- Griphook: "The right to carry a wand has long been contested between wizards and goblins."
- Ron Weasley: "Well, goblins can do magic without wands."
- Griphook: "That is immaterial! Wizards refuse to share the secrets of wand-lore with other magical beings, they deny us the possibility of extending our powers!"
- — Griphook's opinion on how wizards and witches have treated goblins unfairly[src]
Griphook was a goblin who worked at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in Diagon Alley. He would later go on the run during the Second Wizarding War from Lord Voldemort's new regime, and assist Harry Potter in his search for Helga Hufflepuff's Cup.
Biography
Work for Gringotts
Griphook aiding Harry Potter and Rubeus Hagrid into Vault 687 in 1991.
Griphook worked for Gringotts Wizarding Bank. In 1991, he took Harry Potter and Rubeus Hagrid to vaults 687 and 713.[1]
In 1997, Griphook went on the run after the fall of the Ministry of Magic to Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters, since Gringotts was not under the sole control of goblins and he refused to acknowledge any wizard master. However, he had a last laugh when he was assigned to put Godric Gryffindor's Sword in Bellatrix Lestrange's vault. He noticed that the sword was a fake, but decided not to reveal that information to Bellatrix.[2]
On the run
Dean Thomas and Griphook
Griphook soon met up with Dirk Cresswell and Gornuk, and finally Ted Tonks and Dean Thomas, and they spent only several months on the run. The group was then eventually caught by a gang of Snatchers led by the dangerously fierce werewolf, Fenrir Greyback. Ted, Dirk and Gornuk were killed, but Griphook and Dean were only taken prisoner.
Shortly after, Greyback's team was alerted to the true location of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley after they broke the Taboo on Lord Voldemort's name. Griphook, together with the others captured, was taken to Malfoy Manor and then imprisoned in the cellar. However, the trio were in possession of the real sword of Gryffindor. Bellatrix, believing that the sword was taken from her vault, tortured Hermione with the Cruciatus Curse to find out how the trio came into possession of it. She came up with a lie that it was a fake, and Harry then persuaded Griphook to go along with her story.
Griphook talking with Harry, Ron and Hermione at Shell Cottage whilst resting.
The house-elf Dobby rescued all the prisoners from the Manor, and they took refuge at Shell Cottage. Griphook's legs were injured during the escape, thus Fleur Delacour administered Skele-Gro to heal him. He watched from the bedroom window as Harry buried Dobby's body, surprised by the great respect Harry paid Dobby and by Hermione Granger's later revelation that she wanted house-elves to be freed, as few wizards treat house-elves and other non-human beings with respect.
Breaking into Gringotts
Griphook holding Godric Gryffindor's Sword.
- Griphook: "As the Dark Lord becomes ever more powerful, your race is set still more firmly above mine! Gringotts falls under Wizarding rule, house-elves are slaughtered, and who amongst the wand-carriers protests?"
- Hermione Granger: "We do! We protest! And I’m hunted quite as much as any goblin or elf, Griphook! I’m a Mudblood!... Did you know that it was Harry who set Dobby free? Did you know that we’ve wanted elves to be freed for years? You can’t want You-Know-Who defeated more than we do, Griphook!"
- — Conversation in Shell Cottage[src]
Griphook with the trio and Bogrod during break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
Harry soon came to Griphook to ask him to assist them in breaking into Gringotts to steal the Horcrux that was in Bellatrix's vault. Because of his favourable impression of Harry, and Hermione pointing out that all magical beings were united in resisting Voldemort, Griphook agreed to help them — in exchange for Godric Gryffindor's Sword. Griphook considered it goblin property, claiming that Godric Gryffindor had stolen it from Ragnuk, the maker of the sword. Harry reluctantly agreed.
However, Griphook's mistrust of wizards in general, and his feelings that goblin-made artefacts should be returned to Goblins once the original purchaser had died, led him to suspect that Harry would not keep his word and relinquish the sword. During the break-in, he managed to get hold of the sword, then fled into the caves calling for help to deal with thieves. Despite his betrayal of them, Harry, Ron, and Hermione escaped with Helga Hufflepuff's Cup (now a Horcrux), flying out on a dragon used to guard high security vaults.[2]
Unfortunately for Griphook, Neville Longbottom was incredibly brave in defying Voldemort later, and the Sorting Hat gave him the sword. After the the breakin at Gringotts Griphook is killed by Voldermort.
Behind the scenes
Griphook as a LEGO mini-figure.
- In the film version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Griphook is played by Verne Troyer, famous for playing Dr. Evil's "Mini-Me" in the Austin Powers films. However, Griphook was voiced by Warwick Davis, who plays Professor Flitwick, as well as the first Gringotts goblin.
- It has has been confirmed that Verne Troyer will be replaced by Warwick Davis to portray the role of Griphook in part two of the upcoming film adaptations of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.[3]
- In Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4, Griphook is an unlock-able and playable character. He is the only goblin in the game, out of 167 characters. Therefore, he is the only one who can open up Goblin-Chests, revealing special items like Studs or Character Tokens. Also he is required to play the bonus levels in the lower vaults of Gringotts. The player can turn into Griphook whenever they want, using Polyjuice Potion, or free-play mode.
- Also in Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4, Griphook accidentally opens Vault 712 instead of Vault 713, revealing a goblin-dance-party.
- In Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4, Griphook is unlocked in the first level, The Magic Begins, by using Reducto on the chest near the first vault, in the Gringott's Basement.
- It has been leaked that in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Griphook is killed by Voldemort. "It seems as if the Malfoys are the only ones standing after the Dark Lord learns of Harry's trip to Gringotts and takes his anger out on his followers... even Griphook doesn't make it out alive." Also, Harry simply refers to him as "the goblin", and Griphook does not make a deal with the trio, but steals the sword without warning.[4]
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (film)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game) (GBC and GBA versions only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (real)
- Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4
- Harry Potter LEGO Sets