Ignotus Peverell hunched over his workbench, focused on the gleaming thread in his hand. Carefully running his wand over the acromuntalu silk, he eyed the thread's glittering magical enchantments. Satisfied that the magic had taken to the silk, Peverell leaned back from the table. That had been the last strand in need of enchanting. Now to put it all together.
Ignotus lay the thread on top of the pile of enchanted silk and contemplated his work. When his brother, Antioch, had declared a wager to see who the greatest charm master among them was, he wasn't sure what he should make. Cadmus had muttered something about summoning while Antioch bragged of his own wand making skills.
Whatever the other two came up with, Ignotus was proud of what he had accomplished. Each individual thread of the cloak he was making had been painstakingly charmed. When woven together, the magic of the silk would complement the user's natural magical power. The cloak would allow its user to hide in plain sight.
"Ignotus, supper is almost ready," called his wife.
"I will be right down," replied Ignotus. The last step was the easiest. With a wave of his wand, the individual threads intertwined together into a single form. Draping the cloak of invisibility over himself, Ignotus headed towards the door. Hopefully, his wife wouldn't be too scared when he snuck up on her.
/\/\/\/\
Ignotus stood in his living room, counting to ten while holding the bridge of his nose. Childish giggling filled his ears.
"Dear," said Ignotus, "Did you give our son my cloak?"
Ignotus's wife stopped at the doorway to the room, "Perhaps," she replied with a small smile.
Running feet had Ignotus spinning around in time to see an end table fall over. He grabbed at the air and came up empty. More giggling came from all corners of the room.
"That cloak is an incredibly powerful artifact," Ignotus said, his voice rising, "It is not a child's plaything!"
Pattering feet had Ignotus jumping on the couch and grasping behind it to no avail. His wife watched from the doorway while his son laughed joyfully.
"Why not summon it?" his wife queried, eyebrows raised.
"Because," Ignotus ground out while standing straight, "What good is a cloak of absolute invisibility if it can be removed so easily?"
The room had gone quiet. Ignotus began to worry that his son had run off into another part of the house.
"BOO!" yelled a small, unexpected voice behind him.
Ignotus started and fell back onto the couch. Carefully reaching his hand out in front of him, he felt the fabric of his cloak. With a tug, his sons beaming face appeared. Calm filled him as he held the undamaged cloak. Ignotus patted his sons head and then hugged him.
"I got you," exclaimed his son.
"Yes," Ignotus agreed, "Yes you did."
/\/\/\/\
"Tell me again," said Iomanthe, "One last time."
Ignotus sighed, but relented, "Your uncles and I made a wager on who was the better craftsman and enchanter. Antioch made an incredibly powerful wand from an elder tree. It is nearly unbeatable. Cadmus created an obsidian stone capable of projecting memories of a loved one with near perfect accuracy into a shade-like form."
Iomanthe nodded and gestured for his father to continue.
"I crafted a cloak that renders you invisible, masks your scent, and cannot be summoned." Ignotus continued, "In the end, we could not decide who had created the better magical item. Antioch was adamant that his wand was the closest to perfect any wand maker could and would make. I was impressed by the work Cadmus had put into his project, but something was off with him."
Ignotus shifted slightly in his bed, his old and weary frame settling into a more comfortable position. Beside him, Iomanthe Peverell reclined, wearing the cloak of invisibility around his shoulders.
"I later found out that the method Cadmus had used also drew the emotions with the memories when the shade was summoned." Ignotus continued, "So any calling of those who had departed would be tainted by the memory and emotions of loss and sorrow. Cadmus had been calling up his fiancée while testing the stone. He committed suicide a few years after he finished his stone."
"And what of Antioch?" asked Iomanthe.
"Antioch was arrogant. Proud, loyal, and hardworking, but very arrogant nonetheless," Ignotus sighed, "Shortly after he created his Elder Wand, he dueled with a man that he had had a dispute with. He won, of course, and the ease with which he did so bolstered his arrogance. He loudly proclaimed his superiority and declared that he had created the most powerful wand in existence. His throat was slit that night and the Elder Wand stolen."
Ignotus closed his eyes, "Do not follow your uncles' footsteps. Do not boast and do not lose yourself in the past."
Iomanthe Peverell bowed his head and listened as his father's quiet breathing slowed. Each second seem to last forever, as each breath became shallower. Iomanthe heard his father draw a final breath. An emptiness filled the room.
Tears spilled down Iomanthe's face. His father had been unwell for many years now, but it still felt too soon.
/\/\/\/\
Iolanthe Peverell huddled under her father's cloak and watched as he argued with two men. All three of them had their wands out. Finally, the two men left, and her father returned inside the house. She dashed to the back door and opened it, removing the cloak.
"Father!" shouted Iolanthe as she ran into the kitchen, "Are you alright? What is going on?"
Iomanthe gathered her up in a hug, saying, "Family business. They were searching for the Elder Wand."
Iolanthe knew the stories of the family heirlooms. Her grandfather had created the cloak she now wore, while her great uncles had made a wand and a summoning stone.
"Will they come back?" Iolanthe asked, glancing at the kitchen table. Bundles of food sat there.
"I do not know," Iomanthe answered, "But it is no longer safe for you here. I am sending you to Godric's Hollow."
Iolanthe turned on her father, "I will not leave you!"
"My flower," Iomanthe calmly said, "You will be safer away from me."
Grabbing several bundles of food, Iomanthe took his daughter by her arm. She protested until there was a knock at the door. Both Peverells froze as shouting and the sound of splintering wood reached their ears.
Iomanthe threw the cloak over her. "Go!" he hissed.
Iolanthe ran out the back door as the noise of spellfire and cursing filled her home.
/\/\/\/\
Albus Percival Wolfric Brian Dumbledore put the finishing touches on the wrapped package. Drawing a quill, he began to write a note while reflecting on the term so far. The son of Lily and James was an incredible child. To willingly face a mountain troll at only eleven years of age and survive was no small feat.
Finishing up the note, he tacked it to the top of the package.
"Toffee," Albus called.
With a pop, a house-elf appeared by his desk, "Youse be calling Toffee, Head Master sir?"
"Yes Toffee," Albus said, "Please take this package to the Gryffindor common room. Place it among Harry Potter's gifts."
The house-elf nodded happily. With a snap of her fingers, she and the package vanished.
Dumbledore leaned back into his chair. He did not allow himself to dwell on the question of whether the Potters would have survived if he had not asked for the cloak. What he did know, was that it was time to return the cloak of invisibility to its rightful owner.
Dumbledore hoped Harry would not get into too much trouble with it.
A/N
House: Ravenclaw
Year: Second Year
Category: Story
Prompt: Family Heirloom
Word Count: 1330