======The Peverell Brothers======
=====Introduction=====
The Peverell brothers—Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus—were three highly skilled, medieval wizards who are the subjects of the famous wizarding fairy tale, *//The Tale of the Three Brothers//*. According to the legend, they were the original masters of the [[Deathly Hallows]], three immensely powerful magical objects that they received from [[Death]] himself. [[Albus Dumbledore]], however, believed it more likely that the brothers were the extraordinarily talented creators of the Hallows. Their lineage is of central importance to the [[Harry Potter]] series, as they are the direct ancestors of both [[Harry Potter]] (through Ignotus) and [[Lord Voldemort]] (through Cadmus).
=====History and Legend=====
The story of the Peverell brothers is most famously preserved in *//The Tales of Beedle the Bard//*. As told by [[Xenophilius Lovegood]], the legend states that the three brothers, while travelling together at twilight, came to a river too deep and dangerous to cross. Being proficient in [[magic]], they conjured a bridge. Halfway across, they were met by a hooded figure, [[Death]], who was angered that they had cheated him of new victims.
Pretending to be impressed, [[Death]] offered to reward each brother with a prize of his choosing. Their choices and subsequent fates are as follows:
  * **Antioch Peverell:** The eldest and most combative brother, he asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence. [[Death]] broke a branch from a nearby elder tree and fashioned it into the [[Elder Wand]]. Antioch later travelled to a distant village, sought out a wizard with whom he had quarrelled, and defeated him in a duel. That night, while boasting of his unbeatable wand, another wizard stole it and slit Antioch's throat for good measure. Thus, [[Death]] took the first brother.
  * **Cadmus Peverell:** The second and most arrogant brother, he wished to humiliate [[Death]] further and asked for the power to recall the dead. [[Death]] picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to him, creating the [[Resurrection Stone]]. Cadmus returned home and used the stone to bring back the woman he had intended to marry before her untimely death. However, she was a mere shadow of her former self—sad, cold, and separated from him by a veil. Driven mad with hopeless longing, Cadmus killed himself to truly be with her. Thus, [[Death]] took the second brother.
  * **Ignotus Peverell:** The youngest and wisest brother, he did not trust [[Death]]. He asked for something that would allow him to leave that place without being followed. Reluctantly, [[Death]] handed over his own [[Invisibility Cloak]]. The cloak allowed Ignotus to evade [[Death]] for many years. Only when he had reached a great old 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.
====Dumbledore's Interpretation====
[[Albus Dumbledore]] explained to [[Harry Potter]] that he believed the story to be a legend that grew around three real, historical figures. He considered it far more probable that the Peverell brothers were simply "unusually gifted, dangerous wizards who succeeded in creating" the [[Deathly Hallows]] themselves, rather than receiving them from [[Death]] personified.
=====Known Traits and Abilities=====
While their physical appearances are unknown, the tale provides insight into their personalities: Antioch was **combative** and **boastful**; Cadmus was **arrogant**; and Ignotus was **humble** and **wise**.
As wizards, they were exceptionally powerful and skilled. Their ability to conjure a bridge over a treacherous river demonstrates high-level [[Charms]] or [[Transfiguration]]. If Dumbledore's theory is correct, their creation of the [[Deathly Hallows]] would place them among the most powerful and innovative wizards in history, requiring a mastery of [[magic]] that has likely never been equalled.
=====The Deathly Hallows=====
The Peverell brothers are inextricably linked to the three objects they are said to have mastered or created, known collectively as the [[Deathly Hallows]]. According to legend, possessing all three makes one the "Master of Death."
  * The **[[Elder Wand]]**: The unbeatable wand, originally owned by Antioch.
  * The **[[Resurrection Stone]]**: The stone that can recall echoes of the dead, originally owned by Cadmus.
  * The **[[Invisibility Cloak]]**: A cloak that grants true and permanent invisibility, originally owned by Ignotus.
=====Legacy and Descendants=====
The Peverell male line died out, but their bloodlines continued through female descendants.
  * **Cadmus Peverell** is the ancestor of the [[Gaunt family]], a pure-blood line that eventually produced [[Merope Gaunt]], the mother of [[Tom Marvolo Riddle]]. [[Lord Voldemort]] is therefore a direct descendant of Cadmus and inherited the [[Resurrection Stone]] (set within [[Marvolo Gaunt's Ring]]).
  * **Ignotus Peverell** is the ancestor of the [[Potter family]]. The [[Invisibility Cloak]] was passed down through generations, eventually reaching [[James Potter]] and then his son, [[Harry Potter]].
This shared ancestry makes [[Harry Potter]] and [[Lord Voldemort]] very distant cousins. The graves of the Peverell family, including Ignotus's tombstone marked with the symbol of the [[Deathly Hallows]], are located in the graveyard of [[Godric's Hollow]].
=====Etymology=====
  * **Peverell:** An old Norman name, associated with William Peverel, a knight who fought in the Norman Conquest of England. The name suggests an ancient and noble lineage within Britain.
  * **Antioch:** The name of an ancient Greek city in what is now Turkey, a major center of early Christianity. It evokes a sense of age and historical significance.
  * **Cadmus:** In Greek mythology, Cadmus was the founder and first king of Thebes who, after slaying a sacred dragon, sowed its teeth to grow an army of warriors. This parallels the act of bringing beings (in his case, the dead) back into the world.
  * **Ignotus:** The Latin word for "unknown." This is highly fitting for the brother who used the [[Invisibility Cloak]] to remain hidden and unknown to [[Death]] for his entire life.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * The story of the Peverell brothers is a central plot device in //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows// and is first detailed in the book of wizarding fairy tales, *//The Tales of Beedle the Bard//*, which was later published as a real-world book by J.K. Rowling.
  * In the film adaptation, //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1//, *//The Tale of the Three Brothers//* is depicted through a distinct and widely praised animated sequence (film).
  * J.K. Rowling has confirmed that the Peverell brothers are indeed the ancestors of both Harry and Voldemort, reinforcing the deep, albeit distant, connection between the two adversaries (J.K. Rowling interview).