Snatchers

The Snatchers were gangs of bounty hunters who operated on behalf of the Lord Voldemort-controlled Ministry of Magic during the Second Wizarding War. Their primary purpose was to track down and capture Muggle-borns, blood traitors, and any other individuals designated as “undesirables” by the new regime, in exchange for a gold reward. Vicious and opportunistic, they were a significant threat to Harry Potter and his allies, and were instrumental in the trio's eventual capture and transport to Malfoy Manor.

The Snatcher groups emerged following Lord Voldemort's successful coup of the Ministry of Magic in August 1997. They served as a brutal, low-level enforcement arm for the new government, profiting from its oppressive policies against Muggle-born witches and wizards. While Death Eaters formed the core of Voldemort's forces, Snatchers were essentially mercenaries motivated by the promise of ten Galleons for every Muggle-born and twenty for every blood traitor they captured. Their most effective hunting tool was the Taboo curse placed on Lord Voldemort's name. Anyone speaking the name “Voldemort” would instantly shatter any protective enchantments around them and pinpoint their location, allowing Snatchers to Apparate to the site almost immediately. This tactic was highly effective against members of the Order of the Phoenix and others who had grown accustomed to using the name out of defiance. In March 1998, a group of Snatchers led by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback successfully captured Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Harry had accidentally spoken Voldemort's name, triggering the Taboo and breaking the protective charms (Salvio Hexia, Protego Totalum, Repello Muggletum, Cave Inimicum, and Muffliato Charm) around their campsite. The Snatchers, which also included a man named Scabior, overwhelmed the trio and also captured a fugitive Dean Thomas and the goblin Griphook. Hermione had managed to hit Harry with a Stinging Jinx to obscure his famous scar, but the Snatchers, upon finding the Sword of Gryffindor in their possession, decided to take their captives to Malfoy Manor in hopes of a greater reward. Snatchers also participated in the Battle of Hogwarts, fighting for Lord Voldemort. They were noted for trying to swarm over the castle's boundary walls and were part of the force that breached the school's defenses. Their ultimate fate following Voldemort's defeat is not stated, but it is presumed they were rounded up and imprisoned for their crimes.

Snatchers are depicted as a rough and menacing assortment of dark wizards. They generally lacked the aristocratic air of prominent Death Eater families and were more akin to thugs and ruffians. They are described as wearing heavy, dark traveling cloaks but lacked any formal uniform. Their collective personality was defined by greed, cruelty, and opportunism. Unlike many Death Eaters, they were not necessarily driven by a deep-seated belief in blood status purity, but rather by the promise of financial gain and the power to persecute others. They were often quarrelsome amongst themselves, arguing over potential bounties and leadership. They displayed a brutal pragmatism, as evidenced by their conversation about killing Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, and the goblin Gornuk when they resisted capture.

As a group, Snatchers were not portrayed as particularly powerful or sophisticated magic-users. Their magical skill was generally inferior to that of trained Aurors, Death Eaters, or members of the Order of the Phoenix. They relied on basic combat spells, surprise, and overwhelming their targets with superior numbers. Their primary skill was in tracking and capturing people. Their proficiency with the Taboo curse and their ability to Apparate quickly to a target's location made them an effective and widespread threat. Once they cornered their prey, they used simple binding and attacking spells to subdue them.

• Wands: Like all wizards, their wands were their primary tools for casting spells and subduing captives.
• Captives' Possessions: Snatchers routinely confiscated the wands and belongings of those they captured. The group led by Fenrir Greyback took the trio's blackthorn, cherry, and hawthorn wands, as well as the Sword of Gryffindor, which they found in Hermione's bag.

• Ministry of Magic and Lord Voldemort: The Snatchers were a sanctioned tool of Voldemort's puppet Ministry. They carried out the regime's dirty work, but were viewed as disposable thugs and were not part of the inner circle. They were useful for enforcing policies like the Muggle-Born Registration Commission on a wide scale.
• Death Eaters: Snatchers were subordinate to Death Eaters and were treated with contempt by high-ranking members like Bellatrix Lestrange. At Malfoy Manor, she belittled Fenrir Greyback's group, seeing them only as a means to an end.
• Targets: Their relationship with their targets was purely predatory. They hunted Muggle-borns and others on the run—whom they often referred to with derogatory terms like “Mudbloods”—with no remorse, viewing them only as walking sacks of Galleons.

The name “Snatcher” is a direct and descriptive English term. To “snatch” means to seize or kidnap someone suddenly and illicitly. This perfectly encapsulates their role as state-sanctioned kidnappers who profited from the abduction of witches and wizards.

In the film adaptation Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, the Snatchers are given a more distinct visual aesthetic, appearing as a ragtag group with punk and gypsy influences in their clothing. The role of the leader of the group that captures the trio is given to Scabior, with Fenrir Greyback being a prominent member, whereas in the novel Greyback is the clear leader of that particular pack. (film)