Beater

Harry Potter using a Beater's bat during a session of Quidditch practice with Oliver Wood

"...you have two Beaters on each team — it's their job to protect their side from the Bludgers and try and knock them towards the other team."

— Description of the position

Beater was a position in the wizarding sport of Quidditch. There were two Beaters on every Quidditch team, and they were the only players on the pitch who had bats, although it was not a foul for a Beater to temporarily pass a bat to a non-Beater in a match.

Their job was to keep the Bludgers away from their team and at the same time try and aim the Bludgers towards the opposite team. However, aiming Bludgers at the audience was a foul known as Bumphing.

History

"Neither of his chosen Beaters had the old brilliance of Fred and George, but he was still reasonably pleased with them: Jimmy Peakes, a short but broadchested third-year boy who had managed to raise a lump the size of an egg on the back of Harry’s head with a ferociously hit Bludger, and Ritchie Coote, who looked weedy but aimed well."

— The 1996-1997 Gryffindor Quidditch Beaters

Beaters had probably existed in the game of Quidditch since the introduction of the Bludger. Beaters were not meant to be goal scorers, and there was no indication that any Beater had ever handled the Quaffle during gameplay.

Jacob's sibling played Beater for their House during the 1986–1987 school year, replacing Bean, who was suspended from playing Quidditch for the season due to her low marks.

Fred Weasley playing as a Beater against Slytherin

In their second year in the 1990–1991 school year, Fred and George Weasley became Beaters for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. They both used Cleansweep Five broomsticks and were so skilled at Quidditch that they were both described as being like 'Human Bludgers'. Fred and George remained the Gryffindor Beaters from 1990 until their seventh year in 1996.

In 1996, after the departure of Fred and George Weasley, Ritchie Coote along with Jimmy Peakes replaced them as the new beaters for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. According to Harry Potter, neither of the two lived up to the shadow that the Weasley twins had left them, but they played well enough and managed to stay on the team throughout the 1996-1997 Quidditch season.

Traits

Beaters needed to be well built, having considerable physical strength in their arms since they were charged with hitting the Bludgers throughout the whole match. Because of this, most of the beaters throughout history had been wizards rather than witches playing in this position. However, there had been exceptions, such as the famous Captain of the Holyhead Harpies, Gwenog Jones, among others.

Beaters also needed to have good balance, as they were, at times, required to take both hands off their broomstick.

Beater equipment

Broomstick

Bludger

Beater's bat

Quidditch gloves

Quidditch Goggles

Known Beaters

Team	Name
American National Quidditch team	Greg Ruczinski
	Troy Duvall
Australian National Quidditch team	Kelly Whakkaarangapawarau
	Kylie Meadows
Ballycastle Bats	Finbar Quigley
Bulgarian National Quidditch team	Ivan Volkov
	Pyotr Vulchanov
Chudley Cannons	Joey Jenkins
English National Quidditch team	Dawn Withey
	Indira Choudry
Falmouth Falcons	Karl Broadmoor
	Kevin Broadmoor
French National Quidditch team	Alain Lacroix
	Ninon Saucet
German National Quidditch team	Elena Eldritch
	Katrina von Glockenspieler
Gryffindor Quidditch team	Andrew Kirke
	Fred Weasley
	George Weasley
	Jack Sloper
	Jimmy Peakes
	Ritchie Coote
Holyhead Harpies	Gwenog Jones
Hufflepuff Quidditch team	Anthony Rickett
	Maxine O'Flaherty
	Michael McManus
Irish National Quidditch team	Connolly
	Quigley
Japanese National Quidditch team	Keiko Takahashi
	Minaka Hirakata
Nordic National Quidditch team	Asgard Pettersson
	Asgeir Knutsen
Ravenclaw Quidditch team	Duncan Inglebee
	Jason Samuels
Slytherin Quidditch team	Gregory Goyle
	Lucian Bole
	Peregrine Derrick
	Vincent Crabbe
Spanish National Quidditch team	Tiago Montoya
	Vasco Santini
Undetermined Hogwarts House team	Bean
	Dobbin
	Erika Rath
	Jacob's sibling
Wimbourne Wasps	Ludo Bagman

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (film)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Quidditch Through the Ages
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter (website)
• Daily Prophet Newsletters (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup
• Harry Potter Trading Card Game
• LEGO Harry Potter: Characters of the Magical World
• LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO Harry Potter
• Harry Potter: The Character Vault (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
• Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions