Harry Potter fans astounded as they realise two unexpected characters are actually related

Potterheads have been left stunned by a revelation about the connection between Harry Potter and a notorious villain from the series. With HBO gearing up to launch their adaptation of JK Rowling's novels, enthusiasts have been sharing little-known facts about the books and films.

Some fascinating information about the Harry Potter universe has come to light, catching the attention of fans who missed them initially. One piece of trivia was highlighted on the r/HarryPotter subreddit, sparking conversation among devotees about an astonishing link between Harry and a malevolent Death Eater.

The online community was prompted to share their most cherished, lesser-known facts about the franchise in a post on the forum.

One participant highlighted a curious plot point suggesting that Harry and the nefarious Lord Voldemort are "distantly related" through the Peverell brothers, as unveiled in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Their comment read: "Harry and Voldemort are distantly related through the Peverell brothers. We know this because the cloak was passed down through Harry's family, and the stone was passed through Voldemort's. This was confirmed by JK Rowling."

This has left many pondering which brother forms the ancestral bridge between the dark wizard and the famed Boy Who Lived.

The discussion didn't stop there, as the user added: "Now, we all know that The Tale of the Three Brothers story was based on the Peverell brothers.

"Obviously, the story of The Three Brothers isn't historically accurate; we can reasonably assume that the Hallows weren't given to them by Death, but were instead crafted by the brothers themselves.

"But is the rest of the story supposed to be based in actual history, or is it just a piece of fiction that has a very loose basis in reality?"

Enthusiasts reckon the tale of the three brothers is intended to be more "symbolic" than factual.

Another fan added: "I agree, it's probably mostly symbolic and I'm taking it too literally, but it also seems like one of those stories that has a lot of truth to it even if some of the details are exaggerated."

A third supporter shared their hypothesis concerning how the pair were connected.

They shared: "At the end of [Deathly Hallows], the stone is left behind in the Forbidden Forest-lost, but could be found by another wizard or witch.

"My take was after Cadmus died, a Gaunt found it and that's how it was passed on into the Gaunt family. Otherwise, wouldn't the Gaunts know about the stone's powers?"

During a discussion with Bloomsbury Publishing, Rowling verified the duo were linked. She stated: "Yes, Harry and Voldemort are distantly related through the Peverells.

"Of course, nearly all wizarding families are related if you trace them back through the centuries. As was made clear in 'Deathly Hallows', Peverell blood would run through many wizarding families."