======Hardwin Potter======
=====Introduction=====
**Hardwin Potter** was an early [[Wizarding Families|wizarding]] ancestor of [[Harry Potter]]. His primary significance in [[Wizarding History]] stems from his marriage to [[Iolanthe Peverell]], through which the [[Invisibility Cloak]] of [[Ignotus Peverell]] was passed into the [[Potter Family]]. This union established the lineage that would eventually lead to the cloak being inherited by [[Harry Potter]] centuries later. All known information about Hardwin Potter comes from supplementary material written by [[J.K. Rowling]]. (Pottermore)
=====Biography=====
Living in the 12th century, Hardwin Potter was a member of the Potter family which, at the time, resided in the [[West of England]]. (Pottermore)
He married [[Iolanthe Peverell]], a young [[Witch]] from the village of [[Godric's Hollow]] and the granddaughter of [[Ignotus Peverell]]. As the Peverell male line had died out, Iolanthe, being the eldest of her generation, inherited her grandfather's famed [[Invisibility Cloak]]. Upon their marriage, Hardwin respected the tradition of secrecy surrounding the [[Cloak]]'s true nature as one of the [[Deathly Hallows]]. He and Iolanthe established the Potter family tradition of handing down the [[Invisibility Cloak]] to the eldest descendant of each new generation, a practice that continued for centuries. (Pottermore)
=====Physical Appearance and Personality=====
There is no canonical information regarding the physical appearance or personality traits of Hardwin Potter.
=====Magical Abilities and Skills=====
While he was a [[Wizard]], no details regarding Hardwin's specific magical abilities, skills, or [[Wand]] are known. (Pottermore)
=====Possessions=====
  * **[[Invisibility Cloak]]:** While not his by birthright, the [[Invisibility Cloak]] became a [[Potter Family]] heirloom through his marriage to [[Iolanthe Peverell]]. He and his wife were the first Potters to possess the [[Cloak]], and they began the tradition of passing it down through their direct descendants. (Pottermore)
=====Relationships=====
  * **[[Iolanthe Peverell]] (Wife):** Hardwin's wife, [[Iolanthe Peverell]], was the crucial link that brought the [[Invisibility Cloak]] into the Potter lineage. She was the granddaughter of [[Ignotus Peverell]]. (Pottermore)
  * **[[Ignotus Peverell]] (Grandfather-in-law):** Through his marriage to Iolanthe, Hardwin was connected to the legendary Peverell brother, the original owner of the [[Invisibility Cloak]]. (Pottermore)
  * **[[Potter Family]]:** As an early patriarch, Hardwin was instrumental in securing one of the family's most significant heirlooms. His direct descendants include [[Ralston Potter]], [[Henry Potter]], [[Fleamont Potter]], [[James Potter I]], and ultimately, [[Harry Potter]]. (Pottermore)
=====Etymology=====
  * The first name **Hardwin** is of Old German origin, derived from the elements //hard// ("brave," "hardy," "strong") and //win// ("friend"). The name can be interpreted as "strong friend" or "brave friend."
  * The surname **Potter** is a common English occupational name for a maker of pottery. [[J.K. Rowling]] has stated she always liked the name and that it has a mundane, "earthy" quality, which she found fitting for her hero's family name. (J.K. Rowling interview)
=====Behind the Scenes=====
Hardwin Potter is not mentioned in the original seven //Harry Potter// novels. His existence and entire backstory were revealed by [[J.K. Rowling]] in an essay titled "The Potter Family," originally published on the [[Pottermore]] website (now part of [[Wizarding World]]). This essay provided the official explanation for how the [[Invisibility Cloak]], one of the [[Deathly Hallows]], became a Potter family heirloom, a detail not explicitly explained in the books.