Quidditch reserves (again!) (Was Re: Harry's importance and threats of expulsion

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 57364

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Jennifer Todd" <wolffe at c...> wrote:
> 
> Harry referring to the Snape officiated Quidditch match:
> "I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out,
> Gryffindor can't play at all."
> 


> I believe Harry'd know if there was a reserve seeker.  However, that
> still leaves the question of why there wasn't a reserve seeker, and 
> how literally we're to take the last part of that quote "if I back 
> out, Gryffindor can't play at all."  Apparently, they did play later
> that year, just one short.
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Jenn's Reply is:
> 
> This particular plot point really has bothered me.  I can't, for the
life of me, figure out why on earth Wood would continue with the match
sans seeker.  .... If POA, Flint calls off the match because of
Injured!Draco, and they end up playing HufflePuff (thus introducing
Cedric Diggory).  Why is it that Wood wouldn't be able to do the same
when his seeker is not just injured, but totally unaware?
> 
> Jenn


bboy_mn:
Flint simply convinced the administration to reschedule the match to
accomodate Draco's injured arm. That seems like a resonable concession
at the beginning of the Quidditch season.

However, the game during which Harry was injured was at the end of the
season and there was no opportunity to reschedule or postpone. Wood
was forced to field his team and play the game, or forfeit. Wood would
never go down without a fight, so he played the team he had. 

He may have moved another play to Seeker, and player short one Chaser
or one Beater. Or, he may have designated himself as Seeker, and tried
to guard the goal post while playing Seeker. Or he may have pulled a
player from the Gryffindor student body at random, but lacking any
training, that new player would have been very ineffective. Either way
they were forced to play with that handicap, or just plain forfeit the
game, and Wood doesn't seem like the forfeiting type.

Just a thought.