Quidditch

Bagman family • Character The Bagman family is comprised of Ludo, Otto and their father, the unnamed Bagman Sr. Ludo Bagman Ludo was a celebrated Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps (c.1980) and later became head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports, until his somewhat informal departure… Read More

Ludo Bagman • Character Ludovic “Ludo” Bagman was a celebrated Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps c. 1980. When his Quidditch days were over, he joined the Department of Magical Games and Sports and eventually (c. 1993) became its head. He served in that capacity until his somewhat informal departure from… Read More

Kquewanda Bailey • Character Kquewanda Bailey played Keeper for Jamaica’s National Team at the Quidditch World Cup tournament in 2014. During their first fixture in the 2014 tournament, Bailey suddenly collapsed and toppled from her broom at a crucial point in Jamaica’s match against the USA, but was saved by the referee’s quick thinking use… Read More

Ballycastle • Towns Ballycastle is a town on the north coast of Northern Ireland, and home of the Ballycastle Bats, who are members of the British and Irish Quidditch League (QA7). Location: County Antrim, Northern Ireland… Read More

Ballycastle Bats  • Sports teams The Ballycastle Bats are a Quidditch team hailing from Ballycastle in Northern Ireland. They are considered to be Northern Ireland’s most celebrated team (QA7). Team notes robes: black with scarlet bat on the chest (QA7) hometown: Ballycastle, Northern Ireland (QA7) mascot: Barny the Fruitbat (QA7) Captain… Read More

Banchory • Towns Banchory, near the east coast of Scotland, was once the home of the Banchory Bangers, a Quidditch team known for their awful skills and reckless shenanigans that eventually led to the team’s disbanding in 1814 (QA5). Read More

Banchory Bangers • Sports teams The Banchory Bangers are a disbanded Quidditch team from Scotland. The Bangers were known for their appallingly awful Quidditch skills and wild after-match parties. Their extremely reckless shenanigans during a match against the Appleby Arrows included allowing the Bludgers to go free and an illegal hunt… Read More

Banchory Bangers hijinks cause them to be banned • Event After a match against the Appleby Arrows in 1814, the Bangers attempted to capture a Hebridean Black dragon as their team mascot. Their foolishness led to their being banned from playing ever again (QA5). Read More

A ban is imposed on using a wand against opposing players in Quidditch • Event After the extremely violent final match of the first Quidditch World Cup in 1473, seven hundred fouls were identified and listed. Most of these violent fouls were the result of players using wands to curse opposing players, which led in 1538 to an outright ban on using a… Read More

José Barboza • Character José Barboza was the Quidditch team manager for Brazil’s National Team in 2014. Barboza managed the Brazilian team that went all the way to the finals of the 2014 Quidditch World Cup (QWC). Having unwisely spoken to journalist Rita Skeeter before the tournament, a bad-tempered feud ensued between Barboza… Read More

Lucas Bargeworthy • Character Lucas Bargeworthy was a Beater for the England National Team in 1870s. Bargeworthy was a participant in the mysterious 1877 Quidditch World Cup tournament held in Kazakhstan. Retaining no recollection of any of the events of the so-called “Tournament that Nobody Remembers“, he was missing most of his teeth when he… Read More

Barnaby Snell • Character Barnaby Snell is a fan of the Chudley Cannons Quidditch team in the 1990s. Mr Snell was quoted in the Daily Prophet. He was in disbelief after the team defeated the Wigtown Wanderers, a win which ended the Cannons’ seventeen-game losing streak (DP3). Read More

Barnton • Towns Barnton is a small village located east of Liverpool in the North-West of England. It was also the home of a notable amateur Quidditch team in the nineteenth century (QA6). Read More

Barnton Quidditch Team • Sports teams The Barnton Quidditch team is an amateur team which hails from the small village of Barnton in the county of Cheshire (located east of Liverpool) in North-West England. According to an article entitled “Bring Back our Baskets!” in the Daily Prophet, the Barnton team had goals made of… Read More

Barry Ryan • Character Barry Ryan was a Quidditch player and Keeper for Ireland’s National Team (1994). Ryan was a member of the winning team at the 1994 Quidditch World Cup, along with teammates Connolly and Quigley (Beaters), Aidan Lynch (Seeker), Moran, Mullet and Troy (Chasers) (GF8). Rather than for Ireland’s exciting final match against the… Read More

Barty Crouch Sr. and Ludo Bagman drop by for a cup of tea • Event First Ludo Bagman, and then Barty Crouch, come by the campfire at the Weasley’s campsite and talk about the pressures and problems of putting on the World Cup event. Percy Weasley tries to sound important around Mr. Crouch, his boss, but Crouch calls him by… Read More

Basil Horton • Character Basil Horton played for the Falmouth Falcons, a Quidditch team from England, in the 1920s. Along with his Falcons teammate Randolph Keitch, he started the Comet Trading Company in 1929. He and Randolph are also the creators of the Horton-Keitch Braking Charm (QA9). Read More

The Basilisk petrifies Hermione Granger and Penelope Clearwater • Event The Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff Quidditch game, to determine the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup, is cancelled abruptly by Professor McGonagall. She takes Ron Weasley and Harry Potter to the Hospital Wing where they find that Hermione Granger and Penelope Clearwater are the latest victims to be… Read More

Bats • Creature Bats are nocturnal flying mammals that are found all over the world. Appearances Thousands of live bats were used to decorate the Great Hall for Hallowe’en (PS10, CS8, PA8, GF16). Harry told the Dursleys that Sirius Black might turn them all into bats if… Read More

Bats Survive the Tornados • Headlines and advertisements Bats Survive the Tornados is an article published in the Sports section of the Daily Prophet (DP2). The Prophet reports on a Quidditch match where a surprise win by the Ballycastle Bats over former league leaders Tutshill Tornados was attributed to a suspicious bout of “sleeping sickness” which affected… Read More

Barny the Fruitbat • Character Barny the Fruitbat is the mascot of the Ballycastle Bats Quidditch team and a figure used in Butterbeer advertisements (QA7). Read More

Charlie Baverstock • Character Charlie Baverstock is the Manager of New Zealand’s Quidditch Team in 2014. At the 2014 Quidditch World Cup, Baverstock expressed his anger in colourful language after his star Chaser Dennis Moon was sent off by a Referee in their first match of the tournament – a dramatic loss… Read More

Beat Back Those Bludgers, Boys, and Chuck That Quaffle Here • Quidditch Beat Back Those Bludgers, Boys, and Chuck That Quaffle Here is the team anthem of Puddlemere United Quidditch team (QA7). This popular Quidditch team song was also recorded by Celestina Warbeck as a fund-raiser for St Mungo’s Hospital (WW). Read More

Beater • Quidditch The Beater is a Quidditch player who protects other players from Bludgers – while attempting to hit those Bludgers toward opposing players using a small bat. Background Originally, the Bludgers (or, aptly, Blooders) hit by the Beaters were flying rocks, which could be cracked by the Beaters’ bats. Read More

Beater Bats are enchanted for the first time • Event Enchanting the Beaters’ bats makes the Bludgers, which in the 15th century are rocks cut into the shape of balls, even more dangerous. When smashed by the now-magical bats, the Bludgers become flying gravel that pursues the Quidditch players around the pitch (QA6). Read More

Beaters' bats • Quidditch Beaters’ bats, which are also called “clubs”, are enchanted wooden bats used in the game of Quidditch by Beaters. Beaters hit the Bludgers with the bats in an effort to affect their flight (away from fellow team members and/or toward opposing team members). The enchantments are necessary because of… Read More

The Beaters' Bible • Books and Literature The Beaters’ Bible is a Quidditch handbook written by Brutus Scrimgeour (QA). Kennilworthy Whisp cited this book in Quidditch Through the Ages, and Scrimgeour in turn provided a favourable blurb for Whisp’s book in the front section (QA). According to Whisp, the first rule… Read More

Beating the Bludgers - A Study of Defensive Strategies in Quidditch • Books and Literature Beating the Bludgers – A Study of Defensive Strategies in Quidditch is a Quidditch handbook. It is one of the previous works by author Kenilworthy Whisp, mentioned in the opening section of Quidditch through the Ages (QA). Read More

The beginnings of Quidditch • Event Gertie Keddle, living near Queerditch Marsh, writes about some local witches and wizards playing a new game on broomsticks; over the next few centuries this game evolves into Quidditch (QA3). Read More

Katie Bell • Character Katie Bell is a Gryffindor girl a year older than Harry, one of the three Chasers on the Gryffindor Quidditch team during most of Harry’s years at Hogwarts. Oliver Wood considered her to be a superb Chaser (PA8), along with Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet,… Read More

Benjy Williams • Character Benjy Williams played Seeker for Puddlemere United Quidditch team in the 1990s (DP4). His catch of the Snitch, amidst the chaos of the riot that occurred during the grudge match against the Holyhead Harpies, won the game and brought it to a close. He and other… Read More

Bigonville • Towns Bigonville is a small city in western Luxembourg, not far from the border with Belgium. The Bigonville Bombers, a Quidditch team known for high scoring, presumably make their home here (QA8). Read More

Bigonville Bombers  • Sports teams The Bigonville Bombers are a European Quidditch team from Bigonville in Luxembourg. The Bombers are known for their team’s offensive strategies and high scoring (QA8). Read More

Brevis Birch • Character Brevis Birch was the Captain of the Tutshill Tornados Quidditch team in the 1990s (DP2). Birch blames the team’s loss to the Ballycastle Bats on a mysterious drowsiness that affected the Tornados’ Keeper, Mervyn Fenwick (DP2). Read More

Regulus Black • Character Regulus Black was the younger brother of Sirius Black. Unlike Sirius, Regulus was favored by their parents because he shared their overweening pride in their heritage and their belief in pure-blood supremacy; indeed, Regulus became one of Voldemort’s Death Eaters around 1977 at the age of sixteen. Sirius… Read More

Blagging • Quidditch Blagging is the Quidditch foul of grabbing onto the broom tail of another player (QA6). Every known foul was committed at the first Quidditch World Cup in 1473 (QA6). Although it is not specifically labelled as “blagging”, Draco Malfoy commits this foul on Harry Potter by… Read More

Susan Blancheflower • Character Susan Blancheflower played Keeper for the United States National Team at the Quidditch World Cup in 2014. Appearances A participant in the 2014 tournament, her weakness in the early rounds was letting in too many goals during the opening matches against Jamaica and their subsequent quarter-final against… Read More

Blatching • Quidditch Blatching is the Quidditch foul of flying to intentionally collide with another player (QA6). It will have been one of the fouls committed at the first Quidditch World Cup in 1473, where an instance of every known foul occurred (QA6). During their Round of 16 match in the Quidditch World… Read More

Timothy Blenkinsop • Character Timothy Blenkinsop is a supporter of the Puddlemere United Quidditch team in the 1990s (DP4). Interviewed by the Daily Prophet, Blenkinsop was 23 at the time of Puddlemere’s 30 September match against the Holyhead Harpies. He was caught in the ensuing riot and still had a tail resulting from… Read More

Miles Bletchley • Character Miles Bletchley was a Hogwarts student in Slytherin House c.1989-1996. He was on the Slytherin Quidditch Team, playing as their Keeper, during Harry Potter’s first Quidditch match in 1991 (PS11). Bletchley hit Alicia Spinnet from behind with a jinx in the library prior to the… Read More

Jean-Baptiste Bloncourt • Character Jean-Baptiste Bloncourt is a Beater for the Haiti National Team at the Quidditch World Cup in 2014. As a participant at the 2014 tournament, Bloncourt single-handedly wrecked Haiti’s chances at the tournament in their first-round match against Brazil. Having accidentally hit the Haitian Seeker Jolicoeur moments before Jolicoeur… Read More

Blooder • Quidditch Blooder is an early Quidditch term for the “ball” that evolved into the modern Bludger. They were likely to have been flying rocks (QA3, QA6). The term was first used in Goodwin Kneen‘s twelfth century letter to his cousin Olaf in Norway to describe the object that… Read More

Bludger • Quidditch A Bludger is a round jet-black iron ball, 10 inches in diameter – that is, slightly smaller than a Quaffle – one of the four balls used in playing the game of Quidditch (in which two Bludgers are used at any one time). A Bludger always attacks and attempts… Read More

Bludger Backbeat • Quidditch Bludger Backbeat is a method of hitting the Bludger backwards, difficult to pull off with any precision but very effective for disorienting opponents, who don’t expect a Bludger to come at them in that way (QA10). Read More

Bluebottle • Broomsticks The Bluebottle is a type of broom, aimed at the general transport market rather than for sports or racing use (GF8). It was advertised at the Quidditch World Cup final in 1994 on the blackboard. Marketed as a safe and reliable broom for families, it includes a built-in… Read More

Blurting • Quidditch Blurting is the Quidditch foul of locking broom handles with another player to pull him or her off course (QA6). It will have been one of the 700 fouls committed during the very first Quidditch World Cup match in 1473 (QA6). Read More

Bob, Bill, and Barnaby Ollerton start the Cleansweep Broom Company • Event In 1926, the Ollerton brothers’ first broom, the Cleansweep One, revolutionizes the game of Quidditch. The Cleansweep Broom Company continues to produce top quality racing brooms for the next few decades (QA9). Read More

Bodmin Moor • Moors Bodmin Moor is located in Cornwall at the southwestern tip of England. It is a historical farming region that also features a Quidditch stadium, where several matches of the British and Irish Quidditch League have been held (DP2, DP3, DP4). It is the location… Read More

Bogomil Levski • Character Bogomil Levski was a Chaser for the Bulgarian National Team in 2014. As a member of the Bulgarian side at the 2014 Quidditch World Cup, Levski and fellow Chasers Stoyanka Grozda and Nikola Vassileva were integral to the success of Bulgaria at the tournament (QWC). Matches The Bulgarians had quite an easy first… Read More

Sylvian Boigny • Character Sylvian Boigny played Seeker for Ivory Coast’s National Team in 2014. A participant in the Quidditch World Cup tournament in 2014, Boigny failed to outrace the Norwegian Seeker and missed the Snitch in the opening Round of 16 match (QWC). Read More

Bole • Character Bole was a Beater on the Slytherin Quidditch team in the 1990s. He deliberately fouled Alicia Spinnet in the 1994 Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch final by hitting her with his club. Bole then claimed he had thought she was a Bludger (PA15). Then again, given… Read More

Hector Bolobolo • Character Hector Bolobolo was the Team Manager and Trainer for the Fiji National Quidditch team in 2014. Following the disaster involving the Fijian team mascots during the Opening Ceremony at the  Quidditch World Cup tournament, Bolobolo’s team played one of the tournament favourites – Nigeria – in… Read More

Bonawentura Wójcik • Character Bonawentura Wójcik played Seeker for the Polish National Team in 2014. Prior to the start of the 2014 Quidditch World Cup tournament, Wójcik was accused of being the transfigured Italian star Seeker Luciano Volpi. This was disproved by them standing side-by-side at a press conference (QWC). However, by the… Read More

Gladys Boothby • Character Gladys Boothby created the Moontrimmer racing broom in 1901, but was unable to keep up with commercial demand for it by Quidditch enthusiasts who wanted the broom’s new height-flying features (QA9). Read More

Boris Vulchanov • Character Boris Vulchanov was a Beater for the Bulgaria National Team during the Quidditch World Cup tournament in 2014. He and the other Bulgarian Beater at the 2014 tournament, Dimitar Draganov, are considered to be a “competent” duo (QWC). Matches Their first fixture of the tournament was an easily won match against… Read More

Bottom-of-the-Table • Quidditch The Bottom-of-the-Table is the position of last place in the standings. This term can be used at the end of a sports tournament or competition, or at the end of the season on the League Table. In the 1990s, the bottom of the British and Irish Quidditch League was… Read More

Bowman Wright • Character Bowman Wright was a Metal Charmer and was born in Godric’s Hollow in 1492*. His father was a Muggle and mother a Witch (FW, WoM, DH16). Combining his love of science and sport, Wright invented the Golden Snitch, which immediately replaced the endangered … Read More

Bowman Wright is born (incorrect FW card date) • Event The Famous Wizard card for Bowman Wright lists his birth year as 1492. This is clearly an error, as he is said to have invented the Golden Snitch in the 1300s (three hundred years after Quidditch was invented in the 1000s) (QA4). Read More

BP • Source Interview with J K Rowling on Blue Peter (CBBC), March 12, 2001. Read More

Bradley • Character Bradley was a Hogwarts student in Ravenclaw House in the 1990s and was a Chaser on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. Bradley played in the match against Gryffindor for the Quidditch Cup towards the end of the 1995-96 school year. Ron Weasley saved Bradley’s attempts on goal, and… Read More

Braga • Cities Braga is a beautiful historic city in northern Portugal, and home of the Braga Broomfleet, one of the best Quidditch teams in the world (QA7). Location: Map of Quidditch Teams of Europe and Africa… Read More

Braga Broomfleet  • Sports teams Braga Broomfleet are a European Quidditch team from Portugal. Broomfleet use a unique Beater-marking system, which has made them one of the best teams in the world (QA8). Read More

Barberus Bragge • Character Barberus Bragge was Chief of the Wizards’ Council in 1269. Bragge attended a Quidditch match in 1269 and offered 150 Galleons to whomever caught the tiny Golden Snidget bird which he released onto the pitch. At that time, 150 Galleons was the equivalent of over a million… Read More

Braking charm • Spells The Braking Charm allows a wizarding broom to stop effectively. Read More

Brand New Harpy Saves the Day • Headlines and advertisements Brand New Harpy Saves the Day is an article about the Holyhead Harpies Quidditch team appearing in the Sports section of the Daily Prophet (DP3). This report records the views of Holyhead Harpies team captain Gwenog Jones, following the Quidditch match during which the new Chaser for their team, Valmai… Read More

Rudolf Brand • Character Rudolf Brand is a Quidditch player and the Captain of the Heidelberg Harriers Quidditch team in the 1950s. Brand was the captain of the Harriers when they played what has been termed “the finest match ever seen” – an exciting seven-day marathon against the Holyhead Harpies in… Read More

Maximus Brankovitch III • Character Maximus Brankovitch III is a famous American Quidditch player who played Seeker for the Fitchburg Finches Quidditch team. He was also the Seeker and Team Captain of the United States National Team (QA8). Read More

Brazil National Team • Sports teams The Brazilian National Teams are from the South American country of Brazil. Quidditch The national team had won the Quidditch World Cup five times prior to the 1990s (QWC), reaching the quarter-final stages of the tournament during the last century (QA8). The Brazilian team mascots… Read More

Bridging Charms • Spells Bridging Charms are used to create pathways – over rivers or people… Read More

Bring Back Our Baskets! • Headlines and advertisements Bring Back Our Baskets! is an article about Quidditch published in the Daily Prophet on 12 February 1883, recording the unhappiness of the fans who preferred baskets (which were unregulated as to size) to the new standardised goal hoops brought in by the Department of Magical Games and… Read More

British and Irish Quidditch League • Ministry of Magic The British and Irish Quidditch League is the professional league of Quidditch teams for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (QA7). History The British and Irish Quidditch League was established in 1674. At that time the Department of Magical Games and Sports decided to limit… Read More

The British and Irish Quidditch League is formed • Event The thirteen best Quidditch teams are asked to join the League; all other teams are asked to disband. This caused plenty of anger and frustration among Quidditch fans of those teams that weren’t invited to join (QA7). Read More

Karl and Kevin Broadmoor • Character Karl and Kevin Broadmoor are brothers who were the Beaters for the Falmouth Falcons Quidditch team. They are known their misbehaviour on the pitch. During the eleven years that they played Quidditch for the Falcons (1958-1969), they received fourteen suspensions from the Department of Magical Games… Read More

Brooms • Broomsticks Brooms are a magical mode of transportation in the Wizarding World. About Broomsticks A flying broomstick is not simply a “normal” broomstick pressed into service as a mode of transportation. The flying broomstick is a magical item with built-in charms. The earliest known evidence of a broomstick enchanted to fly… Read More

Which Broomstick • Publications Which Broomstick is a wizarding magazine which contains articles comparing the various types of brooms available, new brooms and other features. Appearances Harry Potter borrowed a copy from Oliver Wood to read up on the different makes of broom when he needed to replace his Nimbus 2000 (… Read More

Broomstick Magic • Magical effects Broomstick Magic comprises the various magical spells cast on brooms to help with riding and flying. Read More

Broomstick Servicing Kit • Broomsticks A Broomstick Servicing Kit is a collection of items to help keep a racing broom in good condition. Kit contents The black leather case includes a Handbook of Do-It-Yourself Broomcare, a tin of Fleetwood’s High-Finish Handle Polish, a clip-on brass broom compass and Tail-Twig Clippers (PA1). Appearances Hermione… Read More

Brutus Scrimgeour • Character Brutus Scrimgeour is the author of The Beaters’ Bible (QA6). He also wrote a promotional blurb for the front of Quidditch Through the Ages (QA). Read More

Bruno Bruunhart • Character Bruno Bruunhart played Seeker for Liechtenstein’s National Team at the Quidditch World Cup tournament in 2014 (QWC). Appearances The team qualified for the 2014 tournament with a shock win over the China (QWC). Their first match against Chad became a three-day marathon, ending when Bruunhart finally caught the… Read More

Bulgaria • Countries Bulgaria is a country in eastern Europe. Appearances The Bulgarian National Team played in several Quidditch World Cup matches, finally winning the tournament in 2014 (GF8, QWC). During the 1994 tournament, we also learned then that Bulgaria has a Ministry of Magic, including their Minister for Magic,… Read More

Bulgaria National Team • Sports teams The Bulgarian National Teams are from the European country of Bulgaria. Quidditch robes: scarlet/red (GF8, QWC) mascot: Veela (GF8, QWC) The Bulgaria Quidditch Team have played in the final of a Quidditch World Cup three times (QWC). Quidditch World Cup 1994 The… Read More

Bumphing • Quidditch Bumphing is a Quidditch foul where the Beater intentionally hits a Bludger towards the crowd in order to halt the game momentarily, thereby denying an opposing Chaser a score (QA6). This would have been one of the many fouls committed at the first Quidditch World Cup in… Read More

Burkina Faso National Team • Sports teams The Burkina Faso National Teams are from the African country of Burkina Faso. Quidditch Led by their Seeker, Joshua Sankara, the national side played in the final of the 2006 Quidditch World Cup tournament against France, winning by 300 points to 220 (QWC). Read More