======The Potter Family======
=====Introduction=====
The Potter family is an old and respected wizarding family, though not part of the [[Sacred Twenty-Eight]] due to their pro-[[Muggle]] sentiments. Originally a [[Pure-blood]] line, the family has included many [[Half-blood]] and [[Muggle-born]] members through marriage. They are most famous for their direct connection to the [[Peverell]] brothers, their ownership of the [[Invisibility Cloak]] of the [[Deathly Hallows]], and their repeated defiance of [[Lord Voldemort]]. The family's most famous member is [[Harry Potter]], who was instrumental in the final defeat of Voldemort, a legacy built upon the sacrifice of his parents, [[James Potter I]] and [[Lily Potter]].
=====Family History=====
The Potter lineage can be traced back to the 12th-century [[wizard]] Linfred of Stinchcombe, a well-liked and eccentric man whose nickname, "the Potterer," was eventually corrupted into "Potter" (Pottermore). Linfred was the inventor of several famous remedies that evolved into modern [[potions]], including [[Skele-Gro]] and the [[Pepperup Potion]], which formed the basis of the family's fortune (Pottermore).
The family's history became intertwined with one of the most significant legends in the wizarding world when Hardwin Potter married Iolanthe Peverell (Pottermore). Iolanthe was the granddaughter of [[Ignotus Peverell]], the original owner of the [[Invisibility Cloak]]. As Ignotus had no male heirs, Iolanthe, his eldest granddaughter, inherited the Cloak. Upon her marriage, it became a Potter family heirloom, passed down to the eldest son in each subsequent generation (Pottermore).
Over the centuries, the Potters continued to be a notable family. One member, Henry Potter (known as Harry to his friends), served on the [[Wizengamot]] from 1913 to 1921 (Pottermore). He was a vocal critic of the then-[[Minister for Magic]] for forbidding the magical community from assisting [[Muggle]]s during the First World War. This public stance contributed to the family's exclusion from the [[Sacred Twenty-Eight]] list of "true" [[Pure-blood]] families (Pottermore).
In the 20th century, Fleamont Potter, Henry's son, quadrupled the family's wealth by creating the magical Sleekeazy's Hair Potion (Pottermore). He and his wife, Euphemia, had their only son, [[James Potter I]], late in life. They lived to see James marry the [[Muggle-born]] witch [[Lily Evans]], but tragically died of [[dragon pox]] before the birth of their grandson, [[Harry Potter]] (Pottermore).
James and Lily Potter were key members of the original [[Order of the Phoenix]] during the [[First Wizarding War]]. They defied [[Lord Voldemort]] on three separate occasions. After being betrayed by [[Peter Pettigrew]], they were murdered by Voldemort in their home in [[Godric's Hollow]] on 31 October 1981. Lily's sacrificial death created a powerful magical protection over her infant son, Harry, causing Voldemort's Killing Curse to rebound.
This event left [[Harry Potter]] as the last known Potter. He was raised by his Muggle relatives, the [[Dursley family]], and went on to fulfill the [[prophecy]] by defeating [[Lord Voldemort]]. After the [[Second Wizarding War]], Harry married [[Ginny Weasley]], ensuring the continuation of the Potter family line. Together, they had three children: [[James Sirius Potter]], [[Albus Severus Potter]], and [[Lily Luna Potter]].
=====Family Traits and Legacy=====
  * **Physical Appearance:** A distinctive and recurring trait in the Potter family is untidy black hair that resists any attempts to flatten it. This is seen in [[James Potter I]], [[Harry Potter]], and his eldest son, [[James Sirius Potter]]. Many Potters, including Harry and James, also required [[glasses]].
  * **Personality:** The Potters are often characterized by their bravery, moral conviction, and a tendency to stand up for what is right, even at great personal cost. They are frequently sorted into [[Gryffindor]] house at [[Hogwarts]]. This legacy of defiance can be seen in Henry Potter's condemnation of the [[Ministry of Magic]], James Potter's fight against Voldemort, and Harry Potter's entire life story.
  * **Blood Status:** Though descended from a long line of [[wizards]], the Potters were never obsessed with [[Pure-blood]] status. They willingly married neighbours, [[Muggle]]s, and [[Muggle-born]]s, leading to their name being considered a "common" one and their exclusion from the [[Sacred Twenty-Eight]].
  * **Legacy:** The family's most significant legacy is the defeat of [[Lord Voldemort]], achieved through the sacrifices of Lily and James and the actions of their son, Harry. They are also remembered as the guardians of the [[Invisibility Cloak]], one of the three [[Deathly Hallows]].
=====Notable Members=====
  * **Linfred of Stinchcombe:** The 12th-century progenitor of the family, inventor of foundational [[potions]] (Pottermore).
  * **Iolanthe Peverell:** The witch who brought the [[Invisibility Cloak]] into the Potter family by marrying Hardwin Potter (Pottermore).
  * **Henry Potter:** A member of the [[Wizengamot]] who advocated for [[Muggle]] rights during World War I (Pottermore).
  * **Fleamont Potter:** Father of James Potter and inventor of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion (Pottermore).
  * **Euphemia Potter:** Mother of James Potter (Pottermore).
  * **[[James Potter I]]:** A member of the [[Marauders]] and the [[Order of the Phoenix]]. Murdered by [[Lord Voldemort]].
  * **[[Lily Potter]] (née Evans):** A gifted, [[Muggle-born]] witch and member of the [[Order of the Phoenix]]. Her sacrifice protected [[Harry Potter]] from Voldemort.
  * **[[Harry Potter]]:** "The Boy Who Lived," the only person known to have survived the [[Avada Kedavra]] curse and the one who ultimately defeated [[Lord Voldemort]].
  * **[[Ginny Weasley]]:** A powerful witch who fought in the [[Battle of Hogwarts]] and later married [[Harry Potter]].
  * **[[James Sirius Potter]]:** Eldest child of Harry and Ginny.
  * **[[Albus Severus Potter]]:** Second child of Harry and Ginny.
  * **[[Lily Luna Potter]]:** Youngest child and only daughter of Harry and Ginny.
=====Family Possessions=====
  * **[[Invisibility Cloak]]:** One of the three [[Deathly Hallows]], this cloak renders the wearer completely invisible and is immune to most revealing spells. It has been passed down through the Potter family for centuries.
  * **Potter Family Vault:** Vault 687 at [[Gringotts Wizarding Bank]], which contained the considerable fortune left to [[Harry Potter]] by his parents.
  * **Sleekeazy's Hair Potion:** The formula for this popular hair-styling [[potion]], which was a major source of the family's wealth (Pottermore).
=====Etymology=====
The surname "Potter" is a common English occupational name for a maker of pottery. Within the wizarding world, the name originates from the nickname of Linfred of Stinchcombe, "the Potterer," because of his love for pottering about in his garden (Pottermore).
=====Behind the Scenes=====
Much of the detailed history of the Potter family prior to James Potter was revealed by J.K. Rowling on the Pottermore website (now Wizarding World). She clarified that while they were an old family, their pro-[[Muggle]] stance and "common" surname meant they were not considered part of the wizarding aristocracy like the [[Malfoys]] or [[Blacks]].
In the film adaptations, the ghostly apparitions of [[James Potter I]] and [[Lily Potter]] that emerge from Voldemort's [[wand]] during the [[Priori Incantatem]] event in //Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire// are portrayed by actors who are visibly middle-aged. This contrasts with the books, where James and Lily were only 21 years old when they died.