Anyone who has read any of the books or seen any of the films in the Harry Potter universe knows that this is a world that isn’t immune to tragedy. Indeed, time and again the audience sees the ways in which wizards and witches have to struggle with the same trials and tribulations as regular people.
And one of the most tragic figures in the story is Helena Ravenclaw. Though she’s something of an enigma for most of the narrative, slowly but surely the reader/viewer learns some important things about her, many of which seem to fly under the radar.
She Was Rowena Ravenclaw’s Daughter
As her name implies, Helena has a very strong connection to Rowena Ravenclaw, one of the four people who founded Hogwarts. In fact, she is none other than her daughter.
This little tidbit not only helps the audience understand many of the actions that take place in the later installments in the series, it also humanizes the larger-than-life figure of Rowena, showing that she had her own attachments and relationships that shaped her personality and actions.
She Stole Her Mother’s Diadem
What makes the saga of the Ravenclaws so tragic is that Helena and her mother seemed to never really get along. In fact, it seems that Helena bore her mother quite a lot of resentment.
While this is probably understandable, especially given the stature that Rowena would ultimately attain as one of those who founded Hogwarts. But it led Helena to commit the foolish act of stealing her mother’s diadem, in the hopes that she would be able to match her mother’s skill. Poor Rowena couldn’t even admit that the theft had happened.
She Ran Away To Albania
Upon stealing the diadem, Helena decided that it would be best if she left Scotland— where Hogwarts is located— and fled to mainland Europe. She eventually took up residence in Albania.
This is a particularly striking location for her to go, since that particular country would prove to be an important off-screen location for important events— such as Quirrell’s encounter (and subsequent possession by) Voldemort— as well as the unfortunate torture and death of Bertha Jorkins.
She Was One Of The First Students At Hogwarts
Given that her mother was one of those who founded the illustrious wizarding school, it’s probably not very surprising that Helena would be one of the first students to take up her training there. There’s not a whole lot of information about what kind of student she was, but considering her rather fraught relationship with her mother, it’s safe to assume she struggled with her training.
It is known, however, that this was the point at which the man who would later be called the Bloody Baron tried to romance her.
She's Now Known As The Grey Lady
Poor Helena couldn’t even manage to find any kind of peace even after death. Like several other important figures in the story, she ultimately came back from the dead so that she could become one of the several ghosts that haunt the halls of Hogwarts.
Though it isn’t revealed for quite some time, it eventually comes to light that the mysterious Ravenclaw ghost known as the Grey Lady is none other than Helena herself, guiding the house that bears her family name.
She Helps Members Of Her House Find Lost Objects
It has to be said that the Grey Lady isn’t, from outward appearances, one of the most active of the ghosts— particularly not in comparison to Nick, the ghost that frequents Gryffindor. However, there are suggestions that she is very good at helping members of Ravenclaw find objects that they’ve lost.
How appropriate, then, that she would be the one to tell Harry about the location of her mother’s diadem, one of the most important lost objects in the later books.
She Fell Prey To Tom Riddle’s Blandishments, In Part Because She Understood Him
As the books and films go on, it’s ultimately revealed that Helena found herself falling for the charms of the young Tom Riddle, who was more charismatic as Riddle than as Voldemort. This isn’t that surprising, considering that he was often able to smooth talk his way into getting people— such as Slughorn— to tell him things that they didn’t want to.
In this case, however, it seems to be in part because Helena saw some similarities between the two of them, which certainly doesn’t reflect well on her.
She Once Attended A Transfiguration Class
At one point, Helena is shown attending one of Professor McGonagall’s Transfiguration classes. This is a very incongruous sort of image, for a number of reasons. Of all of the ghosts, she seems like the one least likely to attend a class since she seems so distant from most of the happenings in the castle.
However, as a Ravenclaw, she no doubt feels the pull of knowledge even after death. Furthermore, it’s a little unclear what a ghost would need with such a class, even if it would be very cool to watch McGonagall teach.
She Didn’t Initially Want To Tell Harry Where The Diadem Was
Even though she has taken Ravenclaw under her wing, it’s pretty unclear just where Helena’s loyalties lie, in part because she’s already shown herself willing to aid Voldemort in his unsavory efforts to create Horcruxes. What’s more, she also proves more than a little unwilling to tell Harry about the location of the diadem.
Once again, it’s hard not to feel at least a little bit of hostility toward Helena, even if the circumstances of her life and death were so tragic.
She Doesn’t Seem To Like Her Nickname
Among her other qualities, Helena has also shown herself to be a bit fussy when it comes to her nickname. Though this isn’t absolutely certain, she does make a comment that suggests that she doesn’t like the name “The Grey Lady,” and in fact she says that she won’t listen to it.
One would think that, given that she’s a ghost, such things wouldn’t matter— but it appears that Helena is very particular about everything involving her afterlife.