Three items–the Elder Wand, Cloak of Invisibility, and Resurrection Stone–reputed to make the owner of all three the Master of Death.
Introduction
The Deathly Hallows - namesakes for the final bookin the Harry Potter series - are the source of one of the most storied legends in the wizarding world. We first hear of them from Xenophilius Lovegood, who has Hermioneread 'The Tale of the Three Brothers' from The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the book bequested her by Dumbledore (DH21). There are three Hallows: the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Cloak of Invisibility.
In his quest for Voldemort's Horcruxes, Harrysoon discovers that the Hallows are real - and Mr. Lovegood'sassertion that Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus Peverell were the three brothers of the story proves to be true as well. He also learns the incredible story of the Hallows' recent history, and of the quest undertaken by Dumbledore andGrindelwald to unite them once more.
The Elder Wand
The Elder Wand
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The Elder Wand, originally owned by Antioch Peverell, has the most storied history of the Hallows. It has cropped up through the centuries under different names, including the Deathstick and the Wand of Destiny (DH21). At one point it was owned by Gregorovitch, the wand-maker who made Viktor Krum's wand, and stolen from him by a young, blond Grindelwald (DH18), though at the time Gregorovitch did not know who he was (DH14). This most likely happened sometime in the early twentiety century (see thetimeline for more).
As Grindelwald gained power, word got back to Dumbledore in Britain that he had obtained a "wand of immense power" - the Elder Wand (DH35). He used it for destructive purposes, though, and in 1945 Dumbledore challenged him to a duel and defeated him, landing Grindelwald in prison for the rest of his life and winning Dumbledore both widespread notoriety and the Elder Wand (PS6, DH35). Dumbledore used the wand until his death in 1997.
Upon his death, Dumbledore intended for Severus Snape to become the master of the Elder Wand, but failed to take into account that, as his death was pre-planned, Snape had not truly defeated him. Instead the wand's rightful master became the wizard who had disarmedDumbledore just prior to his death: Draco Malfoy. When Harry stole Malfoy's wand during a confrontation in the Malfoy Manor (DH23), he became the master of the wand, though neither he nor Malfoy had ever touched or used it (DH36).
The wand itself was buried with Dumbledore and stolen from his grave by Voldemort (DH24). Voldemort, however, never became the true master of the wand. Believing that the master was Snape, he killed him (DH32) before his final confrontation with Harry, when he died and the wand passed into Harry's possession once and for all (DH36).
Harry only used the Elder Wand for one spell - Reparo - when he used it to fix his own broken wand. Beyond this he intends to die naturally without using it, instead returning it to Dumbledore's tomb in the hopes that there will never again be a true master of the Elder Wand, and that therefore its powers will be depleted (DH36).
The Resurrection Stone
The Hallow that Dumbledore most craved when he was young (DH35), the Resurrection Stone has had comparatively few recent owners. It was passed down from Cadmus Peverell through the generations, and made into a ring (HBP10). This ring was still in the family in the early twentieth century, owned by Marvolo Gaunt, who believed the symbol on it to be the Peverell coat of arms (HBP10). It was later stolen by Tom Riddle, turned into a Horcrux (HBP17), and eventually hidden in the ruins of the Gaunt House (HBP23).
Albus Dumbledore sought out this Horcrux to destroy it, but before he could do so his desire to see his parents and sister got the better of him, and he put the ring on, enacting a terrible curse. He quickly destroyed the ring, but the damage was done - the curse had rendered his hand useless, and nearly killed him as well (DH33, DH35). He passed the stone along to Harry in his will, hidden inside a Golden Snitch (DH34).
Harry was walking to meet Voldemort and give up his life, he pulled the Resurrection Stone from the Snitch, turned it over in his hands three times, and met shadows of his parents, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin. He later dropped the stone in the woods accidentally (DH34), and decided not to return and search for it, in the hopes that it too would be lost forever (DH36).
Rowling stated that she assumes that the Stone was stepped on by the Centaurs as they charged into the battle. It is now forever lost, buried in the forest (BLC).
The Cloak of Invisibility
Unique among Invisibility Cloaks, this cloak is blessed both with everlasting invisibility and a unique protection for its owner, where other cloaks can become torn and fade over time. Originally owned by Ignotus Peverell, it too was passed down through the generations, eventually landing in the hands of James Potter and then Harry.
The fact that Harry inherited the cloak, coupled with the presence of Ignotus's grave in Godric's Hollow (DH16), strongly implies that Harry is descended from the Peverells. We already know that Voldemort himself is descended from them as well.
Harry still owns this Hallow today.
Dumbledore & Grindelwald's Quest for the Hallows
Inseparable from the story of Harry's attempt to reunite the Hallows is the story of two other wizards who tried over a hundred years earlier -Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald. Grindelwald found Dumbledore in Godric's Hollow, where he had come searching for Ignotus's grave, and they plotted together to master death through reuniting the Hallows and overtake the Muggle world, all "for the greater good" (DH35).
In the midst of the plan, however, Aberforth Dumbledore confronted his brother Albus about his plans, and in the ensuing fight their sister Ariana was killed and Grindelwald fled. After many years of building power and killing people, Grindelwald was finally defeated by Albus Dumbledore, and spent the rest of his life in Nurmengard prison. When Voldemort came searching for the Elder Wand, Grindelwald denied that he had ever had it (DH35).
In 1926, Grindelwald was in New York City disguised as Auror Percival Graves. He hoped to find a child who was an Obscurial capable of destructive Dark Magic he could use against Muggles, so he gave Credence Barebone a necklace in the shape of the Deathly Hallows as a token gift for helping him in the search. The symbol had a Protean Charm placed upon it as Graves/Grindelwald explained: " when you find the child, touch this symbol and I will know, and I will come to you" (WFT). In reality, Credence himself was the Obscurial, and he turned against Grindelwald after being insulted as being "unteachable" and having "no power" (WFT).
Albus Dumbledore became probably the first wizard in over a thousand years to see all three of the Hallows, in winning the Elder Wand fromGrindelwald, borrowing James Potter's Cloak of Invisibility before returning it to Harry, and then later finding the Resurrection Stoneembedded in the Peverell ring, which Voldemort had hidden in the ruins of the Gaunt House.
The three artifacts were in the same room simultaneously at points (Dumbledore wore the ring and carried his wand, while Harry had the Cloak of Invisibility n his bag, in HBP10). Harry ends the story as the rightful master of all three. However the Hallows were never truly reunited by a single master, as Harry dropped the stone in the woods prior to gaining physical possession of the Elder Wand. If Harry succeeds in his plan to die as master of the Elder Wand and the ring is indeed lost, the ability to unite the Hallows and thereby conquer death will be lost forever (DH34, DH35, DH36).
FAQs
What are the 3 Deathly Hallows objects? ›
The three Deathly Hallows – the Invisibility Cloak, the Resurrection Stone and the Elder Wand – have tempted many a wizard over the years. But which one would tempt you?
What does the Harry Potter Deathly Hallows symbol mean? ›The Deathly Hallows symbol – a vertical line and circle enclosed by a triangle – represents three legendary Harry Potter artifacts: the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone and the Cloak of Invisibility. The Masonic Square and Compasses symbol forms a similar triangular shape.
What was the flaw in Dumbledore's plan? ›Summary: Dumbledore had a latent plan involving Snape that went terribly awry; almost causing Harry's mission to fail as well as getting Snape killed. As it turns out, something Harry does is the direct cause of Snape's death.
What are all 7 Horcruxes in Harry Potter? ›- Tom Riddle's Diary. Image Via Warner Bros. ...
- Marvolo Gaunt's Ring. Image Via Warner Bros. ...
- Salazar Slytherin's Locket. Image Via Warner Bros. ...
- Helga Hufflepuff's Cup. Image Via Warner Bros. ...
- Rowena Ravenclaw's Diadem. Image via Warner Bros. ...
- Nagini. ...
- The Secret Horcrux — Harry.
Dumbledore, at one point, possessed all three Deathly Hallows. From Dumbledore's letters to Grindelwald in Deathly Hallows, it is obvious that the headmaster of Hogwarts was obsessed with the idea of the Hallows in his youth.
What is the most powerful object in Harry Potter? ›1. The Veil. So ancient and powerful that it predates the Ministry of Magic and still has not been figured out, the Veil is the single most powerful object in the Wizarding World. That's simply because, as Rowling herself points out, death cannot be undone.
Did JK Rowling create the Deathly Hallows symbol? ›JK Rowling has revealed the inspiration behind the symbol for the Deathly Hallows. Speaking in a new BBC documentary, the author says it's connected to a film that came out more than 40 years ago. The film features a Masonic symbol - and is similar to the one that appears in Harry Potter.
Is the Deathly Hallows symbol good or bad? ›"As a symbol, the Deathly Hallows resemble the swastika. Both were originally positive symbols from a spiritual/mythological background that acquired extremely negative connotations after being adopted by evil political movements (Grindelwald's forces and the Nazi Party, respectively)."
What does 9 3 4 mean in Harry Potter? ›Platform Nine and Three Quarters is a secret platform at King's Cross Station in London. From this location students for Hogwarts are able to catch the Hogwarts Express train. This train runs directly to Hogsmeade Station, close by the school.
What was Voldemort's fatal flaw? ›His fatal flaw is his belief that being strong is more important than being human – however, unhappily for Voldemort, humanity itself is the most important and powerful trait in the world, as Harry demonstrates.
What spell killed Voldemort? ›
During his final confrontation with Voldemort, Harry knew that he (Harry) was the Elder Wand's true master. He again cast Expelliarmus, ejecting the wand from Voldemort's hand into his own as the Killing Curse rebounded off his body, fatally striking Voldemort.
Who killed the Horcrux that was Hufflepuff's Cup? ›The cup, which was made a Horcrux with Hepzibah's death, was left with Bellatrix Lestrange who kept it at Gringotts. Griphook and an Imperiused Bogrod helped Harry, Ron and Hermione break into Bellatrix's vault and recover the Horcrux. The cup was destroyed by Hermione Granger, using a fang from the Basilisk's corpse.
Was Professor Quirrell a Horcrux? ›Quirrell is, in effect, turned into a temporary Horcrux by Voldemort. He is greatly depleted by the physical strain of fighting the far stronger, evil soul inside him.
Can you block Avada Kedavra? ›There is no direct way to block the Avada Kedavra curse directly with a counter curse. One can dodge it or use magic to put something physical in its path. This battle scene is quite consistent with what Rowling laid down about the curse.
Who Voldemort killed to make Horcruxes? ›Lord Voldemort's first Horcrux was created when he was still at Hogwarts, known then as Tom Riddle. After murdering a schoolgirl called Myrtle, with the help of the ancient monster that dwelled within the castle, the Basilisk, his soul was split for the first time.
Who is the heir of Gryffindor? ›Harry is the magical Heir of Gryffindor (and he's also a descendent of Godric), Neville of Hufflepuff, Hermione of Slytherin and Luna of Ravenclaw.
How did Harry survive Avada Kedavra in the forest? ›Voldemort intentionally made six Horcruxes, but when he used Avada Kedavra on Harry, he unintentionally created a seventh Horcrux. Instead of dying, Lily's love for Harry created a counter 'curse' known as Sacrificial Protection and saved Harry.
Who is Albus Dumbledore's wife? ›| Kendra Dumbledore | |
|---|---|
| Gender | Female |
| Hair color | Black |
| Eye color | Dark |
| Related Family | husband Percival Dumbledore, children Albus, Aberforth, Ariana |
A Metamorphmagus has the extraordinarily uncommon gift of being able to change their appearance at will. We famously met one in the Harry Potter series: Nymphadora Tonks, who used her shapeshifting abilities wisely in her job as an Auror.
What is the most powerful curse in Harry Potter? ›Some would say there's no spell worse than Avada Kedavra, the Killing Curse that Voldemort used so indiscriminately.
What is the Masonic symbol? ›
The most well-known Freemason symbol, “The Square and Compasses,” depicts a builder's square joined by a compass.
What is the Masonic symbol in Harry Potter? ›The Masonic symbol uses the manual tools of stonemasons, a square and set of compasses to form a triangular shape. The triangular Deathly Hallows symbol is comprised of the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone and the Cloak of Invisibility. Whoever possesses all three is said to be Master of Death.
Was Dumbledore the owner of the Deathly Hallows? ›Dumbledore, at one point or another, took possession of all three Deathly Hallows, too (not all all the same time, though). He borrowed the Invisibility Cloak from James Potter once. He defeated the owner of the Elder Wand, Gellert Grindelwald, in a duel, and thus became the owner of that super-vital artifact.
Why is Snape bad in Deathly Hallows? ›Snape is a sinister and malicious teacher who makes frequent snide and disparaging remarks at Harry's expense. He quickly becomes the primary antagonist of the book, as Harry suspects him of plotting to steal the Philosopher's Stone, and of attempting to kill him.
Who wore the Deathly Hallows necklace? ›DEATHLY HALLOWS - Xenophilius Lovegood was seen wearing this symbol of the Deathly Hallows around his neck.
Is the Deathly Hallows inappropriate? ›It is darker than previous Harry Potter movies, and contains more intense action violence and drama. At 146 minutes, it is also very long. It is definitely not suitable for children and younger teenagers.
What killed Moaning Myrtle? ›She was just 14 when she died.
Myrtle's life was cut shockingly short when she was killed by the Basilisk at Tom Riddle's command.
Seven is the age by which most experts believe that magic will reveal itself in a wizard or witch. In the life of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry community, it is the number of years students must attend Hogwarts before graduating. There were seven chambers protecting the Sorcerer's Stone.
How did Muggles not see platform 9 3 4? ›Why can't Muggles see platform 9 3 4? In order for someone to get onto Platform 9¾, they must walk directly at the apparently solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten.
What is Voldemort's worst fear? ›Voldemort's greatest fear is death and as a result a boggart takes the form of his own corpse. It is unsurprising that this is Voldemort's biggest fear. After all, he did split his soul up encasing it in various horcruxes just so to keep himself from dying.
Who was Voldemort's most loyal death Eater? ›
Bellatrix Lestrange
She was introduced in Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phoenix. She is the most faithful member of Voldemort's inner circle.
His reaction to Bella's death was akin to his reaction at the loss of the Cup, which was when he realised that his own immortality was jeopardised amidst war and his own death could have been near.
What spell kills Snape? ›In Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, Voldemort kills Snape using his snake Nagini instead of his favorite spell Avada Kedavra - here's why. Voldemort killed Snape in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 using his Horcrux snake Nagini instead of his favorite Unforgivable Curse, Avada Kedavra.
What is Hermione's signature spell? ›Alohomora, which is a spell that unlocks objects (and it's also Hermine Granger's signature spell).
Why was Snape's Avada Kedavra blue? ›As for everyone's favourite child-bullying adult, Snape's Killing Curse was 'blue' due to the cyanish background of the film scene. It was actually green, but the camera and effects made a bluish overlay which overlapped the green spell.
Who killed Helena Ravenclaw? ›Desperate to see her daughter one last time, Rowena sent a man to bring Helena home. Unfortunately, that man was the Bloody Baron, who was head over heels with Helena, and stabbed her in a rage when she refused to come home.
How was Slytherin's ring destroyed? ›July 1996: Albus Dumbledore destroys Marvolo Gaunt's ring with Godric Gryffindor's sword in his headmaster's office at Hogwarts. Dec. 28, 1997: Ron Weasley destroys Salazar Slytherin's locket deep in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, by stabbing it with Godric Gryffindor's sword.
Which Horcrux did Neville destroy? ›Once Voldemort knew that his Horcruxes were under attack, he created protective spells around Nagini to keep her safe; but once Harry was believed dead, he no longer thought that necessary. Nagini was beheaded by Neville Longbottom, using the sword of Gryffindor which had been provided to him by the Sorting Hat.
Did Snape know Voldemort was attached to Quirrell? ›Snape's explanation to the Death Eaters was that he knew nothing of Voldemort's involvement, but "saw only greedy and unworthy Quirrell attempting to steal the stone." It was confirmed in Deathly Hallows that Snape had been "keeping an eye" on Quirrell on Dumbledore's orders.
Why does Quirrell stutter? ›The most obvious mention of stuttering was the character Professor Quirrell. In the end we discover that Professor Quirrell faked stuttering as to seem aloof and not draw attention to his plotting with the evil Voldemort.
Is Quirrell a death eater? ›
It should be noted that despite his fear of Voldemort and that he was not a Death Eater, Quirrell was one of Voldemort's only followers who referred to him by name, the others being Barty Crouch Jr. and Peter Pettigrew.
What spell killed Bellatrix? ›Avada Kedavra has only one purpose: to kill. However, it's not the only curse that can be lethal. Stunners can be lethal, for instance — particularly if someone takes multiple stunners or one is a direct hit over the heart.
Who invented Avada Kedavra? ›History Of Avada Kedavra
The Killing Curse was created in the early Middle Ages by Dark witches and wizards. Primarily, the curse was used to quickly slay opponents during a duel.
Nonetheless, despite her initially benevolent nature, Nagini's blood curse eventually turned her into a snake permanetly. Though it is unknown if she became evil as a result of that, or was turned evil as a result of Voldemort turning her into a Horcrux. As a snake, Nagini was completely loyal to Lord Voldemort.
Did making Horcruxes weaken Voldemort? ›The Horcruxes Left Him Vulnerable & Weak
Although they did give Voldemort another chance to join the living after his curse against Harry Potter rebounded, they harmed him in the long run. In creating these Horcruxes, he gave the ability for other witches and wizards to destroy him without ever laying a finger on him.
Delphini, nicknamed Delphi, is the titular main antagonist of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Although she initially introduces herself as the niece of Amos Diggory, Delphi is in fact, the child of Lord Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange and has only one goal, restoring her father.
What are the things that guarded Azkaban? ›Dementors are dark creatures that consume human happiness, creating an ambiance of coldness, darkness, misery and despair. Because of their power to drain happiness and hope from humans, they have been set the duty of being guards at Azkaban, where they prevent the prisoners from having the will or ability to escape.
What are the 4 trios in Harry Potter? ›- The Golden Trio (Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger)
- The Silver Trio (Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and Ginny Weasley)
- The Bronze Trio Or The Anti-Golden Trio (Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe & Gregory Goyle)
At different points, Dumbledore possessed all three Deathly Hallows. He won the Elder Wand from Grindelwald, had the Invisibility Cloak in his possession when James Potter died, and wore the Resurrection Stone as it sat in Marvolo Gaunt's ring.
Who were the 3 original Deathly Hallows? ›The Three Brothers
Each possessed one of the Deathly Hallows: Antioch: the Elder Wand. Cadmus: the Resurrection Stone. Ignotus: the Cloak of Invisibility.
Why are Dementors attracted to Harry? ›
Because dementors seek to suck out the souls of their prisoners, it's plausible that they are especially drawn to Harry because — as it is revealed in the last book — he actually possesses a fragment of Lord Voldemort's soul as well.
Why did Harry hear a woman screaming? ›One of the recurring moments throughout the third book/movie is the appearance of Dementors and the particularly chilling effect that they have on Harry Potter himself. Every time Harry is confronted with a Dementor, he hears the screams of his mother as she is murdered by Lord Voldemort.
What spell against Dementors? ›The incantation 'expecto patronum' is the best known defence against a dementor. “As a pure, protective magical concentration of happiness and hope (the recollection of a single talisman memory is essential in its creation) it is the only spell effective against Dementors.
Is Albus a Slytherin? ›Any Hogwarts house would have been lucky to count Albus Potter amongst its numbers, but with apologies to Gryffindor, Ravenclaw and Huffepuff – we reckon the Sorting Hat got it right with Albus – even if it was a rather big shock that one of Harry Potter's children ended up in Slytherin.
Is Rose Weasley a Slytherin? ›Rose Weasley is the girlfriend and later on wife to Scorpius Malfoy. From 2017 to 2024 she attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where she was sorted into Gryffindor house.
What is Draco's trio called? ›Less often, The Silver Trio is used to refer to the fandom's three favorite Slytherins, Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, and Pansy Parkinson — but because of their polar oppositeness to the story's main heroes, they are more commonly referred to as The Anti-Golden Trio.
Why didn t Harry use the Invisibility Cloak? ›Harry flat out stated that he was keeping the Cloak when he talked with Dumbledore's portrait at the end of book seven. After all, the Cloak is the safest of the three Hallows and it is rightfully his as the sole living descendant of Ignotus Peverell (well, until he has kids).
Why didn t Draco tell Bellatrix it was Harry? ›Draco's refusal to reveal Harry's identity to Bellatrix was not because he liked him. It was because he believed that Harry was the only chance they had at defeating Voldemort. At first, Draco admired and revered Voldemort until he threatened his family's safety.
Is Snape a Peverell? ›Snape is the second brother, Cadmus Peverell, who crafted the Resurrection Stone. The tale says the second brother asked for the power to recall the deceased from the grave – but he couldn't cope with having the woman he loved back only as a ghost and killed himself.
Is Voldemort related to Peverell? ›J.K. Rowling spoke about Harry and Voldemort's link at a Bloomsbury Live Chat in 2007, saying: 'Yes, Harry and Voldemort are distantly related through the Peverells. Of course, nearly all wizarding families are related if you trace them back through the centuries.