The Golden Snidget

Part I
The use of Golden Snidgets in early Quidditch is a blemish on a fantastic sport. Snidgets are round, fat, golden feathered birds with long thin beaks. Their rotational wings allow the Snidget to move in any direction with amazing agility and speed. This made them extremely difficult to catch, and is one of the reasons Barberus Bragge released one during a Quidditch game, with a reward for 150 Galleons. It didn't take long for this practice to catch on, and soon everyone was using Golden Snidgets as the means for an additional 150 points (rather than Galleons), creating a much more exciting sport.

The Golden Snidget, whose feathers and eyes were so highly prized, were already hunted by many poachers, depleting their population. Once they became the prime targets in Quidditch matches, they were sought after even more. Many Snidgets were crushed to death when caught during these games due to their very fragile state. 

It is absolutely disgusting that wizards use to have such utter disdain for magical wildlife, and used these beautiful, and rare, birds as pawns in a silly sport. I believe Madam Modesty Rabnott of Kent was quite right to try to stop the practice, summoning the Snidget Bragge forced into the Quidditch match and releasing it into the wild. However, it was still a disturbingly long century before Elfrida Clagg, then Chief of the Wizard's Council declared it a protected species. At this point, the majestic birds were extremely close to extinction. It is shameful that wizards took this long to realize, and care about, the profound impact they were having on the wildlife. I am relieved that Snidgets are now classified as XXXX, not due to any danger they pose, but due to the severe penalties that one faces if they harm the bird.

The invention of the Golden Snitch by metal charmer Bowman Wright allowed Quidditch to be a sport that wizards and witches could be proud to play once more, free of the rampant animal abuse that dominated prior to this. 

Part II
Katie let out a little gasp as she finally heard what she'd been sitting hidden in the bushes for four hours waiting for. That elongated high-pitched tweet follow by two quick deeper tweets was a classic Golden Snidget she'd only read about before this. Peering carefully through the bushes, Katie searched for the source. It took her a minute or two, and she began to worry the Snidget had already flown away when she it: a small, beautifully golden bird. She couldn't help but giggle a little at it's completely round, fat body. It really did look just like a snitch! 

Katie quickly got out her notepad and began sketching it, taking careful notes of it's red eyes, and it's long, thin beak. Even though it wasn't moving, she could see its wings rotating around, ready to take flight at an instant's notice if startled. 

Katie couldn't believe Snidget hunting use to be a sport, or that these small, fragile creatures used to be crushed to death for the sake of Quidditch. She felt sick to her stomach just thinking about it. Trying to get a little closer, Katie moved forward but cursed herself when the rustling of the bushes caused the Snidget to take flight. Faster than she would have thought possible, and looking just like a snitch, the bird had taken off, weaving in all directions, turning at a rate of speed Katie had never seen before. Katie blinked and it was gone. Disappointed but still in awe, Katie packed up her drawing materials and head back up to the castle.

Source

amortentia773 - 65 HP