The break-in of Gringotts Wizarding Bank on July 31, 1991, was an attempt by Quirinus Quirrell (at the time Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry), under orders from Lord Voldemort, to steal the Sorcerer's Stone, which was being kept in Vault 713 of Gringotts Wizarding ...

In the Harry Potter universe, Professor Quirinus Quirrell broke into Vault 713 at Gringotts Wizarding Bank on July 31, 1991. He was acting under the direct orders of Lord Voldemort, who at the time was a weakened spirit inhabiting Quirrell's body. The goal of the break-in was to steal the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary alchemical object capable of granting eternal life. However, Quirrell was ultimately unsuccessful in his mission because Rubeus Hagrid had removed the "grubby little package" containing the stone earlier that same day on Albus Dumbledore's instructions. The news of the break-in shocked the wizarding world, as Gringotts was widely considered the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide. This failed heist was the catalyst for Voldemort's decision to hide the stone within Hogwarts under the protection of various traps and the Mirror of Erised, leading to the climactic events of Harry's first year at school.