The Sword of Gryffindor is arguably one of the most significant weapons in the J.k. Rowling series, Harry Potter. It is used to aid a fellow member of the House of Gryffindor.
Appearance
What does the sword of Gryffindor look like?
The Gryffindor Sword is made of pure silver. It is long with a double-handed grip. The sword is embedded with egg-shaped rubies. Gryffindor chose rubies to be the represented stone for his House of Gryffindor. Below the hilt, is the appearance of “Godric’s Gryffindor’s” name engraved into the blade.
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Abilities
What are the abilities and traits of the sword?
- The sword is enchanted, as the goblins enchanted it upon its making, as mentioned in Deathly Hallows.
- The sword responds to appeals of help from Gryffindor members as demonstrated in The Chamber of Secrets and Deathly Hallows.
- The sword can destroy horcruxes, which are the soul pieces of the series major antagonist, Voldemort. The sword destroys 3 specific horcruxes: Nagini the Snake, The Marvolo Gaunt family ring, and The Slytherin Locket.
- It vanishes and reappears in Gryffindor owned artifacts such as the swording hat, as seen in The Chamber of Secrets and Deathly Hallows.
- It absorbs anything it comes into contact with that will give it more power, like basilisk venom. This fact is stated true by the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black in Deathly Hallows.
- It has excellent dueling capabilities as mentioned by the sorting hat in The Goblet of Fire.
- It never has to be cleaned. This is due to its absorbent properties mentioned by Phineas Nigellus Black in Deathly Hallows.
Why can Gryffindor’s sword destroy horcruxes?
The gryffindor sword gains the ability to destroy horcruxes in The Chamber of Secrets, after Harry Potter kills the basilisk. Upon killing the basilisk, the sword is soaked in basilisk venom and the sword is said to have adapted the venomous trait by infusing it into itself for future use, as Hermione concluded in Deathly Hallows.
Known Sword Bearer’s
Who has handled the sword?
Godric Gryffindor: Original owner
Harry Potter: House Gryffindor
Albus Dumbledore: House Gryffindor
Neville Longbottom: House Gryffindor
Ronald Weasley: House Gryffindor
Severus Snape: Bears it long enough to place it in the lake, but was instructed to do so by the direction of Albus Dumbledore. He technically doesn’t use the blade, just relocates it for Harry.
Griphook: Tried to bear it for a while, but the sword dissipated from his hands.
Defining Events
What are the most definable events with the sword?
In The Chamber of Secrets,
The Sword of Gryffindor killed the Basilisk
The sorting hat is delivered to Harry from Dumbledore’s phoenix, Fawkes. Inside the hat, the Sword of Gryffindor appears, so that Harry can use it to Kill the Basilisk.
In The Deathly Hallows, the sword kills 3 horcruxes:
Marvolo Gaunt’s ring
Albus Dumbledore used the sword to destroy the stone in the ring.
Slytherin’s locket
In the forest of Dean, Ron and Harry find the real gryffindor sword again but Harry is attacked by the Horcrux Locket. Ron uses the sword to destroy the locket before it strangles Harry.
Nagini the snake
During the second battle of the wizarding war, Neville Longbottom uses the sword to decapitate Lord Voldemort’s snake, Nagini. This is the final horcrux killed that eliminates Voldemort’s immortality, allowing Harry Potter to finally defeat him.
Conditional Requirements
Who do you have to be to handle the sword?
Only a true and worthy member of the Gryffindor house has been able to bear the sword.
Why did the Gryffindor sword disappear?
Physical possession of the sword is not guaranteed ownership, as the sword can magically disappear and reappear at any merit it chooses. In Deathly Hallows, Griphook steals the sword from Harry after helping break into Gringotts, but the sword vanishes from his possession as he is not a true Gryffindor.
Appearances
When does the sword appear in the series?
How did Harry Find the Sword?
The sword makes its first appearance in The Chamber of Secrets. It magically appears in the sorting hat that was flown in the basilisk’s chamber by dumbledore’s phoenix, Fawkes. After the defeat of the basilisk, Dumbledore locks the sword in a glass case in his school office, where it stays for a while until The Deathly Hallows.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, In the Forest of Dean, snape deposits the sword in a pool and helps Harry find it, using his doe Patronus as the guide to the sword. The sword is then used to destroy Slytherin’s Locket.
When does Dumbledore use the sword?
In the Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore used the sword to kill the horcrux ring, and then returned it back to the case in the office.
It is seen again after Dumbledore’s death, as Dumbledore attempted to leave the sword for Harry in his will. However, The Ministry of Magic would not allow Harry ownership of the sword as its expressed that it wasn’t Dumbledore’s to give away. Upon this predicament, the sword is supposedly taken by The Ministry of Magic from Dumbledore’s office and stored at Gringotts bank.
How did Gryffindor’s sword get in the lake?
Its next appearance in Deathly Hallows was discovered in the lake of The Forest of Dean. The discovery of the sword found in the lake, meant that the sword that was seized and stored by The Ministry of Magic into Gringotts was a replica. It was confirmed that the sword in the lake was, in fact, the real sword of Gryffindor because Ronald Weasley was able to kill the horcrux locket that tried to kill Harry at the lake.
Who put the sword in the lake?
After Dumbledore’s death, Dumbledore’s portrait instructs Professor Snape to put the sword in the lake for Harry and Ron to find. Professor Snape learns of Harry and Ron’s whereabouts from asking the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black. Professor Snape then plants the sword in the lake.
Who stole the Gryffindor sword?
After the sword is found in the lake, Harry, Ron, and Hermione carry the sword with them until they meet Griphook the Goblin while captured by snatchers. Griphook agrees to help Harry break into Gringotts, and ends up stealing the sword from Harry before fully completing the deal. After Griphook steals the sword, Harry later finds Griphook dead with the sword nowhere in sight; as seen in Deathly Hallows.
How did the Gryffindor sword get to Neville?
The final time the sword appears in Deathly Hallows is during the battle of the second wizarding war. During this time, Voldemort places the sorting hat on top of Neville’s head and sets him on fire. In Neville’s despair, the Gryffindor sword magically appears from the sorting hat for Neville to use.
Origins
Why do wizards have wands and swords?
One might wonder why a wizard would need both a wand and a sword. Many years ago, before the International Statute of Secrecy, wizards preferred using swords against enemy muggles instead of wands. Dueling with swords was also a very popular practice in past days.
Who made the Gryffindor sword?
One thousand years ago during the medieval era, Godric Gryffindor went to the goblin king, Ragnuk the First, to request a custom sword be made. Godric chose Ragnuk because he was the most skilled silversmith at that time. After the sword was forged, Godric became famous for his dueling abilities with the sword, and later became one of the founders and professors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ever Since Godric Gryffindor’s rein, the sword has become legendary and desired for its magical powers by all.
Why do goblins want the sword back?
After Ragnuk the Goblin king made Gryffindor’s sword, he grew to covet the weapon. Bill Weasley explains to Harry in Deathly Hallows, that goblins are known for believing that whatever they create, they have rightful ownership of when it comes to their property. Ragnuk wanted to keep the sword for himself, and even sent his goblins to steal the sword back from Godric Gryffindor. Ragnuk and his goblins failed to steal the sword from Godric, as Godric met their attempt with his wand, and threatened that if they should ever try to steal the sword again, he will make sure the sword will be used in retaliation to eliminate them.
Ever since this threat, Goblins have resented all members of House Gryffindor and still desire the possession of the sword. We see this take place in the event in Deathly Hallows, as the goblin, Griphook tries to coax Harry Potter into giving him the sword as his desired form of payment for helping him break into Gringotts.
Safe keepings of the Sword
Where was the Gryffindor sword hidden?
After Harry defeats the basilisk in The Chamber of Secrets, Dumbledore stores the sword in a glass case in his school office.
In Deathly Hallows, before his death, Dumbledore hides the real sword of Gryffindor in a hole in the wall behind his portrait. He then plants a fake replica In the glass case to trick The Ministry of Magic and any unworthy bearers who seek out the sword after he’s gone. This is revealed at the moment that Snape’s memories are reviewed; showing a past memory of the portrait “Phineas Nigellus Black,” telling Snape that Harry, Ron, and Hermione are at the lake. Albus Dumbledore’s portrait asked Snape during this time to remove the sword from its protected place behind his portrait and plant the real sword for them to find.
Last Mention of the Sword
What happened to the sword of Gryffindor at the end of the series?
The last mention of the sword’s whereabouts in the series was located beside Neville as he is resting, after fighting the final battle in the second wizarding war.
Inspirations of the Sword
What inspired the makings of the Gryffindor sword?
The Gryffindor Sword strikes a similar resemblance to King Arthur’s Excalibur, In that, it can only be handled by a worthy bearer. It also takes a similar note in the Deathly Hallows in that Harry Potter is expected to retrieve the sword in a lake as King Arthur’s once was.
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