The Invisibility Cloak

• Type: Deathly Hallow, Magical Device
• Owners: Death (legendary), Ignotus Peverell and his descendants, the Potter family, James Potter I, Albus Dumbledore (borrower), Harry Potter
• Maker: Death (legendary)

The Invisibility Cloak is described as being fluid and silvery-grey in colour. To the touch, it feels exceptionally strange, like “water woven into fabric.” It is feather-light and can be folded into a very small bundle, making it easy to conceal in a pocket. Unlike lesser cloaks of invisibility, its surface is cool and smooth. When worn, it drapes over the user without creating any discernible outline or shape, blending perfectly with its surroundings.

The primary and most powerful property of this Cloak is its ability to grant the wearer true and complete invisibility. Its magic is flawless, rendering anyone or anything it covers completely invisible to the naked eye. Its most significant quality, which sets it apart as one of the Deathly Hallows, is its immense durability. Unlike standard invisibility cloaks, which are typically woven from the hair of a Demiguise and lose their potency over time or can be damaged by spells, this particular Cloak is impervious to most charms and jinxes and has not faded in its power over centuries of use. It provides enduring and infallible concealment. Despite its power, the Cloak has several known limitations:

• It does not conceal the sounds made by the wearer.
• It offers no protection against physical contact.
• Creatures that do not rely on sight, such as Dementors, can still sense the wearer's presence. Some animals, like Mrs. Norris, also appear to detect those hidden beneath it.
• Extremely powerful wizards, like Albus Dumbledore, have demonstrated the ability to see through it, likely using a powerful non-verbal Homenum Revelio charm.
• Magical instruments like the Marauder's Map can track the wearer, though the Cloak itself is not visible on the map.
• Magical sensors, such as the magical eye of Alastor Moody, can penetrate its magical concealment.
• It offers no protection against powerful enchantments designed for detection, such as the Thief's Downfall waterfall in Gringotts, which washed away its concealing magic.

According to legend, as recounted in The Tale of the Three Brothers from The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the Invisibility Cloak was the third and final Deathly Hallow created by Death himself. It was given to Ignotus Peverell, the youngest of the three Peverell brothers, who had humbly asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. Ignotus used the Cloak to hide from Death for many years, finally greeting him as an old friend when he was ready to die and passing the Cloak on to his son. The Cloak was passed down through the generations of Ignotus Peverell's direct descendants. This lineage eventually led to the Potter family (Pottermore). It came into the possession of James Potter I, who used it during his years at Hogwarts and as a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Shortly before his murder at the hands of Lord Voldemort, James showed the Cloak to Albus Dumbledore. Intrigued, and suspecting it was one of the legendary Hallows, Dumbledore borrowed it for study. This is why James did not have it on the night he and Lily Potter were killed. Dumbledore held onto the Cloak for a decade before giving it to Harry Potter as an anonymous Christmas gift during his first year at Hogwarts.

The Invisibility Cloak is one of the most crucial magical objects in the series, serving as a vital tool for Harry Potter from his first year to the very end of the Second Wizarding War. Initially, Harry uses it for nighttime explorations of Hogwarts, leading him to discover the Mirror of Erised. Throughout his school years, he and his friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, use it to investigate mysteries, sneak into restricted areas, visit Hagrid, and travel to Hogsmeade undetected. It proves instrumental in their venture into the Forbidden Forest in their second year and in evading Severus Snape in their third. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Barty Crouch Jr., disguised as Alastor Moody, borrows the Cloak from Harry to move about the castle unseen. During Dolores Umbridge's tyrannical rule, the Cloak is used to help members of Dumbledore's Army move about secretly. In his sixth year, Harry uses it to spy on Draco Malfoy, though this backfires on the Hogwarts Express. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the Cloak's role becomes one of survival. It is essential for hiding the trio from Death Eaters after escaping the attack at Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding, during the infiltration of the Ministry of Magic, and throughout their journey to find and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes. Learning its history as a Deathly Hallow from Xenophilius Lovegood is a pivotal moment, forcing Harry to choose between seeking the Hallows and continuing his mission. In the end, the Cloak shields Harry from Voldemort's sight one last time in the Forbidden Forest as he walks to his apparent death.

• In the film adaptations, the Invisibility Cloak often has a visible shimmer or pattern and sometimes makes the wearer appear semi-transparent, a visual effect for the audience that is not described in the books (film).
• J.K. Rowling has stated that the symbolism of the Cloak is central to the theme of the series. While the Elder Wand represents power and the Resurrection Stone represents a longing for the dead, the Invisibility Cloak represents the wisdom to accept mortality and not try to conquer or cheat Death.