Image on Deathly Hallows book cover

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 167323

---  "rlace2003" <rlace2003 at ...> wrote:
>
> ---  "wapp13" <mandyallen286@> 
> wrote:
> >
> > I believe the image shows a vault at Gringotts.  It
> > would make more sense than it being the room of 
> > requirement.
> > 
> > wapp13
> >
> 
> Ryan:
> 
> You didn't specify but I'm assuming you're referring 
> to the UK children's edition cover.
> 
> Why would it make more sense that it's vault at 
> Gringotts than the RoR?
>

bboyminn:

Here is what we need to ask ourselves, where in the world
is there likely to be a treasure like this?

Well, certainly vaults at Gringotts are full of treasure.
If not the personal treasure of individuals, then the 
very massive treasure accumulated by Gringott's Treasure
Hunters. 

So, Gringotts is likely, but we must then ask, why in the
world would the Trio ever end up in Gringotts vaults? What,
in the reasonable course of the story, could bring them 
to the deep underground where Gringotts Vaults are, and 
then why would the rush head-long into a vault as they 
appear to be doing?

The 'why' seems far more likely to occur at Hogwarts, so
we speculate as to the likelihood of a treasure being 
located at Hogwarts. I speculate the Hogwarts is 
financed primarily off of a Founder's Endowment, which
is supplemented with Alumni Endowments, very much the
way most colleges are initially funded. 

So, the next question is, is Hogwarts likely to keep
their own treasure, or are they likely to turn it all 
over to the care of Gringotts. I suspect, Hogwarts is
probably older than Gringotts, though I don't know 
that for a fact. 

So, if Hogwarts has a treasure, where is it likely to
be? Well, some variation of the Room of Requirements is
one possibility. Another is a standard Vault in a little
used and closely guarded area of Hogwarts. Perhaps, the
three remaining Founders left their possession and 
fortunes to Hogwarts, but since Slytherin left the
school, his treasure was never turned over. So maybe
we are seeing the secret vault of Slytherin within
the bounds of the school. Then again, maybe not. Maybe
we are seeing Slytherin's treasure at some other 
location.

It could be any one of these or many other possibilities,
but the mere fact that we have treasure doesn't 
automatically mean we are in Gringotts. 

Lastly, it could be the Treasury of the Ministry of Magic.
I highly suspect some type of battle taking place there, 
so the Trio could reasonably be there, their could 
reasonably be trouble, and the Trio could reasonably
burst into a vault to escape that trouble. 

Also, I think they are bursting into the room at high
speed. Harry has tripped on the treasure and fallen flat.
Hermione is falling close behind. Ron is desperately 
trying to step over the treasure, and likely failing.

I don't think the are being 'dropped in' or 'sucked out'.
They just burst into the room and were already tripping 
over the treasure before they even realized it was there.
Now the question is, why are they rushing into a chamber
when they don't know what it contains? Who or what is
chasing them? 

Conceivably, they simply went to the bank to get money,
and ran afoul of a guard dragon, and are rushing to 
escape it. Could simply be a bit of comic relief. Then
again, maybe not.

For what it's worth.

Steve/bboyminn