Show pageOld revisionsBacklinksBack to top This page is read only. You can view the source, but not change it. Ask your administrator if you think this is wrong. ======Snidgets====== =====Object Information===== * **Type:** [[Magical Creatures|Magical Creature]] * **Ministry of Magic Classification:** XXXX (According to //[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]//, this classification is not due to any danger the creature poses, but rather the severe penalties attached to its injury or capture.) * **Status:** Protected Species =====Description and Appearance===== The Golden Snidget is a small, spherical bird, notable for its golden plumage and brilliant, jewel-like red eyes. It possesses a very long, thin beak. The bird is exceptionally light and fragile, capable of being crushed in a human hand. Its most remarkable feature is its unique wing structure. The wings have rotational joints, allowing them to move in any direction with incredible speed and agility. This enables the Snidget to change direction with almost perfect precision, a trait that was later magically replicated in its successor, the [[Golden Snitch]]. =====Magical Properties and Usage===== The Snidget possesses no overt offensive or defensive magical abilities. Its primary "magical" quality is its extraordinary speed and unique flight pattern, which makes it almost impossible to catch. Historically, its feathers and eyes were highly prized, leading to poaching. The bird's most significant role was its use in the early game of [[Quidditch]]. In a practice that began in 1269, a Golden Snidget was released onto the pitch. The two team's [[Seeker]]s would compete to catch it. The successful [[Seeker]] would earn their team 150 [[Galleons]] (later 150 points) and end the game. This practice was exceptionally cruel, as the fragile bird was often crushed to death upon capture. =====History===== The use of Snidgets in [[Quidditch]] was introduced by [[Barberus Bragge]], the Chief of the [[Wizards' Council]], during a match in 1269. He released a Snidget and offered a prize of 150 [[Galleons]] to the player who could catch it. The crowd was enchanted by the bird's evasive flying, and the practice quickly became an integral part of the sport. This tradition led to the Golden Snidget being hunted to the brink of extinction. The wizarding population's demand for Snidgets for both [[Quidditch]] games and private sport was unsustainable. The species was ultimately saved by the efforts of [[Elfrida Clagg]], who succeeded [[Barberus Bragge]] as Chief of the [[Wizards' Council]]. In the mid-14th century, she declared the Golden Snidget a protected species, imposing harsh penalties for its capture or harm. She also established the [[Modesty Rabnott]] Snidget Reservation in Somerset, England, named after the witch who first protested the creature's use in [[Quidditch]]. Following the ban, the sport of [[Quidditch]] faced a crisis, as it lacked a key component. This spurred the invention of the [[Golden Snitch]] by a skilled metal-charmer from [[Godric's Hollow]], [[Bowman Wright]]. He created a metal ball that perfectly mimicked the size, weight, and flight patterns of the Snidget, ensuring the future of the [[Seeker]] position and the game itself. =====Role in the Story===== While the Golden Snidget itself does not appear directly in the main narrative, its history is crucial to the lore of [[Quidditch]] and the [[Golden Snitch]]. Its story is discovered by [[Hermione Granger]] while reading //[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]// in //[[Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire]]//. [[Hermione Granger|Hermione]] is appalled to learn about the historical cruelty towards the birds. This discovery serves to deepen her awareness of injustices within the wizarding world, foreshadowing her later activism and the founding of the [[Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare]] ([[S.P.E.W.]]). The Snidget's history provides a key example of how magical traditions, while seeming whimsical, can have dark and cruel origins. =====Behind the Scenes===== * The vast majority of detailed information about the Golden Snidget comes not from the seven core novels but from the supplementary book //[[Quidditch Through the Ages]]//. * The creature is also listed in //[[Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them]]//, which provides its [[Ministry of Magic]] Classification. * In the film adaptations, the wings of the [[Golden Snitch]] are often depicted as feathery and bird-like, a visual nod to its origins as the Golden Snidget.
