Thief's Downfall

The Thief's Downfall is one of many defensive enchantments employed at Gringotts Wizarding Bank.

Description
The Thief's Downfall has the appearance of a waterfall, which falls directly over the tracks used by the mining carts of Gringotts. Its purpose is to wash away any concealment or enchantments that are being used by the occupants of any mining cart that runs through it, as well as causing the cart to derail and crash, preventing the thieves from progressing any further.

Known uses
During their 1998 break-in at Gringotts when they attempt to access the Lestrange vault, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Griphook the goblin encountered this spell. As observed, the waterfall removed all the effects of the Polyjuice Potion from Hermione, a number of transfiguration spells from Ron, and lifted the Imperius Curse Harry had placed on Bogrod the goblin. Furthermore the water knocked the cart off course and, were it not for a Cushioning Charm Hermione produced at the last second, all the occupants of the cart would have been at serious risk of being knocked unconscious, injured or killed.

It did not, however, do anything to the Invisibility cloak worn by Harry, due to it being a Hallow, rather than an ordinary cloak with charms on it. Nevertheless, it also spared Hermione's beaded handbag, which would have probably burst should Hermione's ordinary Undetectable Extension Charm be lifted.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Cascade des Voleurs Cascata del Ladro