Ignotus Peverell

Ignotus Peverell (12 July, 1214—18 May, 1291 ) was one of the three brothers mentioned in The Tale of the Three Brothers in The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Though he was the youngest brother, Ignotus was described to be the humblest and wisest of the three, and had survived Death's cunning schemes due to these traits. He received the last of the Deathly Hallows, the Cloak of Invisibility, which was passed down through his family to Harry Potter. Ignotus was also an ancestor of the Potter family.

Biography
According to legend, Ignotus was the youngest, but also the humblest and wisest of the three Peverell brothers, and did not trust Death by any means. So, rather than ask for something to further his own desires, he requested the power to leave that meeting without being followed by Death. Death, not wishing to betray any hint of his true intentions, most begrudgingly took his Invisibility Cloak and gave it to Ignotus. Ignotus' two older brothers met terrible fates due to the murderous lust the Elder Wand created in wizards, and the limitations of the Resurrection Stone. However, Ignotus used the Cloak of Invisibility to hide from Death, successfully eluding him for many years. Finally, when he was an old man who lived a long and happy life, Ignotus took off the Cloak, passed it on to his son, and went with Death as an old friend, but on his own terms and not those of Death. Ignotus was then buried in Godric's Hollow, in the same graveyard as James and Lily Potter, Kendra Dumbledore, and Ariana Dumbledore.

Personality and Traits
Ignotus was a very wise and modest young man, far more so than his two self-centred, arrogant older brothers. He was therefore far more shrewd and was the only one of the three to see though Death's deception. His request for something to hide him from Death, rather than something to enhance his personal glory, kept him alive and happy for many decades. Ignotus preferred a happy, peaceful life rather than one that was filled with dangerous temptations like his brothers. As such, he lived for several years with no quarrels or worries and raised a family. He most likely heard of the deaths of his brothers and was probably saddened, but he probably also guessed what brought about the two casualties and possibly kept his suspicious to himself. It is unknown how Ignotus lived a comfortable life if he kept the Cloak of Invisibility on until the day he died (if that really is what he did but not all details of the Tale of the Three Brothers are said to be true), but due to his gentle nature he must have simply been patient and adaptive. Ignotus saw to it that the very last thing he did in his life was pass the cloak on to his son, guaranteeing that his future descendants could live long happy lives as he had and when he finally left the mortal world with Death, Ignotus had no regrets.

Magical Abilities and Skills

 * Transfiguration Mastery: Ignotus could create a perfect bridge without fail alongside his two brothers via Conjuration, an incredibly difficult form of magic.
 * Master of the Cloak of Invisibility: When Ignotus first obtained his Invisibility cloak, he wore it for the rest of his life to hide from Death and anyone else who wished to do him harm. Even though he only shed the cloak when he was ready to move on he still managed to live a long and pleasant life.
 * Stealth Mastery: Aided by his invisibility cloak, Ignotus remained out of sight from even the likes of Death and lived to have children and to become an old man, only becoming visible again when he chose.
 * Master Manufacturer(Possibly): Common rumours are that Death was the original owner of the Cloak of Invisibility and handed it to Ignotus when asked to. However some people, like Albus Dumbledore have speculated that Ignotus created the cloak himself. To this day the Cloak remains the only Deathly Hallow still owned and used, moreover by Ignotus' direct descendants. The Elder Wand and Resurrection Stone were never used again further contributing to how Ignotus' humble nature ultimately proved vastly more successful than that of his arrogant brothers.

Etymology
Interestingly enough, though not surprisingly, the word "Ignotus" is yet another of Rowling's uses of the Latin language. Meaning Unknown, the name is appropriate, due to his mastery of invisibility and successful concealment from even Death. Also another form of the name Ignatius, which shows up throughout history, such as Ignatius of Antioch.

Behind the scenes

 * According to the book Nature's Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy, the surname of Peverell disappeared fairly early in wizarding history. It is said that James Potter inherited the Cloak, and it is also said that Ignotus had a son. However, somewhere not far down the line one of his descendants probably gave birth to a baby girl, which could explain why their family's surname so quickly disappeared. This would mean the Cloak was passed down from mother to child, until one of them had a son, continuing the father to son tradition. But it is known, according to J.K. Rowling that James Potter got the Invisibility Cloak from his father.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
 * The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Notes and references
Ignotus Peverell Ignotus Peverell Ignotus Prosper