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Snickerton was a Muggle tailor in London in the 15th century. His rivalry with fellow dressmaker and witch Delfina Crimp proved his downfall.[1]

Biography[]

Snickerton worked as a tailor in London in the 15th century. Along with others of his profession, he was intensely jealous of the phenomenal success and popularity achieved by one particular London dressmaker, Delfina Crimp, and began to suspect that she might be privy to secret knowledge which they were not.[1]

Donning a disguise, Snickerton applied for a position in Madam Crimp's shop, and was successful. However, after several weeks, he had uncovered no evidence of magic except the lack of scissors in her workroom. Hoping to catch her using magic, Snickerton thus decided to hide out in her workroom one night, wrapping himself in a bolt of velvet. Sure enough, he witnessed her using a wand to cut out an intricate pattern, and the next day, he brought a group of men to arrest her on an accusation of witchcraft.[1]

Binding Madam Crimp's hands for fear she might curse them otherwise, Snickerton began searching her workshop for a wand, which he swore he had seen her using the previous night. But after several hours of looking, he failed to turn up anything suspicious, and his friends began to doubt his account.[1]

Eventually, Madam Crimp asked to be untied so as to scratch her chin, to which the men agreed, seeing no danger. But the instant she touched a wart on her chin, it popped out of her face, revealing her wand. Quickly seizing a bag of gold, she disappeared from the scene, never to be seen in London again.[1]

However, from that day onward, Snickerton found it impossible to make a single item of clothing. Everything he created ended up shredded to bits in the morning regardless of how securely it was stored overnight. According to legend, he died insane, believing that a giant pair of invisible scissors was following him everywhere he went.[1] It is likely that Crimp cursed him as revenge, or followed him around and destroyed his clothes with her charm.

Appearances[]

Notes and references[]

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