Ravenclaw Is A Haven For Eccentricity
Luna Lovegood Reading the Quibbler from Harry Potter
As well as being a welcoming home for academic types, Ravenclaw is also a very open-minded house, known for students who are slightly (or highly) eccentric. The welcome message on the original Pottermore site probably describes Ravenclaw (through the words of prefect Robert Hilliard) best: “geniuses are often out of step with ordinary folk, and unlike some other houses we could mention, we think you’ve got the right to wear what you like, believe what you want, and say what you feel. We aren’t put off by people who march to a different tune; on the contrary, we value them!”
Ravenclaw prizes curiosity, and encourages students to explore arcane and unusual forms of magic. As a result, many of the famous Ravenclaws are quite odd. Ex-Minister Lorcan McLaird communicated with puffs of smoke, and Uric the Oddball (the punchline of many magical jokes) was known for wearing a jellyfish as a hat! The most famous unique Ravenclaw of the series, however, has to be Luna Lovegood, with her devotion to the Quibbler and her one of a kind fashion sense.
House Founder Rowena Ravenclaw Supposedly Died Of A Broken Heart
Oil portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw at Hogwarts Harry Potter
The Hogwarts founder who created Ravenclaw house was the famed Rowena Ravenclaw, a Scottish witch known for her intelligence and creativity. She is described as "beautiful but intimidating", and was a close friend of Helga Hufflepuff’s back in the day. According to Hogwarts legend, it was Rowena who decided on the name and the location of Hogwarts, thanks to a dream she had about a wart-covered hog leading her to a cliff by the lake. She is also responsible for the design of the Hogwarts floorplan, and the constantly changing staircases and hallways that confuse so many new students. Rowena taught at Hogwarts, prizing those students who were quick-witted and studious, and even taught her own daughter during her time at the school.
Sadly, Rowena died a sad death, not long after her daughter, Helena, ran away. Some say that Rowena died of a broken heart, missing her daughter and destroyed by her treachery.
Helena Ravenclaw Was Killed By The Slytherin House Ghost
The ghost of Ravenclaw Tower at Hogwarts Helena
Rowena’s daughter, Helena, was jealous of her mother, and wanted to be more clever, more important than the woman who raised her. To do this, Helena stole her mother’s diadem, the lost diadem of Ravenclaw. This beautiful piece of jewelry was said to be enchanted to enhance the wisdom of the wearer, and after Helena stole it, she fled to Albania to hide.
Rowena was heartbroken, but she refused to betray her daughter, choosing not to even tell her fellow founders what she had done. She did, however, send the Baron after her, to bring her home to her ailing mother. The Baron, who was in love with Helena, found her in an Albanian forest, but Helena refused to come home to Scotland with him. Furious at her refusal, the Baron murdered her on the spot, and then, overcome with remorse, turned his weapon on himself.
Later, the ghosts of the Baron and of Helena Ravenclaw returned to Hogwarts to become the ghosts of their respective houses.
Ravenclaws Have A Riddle, Not A Password
Ravenclaw common room in the Harry Potter game
The door to the Ravenclaw common room, unlike that of the other houses, isn’t disguised at all. It is a plain door with a bronze knocker in the shape of an eagle. Things are never that simple at Hogwarts, however, as this particular eagle is enchanted. In order to enter the room, students must answer a riddle posed by the eagle, who will only open the door to correct answers. This can often be time-consuming, and Ravenclaws quickly learn to triple check that they have everything before leaving the tower – as getting back in can take a while!
Some of the riddles are quite difficult, and there can even be a crowd of students in front of the eagle all attempting to work it out together (which helps the Ravenclaws socialize, at least). This can definitely be daunting for younger students, however, who would not be able to get in without a correct answer. This is also a less than perfect system, as a student from any house can enter as long as they can figure out the answer to the riddle – which allowed Professor McGonagall to enter with ease.
Their Symbolic Bird Isn’t A Raven
Ravenclaw diadem eagle Harry Potter Rowena Ravenclaw horcrux
As most people know, every house at Hogwarts has an animal mascot. Slytherin has the serpent, Hufflepuff has the badger, and Gryffindor has the lion. Most people assume that Ravenclaw has a raven, but that’s not the case. It’s an easy mistake to make, of course, given that the word ‘raven’ is right there in the name (although Gryffindor isn’t represented by the mythical Griffin!). In any case, the animal connected with Ravenclaw is actually an eagle.
The Eagle represents the ability to soar to heights to which others can't even dream to climb, making it a symbol of broad vision. Although many tend to associate the raven with Ravenclaw, we should remember that none of the house names are taken from the symbols. Instead, they are the surnames of Hogwart’s founders. Ravenclaw was founded by Rowena Ravenclaw, and though the name has nothing to do with the eagle, some fans have speculated that it is connected to the color of the eagle’s talon (a dark brown/black, which could be described as raven colored).