Hey everyone ! Welcome to another installment of Harry Potter Theory! In this video we’re
going to be discussing the 5 most powerful witches and wizards that came from Ravenclaw
house. I’ve covered the other 3 houses in previous videos, so make sure to check those
out as well.
Ravenclaw is best introduced in the Sorting Hat’s own words:
"Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw, If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning, Will always find their kind."
Each of the four houses are known for their unique and defining characteristcs. Hufflepuffs
are known for their loyalty and hard-work, Gryffindors for their bravery, and Slytherins
for their cunning. So, how about Ravenclaw? What are they known for? The answer of course
relates to knowledge and wisdom. While Hufflepuff and Gryffindor get all of the glory, Ravenclaw
has produced some of the most powerful and talented witches and wizards ever to grace
the wizarding world.
Now, if you know Hogwarts history, which you should, then you will know that Hogwarts had
four founders, Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, Helga Hufflepuff, and Godric Gryffindor.
The 4 founders enchanted a hat, the sorting hat, a hat that would allocate students to
each of the 4 houses.
After the student places the hat on their head, it begins to analyze their mind and
places them in a house based on how closely they resemble one of the four founders. Gryffindor
valued bravery, Ravenclaw valued intelligence, Hufflepuff valued hard work, and Slytherin
valued aspirations for power.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the 5 most powerful witches and wizards of
Ravenclaw.
5. Garrick Ollivander
Coming in at # on the list is Garrick Ollivander. Now, you may know Garrick Ollivander from
Ollivander’s wand shop in Diagon Alley - one of Harry’s first stops before beginning
his first year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. Ollivander was a british half-blood
wizard born in the year 1908- he was the proprietor of Ollivander’s wand shop-taking over the
family business which was founded in the year 382 BC. Ollivander’s father Gerbold was
the owner of the shop when Dumbledore was given his first wand.
When Ollivander began attending Hogwarts in his youth, he was quickly sorted in to Ravenclaw
house. As we know, one of the defining characteristics of Ravenclaw is intelligence, and Ollivander
was certainly not lacking in intelligence. This made Ravenclaw the likely choice for
a man like him. Ollivander’s high level of intelligence meant that it was not long
before he was considered to be one of the most talented wandmakers in the entire wizarding
world. Going to Ollivanders before attending Hogwarts was an absolute staple.
Ollivander revolutionized the way that wandmaking was approached, and before he took over his
fathers wand shop it was common for wizards to use a broad variety of wand cores. Where
previously witches and wizards would present the wandmaker with an object that they wanted
to use as their wand core, Ollivander disagreed with this method, as he felt that it effected
the wands temperament. Instead, Ollivander sourced powerful magical substances and enclosed
them in wandwoods. From this point onwards, when a witch or wizard came in to his shop,
they would be paired with a wand that was best suited to them.
Ollivander famously remarks that “the wand chooses the wizard”
In addition to being one of the most impressive wandmakers, Ollivander had many other special
talents and abilities. He could produce non-verbal magic, apparate, and even knew conjuration
- an advanced branch of transfiguration. Conjuration allows individuals to transfigure an object
out of thin air, as is only taught to talented students at the N.E.W.T level. Ollivander
could also produce a non-corporeal patronus charm, and showed great wand versatility - able
to pick up the wands of most others and use them almost instantly, without issue.
4.Ignatia Wildsmith
"Ravenclaw house has an illustrious history. Most of the greatest wizarding inventors and
innovators were in our house, including Ignatia Wildsmith, the inventor of Floo powder."
Ignatia Wildsmith was born in the year 1227- she was a witch and wizard inventor, and she
began attending Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry in the year 1938. When she started
at the school, she was immediately sorted in to Ravenclaw house - and this proved to
be the appropriate choice given that Wildsmith would go on to become a prominent inventor.
After graduating from Hogwarts, she further pursued Herbology, which she was particularly
interested in. This lead to her invention of floo powder. Floo powder was of course
a glittery magical powder that was used by witches and wizards to travel using the floo
network, a wizarding fireplace network that connected most buildings. Ignatia’s breakthrough
with Floo Powder earned her a spot on a chocolate frog card in the year 1320, the same year
that she died. We don’t know much more about Ignatia, but we do know that she looked remarkably
similar to Maleficent.
3. The Grey Lady aka Helena Ravenclaw
Helena Ravenclaw, AKA The Grey Lady, was the daughter of Hogwart’s founder Rowena Ravenclaw.
Helena was among the first generations of Hogwarts students, and began attending the
school while her mother Rowena, along with the other 3 founders, were at the school.
Attending the school while the founders were still there was a huge advantage, and Helena
was often taught in the magical arts by her own mother, who is thought to be one of the
most powerful witches of all time. This led to Helena becoming quite powerful by modern
day wizarding standards. However, Helena was unusual in that she was envious of her own
mother. This lead to her eventual theft of Rowena Ravenclaw’s Diadem - A tiara said
to grant wisdom to the wearer.
"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."
When Rowena Ravenclaw fell ill, she sent the Bloody baron (who was then alive) to go and
find Helena who had fled to Albania. The Baron was in love with Helena, and when Helena rejected
his advances, he stabbed her-killing her, and then turned the knife on himself. When
Helena died, she returned as a ghost - The Grey Lady.
Oh yes, our house ghost is the Grey Lady. The rest of the school thinks she never speaks,
but she'll talk to Ravenclaws. She's particularly useful if you're lost, or you've mislaid something."
Helena held extremely high standards for herself in life, which was part of the reason that
she was so envious of her mother, who was remarkably clever. This thirst for knowledge
and notability however, did result in extremely powerful magical ability. Even after death,
The Grey Lady could often be seen wandering around the Hogwarts castle reading. She would
even sometimes attend transfiguration classes.
2.Filius Flitwick
This is where the power really starts to pick up. Filius Flitwick was one of the most powerful
wizards in the entire wizarding world. He was the resident Charms master at Hogwarts,
and head of Ravenclaw house. Flitwick was a descendant of Goblins (which accounts for
his small stature) and a former duelling CHAMPION. He was among the most powerful of Hogwarts
staff, similar in power to McGonagall, and superceded only by Dumbledore and Snape.
"Speaking of eccentrics, you'll like our Head of house, Professor Filius Flitwick. People
often underestimate him, because he's really tiny (we think he's part elf, but we've never
been rude enough to ask) and he's got a squeaky voice, but he's the best and most knowledgeable
Charms master alive in the world today. His office door is always open to any Ravenclaw
with a problem, and if you're in a real state he'll get out these delicious little cupcakes
he keeps in a tin in his desk drawer and make them do a little dance for you. In fact, it's
worth pretending you're in a real state just to see them jive."
Flitwick was born in the year 1958 and began attending Hogwarts in the year 1969. Flitwick
had always valued intelligence, which meant that his personality was very much in alignment
with the house that he had been assigned to. During his time at the school, Flitwick achieved
high grades in all of his O.W.L.S and N.E.W.T.s - particularly in the subject of charms, something
that he was particularly talented at.
After leaving the school, Flitwick went on to become a master duellist and duelling champion.
He supposedly has a ‘shelf full of trophies’ to prove it.
Flitwick had a high level of knowledge in defence against the dark arts, and during
the battle of hogwarts he was personally responsible for the defeat of a handful of death eaters.
Flitwick was also personally responsible for putting up the defences around Hogwarts which
kept the death eaters at bay for an extended period of time. The defences around the castle
were of course the result of Flitwick’s charm work, which was the area of magic that
he was most skilled in. Flitwick is thought to be one of the most talented charms teachers
that ever taught at Hogwarts, and had no difficulty producing even the most complex, complicated
and powerful shield charms. Flitwick could also produce a patronus-which is the mark
of a powerful wizard.
In addition to duelling and charms, Flitwick was also versed in transfiguration and conjuration,
and was able to conjure objects out of thin air.
1.Rowena Ravenclaw
Coming in at #1 on the list is Rowena Ravenclaw, one of the four founders of Hogwarts and the
ORIGINAL Ravenclaw.
While we don’t actually have a lot of information on Rowena, what we do know is that the founders
of Hogwarts, all 4 of them, were immensely powerful. The Hogwarts founders are widely
thought to have possessed power that was entirely uncomparable to most modern day witches and
wizards.
Rowena was born sometime in the tenth century in Scotland - and was a close friend of fellow
founder Helga Hufflepuff, who was from Wales. There is much speculation that both the location
and name of Hogwarts were chosen by Rowena, who dreamt that a warty hog was leading her
to a cliff by the lake. She also came up with the ever-changing floor plan.
Ravenclaw was thought to be the most brilliant witch of her time, perhaps even more powerful
than Helga Hufflepuff, and showed considerable talent in a multitude of magical disciplines.
Rowena’s skill in charm work contributed to the creation of the sorting hat, a sentient
hat that would sort students in to houses for generations to come. She also created
and enchanted her own diadem- which would enhance the wearers wisdom. This is the same
diadem that her daughter would later steal.
Rowena could also produce a patronus charm, and there is some speculation that she was
also versed in divination. She was a truly powerful witch, that is entirely deserving
of the #1 spot on this list.
And that’s it for this video! I think that there is some room for rearranging some names
here, but I did my best. What do you guys think? Who are YOUR top 5? Let me know down
in the comment section below. Until next time,
YER A WIZARD ARRY