Harry Potter: 10 Secrets Hidden At Gringotts

Having made appearances in both the first and last films of the Harry Potter franchise, Gringotts Wizarding Bank is not just the sole bank of the wizarding world, but is also regarded as one of the safest places apart from Hogwarts.

The extreme security measures taken at Gringotts have resulted in some of the most powerful wizards and witches putting their trust in the bank to keep some of their most prized possessions safe, resulting in some lucrative artifacts being stored in the many vaults at Gringotts. Let's delve into some of the mystifying secrets locked away in the wizarding bank.

10. Vault 713

This vault has some of the highest security measures in the wizarding world, being located hundreds of miles underground and requiring a Gringotts goblin to open it using a specific unlocking sequence. It is also known to formerly house the Philosophers Stone, which can grant immortality.

On the very same day as Hagrid removed the stone from the vault as per Dumbledore's instruction, Quirinus Quirrell broke into the vault in search of the stone, however, it was already en route to Hogwarts. This was actually the first time that a vault had been successfully broken into in Gringotts' history.

9. Vault 711

Harry Potter in Gringotts looking at money

This vault belonged to the Black family, however, Sirius Black inherited the entirety of its contents as well as the rest of the Black estate after his mother's death. This vault contained what was a substantial amount of money, and once Harry inherited it after Sirius's death, a reasonable fortune remained.

Interestingly enough, Sirius paid for Harry's Firebolt using some of the gold stored in Vault 711. What makes this so peculiar is that Sirius was an escaped convict at the time, so it is strange that he was able to withdraw money from Gringotts without raising suspicion.

8. Vault 712



Those who played the LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 video game would have encountered this vault when Griphook mistook it for Vault 713, when Harry and Hagrid came to withdraw money in The Philosopher's Stone.

Upon Griphook opening the door, players can see goblins doing a conga line under disco lights, in what seems to be an unsanctioned break room. Griphook proceeds to hurriedly close the door so Harry and Hagrid cannot see what is really going on inside.

7. The Lestrange Vault

Belonging to the long-established and wealthy Lestrange family, what is so remarkable about this vault is that it has even higher security measures than Vault 713 or the vault belonging to Harry (and formerly his parents).

In order to reach it, one must be escorted by a Gringotts goblin via cart, and then pass through Thief's Downfall (a charmed waterfall that washes away concealments) before sneaking past the dragon guarding the door. While used by many Lestranges for generations, the vault was most recently used by Bellatrix to safeguard Hufflepuff's cup, one of Voldemort's horcruxes.

6. Gringotts Has A Branch In Egypt

While it may be the lesser known branch of Gringotts, it still has significance in the wizarding world due to housing some of the world's most valued treasures. Upon graduating from Hogwarts, Bill Weasley was employed as a Curse-Breaker at the Egyptian branch, a job that entails removing or countering curses that have been placed over historical sites.

Bill would visit Egyptian tombs and pyramids and collect valuable artefacts that would be delivered to Gringotts after retrieval. He held this position until deciding to return to England to assist the Order of the Phoenix.

5. Sphinxes Are Used As A Form Of Security

These powerful creatures have a human's head and a lion's body. They are typically used by witches and wizards to guard valuable objects and hidden passageways. While they have a passion for riddles and puzzles, and they may allow one access to whatever they are guarding upon guessing the correct answer to the puzzle, they do have violent tendencies.

With powerful paws and super strength, they are incredibly dangerous to humans, and it thus makes sense to have them guard some of the most high security vaults in Gringotts.

4. The Goblins Alone Know The Full Extent Of The Bank's Many Secrets

Gringotts has been run by Goblins since it was founded by the Goblin Gringott, in 1474. Due to the highly-sensitive contents of the bank, the goblins have a code that forbids them from divulging any of the secrets they learn to anyone.

Breaching this rule is considered treachery, and as such, only the Gringotts Goblins know the full extent of the enchantments, underground passages and creatures that are used to protect the bank's vaults.

3. The Goblins Briefly Lost Control Of The Bank

Hermione robs Gringotts in Deathly Hallows - Part 1

During the Second Wizarding War, Voldemort and his forces seized control of the Ministry of Magic and placed a puppet minister in charge, Pius Thicknesse, who was under the Imperius curse at the time.

One of the major power plays that the new regime carried out was to increase their control over Gringott's Bank. The goblin wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold who would normally guard the entrance was replaced with two wizard guards appointed by the Ministry. Probity Probes would be used to detect concealments, and it was reported that it would take an ordinary client approximately five hours to make a withdrawal at this time.

2. A Former Curse Breaker Was Recruited To Investigate Hogwarts' Cursed Vaults

During a time when Albus Dumbledore realised that the Cursed Vaults (five hidden rooms in Hogwarts castle possibly housing treasures or dark magic), were causing a stir at the school, he called in Patricia Rakepick to investigate.

What made her the logical choice for this assignment is that she became the Head Curse Breaker at Gringotts as well as one of the world's foremost authorities on the topic of curses and curse-breaking. So great was Dumbledore's faith in her, that he appointed her as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Those who play the Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery games will encounter her at some point on their journey.

1. The Most High Security Vaults Make Use Of The Gemino And Flagrante Charms



The Gemino charm makes multiple copies of an item once it is touched. Flagrante causes an object to heat up when touched, resulting in the victim being burned. These charms are used to safeguard the most high priority vaults in Gringotts, and were used to protect the Lestrange vault, as was evident when Harry, Ron, and Hermione broke into the vault during the course of The Deathly Hallows: Part 2.

While such security measures are almost full-proof, the trio were successful in stealing Helga Hufflepuff's cup, marking the first time in the bank's history that a break in had been successfully executed - and the intended item actually stolen.