Quidditch Team

• Type: Sporting organization
• Owners: For professional teams, ownership is typically held by a manager or a consortium, like Ludo Bagman's former role as Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports which oversees leagues. For school teams, such as at Hogwarts, the teams are overseen by the Head of House and led by a Quidditch captain.
• Maker: The concept of a formal team evolved alongside the rules of Quidditch itself. Early forms of the game involved fewer players, but the modern seven-a-side structure was established by the 17th century. (Quidditch Through the Ages)

A Quidditch team is composed of seven players who take to the air on broomsticks to compete. The team is divided into four distinct positions, each with a specific role in the game.

• Three Chasers: Their primary objective is to score goals by throwing the Quaffle through one of the opposing team's three hoops, each goal being worth ten points.
• Two Beaters: These players are armed with small bats and are responsible for protecting their teammates from the two aggressive Bludgers. They also use the Bludgers offensively by hitting them toward opposing players.
• One Keeper: The Keeper's job is to guard the team's three goal hoops and prevent the other team's Chasers from scoring.
• One Seeker: The Seeker has the sole task of catching the Golden Snitch. Successfully catching the Snitch earns the team 150 points and ends the game.

Team members are distinguished by their uniforms, which typically consist of coloured robes bearing the team's emblem or crest. At Hogwarts, each house team wears its house colours. Professional teams have unique emblems and colours, such as the orange of the Chudley Cannons or the black and yellow of the Hufflepuff. Players may also have their names and numbers on their backs.

A Quidditch team's “usage” is its performance and function during a match. Success relies on a combination of individual player skill, high-quality equipment like fast broomsticks (e.g., Nimbus 2000, Firebolt), and, most importantly, teamwork and strategy. The team operates as a cohesive unit under the direction of its Quidditch captain, who is responsible for selecting players, running practices, and calling plays during a game. Communication and coordination are vital. For example, Chasers work together to pass the Quaffle and outmaneuver opponents, while Beaters must coordinate to protect their own key players, like the Seeker, from Bludger attacks. Numerous established strategies and formations, such as the Porskoff Ploy and the Wronski Feint, are employed by teams to gain a competitive advantage. The dynamic interplay between the four different positions is central to the game's complexity and the team's overall effectiveness.

As long as the game of Quidditch has been played, organised teams have existed to compete. These teams operate at various levels of competition.

• School Teams: Most prominently featured are the four Hogwarts house teams: the Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. They compete annually for the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup.
• Professional League Teams: The main professional league in Great Britain is the British and Irish Quidditch League, consisting of thirteen teams. Notable teams include the Holyhead Harpies, Puddlemere United, Chudley Cannons, Tutshill Tornados, and the Appleby Arrows. These teams have long histories and passionate fan followings.
• National Teams: Countries from around the wizarding world field national teams to compete in the Quidditch World Cup, which is held every four years. The 1994 final saw a match between the Ireland and the Bulgaria.

Quidditch teams are a cornerstone of Hogwarts school life and play a significant role in Harry Potter's story. Upon joining the Gryffindor Quidditch team as its youngest Seeker in a century, Harry finds a sense of belonging, purpose, and an arena where he can excel. The intense rivalry between the house teams, particularly Gryffindor and Slytherin, mirrors the broader conflict between the story's heroes and villains. Key characters including Oliver Wood, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Fred Weasley, George Weasley, Ron Weasley, and Ginny Weasley were all members of the Gryffindor team, and their time playing was central to their character development. The Quidditch World Cup in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire serves as a major set piece, bringing the global nature of the wizarding world into focus. The event is the backdrop for the first mass congregation of Death Eaters since Lord Voldemort's initial fall, culminating in the casting of the Dark Mark and foreshadowing the dark times to come. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Quidditch at Hogwarts is banned under Severus Snape's headship, symbolising the loss of joy and freedom under Voldemort's regime.

• The supplementary book Quidditch Through the Ages, written by J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym Kennilworthy Whisp, provides extensive background information on the history of the game and profiles of many professional teams in the British and Irish Quidditch League.
• The Pottermore (now Wizarding World) website has expanded the lore to include information on Quidditch teams from other countries, such as the Fitchburg Finches and Sweetwater All-Stars in the United States, and the Toyohashi Tengu in Japan. (Pottermore)
• In the film adaptations, the team uniforms are more stylised than the simple robes described in the books, often resembling modern protective sports gear with added capes and house colours. (film)