Harry Potter descended from the third Peverell brother, Ignotus Peverell, who was the original owner of the Invisibility Cloak. The Peverell brothers were the original owners of the Deathly Hallows, and Ignotus was the one who wisely used the cloak to hide from Death until he was ready. The cloak was passed down through generations to Harry, making it a family heirloom.