Ignotus Peverell

Ignotus Peverell was a powerful and historically significant wizard who lived in the 13th century. He is best known as the youngest of the three Peverell brothers featured in the wizarding fairy tale, The Tale of the Three Brothers. According to legend, he was the original owner of the Invisibility Cloak, one of the three fabled Deathly Hallows. Described as the wisest and most humble of the brothers, Ignotus is a direct ancestor of Harry Potter, to whom the Cloak of Invisibility was passed down as a family heirloom.

Much of Ignotus Peverell's life is known only through the legend recounted by Beedle the Bard. The tale states that Ignotus and his two older brothers, Antioch Peverell and Cadmus Peverell, once used magic to create a bridge over a treacherous river they could not cross. In the middle of the bridge, they were met by a hooded figure, Death himself, who was angry that they had cheated him of new victims. Pretending to congratulate them, Death offered each brother a prize. The eldest, Antioch, asked for an unbeatable dueling wand, and received the Elder Wand. The middle brother, Cadmus, wished to humiliate Death further and asked for the power to recall others from death, receiving the Resurrection Stone. Ignotus, the youngest and wisest, did not trust Death and asked for something that would allow him to leave that place without being followed. Death reluctantly gave him a piece of his own Invisibility Cloak. While his brothers met tragic ends due to their arrogance and the dangerous nature of their Hallows, Ignotus used the Cloak of Invisibility to hide from Death for many years. Only when he had reached 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 the graveyard in his home village of Godric's Hollow. His tombstone is engraved with his name and the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, which Harry Potter and Hermione Granger discover during their visit to the village. The existence of the grave and the heirloom Cloak lends credence to Albus Dumbledore's theory that the Peverell brothers were not figures of pure legend, but were in fact the exceptionally powerful and ingenious wizards who created the Deathly Hallows.

No physical description of Ignotus Peverell exists in the novels. As a historical figure in a fairy tale, his appearance is left to the imagination. His personality, however, is clearly defined in The Tale of the Three Brothers. He is characterized as “the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers.” His wisdom is demonstrated by his suspicion of Death's motives and his choice of a practical, defensive Hallow rather than an object of power or domination. Unlike his arrogant brothers, Ignotus did not seek glory or to conquer Death, but simply to live his life in peace. His eventual willingness to greet Death as an “old friend” suggests he was a well-adjusted and accepting individual who lived a full and satisfying life.

As one of the fabled Peverell brothers, Ignotus was an immensely powerful and skilled wizard.

• Exceptional Magical Skill: The ability to conjure a bridge over a dangerous river alongside his brothers demonstrates a high level of magical proficiency.
• Creator of a Deathly Hallow: Albus Dumbledore theorized that Ignotus was the original creator of his Invisibility Cloak, rather than having received it from Death. This would make him a master of Charms and magical craft, as he created a perfect Invisibility Cloak whose properties—complete and constant invisibility, and imperviousness to damage and spells—were considered impossible to replicate.

• Cloak of Invisibility: Ignotus's most notable possession was his Invisibility Cloak, one of the three Deathly Hallows. This was a true cloak of invisibility, able to conceal the wearer completely without fading or wearing out over centuries. It was passed down as an heirloom through his direct descendants, eventually reaching Harry Potter.

• Antioch Peverell: His eldest brother and the original master of the Elder Wand.
• Cadmus Peverell: His middle brother, original owner of the Resurrection Stone, and ancestor of the House of Gaunt and, by extension, Lord Voldemort.
• His Son: Ignotus had at least one son, to whom he bequeathed the Cloak of Invisibility upon his death.
• Potter Family: Ignotus is the direct ancestor of the Potter family. The Cloak of Invisibility was passed down the male line of his descendants for generations, eventually being inherited by James Potter and then his son, Harry Potter.

• The name Ignotus is Latin for “unknown.” This is highly fitting for a character described as humble, who used his Hallow to remain unseen and “unknown” to Death for most of his life. It contrasts with the fame-seeking nature of his brothers.
• The surname Peverell is an old Norman name of English nobility, which lends an air of ancient and historical significance to the family.

• In the animated sequence depicting The Tale of the Three Brothers in the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Ignotus is shown as a wise, hooded figure who calmly accepts his gift from Death. (film)
• J.K. Rowling published a family tree for the Potter family on the Pottermore website. It reveals that Ignotus Peverell's granddaughter, Iolanthe Peverell, married Hardwin Potter, thus officially bringing the Cloak of Invisibility into the Potter family line. (Pottermore)