Kwidditch

• Type: Ancient Wizarding Sport
• Owners: N/A (Played by the early Wizarding Community)
• Maker: N/A (Evolved organically; first recorded by Gertie Keddle)

Kwidditch was a primitive, broomstick-based game played by witches and wizards in the 11th century. All knowledge of the game comes from the diary of the witch Gertie Keddle, who lived on the edge of Queerditch Marsh and recorded the activities she observed (Quidditch Through the Ages). The game was played over Queerditch Marsh. The known equipment was rudimentary and included:

• Broomsticks: Players flew on very basic broomsticks.
• The Golden Snidget: A small, fast, and agile magical bird was released, and the primary objective of the game appears to have been to catch it.
• Blooders: These were heavy, enchanted rocks, likely bewitched to chase players. They were the direct ancestors of modern Bludgers.
• A Barrel: Gertie Keddle's diary mentions a barrel, although its exact purpose in the game is not clearly explained.

As the earliest known ancestor of Quidditch, Kwidditch was a rough and unrefined sport. Based on Gertie Keddle's diary, the gameplay involved players on broomsticks attempting to achieve objectives while avoiding hazards. (Quidditch Through the Ages) The rules, as far as can be understood, were:

• One team would release a Golden Snidget, and players from both sides would attempt to be the first to catch it.
• Players used Blooders to attack opponents and knock them off their brooms. An entry in Gertie Keddle's diary describes a player named Goodwin Kneen complaining to his wife, Gunhilda, that a player named Cuthbert had nearly knocked his head off with a Blooder.
• The game was dangerous and chaotic, with far fewer rules than its modern successor. The fate of the Golden Snidget after being caught is not specified, but it likely mirrored the later practice where catching the bird ended the game.

The game of Kwidditch was played as early as the 11th century in England, specifically at a location known as Queerditch Marsh. The name “Kwidditch” is believed to be a derivative of the marsh's name. The only surviving record of the sport comes from the diary of Gertie Keddle, a local witch who documented the game she witnessed (Quidditch Through the Ages). Over the next century, the game evolved. The name changed from Kwidditch to “Cuaditch” and eventually to the modern “Quidditch”. The violent use of Blooders was formalized with the introduction of enchanted Bludgers, and the use of the living Golden Snidget was eventually replaced by the invention of the Golden Snitch in the 14th century, largely due to the bird's endangered status.

Kwidditch is not mentioned by name in the seven core novels. Its existence and history are detailed in the supplementary book, Quidditch Through the Ages, which Harry Potter receives as a gift from Hermione Granger in his first year. The book provides the historical foundation for the sport of Quidditch, which is a central element of student life at Hogwarts and a major part of the wizarding world's culture. Learning about Kwidditch provides readers with a deeper understanding of the origins and evolution of the beloved modern sport.

All canonical information about Kwidditch originates from the supplementary book Quidditch Through the Ages, written by J.K. Rowling for the charity Comic Relief in 2001. The in-universe author of the book is listed as Kennilworthy Whisp, a renowned Quidditch expert.