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[[File:Quidditch Pitch.JPG|thumb|250px|right|The [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry|Hogwarts]] Quidditch pitch during a [[Gryffindor]]-[[Slytherin]] match.]]
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[[File:Quidditch pitch.gif|frame|right|The [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry|Hogwarts]]
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Quidditch pitch during a [[Gryffindor]]-[[Slytherin]] match.]]
 
{{Quote|Hermione, you're good on feelings and stuff, but you just don't understand about Quidditch.|[[Harry Potter]] talking to [[Hermione Granger]] about his favourite wizarding pastime.|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
 
{{Quote|Hermione, you're good on feelings and stuff, but you just don't understand about Quidditch.|[[Harry Potter]] talking to [[Hermione Granger]] about his favourite wizarding pastime.|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix}}
   
'''Quidditch''' is a wizarding sport played on [[broomstick]]s. It is the most popular game among wizards and witches, and, according to [[Rubeus Hagrid]], the equivalent to [[Muggle]]s' passion for football (soccer in the US and Japan).
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'''Quidditch''' is a wizarding sport played on [[broomstick]]s. It is the most popular game among wizards and witches, and, according to [[Rubeus Hagrid]], the equivalent to [[Muggle]]s' passion for [[football]].
   
 
The object of the game is to score more points than your opponents. Each goal is worth ten points and catching the [[Snitch]] is worth one-hundred fifty points. The game ends when the Snitch is caught or an agreement is reached between the captains of both teams. Some games can go on for many days if the Snitch is not caught (the record, according to ''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)|Quidditch Through the Ages]]'', is three months).
The game is played by two teams of seven people (three ''[[Chaser]]s'', two ''[[Beater]]s'', one ''[[Keeper]]'', and one ''[[Seeker]]'') and involves four balls (a ''[[Quaffle]]'', two ''[[Bludger]]s'', and a ''[[Golden Snitch]]'').
 
   
 
== History of Quidditch ==
The Keeper guards the [[goal post]]s, while the three Chasers score goals with the Quaffle by tossing it into one of the opposing team's three goal posts. The two Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team and hit the Bludgers towards the opposing team, and the Seeker catches the [[Golden Snitch]] to end the game. The team whose Seeker catches the Snitch is awarded 150 points, but this does not necessarily mean they will win if the other team still has more points after the Snitch is caught.
 
 
While Quidditch was the first (and so far, only) broomstick-based game to attain near-worldwide popularity amongst the wizarding people, it was certainly not the first broomstick game. In truth, Quidditch probably owes a debt to a number of its forerunners in making it what it is today. All of these archaic broom games were popular in localised areas, but none had the vast appeal that Quidditch today has. The beauty of Quidditch was that it took the best aspects of all its predecessors, added its own unique twists, and ended up as a game that would remain popular with the masses for centuries.
   
 
=== Ancient games ===
The object of the game is to score more points than your opponents. Each goal is worth ten points and catching the Snitch is worth one-hundred fifty points. The game ends when the Snitch is caught or an agreement is reached between the captains of both teams. Some games can go on for many days if the Snitch is not caught (the record, according to ''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)|Quidditch Through the Ages]]'', is three months).
 
 
[[File:Index22_clip_image012-1-.gif|left|thumb|285x285px|
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A goal post in an early version of Quidditch.
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]]
   
 
The main ancient games that provided some inspiration for Quidditch are:
 
* '''[[Stichstock]]''': This game originated in Germany and consisted of a single wizard acting as a guardian or goalkeeper, trying to protect an inflated dragon bladder. A number of other players mounted on broomsticks would attempt to pierce the bladder, with the first who successfully did so being declared the winner.<ref name="HPL">[http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/games.html Harry Potter Lexicon] - Games & Sports</ref>This game may have been the inspiration for the Quidditch position of Keeper.
 
* '''[[Aingingein]]''': This is an Irish game which required broomstick-mounted players to fly through a number of burning barrels set in the air, whilst all the time clutching a ball with one hand. At the end of this fiery course was a goal which the ball had to be hurled into. The wizard who completed the course and scored a goal in the shortest time was the winner.<ref name="HPL" />
 
* '''[[Creaothceann]]''': This is an exceptionally violent and often fatal game that originated in Scotland. A large number of boulders were charmed to hover in the air and each player had a cauldron strapped to his/her head. A horn was sounded, the rocks were released, and the players would fly around on their broomsticks trying to catch as many rocks in their cauldron as possible. The winner was the player who caught the most rocks (this game has been outlawed for many years).<ref name="HPL" />This game, as noted in Quidditch Through the Ages, is thought to be the inspiration of the Beater position.
 
* '''[[Shuntbumps]]''': This is a very simple form of broomstick-jousting where one flyer attempts to knock the other off his broom.<ref name="HPL" />
 
* '''[[Swivenhodge]]''': Rather like tennis on a broom, this involved hitting an inflated pig's bladder backwards and forwards across a hedge.<ref name="HPL" />This game could have been the inspiration of the Quidditch position of Chaser, simply because it was the first and only mentioned broom game involving a ball being passed, barring Quidditch itself.
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=== The evolution of Quidditch ===
 
The sport of Quidditch gets its name from [[Queerditch Marsh]], the location of the first recorded game. A witch by the name of [[Gertie Keddle]] lived on the edge of the marsh around the year [[1050s|1050]] and recorded what she saw in a diary that survives to this day.
 
Successive entries in her journal show the evolution of the game and how each element was introduced.
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Her first note simply records her annoyance at a number of people playing a game with a ball whilst flying their broomsticks above the marsh. When the ball landed in her cabbage patch, she confiscated it and then hexed the man who asked for it.
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A second entry shows that the players did not give up, but had made themselves a new ball and were then trying to score goals by throwing it through trees at the end of the marsh. This was the earliest incarnation of the [[Quaffle]] and the scoring hoops of today.
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[[File:Rogue_bludger.jpg|thumb|230x230px|
 
A typical [[Bludger]] coming toward the [[Gryffindor Quidditch team]]'s captain, [[Oliver Wood]] as he was warning [[Harry Potter]].
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]]
 
The third entry notes the introduction of flying rocks that had been bewitched to knock the players off their broomsticks, which were the forerunners of the [[Bludger]]s. She also mentioned the presence of a "''big Scottish warlock''" who may have been a Creaothceann player, which would show a clear link between the two sports.
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With historical records of the time being rather limited, there is no further mention of Quidditch until a hundred years later, around [[1150s|1150]]. A letter sent from a wizard called [[Goodwin Kneen]] to his Norwegian cousin [[Olaf]] survives from this time and gives a clear indication of how far the game had come. It had gained a name (although it was spelt "''Kwidditch''" at this time) and a number of organised teams, as well as titles for players and equipment. From the letter it can be seen that early Chasers were known as "''Catchers''", and the Bludger began its life as the "''Blooder''".
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Kneen's letter also reveals a new innovation: using three barrels mounted on stilts to use as the goals. This was undoubtedly a massive improvement from using trees as the goals and is a clear precursor to the hoops used in the modern game. Therefore it can be seen that the sport of "''Kwidditch''" played by [[Gunhilda Kneen|Kneen]] was already very similar to the game as it is played today.
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The one missing element was the [[Golden Snitch]].
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=== The [[Golden Snitch]] ===
 
{{Main|Golden Snitch}}
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{{Dialogue a-b|Harry|I like this ball.|Wood|Ah, you like it now. Just wait. It's wicked fast and damn near impossible to see.|Harry and Oliver Wood|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)}}
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[[File:Snitch_2.png|left|thumb|240x240px|
 
The Golden Snitch in [[Harry Potter]]'s hand.
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]]
 
The history of the Snitch is perhaps the most interesting of all the Quidditch balls, and its introduction came as the direct result of a game played in [[1260s|1269]] in Kent. This is over a century on from [[Goodwin Kneen]]'s letter to his cousin, and it seems that during this time, the game had acquired a great deal of popularity and organisation, but had altered in its format very little. It was, however, now routinely attended by large crowds of people who wanted to watch the game.
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The [[1260s|1269]] game mentioned above was attended by [[Barberus Bragge]], the Chief of the Wizards' Council. As a nod to the sport of [[Golden Snidget|Snidget]]-hunting, which was also popular at the time, Bragge brought such a bird to the game and released it from its cage.
 
He told the players that one-hundred fifty [[Wizarding currency|Galleons]] a large sum of money, particularly in those times would be awarded to the player who caught the bird.
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This was easier said than done: the Snidget is very fast, very small, and can make sudden changes of direction at high speeds. The considerable challenge posed by the flight patterns of the bird is what made Snidget-hunting so popular in the first place.
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What happened at the Quidditch game in question was rather predictable: the players totally ignored the game, and each and every one simply went off in pursuit of the Snidget, which was kept within the arena by the crowd using Repelling Charms.
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A witch named [[Modesty Rabnott]], who was also watching the game, took pity on the Snidget and rescued it with a [[Summoning Charm]] before rushing away with it hidden inside her robes. She was caught by a furious Bragge and fined ten Galleons for disrupting the game, but not before she had released the Snidget. This saved the life of this bird, but the connection with Quidditch had been made, and soon a Snidget was being released at every game. Each team had an extra player originally called the Hunter, later the [[Seeker]] whose sole job was to catch and kill the Snidget, for which one-hundred fifty points were awarded in memory of the one-hundred fifty [[Wizarding currency|Galleons]] offered by Bragge in the original game.
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The vast popularity of the sport led to quickly declining Snidget numbers, and in the middle of the 14th century it was made a protected species by the Wizards Council, now headed by [[Elfrida Clagg]]. This meant that the bird could no longer be used for Quidditch purposes, and indeed the [[Modesty Rabnott Snidget Reservation]] was created in [[Somerset]] to safeguard the Snidget's future survival.
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The game of Quidditch, however, could not continue without a substitute.
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Whilst most people looked for a suitable alternative bird to chase, a metal-charmer called [[Bowman Wright]] from [[Godric's Hollow]] had a different idea: he invented a fake Snidget which he called the [[Golden Snitch]]. His invention was pretty much what we see on the [[Quidditch pitch]] today: a golden ball with silver wings, the same size and weight as a real Snidget, bewitched to accurately follow its flight patterns. An additional benefit was that the ball was also charmed to stay within the playing area, removing the need for the continual use of Repelling Charms by the crowd.
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The Snitch was approved as a Snidget substitute, the game of Quidditch could continue, and the modern sport as we know it was complete. All of the balls used in the modern game were now present, organised teams played against each other, and vast numbers of people came to watch. Whilst this may sound exactly like the sport as it is played today, there were still a few modifications to be made in terms of the playing pitch, and this continued to evolve until [[1880s|1883]] when the format of today's Quidditch pitches was finalised.
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== Committees ==
 
The [[International Confederation of Wizards' Quidditch Committee]] is the international body that oversees the game of Quidditch. There is also the [[International Association of Quidditch]] and the [[Federation Internationale de Quidditch Association]] (FIQA), that organised the [[Quidditch World Cup]] every four years. Quidditch is governed in Britain by the [[Department of Magical Games and Sports]], where the [[British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters]] are situated.
 
The [[International Confederation of Wizards' Quidditch Committee]] is the international body that oversees the game of Quidditch. There is also the [[International Association of Quidditch]] and the [[Federation Internationale de Quidditch Association]] (FIQA), that organised the [[Quidditch World Cup]] every four years. Quidditch is governed in Britain by the [[Department of Magical Games and Sports]], where the [[British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters]] are situated.
   
 
==[[Quidditch pitch]]es==
 
==[[Quidditch pitch]]es==
[[File:Quidditch_Pitch_Diagram.jpg|thumb|left|240px|A diagram of a 17th-century pitch, included in the book ''[[The Noble Sport of Warlocks]]'', by [[Quintius Umfraville]].]]
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[[File:Quidditch_Pitch_Diagram.jpg|thumb|240px|A diagram of a 17th-century pitch, included in the book ''[[The Noble Sport of Warlocks]]'', by [[Quintius Umfraville]].]]
   
'''Quidditch pitches''' are typically in the shape of an oval, five-hundred feet long and one-hundred eighty feet wide, with a small central circle of approximately two feet in diameter, from which all the balls were released at the start of the game. At each end there are three hooped goal posts of different heights, surrounded by a scoring area. As Quidditch is an aerial sport, Quidditch pitches usually feature spectator seating at high vantage points, whether in towers (such as at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry|Hogwarts]]) or in a fully-encircling platform style (such as the British stadium that held the [[1994]] [[Quidditch World Cup]]).
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'''Quidditch pitches''' are typically in the shape of an oval, five-hundred feet long and one-hundred eighty feet wide, with a small central circle of approximately two feet in diameter, from which all the balls are released at the start of the game. At each end there are three hooped goal posts of different heights, surrounded by a scoring area. As Quidditch is an aerial sport, Quidditch pitches usually feature spectator seating at high vantage points, whether in towers (such as at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry|Hogwarts]]) or in a fully-encircling platform style (such as the British stadium that held the [[1994]] [[Quidditch World Cup]]).
   
 
The three hooped goal posts that are used nowadays, were originally barrel-goals in [[Goodwin Kneen]]'s time. At the time of the introduction of the [[Golden Snitch]], they were replaced by baskets on stilts, but whilst these were practical, they did carry an inherent problem: there was no size restriction on the baskets, which differed dramatically from pitch to pitch.
 
The three hooped goal posts that are used nowadays, were originally barrel-goals in [[Goodwin Kneen]]'s time. At the time of the introduction of the [[Golden Snitch]], they were replaced by baskets on stilts, but whilst these were practical, they did carry an inherent problem: there was no size restriction on the baskets, which differed dramatically from pitch to pitch.
   
[[File:Crowd_for_gryfindor.png|thumb|255px|The stands full at a Hogwarts Quidditch match. Gryffindor vs Slytherin]]
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[[File:Spectators.gif|frame|The stands full at a Hogwarts Quidditch match. Gryffindor vs Slytherin|left]]
   
 
By [[1620s|1620]], scoring areas had been added at each end of the pitch, and an additional rule in the game, a 'stooging penalty', meant that only one [[Chaser]] was allowed in these areas at any given time, as noted in [[Quintius Umfraville]]'s book ''"[[The Noble Sport of Warlocks]]"''. In addition, the size of the baskets themselves had reduced considerably, although there was still a certain amount of variation between pitches. Regulations were finally introduced in [[1883]] which replaced the baskets with hoops of a fixed size, and the modern [[Quidditch#Quidditch pitches|Quidditch pitch]] was complete. Both these changes caused a considerable amount of controversy, which resulted in riots and threats against the minister. 
 
By [[1620s|1620]], scoring areas had been added at each end of the pitch, and an additional rule in the game, a 'stooging penalty', meant that only one [[Chaser]] was allowed in these areas at any given time, as noted in [[Quintius Umfraville]]'s book ''"[[The Noble Sport of Warlocks]]"''. In addition, the size of the baskets themselves had reduced considerably, although there was still a certain amount of variation between pitches. Regulations were finally introduced in [[1883]] which replaced the baskets with hoops of a fixed size, and the modern [[Quidditch#Quidditch pitches|Quidditch pitch]] was complete. Both these changes caused a considerable amount of controversy, which resulted in riots and threats against the minister. 
   
[[File:Quidditch_pitch_1.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Hogwarts Quidditch pitch]]
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[[File:Quidditch_pitch_2.jpg|thumb|250px|The Hogwarts Quidditch pitch]]
   
 
Quidditch pitches are built in places where they will not attract Muggle attention. This began in [[1390s|1398]] when the wizard [[Zacharias Mumps]] emphasised the need for anti-Muggle security while playing the game: "''Choose areas of deserted moorland far from Muggle habitations and make sure that you cannot be seen once you take off on your brooms. Muggle-repelling [[charm]]s are useful if you are setting up a permanent pitch. It is advisable, too, to play at night.''" The advice of Mumps must not have always been followed as in [[1360s|1362]], the [[Wizards' Council]] outlawed playing Quidditch within fifty miles of a known Muggle town. This was amended in [[1360s|1368]], possibly due to growing popularity of the game. This amendment made the playing of the sport within one-hundred miles of a Muggle town illegal, famously worded as not to play "anywhere near any place where there is the slightest chance a Muggle is watching or we'll see how well you can play while chained to a dungeon wall."
 
Quidditch pitches are built in places where they will not attract Muggle attention. This began in [[1390s|1398]] when the wizard [[Zacharias Mumps]] emphasised the need for anti-Muggle security while playing the game: "''Choose areas of deserted moorland far from Muggle habitations and make sure that you cannot be seen once you take off on your brooms. Muggle-repelling [[charm]]s are useful if you are setting up a permanent pitch. It is advisable, too, to play at night.''" The advice of Mumps must not have always been followed as in [[1360s|1362]], the [[Wizards' Council]] outlawed playing Quidditch within fifty miles of a known Muggle town. This was amended in [[1360s|1368]], possibly due to growing popularity of the game. This amendment made the playing of the sport within one-hundred miles of a Muggle town illegal, famously worded as not to play "anywhere near any place where there is the slightest chance a Muggle is watching or we'll see how well you can play while chained to a dungeon wall."
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The [[International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy]] of [[1690s|1692]] made all [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministries of Magic]] responsible for the consequences of magical sports in their territories. The [[Department of Magical Games and Sports]] was created for this purpose. Quidditch teams that flouted Ministry guidelines were disbanded. One such instance was the [[Banchory Bangers]].
 
The [[International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy]] of [[1690s|1692]] made all [[British Ministry of Magic|Ministries of Magic]] responsible for the consequences of magical sports in their territories. The [[Department of Magical Games and Sports]] was created for this purpose. Quidditch teams that flouted Ministry guidelines were disbanded. One such instance was the [[Banchory Bangers]].
   
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==Match overview ==
[[File:Stadium.jpg|thumb|240px|World Cup ]]
 
 
==Game progression==
 
 
 
The game starts with the referee releasing all four balls from the central circle. The Bludgers and Snitch are bewitched to fly off of their own accord, but the Quaffle is thrown into the air by the referee to signal the start of play (This is similar to how the games of basketball and Gaelic football, popular Muggle sports begin by the referee throwing the ball in the air).
 
The game starts with the referee releasing all four balls from the central circle. The Bludgers and Snitch are bewitched to fly off of their own accord, but the Quaffle is thrown into the air by the referee to signal the start of play (This is similar to how the games of basketball and Gaelic football, popular Muggle sports begin by the referee throwing the ball in the air).
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[[File:Tumblr n1ctu4CbKZ1sg49umo9 250.gif|frame|a Hogwarts Quidditch match|left]]
 
 
Since the lengths of Quidditch games are variable (some games can go on for days if the Golden Snitch is not caught) the game is not played in periods, although captains can call for time out. Teams continue using the same goal posts to score throughout the game.
 
Since the lengths of Quidditch games are variable (some games can go on for days if the Golden Snitch is not caught) the game is not played in periods, although captains can call for time out. Teams continue using the same goal posts to score throughout the game.
   
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The game only ends when the Golden Snitch is caught, or at the agreement of both team Captains. Catching the Golden Snitch is worth 150 points to the team whose Seeker made the catch. The Snitch is bewitched to respond to the first witch or wizard to make contact with it, in case there is any dispute regarding which Seeker touched it first. Despite this, there have been several instances in which the Snitch has been fumbled. The winner of the game is the team with the most points, regardless of who caught the '''Golden Snitch'''. As a result, it is possible, although difficult, to win the game even though the opposing team caught the Snitch, if your team is one hundred sixty or more points ahead, as was the case of the final match between [[Irish National Quidditch team|Ireland]] and [[Bulgarian National Quidditch team|Bulgaria]] of the [[1994]] [[Quidditch World Cup]]. It is never explained what happens in the event of a tie.
 
The game only ends when the Golden Snitch is caught, or at the agreement of both team Captains. Catching the Golden Snitch is worth 150 points to the team whose Seeker made the catch. The Snitch is bewitched to respond to the first witch or wizard to make contact with it, in case there is any dispute regarding which Seeker touched it first. Despite this, there have been several instances in which the Snitch has been fumbled. The winner of the game is the team with the most points, regardless of who caught the '''Golden Snitch'''. As a result, it is possible, although difficult, to win the game even though the opposing team caught the Snitch, if your team is one hundred sixty or more points ahead, as was the case of the final match between [[Irish National Quidditch team|Ireland]] and [[Bulgarian National Quidditch team|Bulgaria]] of the [[1994]] [[Quidditch World Cup]]. It is never explained what happens in the event of a tie.
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=== Positions ===
 
The game is played by two teams of seven people (three ''[[Chaser]]s'', two ''[[Beater]]s'', one ''[[Keeper]]'', and one ''[[Seeker]]'') and involves four balls (a ''[[Quaffle]]'', two ''[[Bludger]]s'', and a ''[[Golden Snitch]]'').
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The Keeper guards the [[goal post]]s, while the three Chasers score goals with the Quaffle by tossing it into one of the opposing team's three goal posts. The two Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team and hit the Bludgers towards the opposing team, and the Seeker catches the [[Golden Snitch]] to end the game. The team whose Seeker catches the Snitch is awarded 150 points, but this does not necessarily mean they will win if the other team still has more points after the Snitch is caught.
   
 
==Rules==
 
==Rules==
[[File:Quidditch_Through_the_Ages.jpg|thumb|left|155px|[[Kennilworthy Whisp]]'s book ''[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]'', which depicted the history of Quidditch with letters and visuals.]]
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[[File:Quidditch_Through_the_Ages.jpg|thumb|229x229px|[[Kennilworthy Whisp]]'s book ''[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]'', which depicted the history of Quidditch with letters and visuals.]]
 
The worldwide popularity and playing of the game of Quidditch is closely monitored and analysed by [[International Confederation of Wizards' Quidditch Committee]]
 
The worldwide popularity and playing of the game of Quidditch is closely monitored and analysed by [[International Confederation of Wizards' Quidditch Committee]]
   
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# A game of Quidditch will only end once the Golden Snitch has been caught, or at the mutual consent of both team Captains.
 
# A game of Quidditch will only end once the Golden Snitch has been caught, or at the mutual consent of both team Captains.
 
# Only the Keeper can block quaffle shots thrown by the opposing team.
 
# Only the Keeper can block quaffle shots thrown by the opposing team.
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An amendment to the rules of Quidditch in [[1840s|1849]] determined that if a member of the crowd casts any spell on a player, their team would automatically forfeit the match, whether or not the team ordered or approved of the magic performed.<ref name="USAvJAM">''[[Pottermore]]'' - [http://www.pottermore.com/en/daily-prophet/qwc2014/2014-05-16/usa-v-jam New from J.K. Rowling: "''USA VERSUS JAMAICA''" (''Daily Prophet'', 16 May 2014)]</ref>
   
 
===Fouls===
 
===Fouls===
[[File:QuiddithAnimation.gif|thumb|255px|A clear example of [[Cobbing]]. <small>(''click for animation'')</small>]]
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[[File:QuiddithAnimation.gif|thumb|240x240px|A clear example of [[Cobbing]]. <small>(''click for animation'')</small>|left]]
 
There are seven hundred Quidditch fouls listed in the Department of Magical Games and Sports records, though the entire list has never been made public (it was the department's view that some wizards and witches "might get ideas"). 90% of these are banned anyway, by the rule concerning wand use against the opposing team (or rather, lack thereof) and the remaining 10% would not occur even to the dirtiest player. There are, however, ten common fouls, named below (names of who the fouls apply to in brackets):
 
There are seven hundred Quidditch fouls listed in the Department of Magical Games and Sports records, though the entire list has never been made public (it was the department's view that some wizards and witches "might get ideas"). 90% of these are banned anyway, by the rule concerning wand use against the opposing team (or rather, lack thereof) and the remaining 10% would not occur even to the dirtiest player. There are, however, ten common fouls, named below (names of who the fouls apply to in brackets):
   
 
# '''''[[Blagging]]''''': Seizing the opponent's broom tail to slow or hinder. ''(All players)''
 
# '''''[[Blagging]]''''': Seizing the opponent's broom tail to slow or hinder. ''(All players)''
 
# '''''[[Blatching]]''''': Flying with the intent to collide. ''(All players)''
 
# '''''[[Blatching]]''''': Flying with the intent to collide. ''(All players)''
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# '''''[[Block]]ing''''': Deliberately putting oneself in the way of the opposing team's Seeker, with the intention of obstructing their way towards the Snitch
 
# '''''[[Blurting]]''''': Locking broom handles with the intent to steer an opponent off course. ''(All players)''
 
# '''''[[Blurting]]''''': Locking broom handles with the intent to steer an opponent off course. ''(All players)''
 
# '''''[[Bumphing]]''''': Hitting Bludgers towards spectators. ''(Beaters only)''
 
# '''''[[Bumphing]]''''': Hitting Bludgers towards spectators. ''(Beaters only)''
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*Attacking an opponent with an axe.
 
*Attacking an opponent with an axe.
   
 
== Quidditch tactics ==
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[[File:Harry_Potter-_Quidditch_World_Cup_03.jpg|right|thumb|225x225px|
 
[[Spanish National Quidditch team|Team Spain]] at the [[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup|Quidditch World Cup]].
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]]
 
Over the centuries, many difficult and entertaining moves have been invented by players who constantly push themselves and the game as far as they can go. Among them are:
 
* [[Bludger Backbeat]]- A Beater hitting a Bludger with a back-hand swing to confuse the opposition.
 
* [[Chelmondiston Charge]] - A Chaser stands on their broomstick and leaps, thrusting the Quaffle towards a goalpost.
 
* [[Dionysus Dive]] - A Chaser stands on their broomstick and leaps, punching the Quaffle towards a goalpost.
 
* [[Dopplebeater Defence]] - Both Beaters strike a Bludger at the same time, to double the force behind a swing.
 
* [[Double Eight Loop]] - A Keeper flies in front of the three goals at high speed to block the Quaffle.
 
* [[Finbourgh Flick]] - A Chaser uses their broomstick to hit a Quaffle in midair into a goalpost.
 
* [[Hawkshead Attacking Formation]] - Three Chasers fly in triangle shape to force other Chasers aside.
 
* [[Parkin's Pincer]] - Two Chasers trap an opposing Chaser, while the third Chaser commits [[blatching]].
 
* [[Plumpton Pass]] - Hiding the Snitch in the Seeker's sleeve to confuse the opponents.
 
* [[Porskoff Ploy]] - One Chaser flies upward, and then throws the Quaffle down to another Chaser directly below.
 
* [[Reverse Pass]] - A Chaser throws the Quaffle over his or her shoulder.
 
* [[Sloth Grip Roll]] - A player hangs upside down on their broomstick to avoid a Bludger.
 
* [[Starfish and Stick]] - A Keeper holds one hand and one foot onto the broomstick, while stretching his body out, to ensure maximum shielding against oncoming Quaffles (and maximum vulnerability against Bludgers).
 
* [[Transylvanian Tackle]] - A fake punch to the nose to confuse the opponent (as long as contact is not made, it is not illegal).
 
* [[Woollongong Shimmy]] - Chasers fly in a zig-zag motion to confuse opposing Chasers.
 
* [[Wronski Feint]] - A Seeker from high above dives down, sharply, as if to collect the Snitch, causing the opposing Seeker to chase after him, only to pull up at the last second, causing the opposing Seeker to crash into the ground below.
 
==Quidditch titles==
 
==Quidditch titles==
 
* [[All-Africa Cup]]
 
* [[All-Africa Cup]]
Line 92: Line 179:
   
 
==Known Quidditch teams==
 
==Known Quidditch teams==
[[File:Gryffindor 1992 2nd Quidditch.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Gryffindor]]'s preparation for the second Quidditch match in [[1992]].]]
+
[[File:Gryffindor 1992 2nd Quidditch.jpg|thumb|right|236x236px|[[Gryffindor]]'s preparation for the second Quidditch match in [[1992]].]]
 
===Hogwarts teams===
 
===Hogwarts teams===
 
*[[Gryffindor Quidditch team|Gryffindor]]
 
*[[Gryffindor Quidditch team|Gryffindor]]
Line 100: Line 187:
   
 
===International Quidditch teams===
 
===International Quidditch teams===
{|width="350"
+
{| width="350"
|- valign=top
+
|- valign="top"
 
|
 
|
 
*[[Argentinian National Quidditch team|Argentina]]<ref>''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)]]''</ref>
 
*[[Argentinian National Quidditch team|Argentina]]<ref>''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)]]''</ref>
Line 108: Line 195:
 
*[[Brazilian National Quidditch team|Brazil]]<ref>''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)]]''</ref>
 
*[[Brazilian National Quidditch team|Brazil]]<ref>''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)]]''</ref>
 
*[[Bulgarian National Quidditch team|Bulgaria]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
 
*[[Bulgarian National Quidditch team|Bulgaria]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Burkinabé National Quidditch team|Burkina Faso]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Canadian National Quidditch team|Canada]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Chinese National Quidditch team|China]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Haitian National Quidditch team|Haiti]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Ivorian National Quidditch team|Cote D'Ivoire]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Egyptian National Quidditch team|Egypt]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
 
*[[English National Quidditch team|England]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
 
*[[English National Quidditch team|England]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Fijian National Quidditch team|Fiji]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
 
*[[Flanders National Quidditch team|Flanders]]<ref>''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)]]''</ref>
 
*[[Flanders National Quidditch team|Flanders]]<ref>''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)]]''</ref>
 
*[[French National Quidditch team|France]]<ref name="HP:QWC">Source from [[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]</ref>
 
*[[French National Quidditch team|France]]<ref name="HP:QWC">Source from [[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]</ref>
Line 114: Line 208:
 
*[[Indian National Quidditch team|India]]<ref>See [[:file:World Cup Participants.jpg|this image]]</ref>
 
*[[Indian National Quidditch team|India]]<ref>See [[:file:World Cup Participants.jpg|this image]]</ref>
 
*[[Irish National Quidditch team|Ireland]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
 
*[[Irish National Quidditch team|Ireland]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Italian National Quidditch team|Italy]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Jamaican National Quidditch team|Jamaica]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
 
*[[Japanese National Quidditch team|Japan]]<ref name="HP:QWC">Source from [[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]</ref>
 
*[[Japanese National Quidditch team|Japan]]<ref name="HP:QWC">Source from [[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]</ref>
  +
*[[Liechtenstein National Quidditch team|Liechtenstein]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Luxembourg National Quidditch team|Luxembourg]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
 
|
 
|
*[[Luxembourg National Quidditch team|Luxembourg]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
+
*[[Malagasy National Quidditch team|Madagascar]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Malawian National Quidditch team|Malawi]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Mexican National Quidditch team|Mexico]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Moldovan National Quidditch team|Moldova]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
 
*[[Moroccan National Quidditch team|Morocco]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]'' (concept art)</ref>
 
*[[Moroccan National Quidditch team|Morocco]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]'' (concept art)</ref>
  +
*[[New Zealand National Quidditch team|New Zealand]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Nigerian National Quidditch team|Nigeria]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
 
*[[Nordic National Quidditch team|The Nordic Team]]<ref name="HP:QWC">Source from [[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]</ref>
 
*[[Nordic National Quidditch team|The Nordic Team]]<ref name="HP:QWC">Source from [[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]</ref>
  +
*[[Norwegian National Quidditch team|Norway]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
 
*[[Peruvian National Quidditch team|Peru]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
 
*[[Peruvian National Quidditch team|Peru]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Polish National Quidditch team|Poland]]<ref>''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)]]''</ref>
 
*[[Portuguese National Quidditch team|Portugal]]<ref>See [[:file:World Cup Participants.jpg|this image]]</ref>
 
*[[Portuguese National Quidditch team|Portugal]]<ref>See [[:file:World Cup Participants.jpg|this image]]</ref>
  +
*[[Romanian National Quidditch team|Romania]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
 
*[[Scottish National Quidditch team|Scotland]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
 
*[[Scottish National Quidditch team|Scotland]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
  +
*[[Senegalese National Quidditch team|Senegal]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
 
*[[Spanish National Quidditch team|Spain]]<ref name="HP:QWC">Source from [[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]</ref>
 
*[[Spanish National Quidditch team|Spain]]<ref name="HP:QWC">Source from [[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup]]</ref>
  +
*[[Syrian National Quidditch team|Syria]]<ref>''[[Pottermore]]''</ref>
 
*[[Transylvanian National Quidditch team|Transylvania]]<ref>''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)]]''</ref>
 
*[[Transylvanian National Quidditch team|Transylvania]]<ref>''[[Quidditch Through the Ages (real)]]''</ref>
 
*[[Turkish National Quidditch team|Turkey]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
 
*[[Turkish National Quidditch team|Turkey]]<ref>''[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]''</ref>
Line 202: Line 310:
 
File:Quidditch Bludger Bat (Concept Artwork).jpg|Quidditch Bludger Bat (Concept Artwork)
 
File:Quidditch Bludger Bat (Concept Artwork).jpg|Quidditch Bludger Bat (Concept Artwork)
 
File:Quidditch Quaffle Ball (Concept Artwork).jpg|Quidditch [[Quaffle]] Ball (Concept Artwork)
 
File:Quidditch Quaffle Ball (Concept Artwork).jpg|Quidditch [[Quaffle]] Ball (Concept Artwork)
</gallery>
+
</gallery><!-- too colloquial! -->
 
==Quidditch tactics==
 
[[File:Harry Potter- Quidditch World Cup 03.jpg|thumb|right|225px|[[Spanish National Quidditch team|Team Spain]] at the [[Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup|Quidditch World Cup]].]]
 
Over the centuries, many difficult and entertaining moves have been invented by players who constantly push themselves and the game as far as they can go. Among them are:
 
*[[Bludger Backbeat]]- A Beater hitting a Bludger with a back-hand swing to confuse the opposition.
 
*[[Chelmondiston Charge]] - A Chaser stands on their broomstick and leaps, thrusting the Quaffle towards a goalpost.
 
*[[Dionysus Dive]] - A Chaser stands on their broomstick and leaps, punching the Quaffle towards a goalpost.
 
*[[Dopplebeater Defence]] - Both Beaters strike a Bludger at the same time, to double the force behind a swing.
 
*[[Double Eight Loop]] - A Keeper flies in front of the three goals at high speed to block the Quaffle.
 
*[[Finbourgh Flick]] - A Chaser uses their broomstick to hit a Quaffle in midair into a goalpost.
 
*[[Hawkshead Attacking Formation]] - Three Chasers fly in triangle shape to force other Chasers aside.
 
*[[Parkin's Pincer]] - Two Chasers trap an opposing Chaser, while the third Chaser commits [[blatching]].
 
*[[Plumpton Pass]] - Hiding the Snitch in the Seeker's sleeve to confuse the opponents.
 
*[[Porskoff Ploy]] - One Chaser flies upward, and then throws the Quaffle down to another Chaser directly below.
 
*[[Reverse Pass]] - A Chaser throws the Quaffle over his or her shoulder.
 
*[[Sloth Grip Roll]] - A player hangs upside down on their broomstick to avoid a Bludger.
 
*[[Starfish and Stick]] - A Keeper holds one hand and one foot onto the broomstick, while stretching his body out, to ensure maximum shielding against oncoming Quaffles (and maximum vulnerability against Bludgers).
 
*[[Transylvanian Tackle]] - A fake punch to the nose to confuse the opponent (as long as contact is not made, it is not illegal).
 
*[[Woollongong Shimmy]] - Chasers fly in a zig-zag motion to confuse opposing Chasers.
 
*[[Wronski Feint]] - A Seeker from high above dives down, sharply, as if to collect the Snitch, causing the opposing Seeker to chase after him, only to pull up at the last second, causing the opposing Seeker to crash into the ground below.
 
 
==History of Quidditch==
 
While Quidditch was the first (and so far, only) broomstick-based game to attain near-worldwide popularity amongst the wizarding people, it was certainly not the first broomstick game. In truth, Quidditch probably owes a debt to a number of its forerunners in making it what it is today. All of these archaic broom games were popular in localised areas, but none had the vast appeal that Quidditch today has. The beauty of Quidditch was that it took the best aspects of all its predecessors, added its own unique twists, and ended up as a game that would remain popular with the masses for centuries. <!-- too colloquial! -->
 
 
===Ancient games===
 
[[File:Index22_clip_image012-1-.gif|thumb|left|A goal post in an early version of Quidditch.]]
 
 
The main ancient games that provided some inspiration for Quidditch are:
 
*'''[[Stichstock]]''': This game originated in Germany and consisted of a single wizard acting as a guardian or goalkeeper, trying to protect an inflated dragon bladder. A number of other players mounted on broomsticks would attempt to pierce the bladder, with the first who successfully did so being declared the winner.<ref name="HPL">[http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/games.html Harry Potter Lexicon] - Games & Sports</ref>This game may have been the inspiration for the Quidditch position of Keeper.
 
*'''[[Aingingein]]''': This is an Irish game which required broomstick-mounted players to fly through a number of burning barrels set in the air, whilst all the time clutching a ball with one hand. At the end of this fiery course was a goal which the ball had to be hurled into. The wizard who completed the course and scored a goal in the shortest time was the winner.<ref name="HPL">[http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/games.html Harry Potter Lexicon] - Games & Sports</ref>
 
*'''[[Creaothceann]]''': This is an exceptionally violent and often fatal game that originated in Scotland. A large number of boulders were charmed to hover in the air and each player had a cauldron strapped to his/her head. A horn was sounded, the rocks were released, and the players would fly around on their broomsticks trying to catch as many rocks in their cauldron as possible. The winner was the player who caught the most rocks (this game has been outlawed for many years).<ref name="HPL">[http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/games.html Harry Potter Lexicon] - Games & Sports</ref>This game, as noted in Quidditch Through the Ages, is thought to be the inspiration of the Beater position.
 
*'''[[Shuntbumps]]''': This is a very simple form of broomstick-jousting where one flyer attempts to knock the other off his broom.<ref name="HPL">[http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/games.html Harry Potter Lexicon] - Games & Sports</ref>
 
*'''[[Swivenhodge]]''': Rather like tennis on a broom, this involved hitting an inflated pig's bladder backwards and forwards across a hedge.<ref name="HPL">[http://www.hp-lexicon.org/wizworld/games.html Harry Potter Lexicon] - Games & Sports</ref>This game could have been the inspiration of the Quidditch position of Chaser, simply because it was the first and only mentioned broom game involving a ball being passed, barring Quidditch itself.
 
 
===The evolution of Quidditch===
 
The sport of Quidditch gets its name from [[Queerditch Marsh]], the location of the first recorded game. A witch by the name of [[Gertie Keddle]] lived on the edge of the marsh around the year [[1050s|1050]] and recorded what she saw in a diary that survives to this day.
 
Successive entries in her journal show the evolution of the game and how each element was introduced.
 
 
Her first note simply records her annoyance at a number of people playing a game with a ball whilst flying their broomsticks above the marsh. When the ball landed in her cabbage patch, she confiscated it and then hexed the man who asked for it.
 
 
A second entry shows that the players did not give up, but had made themselves a new ball and were then trying to score goals by throwing it through trees at the end of the marsh. This was the earliest incarnation of the [[Quaffle]] and the scoring hoops of today.
 
 
[[File:Rogue_bludger.jpg|thumb|235px|A typical [[Bludger]] coming toward the [[Gryffindor Quidditch team]]'s captain, [[Oliver Wood]] as he was warning [[Harry Potter]].]]
 
The third entry notes the introduction of flying rocks that had been bewitched to knock the players off their broomsticks, which were the forerunners of the [[Bludger]]s. She also mentioned the presence of a "''big Scottish warlock''" who may have been a Creaothceann player, which would show a clear link between the two sports.
 
 
With historical records of the time being rather limited, there is no further mention of Quidditch until a hundred years later, around [[1150s|1150]]. A letter sent from a wizard called [[Goodwin Kneen]] to his Norwegian cousin [[Olaf]] survives from this time and gives a clear indication of how far the game had come. It had gained a name (although it was spelt "''Kwidditch''" at this time) and a number of organised teams, as well as titles for players and equipment. From the letter it can be seen that early Chasers were known as "''Catchers''", and the Bludger began its life as the "''Blooder''".
 
 
Kneen's letter also reveals a new innovation: using three barrels mounted on stilts to use as the goals. This was undoubtedly a massive improvement from using trees as the goals and is a clear precursor to the hoops used in the modern game. Therefore it can be seen that the sport of "''Kwidditch''" played by [[Gunhilda Kneen|Kneen]] was already very similar to the game as it is played today.
 
 
The one missing element was the [[Golden Snitch]].
 
 
===The [[Golden Snitch]]===
 
{{Main|Golden Snitch}}
 
 
{{Dialogue a-b|Harry|I like this ball.|Wood|Ah, you like it now. Just wait. It's wicked fast and damn near impossible to see.|Harry and Oliver Wood|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)}}
 
 
[[File:Snitch_2.png|thumb|left|230px|The Golden Snitch in [[Harry Potter]]'s hand.]]
 
The history of the Snitch is perhaps the most interesting of all the Quidditch balls, and its introduction came as the direct result of a game played in [[1260s|1269]] in Kent. This is over a century on from [[Goodwin Kneen]]'s letter to his cousin, and it seems that during this time, the game had acquired a great deal of popularity and organisation, but had altered in its format very little. It was, however, now routinely attended by large crowds of people who wanted to watch the game.
 
 
The [[1260s|1269]] game mentioned above was attended by [[Barberus Bragge]], the Chief of the Wizards' Council. As a nod to the sport of [[Golden Snidget|Snidget]]-hunting, which was also popular at the time, Bragge brought such a bird to the game and released it from its cage.
 
He told the players that one-hundred fifty [[Wizarding currency|Galleons]] - a large sum of money, particularly in those times - would be awarded to the player who caught the bird.
 
 
This was easier said than done: the Snidget is very fast, very small, and can make sudden changes of direction at high speeds. The considerable challenge posed by the flight patterns of the bird is what made Snidget-hunting so popular in the first place.
 
 
What happened at the Quidditch game in question was rather predictable: the players totally ignored the game, and each and every one simply went off in pursuit of the Snidget, which was kept within the arena by the crowd using Repelling Charms.
 
 
A witch named [[Modesty Rabnott]], who was also watching the game, took pity on the Snidget and rescued it with a [[Summoning Charm]] before rushing away with it hidden inside her robes. She was caught by a furious Bragge and fined ten Galleons for disrupting the game, but not before she had released the Snidget. This saved the life of this bird, but the connection with Quidditch had been made, and soon a Snidget was being released at every game. Each team had an extra player - originally called the Hunter, later the [[Seeker]] - whose sole job was to catch and kill the Snidget, for which one-hundred fifty points were awarded in memory of the one-hundred fifty [[Wizarding currency|Galleons]] offered by Bragge in the original game.
 
 
The vast popularity of the sport led to quickly declining Snidget numbers, and in the middle of the 14th century it was made a protected species by the Wizards Council, now headed by [[Elfrida Clagg]]. This meant that the bird could no longer be used for Quidditch purposes, and indeed the [[Modesty Rabnott Snidget Reservation]] was created in [[Somerset]] to safeguard the Snidget's future survival.
 
 
The game of Quidditch, however, could not continue without a substitute.
 
 
Whilst most people looked for a suitable alternative bird to chase, a metal-charmer called [[Bowman Wright]] from [[Godric's Hollow]] had a different idea: he invented a fake Snidget which he called the [[Golden Snitch]]. His invention was pretty much what we see on the [[Quidditch pitch]] today: a golden ball with silver wings, the same size and weight as a real Snidget, bewitched to accurately follow its flight patterns. An additional benefit was that the ball was also charmed to stay within the playing area, removing the need for the continual use of Repelling Charms by the crowd.
 
 
The Snitch was approved as a Snidget substitute, the game of Quidditch could continue, and the modern sport as we know it was complete. All of the balls used in the modern game were now present, organised teams played against each other, and vast numbers of people came to watch. Whilst this may sound exactly like the sport as it is played today, there were still a few modifications to be made in terms of the playing pitch, and this continued to evolve until [[1880s|1883]] when the format of today's Quidditch pitches was finalised.
 
 
 
==Fans==
 
==Fans==
 
Quidditch is a hugely popular spectator sport. One hundred thousand fans attended the 1994 [[Quidditch World Cup]] final. [[Binoculars]] and [[Omnioculars]] are sometimes used by fans to view matches from the stands.
 
Quidditch is a hugely popular spectator sport. One hundred thousand fans attended the 1994 [[Quidditch World Cup]] final. [[Binoculars]] and [[Omnioculars]] are sometimes used by fans to view matches from the stands.
Line 291: Line 323:
 
*[[Bush]] was a Quidditch player at Hogwarts School.
 
*[[Bush]] was a Quidditch player at Hogwarts School.
 
*There are some differences between how Quidditch is represented in Kennilworthy Whisp's ''[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]'' (and the books) and how it appears to be played in the films and video games.
 
*There are some differences between how Quidditch is represented in Kennilworthy Whisp's ''[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]'' (and the books) and how it appears to be played in the films and video games.
[[File:Harry_Potter_and_Snitch.JPG|thumb|220px|Harry Potter trying to catch the [[Golden Snitch]] during the 1992 Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match.]]
+
[[File:Harry_Potter_and_Snitch.JPG|thumb|221x221px|Harry Potter trying to catch the [[Golden Snitch]] during the 1992 Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match.]]
 
*Most notably in the films, the rule that players must not stray outside the pitch boundary is not evident, as players can be seen flying around the spectator towers at the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, as well as the scene where the rogue bludger chases [[Harry Potter|Harry]] and [[Draco Malfoy|Malfoy]] around the outside of the pitch boundaries in the [[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)|film version]] of ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]''.
 
*Most notably in the films, the rule that players must not stray outside the pitch boundary is not evident, as players can be seen flying around the spectator towers at the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, as well as the scene where the rogue bludger chases [[Harry Potter|Harry]] and [[Draco Malfoy|Malfoy]] around the outside of the pitch boundaries in the [[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)|film version]] of ''[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]''.
 
*The balls also show notable differences. ''[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]'' shows us that the Quaffle is a perfect sphere, but the movie and games' versions have four large indentations around its surface. In addition, the Bludgers in ''Quidditch Through the Ages'' are ten inches in diameter, two inches smaller than the Quaffle. In the movies and games, however, they appear much smaller than the Quaffle.
 
*The balls also show notable differences. ''[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]'' shows us that the Quaffle is a perfect sphere, but the movie and games' versions have four large indentations around its surface. In addition, the Bludgers in ''Quidditch Through the Ages'' are ten inches in diameter, two inches smaller than the Quaffle. In the movies and games, however, they appear much smaller than the Quaffle.

Revision as of 20:20, 9 September 2014

Quidditch pitch

The Hogwarts Quidditch pitch during a Gryffindor-Slytherin match.

"Hermione, you're good on feelings and stuff, but you just don't understand about Quidditch."
Harry Potter talking to Hermione Granger about his favourite wizarding pastime.[src]

Quidditch is a wizarding sport played on broomsticks. It is the most popular game among wizards and witches, and, according to Rubeus Hagrid, the equivalent to Muggles' passion for football.

The object of the game is to score more points than your opponents. Each goal is worth ten points and catching the Snitch is worth one-hundred fifty points. The game ends when the Snitch is caught or an agreement is reached between the captains of both teams. Some games can go on for many days if the Snitch is not caught (the record, according to Quidditch Through the Ages, is three months).

History of Quidditch

While Quidditch was the first (and so far, only) broomstick-based game to attain near-worldwide popularity amongst the wizarding people, it was certainly not the first broomstick game. In truth, Quidditch probably owes a debt to a number of its forerunners in making it what it is today. All of these archaic broom games were popular in localised areas, but none had the vast appeal that Quidditch today has. The beauty of Quidditch was that it took the best aspects of all its predecessors, added its own unique twists, and ended up as a game that would remain popular with the masses for centuries.

Ancient games

Index22 clip image012-1-

A goal post in an early version of Quidditch.

The main ancient games that provided some inspiration for Quidditch are:

  • Stichstock: This game originated in Germany and consisted of a single wizard acting as a guardian or goalkeeper, trying to protect an inflated dragon bladder. A number of other players mounted on broomsticks would attempt to pierce the bladder, with the first who successfully did so being declared the winner.[1]This game may have been the inspiration for the Quidditch position of Keeper.
  • Aingingein: This is an Irish game which required broomstick-mounted players to fly through a number of burning barrels set in the air, whilst all the time clutching a ball with one hand. At the end of this fiery course was a goal which the ball had to be hurled into. The wizard who completed the course and scored a goal in the shortest time was the winner.[1]
  • Creaothceann: This is an exceptionally violent and often fatal game that originated in Scotland. A large number of boulders were charmed to hover in the air and each player had a cauldron strapped to his/her head. A horn was sounded, the rocks were released, and the players would fly around on their broomsticks trying to catch as many rocks in their cauldron as possible. The winner was the player who caught the most rocks (this game has been outlawed for many years).[1]This game, as noted in Quidditch Through the Ages, is thought to be the inspiration of the Beater position.
  • Shuntbumps: This is a very simple form of broomstick-jousting where one flyer attempts to knock the other off his broom.[1]
  • Swivenhodge: Rather like tennis on a broom, this involved hitting an inflated pig's bladder backwards and forwards across a hedge.[1]This game could have been the inspiration of the Quidditch position of Chaser, simply because it was the first and only mentioned broom game involving a ball being passed, barring Quidditch itself.

The evolution of Quidditch

The sport of Quidditch gets its name from Queerditch Marsh, the location of the first recorded game. A witch by the name of Gertie Keddle lived on the edge of the marsh around the year 1050 and recorded what she saw in a diary that survives to this day. Successive entries in her journal show the evolution of the game and how each element was introduced.

Her first note simply records her annoyance at a number of people playing a game with a ball whilst flying their broomsticks above the marsh. When the ball landed in her cabbage patch, she confiscated it and then hexed the man who asked for it.

A second entry shows that the players did not give up, but had made themselves a new ball and were then trying to score goals by throwing it through trees at the end of the marsh. This was the earliest incarnation of the Quaffle and the scoring hoops of today.

Rogue bludger

A typical Bludger coming toward the Gryffindor Quidditch team's captain, Oliver Wood as he was warning Harry Potter.

The third entry notes the introduction of flying rocks that had been bewitched to knock the players off their broomsticks, which were the forerunners of the Bludgers. She also mentioned the presence of a "big Scottish warlock" who may have been a Creaothceann player, which would show a clear link between the two sports.

With historical records of the time being rather limited, there is no further mention of Quidditch until a hundred years later, around 1150. A letter sent from a wizard called Goodwin Kneen to his Norwegian cousin Olaf survives from this time and gives a clear indication of how far the game had come. It had gained a name (although it was spelt "Kwidditch" at this time) and a number of organised teams, as well as titles for players and equipment. From the letter it can be seen that early Chasers were known as "Catchers", and the Bludger began its life as the "Blooder".

Kneen's letter also reveals a new innovation: using three barrels mounted on stilts to use as the goals. This was undoubtedly a massive improvement from using trees as the goals and is a clear precursor to the hoops used in the modern game. Therefore it can be seen that the sport of "Kwidditch" played by Kneen was already very similar to the game as it is played today.

The one missing element was the Golden Snitch.

The Golden Snitch

Main article: Golden Snitch
Harry: "I like this ball."
Wood: "Ah, you like it now. Just wait. It's wicked fast and damn near impossible to see."
— Harry and Oliver Wood[src]
Snitch 2

The Golden Snitch in Harry Potter's hand.

The history of the Snitch is perhaps the most interesting of all the Quidditch balls, and its introduction came as the direct result of a game played in 1269 in Kent. This is over a century on from Goodwin Kneen's letter to his cousin, and it seems that during this time, the game had acquired a great deal of popularity and organisation, but had altered in its format very little. It was, however, now routinely attended by large crowds of people who wanted to watch the game.

The 1269 game mentioned above was attended by Barberus Bragge, the Chief of the Wizards' Council. As a nod to the sport of Snidget-hunting, which was also popular at the time, Bragge brought such a bird to the game and released it from its cage. He told the players that one-hundred fifty Galleons — a large sum of money, particularly in those times — would be awarded to the player who caught the bird.

This was easier said than done: the Snidget is very fast, very small, and can make sudden changes of direction at high speeds. The considerable challenge posed by the flight patterns of the bird is what made Snidget-hunting so popular in the first place.

What happened at the Quidditch game in question was rather predictable: the players totally ignored the game, and each and every one simply went off in pursuit of the Snidget, which was kept within the arena by the crowd using Repelling Charms.

A witch named Modesty Rabnott, who was also watching the game, took pity on the Snidget and rescued it with a Summoning Charm before rushing away with it hidden inside her robes. She was caught by a furious Bragge and fined ten Galleons for disrupting the game, but not before she had released the Snidget. This saved the life of this bird, but the connection with Quidditch had been made, and soon a Snidget was being released at every game. Each team had an extra player — originally called the Hunter, later the Seeker — whose sole job was to catch and kill the Snidget, for which one-hundred fifty points were awarded in memory of the one-hundred fifty Galleons offered by Bragge in the original game.

The vast popularity of the sport led to quickly declining Snidget numbers, and in the middle of the 14th century it was made a protected species by the Wizards Council, now headed by Elfrida Clagg. This meant that the bird could no longer be used for Quidditch purposes, and indeed the Modesty Rabnott Snidget Reservation was created in Somerset to safeguard the Snidget's future survival.

The game of Quidditch, however, could not continue without a substitute.

Whilst most people looked for a suitable alternative bird to chase, a metal-charmer called Bowman Wright from Godric's Hollow had a different idea: he invented a fake Snidget which he called the Golden Snitch. His invention was pretty much what we see on the Quidditch pitch today: a golden ball with silver wings, the same size and weight as a real Snidget, bewitched to accurately follow its flight patterns. An additional benefit was that the ball was also charmed to stay within the playing area, removing the need for the continual use of Repelling Charms by the crowd.

The Snitch was approved as a Snidget substitute, the game of Quidditch could continue, and the modern sport as we know it was complete. All of the balls used in the modern game were now present, organised teams played against each other, and vast numbers of people came to watch. Whilst this may sound exactly like the sport as it is played today, there were still a few modifications to be made in terms of the playing pitch, and this continued to evolve until 1883 when the format of today's Quidditch pitches was finalised.

Committees

The International Confederation of Wizards' Quidditch Committee is the international body that oversees the game of Quidditch. There is also the International Association of Quidditch and the Federation Internationale de Quidditch Association (FIQA), that organised the Quidditch World Cup every four years. Quidditch is governed in Britain by the Department of Magical Games and Sports, where the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters are situated.

Quidditch pitches

Quidditch Pitch Diagram

A diagram of a 17th-century pitch, included in the book The Noble Sport of Warlocks, by Quintius Umfraville.

Quidditch pitches are typically in the shape of an oval, five-hundred feet long and one-hundred eighty feet wide, with a small central circle of approximately two feet in diameter, from which all the balls are released at the start of the game. At each end there are three hooped goal posts of different heights, surrounded by a scoring area. As Quidditch is an aerial sport, Quidditch pitches usually feature spectator seating at high vantage points, whether in towers (such as at Hogwarts) or in a fully-encircling platform style (such as the British stadium that held the 1994 Quidditch World Cup).

The three hooped goal posts that are used nowadays, were originally barrel-goals in Goodwin Kneen's time. At the time of the introduction of the Golden Snitch, they were replaced by baskets on stilts, but whilst these were practical, they did carry an inherent problem: there was no size restriction on the baskets, which differed dramatically from pitch to pitch.

Spectators

The stands full at a Hogwarts Quidditch match. Gryffindor vs Slytherin

By 1620, scoring areas had been added at each end of the pitch, and an additional rule in the game, a 'stooging penalty', meant that only one Chaser was allowed in these areas at any given time, as noted in Quintius Umfraville's book "The Noble Sport of Warlocks". In addition, the size of the baskets themselves had reduced considerably, although there was still a certain amount of variation between pitches. Regulations were finally introduced in 1883 which replaced the baskets with hoops of a fixed size, and the modern Quidditch pitch was complete. Both these changes caused a considerable amount of controversy, which resulted in riots and threats against the minister. 

Quidditch pitch 2

The Hogwarts Quidditch pitch

Quidditch pitches are built in places where they will not attract Muggle attention. This began in 1398 when the wizard Zacharias Mumps emphasised the need for anti-Muggle security while playing the game: "Choose areas of deserted moorland far from Muggle habitations and make sure that you cannot be seen once you take off on your brooms. Muggle-repelling charms are useful if you are setting up a permanent pitch. It is advisable, too, to play at night." The advice of Mumps must not have always been followed as in 1362, the Wizards' Council outlawed playing Quidditch within fifty miles of a known Muggle town. This was amended in 1368, possibly due to growing popularity of the game. This amendment made the playing of the sport within one-hundred miles of a Muggle town illegal, famously worded as not to play "anywhere near any place where there is the slightest chance a Muggle is watching or we'll see how well you can play while chained to a dungeon wall."

The International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy of 1692 made all Ministries of Magic responsible for the consequences of magical sports in their territories. The Department of Magical Games and Sports was created for this purpose. Quidditch teams that flouted Ministry guidelines were disbanded. One such instance was the Banchory Bangers.

Match overview

The game starts with the referee releasing all four balls from the central circle. The Bludgers and Snitch are bewitched to fly off of their own accord, but the Quaffle is thrown into the air by the referee to signal the start of play (This is similar to how the games of basketball and Gaelic football, popular Muggle sports begin by the referee throwing the ball in the air).

Tumblr n1ctu4CbKZ1sg49umo9 250

a Hogwarts Quidditch match

Since the lengths of Quidditch games are variable (some games can go on for days if the Golden Snitch is not caught) the game is not played in periods, although captains can call for time out. Teams continue using the same goal posts to score throughout the game.

Chasers score by sending the Quaffle through any of the three goal hoops. Each goal scored is worth ten points. After a goal is scored, the opposing team's Keeper throws the Quaffle back into play.

The game only ends when the Golden Snitch is caught, or at the agreement of both team Captains. Catching the Golden Snitch is worth 150 points to the team whose Seeker made the catch. The Snitch is bewitched to respond to the first witch or wizard to make contact with it, in case there is any dispute regarding which Seeker touched it first. Despite this, there have been several instances in which the Snitch has been fumbled. The winner of the game is the team with the most points, regardless of who caught the Golden Snitch. As a result, it is possible, although difficult, to win the game even though the opposing team caught the Snitch, if your team is one hundred sixty or more points ahead, as was the case of the final match between Ireland and Bulgaria of the 1994 Quidditch World Cup. It is never explained what happens in the event of a tie.

Positions

The game is played by two teams of seven people (three Chasers, two Beaters, one Keeper, and one Seeker) and involves four balls (a Quaffle, two Bludgers, and a Golden Snitch).

The Keeper guards the goal posts, while the three Chasers score goals with the Quaffle by tossing it into one of the opposing team's three goal posts. The two Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team and hit the Bludgers towards the opposing team, and the Seeker catches the Golden Snitch to end the game. The team whose Seeker catches the Snitch is awarded 150 points, but this does not necessarily mean they will win if the other team still has more points after the Snitch is caught.

Rules

Quidditch Through the Ages

Kennilworthy Whisp's book Quidditch Through the Ages, which depicted the history of Quidditch with letters and visuals.

The worldwide popularity and playing of the game of Quidditch is closely monitored and analysed by International Confederation of Wizards' Quidditch Committee

In 1750, the Department of Magical Games and Sports set down official rules for the game of Quidditch.

  1. Players must not stray over the boundary lines of the pitch, although they may fly as high as desired. The Quaffle must be surrendered to the opposition if any player leaves the boundary (it is unknown what the penalty is if a player on defence leaves the pitch).
  2. "Time out" may be called at any time by the Captain of a team. Time out may be extended to two hours if a game has already lasted for more than twelve hours. Failure to return to the pitch after this time will lead to the team being disqualified.
  3. Penalties can be awarded to teams by the referee. A single Chaser may take the penalty by flying from the central circle towards the scoring area. The opposing team's Keeper may attempt to stop the shot being scored, but all other players must not interfere (it is unknown if the Seeker may still attempt to catch the Snitch while a penalty is being attempted).
  4. Contact is allowed, but a player may not seize hold of another player's broomstick or any part of their anatomy.
  5. No substitution of players is allowed throughout the game, even if a player is too injured or tired to continue to play. (Note: According to Goblet of Fire, during the Quidditch World Cup, at some point it lasted for days, and the players had to be switched out so that they could get some sleep).
  6. Players may take their wands onto the pitch, but they must not be used on or against any players, any players' broomsticks, the referee, any of the four balls, or the spectators.
  7. A game of Quidditch will only end once the Golden Snitch has been caught, or at the mutual consent of both team Captains.
  8. Only the Keeper can block quaffle shots thrown by the opposing team.

An amendment to the rules of Quidditch in 1849 determined that if a member of the crowd casts any spell on a player, their team would automatically forfeit the match, whether or not the team ordered or approved of the magic performed.[2]

Fouls

QuiddithAnimation

A clear example of Cobbing. (click for animation)

There are seven hundred Quidditch fouls listed in the Department of Magical Games and Sports records, though the entire list has never been made public (it was the department's view that some wizards and witches "might get ideas"). 90% of these are banned anyway, by the rule concerning wand use against the opposing team (or rather, lack thereof) and the remaining 10% would not occur even to the dirtiest player. There are, however, ten common fouls, named below (names of who the fouls apply to in brackets):

  1. Blagging: Seizing the opponent's broom tail to slow or hinder. (All players)
  2. Blatching: Flying with the intent to collide. (All players)
  3. Blocking: Deliberately putting oneself in the way of the opposing team's Seeker, with the intention of obstructing their way towards the Snitch
  4. Blurting: Locking broom handles with the intent to steer an opponent off course. (All players)
  5. Bumphing: Hitting Bludgers towards spectators. (Beaters only)
  6. Cobbing: Excessive use of elbows towards opponents. (All players)
  7. Flacking: Pushing any portion of anatomy through the goal hoop in an attempt to push the Quaffle out - the Keeper should defend from the front, not the rear. (Keepers only)
  8. Haversacking: Hand still on the Quaffle as it goes through the goal hoop - the Quaffle must be thrown through the goal. (Chasers only)
  9. Quaffle-pocking: Tampering with the Quaffle - e.g. puncturing it so that it falls more quickly or zig-zags. (Chasers only)
  10. Snitchnip: Any player other than Seeker touching or catching the Golden Snitch. (All players but Seeker)
  11. Stooging: More than one Chaser entering the scoring area. (Chasers only)

During the final of the 1473 Quidditch World Cup, all seven hundred fouls were committed. These naturally included all ten aforementioned as well as:

  • Transfiguring of a Chaser into a polecat.
  • Attempted decapitation of a keeper with a broadsword.
  • The release of one hundred blood-sucking vampire bats from under the Transylvanian Captain's robes during the game.
  • Setting fire to an opponent's broom tail.
  • Attacking an opponent's broom with a club.
  • Attacking an opponent with an axe.

Quidditch tactics

Harry Potter- Quidditch World Cup 03

Team Spain at the Quidditch World Cup.

Over the centuries, many difficult and entertaining moves have been invented by players who constantly push themselves and the game as far as they can go. Among them are:

  • Bludger Backbeat- A Beater hitting a Bludger with a back-hand swing to confuse the opposition.
  • Chelmondiston Charge - A Chaser stands on their broomstick and leaps, thrusting the Quaffle towards a goalpost.
  • Dionysus Dive - A Chaser stands on their broomstick and leaps, punching the Quaffle towards a goalpost.
  • Dopplebeater Defence - Both Beaters strike a Bludger at the same time, to double the force behind a swing.
  • Double Eight Loop - A Keeper flies in front of the three goals at high speed to block the Quaffle.
  • Finbourgh Flick - A Chaser uses their broomstick to hit a Quaffle in midair into a goalpost.
  • Hawkshead Attacking Formation - Three Chasers fly in triangle shape to force other Chasers aside.
  • Parkin's Pincer - Two Chasers trap an opposing Chaser, while the third Chaser commits blatching.
  • Plumpton Pass - Hiding the Snitch in the Seeker's sleeve to confuse the opponents.
  • Porskoff Ploy - One Chaser flies upward, and then throws the Quaffle down to another Chaser directly below.
  • Reverse Pass - A Chaser throws the Quaffle over his or her shoulder.
  • Sloth Grip Roll - A player hangs upside down on their broomstick to avoid a Bludger.
  • Starfish and Stick - A Keeper holds one hand and one foot onto the broomstick, while stretching his body out, to ensure maximum shielding against oncoming Quaffles (and maximum vulnerability against Bludgers).
  • Transylvanian Tackle - A fake punch to the nose to confuse the opponent (as long as contact is not made, it is not illegal).
  • Woollongong Shimmy - Chasers fly in a zig-zag motion to confuse opposing Chasers.
  • Wronski Feint - A Seeker from high above dives down, sharply, as if to collect the Snitch, causing the opposing Seeker to chase after him, only to pull up at the last second, causing the opposing Seeker to crash into the ground below.

Quidditch titles

Known Quidditch teams

Gryffindor 1992 2nd Quidditch

Gryffindor's preparation for the second Quidditch match in 1992.

Hogwarts teams

International Quidditch teams

Regional teams

Africa

Asia

Oceania

Europe

North America

South America

United Kingdom and Ireland

Fans

Quidditch is a hugely popular spectator sport. One hundred thousand fans attended the 1994 Quidditch World Cup final. Binoculars and Omnioculars are sometimes used by fans to view matches from the stands.

Publications

British Quidditch fans keep up to date with the latest Quidditch news in the Daily Prophet and Seeker Weekly.

Merchandise

Fans can buy a wide range of team merchandise including hats, scarves, flags, jerseys, badges and figurines.

Behind the scenes

  • Bush was a Quidditch player at Hogwarts School.
  • There are some differences between how Quidditch is represented in Kennilworthy Whisp's Quidditch Through the Ages (and the books) and how it appears to be played in the films and video games.
Harry Potter and Snitch

Harry Potter trying to catch the Golden Snitch during the 1992 Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match.

  • Most notably in the films, the rule that players must not stray outside the pitch boundary is not evident, as players can be seen flying around the spectator towers at the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch, as well as the scene where the rogue bludger chases Harry and Malfoy around the outside of the pitch boundaries in the film version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
  • The balls also show notable differences. Quidditch Through the Ages shows us that the Quaffle is a perfect sphere, but the movie and games' versions have four large indentations around its surface. In addition, the Bludgers in Quidditch Through the Ages are ten inches in diameter, two inches smaller than the Quaffle. In the movies and games, however, they appear much smaller than the Quaffle.
  • There also seems to be more allowance for malicious acts in the films, as we see several instances where Slytherin players physically attack the opposition with no penalty.
  • In the video game Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup, the rule of only having a single Chaser in the scoring area is not used. Additionally, the game allows for players to make special moves where by several goals are scored in succession as multiple Chasers pass the Quaffle back and forwards through the hoops.
  • Quidditch Through the Ages states that the Keeper cannot block goals from behind the goal post, so it would be impossible for the Keeper to block without a foul towards his/her team. This would most likely represent a foul towards the offensive team.
    File:Image 4.jpg

    Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Quidditch - Bluescreen

  • Also in the films, there have been funny moments in Quidditch, for example film adaption of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone Oliver Wood kicks the Quaffle into the air and grabs it on the backside of the hoop when defending it, and in the film adaption of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, when Ginny Weasley scores 10 point, a Slytherin Chaser and the Slytherin Keeper collide and then collapses into the hoop.
  • Quidditch was eliminated from the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Ronald Weasley became the Gryffindor keeper in the film version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince instead. In the Order of the Phoenix film, Dolores Umbridge, in her capacity as Hogwarts High Inquisitor, created Educational Decree Number Forty-Nine, which stated that "All Quidditch matches are hereby cancelled. Broomsticks will be turned in to the High Inquisitor for safe keeping."
  • J.K. Rowling wrote five pages of words starting with "Q" before deciding upon "Quidditch".[43]
  • J. K. Rowling first developed Quidditch after a fight with her boyfriend at the time in a small hotel in Manchester. Some of the game's elements, such as the Golden Snitch being worth a disporportionate amount of points, were due to her state of mind at the time, as she felt these elements would be frustrating to men.[44]

Appearances

Wiki
The Harry Potter Wiki has 488 images related to Quidditch.
Quidditch Try-Out (HP6)

Quidditch Try-Out in 1996.

Notes and references

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Harry Potter Lexicon - Games & Sports
  2. Pottermore - New from J.K. Rowling: "USA VERSUS JAMAICA" (Daily Prophet, 16 May 2014)
  3. Quidditch Through the Ages (real)
  4. Daily Prophet Newsletters
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Source from Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
  6. Quidditch Through the Ages (real)
  7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  8. Pottermore
  9. Pottermore
  10. Pottermore
  11. Pottermore
  12. Pottermore
  13. Pottermore
  14. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  15. Pottermore
  16. Quidditch Through the Ages (real)
  17. See this image
  18. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  19. Pottermore
  20. Pottermore
  21. Pottermore
  22. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  23. Pottermore
  24. Pottermore
  25. Pottermore
  26. Pottermore
  27. Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup (concept art)
  28. Pottermore
  29. Pottermore
  30. Pottermore
  31. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  32. Quidditch Through the Ages (real)
  33. See this image
  34. Pottermore
  35. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  36. Pottermore
  37. Pottermore
  38. Quidditch Through the Ages (real)
  39. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  40. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  41. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  42. A portrait of Selina Sapworthy, on exhibit as part of the Train Harry Potter et le Prince de Sang-Mêlé tour in France in 2009.
  43. J.K. Rowling on The Diane Rehm Show, WAMU Radio Washington, D.C., October 20, 1999
  44. J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - with annotations, The Guardian
Game of Quidditch
Quidditch pitch
Officials: Quidditch referee
Player positions: BeaterChaserKeeperSeeker
Playing equipment: Beater's batBludgerBroomstickGolden SnitchQuaffle