Lestrange Vault
 | Warning! At least some content in this article is derived from information featured inHarry Potter: Magic Awakened. As such, spoilers will be present within the article. |
Lestrange Vault
Location information
Owner(s)
Affiliation
- "The door of the vault melted away to reveal a cavelike opening crammed from floor to ceiling with golden coins and goblets, silver armour, the skins of strange creatures — some with long spines, others with drooping wings — potions in jewelled flasks, and a skull still wearing a crown."
- — Description of the interior of the Lestrange Vault[src]
TheLestrange Vault was a vault atGringotts Wizarding Bank inLondon,England that belonged to theLestranges, a very old and wealthypure-blood family. In addition to containing large amounts of gold,Galleons, and treasure, it was the hiding place ofHelga Hufflepuff's Cup, one ofLord Voldemort'sHorcruxes.
Notably, the vault wasrobbed in1998 byHarry Potter,Hermione Granger, andRon Weasley with the assistance of former Gringotts employeeGriphook during theSecond Wizarding War.
History[]
Early history[]
Not much is known about the early history of the vault except that it was used by multiple members of the Lestrange family to store treasure. WhenBellatrix Black married into the Lestrange family, she gained access to the vault.
Addition of the Horcrux[]
At some point in time,Lord Voldemort gaveBellatrix LestrangeHufflepuff's Cup, one of hisHorcruxes, to keep safe in her vault, though he didn't tell her its true nature.Harry Potter believed the reason Voldemort had his Horcrux hidden in the vault was because, as an orphan, he never had a vault atGringotts and was envious of wizarding families with a Gringotts vault, considering it to be a great honour.[1]
Voldemort also knew the Lestrange's vault was well protected and thought it was a safe place to hide Hufflepuff's Cup.
Addition of the fake sword[]
- Main article:Skirmish at Malfoy Manor
- "You're a lying, you filthyMudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault atGringotts! Tell the truth,tell the truth! What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or, I swear, I shall run you through with this knife! What else did you take, what else? ANSWER ME!CRUCIO!"
- — Overheard parts of Bellatrix's interrogation of Hermione Granger[src]
During theSecond Wizarding War, theSword of Gryffindor was secured in Bellatrix's vault on Voldemort's orders, Voldemort and Bellatrix both unaware, at the time, that it was merely acopy placed there then-Headmaster ofHogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Severus Snape). Thus, aroundEaster of1998, whenHarry Potter,Ron Weasley, andHermione Granger were captured bySnatchers and brought toMalfoy Manor with the real sword, Bellatrix panicked.[2]
The trio, Griphook, and Dobby in Malfoy Manor
Harry hadGriphook (also held captive at Malfoy Manor) to lie and say it was a fake, but Bellatrix's panic led to Harry thinking that there could be something else of Voldemort's in her vault — his Horcrux,Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, seeming most likely. BellatrixStunned all the Snatchers, intending to kill them later, as Draco was unwilling to himself. Bellatrix then interrogated Hermione and tortured her with theCruciatus Curse, but Hermione managed to lie, claiming the real sword was only a copy.[2] In fact, the true sword presented itself to Harry and his friends in theForest of Dean at the bottom of a frozen lake, as the sword had to be retrieved under circumstances where bravery and valour had to be shown.[3]
Bellatrix throwing herknife as the prisoners escape
Bellatrix also threatened Hermione witha knife, after Harry and Ron escaped from the cellar with the assistance ofDobby and Rondisarmed her. While holding the knife to an unconscious Hermione's throat, Bellatrix demanded that the boys drop their wands, and then pressed herDark Mark, calling Voldemort.
However, Dobby reappeared and caused the chandelier to fall from above Bellatrix's head, prompting her to release Hermione and jump out of the way. As the house-elfDisapparated with Harry, Bellatrix threw the knife at Dobby, fatally wounding him in the chest. She and her relatives were severely punished by Voldemort forallowing Harry to escape. Bellatrix also losther wand in the skirmish.[3]
1998 robbery[]
- Main article:Break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank (1998)
After the trio escaped the Manor, Hermione used some of Bellatrix's hair, which had fallen onto her clothes while Bellatrix held her hostage, to createPolyjuice Potion to impersonate Bellatrix, as the trio planned to break into Gringotts in order to steal the item from Lestrange. Gringotts was warned that impostors might try to get in and had extra security precautions in place.
Harry searches for Hufflepuff's cup in the Lestranges' vault
In spite of this, on1 May 1998, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were able tobreak into the vault with the assistance ofgoblin and former Gringotts employee Griphook. They realised that the treasure had been protected with the curse ofFlagrante andGemino, thus, every time they touched the treasure it would burn them and multiply, raising the danger that they would be crushed to death by the searing hot metal.
Despite the security measures placed on the contents of the vault, the trio obtained Helga Hufflepuff's Cup and escaped on the back of thedragon that had been guarding the vault door. Upon hearing of the successful robbery, Voldemort was extremely furious that the vault's security failed his expectations, andmassacred all the goblin employees present.[4]
After the war[]
It is unknown what happened to the vault and the Lestrange fortune after Voldemort's fall, or if the fortune even survived the dragon's rampage during the robbery, as no known members of the Lestrange family survived without going toAzkaban.
Contents[]
The Lestranges' vault contained great treasures, crammed from the floor to ceiling with gold coins, silver armour, skins of great creatures with long spines and drooping wings, potions in jewelled flasks and a skull donning a crown.
The most prominent of its contents was thecup ofHelga Hufflepuff, which was turned into a Horcrux byVoldemort, and thefakeSword of Gryffindor.
Security measures[]
In order to reach this vault, one must be escorted by an employee ofGringotts on acart, which will be inundated by theThief's Downfall if this defence is activated by the Gringotts goblins. Adragon guards the door and will only shrink back at the sound of agoblin's clankers, in anticipation of being painfully punished. With the touch of the employee, the door will open. For this vault, it required the goblin employee to put his entire palm on the door, rather than just a finger, to open it.
TheGeminio curse increasing the number golden item in the vault
As discovered by Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Griphook's break-in of the vault, all the treasure inside had been cursed with Geminio andFlagrante. Thus, everything is hot to the touch and will replicate at a rapid rate if touched, until the potential thief is buried and burned. These replicates are identical in appearance, but have no monetary value whatsoever.[4]
The high security of this vault suggests that it is probably even deeper underground thanVault 713, which also had to be accessed by cart and by a goblin employee, but did not have any kind of creature guarding it.[5]
Behind the scenes[]
- InHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the treasure is cursed withGeminio, but notFlagrante.
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows(First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- Harry Potter for Kinect(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter: The Character Vault(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter: The Creature Vault
- Harry Potter: Wizards Unite(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter: Magic Awakened(Mentioned inHistory of Magic classes)
Notes and references[]
- ↑Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 24 (The Wandmaker)
- ↑2.02.1Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 23 (Malfoy Manor)
- ↑3.03.1Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- ↑4.04.1Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 26 (Gringotts)
- ↑Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 5 (Diagon Alley)
