Winning a Quidditch game requires scoring more points than the opposing team. Catching the Golden Snitch gives a team 150, usually securing a win. This little golden ball has become one of the most iconic elements of theHarry Potterwizarding world. However, the Golden Snitch conceals secrets that play a role far beyond the Quidditch pitch.
Introduced as the third and final ball in Quidditch, alongside the Bludgers and the Quaffle, the Golden Snitch revolutionized the wizarding sport. Its addition brought a new wave of excitement to the game, as the Seekers raced to capture this elusive prize and help bring victory to their teams. The Snitch’s silver wings allow it to move at incredible speed, twisting and dodging the Seeker’s grasp, making it a thrilling chase that perfectly captures the spirit of the sport.Harry Potterfans have since become captivated by Quidditch, and the Golden Snitch has earned its rightful place as one of the most beloved wizarding artifacts.
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History of the Golden Snitch
Prior to the invention of the Golden Snitch, Quidditch matches lacked a definitive end, and would sometimes go on for days until one team secured a definitive lead, such as capturing the opposing team’s captain. Thehistory of Quidditch as fans know itis quite an interesting one. It wasn’t until 1269 that Barberus Bragge, Chief of the Wizards’ Council, set a small magical bird, known as a Golden Snidget, loose during a match. He offered 150 Galleons to the player who caught the bird. After that, it became a tradition to release Snidgets during matches. 150 points were awarded to the team that caught the bird, as a tribute to Bragge. Some time after, Snidgets became an endangered species, as they were extremely fragile and a human grip would crush them to death, and this harmful tradition was stopped.
Bowman Wright, a talented craftsman, as an alternative to replace Snidgets, crafted a small golden ball, the size of a walnut, with fluttering silver wings. And thus, the Golden Snitch was born. Shortly after, it became the norm andQuidditch’s popularity reached an all-time high.
The Golden Snitch’s ability to fly is an essential part of its design. These delicate silver wings are not merely decorative, but also serve an important role in a Quidditch game. They make the Golden Snitch capable of recreating the Snidget’s movements and flying at incredible speeds, making it incredibly hard to even spot it, putting Seekers up for a challenge andensuring a thrilling chaseon every match.
What Makes the Golden Snitch So Special?
The uniqueness of the Golden Snitch is not only because of its history and the way it revolutionized the most popular sport in the wizarding world. One of the reasons this ball is so valuable is its crafting process. Every single Quidditch match requires a brand new Snitch, and everyone that handles it prior to releasing it on the field, including the maker, has to wear gloves when touching it. This is because Golden Snitches have Flesh Memories, which means they remember the first person who touches them. This enchantment was implemented in case of a disputed capture.
Harry Potter joined the Gryffindor Quidditch team as a Seeker duringhis first year at Hogwarts. He won his very first match, against Slytherin, by catching the Golden Snitch with his mouth, in an unforgettable moment that made the entire audience go wild. At first glance, this may just seem like an incredible accomplishment for such a young wizard, and a great introduction to a game of Quidditch, but this moment also marks the start of a storyline that would determine the fate of the wizarding world. As fans learn later on, this particular ball has an even bigger role in the years to come.
DuringThe Deathly Hallows, the last installment of the mainlineHarry Pottersaga, Harry meets this one Golden Snitch again, this time as a gift that Albus Dumbledore left for him after his death. It had been enchanted by Dumbledore to unveil the message “I open at the close” when Harry touched it with his mouth. During the climactic Battle of Hogwarts, Harry realizes the significance of this Golden Snitch, and as he accepts that he has to die in order to defeat Lord Voldemort, he places the Snitch to his lips. This time, it opens, revealing the Resurrection Stone inside,one of the Deathly Hallowsthat grants the power to bring back the dead.
In a moment of despair, Harry holds onto the stone, which allows him to briefly reunite with the spirits of his deceased loved ones: his parents, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. They offer him comfort and strength, and guide him through thesacrifice he must make to defeat Voldemortand save the fate of the wizarding world. The Golden Snitch opens for Harry at the moment he needs it the most, representing, as Dumbledore states, the rewards of perseverance and skill.
