Thief's Downfall

• Type: Magical Security Enchantment; Waterfall
• Owners: Goblins
• Maker: Goblins of Gringotts Wizarding Bank

The Thief's Downfall is a unique security feature located deep within the subterranean caverns of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. It takes the form of a massive, thundering cascade of enchanted, icy-cold water that pours directly over the cart tracks leading to the highest-security vaults, such as the Lestrange Vault. It is described as a “sheer cascade of water” that must be passed through to proceed further into the bank's depths.

The primary function of the Thief's Downfall is to nullify and wash away all forms of magical concealment and enchantment. It serves as an infallible identity-check, ensuring that no one can enter the deepest vaults under disguise or by using mind-altering spells on bank personnel. Its effects are immediate and potent. When Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger passed through it during their heist of Gringotts, it demonstrated several key properties:

• It instantly reversed the Transfiguration spells that had disguised Hermione as Bellatrix Lestrange and Ron as a fictional wizard named Dragomir Despard.
• It broke the powerful Imperius Curse that Harry had placed upon the goblin Bogrod.
• It washed away the Confundus Charm Harry had used on the wizard Travers.

As Griphook the goblin explained, “It washes away all enchantment, all magical concealment… We are to be revealed as ourselves.” In addition to its magical cleansing properties, the force of the waterfall also caused the enchanted cart to stall and eject its passengers, forcing them onto the tracks and further thwarting their infiltration.

While its exact origin date is unknown, the Thief's Downfall is an integral and presumably ancient part of the formidable security system established by the goblins to protect the treasures within Gringotts. It stands as a testament to the powerful and unique magic that goblins employ to make the bank one of the most secure locations in the wizarding world.

The Thief's Downfall plays a critical role in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows as a major obstacle during the Gringotts heist. After successfully navigating the upper levels of the bank, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, along with Griphook and a cursed Bogrod, are forced to pass through the waterfall. The Downfall's magic immediately exposed their true identities and broke Harry's control over their goblin guide. This single event dramatically escalated the danger of their mission, stripping them of their disguises and alerting the bank's defenses to their presence. Forced to proceed on foot and without the aid of a controlled goblin, the trio had to rely on sheer force and wit to reach the Lestrange Vault and escape with Hufflepuff's Cup.

In the film adaptation, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, the Thief's Downfall is depicted as a powerful waterfall that visually melts away Hermione's Polyjuice Potion-induced disguise rather than reversing a Transfiguration (film).