Quidditch Tryouts

Also called “trials”, Quidditch tryouts take place near the start of the Hogwarts school year for places on the House team. Tryouts are organised by the team captain, with the rest of team present. When a new captain takes over, he or she is encouraged to trial existing members of the team in case there is “somebody better”.

Angelina Johnson, the new Gryffindor captain, held team tryouts for a new Keeper to replace Oliver Wood at the start of Harry's fifth year, with Ron Weasley finally chosen. Harry missed these due to serving a detention with Professor Umbridge (OP13).

When Harry became captain the following year, his popularity meant that too many students showed up for the tryouts, including ones who were not even from Gryffindor. At the end of the tryouts, the new members of the team were: Demelza Robins and Ginny Weasley (Chasers, joining Katie Bell), Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote (Beaters) and Ron Weasley (staying as the Keeper) (HBP9).

Notes and interesting facts:

• Having failed to find a suitable Seeker during the tryouts, Oliver Wood was very pleased to find out that Harry Potter had all the necessary skills, even though he was only a first year and had never even flown on a broom before his first lesson with Madam Hooch (PS9).
• Draco Malfoy joined the Sytherin Quidditch Team without having to try out, thanks to his father's gift of new Nimbus 2001 brooms to the team (CS7).
• After Katie Bell was cursed and in the hospital, rather than hold more tryouts, Harry appointed Dean Thomas, the next best from the previous tryouts, as Chaser (HBP14).
• This set a precedent that meant that Cormac McLaggen, as next best, became Keeper after Ron was poisoned (HBP19).