Hey everyone,
Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory. Today we’re
going to be discussing the Potter family- specifically in the context
of their WEALTH. The Potter surname holds great significance in the wizarding world,
thanks to one particular member of the family - Harry Potter. Known as "The Boy Who Lived,"
Harry's extraordinary journey serves as an inspiring story to those in the Wizarding World,
and has captivated millions of readers and moviegoers worldwide.
However, the history of the Potter family extends far beyond Harry's remarkable life. From their
ancestral roots to the trials and triumphs faced by previous generations, the tale of
the Potters unveils a captivating narrative of honor, sacrifice, and resilience. Today,
we’ll be taking a journey back through time and exploring the rich and intriguing history of
the Potter family. Who were Harry’s grandparents, great grandparents…Great GREAT grandparents? And
how did the boy who lived come to inherit such a large sum of gold galleons in the first book?
Let’s dive in.
Origins
The Potter family boasts an ancient magical lineage that stretches back through generations,
with many Potters leaving behind their own unique stamp on the Wizarding World,
however it wasn’t until more recent years that the family name was truly catapulted to stardom.
"The Potter family is a very old one, but it was never (until the birth of Harry James
Potter) at the very forefront of wizarding history, contenting itself with a solid and
comfortable existence in the backwaters. Potter is a not uncommon Muggle surname,
and the family did not make the so-called Sacred Twenty-Eight for this reason;
the anonymous compiler of that supposedly definitive list of pure-bloods suspected
that they had sprung from what he considered to be tainted blood."
For generations, the Potters were known as a Pure-blood family, with a strong association
to Gryffindor House at Hogwarts. However, given the commonality of ‘Potter’ as a
Muggle surname, as well as their commitment to equality and rejection of blood purity,
they were subsequently excluded from the Sacred Twenty-Eight-
a list of the most prestigious and seemingly “pure” wizarding families.
And the Potters didn’t just exist in Britain, there was also a whole other branch of the
family that had established themselves in the United States- likely sometime around the late
1600s. Abraham Potter was one of these ‘American’ family members, and he also just so happened to
be among the original twelve Aurors trained and appointed by the first ever President of
the Magical Congress of the United States of America, Josiah Jackson. In this sense,
the Potter’s cemented their place in America even sooner than they did in Britain. Apparently,
descendants of Abraham have received considerable respect in America ever since.
However, this ‘American’ side of the family didn’t come from nowhere. Nor
did the British side. They had to start SOMEWHERE- and that somewhere was with
the founding Patriarch of the WIZARDING Potter family, Linfred of Stinchcombe.
Emphasis is placed on the word ‘WIZARDING’ here because in the Muggle world ‘Potter’ is a very
well established occupational surname, stemming from those who created pottery.
“The wizarding family of Potters descends from the twelfth-century wizard Linfred of Stinchcombe,
a locally well-beloved and eccentric man, whose nickname, ‘the Potterer’,
became corrupted in time to ‘Potter’. Linfred was a vague and absent-minded
fellow whose Muggle neighbours often called upon his medicinal services. None of them
realised that Linfred’s wonderful cures for pox and ague were magical; they all thought
him a harmless and lovable old chap, pottering about in his garden with all his funny plants.
His reputation as a well-meaning eccentric served Linfred well, for behind closed doors he was able
to continue the series of experiments that laid the foundation of the Potter family’s fortune.”
Undoubtedly Linfred was quite an accomplished man, and he is fairly credited as the Potter
family’s patriarch. But interestingly, if you dig back far enough, there are actually
some other influential figures we can point to when digging deep within their history.
The Rise of Ignotus Peverell
Deep within the Potter family's history lies the story of Ignotus Peverell, a pivotal figure whose
legacy has reverberated through the generations. Ignotus and his involvement in the legend of the
Deathly Hallows has helped further shape the Potter family's identity and left an enduring
imprint on their lineage. While not technically a Potter himself, Ignotus was the grandfather
of Iolanthe Peverell who married Hardwin Potter, son of…drum roll please, Linfred of Stinchcombe.
“Linfred’s eldest son, Hardwin, married a beautiful young witch by the name of
Iolanthe Peverell, who came from the village of Godric’s Hollow. She was the granddaughter of
Ignotus Peverell. In the absence of male heirs, she, the eldest of her generation, had inherited
her grandfather’s invisibility cloak. It was, Iolanthe explained to Hardwin, a tradition
in her family that the possession of this cloak remained a secret, and her new husband respected
her wishes. From this time on, the cloak was handed down to the eldest in each new generation.”
Ignotus Peverell was one of the three brothers who possessed the Deathly Hallows,
powerful magical artifacts that are said to grant extraordinary abilities to their
wielders. Among the three brothers, Ignotus was the one who possessed the Invisibility Cloak,
which has since been passed down through the generations of the Potter family.
In the tale of the Deathly Hallows three brothers encounter Death himself,
and are subsequently granted three miraculous objects as a reward for their cunning and
skill. These objects included the Elder Wand, the Resurrection Stone, and the Invisibility Cloak.
And ever since Ignotus first passed down the wondrous cloak, it has solidified the link between
the Potter family and this extraordinary artifact. After all, it was Ignotus’s son that gave it
to Iolanthe, starting the tradition. Ever since then, the cloak has become a symbol of protection,
secrecy, and the family's commitment to fighting against dark forces. And over the years,
each generation of Potters has treasured this cloak, utilizing its powers for various purposes,
including evading danger, and ultimately contributing to their legacy of heroism.
Notable Potters and Wealth
Because Ignotus was not technically a Potter, Linfred is still technically
the EARLIEST Potter known. But Linfred was known for more than just being the
founding Patriarch of the Potter family- he was also known for being the one to get the
ball rolling with regards to the families generational wealth. Remember Harry’s trip
to vault 687 in the Philosopher’s Stone? Well, we can thank Linfred (at least partially) for that.
“Historians credit Linfred as the originator of a number of remedies
that evolved into potions still used to this day, including Skele-gro and
Pepperup Potion. His sales of such cures to fellow witches and wizards enabled him to
leave a significant pile of gold to each of his seven children upon his death.”
But Linfred wasn’t the only one in the family to become successful- he just kicked things off.
“The Potters continued to marry their neighbours, occasionally Muggles, and to live in the West of
England, for several generations, each one adding to the family coffers by their hard work and,
it must be said, by the quiet brand of ingenuity that had characterised their forebear, Linfred.”
“Occasionally, a Potter made it all the way to London, and a member of the family
has twice sat on the Wizengamot: Ralston Potter, who was a member from 1612-1652,
and who was a great supporter of the Statute of Secrecy (as opposed to declaring war on
the Muggles, as more militant members wished to do) and Henry Potter (Harry to his intimates).”
And while many of the Potter’s were able to achieve success in their respective careers,
slowly growing the family fortune, it wasn’t until a certain Fleamont Potter came about that
fuel really started to get added to the fire. Fleamont was the son of Henry, and FATHER to,
you-guessed-it, James Potter. This means that Fleamont was Harry’s grandfather.
“Henry’s son was called Fleamont Potter. Fleamont was so called because it was the
dying wish of Henry’s mother that he perpetuate her maiden name, which would otherwise die out.
He bore the burden remarkably well; indeed, he always attributed his dexterity at duelling to
the number of times he had to fight people at Hogwarts after they had made fun of his name.”
Fleamont may have never met Harry, but he did live long enough to make and leave him enough
gold for a lifetime. You see, Fleamont was able to take the family fortune and quadruple
it by creating the family’s most famous potion to date: Sleekeazy’s Hair Potion.
The potion was a hair potion and scalp treatment marketed with the following slogan:
“two drops tame even the most bothersome barnet”.
It was essentially used for taming unruly hair - sleekly and fashionably styling it.
“He sold the company at a vast profit when he retired,
but no amount of riches could compensate him or his wife Euphemia for their childlessness.
They had quite given up hope of a son or daughter when, to their shock and surprise,
Euphemia found that she was pregnant and their beloved boy, James, was born.”
In short- the immense wealth of the Potters can be attributed to centuries of sales from multiple
successful and extremely prevalent potions. Given the long-standing generational wealth of
the Potter’s, it’s certainly not surprising that Harry was left with an absolute boat load of cash.
Interwoven Families
As should be expected with ‘Pure-Blood’ Wizarding families, The Potter family has
intricate ties to several other families in the wizarding world, and it all goes back to
the Peverell family. Just like the Potter family is tied to Ignotus, it should come
as no surprise that other Wizarding families have ties to his brothers- Antioch and Cadmus.
In fact, Cadmus Peverell, the brother who chose the Resurrection Stone, is an ancestor of none
other than Lord Voldemort- AKA Tom Riddle. This relation is through the House of Gaunt.
And if we take an ever closer look at the family trees of popular wizarding
pure-blood families like the Blacks, Malfoys,
Longbottoms and Weasley’s, you shouldn’t be too surprised to see a Potter or two.
Despite this fact, however, the Potter’s were never granted a
spot on the ‘Sacred 28’ - a directory of all Pure-Blood Wizarding Families.
While the Potters were indeed recognized as a pure-blood wizarding family at the time of the
questionable lists publication (they certainly aren’t now),
it turns out they were excluded due to suspicions from the lists compiler.
And it was all due to the Potter’s connection to
the Muggle world. Because ‘Potter’ was also a common Muggle surname,
the compiler deduced that the wizarding Potters simply COULDN’T be pure-bloods.
He felt as though the Potters must have sprung from what he considered to be ‘tainted’ blood.
Their American branch is also connected to several families in the wizarding world.
Legacy
The Potter family has a rich and storied legacy that has impacted the wizarding world in numerous
ways. From Ignotus Peverell's possession of the Invisibility Cloak to Fleamont Potter's
philanthropic endeavors, the family has carved out a place in history as skilled wizards, innovative
inventors, and compassionate philanthropists. At the heart of their story lies the journey of Harry
Potter, the most renowned member of the family and a symbol of hope, love, and perseverance.
The Potter family's legacy has extended beyond their individual achievements and has become a
symbol of resilience, determination, and the power of love. Their unwavering commitment to
using their abilities for the betterment of society and their acceptance of those from
all walks of life have made them pioneers of social change in the wizarding world.
This is a family that has left a truly remarkable legacy,
one that will continue to resonate with us all for years to come.
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Until next time
Remember
It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live