Sword of Gryffindor

The Sword of Gryffindor was a goblin-made sword that was owned by the famed wizard Godric Gryffindor; who was one of the four founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was a masterpiece of goblin-work, with a silver blade and a handle with egg-sized rubies gleaming upon it. The name Godric Gryffindor was engraved just below the hilt.

Forging of the sword
According to Goblins such as Griphook, the sword was originally forged for a goblin known as Ragnuk the First. The goblins had claimed that Gryffindor had stolen the sword; this was however false as the sword was made for Gryffindor and only those who believed that all goblin-made things belonged to the maker rather than the purchaser, would agree with the goblins.

1993
"Only a true Gryffindor could have pulled that out of the hat, Harry"

- Albus Dumbledore to Harry Potter

It is unknown to what uses Godric Gryffindor put this sword during his ownership of it, but the sword was said to appear whenever a true Gryffindor was in need of it. In June of 1993, the sword materialized inside the old school Sorting Hat when Harry was inside the Chamber of Secrets. Harry then used the sword to kill Slytherin's Basilisk, which was hiding inside the bowels of the Chamber. The sword was impregnated with basilisk venom (since goblin-made weapons apparently imbibe whatever makes it stronger) and afterward was able to destroy Horcruxes. After the events of that year, the sword resided in the Headmaster’s office.

1996
During the summer of 1996, Albus Dumbledore used the sword on the Gaunt family ring; which was one of Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes. The sword cracked the stone in the ring, making it no longer a Horcrux. Before his death, Dumbledore left the sword to Harry Potter through his will, though he entrusted it to Severus Snape knowing that the Ministry would attempt to confiscate it.

1997-1998
Before he died, Dumbledore entrusted the sword to Harry in his will. He placed an identical copy of the sword in his office, because he knew that the Ministry of Magic would try to confiscate it, and hid the real sword in a hole in the wall behind his portrait. Sure enough, the sword on display in Dumbledore's office was later taken by Rufus Scrimgeour for examination. When the sword was returned to Dumbledore's office, students Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood attempted to steal it for Harry (as punishment, they were sent into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid). Afterwards, Severus Snape passed the counterfeit sword along to Bellatrix Lestrange, who stowed it away in her Gringotts vault, thinking it was real. Upon discovering where Harry and his friends were camping out, Dumbledore's portrait instructed Snape to give Harry the real sword without Harry knowing that it was Snape, for it would be dangerous if Voldemort were to use Legilimency on him and look into his mind and see that Snape was helping him. Snape deposited the real sword in a pool of water in the Forest of Dean, leaving a Patronus that guided Harry to the sword. When Harry tried to dive into the water, the Locket of Salazar Slytherin closed around his neck sensed that its destructor was near and tried to strangle him. Ron Weasley came to the rescue, retrieved the sword from the lake and used it to stab the locket, destroying the Horcrux.

Later on, Harry, Ron and Hermione were found in posession of the sword, captured by the Death Eaters and sent to Malfoy Manor. Harry and Ron were imprisoned in the pits of the house along with Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, Mr. Ollivander and the goblin Griphook while Hermione was being tortured and interrogated by Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix demanded to know whether Hermione broke into Gringott's vault, and when Hermione declined to respond, she summoned Griphook, an expert on goblin-made goods, and asked him to identify whether it was the real sword or not. Griphook lied and said that it was a fake.

When Harry and the rest were saved by Dobby and safely hidden at Shell Cottage, Harry asked for Griphook's assistance to break into Bellatrix Lestrange's vault at Gringotts to search for another Horcrux. Griphook, impressed by Harry's respectful treatment of the house elf, the only agreed to help on the grounds that he would be given the real sword as payment. Harry agreed, though he secretly planned to give the sword to the goblin after he had finished with the Horcruxes. When their break-in was discovered, Griphook seized the real sword and ran with it.

Unfortunately for Griphook however, the sword reappeared in the Sorting Hat for Neville Longbottom, a true Gryffindor at heart, during the Battle of Hogwarts, like it did for Harry in the Chamber of Secrets. Neville then used it to behead Nagini, Voldemort's snake and last remaining Horcrux, rendering Voldemort a mortal man once more. The sword was last mentioned lying beside Neville in the Great Hall following the conclusion of the battle, being admired by many combatants.

The sword together with the Sorting Hat are, currently, the two remaining relics of the four founders of the magical school, as all others were confirmed destroyed by 1998. This is because it was the only relic that was not turned into a Horcrux by Lord Voldemort.

Powers
Being goblin-made, the blade was indestructible and could repel dirt. The sword could also absorb anything that was more powerful than itself, which in turn would make it more powerful. Because Harry used it to slay a basilisk, the sword became imbibed with basilisk venom - thus enabling it to destroy Horcruxes. The sword has a connection with the Sorting Hat, another possession of Gryffindor, such that the sword would come to the aid of any Gryffindor who requested help while wearing the Sorting Hat regardless of the sword's present location. According to Albus Dumbledore, only a true Gryffindor could pull this sword out of the hat.

It should be noted that it was very fortunate that Voldemort did not get the chance to turn the sword into a Horcrux, as its indestructible nature would make its destruction virtually impossible, and by consequence, make Voldemort virtually immortal (unless there was an unrevealed way of destroying it).

Use in the Films and Video Games
The role of the sword in the Chamber of Secrets film is much the same as in the book; however in the PC version of the video game based on the movie, the sword has a long range attack; a ball of light which can be launched from the sword.

Behind the scenes

 * The Gryffindor sword is featured in the hand of the goblin Griphook on the front cover of the UK version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The sword is also featured on the front cover of the German version of the book.
 * An illustration of the sword can also be seen being held by Dumbledore before Chapter Eighteen in the American version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Parts I and II