]// spell is cast upon it, the object gives a brief, "blueish-white light" and shudders. Just before its activation time, it will begin to vibrate and glow again, signaling that it is about to transport anyone touching it. =====Magical Properties and Usage===== A Portkey's primary function is to transport one or more [[witches]] or [[wizards]] from one location to another at a specific, pre-arranged time. It is a common method for magical transportation when [[Apparition]] is impractical, such as for underage wizards, for those who find Apparition difficult, or for transporting large groups over long distances. * **Creation and Regulation:** The creation of Portkeys is controlled by the [[Ministry of Magic]] through the [[Portkey Office]], a division of the [[Department of Magical Transportation]]. Creating an unauthorized Portkey is illegal. The spell //[[Portus]]// is used to turn an object into a Portkey, requiring the caster to specify the destination. * **Activation:** A Portkey can be charmed to activate in two ways: - **Timed:** It will activate at a predetermined moment, transporting anyone touching it at that exact time. - **Touch-Activated:** It will activate the moment it is touched by a person. The [[Triwizard Cup]] was an example of a touch-activated Portkey. * **The Sensation of Travel:** Travel by Portkey is famously abrupt and often unpleasant. It is described as feeling a hook being jerked from behind the navel, pulling the user forward with irresistible force. The traveler is then plunged into a whirlwind of colour and sound, ending with them being deposited, often unceremoniously, at their destination. This can cause dizziness and nausea. * **Limitations:** Powerful protective [[enchantments]] can prevent Portkeys from being created or used to travel to or from a specific location. [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]] is one such place. However, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, such as [[Albus Dumbledore]], has the authority to override these enchantments and create Portkeys that work on the school grounds. =====History===== Portkeys are used at several key moments throughout the series: - **The Quidditch World Cup (1994):** [[Harry Potter]], the Weasleys, the Diggorys, and [[Hermione Granger]] use a timed Portkey—a mangy old boot—to travel to the [[Quidditch World Cup]] campsite. This was part of a nationwide network of two hundred Portkeys set up by the [[Ministry of Magic]] for the event. - **The Triwizard Tournament (1995):** [[Barty Crouch Jr.]], disguised as [[Alastor Moody]], turns the [[Triwizard Cup]] into a Portkey. When [[Harry Potter]] and [[Cedric Diggory]] touch it simultaneously in the maze, it transports them to the [[Little Hangleton]] graveyard where [[Lord Voldemort]] awaits. This Portkey was two-way, allowing Harry to use it to escape the graveyard and return to [[Hogwarts]]. - **Dumbledore's Emergency Portkeys (1995-1996):** [[Albus Dumbledore]] demonstrates his superior magical ability by creating Portkeys instantaneously. He creates one to send Harry from the [[Hogwarts]] grounds back to his office after the third task. Later, he sends Harry and the Weasley children from his office to [[12 Grimmauld Place]] using an old kettle after [[Arthur Weasley]] is attacked. He creates another to send Harry back to [[Hogwarts]] from the [[Ministry of Magic]] after the battle in the [[Department of Mysteries]]. - **The Battle of the Seven Potters (1997):** The [[Order of the Phoenix]] creates a network of secret, unauthorized Portkeys to ensure members can reach the safety of [[The Burrow]] after transporting Harry from [[4 Privet Drive]]. =====Role in the Story===== Portkeys serve as a critical plot device for moving characters between locations, particularly in situations where other forms of magical travel are restricted. Their most significant role is in //[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]//, where the illicit modification of the [[Triwizard Cup]] into a Portkey is the linchpin of [[Lord Voldemort]]'s plan to return to power. This event highlights the potential danger of Portkeys and how they can be subverted for dark purposes. Furthermore, [[Albus Dumbledore]]'s ability to create Portkeys at will, even bypassing the powerful enchantments of [[Hogwarts]], serves to underscore his immense magical power and authority. =====Behind the Scenes===== * **Etymology:** The name "Portkey" is derived from the French verb //porter// (from Latin //portare//), meaning "to carry," and the English word "key," meaning an instrument for unlocking or providing access. It is literally a "key that carries you." * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire//, the visual effect for Portkey travel is a violent, blue, swirling vortex that rapidly pulls the travelers towards their destination.
