Quidditch Through the Ages

In the 14th and 15th centuries, the wizarding world became more enthusiastic about Quidditch, but this also made them more vulnerable to being discovered by humans, or “Muggles.”

In Zacharias Mumps’s guidebook for the sport, he advises players to play at night on empty moorlands to avoid Muggle detection.

The Wizards’ Council then banned wizards from playing Quidditch near towns where players might be spotted flying on their brooms. Of course, some Muggles did spot wizards on their brooms, which is why the Muggle stereotype of a witch or wizard usually depicts them flying on one.

By the late 17th century, the different Ministries of Magic across the world were responsible for enforcing laws around Quidditch playing. In Britain, the Ministry created the Department of Magical Games and Sports, which ensured that any teams breaking the rules never played Quidditch again. In present-day Britain, Quidditch is always played on special fields set up by the Department of Magical Games and Sports, which have excellent anti-Muggle protection.

Zacharias Mumps’s 14th-century book describes how the game of Quidditch has evolved and discusses the pitch, equipment, and player positions. The original Quidditch pitch was a 500-foot-long oval with baskets on poles as goalposts. Over time, the baskets were removed, and Quidditch players began using simpler goalposts with large hoops for scoring in.

Quaffles, one of the main balls in Quidditch, have always been made from leather, although their design has changed slightly over the years. They used to have handle straps or finger holes for gripping, which modern spells have made unnecessary. Quaffles are scarlet red, so they do not blend in with the muddy pitch on rainy days, and they are enchanted, so they fall slowly to the ground when dropped, giving Chasers a chance to catch them.

Bludgers are large, hard balls that are enchanted to chase the closest player to them. Players called Beaters are responsible for hitting the Bludgers away with their bats. Players initially used rocks as Bludgers and then changed to manufactured Bludgers made of lead. Today, Bludgers are made of iron and are 10 inches in diameter. The Snitch remains a tiny but important part of the game. Like the Snidget, the Snitch is only the size of a walnut. It is put under a spell, so it flies away from the Seekers.

The Keeper has always been an important position in Quidditch. Originally, Keepers could act as defenders and try to score goals themselves; today, Keepers are encouraged to focus on defense and guard their goal baskets. Meanwhile, the Beaters must protect their teammates by batting the Bludger balls away from them. To bat effectively, Beaters must have good balance and a lot of strength.

The Chasers are responsible for offense and scoring, pursuing the Quaffle balls and scoring points when they manage to get it through the goal hoops. In the 19th century, a rule was introduced that only one Chaser could enter the scoring area at a time. The Seeker must chase the Snitch around the pitch, and so they need good eyesight and strong flying abilities. While the Seeker is a much-celebrated position, Seekers are most prone to injury as the opposing team will try to take them out.

In 1750, the Department of Magical Games and Sports established seven additional rules for Quidditch, and violating these rules results in a foul. Common fouls in modern games are grabbing opponents’ brooms, elbowing opponents, and colliding on purpose. Refereeing Quidditch matches used to be quite a dangerous profession, as players and fans would take revenge on referees, but nowadays, these incidents are quite rare. Being a referee is still a particularly challenging job, though, since they must be excellent fliers with good awareness. They must also act fairly toward all players and never use their magic against any of them.

To keep the game—and magic itself—as secret as possible, Quidditch is a highly regulated sport, with only 13 professional Quidditch teams in Britain and Ireland. Amateurs can play, too, if they follow strict guidelines.

In the north of England, the Appleby Arrows have played since their founding in 1612. In Northern Ireland, the Ballycastle Bats is a famously successful Quidditch team, having won the Quidditch League 27 times, and fans celebrate with their mascot, Barny the Fruitbat. The Caerphilly Catapults represent Wales and celebrate risk-taking plays with their own Dangerous Dai Commemorative Medal, named after their star player, Dangerous Dai Lewellyn, who was eaten by a Chimaera. Another Welsh club, the Holyhead Harpies, is known for only hiring witches, making it unique in the wizarding world. Meanwhile, the Falmouth Falcons are renowned for their violent style of play and frequent fouling.

The Chudley Cannons used to be a successful team, but in the last century, they have become notorious for their failure. Their motto is particularly sad: “‘Let’s all just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best’” (64). Puddlemere United is the League’s oldest team; it was founded in 1163. The Irish team, the Kenmare Kestrels, is also very old, having been founded in 1291. This team is known for its emerald green uniforms and harp-playing fans. The record holder for the most wins in the British and Irish league is the Montrose Magpies, who have won 32 times. The Magpies’ uniforms are black and white with an emblem of a magpie on them. Even the Isle of Skye has its own team, the Pride of Portree. Other notable teams are the Tutshill Tornados, Wigtown Wanderers, and Wimbourne Wasps.