Lesson 3
The Peverell Family
General Information
Most of what is known about the Peverell Family is shrouded in legend, due to their association with the Deathly Hallows. However, as Harry Potter discovered in his seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Deathly Hallows are indeed real, which merits an understanding of the ancient family. We do know that the Peverells were a medieval pure-blood wizarding family. Also, according to Nature’s Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy, the Peverell surname was one of the earliest pure-blood names to die out. The bloodline continued through the females.
The Three Brothers
Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus Peverell are the men referred to in the story, “The Tale of Three Brothers.” No written record exists of these brothers before the night of their encounter with Death, but from that night on, the remainder of the brothers’ lives is common knowledge (unless your name is Harry Potter).
The story begins, “There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, they reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure…”
In the course of the story, the reader learns that the brothers are tricked by Death into accepting “congratulatory” prizes for their use of magic. Antioch, a combative man, asked for “a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death” – the Elder Wand. Cadmus, an arrogant man, decided that “he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death.” Death presented him with the Resurrection Stone. Ignotus, a humble and wise man, did not trust Death. Therefore, he asked for “something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death.” His prize was the Cloak of Invisibility. These three items, the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak, are known as the Deathly Hallows. These three items, when united, will make the possessor the master of Death. Sounds pretty great, eh? Keep reading.
Legacy
Antioch died a little over a week after his encounter with Death. After defeating a wizard in a duel, a thief stole the Elder Wand from Antioch and slit his throat. After this, generations of wizards died in pursuit of ownership of this mighty weapon.
Cadmus also died soon after his encounter with Death. He resurrected his one-time love interest, yet she was ill-suited to the world of the living. Driven mad with hopeless longing, Cadmus killed himself in order to join her. The Resurrection Stone is said to have been passed down through generations, and its last known owner was the Gaunt Family. The Gaunt Family was descended from Salazar Slytherin himself, which means that Slytherin and Peverell were related as well.
Ignotus, the humble and wise brother, so distrusting of Death, wore his Invisibility Cloak until he attained a great age. At that time, he took off the cloak and gladly greeted Death as an old friend. Ignotius and Death departed this life as equals. Ignotus Peverell is buried in the graveyard in Godric’s Hollow. Like the Resurrection Stone, the Invisibility Cloak was passed down through the generations. Its last known owner was Harry Potter, which implies that Ignotus is a distant ancestor of Harry.