======The Quidditch Pitch======
=====Location Information=====
  * **Type:** Sports Arena, Stadium
  * **Location:** [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]] grounds, [[Scotland]]
  * **Owner/Residents:** [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]; primarily used by the [[Gryffindor]], [[Hufflepuff]], [[Ravenclaw]], and [[Slytherin]] [[Quidditch]] teams.
  * **Key Features:** Large oval grass pitch, six fifty-foot high golden goal hoops, extensive spectator stands, commentator's box, team changing rooms.
=====Description and History=====
The [[Quidditch Pitch]] at [[Hogwarts]] is the dedicated stadium for the school's favourite sport, [[Quidditch]]. It is a massive, oval-shaped arena with a perfectly smooth grass playing surface. At each end of the pitch stand three towering golden poles, each fifty feet high, topped with hoops that serve as goals.
Surrounding the entire pitch are high spectator stands, which rise in tiers to provide a view for the entire student body and staff during matches. These stands are often decorated with the colours of the competing [[Hogwarts House|Houses]]—scarlet and gold for [[Gryffindor]], green and silver for [[Slytherin]], yellow and black for [[Hufflepuff]], and blue and bronze for [[Ravenclaw]]. A separate, elevated stand is reserved for the Headmaster and other faculty members. Adjacent to this is a small, tall tower that serves as the commentator's box, from which students like [[Lee Jordan]], [[Luna Lovegood]], and [[Zacharias Smith]] have provided match commentary.
Beneath the stands are the changing rooms, where the [[Hogwarts House]] teams prepare for matches and store their equipment, including [[brooms]] and the official set of [[Quidditch]] balls: the [[Quaffle]], [[Bludgers]], and the [[Golden Snitch]].
While primarily used for [[Quidditch]] practices and the annual [[Quidditch Cup]] tournament, the grounds are also used for other events, such as advanced [[Flying]] lessons. The pitch's long history at the school reflects the deep-seated importance of [[Quidditch]] within [[Hogwarts]] culture.
=====Role in the Story=====
The [[Quidditch Pitch]] is the setting for many memorable moments of triumph, conflict, and danger throughout the series.
  - In //[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]//, the pitch is where [[Harry Potter]] plays his first [[Quidditch]] match. During the game, [[Professor Quirrell]] secretly jinxes Harry's [[broomstick]], while [[Professor Snape]] performs a counter-curse, leading to a confrontation between the teachers.
  - In //[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]//, the pitch is the site of the confrontation where [[Draco Malfoy]] reveals the [[Slytherin]] team's new [[Nimbus Two Thousand and One]] brooms and calls [[Hermione Granger]] a "Mudblood." Later, during a match, [[Dobby]] the [[house-elf]] bewitches a [[Bludger]] to attack Harry in a misguided attempt to protect him, resulting in Harry's arm being broken.
  - In //[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]//, a crucial match against [[Hufflepuff]] takes place during a severe thunderstorm. The pitch is invaded by [[Dementors]], causing Harry to fall from his [[Nimbus Two Thousand]], which is subsequently destroyed by the [[Whomping Willow]]. Despite the setback, [[Gryffindor]] eventually wins the [[Quidditch Cup]] on the pitch for the first time in years.
  - In //[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]//, the pitch is dramatically transformed to host the Third Task of the [[Triwizard Tournament]]. The entire playing surface is converted into a vast, high-walled hedge maze, filled with magical creatures and enchantments designed to test the champions.
  - In //[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]//, after a post-match scuffle with [[Draco Malfoy]], [[Dolores Umbridge]] uses her authority to ban Harry, [[Fred Weasley]], and [[George Weasley]] from playing [[Quidditch]]. This forces [[Ron Weasley]] and [[Ginny Weasley]] to step into the key roles of [[Keeper]] and [[Seeker]], respectively, ultimately leading [[Gryffindor]] to victory.
  - In //[[Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince]]//, Harry becomes [[Quidditch Captain]] and holds tryouts on the pitch. It is the site of memorable commentary from [[Luna Lovegood]] and [[Zacharias Smith]]. [[Gryffindor]] secures the [[Quidditch Cup]] once more, a victory which directly leads to Harry and Ginny's first kiss.
  - In //[[Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows]]//, with [[Hogwarts]] under the control of the [[Death Eaters]], the pitch is no longer used for [[Quidditch]]. During the [[Battle of Hogwarts]], it becomes a battlefield, overrun by [[Acromantula|Acromantulas]] emerging from the [[Forbidden Forest]].
=====Known Areas Within=====
  * The Pitch (playing surface)
  * [[Goal Hoops]]
  * Spectator Stands
  * Teachers' Stand
  * Commentator's Box
  * Changing Rooms
  * The [[Triwizard Maze]] (temporary structure)
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptations, the [[Quidditch Pitch]] is depicted with immense, towering wooden stands that appear somewhat rickety and precarious, a design choice that adds to the visual spectacle of the [[Quidditch]] matches. These towers are far taller and more elaborate than the stands described in the novels (film).
  * The pitch is a central and playable location in many of the //Harry Potter// video games, allowing players to participate in [[Quidditch]] matches (video game).
  * The transformation of the pitch into the [[Triwizard Maze]] for the film version of //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire// was a significant special and practical effects achievement (film).