Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Chapter Twenty-six:
Gringotts

"Like I said, yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it."

Notes by Michele L. Worley
Page editor Belinda Hobbs

U.S. hardcover edition: pages 519 - 543
U.K. hardcover edition: pages 419 - 438
Timeframe: ?, 1998 - ? May 1998

In which, plans and preparations being complete, Griphook accompanies HRH to Gringotts, hiding with Harry under the Cloak while Hermione poses as Bellatrix and Ron assumes a false identity. By using various spells to interfere with the minds of Gringotts staff members, they manage to reach the level of the Lestranges' vault before various defences are set off against them. They manage to obtain the cup from the vault, then escape by releasing the dragon guarding the most secure vaults and helping it break out.

Interesting facts and notes about the text of this chapter:

This is the wand that tortured Neville's mum and dad

That was before Bellatrix was sent to Azkaban. Sirius' wand was taken away from him when he was sent to Azkaban, so hers also must have been taken away from her. Perhaps it was given to her family, in which case Narcissa may have returned it to Bellatrix upon the latter's escape. We don't really know, however.

the planned double-cross

I can't help thinking that they might have been better off if they'd let Griphook into their confidence just a little, and attempted to negotiate a delayed handover of the sword. However, on reflection I suspect that they'd still have wound up in more or less the same position - Griphook would not have trusted them to keep their end of the bargain. They're lucky that he trusted them as far as he did.

when six o'clock arrived...semi-darkness...The dawn was chilly, but there was little wind now that it was May.

So it's been over a month since the incident at Malfoy Manor.

She was taller than he was

As we learned in "The Seven Potters" (DH4), Hermione is ordinarily shorter than Harry, which is why her robes are too big for her once the Polyjuice Potion wears off on this occasion.

the dragon's thrashing, spiked tail

The dragon sounds like a Hungarian Horntail to me.

it staggered into Diagon Alley and launched itself into the sky.

I'd hate to be the poor devil at the Ministry in charge of covering up this little incident.

Characters introduced in this chapter:

• Bogrod

• (surname unknown), Marius

• (name unknown) beggars

• (name unknown) Marius' companion

• (name unknown) young goblin who brought the Clankers

• (name unknown) goblin who reminded Bogrod of the special orders

• (names unknown) assorted goblins and wizards responding to the alarm in the high-security vaults

• (name unknown) dragon

Characters returning in this chapter:

• Granger, Hermione (as Lestrange, Bellatrix)

• Griphook

• Lovegood, Luna

• Potter, Harry

• Thomas, Dean

• Travers

• Weasley, Ron (as Despard, Dragomir)

• (surname unknown), Tom

Characters mentioned in this chapter:

• Black, Sirius

• Delacour, Fleur

• Dobby

• Dumbledore, Aberforth (reference to mirror)

• Dumbledore, Albus (reference to mirror)

• Hagrid, Rubeus

• Lestrange, Bellatrix Black

• Longbottom, Alice

• Longbottom, Frank

• Longbottom, Neville

• Lovegood, Xenophilius

• Malfoy, Draco

• Ollivander

• Perkins

• Riddle, Tom (the Dark Lord, Voldemort)

• Smith, Hepzibah

• Weasley, Bill

• Weasley, Molly

Settings and locations introduced or returning in this chapter:

• London

  • Charing Cross Road

  • Diagon Alley

    • Gringotts

    • Leaky Cauldron, the

  • Ministry of Magic

• Lovegoods' house

• Shell Cottage

Settings and locations mentioned in this chapter:

• Malfoy Manor

• Transylvania

Exceptional character moments:

• The way the dragon has been treated and conditioned to respond to the goblins says a lot about them.

Spells:

• Accio

• Apparition

• Confundo

• Cushioning Charm

• Defodio

• Gemino Curse

• Flagrante Curse

• Imperio

• Impervius

• Liberacorpus

• Levicorpus

• Lumos

• Protego

• Relashio

• Stupefy

• Thief's Downfall

• Unforgivable Curses

Links and Resources:

• Bestiary

  • dragons

  • goblins

  • leprechaun

• Death Eaters

• items and devices

  • cart, Gringotts

  • Clankers

  • Cloak, Invisibility

  • handbag, Hermione's

  • Horcruxes (Hufflepuff's cup)

  • Probe, Probity

  • sword of Gryffindor

  • tents

  • wands

• money

• plants

  • Gurdyroot

Memorable lines:

• "Well, he's not my type, but he'll do."

Strictly British:

• keen

• mate

• sitting room

Timelines/Calendar:

Sometime after the previous chapter, so it is at least March of 1998 at the beginning of the chapter. The raid on Gringotts takes place on a day in May.