In the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, it’s not enough to simply coast by on magical spells. One has to be able to use their brain to achieve their goals, and the wizards and witches most suited for the task are sorted into the Ravenclaw House of Hogwarts. With the colors of blue and bronze as well as the Eagle representing this house, we would see quite a variety of intellects from this house.


Here, we will look at the Ravenclaws that had the most impact on the story, analyzing their intelligence, legacy, and actions to determine which was the best because it’s not just about power. It’s about how you use it and the tactics your mind can employ.

6 Gilderoy Lockhart

Making his debut in the second film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Gilderoy Lockhart would appear to be a great hero, despite his pompous attitude. After being caught attempting to flee the school rather than face the basilisk, Gilderoy would reveal the true extent of the exploits he had written in his autobiographies.

In reality, Gilderoy was not a seasoned hero but a fraud, and a master of memory charms. Gilderoy would leave Britain for a time and speak to wizards and witches of their own adventures before proceeding to obliviate their memories and taking credit for himself. If this all sounds like the villainous plan of a Slytherin, a fun fact reveals that the Sorting Hat almost placed Gilderoy in the snake house. The first misstep in Lockhart’s cunning plan was crossing wizards that were friends with Albus Dumbledore, who hired Gilderoy in hopes that his tenure as Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor would lead to his exposure.

5 Sybill Trelawney

Professor Trelawney would become the Divination professor at Hogwarts; a position most would believe she didn’t deserve. There would often be remarks against her, some by her fellow professors, of how she was constantly making false predictions and causing anxiety to her young, impressionable students.

Despite these remarks, when one looks at the bigger picture, Trelawney’s prophecies actually come true more often than not. One that eagle-eyed readers often point out is when Trelawney states that if 13 people were to sit to dinner together, the first to rise would be doomed to die. Initially believing it to be either Ron or Harry who would die, Albus Dumbledore had actually risen from his seat to greet everyone gathered. Trelawney had predicted Dumbledore’s death years before such an event occurred.

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4 Filius Flitwick

The part-goblin Charms professor and head of Ravenclaw House, Professor Flitwick, would have some minor appearances in the films, but his involvement was always impactful. His first significant lesson would leave quite the impression on viewers as he taught Harry, Ron, and Hermionie the levitation charm, Wingardium Leviosa. This would lead to one of the most memorable and quoted scenes of the first film, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001).

Another notable instance of Professor Flitwick’s lessons paying off would be when he taught the summoning charm, Accio. This would be the crucial spell Harry needed to come in first place during the first trial of the Triwizard Tournament. Flitwick would use his intelligence to educate himself on the many spells needed to succeed in battle, even becoming a dueling champion before his time as a professor and using these abilities to help protect his students during the Second Wizarding War.

3 Cho Chang

Cho Chang is a young Ravenclaw student who receives criticism due to the high emotions and trauma her storylines put her through. While the films didn’t leave much room for Cho to expertly display her smarts, her impact on the franchise and, more specifically, on Harry Potter himself can not be ignored. Being primarily seen as a love interest for the hero, Cho proved to be a foil for Harry when it came to Quidditch, often employing acute strategy in her role as Seeker.

Despite her considerable intellect, Cho suffers from cognitive dissonance throughout Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix (2007). This would be due to the trauma of finding her boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, whom Voldemort had murdered. Due to the grief of losing someone she loves, Cho grows close to Harry while remaining guilty for developing feelings for something else. These conflicted emotions would also affect her standing in Dumbledore’s Army as she advocated for fighting back against the Death Eaters but also respected her family, who were working in the Ministry of Magic that were denying Voldemort’s return.

2 Garrick Ollivander

Ollivander indeed had his intellect and ingenuity shine with an impact that is felt throughout the franchises’ many entries in different media. Ollivander is known as the keeper of a wand shop. Still, many may not know that Ollivander was responsible for popularizing the technique of allowing the wand to choose the wizard and not the other way around.

Ollivander’s knowledge of wands has led to him being the recommended salesman for all incoming Hogwarts students and being called upon to weigh the wands of the Triwizard Tournament participants. Ollivander’s most significant impact on the story would come when he had the chance to explain the stories behind the Elder Wand. This tool was sought after by Lord Voldemort, which turned Ollivander into a target for extensive torture.

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1 Luna Lovegood

Luna Lovegood was seen as quite the odd student. Beginning her education at Hogwarts one year after Harry, Luna befriended Ginny Weasley. She began to endear herself to the rest of the main cast of characters in Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix (2007). While Harry would start the year with a lot of uncertainty, Luna would stand by his side and help guide him with her alternative perspective on how things work.

Throughout the rest of the franchise, Luna would prove wise beyond her years, even deducing Harry through a polyjuice potion disguise. She would even become a magical naturalist, an endeavor that would lead to her marrying Rolf Scamander, the grandson of Newt Scamander from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) fame.