Tufflepuffs Take the Field

"In 1419 the Wizards' Council issued the famously worded decree that Quidditch should not be played 'anywhere near any place where there is the slightest chance that a Muggle might be watching or we'll see how well you play whilst chained to a dungeon wall'" - QUIDDITCH THROUGH THE AGES

Well, that certainly is no longer the case. Tufts has a Quidditch team, and we played our first home game, against Boston University, this past Sunday afternoon. It was raining, lightly, but the match was held nonetheless, and a sizable fan base appeared to cheer on the "Tufflepuffs."

Tufflepuff fans brave the rain to cheer on the home team. The group includes the strangely clad bag-headed man.

Excited Tufts supporters showcase a hand-drawn emblem.

Three bludgers, one quaffle, and one human snitch. 10 points a quaffle, 30 points a snitch.

The balls set at the start of the game. From left to right, bludger (green), snitch, bludger (green), quaffle (white), and bludger (red).

The Tufflepuffs line up at their end of the field, ready to begin.

Best of 3 rounds wins. The snitch, a neutral player, dresses in yellow and runs around the campus while the seekers try and steal a tennis ball from within a pouch on his or her waist, ending the round.

A proud Tufflepuff seeker (center) brings home the captured snitch, winning the round for Tufts.

Teammates cheer as Tufts scores a hard-fought goal at the opposite end of the field.

Tufts won the first round, 50 to 0. BU claimed the second, and, after some questionable tactics (accidentally knocking down their own goal hoop as we were trying to score, or using what some may criticize as excessive force against one girl as her back was turned), the opposing school managed to clinch the final round, earning them the match. Nonetheless, we did not go a round without scoring at least once.

A Boston University chaser works his way down the field with the quaffle (left) while a fellow beater (right) blocks for him, bludger in hand.

Tufts beaters converge on a BU student, futilely attempting to score on our hoops.

Overall, the spectacle was, well, just that. Definitely worth the rain, and worth eating up enough of the day to force me into finishing my homework at whatever time it is now. Speaking of which, I have to get back to that. Catch you later.