For many Harry Potter fans, one of the most iconic parts of the entire series is the "Tale of the 3 Brothers," a supposed legend from The Tales of Beedle the Bard that has very real implications for Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The tale of Cadmus, Ignotus, and Antioch Peverell's quest to defy death turns out to be real, inspiring Lord Voldemort to seek out their famed possessions: three gifts from Death called the Deathly Hallows. Luckily for Harry, he already owns one (the invisibility cloak) as a distant descendant of the Peverell clan.
As intriguing as the story is, one Reddit user's dark theory about the Deathly Hallows [2] adds another element of mystery to the Peverell legend.
The Perevell Brothers [theory] [spoilers] [3] from harrypotter [4]
The theory — which purports that perhaps the three brothers were necromancers summoning the dead — establishes the idea that the three hallows are bits of Death's own arsenal, intended to curse the men who strove to bridge the gap between life and death. The Elder Wand is a bit of Death itself, which can summon immediate death through the killing curse. The Resurrection Stone is part of the arch that holds the veil of Death. And the Cloak of Invisibility is a bit of the veil itself, the gateway through which the dead pass. Sound familiar?
Harry himself sees this archway of death with his own eyes, theorizes the Redditor, in the Department of Mysteries during Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He hears the whispers of the dead through the arch and witnesses his godfather Sirius pass from the side of the living over to the side of the dead. His possession of the invisibility cloak could explain why he is able to hear these whispers at all and why he is so intently drawn to the Veil of Death during his time in the Department of Mysteries. If he truly bridges the gap between life and death, it means that Harry isn't fully alive.
What do you think about this theory? Could Harry's ownership of the cloak mean that he bridges the gap between death and life? Let us know in the comments!