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Quidditch

And they're off!

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Delving deeper into Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition with Emily Gravett

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*Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition* is out today! And you can catch more from Emily with our [exclusive interview with her here. ](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/interview-with-emily-gravett-for-quidditch-through-the-ages-illustrated-edition)

## The tapestry 

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This tapestry, which depicts an ancient hunt for a Golden Snidget, is one of the biggest pieces in the entire book. It took Emily around 2 weeks to complete. If you look closely, it’s filled with all sorts of commotion, magical creatures, a Latin description and other little details.

‘The tapestry, inspired by the Bayeaux tapestry, was a massive challenge actually, because there were so many elements that I had to make look right,’ Emily said. ‘And I’m not a sewer, so I had to figure out a way to make it look like I’d sewn it in Photoshop – working out how to make stitches and then using individual stitches in Photoshop, so it took about two weeks! I scanned in an old piece of linen as the background and then sewed it together digitally.’  

## The leprechaun 

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Emily also called out this Kenmare Kestral’s leprechaun mascot as one of her favourite pieces, which she made a real-life version of using needle-felting. “I still have him somewhere!” she said.

‘Each one of the Quidditch teams has a badge, so I designed them as logos, but then I thought I’d put all the team ‘merchandise’ in there and make that for real – that’s how I ended up making patches too.’ 

## The Quidditch teams


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The British and Irish Quidditch Teams section of the book was one of the first chapters Emily worked on. And for each team, she was sure to include little details that were true to their real-life locations.

‘There’s little chapter headings in the book so I was trying to find references for each place. Appleby, for example, has a horse fair, so that’s why there’s a little carriage on it and Wigtown has the books. 

## The Quidditch players 


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‘I used to play roller derby, so in my head, roller derby and Quidditch have sort of become the same sport. Roller skates and brooms are not the same at all, but it’s that kind of speed and the ‘being hit’ element of it, so I was thinking of safety gear, knee pads and wrist guards, etc. And the players. The thing I liked about roller derby is there’s quite a lot of diversity, in body shapes and sizes, and I wanted to get that across in the team members I was drawing – make sure they weren’t all just svelte athletes. It’s quite an inclusive sport. After all, you’re sitting on a broom!

## The Quidditch balls 


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I was a bit worried about this chapter because at first, I thought it would be a bit dull – it’s just about balls! But the actual fold-out Quidditch balls sort of amazed me – I thought it’d be a great thing to actually put the actual-size of the balls in – so I measured them on Photoshop. When I saw them printed out, I thought, ‘that can’t be right?’. But I did loads of research into the sizes to make sure I had the most accurate Quaffle! 

***

*Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition* is out NOW from [Bloomsbury](https://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/uk/quidditch-through-the-ages-illustrated-edition-9781526608123/?ewid=153) and [Scholastic.](https://scholasticlibrary.digital.scholastic.com/978-1-338-34056-3.html) 

A portion of proceeds from the sale of this edition will go to J.K. Rowling’s own international children’s charity Lumos, which helps some of the world’s most vulnerable children and young people to have a better life; and to Comic Relief.

[And for more Quidditch content – visit our hub.](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/quidditch)

Some interesting data about your favourite Quidditch teams 

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When you sign up to the Harry Potter Fan Club, one of the fun things you can do is pick your Favourites: AKA your top things about the wizarding world, from favourite characters to favourite Quidditch teams. You can learn more about [Favourites here](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/10-interesting-facts-about-your-wizarding-passport-favourites) if you haven’t chosen yours yet!

With the upcoming release of Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition coming soon (published 6th October – [learn more about that here](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/bloomsbury-reveal-cover-for-new-illustrated-edition-of-quidditch-through-the-ages)) we’ve been looking into some of your favourite Quidditch teams, all of which are beautifully illustrated in the new book. 

![quidditch-through-ages-page-teams](//images.ctfassets.net/usf1vwtuqyxm/69iw9gqz2I0jMSJIJ4LESj/072b3231fbcbc4e79feaaa60425dfb20/quidditch_pic.jpg)

First, a quick reminder: in the wizarding world, there is a British and Irish Quidditch League, with teams up and down the country representing select villages, towns and cities. Think of it like the wizarding world’s equivalent of the football league. As you can see from Emily Gravett’s illustration above – each team comes with its own history, colours and crest, and you can pick some of these to be your favourite team on your profile here. So, which team resonated with our fans the most? Take a look.
<br>
## The most popular Quidditch team is... 

The Holyhead Harpies! Yes, the Quidditch team (famous for being the only one to be made up entirely of women) struck a chord with our Harry Potter Fan Club members the most, winning the top slot by a landslide. Interestingly, Ravenclaws were the house most likely to pick this team. 

And a fun fact for you: the Holyhead Harpies is the team that Ginny would go on to play for after Hogwarts.
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## And in second place...

The Chudley Canons! Ron Weasley’s beloved team, famous for their vibrant orange colours, came in second place in our list altogether – although Slytherins favoured this team far less than the other three houses... It should be no surprise, however, that Ron’s house, Gryffindor, was the house that were most likely to pick Chudley Cannons as their team. 
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## In third place...

The Falmouth Falcons! A bit more of a leftfield choice makes up our top three, but all four houses are in agreement on this one. Again, Ravenclaws loved them the most, and Hufflepuffs the least. 
<br>
## Other interesting things...

- Ravenclaws were most likely to pick Puddlemere United, the oldest team in the Quidditch league, as their favourite. Also, their outfits are blue which suit the Ravenclaw colours! 

- Slytherins were most likely to pick the team Ballycastle Bats as their favourite. Interesting – Snape, who was Head of Slytherin house, was once described as a bat. 

- In regards to our Favourites and our users, Hufflepuffs were the least interested in picking Quidditch teams, usually placed last looking at the data of each team. Slytherins weren’t far behind them either. Quidditch isn’t for everybody, and that’s OK!

- Ravenclaws, however, just seem to really like Quidditch! Based on these results, anyway. More often than not, Ravenclaws were top of the list when it came to picking favourite teams – seven of them, in fact. 

****

So, did your favourite team make our top three? Or are you yet to pick your [Favourites](https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/10-interesting-facts-about-your-wizarding-passport-favourites)?

And remember, *Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition* is released 6th October with [Scholastic in the US](https://scholasticlibrary.digital.scholastic.com/978-1-338-34056-3.html) and [Bloomsbury in the UK](https://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/uk/quidditch-through-the-ages-illustrated-edition-9781526608123/?ewid=153). Or you can visit our [Quidditch hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/quidditch) to learn all about the wizarding sport, with quizzes, features and more. 

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Bloomsbury and Scholastic reveal covers for new illustrated edition of Quidditch Through the Ages

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Today Bloomsbury Children’s Books and Scholastic have revealed beautiful covers for the full colour illustrated edition of J.K. Rowling’s Quidditch Through the Ages, illustrated by Emily Gravett to be published simultaneously in hardback on 6th October 2020.

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*Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition* is packed full of high-flying illustrations from Emily Gravett, twice winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal.

Gravett’s imaginative artworks truly bring the sport of Quidditch to life. You can expect to feast your eyes on match posters, team uniforms, Chudley Cannons memorabilia, as well as broom adverts, old Quidditch World Cup tickets and much more. But don’t just take it from us – here’s a sneak peek at some of the delights you can expect inside...

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Charming and funny, Emily Gravett’s handmade artworks are the perfect pairing for J.K. Rowling’s humorous insights into – as Ron would tell you – ‘the best game in the world’.
 
Quidditch Through the Ages first appeared in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Hermione borrowed it from the library – of course – and later lent it to Harry before his first ever Quidditch match. As Harry found out, Quidditch Through the Ages is a whistle-stop tour of the wizarding world’s favourite sport, with trivia, tales of on-pitch antics, team profiles and Quidditch moves (haven’t you always want to know how to do a Wronski Feint?). And now this new edition brings the sport to life in glorious technicolour!
 
As with previous editions, proceeds from the sale of this new illustrated book will go to J.K. Rowling’s own international children’s charity Lumos, which helps some of the world’s most vulnerable children and young people to have a better life, with additional proceeds going to Comic Relief.

Harry Potter fans set new Guinness World Record in Bloomsbury’s ‘Broom for One More’ Quidditch challenge 

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So, we may not be able to actually fly, but Bloomsbury definitely made magic recently after smashing a brand-new Guinness World Record. The challenge? Ask as many people as possible, all across the globe, to get on a broom, and record the moment online in perfect unison. The result: an absolute clean sweep. 

Participants from 40 countries, comprised of 133 households ended up taking part in the challenge, coming from the likes of Australia, India, Spain, Canada, France, Czech Republic, Italy, Japan, Hong Kong, Brazil, South Africa, Oman, USA, Philippines and the UK, to name a few. And for those wondering precisely what the record is called, it’s Most People to Simultaneously Board a Broom Online. Just in case you ever fancy a go at breaking the record yourself on a rainy day. 

A spokesperson from Bloomsbury Publishing said of the achievement: ‘We’re thrilled that so many people took the time to take part in this successful Guinness World Records attempt. It’s wonderful that during this challenging time video sharing platforms allow fans to come together and celebrate in new and unique ways.’ 

Congratulations to everyone who took part! 

The record attempt was put together in celebration of the upcoming Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition. This potted history of the wizarding sport, as written by J.K. Rowling back in 2001, is soon to get a brightly coloured makeover, thanks to the imaginative drawings of artist Emily Gravett. The book is released in the UK and US in hardback on 6th October by Bloomsbury Publishing, in aid of Comic Relief and Lumos. Visit the [Bloomsbury website for more details.](https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/)

Which Quidditch position would be right for you? 

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Ron Quidditch tryouts quidditch HP6

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## For thrill-seeking adventurers, you should be a Seeker 

*Notable Seekers*: Viktor Krum, Glynnis Griffiths, Harry Potter, Charlie Weasley

*Seeker objective*: Catch the Golden Snitch before the other team’s Seeker

__Seeker would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__
… you keep a cool head under pressure and never shy away from shouldering responsibility. Individuality is important to you; you love the limelight, but you believe working as part of a team makes your success all the more meaningful. You notice small details that other people don’t and often follow your instincts when the way forward is unclear. You are bold and brave in the face of physical danger and would never dream of running the other way. 

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## For a goal-orientated team player, you should be a Chaser 

*Notable Chasers*: Ginny Weasley, Dragomir Gorgovitch, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell

*Chaser objective*:  Throw the Quaffle through one of the three goal hoops

__Chaser would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__ 
… you’re a team player and feel most fulfilled when working towards a common goal. You read situations quickly, and often successfully pre-empt a particular outcome. You don’t crack under pressure, but you prefer to share the burden of responsibility with a select and trustworthy few. You’re excellent at thinking on your feet and unafraid of a challenge. You don’t shy away from hard work and are a fan of the mantra, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. For you, victory isn’t sweet unless it’s shared. 

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Quidditch Pitch and its stands from the Half Blood Prince 

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## For the selfless, you should be a Keeper 

*Notable Keepers*: Oliver Wood, Ronald Weasley, Barry Ryan, Cormac McLaggen

*Keeper objective*: Protect the hoops from goal-scoring Chasers

__Keeper would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__ 
… you’re an all-or-nothing kind of person, for whom there is no middle ground. Good or bad, that’s how you see things. You save the goal, or you let it in – no grey area exists. You stand strong in the face of adversity and cope well under pressure, as well as under intense scrutiny. You are happy to sacrifice personal glory for the good of others, even if it means you’re the centre of negative (rather than positive) attention. When it comes to a showdown, you always stand your ground. Some might describe you as an unsung hero or heroine, but you don’t need their praise to know your own worth. 

Ron Keeper Quidditch falling HP6

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## For the free-spirited exuberant, you should be a Beater 

*Notable Beaters*: Kevin and Karl Broadmoor, Gwenog Jones, Fred and George Weasley

*Keeper objective*: Protect team members from Bludgers using a bat

__Beater would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__ 
… you’re fiercely protective of your friends, sometimes taking it to... extremes. Rather than focussing on specific goals, you prefer to take life as it comes, and go with the flow. When you have a challenge in your sights, however, there’s no holding you back. You’re a team player, but only as long as you’re enjoying your own role within the group. You prefer to tackle new obstacles as they arise, rather than plan for them in advance. People call you unpredictable, mainly because you have a strong sense of fun and nobody can tie you down. You only live once, right?

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## For the thick-skinned, you should be a referee 

*Notable referees*: Madam Hooch, Hassan Mostafa

*Referee objective*: Implement the rules of Quidditch in a fair manner

__Referee would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__ 
… you have a clear and unshakeable moral compass and don’t mind getting a bit of stick. You are never swayed by bias and judge events based on the facts in front of you rather than making any assumptions, even if people are arguing otherwise. If you are convinced of a particular way forward, you will not be deterred, even if it makes you unpopular. Indeed, a referee of any sport requires a thick skin, and judging by some of the injuries we’ve heard about Quidditch referees suffering, we might mean literally. 

Quidditch crowd stands image

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## If you have a way with words, you should be a commentator 
 
*Notable commentators*: Lee Jordan, Luna Lovegood, Ludo Bagman

*Commentator objective*: Communicate the action on the Quidditch pitch to the crowd

__Commentator would be the right Quidditch position for you if…__ 
… you prefer to watch the action rather than be caught up in it – but that doesn’t mean you don’t know exactly what’s going on. You like facts and figures, and you have an excellent memory for names and faces. You have a love of words and like the sound of your own voice, and others like listening to you too. You are generally trustworthy, honest and call things as you see them. You also have an infectious sense of humour and don’t mind being the centre of attention – even if you’re happy on the sidelines most of the time. And, of course, you are absolutely, 100% impartial.  

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And if you want to [watch David Tennant, with David Beckham, reading Chapter Eleven, ‘Quidditch’ again, you can find it here](https://www.wizardingworld.com/chapters/reading-quidditch "CH11").


The Ultimate Quidditch Quiz

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

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and the Chamber of Secrets

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The beautiful game of Quidditch was a big deal throughout the wizarding world – a sport with a rich history; exciting, dramatic matches and enough fans to warrant one of the biggest magical events ever, the Quidditch World Cup. Oh, and it was definitely, absolutely, 100 per cent safe. Honestly.

But how much do you really know about Quidditch? Are you the Viktor Krum of Quidditch quizzing or do you need to re-read *Quidditch Through the Ages?*

Well, we’ve got two quizzes for you to try out – easy and hard – to set apart the novices from the experts.

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So, how did you do? Fancy something tougher? Be warned... this next Quidditch quiz is a little trickier. Can you (broom) handle it? We’ll see you on the other side!

<p><br><br>

<div class="quizz-container" data-width="100%" data-iframe-title="QUIZ: The even more ultimate Quidditch quiz" data-height="auto" data-quiz="458496" data-networks="none"</div>
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<br><br>

Right, we must have exhausted your Quidditch knowledge by now. If not, why not have a read of our new interactive reading experience of a [Quidditch World Cup match](/quidditch-world-cup), written by J.K. Rowling, complete with animations and lots of whooshing sound effects? You don’t get more Quidditch-y than whooshing, after all.

Discover the films

Wizarding World Image Crediting

to Fantastic Beasts

The funniest ten moments of Quidditch commentary

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## When Lee Jordan couldn’t keep his Gryffindor loyalty under control 
‘So – after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating –’

‘Jordan!’ growled Professor McGonagall.

‘I mean, after that open and revolting foul –’
‘Jordan, I’m warning you –’

‘All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I’m sure’.

*Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone*

## When Luna Lovegood wasn’t too fussed about remembering the players’ names 
‘… but now that big Hufflepuff player’s got the Quaffle from her, I can’t remember his name, it’s something like Bibble – no, Buggins –’

‘It’s Cadwallader!’ said Professor McGonagall loudly from beside Luna.

*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

## When Malfoy fouled Harry and Professor McGonagall forgot all about Lee Jordan’s bias 
Professor McGonagall didn’t even bother to tell him off. She was actually shaking her fist in Malfoy’s direction; her hat had fallen off, and she, too, was shouting furiously.

*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*

## When Ginny Weasley deliberately flew into biased commentator Zacharias Smith 
‘Forgot to brake, Professor, sorry.’

*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

## When Lee Jordan spoke mostly in capital letters
‘YOU CHEATING SCUM!’ Lee Jordan was howling into the megaphone, dancing out of Professor McGonagall’s reach. ‘YOU FILTHY, CHEATING B–’

*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*

## When Luna Lovegood had a deep and meaningful chat with the whole Quidditch crowd 
‘Smith was being quite rude about Gryffindor, I expect he regrets that now he’s playing them – oh, look, he’s lost the Quaffle, Ginny took it from him, I do like her, she’s very nice …’

*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

## When Ludo Bagman noticed the referee at the Quidditch World Cup having Veela issues
‘Now, we can’t have that!’ said Ludo Bagman, though he sounded highly amused. ‘Somebody slap the referee!’

*Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire*

## When Lee Jordan appeared to be sponsored by the Firebolt
‘The Firebolt’s precision-balance is really noticeable in these long –’

‘JORDAN! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE FIREBOLTS? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!’

*Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban*

## When Professor McGonagall just couldn’t take it anymore
‘Seventy–forty to Hufflepuff!' barked Professor McGonagall into Luna’s megaphone. 

‘Is it, already?’ said Luna vaguely. 

*Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince*

## When Lee Jordan bemoaned the state of his love life
‘And it’s Johnson – Johnson with the Quaffle, what a player that girl is, I’ve been saying it for years but she still won’t go out with me –’

*Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*

Firebolt

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Ron flying Harry's Firebolt from the Prisoner of Azkaban 

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In the late twentieth century, the Nimbus Racing Broom Company dominated its competition. The Nimbus Two Thousand and Two Thousand and One models outsold all other top-class brooms combined by a factor of three to one.

Little did the Nimbus designers realise that a racing broom was in development that would knock them from their number one spot within twelve months of its release. This was the Firebolt, a top-secret project developed by Randolph Spudmore (son of Able Spudmore of Ellerby and Spudmore, who produced the Tinderblast in 1940 and the Swiftstick in 1952, both serviceable brooms, but never achieving great popularity).

A skillful and innovative broom designer, Randolph was the first to use goblin-made ironwork (including footrests, stand and twig bands), the secrets of which are not fully understood, but which seem to give the Firebolt additional stability and power in adverse weather conditions and a special non-slip foot grip that is of particular advantage to Quidditch players. The handle is of polished ebony and the twigs of birch or hazel according to personal preference (birch is reputed to give more ‘oomph’ in high ascents, whereas hazel is preferred by those who prefer hair-trigger steering).

The Firebolt is a costly broom and Harry Potter was among the first to own one. It continues to be made in relatively small quantities, partly because the goblin workers involved in the patented ironwork are prone to strikes and walkouts at the smallest provocation.

Ranked: the best and worst Hogwarts Quidditch players 

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Cormac McLaggen close-up in front of the Quidditch goal hoops

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We have taken a look back at the [Quidditch](/collection/quidditch) players, ranking them from best to worst. Players get points for reliability, professionalism and results. And we’re not counting professional internationals in this list, because that seems somewhat unfair. Sorry, Krum.

## Cormac McLaggen

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Sure, he was a talented player, but that arrogance! How are you meant to be a Keeper if you keep trying to tell everyone else how to do their roles properly? How are you meant to be on a team if you can’t even listen to your captain? For these reasons, we’re glad that Cormac’s stint in [Gryffindor’s](/collection/characters-gryffindors) team was so quick and painless (well, not for Harry).

It has to be said, we’re also very relieved that Hermione had the smarts to Confund him during the trials as well, even though that was technically cheating.

## Marcus Flint (tied with Crabbe and Goyle)

[Slytherin](/collection/characters-slytherins) captain Marcus Flint really personified the Slytherin team’s personality: they weren’t afraid to play dirty to win a game.

> Angelina was nearly thrown from her broom as Marcus Flint
went smashing into her.
>‘Sorry!’ said Flint, as the crowd below booed. ‘Sorry, didn’t see
her!’
<br> *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* </br>

Sure, you didn’t, Flint. As a flyer, he seemed adept enough (remember, Slytherin were reigning champions before Harry joined the Gryffindor team...) but didn’t seem to be the smartest captain in the world, opting for ‘size rather than skill’ when picking his team.  

Take Crabbe and Goyle for instance... not so much Beaters as lumbering trolls on brooms.

## Ron Weasley

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Cormac McLaggen and Ron Weasley face off in the Great Hall

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Poor Ron couldn’t play Quidditch in front of a crowd to save his life, and that wasn’t helpful. As much as he tried to do a good job as Gryffindor’s Keeper, and we knew that he could be excellent – particularly after he thought he was given [Felix Felicis](/features/felix-felicis) and played like a champ – his struggle with confidence has let him down on this occasion. Sorry, Ron!

## Draco Malfoy

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Draco on his broom beofre quidditch match 

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Placing Draco higher than Ron?! This is perhaps unfair, seeing as Draco was gifted with a fancy broom by his dad and most likely bought his way on to the Slytherin Quidditch team in the first place. Suffice to say, though, Draco did hold his own against the Gryffindor Seeker during games, but seemed to only get into Quidditch to spite Harry rather than anything else.

## Fred and George Weasley

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FredAndGeorge PM B5C29 PeevesSalutesWeasleyTwinsDeparture 

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Great Beaters, bad tempers. The pair couldn’t keep their cheeky antics from getting in the way of their performance on the pitch from time to time. One example of this was when Fred fouled the Slytherin captain, Marcus Flint, after he had fouled Angelina. Why lower Gryffindor to Slytherin’s dirty tactics? 

Of course this all came to a head when they were banned at the same moment as Harry for attacking Draco, Crabbe and Goyle, and they never played Quidditch for Gryffindor again after leaving the school in a blaze of glory. 

>‘Sorry!’ said Flint, as the crowd below booed. ‘Sorry, didn’t see her!’ 

>Next moment, Fred Weasley had chucked his Beater’s club at the back of Flint’s head. Flint’s nose smashed into the handle of his broom and began to bleed.

>‘That will do!’ shrieked Madam Hooch, zooming between them. ‘Penalty to Gryffindor for an unprovoked attack on their Chaser! Penalty to Slytherin for deliberate damage to their Chaser!’ <br> *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* </br>

## Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet (tied)

Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet, the old reliables. These two proved that working together well is just as important as flying brilliantly solo. The two Chasers always played a strong game, always scored a few goals to keep under their belts, and quite happily put up with Oliver Wood and Angelina Johnson’s demanding antics. As far as we’re concerned, they were Quidditch saints.

## Cho Chang

The Ravenclaw Seeker knocked Harry for six when she competed against him in [Prisoner of Azkaban](/collection/harry-potter-prisoner-of-azkaban-collection) and seemed to be a very smart flier. In her first match against Harry, she used canny moves to get him to change direction on the pitch. No wonder Harry ended up fancying her off the pitch. If Cho had a better broom (she rode a Comet Two Sixty) and wasn’t so dogged by injury, maybe [Ravenclaw](/collection/characters-ravenclaws) would’ve faired a little higher in their matches.

## Cedric Diggory

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Cedric stands in the maze prepared to take on the horrors that lie within.

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>‘Yes, but you didn’t fall off, did you?’ roared Amos genially, slapping his son on his back. ‘Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman … but the best man won, I’m sure Harry’d say the same, wouldn’t you, eh? One falls off his broom, one stays on, you don’t need to be a genius to tell which one’s the better
flier!’
<br> *Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire* </br> 

Alright, so without taking [Amos Diggory’s](/features/amos-diggory) biased words too seriously, it is still fair to say Cedric seemed like a fantastic Quidditch player during his short-lived time at Hogwarts. The [Hufflepuff](/features/hufflepuff-common-room) captain did indeed beat Harry on the Quidditch pitch (albeit not intentionally) but seemed to show genuinely graceful sportsmanship, even offering a rematch after Harry fell off his broom due to an impromptu Dementor invasion.  

## Oliver Wood

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Oliver Wood and Harry Potter before Harry's first Quidditch match

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Oliver was an excellent and dedicated Keeper, and always did well on the pitch. He was also a passionate captain, and was always coming up with new game plays and strategy that definitely helped lead the team to victory. But he was intense, and at times too intense. Remember when he was happy to risk Harry’s life if it just meant that he could fly his [Firebolt](/writing-by-jk-rowling/firebolt) broomstick? As much as we admired his spirit, there’s a line between wanting to win and being willing to hospitalise your team mates for a shot at the cup.

>‘Bad news, Harry. I’ve just been to see Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt. She – er – got a bit shirty with me. Told me I’d got my priorities wrong. Seemed to think I cared more about winning the Cup than I do about you staying alive. Just because I told her I didn’t care if it threw you off, as long as you caught the Snitch on it first.’
<br> *Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban* </br>

## Charlie Weasley 

Harry was compared to Charlie in terms of skill as a Seeker, and it was even suggested that the second eldest Weasley brother could have played the game on an internationally professional level if he hadn’t chosen to take care of dragons instead. Since we know Charlie won at least one championship for Gryffindor during his time at Hogwarts, he ranks more or less on the same level as Harry.

## Harry Potter (and an honorary mention to James Potter)

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Harry and Draco race to the snitch in a quidditch match 

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As Ludo Bagman once said, ‘Great Scott, he can fly!’ And indeed, he really could. Harry only ever lost two matches during his time at Hogwarts – once when [Dementors](/features/dementors) infiltrated the stadium, and once when Cormac hit him around the head with a Beater’s club, it was several extenuating circumstances that led to Harry not winning more trophies.

Harry was said to have inherited his Quidditch prowess from his dad, [James](/features/james-potter), and was even known to fly around on a toy broomstick as a baby. Throughout the books, we see Harry adopt several impressive moves on his broom, which seems to come from a genuine, natural flair and passion for flying. His skinny stature also suited him to the Seeker position perfectly, and Harry was often described as nimble and speedy – not to mention the fact he had the best broom going, a [Firebolt](/writing-by-jk-rowling/firebolt). In another life, one not dogged by [Lord Voldemort](/features/lord-voldemort), we wonder if Harry would’ve gone into the Quidditch profession like his future wife did. 

## Angelina Johnson 

After being made captain in her final year, Angelina took it as seriously (and dramatically) as Oliver before her, and yet was very much aware when she took things a little too far – like screaming at Harry at breakfast for getting a detention. As such, we’re going to give her the runner-up place on the list, if not for her attitude towards the game, than for what we learned about her thanks to [Lee Jordan’s ](/features/lee-jordan)commentary (although he does sound a little biased, we must admit).

>‘And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor – what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too –’ 
<br> *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* </br> 

## Ginny Weasley

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Ginny playing Quidditch Jessica Roux

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Thank Merlin for Ginny. After Harry got banned from playing the game in book five, and when he was stuck serving detention with [Snape ](/features/severus-snape)in book six, Ginny stepped up and helped take Gryffindor to victory in not one but two Quidditch Cups, one more than Harry! Since she never missed a match when she was needed, always kept a cool head and was clearly talented (so talented she went on to play professionally with the Holyhead Harpies), it seems only fair to give her the top spot.

A blagger’s guide to Quidditch 

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There are seven players on each team (three Chasers, one Keeper, two Beaters and one Seeker), four balls (one Quaffle, two Bludgers and one Snitch), three hoops (but you can only score the Quaffle in them), ten points per goal, and 150 points if you catch the Snitch, which also ends the game. Also, it’s all played on broomsticks.

See? Entirely and utterly straightforward.

Not everyone can be adamant sports fans, but there are shortcuts along the way should you find yourself in an awkward group discussion about Quidditch. You know, if Quidditch was real. But never mind that. Thanks to our handy guide, look forward to hordes of new admirers as you wow the world with your sudden encyclopedic knowledge. You’re welcome!

## Remember it’s played on brooms

A really important fact not to forget about Quidditch is that it’s played in the sky, unlike your boring ground sports like football and netball. So, when discussing said game, throw in a few references to the fact that you actually know the sport involves flying, otherwise you’ll get a lot of stick. And we don’t mean broomsticks.

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## Don’t pick an obvious favourite team 

In the wizarding world, the likes of the Tutshill Tornados are one of your top dogs in the game, so when you’re embroiled in a match debate, the key sign of a Quidditch expert is to think outside the box, pick an up-and-coming team instead of one everyone has heard of.

For example, Ron Weasley’s favourite team, the Chudley Cannons, may have had their day, but are still a good, realistic team to support. You’ll be respected for staying faithful to a team past their prime, and also get a bit of ribbing for your choice, as is traditional in sports-based banter.

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## Remember key players’ names

We know it’s difficult to remember the names of people in the same room as you, let alone Quidditch players from across the globe, but you must have a few key names to hand just in case someone says ‘Mullet’ and you think they’re referring to a haircut. (They are, of course, referring to the Chaser from the Irish National Quidditch team.)

A good player to mention is Dragomir Gorgovitch, a popular Chaser who did wonders for the Chudley Cannons during Harry and Ron’s time at school. And by ‘did wonders’ we mean held the record for most Quaffle drops in a season.

If you want to accredit a more classic player, go for Ludo Bagman, a former star of the Wimbourne Wasps who worked for the Ministry of Magic. Not knowing who Ludo Bagman is as terrible a crime as saying ‘Who’s Andy Murray?’

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## Know your Quidditch controversies 

In these epic Quidditch chats you’ll be having, be prepared for huge Quidditch historical references to pop up. Imagine talking about Muggle football and not knowing who won the 1966 World Cup, for example. (It was England, by the way.)

A good example to reference is the 1473 Quidditch World Cup, the final of which was unique in featuring all 700 types of Quidditch foul. So saying, ‘I haven’t seen a game this bleak since 1473’ will win you guaranteed nods from your companions.

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## Don’t get your sports mixed up 

Whatever you do, above all other, do not say something terrible like ‘Red card! Send him off!’ Such a faux pas will make you the laughing stock of your Quidditch-loving friendship group. Although Quidditch does share some facets of other beautiful games, such as goal-scoring and blatant fouling, imagine the embarrassment of saying something like ‘offside’. Tread carefully. 

So there you have it. Absorb these expert tips and you too can be a champion of Quidditch small-talk in a matter of moments. Award yourself one miniature Firebolt (that’s a broomstick) and a palm-sized figure of Viktor Krum. (That’s a player.) 

...Okay, maybe you still have more to learn.

Welcome to our Quidditch collection! We've gathered together articles, quizzes, puzzles and original J.K. Rowling writing that celebrates the wizarding world's favourite sport! 

Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition out now

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From today, fans can look forward to a new version of *Quidditch Through the Ages* – *Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition*, written by J.K. Rowling as esteemed fictional Quidditch writer Kennilworthy Whisp.  This Hogwarts Library book was published all the way back in 2001, originally for Comic Relief and Lumos. Now, nearly 20 years later, the book has been given a makeover, thanks to illustrator Emily Gravett and UK and US publishers [Bloomsbury](https://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/uk/quidditch-through-the-ages-illustrated-edition-9781526608123/?ewid=153) and [Scholastic](https://scholasticlibrary.digital.scholastic.com/978-1-338-34056-3.html).

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The textbook specifically documents the history and evolution of the wizarding sport of Quidditch, from its humble beginnings in the 11th century right up to its more sophisticated development as the competitive game we know and love in the 20th century. 

We chatted to a locked-down Emily from her home in Brighton about the creative process of illustrating *Quidditch Through the Ages*, which involved everything from measuring Quaffles to writing her own Snitch comic. 

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## What was it like illustrating a book specifically dedicated to a fictional wizarding sport?

I think that’s actually what appealed to me about the book. Because Harry Potter’s so iconic, I didn’t think I’d be very good at replicating popular characters. But I was given a copy of the original book, and with every page I was just thinking, 'Oh my god I could do that, and that and that...'

I was putting rings around everything.  It really lent itself to those books you buy in the museum after an exhibition - the nice and glossy ones full of the artefacts. So, it was a really good opportunity for me to try loads of different techniques and jump about in time. 

I was trying to get the right feel of the colours and the styles of each era I was in [for example, this Butterbeer advert below was inspired by the 1950s vintage Guinness adverts] – but not too strictly, because this is still fiction! 

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## It’s true that the book weaves in so many different historical styles from all over the world – how was it approaching such a varied project?

I was sort of mimicking old masters – like the oil painting is inspired by [Pieter] Bruegel. I don’t really oil-paint, I water-coloury dabble! So I tried to find methods to make things look the right way. It was quite a big learning curve, really. And every time I started a new thing I’d look at it and think, 'That’s an illuminated manuscript, what sort of paper would they’ve used?...  Would they use gold?... Would it have breaks through it? Would it have cracked off at the top because of the age?',  'I’ve got to learn how to do use hand-lettering!', 'What kind of style of handwriting would’ve been around in this era?'

I was trying to replicate that and I worry not very well! Bruegel, who I mimicked in one of the paintings , would be turning in his grave!

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## How did you find illustrating some of the lesser-known wizarding world characters, such as Ludo Bagman and Kennilworthy Whisp?

It was actually easier, for me, when they’re not visually known. It was about what would I imagine them to look like. So, with Kennilworthy Whisp, that’s based on my dad! I’ve got a really good photo of him in a silly hat – and I extended his beard in Photoshop! 

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## And as an illustrator of your own stories (Emily has won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice for her picture books) how was it stepping into someone else’s? 

It was actually really fun because what I hadn’t really appreciated about the [Hogwarts library] books is that they’re actually really visual. How much scope is there on an imaginary sport? But every sentence, there’s something visual in there. The hardest thing was trying not to expand on it. I did write a few little articles and make up adverts, but I didn’t add new content – but it felt a bit like my book halfway through. I’ve made up some extra adverts in there with my words, like *The Snitch* comic, I wrote the dialogue for that. 

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## What was your process and inspiration for creating some of the pieces in the book? 

I made some of the pieces before drawing them to make things feel more realistic. So I do pottery and I made the little plate for the Japanese woodblock. ... I made a broomstick as well. And I made that out of the correct wood – I’ve got a place in Wales and I was doing it there – and I looked out the window and saw an ash tree and made this broom. I hung it on the side of the woodshed and I think I freaked out a few people, with just a broom hanging there! It’s surprisingly easy, but obviously it doesn’t fly! 

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## Now that you’re part of the Wizarding World family – tell us your Hogwarts house and favourite character. 

So, I am [Ravenclaw!](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/ravenclaw) Which I think is quite good. I’ve read it’s about being a thinker. My daughter came out as a Slytherin and re-did the test as a Gryffindor. And my favourite character is Hagrid, I love his house and he likes animals too.

***

*Quidditch Through the Ages Illustrated Edition* is out today [in the US (with Scholastic)](https://scholasticlibrary.digital.scholastic.com/978-1-338-34056-3.html) and [in the UK (Bloomsbury).](https://harrypotter.bloomsbury.com/uk/quidditch-through-the-ages-illustrated-edition-9781526608123/?ewid=153)

For more [Quidditch content, why not visit our Quidditch hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/quidditch) to play quizzes, read features and learn more about the new book! 

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Best of luck... And remember to select "Show Magic" in the settings to see a little magical tomfoolery as you play. Enjoy!

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__And remember, you can play more wordsearches, crosswords and Number Magic challenges over at our [puzzles hub](https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/potter-puzzles). Get cracking!__

Pull up a chair and try our latest puzzle - a wordsearch quizzing you on the food and festivities of Hogwarts and the Great Hall.

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