|
location=Diagon Alley|
residents=Goblins|
appearance=[[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Philosopher's Stone|Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]
}}
== Overview ==
'''''Gringotts''''' is the only known bank of the wizarding world and it is operated primarily by [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Goblin|goblins]]. Wizards and witches keep their money and other valuables in vaults that are protected by very complex and strong security measures.
== Extended Description ==
{{Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Beginner Spoiler}}
Gringotts is a large multistoried white building, near the intersection of [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Places/Knockturn Alley|Knockturn Alley]] and [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Places/Diagon Alley|Diagon Alley]], that towers over all neighbouring shops. Customers pass through a set of bronze doors and then silver ones before entering the lobby; the floor is paved with marble and has long counters stretching along its length with doors leading off to the vault passageways. The vaults extend for miles under the city and are accessible through rough stone, complex and interconnected passageways by means of speedy carts that are operated by goblins.
The inscription on the front door reads:
''Enter, stranger, but take heed <br />Of what awaits the sin of greed <br />For those who take, but do not earn, <br />Must pay most dearly in their turn. <br />So if you seek beneath our floors <br />A treasure that was never yours, <br />Thief, you have been warned, beware <br />Of finding more than treasure there.'' <br />
([[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Philosopher's Stone/Chapter 5|''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'']])
When [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Harry Potter|Harry]] first visits Gringotts, he is told by [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Rubeus Hagrid|Hagrid]] that one would have to be mad to try to rob Gringotts and that, apart from [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Places/Hogwarts|Hogwarts]], it's the safest place for anything valuable to be kept. Goblins are extremely greedy and would protect their money and valuables at any cost, which makes them ideal guardians for the valuables of the wizarding world. The goblins have a code that forbids them to speak of the bank's secrets, and would consider it "base treachery" to break any part of that code.
Gringotts use a variety of security systems:
* Lower security vaults require a key; higher security vaults require the touch of a certified Gringotts goblin.
* [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Dragon|Dragons]] guard higher security vaults. They can only be controlled by Clankers, which only the goblins possess.
* The Thief's Downfall can be activated which cancels all enchantments and magical concealments, and throws the carts of their tracks.
* Some vaults use the Gemino and Flagrante charms; when any item is touched by a thief, it multipies rapidly and burns them, eventually crushing and scorching them to death.
* At times, Probity Probes are used on customers to detect enchantments, magical concealments and hidden magical objects
Gringotts Vault 713 held a small grubby bag, inside of which was the [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Philosopher's Stone|Philosopher's Stone]]. [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Albus Dumbledore|Albus Dumbledore]] sends Hagrid to retrieve it while he escorts Harry. Later that very same day, [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Professor Quirrell|Professor Quirrell]] breaks into the vault under orders from [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Voldemort|Lord Voldemort]]. Although he is unsuccessful in obtaining the Philosopher's Stone, the break-in shocks the wizarding world because it is practically unheard of for Gringotts to be robbed. The culprit is not caught.
In [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows/Chapter 26|''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'']], Harry, [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Ron Weasley|Ron]] and [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Hermione Granger|Hermoine]], aided by a reluctant Griphook in exchange for [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Godric Gryffindor|Godric Gryffindor]]'s sword, break into the vault of [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Bellatrix Lestrange|Bellatrix Lestrange]] where a [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Magic/Horcrux|Horcrux]], [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Helga Hufflepuff|Hufflepuff]]'s cup, is hidden. However, when they go into Bellatrix's vault, which is stocked with all manners of treasure, they find out that the treasure has Gemino and Flagrante charms placed on it. The trio escape with the Horcrux by fleeing on a half-blind dragon that was part of the security for the vault and leave the bank in ruins.
While Gringotts is largely staffed by goblins, including Griphook and Ragnok, it is known that the bank does employ humans. [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Bill Weasley|Bill Weasley]] works as a Curse Breaker for Gringotts in Egypt, retrieving artifacts from ancient Egyptian tombs and pyramids. [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Fleur Delacour|Fleur Delacour]] took a part-time job with Gringotts after participating in the [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Major Events/Triwizard Tournament|Triwizard Tournament]], apparently to improve her English skills, and wizard guards are mentioned in [[../..Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Books/Deathly Hallows|''Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows'']] during the break in.
== Analysis ==
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