Quidditch Through the Ages is a companion book by J. K. Rowling about the wizarding sport of Quidditch. It us based on a fictional wizarding book of the same name wrote by Kennilworthy Whisp.
It is supposed to be a copy of the book in the Hogwarts library of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The first page is in the style of a library borrowing log with the names of Hogwarts students who borrowed it. In the opening chapter, Dumbledore writes in the book that he had to prise it from Librarian Irma Pince's fingers. He also writes that it is entirely fictional. The cover story for publishing it in the Muggle world is that it is written for charity.
History[]
The US editions published by Arthur. A. Levine do not change UK spelling to US spelling. They stated "… those are exactly the same – we didn’t have time or anything… Did I change the spellings? I might have… I might not have… Because, of course, the conceit is that it's a British school book anyway".[1]
Content[]
Doodles of Harry and Ron in the book
The book is hand-lettered and illustrated by Rowling. It is supposed to be an exact copy of the one found in the Hogwarts library at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with the first page being a library borrowing log. Throughout the book are also doodles supposed to have been written by Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley.
The students listed on the borrowing log, along with any known date on which they checked out the book, are:
- 9 April: O. Wood
- B. Dunstan
- M. Flint
- C. Diggory
- A. Johnson
- E. Macmillan
- T. Boot
- S. Fawcett
- K. Bundy
- K. Bell
- C. Warrington
- J. Dorny
- T. Nott
- S. Capper
- M. Bulstrode
- F. Weasley
- H. Granger
- 11 March: H. Potter.[2]
An error was made in the first edition because it says it the book was taken out in July to August when it is the summer holidays. It was corrected in the 2009 edition, with these names written instead (in this order):
- R. Weasley
- N. Longbottom
- S. Bones
- H. Granger
- Padma Patil
- E. Macmillan
- M. Bulstrode
- H. Granger
- Draco Malfoy
The copyright page has commentary from Bathilda Bagshot, Brutus Scrimgeour, Gilderoy Lockhart, Ludo Bagman, Rita Skeeter and the editor of Which Broomstick?.
Chapters[]
- The Evolution of the Flying Broomstick
- Ancient Broom Games
- The Game from Queerditch Marsh
- The Arrival of the Golden Snitch
- Anti-Muggle Precautions
- Changes in Quidditch since the Fourteenth Century
- Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland
- The Spread of Quidditch Worldwide
- The Development of the Racing Broom
- Quidditch Today
Covers[]
