The Golden Snitch

• Type: Quidditch Equipment, Magical Device
• Owners: Ministry of Magic (as game regulators), Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter (specifically the one caught in his first match)
• Maker: Bowman Wright of Godric's Hollow (Quidditch Through the Ages)

The Golden Snitch, often referred to simply as the Snitch, is a tiny, walnut-sized golden ball with fluttering silver wings. It is bewitched to be incredibly fast and to dart around the Quidditch pitch in unpredictable patterns, making it extremely difficult to see and catch. A key feature of every Snitch is its Flesh Memory, an enchantment that allows it to identify the first person who touches it. This is a crucial security measure to resolve any disputes over its capture. For this reason, a new Snitch is used for every official match and is not handled by anyone, including the Referee, before its release. The specific Snitch that Harry Potter caught in his first-ever Hogwarts match was later bequeathed to him by Albus Dumbledore. This particular Snitch had a mysterious inscription that only became visible when Harry touched it to his lips: “I open at the close.”

The primary purpose of the Golden Snitch is its role in the sport of Quidditch. It is the smallest and most important of the three types of balls used in a match.

• Game-Ending Capture: The game of Quidditch does not end until the Snitch is caught by one of the team's Seekers.
• Point Award: The successful capture of the Snitch awards the Seeker's team 150 points, an amount almost always sufficient to win the match.
• Flesh Memory: As mentioned, this enchantment ensures that the Snitch can identify its captor, preventing foul play. This is why Seekers are forbidden from wearing gloves or touching the Snitch with anything other than their bare hands.

The Snitch left to Harry Potter by Dumbledore possessed unique enchantments. It was bewitched to hold an object within it—the Resurrection Stone—and would only reveal itself to Harry under a specific condition. The phrase “I open at the close” referred not to the end of a Quidditch match, but to the moment Harry willingly accepted his own death (“the close” of his life) before facing Lord Voldemort.

The Golden Snitch was invented as a replacement for the Golden Snidget, a small, exceptionally fast magical bird. The use of the live Snidget in early Quidditch matches was a tradition started in 1269 by Barberus Bragge, the Chief of the Wizards' Council. This practice drove the species to the brink of extinction and was eventually outlawed by the Ministry of Magic. To preserve the sport, the skilled metal-charmer Bowman Wright of Godric's Hollow invented the mechanical Golden Snitch to replicate the size, speed, and flight patterns of the Golden Snidget. His creation was a triumph and was quickly adopted as the standard for all Quidditch games (Quidditch Through the Ages). Harry Potter's relationship with the Snitch began during his first year at Hogwarts, when he was made the Gryffindor Seeker. In his debut match against Slytherin, he accidentally caught the Snitch in his mouth, a highly unusual but valid capture that won the game. This specific Snitch was later used by Albus Dumbledore as a vessel to pass the Resurrection Stone to Harry.

The Golden Snitch serves two major purposes in the series. Initially, it is the device that establishes Harry Potter's innate talent as a flyer and his importance as a Quidditch player. His ability to spot and catch it brings him fame within Hogwarts and serves as a source of pride and accomplishment outside of his struggles with Lord Voldemort. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the Snitch becomes a critical plot device. When Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour presents Dumbledore's will, Harry inherits the first Snitch he ever caught. For months, Harry, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley puzzle over the meaning of its inscription, “I open at the close.” The answer is revealed in the story's climax. As Harry walks to the Forbidden Forest to sacrifice himself, he realizes the “close” means his death. He whispers, “I am about to die,” and the Snitch opens, revealing the Resurrection Stone. This allows him to summon the spirits of his parents, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin, who give him the courage to face Voldemort and fulfill his destiny.

• The history of the Golden Snitch's invention and its connection to the near-extinction of the Golden Snidget is detailed in the supplementary book Quidditch Through the Ages, written by J.K. Rowling.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, the inscription “I open at the close” appears magically on the Snitch's surface as Harry brings it close to his mouth. The film also provides a detailed visual of the intricate mechanics as it opens. (film)