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Introduction
When Harry Potter first heard the name “Wood” he thought it was a cane that was going to be used on him as punishment for flying without permission during his first flying lesson but instead ‘Wood’ turned out to be a person, a burly fifth year old boy. Oliver Wood served as captain for the Gryffindor Quidditch team throughout Harry’s first few years at Hogwarts.
From the very beginning Oliver Wood seems to be that kid who likes his one school hobby or activity a little more intensely than everyone else. He takes his particular form of nerd to the next level, complete with moving charts and graphs and the proverbial pushing of his glasses back up the nose. He made his dream of becoming a professional quidditch player a problem the entire team had to shoulder by way of intense, rain-filled practices and early morning practices sans breakfast.
But he showed himself to be a good leader in that he could make everyone follow him and do what he wanted. Although I don’t think it was necessarily because he had leadership skills. It was usually because they were looking for a way to shut him up or because they felt sorry for him given his level of intensity. I liken it to that kid you know will never become a pilot because they are colorblind and clumsy, but their room is filled with toy airplanes and books on the engineering schematics behind the B-52; you still take him to visit the Aerospace Museum, buy him new books at Christmas, and introduce him to the pilot friend of a friend you know.
Oliver Wood Quick Facts
| Full Name | Oliver Wood |
| Birth Date | Between 1975 and 1976 |
| Birth Place | Great Britain |
| Nick Name | None |
| Death Date [if applicable] | |
| Age When Series Starts | 15 or 16 |
| Zodiac Sign | NA |
| Siblings | None |
| Children | None |
| Partner / Spouse | None |
| Most Memorable Moment | Playing Keeper |
| Magical Heritage | Pure or half-blood |
| Hogwarts House | Gryffindor |
| Wand | Unknown |
| Patronus | Unknown |
| Actors Who Played | Sean Biggerstaff |
| Last Updated | May 16 2022 |
Oliver Wood Birthplace
Oliver Wood was born in either Great Britain or Ireland. His accent implies that he is Scottish, although this isn’t specified in the books, only portrayed in the films.
Oliver Wood Physical Traits
In the books, Oliver Wood is a burly, tall student. He would always get a maniacal look in his eyes when he started encouraging the Quidditch team or talking about Quidditch. He was very competitive and singularly focused. In spite of scheduling as many practices as he could get away with and caring about nothing but Quidditch, he was very humble about his own skill and always remarked on the immense skill found in all other team members.
Oliver Wood Early Life
There was very little information about his early life, but when Oliver explains the game of Quidditch to Harry Potter, he doesn’t know what basketball is. So it’s likely that his family was pure blood. However, Oliver understood what golf balls were and integrated them into his first practice with Harry Potter, so he clearly had some exposure to the Muggle World, indicating that at least one family member knew about one muggle sport. I like to think this indicates he is Half-Blood, and it goes well with the actor’s decision to portray him as Scottish, given the origins of golf.
Oliver Wood Hogwarts Years
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
After Harry Potter saved Neville’s Remembrall, Professor McGonagall interrupted Professor Flitwick’s class to borrow Oliver Wood for a moment. Professor McGonagall pointed out that she had found a new speaker for the Gryffindor team.
When McGonagall explained that Harry Potter had caught the thing in his hand after a 50-foot dive without scratching himself, Wood looked as though all his dreams might come true at once. Oliver was the captain of the Gryffindor team who was so excited about the prospect of Harry Potter helping them win the Quidditch cup that he was almost skipping when he shared the news with Fred and George Weasley.
Later that week, Oliver took Harry Potter out to the quidditch field and explained how the game works. He also remarks that Harry Potter was going to be a natural. When Harry compared some of the rules all over with sharing the rules of basketball, Oliver wood had no idea what he was talking about.
Wood also assuaged Harry’s fears by noting that they’ve had a couple of broken jaws, but no one has ever been killed at Hogwarts. After explaining each member of the team and their position (Oliver was keeper, protector of the three rings), Oliver was delighted that Harry Potter did not miss a single golf ball with which they were practicing and was certain that the Quidditch cup would have the Gryffindor name on it this year.
Quidditch Matches
November brought their first Quidditch game. Oliver had decided to keep Harry Potter their secret and not tell anyone, but the news got out anyway. Gryffindor was playing Slytherin. At the start of the match, Oliver gave the same speech he had given every year that this was the big one.
During the match, it was made known that Oliver was a reserve player of the previous year, which makes his move to team captain particularly impressive. As related by Oliver, the game plan was for Harry Potter to keep out of sight until he saw the snitch. In the end, the team won the match 170 points to 60, moving them into second place.
The start of their second term brought twice as many quidditch practices as before. The endless rain and snow did not stop Oliver from working for the team as hard as he could. Fred and George Weasley said that Oliver was becoming a fanatic, but Harry understood that if Gryffindor won their next match against Hufflepuff, they would be in the lead for the house championship for the first time in seven years.
At the start of their second match, Oliver took Harry aside and reminded him that they needed as early a victory as possible to ensure that Professor Snape did not penalize them unnecessarily, taking out his vitriol on all Gryffindor quidditch players instead of just Harry. Harry did catch the snitch ending the game in record time as it transpired.
After Harry Potter and Hermione were caught out of bed along with Draco and Neville, losing 150 points in one night, Harry went to Oliver and offered to resign from the Quidditch team, but Oliver thundered back that they couldn’t possibly get any points back if he left the team, so the only thing they could do was continue to try and earn more points. In the end, that’s exactly what happened, resulting in a change of decoration and a towering Gryffindor lion throughout the Great Hall at the closing feast.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Oliver woke Harry Potter several hours earlier than he would have liked for quidditch practice on a Saturday morning. This year Oliver was a tall, burly sixth year whose eyes gleamed with a crazed enthusiasm at the prospect of winning the Quidditch cup for Gryffindor.
Oliver tried to explain the whole new training program he had devised during the first practice, including a large diagram with many moving lines, arrows, and Crosses that wiggled across the diagram like caterpillars. The first board took nearly 20 minutes to explain, but there were three more boards underneath. The entire team fell into a stupor as Oliver droned on. Taking a moment to regain control of himself after admitting that they lost the Gryffindor cup the previous year only because Harry Potter was unconscious in the hospital Wing, Oliver made it clear that this year they would put all of these new theories into practice so that there would be no opportunity to lose.
Unfortunately, the Slytherin Quidditch team showed up, noting that they had a new Seeker, Draco Malfoy, who needed training, and as such, the Gryffindor team had to leave.
Oliver Woods’s enthusiasm for regular training sessions was not to be quelled by raindrops the size of bullets. He made the team continue to practice through stormy Saturday afternoons as October came to a close.
Gryffindor vs. Slytherin
At the start of November came their first quidditch match of the season. Oliver sat everyone down for his usual pep talk, only this time, he pointed out that even though Slytherin had better brooms, they had better people on the Gryffindor team. Chest heaving with emotion, Oliver turned to Harry Potter and reminded Harry that it was down to him to show that a Seeker needs to be something more than just a kid with a rich father and that he needed to get that snitch before Draco Malfoy or die trying.
During this game, the rogue bludger continued to go after Harry no matter what. During a timeout, Oliver was the only member of the team who didn’t think it was best to stop playing and ask for an inquiry on account of the fact that this would mean forfeiting the match and that Harry Potter needed to be left alone so that he could get the snitch even if it meant possible injury.
After breaking his arm, Harry Potter made Olliver proud by catching the snitch.
Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff
The next Gryffindor match took place after Valentine’s Day against Hufflepuff. Oliver insisted on team practices every night after dinner, and in doing so, the training sessions were getting better. Unfortunately, the match was canceled because the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, depriving Oliver once more of his chance to win the Quidditch Cup on behalf of Gryffindor.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
October brought the first quidditch meeting of the season one Thursday evening, where Oliver decided to discuss the new tactics for the team. Now in his 7th and final year at Hogwarts, he had a quiet sort of desperation in his voice, reminding everyone that this was his last chance to win the QuidditchCupp, and Gryffindor hadn’t won for seven years. He acknowledged that they should have won the last two years because they had the best ruddy team in the school, but owing to injuries and things outside of their concern, they hadn’t.
This was their last chance. Oliver spoke so dejectedly that even Fred and George Weasley were sympathetic, and the entire team practiced as hard as they could to make him happy.
Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff
As the weather got worse, the Gryffindor team trained even harder than usual, but right before their first match, Oliver told them that even though they had the practice to play against Slytherin, Draco’s injury meant they were now playing against Hufflepuff. Owing to his quiet desperation, Oliver continued to hurry up to Harry Potter in between classes and give him tips on how to win the match for Gryffindor.
Not eating anything on the morning of their first match, Alicia tried to encourage him that just a little bit of rain wouldn’t stop them from winning. Unfortunately, the rain made it impossible to see, and the wind was so strong it rolled them sideways. When Hermione ran onto the field to make Harry Potter’s glasses impervious to rain, all of her looked like he could have kissed her, and he knew that this would be the moment they finally win.
When Harry fell off his broom because of the Dementors and the team lost, Oliver stayed in the showers trying to drown himself in disappointment. He later came to Harry’s bedside and told him in a hollow, dead sort of voice that he didn’t blame him.
The Firebolt
Wood, like Ron, was distressed at the news that Harry had been the owner of the world’s best broomstick for all of five minutes before it was taken to be stripped and tested for dark magic. Wood remarked that Professor McGonagall got a bit “shirty” with him when he continued to badger her about the completion of the testing process.
Her admonishment made it clear that Wood needed to rethink his “priorities” by putting Potter’s safety ahead of a victory.
Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw
Oliver knew that nothing was going to stop the team. When it came time for Gryffindor to play Ravenclaw, Oliver made sure that Harry Potter had built up his defenses against the Dementors because otherwise, he would have considered replacing him with someone else. Oliver didn’t make a single criticism when the team finally had a practice that involved the Firebolt, which was a first for him.
During this second match, Oliver had to remind Harry Potter not to be a gentleman and chuck Cho Chang off her broom if he had to to get the snitch. Oliver yelled hysterically when he finally grabbed the snitch,, hugging him until he was nearly pulled off his room.
The night before the Quidditch final, Oliver crouched over a model of the quidditch field, prodding little figures with his wand and muttering to himself until such time as he finally commanded the entire team to bed. He spent the whole of breakfast urging the team to eat even though he didn’t touch any food himself, after which he brought the team down to the field and launched into the same speech she gave year after year.
When Harry finally grabbed the snitch directly underneath Malfoy’s nose, Oliver sped toward him, half-blinded by tears, and sobbed unrestrainedly into Harry Potter’s shoulder, yelling that they finally won the Quidditch cup.
Oliver Wood After Hogwarts Years
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter ran into Oliver at the Quidditch World Cup. Oliver had graduated Hogwarts, dragged her over to his parents to introduce them, and informed Harry that he was signed onto the Puddlemore United reserve Quidditch team.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Oliver Wood returned through the Hog’s Head and Room of Requirement to fight in the final Battle of Hogwarts. He helps Neville Longbottom carry dead bodies back into the Great Hall during the brief pause in the fighting.
It is likely that he survived and continued to follow his passion for Quidditch. I wouldn’t be surprised if he never married because he was too passionate about his hobby.
Oliver Wood Magical Abilities and Special Skills
Oliver Wood demonstrated superb flying skills. He was decent as a captain, so he had some good leadership skills (or at least understood that being a captain meant giving pep talks and working for the team hard). His career as a reservist for a professional Quidditch team is a testament to these skills.
While there isn’t a lot of detail about his academic achievements or his dueling, he was skilled enough to survive the Battle of Hogwarts, which is a testament to his abilities.
Oliver Wood Wand
Nothing is known about his wand, but it is likely that he got his wand from Diagon Alley at Ollivander’s, just like all the other Hogwarts students.
Oliver Wood Trivial and Fun Facts
Oliver went to Hogwarts at the same time as Percy Weasley, Charlie Weasley, and Nymphadora Tonks.
Oliver Wood is portrayed as a Scot by actor Sean Biggerstaff, but that is not specified in the books. Similarly, the character is described as burly and seems to get bigger each year, which was not something the actor did.
Oliver Wood participated in the final battle even though he was not around when Dumbledore’s Army was created. Almost all of the people who reappeared to help fight in the final battle where members of Dumbledore’s army or knew someone who was. As such, former members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team likely alerted Oliver.
Oliver Wood Appearances in Books
Oliver Wood appears in the following books:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Oliver Wood Appearances in Films
Oliver Wood appears in the following films:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Oliver Wood Quotes
Oliver explaining his attempts to get back Harry’s Firebolt:
“Bad news, Harry. I’ve just been to see Professor McGonagall about the Firebolt. She — er — got a bit shirty with me. Told me I’d got my priorities wrong. Seemed to think I cared more about winning the Cup than I do about you staying alive. Just because I told her I didn’t care if it threw you off, as long as you caught the Snitch on it first. Honestly, the way she was yelling at me… you’d think I’d said something terrible.”
Oliver Wood giving Harry a stress-free pep talk:
“It’ll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Harry, because we’ve got to win today, we’ve got to.”
Oliver at the Quidditch World Cup:
“Oliver Wood, the old captain of Harry’s House Quidditch team, who had just left Hogwarts, dragged Harry over to his parents’ tent to introduce him, and told him excitedly that he had just been signed to the Puddlemere United reserve team.”
FAQs
Answer: It never specifies in the books what happened to Oliver after the final battle and defeat of Lord Voldemort but I like to think he never married and instead remained dedicated to his sports, so much so that he probably never went professional other than the reserve team, but found a way to continue his career writing content or serving as a manager or coach of some kind.
Answer: Oliver Wood never once spoke about his skill. Instead, whenever giving pep talks about how great the Gryffindor team was and how they should win each game or the Quidditch cup, he individually pointed out the skills and abilities of each member of his team, but never talked about himself. This indicates that he was very humble and a very good captain, focusing on lifting up the members of his team rather than focusing on himself. Given that he was the only one out of the team over the span of a few years to go on and play professionally (many years after he graduated, Ginny Weasley became the next), I think it’s remarkable that he never once made a joke, sarcastic comment, or remark about his skills personally.
Answer: The books don’t actually show him ever hanging out with friends. Instead, he associates with other members of the team. This could be a reflection on the fact that he is a captain so he tries to focus exclusively on his responsibilities. But it’s more likely that even though he was approachable and friendly, he didn’t seem to have good interpersonal skills. He never recognized that his pep talks were boring and decreased the motivation of the team. He never realized how uncouth his comments were when he only cared about getting the Firebolt back and didn’t care if Harry Potter got hurt in the process. He also didn’t seem to care at all if Harry died at any point during the game so long as he caught the snitch. He had a good relationship with all of the players; he just didn’t seem to have any social skills. If he hadn’t attended Hogwarts and I met him as an adult I would have assumed he had been home-schooled.
Answer: No. Oliver graduated a few years before Dumbledore’s Army was created so he wasn’t at Hogwarts. However, it is very likely that he would have joined if he had been there because of his trademark bravery and courage and the fact that he returned for the final battle.
Research Citations
- IMDB. Harry Potter Full Cast. https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0926084/fullcredits/cast
- Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. New York: Scholastic, 1999. Print.
- Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2000.
- Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 1999.
- Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. New York: Scholastic, 2002.
- Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. New York: Listening Library, 2003.
- Rowling, J. K. (2010). Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. London: Bloomsbury. Chicago (Author-Date, 15th ed.) Rowling, J. K. 2010.
- Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007.
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