======Lestrange Family Vault======
=====Location Information=====
  * **Type:** [[High-security vault]]
  * **Location:** [[Gringotts Wizarding Bank]], [[Diagon Alley]], [[London]], [[England]]
  * **Owner/Residents:** [[Lestrange family]] (most notably used by [[Bellatrix Lestrange]])
  * **Key Features:** Located in the deepest, oldest part of the bank; guarded by a [[dragon]]; vault door enchanted to burn non-goblin hands; interior protected by the [[Gemino Curse]] and [[Flagrante Curse]].
=====Description and History=====
The [[Lestrange family vault]] was an ancient and very high-security vault located deep within the subterranean levels of [[Gringotts Wizarding Bank]]. As one of the oldest wizarding families, the Lestranges were afforded one of the most protected vaults, situated far below the less secure vaults near the surface.
The approach to the vault required a high-speed cart journey through the bank's labyrinthine tunnels, culminating in a passage guarded by a blind [[Ukrainian Ironbelly]] [[dragon]]. The vault door itself had no keyhole. Access was granted only when a [[Gringotts]] [[goblin]] placed their palm flat against the door, which would then melt away. Any witch or wizard attempting to do the same would be sucked into the vault and trapped.
The interior was a cavernous chamber filled with vast mounds of gold [[Galleon]]s, [[Sickle]]s, and [[Knut]]s, alongside priceless items such as jewels, goblin-wrought armour, and other treasures accumulated over centuries. The contents of the vault were magically protected by two powerful curses:
  * **[[Gemino Curse]]:** Caused any object touched to multiply endlessly, though the copies were worthless.
  * **[[Flagrante Curse]]:** Caused any object to become red-hot upon contact.
[[Bellatrix Lestrange]] considered the vault to be the ultimate bastion of security. She chose it as the hiding place for one of [[Lord Voldemort]]'s most precious [[Horcrux]]es, [[Helga Hufflepuff's Cup]], believing it to be utterly impregnable.
=====Role in the Story=====
The vault plays a central role in //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows//. After learning from [[Bellatrix Lestrange]]'s panicked reaction at [[Malfoy Manor]] that a [[Horcrux]] might be hidden in her vault, [[Harry Potter]], [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]] planned a daring heist to retrieve it.
In May 1998, the trio broke into [[Gringotts]] with the reluctant assistance of the [[goblin]] [[Griphook]], who demanded the [[Sword of Gryffindor]] as payment. The plan involved several layers of deception: [[Hermione]] used [[Polyjuice Potion]] to impersonate [[Bellatrix]], [[Ron]] was transfigured into a fictional foreign wizard, and [[Harry]] and [[Griphook]] hid under the [[Invisibility Cloak]]. They used the [[Imperius Curse]] on the [[goblin]] [[Bogrod]] to gain access to the lower levels.
After bypassing the [[dragon]] using [[Clankers]], they reached the vault. When [[Bogrod]] was killed and [[Griphook]] refused to open the door without the sword, Harry was forced to use the [[Imperius Curse]] on the goblin again to gain entry. Inside, they inadvertently triggered the [[Gemino]] and [[Flagrante]] curses, causing the chamber to fill rapidly with scorching-hot, multiplying treasure. Despite the immense danger, [[Harry]] managed to identify and retrieve the real [[Cup of Hufflepuff]] using the [[Sword of Gryffindor]].
Their escape was thwarted when [[Griphook]] betrayed them, seizing the sword and alerting the other goblins. Trapped and outnumbered, the trio freed the guard [[dragon]] and climbed onto its back, using it to smash their way out of [[Gringotts]] and fly to safety. This act was a major turning point, as it shattered the bank's reputation for being impenetrable and publicly announced to [[Voldemort]] that Harry was actively hunting his [[Horcrux]]es.
=====Known Areas Within=====
The only known area is the main vault chamber itself, a single cavernous space filled with the Lestrange family's accumulated wealth and artifacts.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
In the film adaptation, //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2//, the break-in sequence is highly dramatized. The cart ride to the vault is a perilous, high-speed rollercoaster-like experience that passes through a waterfall known as the "Thief's Downfall," which washes away their enchantments. The effect of the [[Gemino Curse]] is shown visually as a tidal wave of treasure that threatens to bury the trio alive. The escape on the [[dragon]] through the main banking hall is also a major cinematic set piece. (film)