Splinched?

[Anne]

I've been sort of in semi-hiding lately... kind of got lost on the 
main list and gave up trying to keep up with it... will try again 
after June 21st <vbg>... but wanted to ask ya'll something. Is the 
term "splinch" or "splinched" common in literature related to the 
wizarding world?? I am re-reading GoF right now and when I came to 
the chapter about the portkey, the Weasleys were talking about not 
wanting to get splinched, and I realized I had read the word in only 
one other book, "Deep Secret" by Diana Wynne Jones, which also 
happens to be about about witches and wizards (adults) in late 20th-
century Britain. Anyway... anyone have any comments on this? Any idea 
if JKR read Deep Secret? I believe it was published in 1995, so I 
suppose it's possible...

Anne U
(having tons o' fun reading fan fic ...Paradise Lost ch. 8 is next 
for me <~~~waves to Ebony>)