Lestrange Family Vault

• 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.

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 Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts, 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 Horcruxes, Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, believing it to be utterly impregnable.

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 Horcruxes.

The only known area is the main vault chamber itself, a single cavernous space filled with the Lestrange family's accumulated wealth and artifacts.

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)