- "Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind." - — The Sorting Hat[src]
Ravenclaw is one of the four Houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, founded by Rowena Ravenclaw. Members of this house are characterized by their intelligence and cleverness. Its house colors are blue and bronze, and its symbol is the eagle.[1] The house ghost, who in life was the daughter of the house's founder Rowena Ravenclaw, is the Grey Lady[2]. Many great wizards and witches have come from this house, including Filius Flitwick and Luna Lovegood.
Ravenclaw roughly corresponds with the element of air.
Common Room
- Luna: "What do you think, Harry?"
- Harry: "What? Isn't there a password? What if you get it wrong?"
- Luna: "Well, you have to wait for somebody who gets it right. That way you learn, you see?"
- — Luna Lovegood and Harry Potter entering the Ravenclaw common room[src]
Ravenclaw's founder, Rowena Ravenclaw.
The Ravenclaw common room is in one of the castle's towers and is wide and circular. It has graceful arched windows, and the walls are hung with blue and bronze silks. The domed ceiling is painted with stars, which are echoed in the midnight-blue carpet. Tables, chairs, and bookcases cover the expanse of the floor, and a white-marble statue of Rowena Ravenclaw sits next to the door that leads to the dormitories above. Harry Potter entered the common room in 1998.
Unlike the other common rooms in the school, a logical riddle given by a bronze eagle-shaped knocker must be answered to enter.[2] This could prove troublesome as anyone with enough intellect could intrude into the dormitory. However, Hermione stated in her first year that most wizards and witches didn't have much sense of logic, which might be something that Ravenclaw noticed herself and decided to use riddles instead of passwords.
Ravenclaw's symbol
Traits
- "Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure."
- — Rowena Ravenclaw[src]
Ravenclaw House prizes intelligence, knowledge, and wit in its members[1]. Thus, many Ravenclaws tend to be academically motivated and talented students. Hermione Granger, an extremely intelligent witch and the top student in her year, was sorted into Gryffindor, though she admitted that the Sorting Hat had seriously considered placing her in Ravenclaw.[3] Ravenclaw may also value beauty; their founder was famously beautiful, Ravenclaws Cho Chang, Padma Patil, and Roger Davies are all noted to be very good-looking so it seems that beauty may be another value to Ravenclaw.[4], and the windows in their common room boast a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains[2].
Ravenclaw House appears to have little rivalry with the other houses, except in Quidditch (in which case it is most fiercely with Hufflepuff). Harry Potter believed that they tended to side with Gryffindor in its rivalry with Slytherin, as did Hufflepuff house. However, during the 1994 Triwizard Tournament, Ravenclaws supported Hufflepuff Champion Cedric Diggory over Harry[4]. This may indicate that Ravenclaw tends to have a closer relationship with Hufflepuff house, or simply be a result of the widespread belief that Harry had cheated in order to get his name in the Goblet of Fire. Notably, many Ravenclaws joined Dumbledore's Army and fought in the Battle of Hogwarts along with Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs, while no Slytherins joined[2].
Known Ravenclaws
| Ravenclaw | Period Attending Hogwarts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stewart Ackerley | 1994 - 2001 | |
| Marcus Belby | 1990s | Member of the Slug Club |
| Terry Boot | 1991 - 1998 | Member of Dumbledore's Army |
| Bradley | 1990s | Chaser for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team during the 1995-1996 school year. |
| Mandy Brocklehurst | 1991 - 1998 | |
| Randolph Burrow | 1990s | Chaser for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team during the 1993-1994 school year. |
| Eddie Carmichael | 1990 - 1997 | |
| Chambers | 1990s | Chaser for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team during the 1995-1996 school year. |
| Cho Chang | 1990 - 1997 | Seeker for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team from at least 1993 to 1997; member of Dumbledore's Army. |
| Penelope Clearwater | 1987 - 1994 | A Prefect |
| Michael Corner | 1991 - 1998 | Member of Dumbledore's Army |
| Roger Davies | 1989 - 1996[5] | Chaser and Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team from 1993 to 1995. |
| Marietta Edgecombe | 1990 - 1997 | Member of Dumbledore's Army (betrayed). |
| S. Fawcett | 1990s | |
| Filius Flitwick | Unknown | Later became Professor of Charms and head of Ravenclaw house. |
| Anthony Goldstein | 1991 - 1998 | A Prefect and member of Dumbledore's Army. |
| Duncan Inglebee | 1990s | Beater on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team during the 1993-1994 school year. |
| Luna Lovegood | 1992 - 1999 | Member of Dumbledore's Army. |
| Moaning Myrtle | 1940s[6] | Now a ghost that haunts a girl's lavatory. |
| Grant Page | 1990s | Keeper on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team during the 1993-1994 school year. |
| Padma Patil | 1991 - 1998 | A Prefect and member of Dumbledore's Army. |
| Orla Quirke | 1994 - 2001 | |
| Helena Ravenclaw | Founder´s time | Daughter of the house founder, Rowena Ravenclaw. |
| Jason Samuels | 1990s | Beater on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team during the 1993-1994 school year. |
| Jeremy Stretton | 1990s | Chaser on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team during the 1993-1994 school year. |
| Lisa Turpin | 1991 - 1998 | |
| Raymond | Between 1984 and 1998 |
Behind the scenes
- The Ravenclaw colours in the films are blue and silver. In the books, Ravenclaw colours are blue and bronze.
- During a 2001 TV special called Harry Potter and Me, J.K. Rowling showed the camera early notes listing some students in Harry Potter's year. Below are Ravenclaws that have not been introduced in the actual books. These notes are not considered canon.
- Stephen Cornfoot
- Kevin Entwhistle
- Isabel MacDougal
- Katherine MacDougal
- Su Li (possible draft Cho Chang)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- ↑ Roger must be older than Harry Potter, as Fleur Delacour dismissed him as a "little boy" but attended the Yule Ball with Roger. He was captain of Ravenclaw's Quidditch team for at least Harry's third year, fourth year, and fifth year, making him approximately two years older than Harry.
- ↑ F.A.Q. on J.K. Rowling's Official Site
