Quidditch, Number of Games, & Who Attends

[christi0469 <christi0469@hotmail.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 50607

bboy wrote,

(material snipped)

> So, I wonder if they used a process of elimination. The two weakest
> teams from the year before, play the two strongest teams. Winners 
of
> those two games play each other for the final championship. Total= 
3
> games. There is another variation of this, where the two weakest 
house
> play each other. That winner plays the number two ranked team from 
the
> year before, and that winner challenges the previous years winner.
> Again, total equals 3 games. That seems closer to the number of 
games
> we hear about. Eliminated teams, don't play anymore games. 

(more snipped material)

my reply-

I think the events of PoA make this scenario impossible. Gryffindor 
plays Hufflepuff, then Ravenclaw, then Slytherin. In a three game 
season Gryffindor would be excluded from at least one of the games. 
IIRC there was at least one other game between other houses 
mentioned in the book, and the Gryffindor's chances for the 
Quidditch Cup were determined by the point totals. 

  "'So you must only catch it if we're more than fifty points up' 
Wood told Harry constantly. 'Only if we're more than fifty points 
up, or we win the match but lose the Cup..."

If the Cup is awarded on the basis of points, then all teams should 
be allowed to play all three other houses. 

So why doesn't JKR show Harry watching the other houses play? 
Wouldn't Wood have his players watch the other matches to look for 
their competitor's strengths and weaknesses? My guess is that 
Rowling doesn't want to write three more Quidditch matches, so she 
occassionally writes something to the effect of "Ravenclaw 
steamrolled Slytherin". Though I would like to see Harry watch one 
of the other matches, especially one with Slytherin so Harry could 
comment on Draco's performance.

Christi