Ravenclaw corresponds roughly to the element of air[6], and it is for that reason that the House colours were chosen; blue and bronze represent the sky and eagle feathers respectively, both having much to do with air.[7] The Ravenclaw points hourglass contains blue sapphires.
Ravenclaw House prizes learning, wisdom, wit, and intellect in its members.[4] Thus, many Ravenclaws tend to be academically motivated and talented students. They also pride themselves in being original in their ideas, and methods. It's not unusual to find Ravenclaw students practising especially different types of magic that other houses might shun. 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.[8]
Often hard-working and diligent, as often is the case with intellectuals with a predisposition for academics, some of the pupils sorted under the blue-bronzed eagle are known to be inclined to dismiss certain social expectation for the sake of satisfying their own intellectual curiosity. Some of these eventually also ended up being not only accepted, but even celebrated, in spite of being initially subjected to scorn for their various oddities. Luna Lovegood, for example, was one such student: Eccentric to put it at its mildest, she was a Ravenclaw student who initially was bullied for her open defiance of conventionality, but ultimately became a celebrated wizarding naturalist and renowned for her participation in the legendary Battle of Hogwarts and past membership in Dumbledore's Army. Another example would be Professor Filius Flitwick, a half-goblin who might have faced scorn for his short stature earlier in life but went on to become a renowned Duelling Champion, and subsequently one of the finest and most knowledgable Charms Masters in the entirety of the wizarding world during his employment at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. (The best, according to some of his students).
Ravenclaws tend to be curious about the world and pay attention to the world around them. Ravenclaws are known to be logical and rational.
Even so, not all Ravenclaws were motivated by academic prowess. Examples of such individuals included Gilderoy Lockhart and Cho Chang, both of whom sought to use the good name and renown of their house, the inherent expectations of certain academic prowess that comes with being sorted into it as well as the often somewhat natural ability of its members to gain popularity among their peers, which particularly was the case of the former, proving true the fact that a good student did not necessarily make a good witch or wizard.
Reputation
"I got into big trouble during my third year for duelling a Ravenclaw prefect who insisted that Bridget Wenlock had come from his house, not mine."
— A Hufflepuff with an intelligent witch in their house[src]
Ravenclaw's symbol
According to SlytherinprefectGemma Farley, Ravenclaws are so competitive when it comes to academic success that they are known to back stab each other, and likely other students, in order to get top marks. While Hufflepuff prefect Gabriel Truman noted that they are so proud of the success of famous members, such as Laverne de Montmorency, that they claim any intelligent wizard as a member of Ravenclaw House, such as Bridget Wenlock, who was, in fact a Hufflepuff. Some Ravenclaws, such as Uric the Oddball, are also noted to have a propensity towards eccentricity.
House ghost, The Grey Lady
Ravenclaw House appears to have little rivalry with the other houses, except in Quidditch. Harry Potter believed that they tended to side with Gryffindor in its rivalry with Slytherin, as did Hufflepuff house. However, during the 1994Triwizard Tournament, most Ravenclaws supported Hufflepuff Champion Cedric Diggory over Harry.[9] They believed that Harry had in fact cheated his way into being a champion and that the true Hogwarts champion was Cedric. Many Ravenclaws (such as Cho Chang) joined Dumbledore's Army and fought in the Battle of Hogwarts along with Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. They rose at almost the exact moment as the Hufflepuffs and turned their wands upon Pansy Parkinson and Slytherin House in Harry Potter's defence, when the former wished to hand Harry over to Lord Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters.
Within the house, though, they’re well-known for being welcoming and encouraging of creativity, eccentricity and individuality and being very accepting.
Common Room
Knocker: "Which came first, the phoenix or the flame?"
Luna Lovegood: "I think the answer is that a circle has no beginning."
Knocker: "Well reasoned."
— Luna solving a riddle to enter Ravenclaw tower[src]
Ravenclaw common room
The Ravenclaw common room is in one of the castle's towers and is wide and circular. You have to climb a tight spiral staircase to get there. 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 while searching for clues to the location of one of Voldemort's Horcruxes.
Unlike the other common rooms in the school, a logical riddle given by a bronze eagle-shaped knocker must be answered to enter.[5] This could prove troublesome as anyone with enough intellect could intrude into the dormitory, as is shown in 1998 where Professor McGonagall had no trouble entering by answering the riddle correctly (though she was a "hatstall" between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw). On the other hand, a particularly poorly-phrased riddle might bemuse a particular student, blocking them from entering and forcing them to sleep outside. However, Hermione stated in her first year when figuring out the complicated riddle, beneath the trapdoor, that most wizards and witches do not have much sense of logic, which might be something that Ravenclaw noticed herself and decided to use clever riddles instead of passwords, as they are safer than some words.
The head of house before and during Harry Potter's time was Filius Flitwick. It is unknown when he became head of house, but it is known that he was teaching Charms in 1971. It is unknown whom he succeeded.
Jealous daughter of the house founder, who stole her mother’s diadem during her school years, and hid it in an Albanian forest, but was tracked down and killed by a baron whose repeated propasals she rejected.[11] Later became the house ghost.
In the books, Ravenclaw colours are blue and bronze; however, in the films they were changed to blue and silver. Likewise, Ravenclaw's symbol is an eagle in the books and a raven in the films (though in the last film an eagle does appear as the Ravenclaw mascot).
Eagles are a symbol for a broader vision and strength of mind and heart.
In the Romanian version, the Ravenclaw house is changed to "Ochi-de-șoim", literally "Eye-of-Hawk", possibly because ravens are better known as signs of death or danger, and the members of the house have a broader way of thinking, being smart and witty, thus the name of the house.
In the original Italian edition of first three books, the Ravenclaw's house name was changed in Pecoranera (black sheep). Subsequently, the name was changed in Corvonero (Black crow or Black raven).
In the Brazilian version, the Ravenclaw house is changed to "Corvinal". As the word "raven" means "corvo" in Portuguese.
In the French version, Ravenclaw house is changed to "Serdaigle" which means in English "Eagle's claw".
Minerva McGonagall was a hatstall, having approximately equal Ravenclaw and Gryffindor traits; the Hat finally Sorted her into Gryffindor. Hermione Granger was also considered being Sorted into Ravenclaw but Gryffindor was chosen once again. Filius Flitwick was in the same situation at the time of his Sorting, but in his case the Hat decided on Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor.
Ravenclaw is the only House from which no head students have been named.
Isolt Sayre, founder of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, wanted to be a Ravenclaw as a child, but never got to attend Hogwarts. Her choice of blue as a colour for the Ilvermorny school uniform was inspired by Ravenclaw.
No Ravenclaw student Sortings are shown in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
Pottermore House Cup
Ravenclaw came third for the first house cup with 71,815,917 house points.
Ravenclaw came fourth for the second house cup with 45,455,773 points.
Ravenclaw came second for the third house cup with 26,916,194 points.
Ravenclaw came fourth for the fourth house cup with 24,567,337 points.
Ravenclaw won the fifth house cup with 28,048,578 points.
Ravenclaw won the sixth house cup with 32,377,299 points, becoming the only House to win the House Cup consecutively.
Ravenclaw came third for the seventh and eighth house cups with 49,775,819 and 23,712,525 points.
↑According to Pottermore - Secret Lives of the Hogwarts Ghosts: direct quote: "A few years into her magical education, she betrayed her mother by stealing the diadem – believing it could make her powerful – and running away from Hogwarts. The betrayal embarrassed Rowena, who told no one that the diadem was missing. On her death bed, however, she did send a young man to find Helena, so she could see her daughter for one last time." Few implies at least three years and confirms Helena was still at school.
