JK Rowling Reveals Harry Potter’s Family History On Revamped ‘Pottermore’ Site

As promised, the new and improved version of interactive website Pottermore has launched-and writer J.K. Rowling has provided some Potter family history to go along with it.

To find out more information on Harry’s background, visit the Pottermore site. The Potter family can trace their surname back to an eccentric twelfth-century wizard, Linfred Stinchombe, who was known by his nickname “the Potterer”.

The blog explains that Linfred was a “vague and absent-minded fellow whose Muggle neighbours often called upon his medicinal services”.

Along with listing a few notable predecessors, she also explains how the Potter clan built up its modest fortune and how the Invisibility Cloak became a family heirloom.

But how did the Potter family end up with all that gold at Gringotts?

The new site contains features, commentary and articles about the Harry Potter series and the wider Wizarding World.

The Harry Potter seven-book series was written by Scottish author J.K. Rowling and has sold over 450 million copies worldwide, while the films of the books grossed over $7.7 billion worldwide.

For years, fans have wondered how the Potter family came to be so rich, especially given that Harry’s parents, Lily and James, were only 21 when they were murdered by Lord Voldemort. For centuries, the Potters fought to protect the Muggles, fighting against declaring war on the them and even campaigning to help them during the First World War.

Linfred of Stinchcombe is thought to have created two popular potions, Skele-gro and Pepperup Potion, that wizards still use.

So how did it all begin for the world’s most famous wizarding family? 167 The Potters smiled and waved at Harry and he stared hungrily back at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he was hoping to fall right through it and reach them.

As for how the invisibility clock moved into Harry’s family: Lindfred’s first son Hardwin married Godric’s Hollow witch Iolanthe Peverell, who inherited her grandfather Ignotus’s invisibility cloak.