Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter/Characters/Gornuk

Gornuk
Muggles' Guide to Harry Potter - Character
Gender	Male
Hair color	Unknown
Eye color	Unknown
Related Family	Goblins
Loyalty	Those opposing Lord Voldemort

Overview

Gornuk is a goblin who travels with a group of Muggle-borns. He is on the run with this little group, presumably hiding from Lord Voldemort and his followers.

Role in the Books

Beginner warning: Details follow which you may not wish to read at your current level.

Deathly Hallows

Gornuk is heard travelling alongside wizards Ted Tonks, Dirk Cresswell and Dean, and fellow goblin Griphook. Listening to their conversation via Extendable Ears, the Trio learn some information from the goblins: they believe the Sword of Gryffindor in Snape's office to be a fake.

On an episode of Potterwatch, Gornuk is later mentioned as having been murdered alongside Ted and Dirk.

Strengths

We do not know too much about Gornuk, but from our knowledge of goblins, we can assume that he is clever, knowledgeable and capable of magic without a wand.

Weaknesses

Gornuk has been put into a difficult situation during this time, as he would not be safe anywhere. He has clearly decided to take a chance out in the wilds, leading ultimately to his death.

Relationships with Other Characters

Gornuk is an associate of, if not even a friend to, Griphook. They are heard sharing laughs during their conversation.

Unusually for a goblin, he is open to working alongside wizards, or at the very least travelling with them. This may have been a temporary alliance, but he does not seem dismissive or hostile towards Ted, Dean or Dirk.

Analysis

Gornuk is an incidental character, although a good reminder that not only humans have been affected by Voldemort's rise. Although, by his own admission, he considers the situation to be "a wizards' war", he still feels it prudent to go into hiding for his own safety, although we never really find out why this is.

Interestingly, had he stayed with his own kind, he would have been in even greater danger, as Voldemort kills most of the Gringotts goblins later in the book.

Questions

Study questions are meant to be left for each student to answer; please don't answer them here.

Do you think Gornuk would have been a Gringotts employee or not?
Why has he chosen to flee from something he considers "a wizards' war"?
Would Gornuk have been safer anywhere else?

Greater Picture

Intermediate warning: Details follow which you may not wish to read at your current level.

The seventh book gives us more of an impression of goblins, having been introduced early in the first but never really thrown into the spotlight. Gornuk is one of a few named goblins who get a moment in the series, alongside Griphook and Bogrod.

His attempt to avoid a war which doesn't really concern him can help to highlight the impact Voldemort's régime is having on the country at large. If goblins are affected, then perhaps all magical beings could also be.