The Snidget and the Snitch

Snitcha the golden snidget flew around sadly. She had just lost her mother to that barbaric game Quidditch, where the seeker had to grab her and thus crush her with his hands to win the game. Was a game as important as a life?

She had never known her father. He had been lost in the same game too. So many of her friends. Oh, how she cried when she saw the seeker wash away her crushed mother and move on as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn't destroyed her only happiness. She was afraid to go there, as the wizards might capture her and use her next.

Wizards were foul, according to her. They killed Snidgets for their entertainment purposes. Snitcha would not forgive them.
Snitcha flew into the woods and to her safe haven, her hiding place. Nobody had found her. Yet.

She wallowed in sorrow and grief for a long time, not associating herself with anyone. She did not want to get close to anyone and lose them again. She had had enough grief as it was.

But as fate would have it, she met Saoum one day. He was charming, and very nice. She became friends with him soon. And friendship blossomed into love.
And love, ah, how unconditional it was. They would forage together, taking care to not wander near Quidditch obsessed wizards and witches and would settle in their nest by night. After two years, Snitcha had to two beautiful, beautiful baby snidgets, Deono and Quill.

Just when her life was going happy, Quill was captured. Mad, and grief driven, the family did not do anything properly for many months.
They decided to relocate. On their way, Deono felt tired and they decided to rest for a while against a jewellery shop window, camouflaged so that nobody would spot them easily. As Deono turned away, he saw a snidget inside the glass, and who was it, but Quill, vey much alive!

"Quill!" he cried, "QUILL!"

Snitcha, not knowing what was happening, said monotonously, "Quill is gone."

"No,mother, father, she is there!"

Stunned, the couple looked at where their son was looking, and saw Quill who was staring back at them, tears swimming in her red eyes.

Snitcha was felt a lot of emotions in one second... happiness, at having found her daughter, panic at her position, helplessness..

She decided she was going into the shop no matter what. She didn't care if a wizard caught her, she just wanted to get to her daughter.

"Quill! You hold on dear!" Snitcha screamed and flew in, despite all attempts by her husband and son to prevent her, as they didn't want to lose her as well.

She landed next to Quill's cage. "Momma, they are not using me yet, as snidgets have been labelled endangered, but if they don't find an alternate..." Quill and Snitcha both burst into tears.

"Ill save you, ill save you!" Snitcha sobbed.

"No, momma, you go. Save yourself. If i get away, ill find you."

Snitcha sobbed, but left as a wizard came close. She had to be alive to save her daughter. she would go from one place to another to search for somebody, any kindhearted wizard... but how could they save the snidgets?

She left her husband and son to be with Quill. She visited a lot of places and heard about Newt Scamander, a nature enthusiast. She visited him and poured her heart out.

After patiently listening to Snitcha, Scamander said, "There is a wizarding smith called Bowman Wright. He can help you."

"Is he a magizoologist like you?" Snitcha asked.

"No, but he wouldn't hurt you."

It was her best bet. she knew it, but she still had her doubts.

She debated with herself whether or not to approach him. Finally, she decided to. She went to his house and spotted him, half asleep on a table.

"Mr Wright?" she called out with bad accent.

Bowman jerked awake and looked at her in shock.

"Excuse me... Did you just call me?" he asked.

Snitcha nodded. "Save my daughter. She has been captured."

Bowman, a friend of Newt Scamander and a great nature lover decided to help this snidget. With Snitcha's help, he forged the first golden seeker's ball and introduced it to the wizarding world. He made it exactly like snidgets- the colour, the speed, the nature and even the appearance, except for the beak and eyes. Everyone was happy, Quill was free, but the happiness lasted only for a short while.

The referees decided the new golden balls were confusing because they didn't know who exactly caught them in case of arguments. So they decided to breed snidgets and kill them for this use as they would be able to identify the winning seeker by the blood on his or her gloves.

Quill was captured again. A distraught Snitcha flew as far as her wings would take her to Bowman, informed him and went straight into the pitch. Just as the seeker was about to catch Quill, she flew straight into his hands, and gave up her life for her daughter.

The world seemed to stop. There is no greater magic than love. A shimmering form appeared in front of everyone and asked in a booming voice, "Snitcha, what is that you seek?"

In a very feeble voice, Snitcha replied "Bless Bowman's golden balls with flesh memories.. That way snidgets wont be killed."

"So be it."

The form vanished. Snitcha died. Bowman rushed, and everyone wept for the snidget who gave up her life for her only daughter.

They realized how barbaric they had been. The seeker resigned, his heart heavy with guilt.

As for the other three snidgets who were Snitcha's family, they went into isolation.

Bowman made a lot of changes to the golden balls. As they were now blessed with flesh memories, he instructed his workers to wear gloves. He redesigned the ball so that it had a very tiny compartment in it. Ideal for storing small treasures.

He walked to the press meet and held the new golden ball high. "Henceforth, the seekers shall seek the Snitch, in honour of the great Snitcha who proved that you do not have to be human to love."

And that is how snitches came into play.