Hardwin Potter

Hardwin Potter was an early 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)

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)

There is no canonical information regarding the physical appearance or personality traits of Hardwin Potter.

While he was a Wizard, no details regarding Hardwin's specific magical abilities, skills, or Wand are known. (Pottermore)

• 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)

• 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)

• 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)

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.