Chapter 72: Tracing the Origins of Quidditch
"Then... just take your time here and watch, let's go out and fly for a while." Fred glanced at the broomstick that Albert placed next to him, turned around and left the locker room with the others.
Albert picked up the book and broomstick and went to the auditorium, found a seat, opened "Quidditch Origins" and read carefully:
The name of Quidditch comes from Quidditch Moor, the place where it originated.
Albert’s understanding of Quidditch was only based on the simplest common sense. As for the origin of the name, it seemed unexpected, but reasonable.
In the 11th century, the diary of Gertie Kidder, a witch who lived near Quedi Moor, had relevant descriptions:
One day, a group of people were riding broomsticks and playing ball over Quidditch Moor. As a result, the ball fell into the vegetable patch of the witch Gerty and was confiscated by her.
The next day, the players did not give up. They made a new ball and started throwing the ball into the woods at one end of the swamp to score.
On the third day, the golfers made two stones flying in the sky, trying to knock them off their brooms.
This is the original ghost ball, the scoring ring and the bludger.
Albert reached out and gently turned another page:
In 1269, during a Quidditch game, the Speaker of the Wizarding Council, Barberu Bragg, came to watch. He told the players on the field that whoever could catch the Golden Snidget during the game would receive 150 Galleons.
At that time, gold snitch hunting was very popular, and any wizard who caught the gold snitch could become famous.
Since then, there has been a connection between Golden Snitch and Quidditch.
Later, Quidditch had a hunter who was responsible for catching Gold Snitch.
If any hunter can catch and kill Gold Snidget, his team will win 150 points to symbolize the 150 Galleons promised by Breno.
"150 Galleons in 1269? The Speaker of the Wizarding Parliament is really rich." Albert muttered softly. "No wonder, you can get 150 points if you catch the Golden Snitch later."
However, it was not difficult for Albert to guess the fate of Golden Snitch.
Sure enough, in the mid-14th century, the number of Golden Snidgets declined sharply due to Quidditch competition, and they were regarded as a protected species by the Wizards Council led by Alida Cragg.
Later, Bowman Wright, a metalsmith from Godric's Hollow, invented the Golden Snitch. Eventually the Golden Snitch became the Snitch's replacement, and Quidditch continued.
Albert has seen the Golden Snitch. It is really hard to imagine that a wizard at the end of the fifteenth century could make such an exquisite Golden Snitch.
Of course, since the shock-absorbing spell was not invented until the 19th century, Albert could not help but maliciously guess how the previous Quidditch players overcame the sadness of the **** and competed on broomsticks. .
In the second half of "The Origins of Quidditch", there is also an introduction to the rules of the Quidditch game. What attracted Albert's most attention was the rules of the Golden Snitch.
It is a foul for any player other than the Seeker to touch or hold the Snitch. In other words, there is no such thing as a team member catching the golden snitch and handing it over to his own seeker.
The game will not end until the Golden Snitch is caught.
Of course, there is another situation, that is, the game can also end with the consent of the captains of both teams.
It can simply be understood as one party admitting defeat.
In any kind of competition, it is always allowed to admit defeat.
Albert continued to scroll down and found several interesting rules.
In a Quidditch match, if the team becomes disabled, other players are not allowed to come on the field to replace them, but treatment is allowed for the injured player. If a player leaves the field, the team will continue the game after the injured player leaves the field.
Hmm, that means there is no substitute?
“So that’s it, the real candidate?” Albert couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
Perhaps several people in the team will graduate next year, so Charlie is busy looking for players who can replace their positions!
After all, the selection process next year will not be as fast as starting to develop outstanding players this year. By then, as long as it is a formality, you will not have to worry about others gossiping.
In the later stages of "Quidditch Origins", Albert really discovered that players can really be replaced during a Quidditch match. That is, within a few days of the game, the team will be allowed to send substitutes on the field and replace the players to sleep.
This is the only situation in which substitution of a substitute player is allowed.
Having said that, the audience is not crazy, how can they watch the game without sleep for several days?
Actually, Albert felt that once a Quidditch match lasted for more than one day, it lost the meaning of continuing the game.
He continued to turn down, and in the later stages of the rules, there were some foul methods:
For example, setting the opponent's broom tail on fire.
Hit the opponent's broom with a stick. (Albert is sure that both Erin and Mark have done this.)
In addition, there are also deliberate collisions with opponents or using elbows to bump opponents while flying. (Basically all Quidditch players except goalkeepers have done this kind of thing)
Grab the opponent's broomstick to slow down the opponent or impede his progress. (Malfoy used this trick on Potter.)
…
Of course, violating the above rules will only result in a penalty kick in most cases, and in serious cases, a ban.
In fact, Mark is the best example. He often deliberately hits his opponents.
If he used his elbow to take the opponent's seeker off the field, Albert felt that he would do the same. To a certain extent, he would gain a huge advantage by letting go.
Albert thought maliciously: Could this be how the three-month competition came about?
Both sides took the other side's Seeker off the field, no one caught the Snitch, and no one was willing to admit defeat, so the game naturally had to continue.
After noticing someone falling next to him, Albert turned his head and saw that Charlie and his team had finished their training.
Charlie asked, "Why didn't you go practice flying?"
“There seems to be something wrong with the broom, it’s shaking badly.”
"They are probably too old. The school's brooms have been used for a long time, and they all have some problems." Charlie sighed softly, and greeted the few people still flying in the sky, "George, Fred, and a few of you, come down and listen to the tactical analysis."
"Is the training over?" Fred and others also landed and came to Charlie's side and asked.
“Not yet, I will tell you about Quidditch tactics later, and you should come and listen together.”
“But we’ve already heard it.”
“I’ve been listening to you all summer long.”
The twins looked at each other and said each other.
"Shut up."
Angelina was very happy that Charlie could tell a few people about tactics and didn't treat them as outsiders.
After putting the ghost ball and bludger into the box, Charlie led a few people into the locker room. He stood in front of the blackboard and began to explain to everyone the Quidditch tactics he had come up with during the summer vacation.
(End of this chapter)