Rowena Ravenclaw
 | Warning! At least some content in this article is derived from information featured in:Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery &Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells &Harry Potter: Magic Awakened &Hogwarts Legacy. |
Rowena Ravenclaw
Born
Died
Blood status
Nationality
Physical information
Gender
Hair colour
Eye colour
Skin colour
Relationship information
Family members
Magical characteristics
Wand
Patronus
Affiliation
Occupation
- "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."
- — Ravenclaw's philosophy[src]
Rowena Ravenclaw (fl. c.993) was aScottishwitch and one of thefour founders ofHogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was noted for her intelligence and creativity. Ravenclaw died sometime in theeleventh century, after she fell fatally ill. Legend had it that a broken heart was the cause — because her daughterHelena ran away with herdiadem. Rowena's portrait remained at Hogwarts.
Biography[]
Early life[]
- "Fair Ravenclaw, from glen…."
- — TheSorting Hat on Ravenclaw's birthplace[src]
Rowena Ravenclaw was born sometime in thetenth century. She was from the glens ofScotland,[2] and was either born or married into theRavenclaw family. Rowena was also a close personal friend ofHelga Hufflepuff, who was from theWelsh valleys.[11]
At an unknown time and by unknown means, Rowena acquired awand.[12] It is possible she purchased it from theOllivander family, who had been in thewand-making business since382 B.C.,[13] or made it herself.
Hogwarts founder[]
- "You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago — the precise date is uncertain — by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin."
- —Cuthbert Binns teaching Hogwarts' history[src]
Rowena Ravenclaw wearing her diadem
United by the common goal of creating the world's bestmagic school,[11] Rowena Ravenclaw and her good friendsHelga Hufflepuff,Godric Gryffindor, andSalazar Slytherin builtHogwarts Castle together and establishedHogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry[6] sometime around993.[14] It is a popular historical theory that the location and name ofHogwarts were both chosen by Rowena, who dreamt that a warty hog was leading her to a cliff by the lake.[15] She also came up with the ever-changing floor plan.[16]
Rowena selected her students according to intelligence and wisdom.[11]Ravenclaw House therefore values a sharp mind, wisdom, creativity, and cleverness in its members.[17] At some point, Rowena bore a daughter,Helena,[8] who was taught by Rowena herself at Hogwarts.[18]
After a time in which the school enjoyed great prosperity, Rowena's fellow founder Salazar Slytherin proposed a controversial action in whichMuggle-born students should not be admitted to Hogwarts based on their heritage. Ironically, a large percentage of Ravenclaw's own house were of Muggle descent. She and the rest of the founders refused Slytherin's plan and the problem escalated to such degrees that Salazar ultimately left the school permanently.
Later life and death[]
- "I stole thediadem. I sought to make myself cleverer, more important than my mother. I ran away with it. My mother, they say, never admitted that the diadem was gone, but pretended that she had it still. She concealed her loss, my dreadful betrayal, even from the other founders ofHogwarts. Then my mother fell ill — fatally ill. In spite of my perfidy, she was desperate to see me one more time. She sent a man who had long loved me, though I spurned his advances, to find me. She knew that he would not rest until he had done so."
- —Helena Ravenclaw's ghost reminiscing on her past[src]
At some point after her graduation fromHogwarts School, her daughter Helena stoleRavenclaw's diadem, which was said to enhance the wearer's wisdom. Helena was jealous of her mother's famous intellect and took the diadem with her toAlbania, far away from her mother's reach, in hopes of surpassing her. Ashamed of her daughter's betrayal, Rowena opted to keep her daughter's treachery a secret from others and denied it even from her fellow founders.[8]
Shortly afterwards, Rowena fell fatally ill. Disregarding her treason, she asked theBaron, who was in love with Helena, to go and find her daughter, merely wishing to see her one last time. He eventually tracked her to a forest inAlbania but when she refused to return with him, the Baron flew into a fit of rage, furious at her refusal and envious of her freedom, and stabbed her. Immediately overcome with guilt, he then took his own life. The two would later become, respectively,Ravenclaw andSlytherin houseghosts.[8]
Thus, Rowena apparently didn't get the chance to reconcile with her daughter before their untimely deaths, unless her daughter's ghost returned to the castle before Rowena's own death. Legend had it that a "broken heart" added to her early demise.[19] This story may have had origin in her estrangement with her daughter. Rowena was the first of the founders to die.[20]
Legacy[]
Rowena's stolen diadem would remain hidden in its lonely locale for centuries until the mid1900s, where her daughter's ghost was charmed by Slytherin studentTom Riddle, who, unbeknownst to her, was a distant relative of Salazar Slytherin himself, into revealing its location. Acting on this information, Riddle took the diadem from its hiding place and defiled both it and the memory of Ravenclaw by turning it into aHorcrux. The defiled artefact was then hidden within the castle Rowena had helped build for years more until it was destroyed byVincent Crabbe's out-of-controlFiendfyre, during a failed attempt to kill byHarry Potter during theBattle of Hogwarts in1998.[8]
Rowan Khanna using Rowena's portrait in History of Magic
During the1988–1989 school year and also the1989–1990 school year,Rowan Khanna, who aspired to be a professor, would sometimes teach theHistory of Magic class duringProfessor Binns's frequent naps and inattention. One of Rowan's techniques was to bring in aportrait of Ravenclaw, allowing classmates to hear about the founding of Hogwarts directly from the memories of one of the founders.[21][22][23]
According to the questionable publicationThe Quibbler, Rowena also developed a strategy for traversing the tricky stairs of theGrand Staircase.[24]
Physical description[]
From her statue inRavenclaw Tower andXenophilius Lovegood's bust of her, Rowena was a beautiful yet austere-looking and slightly intimidating woman.[25][26] She was tall,[8] had pale skin, dark eyes, and long black hair.[19] Rowena spoke in a pronouncedScottish accent.[5]
Personality and traits[]
Ravenclaw drawing up Hogwarts's ever-changing floor plan
Ravenclaw's most notable traits were her intelligence and creativity. She valued the same characteristics in her students.[11][17] Rowena seemed strict and intimidating,[26] but despite this she seemed to be forgiving and loving. This shown by the fact that she was willing to disregardher daughter's betrayal just to see her one last time on her deathbed.[8]
Ravenclaw was very proud, not admitting that her daughter had run away withher diadem not even to her close friends, the otherfounders.[26] However, she was welcoming towards witches and wizards ofMuggle parentage or inheritance and showed no prejudice, as she disagreed withSlytherin's views on their admittance to Hogwarts.[6]
Magical abilities and skills[]
Ravenclaw was described as the most brilliantwitch of her time. Her capacity to cast aPatronus[10] further showed her superiormagical abilities.
- Charms: Rowena had a considerable level of skill and proficiency in charms. Along with the other founders, she bewitched theSorting Hat into a sentientmagical artefact with personality tosort students well after their lifetime. She presumably enchanted herdiadem to enhance the wearer's wisdom. Furthermore, Rowena was capable of conjuring a non-corporealPatronus,[10] despite its immense difficulty.
- Magical architecture: It is thought that Rowena herself devised the ever-changing floor plan ofHogwarts Castle.
- Divination: According to legend, Rowena dreamt about a warty hog leading her to a cliff by the lake where she and her companions would build Hogwarts.[15]
- Invention: Rowena presumably crafted and enchantedher diadem personally. No other witch or wizard was ever able to replicate its effects.
- History of Magic: Rowena's portrait was knowledgeable about wizarding history and could help teach this to students inHistory of Magic lessons, withRowan Khanna's assistance.[21][22][23]
Possessions[]
Ravenclaw's Diadem
- Wand: Ravenclaw owned a wand made of an unknownwood, length,core and flexibility.
- Diadem: Rowena owned a diademenchanted, presumably by Ravenclaw herself, to enhance the wearer's wisdom. The diadem was stolen by her daughter Helena Ravenclaw and hidden in an Albanian forest. It was later found and turned into aHorcrux byTom Riddle.
Etymology[]
- InWelsh poetry, Rowena is named "mother of the nation", which could link in to her being a founder of Hogwarts. She also is another character whose name surfaces in the great epicIvanhoe. Rowena is a Latinised form of an old Germanic name: "Fame" (cf. the Anglo-Saxon hrōd, or hrōð), and "Joy", (cf. the Anglo-Saxon wyn(n)), or "Friend", (cf. the Anglo-Saxon wine). Rowena, Queen of Britain, is a figure in Britain's traditional history; she was supposedly the daughter of Hengest and the wife of Vortigern.
- Other character of the same is Lady Rowena Trevanion from the short story "Ligeia" by Edgar Allan Poe (who also wrote "The Raven") whom the narrator marries after the death of his first wife with raven-coloured hair. When Lady Rowena dies, he watches as she comes back to life in the form of his first wife.
- Ravenclaw is 'raven' + 'claw'. Raven means "a jet-black colour", this word often used as a hair colour. A raven is a large black bird that belongs to the crow family. However, Ravenclaw's symbol is an eagle. European eagle claws are commonly known for being black. In middle English, Raven is used as a verb, meaning "to wander". (cf. Icelandic rāfa or old French raver[27], or resver[28])
Behind the scenes[]
Rowena Ravenclaw inLEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
Rowena Ravenclaw as a LEGO mini-figure
- Rowena Ravenclaw is played by actress Lynne Pearson inHarry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.[29]
- InHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Harry has a vision ofHogwarts Castle, a woman, and a banner ofRavenclaw. Harry incorrectly identifies the woman as Rowena Ravenclaw, when it is in fact her daughter Helena.
- Both Rowena and her friend Helga were referred to as males in the Sorting Hat's song in early German editions and in the German audiobook of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire read by Rufus Beck. This was corrected in later editions of the book.
- Ravenclaw was featured asRowling's "Wizard of the Month" for August, 2007: "One of the four famous Founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Rowena Ravenclaw was the most brilliant witch of her time, though legend has it that a broken heart — cause unknown — contributed to her early demise".
- It is possible that Ravenclaw is not Rowena's birth name, but her married name, although this has never been confirmed byJ.K Rowling. This theory is supported by the fact that Ravenclaw is also herdaughter's surname. Also even though the word "Raven" is in Ravenclaw's name, the crest of her house depicts an eagle. However, given that she was a proud woman, she could simply have declined to take the surname of her possible husband (father of Helena) upon marriage and kept her maiden name. It is also possible that she was never married.
- It is interesting to note that Albania is sometimes considered the "Land of Eagles" in the 16th century and that Rowena's daughter fled to Albania, so it is therefore possible that Rowena's family or her possible husband's came from Albania before settling into Scotland.
- Rowena Ravenclaw'sChocolate Frog Card, as featured in the PC video games ofHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone andHarry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Rowena is somewhat anachronistically depicted wearing sixteenth/seventeenth-century garments, while Ravenclaw lived in the tenth century.
- According to information presented in Hogwarts Legacy, the school was built using and harbouring Ancient Magic. Which implies that the Founders could see and use this kind of magic
Appearances[]
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)(Appears on aFamous Wizard Card)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)(Appears on aFamous Wizard Card)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game)(Appears on aFamous Wizard Card)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1(Appears as statue)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)(Mentioned only)
- Pottermore
- HarryPotter.com
- J. K. Rowling's official site
- LEGO Harry Potter
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7[30]
- The Wizarding World of Harry Potter(Appears inportrait(s))
- Harry Potter: The Character Vault(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery(Appears inportrait(s))(Appears as statue)(Appears on aFamous Wizard Card)
- Harry Potter: Wizards Unite(Appears inportrait(s))(Appears as statue)
- Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells(Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter: Magic Awakened(Appears as statue)
- Hogwarts Legacy(Appears as statue)
Notes and references[]
- ↑Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 9 (The Writing on the Wall) - "You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age." Binns says this late in the year 1992. Given that Ravenclaw would be of age by the school's founding, the latest she could be born is 976
- ↑2.02.1InHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 12 (The Triwizard Tournament), the Sorting Hat refers to Rowena as "fair Ravenclaw, from glen", which is likely a reference to Scotland. Furthermore, inThe Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Ravenclaw's portrait speaks with a strong Scottish accent.
- ↑Rowena fell fatally ill and sent the Bloody Baron to fetch her daughter in Albania after Helena's seven years at Hogwarts. Given the earliest she could have started at the school was around 993, the approximate year of the school's founding, the earliest year this could have taken place was 1000. It is likely Rowena died around this time.
- ↑It is unlikely, given his hatred ofMuggle-borns, that Slytherin would work with one.
- ↑5.05.1The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
- ↑6.06.16.26.36.46.56.66.7Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 9 (The Writing on the Wall)
- ↑7.07.1J. K. Rowling's official site
- ↑8.08.18.28.38.48.58.68.7Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 31 (The Battle of Hogwarts)
- ↑Hogwarts Legacy (seethis image)
- ↑10.010.110.2LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- ↑11.011.111.211.3Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 11 (The Sorting Hat's New Song)
- ↑Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (video game)(Appears on aFamous Wizard Card)
- ↑Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 5 (Diagon Alley)
- ↑Official timeline in thefilms' DVDs
- ↑15.015.1Fifth question of the ThirdW.O.M.B.A.T. atJ. K. Rowling's official site
- ↑"Rowena Ravenclaw" onHarry Potter Magical Trading Cards(seethis image)
- ↑17.017.1Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Chapter 7 (The Sorting Hat)
- ↑"If a teacher is head of a house, can we assume that they were sorted into those houses when they were students at Hogwarts? Is that also true for the house ghosts? So was Snape a Slytherin?" onJ. K. Rowling's official site
- ↑19.019.1Wizard of the Month
- ↑Helena Ravenclaw's words -" My mother, they say, never admitted that the diadem was gone, but pretended that she had it still. She concealed her loss, my dreadful betrayal,even from the other founders of Hogwarts. Then my mother fell ill — fatally ill. - imply that Rowena kept the missing Diadem a secret from the other founders and then fell fatally ill before any of them died.
- ↑21.021.1Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 5, Chapter 11 (Mundungus Fletcher) - History of Magic Lesson "Goblin Rebellion of 1612"
- ↑22.022.1Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 5 (Wherefore Art Thou, Weasleys?) - History of Magic Lesson "Uprising of Elfric the Eager"
- ↑23.023.1Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, Year 6, Chapter 18 (Into the Forest) - History of Magic Lesson "Gargoyle Strike of 1911"
- ↑Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells (seethis image)
- ↑Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 20 (Xenophilius Lovegood)
- ↑26.026.126.2Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 29 (The Lost Diadem)
- ↑[Middle English Compedium] University of Michigan
- ↑[resver] Wikitionary
- ↑Lynne Pearson's profile on IMDb
- ↑Ravenclaw is available in the Nintendo DS version ofLEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7. For other devices, she is available in the "Downloadable Character Pack"DLC for the game.
See also[]
- Godric Gryffindor
- Helga Hufflepuff
- Salazar Slytherin
- Hogwarts founders
- Ravenclaw's Diadem
- Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
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