Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we’ll be discussing the history of the magical sporting event known far and wide around the wizarding world as QUIDDITCH. Quidditch is without a doubt, the most popular and well-known sport played by witches and wizards in the entirety of the wizarding world. It is, as you may have guessed or probably already know, extremely magical in nature—as the whole game revolves around various balls that fly about of their own volition and is played while riding around on broomsticks.  With two opposing teams of seven, Quidditch is played on a pitch typically set up on a deserted moor or field, far from the view of us Muggles. And just as with many of our non-magical team sports, there are different positions on each team. These positions are known as the Chasers, of which there are three, the Beaters, of which there are two, a single Keeper, and a Seeker. Quidditch is also played using four different balls—an entirely seamless red leather Quaffle, 12 inches in size and used to score points on opposing teams’ goals, two 10-inch iron Bludgers, which only serve to knock players off their broomsticks and their game, and a Golden Snitch—a small golden ball with silver, rotational wings. Both teams then have three goalposts, raised high in the air with a large hoop at the top of each. It’s the Chasers’ job to use the Quaffle to score on the opposing team’s goals. Each successful shot through one of these hoop goals is worth 10 points. Goalposts are guarded by a team’s Keeper—similar to that of a Muggle sports team’s goalie. The Beaters’ primary responsibility is to hit—or “beat”—the Bludgers away from their teammates in order to allow them to score points uninterrupted, without being knocked off their broomsticks. And then there’s the Seeker, who basically plays a game all on their own, with their one and only goal being to find and catch the Golden Snitch before the other team’s Seeker. Doing so earns the Seeker’s team 150 points and signifies the end of the match.  Of course, as with any sport, Quidditch hasn’t always been played this way. It has evolved over the centuries, and has a rich and rather colourful past. In fact, we are fortunate enough to have an incredibly robust account of Quidditch’s history thanks to Quidditch Through the Ages, a text by the wizard Kennilworthy Whisp. Throughout the remainder of today’s video, the information that I’ll be sharing is based on Kennilworthy’s tremendous research and body of work, all of which focused on the evolution and history of this incredible sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coming to you with some really sad news today. RIP Michael Gambon AKA Dumbledore. Earlier on I read that Michael Gambon, who famously played Albus Dumbledore for the majority of the Harry Potter films, has passed away at the age of 82. “We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon,” said the statement issued on behalf of his wife, Anne, and son Fergus by publicist Clair Dobbs. It added that he “died peacefully in hospital” after a bout of pneumonia with the pair at his bedside. His family also added: … “We ask that you respect our privacy at this painful time and thank you for your messages of support and love,”  … For those unaware, Gambon took over the role of Dumbledore after the death of Richard Harris, who portrayed the wise old wizard in the Philosopher’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets. And take over the role he certainly did- and while the two men may have portrayed Dumbledore in their own unique ways, both were incredibly effective. Leaving their mark on the Harry Potter franchise for all of eternity. Born on October 19, 1940, in Dublin, Ireland, Michael Gambon showed an early inclination towards the arts. He left school at the age of 15 and went on to become a successful engineer. However, the allure of the theater proved irresistible, and Gambon soon embarked on a professional acting career. He joined the prestigious National Theatre in London's Old Vic as one of its founding members in 1962. Collaborating with legendary figures like Laurence Olivier, Derek Jacobi, and Maggie Smith, Gambon developed his craft and gained prominence on the stage. Throughout his illustrious career, Gambon amassed numerous awards and honors. He received three Olivier Awards and two Critics' Circle Theatre Awards for his remarkable stage performances. On the screen, Gambon was honored with four British Academy of Film and Television Arts awards. Additionally, he won two ensemble cast Screen Actors Guild Awards for his roles in "Gosford Park" and "The King's Speech." In 1998, Gambon was knighted for his immense contributions to the world of drama. But it wasn’t just contributions to the world of Drama that Gambon deserved to be knighted for. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that Gambon played an integral part of so many people’s childhoods- bringing the iconic role of Dumbledore to life. It’s tough getting older and seeing our childhood heroes passing away, but just like Hagrid and Robbie Coltrane- Gambon’s contributions to the world of theatre will live forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today, we’re going to be discussing some popular fan theories pertaining to Severus Snape. I’m going to discuss 5 theories in total, some good and some bad. If you enjoy this type of content, let me know by liking and leaving a comment. I’ve got 5 more ready for a part 2! Let’s get started. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we’re discussing 10 more DARK moments from the books that were either misrepresented in the films or omitted entirely. These were moments so dark that (in the case of some) they had to be removed in order to keep the film’s PG rating down.  I’ve also done a part 1 and 2 so be sure to check those out if you haven’t already.  Anyway, I won’t dawdle, let’s dive in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to Harry Potter Theory. Today we're going to be taking a deep dive into what COULD have happened to the Wizarding World and the lives of the witches and wizards we now know so well IF Gellert Grindelwald had been the winner of his infamous duel with Albus Dumbledore. As many of you will know, in 1945, Albus Dumbledore at long last challenged the dark wizard Grindelwald, defeating him in a duel, which ended Grindelwald’s reign of terror over the Wizarding community and put a stop to his frightful rise to power. This duel, of course, came decades after the two men had formed an intense bond in their youth. In fact, according to Dumbledore’s own admission, Albus was in fact in love with Gellert as a young man. Their relationship was initially built upon a foundation of shared hatred towards Muggle-kind, and they dreamed of a world in which witches and wizards would conquer the non-magical world and make them into a subservient people.  Fortunately, for the greater magical community at large, Albus Dumbledore’s reverie of this dystopian version of the world was obliterated when his younger sister, Ariana, was killed in a misguided argument between himself, Gellert, and Aberforth, Albus’ younger brother, turned fatal. After this tragic incident, the two young wizards parted ways, as their ideologies began to diverge drastically. Many years later, Gellert began his infamous rise to power in pursuit of making the world he’d once envisioned alongside Dumbledore a reality. It’s at this point in their shared history, that we discovered that Grindelwald and Albus had made an unbreakable vow with one another never to oppose the other. This was done at a time when they both believed they wanted the same thing: domination over the human race. Unfortunately, this vow prevented Dumbledore from putting a stop to all the evil things Grindelwald did for decades. BUT, as I mentioned at the start of this video, there eventually came a time in which Albus was able to overcome the vow, challenge Grindelwald, and ultimately defeat and imprison him. The question I raise with you now is: What would have happened if Albus Dumbledore had NOT won this fight? What would the Wizarding World have looked like if the winner had, in fact, been Gellert Grindelwald instead? Indeed, there are a many number of questions that this alteration to the past brings about. First, and foremost, to any great fan of Harry Potter anyways, the question that comes to mind is: What would’ve happened to the great and powerful Albus Dumbledore? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices