Broomstick

"As every school-age wizard knows, the fact that we fly on broomsticks is probably our worst-kept secret. No Muggle illustration of a witch is complete without a broom and however ludicrous these drawings are (for none of the broomsticks depicted by Muggles would stay up in the air for a moment), they remind us that we were careless for far too many centuries to be surprised that broomsticks and magic are inextricably linked in the Muggle mind."

— Kennilworthy Whisp, from Quidditch Through the Ages^[src]

Broomsticks, better known as Brooms, are one of the means employed by wizards and witches to transport themselves between locations. The earliest recorded use of the broomstick was in 962, in a German illustrated manuscript. Only wizards and witches appear to use broomsticks in the Wizarding world. House-elves, for example, use Apparition. Broomsticks appear to have a bit of personality of their own, being able of responding to simple commands as "up!".

History

Early days

Since no spell devised by wizards enable them to fly^[1] (with the exception of Lord Voldemort in 1997, and his servant Severus Snape a year later^[2]), they had to come up with some other way to fly. Animagi who transformed into winged creatures enjoyed the sensation, but they were rare^[1].

Long before the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy came into force, wizards were savvy enough to realise that Muggle neighbours would seek to exploit their abilities. Therefore, if they were to keep a method of flight in their homes, it would have to be unobtrusive and easy to hide. The broomstick was ideal - portable, cheap, and it required no explanation. However, the first broomsticks were uncomfortable.

The first brooms

Records show that witches and wizards in Europe were using brooms as early as A.D. 963. A German manuscript of this period shows three warlocks dismounting from their brooms with looks of exquisite discomfort on their faces.The first brooms bewitched were neither comfortable nor aerodynamic, and in 1107 Scottish wizard Guthrie Lochrin wrote of the "splinter-filled buttocks and bulging piles" after a short ride from Montrose to Arbroath. The charms on the broom were also basic; they would move at one speed, and only go up, down, and stop. Wizard families generally constructed their own brooms, so there was a variation in speed and comfort depending on the skill of the builder. By the twelfth century, wizards began to barter services, and a skilled broommaker could trade his services for the potions of a neighbour^[1].

The racing broom and mass production

Nimbushandle — The handle of the Nimbus 2000

Until the nineteenth century, broomsticks were of varying quality, although the invention of the Cushioning Charm in 1820 by Elliot Smethwyck greatly enhanced the quality and comfort of the rides. However, they were still handmade by single wizards, and they were generally incapable of achieving high speeds and were difficult to control at high altitudes. They were also designed with styling and craftsmanship in mind, and not performance. Brooms such as the Oakshaft 79, the Moontrimmer, and the Silver Arrow all made an impact on the broom market, but were still made by single wizards and witches.

In 1926, the brothers Bob, Bill and Barnaby Ollerton formed the Cleansweep Broom Company, and the racing broom was born. Their first model, the Cleansweep One, was produced in large quantities and was an instant hit. Three years later, in 1929, Randolph Keitch and Basil Horton formed the Comet Trading Company and released the Comet 140 with a new Braking Charm. For several years, the Cleansweep-Comet rivalry dominated the field, until the creation of the Nimbus Racing Broom Company in 1967. The Nimbus brooms combined reliability and easy handling, and became a favourite for Quidditch teams across Europe^[1].

Universal Brooms Ltd was a broomstick manufacturing company which was very popular in the past, but shut down some time back due to heavy losses.

Present-day brooms

Nimbus 2000, a broomstick gift to Harry by Prof. McGonagall.

At present, nearly every wizarding household in Britain owns at least one broomstick^[1]. Dedicated riders keep their brooms in top condition with a Broomstick Servicing Kit. Large groups of wizards and witches may travel by broomstick without being seen by Muggles through the use of a Disillusionment Charm. An earth-bound Muggle might then only see a slight shimmer in the night sky as broomstick riders pass overhead, which might be put down to blurred vision, sleepiness or a trick of the light^[3].

Broomstick manufacturing companies

Broomstick models

200px-Nimbus2000 2001 — Two of the Nimbus Racing Broom Company's products with their owners: Harry Potter with a Nimbus 2000, and Draco Malfoy with a Nimbus 2001.

Broom games

Appearances

Behind the scenes

From the film version of Prisoner of Azkaban and onwards, the broomsticks were seen with a crossbar to hold the legs. These did not appear in the film version of Philosopher's Stone or Chamber of Secrets, nor are they mentioned in the novels.
In The Philosopher's Stone, it is required for you to shout, "Up!" before mounting your broom so that it can take off. In all of the other books, though, quidditch players simply mount their brooms and fly away.

Notes and references

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 Quidditch Through the Ages
↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Game of Quidditch

Officials: Quidditch referee
Player positions: Beater • Chaser • Keeper • Seeker
Playing equipment: Beater's bat • Bludger • Broomstick • Golden Snitch • Quaffle

[Q-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 Quidditch Through the Ages

[DH-2] Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

[OP-3] Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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[2]

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