Snatchers

"They're everywhere – gangs trying to earn gold by rounding up Muggle-borns and blood traitors, there's a reward from the Ministry for everyone captured... Some of them are supposed to be as bad as Death Eaters."

- Ronald Weasley on Snatchers

Snatchers were members of an organisation of bounty hunters formed by Lord Voldemort when he seized control of the Ministry of Magic in the summer of 1997. It appeared to be a relatively informal organisation with the main purpose of rounding up Muggle-borns and "blood traitors" (who, at the time, simply being one made one an outlaw). However, they also responded when the Taboo curse was triggered by someone using the Dark Lord's name.

History


Snatchers were a group of wizards established in 1997. They caught up with important characters several times.

When Ron Weasley temporarily abandoned the Horcrux hunt with Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, he was cornered by five Snatchers, who hoped that he was a Muggle-born they could turn into the Ministry of Magic for a reward. However, he told them that he was Stan Shunpike. While they were arguing about whether or not he was lying (Ron suggested that they were not all that intelligent, and thought that one of them even had a trace of Troll blood), Ron managed to seize his wand and another and then escape.

Around Easter of 1998, Fenrir Greyback's group of Snatchers tracked down a group of wizards and goblins that included Dean Thomas and Griphook, whom they captured. It is likely that they were responsible for the deaths of Dean and Griphook's other travelling companions, Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell, and Gornuk.

Soon after, the same group discovered Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, after Harry accidentally triggered the Taboo on Voldemort's name. Harry claimed that he was "Vernon Dudley', a Slytherin student and son of a Ministry official. Ron claimed to be Stan Shunpike again, but was not believed, and then said he was "Barny Weasley". Hermione said she was Penelope Clearwater and a half-blood. Their story may have been believed, but Hermione's picture was spotted in the Daily Prophet, which declared her to be "the Mudblood who is known to be travelling with Harry Potter".

Greyback then decided to bring the group to Malfoy Manor, where he expressed an eagerness to bite Hermione. However, all the Snatchers but Greyback were stunned by Bellatrix Lestrange after she spotted Godric Gryffindor's Sword among the items they had seized. The Snatchers and the Death Eaters were ultimately thwarted, and the group escaped along with a few prisoners.

Role
The Snatchers seem to have been a militia formed from wizarding mercenaries less able and competent than Voldemort's elite Death Eaters and led by 'pack leaders' such as Fenrir Greyback. They were subordinate to the Death Eaters, as demonstrated by the disdainful treatment Greyback and his gang received at Malfoy Manor. Despite outnumbering Bellatrix Lestrange four to one, they were ignominiously defeated.

It is possible that skilled Snatchers were appointed as Death Eaters, as this seems to fit in with Lord Voldemort's claim that he "rewards his helpers". As there were a dozen Death Eaters guarding the village of Hogsmeade alone, it is likely that Lord Voldemort was recruiting more Death Eaters to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts, and those particular ones were Snatchers who managed to get on Voldemort's good side.

Apparel
Unlike the Death Eaters, who were a highly regimented and uniformed organisation, the Snatchers had no formal dress code, and, as such the apparel of each Snatcher was unique. As their work required them to travel the length and breadth of the country, and deal with changing weather conditions, most Snatchers chose to garb themselves in clothes such as thick jumpers, hooded sweatshirts, jackets made of leather, fur or other heavy weather-proof materials, woolen hats and boots or other hard wearing footwear, and favoured dark shades of black, brown, grey, blue, red and green. Each Snatcher wore a strip of dark red fabric tied around his or her left arm, signifying their position within the new regime. These armbands were also worn by members of the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol suggesting a possible connection between the two groups. Some Snatchers also chose to smear their eyes with some sort of black make-up. This was presumably a protective measure to minimise sun glare while pursuing their quarry, and also to appear more intimidating.

Killed

 * Dirk Cresswell
 * Gornuk
 * Ted Tonks
 * Many Muggle-borns

Snatched

 * Dean Thomas
 * Griphook
 * Harry Potter
 * Hermione Granger
 * Ron Weasley
 * Many Muggle-borns

Known Snatchers

 * Fenrir Greyback
 * Scabior
 * Chief Snatcher
 * Unidentified Snatcher
 * Unidentified Snatcher (II)
 * Unidentified Snatcher (III)
 * Unidentified Snatcher (IV)
 * Unidentified Snatcher (V)
 * Unidentified Snatcher (VI)

Behind the scenes
The word Snatcher has been translated into other languages, including: Polish: Szmalcownik (sing.), Szmalcownicy (pl.) Instead of creating a neologism, the translator decided to use much more appropriate word designed during World War II - "Szmalcownicy".
 * In the film adaption, instead of a few Snatchers, there are thousands. Just like Death Eaters.
 * The Snatchers bear a remarkable resemblance to the Nazi Gestapo and the Schutzstaffel, who rounded up Jews and others targeted by them before and during World War II.
 * In the first and second film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows each Snatcher wears a strip of red fabric tied around his or her left arm. This is an obvious reference to the swastika armbands worn by members of the Nazi secret service or the red armbands worn by Communist secret police during the Russian Civil War. Furthermore, several Snatchers are seen sporting leather trench coats, which were commonly worn by members of the Nazi Gestapo.
 * In the first & second film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Instead of Greyback being the leader, Scabior happens to be leading the organisation and interrogating the ones they snatch.
 * When Snatchers charge at Hogwarts to participate in the final battle in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, they make very odd noises. They snarl and bark, sounding much like the zombies in the 2004 film adaption, Dawn of the Dead.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)

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