Quidditch Through the Ages

Covers and Front Matter

Synopsis and links by Michele L. Worley
Notes by Steve Vander Ark and Michele L. Worley

First US edition: page i (Hogwarts Library checkout label), endorsements of the book by several people (p. iv), About the Author (Kennilworthy Whisp) (p. v), Foreword by Albus Dumbledore (pp. vii - viii)
Timeframe: "present", between the publication of GF and that of OP.

In which various persons praise the book and biographical data about the author is presented.

Interesting facts and notes about the covers and front matter:

The blurbs were "written" by various writers, editors, and Quidditch experts mentioned in the Harry Potter books, and the "About the Author" biographical data is in reference to Kennilworthy Whisp, not to JKR.

[Hogwarts Library checkout label (p. i)]

[endorsements of the book by several people (p. iv)]

[Whisp's] hobbies include backgammon, vegetarian cookery, and collecting vintage broomsticks.

Characters introduced in this chapter:

• Bagshot, Bathilda (first actual 'appearance')

• Scrimgeour, Brutus

• (name unknown) editor, Which Broomstick

Characters returning in this chapter:

• Bagman, Ludo

• Lockhart, Gilderoy

• Pince, Irma

• Skeeter, Rita

Characters mentioned in this chapter:

• Bell, Katie (borrowed the book)

• Boot, Terry (borrowed the book)

• Bulstrode, Millicent (borrowed the book)

• Bundy, K. (borrowed the book)

• Capper, S. (borrowed the book)

• Dorny, J. (borrowed the book)

• Dunstan, B. (borrowed the book)

• Diggory, Cedric (borrowed the book)

• Fawcett, I? (borrowed the book)

• Flint, Marcus (borrowed the book)

• Granger, Hermione (borrowed the book)

• Johnson, Angelina (borrowed the book)

• Llewellyn, "Dangerous" Dai

• Macmillan, Ernie (borrowed the book)

• Nott, Theodore (borrowed the book)

• Potter, Harry (borrowed the book)

• Warrington, C (borrowed the book)

• Weasley, Fred (borrowed the book)

• Whisp, Kennilworthy

• Wood, Oliver (borrowed the book)

Settings and locations introduced or returning in this chapter:

• none

Settings and locations mentioned in this chapter:

• 129B Diagon Alley, London, offices of WhizzHard Books

• Hogwarts School Library

• Whisp's home in Nottinghamshire

Exceptional character moments:

• Bagman, whose blurb for this book offers to make bet on whether the book will be a best-seller.

• Gilderoy Lockhart, whose blurb for this book is self-centred as usual.

Spells:

• none

Links and Resources:

• books

  • Beaters' Bible, The

  • History of Magic

  • Magical Me

  • books by Kennilworthy Whisp

• broomsticks

• Daily Prophet, the

• publishers

• Quidditch teams

  • Wimbourne Wasps

  • Wigtown Wanderers

• Which Broomstick

Memorable lines:

• none

Strictly British:

• cookery

Timelines/Calendar:

The dates due back on the list of borrowers omit the year, but range from 9 April to 11 March. Since Wood's name is first and Harry's name last on the list, the timeframe is sometime between the start of Wood's first year and the start of Harry's fifth year (since this book came out before OP, and Cedric's name is on the list).

Since Hermione's name is on the list just before Harry's, and we know that she introduced him to this book during their first year, it is possible that the timeframe of the borrowing dates ends at the beginning of Harry's first year (PS9). Later chapters provide more information relevant to the chronology of the book itself.