The Peverell brothers were three highly skilled and powerful wizards from the thirteenth century, famed in legend as the original masters of the Deathly Hallows. The story of their fabled encounter with Death, known as The Tale of the Three Brothers, became a popular wizarding fairy tale, but was believed by a few, such as Xenophilius Lovegood, to be a true account of how the Hallows came into being. The brothers—Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus—are significant not only as the creators or first owners of these legendary objects, but also as the ancestors of both Lord Voldemort and Harry Potter, linking the two adversaries by blood.
The history of the Peverell brothers is known almost exclusively through the legend recounted in The Tales of Beedle the Bard. While the story portrays their acquisition of the Deathly Hallows as a reward from a personified Death, Albus Dumbledore believed it more likely that the brothers were simply gifted and powerful inventors who created the objects themselves. According to the tale, the three brothers were travelling at twilight when they came to a river too treacherous to cross. Being proficient in magic, they conjured a bridge. Halfway across, they were met by a hooded figure, who was Death personified. Angered at being cheated of three new victims, Death pretended to congratulate them and offered each a prize for their cleverness.
The eldest brother, described as a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence. Death broke a branch from a nearby elder tree, fashioned it into a wand, and gave it to him. This became the Elder Wand. Antioch travelled to a distant village, sought out a wizard with whom he had quarrelled, and defeated him in a duel. That night, while Antioch slept, another wizard crept in, slit his throat, and stole the wand, making Antioch the first of many to die for its possession. He is not known to have had any descendants.
The middle brother, described as an arrogant man, wished to humiliate Death further and asked for the power to recall others from the grave. Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to him, telling him it would have the power to bring back the dead. This became the Resurrection Stone. Cadmus returned home and turned the stone thrice in his hand, whereupon the shade of the girl he had once hoped to marry appeared before him. However, she was sad and cold, separated from him by a veil, as she did not truly belong in the mortal world. Driven mad with hopeless longing, Cadmus killed himself so that he might truly join her. The stone was passed down through his line, eventually becoming an heirloom of the House of Gaunt.
The youngest brother was the humblest and wisest of the three. He did not trust Death and asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed. Death reluctantly handed over a piece of his own Cloak of Invisibility. The Cloak protected Ignotus from Death for many years. Only when he had attained a great age did he take off the Cloak, give it to his son, and greet Death as an old friend, departing this life as an equal. Ignotus was buried in Godric's Hollow, and his gravestone bore the symbol of the Deathly Hallows.
The Peverell brothers were exceptionally powerful and ingenious wizards. Their ability to conjure a sturdy bridge over a dangerous river with a single spell demonstrates a high level of magical skill. Their greatest achievement, however, was the creation of the Deathly Hallows. Each Hallow is a masterpiece of magic, far surpassing ordinary enchanted objects:
The creation of these items places the brothers among the most formidable wizards in history.
The only known possessions of the brothers are the three legendary objects they are credited with mastering or creating:
The Peverell brothers' most profound legacy is their bloodline, which directly connects the hero and villain of the Second Wizarding War.