The Snitch's "flesh memory" (Was: CHAPTER DISCUSSIONS: DH7)

[Mike]

No: HPFGUIDX 179059

> 16. Is there any mention about the flesh memory in any prior
> books or was this just tossed in as a belated plot point? Was
> Wood wearing gloves when he first taught the rules to Harry?

"""" Nora: it is the first time we hear it, that I recall. OTOH
Wood used golf balls to teach Harry the rules

Mike now:
Each team/house has it's own practice equipment. They use a 
previously exposed snitch for practice sessions, they don't care who 
touched it first.

When I read the "flesh memory" passage, it struck a familiar chord. 
I don't remember being surprised by it. Could this idea have been 
presented somewhere before? Maybe in "Quidditch Through the Ages" or 
in some other context? It's almost like primary imprinting of some 
newborn species. Where they associate the first thing that they see 
as their parent, which I suppose Hagrid thought dragons did. ;)



> > 18. Could anyone please explain to me why a flesh memory in a 
> > snitch would be likely to tell the difference between flesh and  
> > lips? 

> zgirnius:
> I don't see why not. It remembers the first flesh that touched it.
> I presume this means a Snitch that was caught in a more 
> traditional manner, would open if the Seeker's hand that caught it,
> touched it. I mean, it could be written so it is only the person 
> that matters, but there is no reason it *has* to be like that.
> 
> Carol:
> But if a Snitch opens only for the first person who touched it, how
did Dumbledore get it to open so that he could put the Resurrection
Stone inside it (and then reenchant it not to open but to show the
message, "I open at the close" at the touch of Harry's mouth/tongue
and then open, again at the touch of Harry's mouth, at that specific
moment)? Yes, DD is a master magician, a great sorcerer, but he
doesn't have Harry's mouth and he was not the first person to touch
it, so how could he open it in order to do all that other stuff,
including *not* open but only show a message at the touch of Harry's
mouth?

Mike:
Let's take a look at Scrimgeour's words on the matter. <p 128, US>

"It occurs to me that Dumbledore, who had prodigious magical 
skill, ... might have enchanted this Snitch so that it will open 
only for you."

So it does appear that Scrimgeour puts forth the idea that this 
Snitch was tampered with by Dumbledore to open at Harry's touch. 
Evidently, Scrimgeour got it in his head that DD had somehow hidden 
something *inside* the snitch. Which was an amazingly correct guess 
on Scrimmy's part.


> Carol:
> Maybe the Snitch's flesh memory normally reveals a message along 
the lines of "You caught me" rather than opening up? After all, the
important thing is to reveal the identity of the Seeker who caught it
(rather like a photo that shows which horse really won a close race)
and most Snitches would be empty since their makers don't normally
hide prizes or anything else inside them. (Or JKR didn't think it
through, which would not surprise me.)

Mike:
Yes indeed. I would say it much more likely that DD tampered with the 
message, changing it from the "You caught me" or whatever to the "I 
open at the close." After all, the Snitch eventually did open, but 
only at the right time and with prompting from Harry's words. How 
Scrimgeour guessed that DD had hidden something inside and had 
enchanted the Snitch to open,... maybe a history of dealing with DD 
taught him to expect brilliant and tricky ploys.


> Carol, wondering what Scrimgeour expected to happen when Harry 
> touched the Snitch

Mike: 
To open. He said so.