Comet Two-Ninety

• Type: Broomstick (Transportation)
• Owners: None specified; it is a commercially available model.
• Maker: Comet Trading Company

The physical appearance of the Comet Two-Ninety is not described in detail in the novels. As a racing broomstick produced by the Comet Trading Company, it can be presumed to follow the typical design of a polished wooden handle with a tail of twigs. It was marketed as a new model in 1993, suggesting a modern design for its time, though it was quickly overshadowed by the Firebolt.

The Comet Two-Ninety is primarily designed for flying, both as a mode of transportation and for playing Quidditch. Its main magical property is its speed, though it is presented as modest compared to top-tier models. According to a display card in the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies, the broom had a “maximum speed approximately fifty miles per hour with a decent tailwind.” This performance was significantly inferior to that of the Firebolt, which was displayed alongside it and boasted of its ability to go from zero to one hundred and fifty miles per hour in ten seconds. As a model in the Comet line, it likely possesses the inbuilt braking charm noted on its predecessor, the Comet Two-Sixty, which was considered a nice feature of that particular broom.

The Comet Two-Ninety was the newest racing broomstick from the Comet Trading Company as of the summer of 1993. It was the successor to the popular Comet Two-Sixty. It was prominently displayed in the window of Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley during Harry Potter's visit before his third year at Hogwarts. Unfortunately for the Comet company, its release coincided with that of the Firebolt, a revolutionary broom whose performance and features made the Comet Two-Ninety seem obsolete upon arrival.

The Comet Two-Ninety's primary narrative function is to serve as a direct and immediate point of comparison that highlights the revolutionary superiority of the Firebolt. When Harry Potter first sees the two brooms, the underwhelming statistics of the Comet Two-Ninety are used to frame the incredible, record-shattering capabilities of the Firebolt. This contrast firmly establishes the Firebolt as the most desirable broomstick in the wizarding world and builds anticipation for the moment Harry eventually receives one. The broom itself does not play any further part in the plot.

The Comet Two-Ninety is a detail unique to the novel Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. It is not featured in the film adaptations or in major video games such as Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup, where its predecessor, the Comet Two-Sixty, does appear.