Gringotts

   I have already devoted a post to JK Rowling’s dragons. However I wanted to attract special attention to a very singular dragon in her saga. Of course, I am referring to the blind dragon found in Gringotts.

  He is a much abused dragon that lives deep within the maze of vaults at the wizard’s bank. You know of this dragon in the very first book, for Hagrid informs Harry that there may be dragons guarding some of the oldest vaults, the ones that call for maximum security. However, it is not until book 7 that his existance is confirmed, and your heart is broken. He lives in slavery, forever chained and in constant fear of injury. Goblins use some scary sounding bells to control the dragon, for he expects pain whenever he hears them… a most cruel example of classic conductism.  Thus he retreats and lets the goblins to pass, needless to say he attacks anyone who dares approach him without the guarding sound.

   However, Harry, Ron and Hermione, in order to escape the disaster they’ve landed themselves onto, free the dragon. Fortunately for them he is not really aware that they are riding him, and is totally focused on the joy of having the chains removed and fully escaping his prison. That is escape is a joyous one altogether, and I have but one quelm about it: will the goblins imprision and torture another dragon to “train” him as a guardian? I really hope they are not allowed such a barbaric thing ever again.

  But at least this blind dragon was set free, and one may imagine he lived happily in the wild the rest of his life.