The Potter Family

The Potter family is an ancient, wealthy, and highly respected pure-blood wizarding family, though they are considered blood traitors by proponents of pure-blood supremacy due to their frequent marriages to Muggles and Muggle-borns. They are most famously descended from Ignotus Peverell, the youngest of the three legendary Peverell brothers, and were thus the hereditary owners of the Invisibility Cloak, one of the three Deathly Hallows. The family played a pivotal role in the resistance against Lord Voldemort during both the First Wizarding War and the Second Wizarding War. The most famous member, Harry Potter, is the central protagonist of the series, known for being the only person to have survived the Killing Curse and for ultimately defeating Lord Voldemort.

The Potter lineage dates back to the twelfth-century wizard Linfred of Stinchcombe, a well-regarded and eccentric man whose nickname, “the Potterer,” evolved into the surname “Potter” (Pottermore). Linfred was the inventor of several curative potions that remain in use, such as Skele-Gro and the Pepperup Potion, which formed the basis of the family's fortune (Pottermore). The family's history became intertwined with that of the Peverell brothers when Linfred's eldest son, Hardwin Potter, married Iolanthe Peverell, the granddaughter of Ignotus Peverell. As Ignotus had no male heirs, Iolanthe inherited his Invisibility Cloak, and by tradition, its ownership was passed down through the eldest Potter son in each subsequent generation (Pottermore). Over the centuries, the Potters made significant contributions to wizarding society. Ralston Potter was a member of the Wizengamot from 1612 to 1652 and a strong advocate for the International Statute of Secrecy (Pottermore). In the early twentieth century, Henry Potter, known as “Harry” to his friends, also served on the Wizengamot and publicly condemned the then-Minister for Magic for forbidding wizards from assisting Muggles during the First World War (Pottermore). James Potter's parents were Fleamont Potter and Euphemia Potter. Fleamont quadrupled the family fortune by inventing the popular Sleekeazy's Hair Potion (Pottermore). They had James late in life and died of Dragon Pox before the birth of their grandson, Harry Potter (Pottermore). James Potter and his Muggle-born wife, Lily Potter, were members of the original Order of the Phoenix. They defied Lord Voldemort three times before being murdered by him on 31 October 1981, an act that led to Voldemort's first downfall when his Killing Curse rebounded off the infant Harry. The family line continues through Harry Potter, who married Ginevra Weasley and had three children: James Sirius Potter, Albus Severus Potter, and Lily Luna Potter.

A recurring physical trait in the Potter family is untidy black hair that sticks up at the back, a feature noted in both James Potter and Harry Potter. A tendency for poor eyesight, requiring glasses, is also a common characteristic, seen in Henry, James, and Harry Potter (Pottermore). Potter family members are consistently characterized by their immense bravery, strong moral compass, and willingness to fight for what is right, regardless of personal cost. They have a history of pro-Muggle sentiment and a disregard for pure-blood ideology, which caused their exclusion from the “Sacred Twenty-Eight” list of supposedly pure-blood families (Pottermore). This often put them at odds with families like the Malfoy family. Some members, like James Potter in his youth, could display a degree of arrogance, but this was typically tempered by a fundamental decency.

The Potter family has a legacy of magical talent. The family founder, Linfred of Stinchcombe, was a gifted potioneer. This skill was later seen in his descendant Fleamont Potter, creator of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. The family has also shown a marked aptitude for advanced magic, particularly Transfiguration and Defence Against the Dark Arts. James Potter was one of the few wizards in the twentieth century to become an Animagus, a feat of incredible magical skill. His son, Harry Potter, demonstrated prodigious talent in Defence Against the Dark Arts, mastering the Patronus Charm at the age of thirteen and later becoming an Auror. Their descent from the powerful wizard Ignotus Peverell signifies a strong magical bloodline.

• Invisibility Cloak: The family's most prized heirloom, one of the fabled Deathly Hallows. Unlike other cloaks of invisibility, which are typically standard traveling cloaks with a Disillusionment Charm or a Bedazzling Hex placed upon them, the Potter cloak is a true Cloak of Invisibility that cannot be damaged by spells and whose power does not fade over time. It was passed from Ignotus Peverell down to Harry Potter.
• Gringotts Vault 687: The Potter family vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank held a considerable fortune in Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts, inherited by Harry Potter from his parents.
• Potter Family Estate: The family resided in Godric's Hollow for generations. The house where James and Lily Potter lived was partially destroyed by Lord Voldemort and was later left in its ruined state as a monument to them and their sacrifice.

The Potter family maintained strong alliances with other families who stood against the Dark Arts, most notably the Weasley family. They were staunch supporters of Albus Dumbledore and were key members of the Order of the Phoenix in both wizarding wars. Their primary antagonist was Lord Voldemort, who targeted the family due to a prophecy predicting that a child of parents who had thrice defied him would have the power to vanquish him. This led to a generations-long conflict with Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Due to their progressive views on Muggle rights, they were often in opposition to supremacist pure-blood families.

The surname “Potter” is a common English occupational name for a maker of pottery. This mundane origin reflects the family's unassuming beginnings. According to J.K. Rowling, the name was derived from the nickname of their ancestor Linfred of Stinchcombe, “the Potterer,” who was known for “pottering about” in his garden, where many of his magical plants and ingredients grew (Pottermore).

A significant amount of the Potter family history, including the identities and stories of Linfred of Stinchcombe, Henry Potter, and Fleamont Potter, was not included in the seven novels. This detailed backstory was written by J.K. Rowling and published on the Pottermore website (now Wizarding World). In the film adaptations of the books, James Potter's parents are not named, and their cause of death is not mentioned.