GF8: The Quidditch World Cup – Harry Potter Lexicon

"They'll be talking about this one for years."
-- Ludo Bagman

The spectators take their seats, Harry meets Winky (house elf for Barty Crouch), the Malfoys, and Mr. Oblansk (the Bulgarian Minister for Magic). The pre-game show features the Bulgarian and Irish team mascots, followed by the introductions of the team members, and the game begins. Ireland takes an early lead and eventually wins despite repeated fouling by Bulgaria and Viktor Krum catching the Golden Snitch. Fred and George Weasley win their bet with Ludo Bagman.

Calendar and Dates

The entire chapter takes place on a Monday in late August 1994, on the day of the Quidditch World Cup - one week before the first day of term at Hogwarts.

Interesting facts and notes

In this chapter, the Weasleys and Harry experience an exciting Quidditch World Cup match.

"Good Lord, Arthur," he said softly. "What did you have to sell to get seats in the Top Box? Surely your house wouldn’t have fetched this much?"
Fudge, who wasn’t listening, said, "Lucius has just given a very generous contribution to St Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Arthur. He’s here as my guest."

A nasty Lucius Malfoy can't keep himself from commenting on the Weasley family's lack of gold - gold that bought the Malfoys the same prime seats in the top box at a Quidditch World Cup final. It must be a disappointment to Lucius to find himself sharing the space.

"I wonder what they've brought?" said Mr Weasley, leaning forwards in his seat. "Aaah!" He suddenly whipped off his glasses and polished them hurriedly on his robes. "Veela!"

The Bulgarian team mascots are veela - ethereal and blindingly beautiful women. Their magic affects the male spectators more than the female ones. Even the match referee is susceptible.

Squinting up at the shamrock, Harry realised that it was actually composed of thousands of tiny little bearded men with red waistcoats, each carrying a minute lamp of gold or green.

The Irish mascots are leprechauns, who fly over the stadium and spreading gold coins around the crowd. Ron is especially please to be paying Harry back for the Quidditch souvenirs he bought for Ron and Hermione. However, as Ludo Bagman - and Fred and George Weasley later discover, all is not what it seems (GF37).

"And now, please greet - the Irish National Quidditch Team!"

On her old website, J K Rowling revealed that

"The Irish Quidditch team players are all named after people I have known. 'Moran', 'Troy', and 'Quigley' are good friends." (JKR)

Play now reached a level of ferocity beyond anything they had yet seen. The Beaters on both sides were acting without mercy: Volkov and Vulchanov in particular seemed not to care whether their clubs made contact with Bludger or human, as they swung them violently through the air. Dimitrov shot straight at Moran, who had the Quaffle, nearly knocking her off her broom.

This is the reality of the game of Quidditch, not the tamer school version played at Hogwarts. Before this time, readers may have thought that the sport was a bit dangerous, but this chapter shows them how violent the game really can be.

"And that, boys," yelled Mr Weasley over the tumult of the crowd below, "is why you should never go for looks alone!"

This is good advice. However, the part-Veela we meet later in the books turns out to be a kind and loving witch (GF26, HBP5, DH8, DH25).

Twenty years later, a grown-up Ginny Weasley still remembers:

"....the terrifying Harpy-like form that gave many children - myself included - nightmares after their 1994 display." (QWC)

"IRELAND WIN!" shouted Bagman, who, like the Irish, seemed to have been taken aback by the sudden end of the match. "KRUM GETS THE SNITCH – BUT IRELAND WIN – good Lord, I don’t think any of us were expecting that!"

Viktor Krum catches the Snitch in spite of his team being too far behind to win at that point of the match. This isn't, however, Bulgaria's last shot at winning the Quidditch World Cup - Krum is again their Seeker in the 2002 and 2014 tournaments (QWC).

Exceptional character moments

Viktor Krum, who chose to catch the Snitch and end the match in a time and manner of his choosing. Compare this to Harry's feelings upon learning about Horcruxes for the first time.

Lucius Malfoy being horrible to Arthur Weasley and family and his wife Narcissa looking down at them.

Ron Weasley being so delighted to have the leprechaun gold in order to pay Harry for the Omnioculars, as Ron really wants to get a Christmas present from Harry.

Memorable lines

Ron pulled out his Omnioculars and started testing them, staring down into the crowd on the other side of the stadium. "Wild!" he said, twiddling the replay knob on the side. "I can make that old bloke down there pick his nose again... and again... and again...."

The crowd didn't want the veela to go. Harry was with them; he would, of course, be supporting Bulgaria, and he wondered vaguely why he had a large green shamrock pinned to his chest. Ron, meanwhile, was absent-mindedly shredding the shamrocks on his hat.

"And that, boys," yelled Mr. Weasley over the tumult of the crowd below, "is why you should never go for looks alone!"

"You can speak English!" said Fudge, sounding outraged. "And you've been letting me mime everything all day!" "Vell, it vos very funny," said the Bulgarian minister, shrugging.