Lesson 1 - All About Broomsticks
Can the magic of flight ever be carried by words? I think not. -Michael Parfit
What is a Broomstick?
Broomsticks used by wizards and witches are not your usual sweep up the dirt brooms. Broomsticks used by magical folk are made with lots of enchantments already placed on them. Those enchantments do a variety of things from making the broom fly to cushion the fliers seat. But we'll talk more about those later. A broomstick usually consist of the shaft of the broom (the handle), and the tail. The shaft of the broom is what you hold on too. It is usually made of some sort of wood. A Firebolt for example uses the wood Ash for it's handle. The Cleansweep Eleven uses Spanish Oak for its handle. So it just varies on the broomstick variety. The tail end of the broom is not made of straw or other flimsy material. It's actually made from twigs from certain trees. (The Firebolt uses Birch twigs).
History of Broomsticks
Broomsticks orginated a very long time ago. In fact evidence has shown that brooms have been around since about 962 A.D. The reason why magical people choose brooms as their main mode of transportation is because of their ability to be disguised so easily. When muggles saw the brooms they thought that they were simply used for cleaning, but they were actually used for transportation. That particular feature about broom is probably what has kept them around. Early broomsticks though were hardly useable unless absolutely necessary. The brooms could usually go up, down, go and stop. At the early start of broomsticks, families usually made their own until it soon became more of a bartering tool. Since early brooms were not as advanced as the ones like the Firebolt, a family might perfect the art of at home broom-making and then trade their much better brooms for something of magical value in return.
Eventually advancements in broom making made these objects much more accessible and better off. That is when broomstick games came around. With the addition of these broomstick games the need for brooms rose drastically. The dramatic increase in demand for brooms lead to the first broomstick companies to open their doors. Now instead of worrying about splinter filled rear-ends, Wizards and Witches are more concentrated on the speed and new features of broomsticks being put out everyday.
Eventually advancements in broom making made these objects much more accessible and better off. That is when broomstick games came around. With the addition of these broomstick games the need for brooms rose drastically. The dramatic increase in demand for brooms lead to the first broomstick companies to open their doors. Now instead of worrying about splinter filled rear-ends, Wizards and Witches are more concentrated on the speed and new features of broomsticks being put out everyday.
Broomstick Magic
Now most of the advancements in broomsticks have either fallen under the category of Speed Improvements or Spell Improvements. However we will only be covering Spell Improvements and spells placed on brooms. So let's start with some of the more important spells.
Cushioning Charm: The cushioning charm was invented by a wizard back in 1820. His name was Elliot Smethwyck. His charm addition to broomsticks made something like a pillow that no one can see. So if you ever watch someone ride a broomstick, you'll notice that they are never actually sitting on the handle part. They are actually hovering a bit over the handle of the broom. Pioneering broomsticks did not have that charm placed on them, so that is why most original broomsticks gave their riders splinters. So thank Elliot Smethwyck for that wonderful little charm.
Braking Charm: The braking charm is probably the safest addition to brooms in a long time. This charm makes it easier to stop broomsticks, making them much safer than before.
Horton-Keitch Braking Charm: This charm was invented by men named Basil Horton and Randolph Keitch. This charm can be found on every broom produced by the Comet Trading Company and is one plus for buying a Comet made broom. This charms effects range from the more effective handling of brooms to making the broom stop more precisely.
Cushioning Charm: The cushioning charm was invented by a wizard back in 1820. His name was Elliot Smethwyck. His charm addition to broomsticks made something like a pillow that no one can see. So if you ever watch someone ride a broomstick, you'll notice that they are never actually sitting on the handle part. They are actually hovering a bit over the handle of the broom. Pioneering broomsticks did not have that charm placed on them, so that is why most original broomsticks gave their riders splinters. So thank Elliot Smethwyck for that wonderful little charm.
Braking Charm: The braking charm is probably the safest addition to brooms in a long time. This charm makes it easier to stop broomsticks, making them much safer than before.
Horton-Keitch Braking Charm: This charm was invented by men named Basil Horton and Randolph Keitch. This charm can be found on every broom produced by the Comet Trading Company and is one plus for buying a Comet made broom. This charms effects range from the more effective handling of brooms to making the broom stop more precisely.
Flying Essentials:
Let's learn some practical flying now! We will first begin with how to call your broomstick to your side. Below is a list of steps that will help you get your broomstick into the air!
1) First, stand next to a broomstick that is laying on the ground.
2) Next, Place your hand over the broomstick.
3) Now in a firm tone of voice, command the broomstick "Up"
4) Repeat until the broomstick enters your hand.
Once your broomstick obeys your command of "Up" you've completed the first step on learning how to fly!
1) First, stand next to a broomstick that is laying on the ground.
2) Next, Place your hand over the broomstick.
3) Now in a firm tone of voice, command the broomstick "Up"
4) Repeat until the broomstick enters your hand.
Once your broomstick obeys your command of "Up" you've completed the first step on learning how to fly!
That's all for this lesson! Head on over to the Homework and Extra Credit page!