I've taken a shine to a Harry Potter theory about the Invisibility Cloak since it adds far more clarity to the use of the Deathly Hallows. While these three magical objects were a significant point within the plot of the final book and movie, there were a great many questions about them left specifically unanswered. How they worked or where they actually came from was never fully confirmed, which is just as well to me since it leaves the door open for a lot of fun theories. Still, my favorite connects to the origin of the Deathly Hallows and specifies how the Invisibility Cloak works in tandem with the Resurrection Stone.

"The Tale of Three Brothers," which was a story in Hermione's fictional children's book, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, is meant to provide an origin for the Deathly Hallows items in Harry Potter. However, at the end of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore noted that the story was likely just a fairytale and that, rather than Death gifting the Peverell brothers the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone, and Invisibility Cloak, the trio created the Hallows themselves. Of course, the fairytale might have been inspired by the way the Peverells went about making their creations.

I Love The Theory That The Invisibility Cloak Hides Its Wearer In A Space Between Life & Death

The Invisibility Cloak Is Superior To Others In The Wizarding World Because It's Actually A Veil Between Realms

While Dumbledore is likely correct that the Peverell brothers were simply three gifted wizards who created remarkable objects, I love the idea that the concept of death was still involved in their creations. A Harry Potter theory suggests that each of the Hallows has a connection to death in some way and that the Peverell brothers spent their lives researching the barrier between life and death to make the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone, and Invisibility Cloak. This is particularly interesting to consider when looking at the item Harry inherited from Ignotus Peverell himself.

Harry was confirmed to be a direct descendant of Ignotus Peverell, who passed the Invisibility Cloak down his line after his death.

The idea behind this theory is that Ignotus Peverell's Invisibility Cloak works not just by making its wearer invisible, like a Disillusionment Charm might, but by hiding him in a space between life and death. It's for this reason that the Cloak is superior to other Invisibility Cloaks in the wizarding world. It will never fade or lose its power because it is actually something of a portal between realms, similar to the Veil that Sirius Black fell behind at the Department of Mysteries, but far less permanent. While this theory seems a little random initially, it makes more sense when looking at how Ignotus might have made it.

While this theory seems a little random initially, it makes more sense when looking at how Ignotus might have made it.

The Invisibility Cloak (& The Other Deathly Hallows) Might Have Been Made Using Thestral Magic

Another related theory that I am drawn to regarding the Invisibility Cloak and the other Hallows is that the Peverells created the object after studying Thestrals. These magical beings have a natural connection to death, and we already know that the Elder Wand has a Thestral hair as its core. Therefore, it stands to reason that the other Hallows would also be connected to these creatures. For example, the Invisibility Cloak could be made from the coat or skin of Thestral, and since the creatures' invisibility is related to death, this supports the theory about how this Hallow actually works.

Perhaps the reason that Thestrals are only visible to those who have an intimate understanding of death is because they actually exist in a place between life and death.

Lesser Invisibility Cloaks in Harry Potter are made with either a Disillusionment Charm or with the hair of a Demiguise, a creature that can be invisible. If the Cloak were made from the skin of a Thestral, it makes sense that its power would be related to death in some way. Perhaps the reason that Thestrals are only visible to those who have an intimate understanding of death is because they actually exist in a place between life and death. If this were true, then it would even be possible that Thestrals could see both the living and the dead at all times, which would explain the Resurrection Stone.

When Harry used the Resurrection Stone in Harry Potter, his dead loved ones appeared before him as if they had already been there. It was like a sort of veil was lifted, and he could see James and Lily Potter, Sirius Black, and Remus Lupin on the other side. While we can't know for sure, it makes sense to me that this is what Thestrals can see all the time from their place between worlds. Therefore, it stands to reason that the Resurrection Stone was created using the anatomy of a Thestral's eye, perhaps the tiny, black lense from within.

This Invisibility Cloak Theory Makes The Deathly Hallows Make Way More Sense

I Now Think Of The United Deathly Hallows Very Differently

If the Deathly Hallows were made using Thestral magic, then the Elder Wand would really be the weakest of them all. It might have been commonly mistaken as the strongest, but it would really have been Harry's Invisibility Cloak that was the true miracle of the Peverell's inventions, and this lines up beautifully with the theme of "The Tale of Three Brothers." Still, what I find even more remarkable about this theory is that it would explain why it was so significant that the Deathly Hallows be united—why Harry was the Master of Death when he used them in tandem.

According to legend, using the Resurrection Stone would call the souls of the dead to the world of the living, where they would be in torment because it's not where they belong. However, when Harry used the Stone, it was different. His loved ones were only visible to him, and they stayed by his side gladly and at peace. In the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book (not in the movie, unfortunately), Harry was under the Invisibility Cloak when he used the Resurrection Stone, and, according to the above theory, this would have made all the difference.

If the Invisibility Cloak hides its wearer in the space between life and death, then using the Resurrection Stone underneath it wouldn't have pulled the dead to the world of the living.

If the Invisibility Cloak hides its wearer in the space between life and death, then using the Resurrection Stone underneath it wouldn't have pulled the dead to the world of the living. Instead, using these two Deathly Hallows together allowed Harry and his dead loved ones to meet in the middle. James, Lily, Sirius, and Remus were then able to guide Harry to his death, standing by his side in peace rather than being forced into a realm that they didn't belong.

While I always enjoy a good Harry Potter theory, the beautiful implication of this one strikes me differently than any other I have considered before. It further supports the idea that the Deathly Hallows were profoundly misunderstood. Uniting them wouldn't give their owner any spectacular power over death. Rather, using the Hallows together unified Harry with the realms of death, making his sacrifice much easier. Of course, we will likely never know if J.K. Rowling intended this, but the sheer poetry makes me accept this Invisibility Cloak theory as my Harry Potter headcanon.