Quidditch tryouts

"As Harry had expected, the trials took most of the morning. Half of Gryffindor House seemed to have turned up, from first years who were nervously clutching a selection of the dreadful old school brooms, to seventh years who towered over the rest, looking coolly intimidating."

— The Gryffindor Quidditch team tryouts in 1996.

Ronald Weasley at the quidditch pitch getting ready for tryouts

The Quidditch tryouts, also known as trials, were the formal processes of forming the school Quidditch teams for the coming seasonal year. These tests took place near the start of Hogwarts school year, where students could have their merit tested for a place on their House team. Tryouts were organised by the team captain, with the rest of team present.

History

1985

In the 1985–1986 school year, one of the Hogwarts Quidditch teams, captained by Orion Amari, held tryouts for the position of Chaser after the team's previous Chaser was injured in a Quidditch friendly. Orion chose four aspiring Chasers for the tryouts, including Jacob's sibling. Jacob's sibling was chosen for their team.

1996

In 1996, Harry Potter, the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, held trials at the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch in order to appoint students to the team. However, due to Harry's popularity amongst the students, many first year Gryffindors showed up (despite first years rarely making the house team) at the pitch, even along with some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws who Harry had to dismiss from the pitch for not being in the right house. Harry found the trials very exhausting and difficult, but he eventually appointed Katie Bell, Ginny Weasley and Demelza Robins as Chasers, Jimmy Peakes and Ritchie Coote as Beaters, and Ron Weasley as Keeper, who kept his position from the previous school year. Ron successfully held off competition for the position of Keeper from Cormac McLaggen, as Hermione Granger used the Confundus Charm on McLaggen during the trials, which damaged his performance.

Media

Quidditch Tryouts - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Quidditch tryout in 1996

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First mentioned)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (First appearance)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
• Pottermore
• Harry Potter (website)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery