Golden Snitch. The small, fast ball sought by the Seeker

The Snitch is the center of focus in most Quidditch games, as its capture by one of the two Seekers signals the end of the game and 150 points for the catcher's team. Since most games end quite swiftly there is often not enough time for the Chasers to gain enough of a lead before the opposing Seeker catches the Snitch to prevent the 150 points from winning the game for the catcher's team. It follows therefore that the position of Seeker is one of the most important and prestigious positions on a Quidditch team.

The Golden Snitch is very small, and has thin fluttering wings. It is very fast, and very agile, able to jink swiftly in any direction to evade capture. The Snitch has no actual intelligence as such and is quite random in its movements, it does not actively seek to avoid capture, but its size, speed and random nature make it exceptionally difficult to grab.