Cloak of Invisibility

Invisibility Cloak

> "*"The Cloak of Invisibility," he finished, enclosing both line and circle in a triangle.*"
> ― Xenophilius Lovegood[source]
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The **Cloak of Invisibility** is a magical artefact used to render the wearer invisible, and one of the fabled Deathly Hallows. In "*The Tale of the Three Brothers*", it was the third and final Hallow created, supposedly by Death himself (whom had the cloak in his possession at that time), and bestowed upon Ignotus Peverell after he requested, as his bounty, for something with the power to hide him if he were to go place to place without being followed by Death. According to legend, whoever united it with the other two Hallows (the Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone) would become the Master of Death.

This invisibility cloak was the only known one that would not fade with age and would provide everlasting protection to the wearer, something no normal invisibility cloak could provide. As such, it was the only Hallow known to have been successfully passed down from generation to generation since Ignotus' time. In 1991, it passed to the possession of Harry Potter who used it to great success in the Second Wizarding War and resolved to pass it down to his own children.

## History

### Mystic origins

According to *The Tales of Beedle the Bard* - "The Tale of the Three Brothers", a wizarding fairytale, three brothers were out travelling the world together. They came upon a river that was too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. So, the brothers used magic to conjure up a bridge. They were at the middle when Death appeared and spoke to them. Angered that they had outwitted him, Death offered each brother a "prize" for outsmarting Death.

The eldest brother asked for an unbeatable wand, and Death created a wand of Elder and gave it to him. The second brother requested the ability to return those who have died, and Death gave him the Resurrection Stone. The youngest brother did not trust Death and requested the ability to leave without being followed by Death. Unwillingly and reluctantly, Death handed over his own Invisibility Cloak, and they parted ways. Death soon claimed the lives of two elder brothers, but he could not claim the life of the youngest. He evaded Death using the Cloak until he grew into an old man. He finally gave the Cloak to his son, and greeted Death as an old friend.

Many familiar with the Deathly Hallows believed the Peverell family to be the brothers in the tale. Antioch Peverell, the eldest, taking the Elder Wand; Cadmus taking the Resurrection Stone; and Ignotus, the youngest, claiming the Cloak from Death. It is more likely, however, that they were simply three immensely powerful wizards who created the items themselves. This is the view of Albus Dumbledore, who believed that the Cloak was created by Ignotus himself, and used throughout his lifetime.

### Recent history

> "*It was only when he had attained great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son.*"
> ― Ignotus Peverell passing the cloak on to his son[source]
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The Cloak of Invisibility was passed down to Ignotus' son. Ignotus' son had no male heirs so his oldest daughter, Iolanthe, inherited it instead. The Peverell family died in the male line around this time, but the heirloom was passed down the generations through the female line, the Potters, as Iolanthe had married Hardwin Potter from Stinchcombe.

In the 20th century, the Cloak eventually ended up in the hands of Henry Potter, a Wizengamot member, who passed it to his eldest son Fleamont. Fleamont was the father of James Potter, Harry Potter's father. James used the Cloak of Invisibility in many of his misdeeds at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and kept it afterwards. Around the time that Lord Voldemort was hunting the Potters for their son, the Cloak of Invisibility came to the attention of Albus Dumbledore when James showed him the Cloak. Dumbledore, who had searched for the Deathly Hallows in youth, asked to borrow the Cloak from James to study it. After James was killed, the Cloak was left in Dumbledore's possession.

Ten years later, Dumbledore gave Harry Potter the Cloak of Invisibility as a Christmas present anonymously and told him to "use it well." This would be one piece of advice that Harry would use quite well over his school life and beyond, as the Cloak of Invisibility aided Harry on countless trips and missions, including his hunt for Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes. It was not until 1998, that Harry learned the true nature of his own Invisibility Cloak and its true identity as the Cloak of Invisibility, as spoken of in the legend of the Deathly Hallows. As Ignotus' last remaining descendant, the Cloak was rightfully Harry's and was kept by him after Lord Voldemort's defeat. Harry resolved to pass it on to his children one day, just as his ancestors had done.

## Abilities

> "*It's never occurred to me before, but I've heard stuff about charms wearing off cloaks when they get old, or them being ripped apart by spells so they've got holes in. Harry's was owned by his dad, so it's not exactly new, is it, but it's just... perfect!*"
> ― Ron Weasley on the Cloak of Invisibility[source]
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The Cloak of Invisibility is especially powerful. It is resistant to jinxes, hexes, and other spells which would normally damage or otherwise render a normal Invisibility cloak ineffective. For example, just before the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998, while Harry, Ron, and Hermione were huddled under it, a Death Eater's Summoning Charm had no effect on removing the Cloak of Invisibility. It has also remained completely effective throughout its long existence of around seven centuries, unlike the other cloaks which lose their power over time. Even the Thief's Downfall did not affect it.

Although powerful, the Cloak of Invisibility is not infallible. While the Cloak itself resists spell damage, it does not shield the wearer from spells used against them personally. For example, Harry was immobilised while under the Cloak twice during the 1996–1997 school year with the Full Body-Bind Curse. In addition, it will not hide the wearer from detection that is not based on optical sight, such as Alastor Moody's magical eye, magical creatures such as Dementors, spells such as the Human-presence-revealing spell (at least when cast by an extremely powerful wizard or witch, as only Albus Dumbledore had been seen to detect the presence of someone concealed by the Cloak of Invisibility), the Marauder's Map, or (arguably) certain Dark Detectors (e.g. Sneakoscopes would presumably still detect an untrustworthy action performed under the Cloak, and it's possible *—* but uncertain *—* that the Cloak would be detected by Probity Probes).

## Symbolism

As the last of the Hallows, the Cloak is shown as the wide triangle that encompasses the circle and the line intersecting at their very middle; and being the only one to be properly treated as an heirloom, the Cloak of Invisibility seems to represent survival at most. It may also represent a certain goodness of spirit, as the artefact is the only one of the Hallows whose power can be shared by two or more people at once.