Summary

• Ravenclaws are witty and have a natural talent for making clever jokes, as seen with characters like Moaning Myrtle and Luna Lovegood.
• Intelligence is a key trait of Ravenclaws, but it goes beyond book smarts. They have a deep curiosity and love for learning for its own sake.
• Ravenclaws have strong intuition and are quick thinkers who can come up with creative solutions and adapt spells in challenging situations. They are driven by logic.

The four Harry Potter Hogwarts houses each have unique traits that befit their houses, and Harry Potter's Ravenclaw traits exemplify the best and worst the house has to offer. Introduced in The Sorcerer's Stone, the four Hogwarts houses were founded by Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin, and named based on the founders' surnames. Each founder had something different that they treasured in their students and used the magical Sorting Hat to help determine where each Hogwarts student fit best. While Gryffindor and Slytherin were the two houses discussed ad infinitum in the Harry Potter books, there are still plenty of notable Ravenclaws.

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While Gryffindor favors the brave, Hufflepuff the kind, and Slytherin the ambitious, Ravenclaw has always chosen the intelligent and wise. These are not the only two Ravenclaw traits, however, as characters like Cho Chang (Katie Leung) and Luna Lovegood (Evanna Lynch) have showcased that Ravenclaws are so much more. Like with the three other houses, there are plenty of negative Ravenclaw traits that the house has to keep in check alongside positive ones like wittiness and creativity. Since Ravenclaws are not strict moralists in the same way that Gryffindors are, it can give leeway to less savory acts from Ravenclaw wizards, though certainly not outright evil. The best and worst Ravenclaw traits can really be seen in either light.

RELATED: 10 Dumbest Things The Ravenclaws Ever Did In Harry Potter

The Most irable Ravenclaw Traits In Harry Potter

Ravenclaws Are Witty

One of the best Ravenclaw traits is wittiness. Moaning Myrtle may not be the happiest Hogwarts ghost, but she certainly adds some comic relief to the scenes she appears. She doesn't think before speaking, just voices her thoughts and feelings, but this can be quite funny - at Harry's expense. She's naturally witty, making jokes at Harry's expense, as are many of the Ravenclaws, like Professor Flitwick, Luna Lovegood, and even Lockhart. This can make for some entertaining scenes in the movies, as well as some interesting clashes of character.

Ravenclaws Are Intelligent

One of the most well-known Ravenclaw traits in Harry Potter is intelligence. While intelligence may seem pretty straightforward, it's actually a whole spectrum. For example, Luna isn't at the top when it comes to book smarts, but she is emotionally intelligent, curious, and unique. She has an immense level of knowledge about creatures and conspiracies that others have no interest in. One of the things about Ravenclaws' intelligence is that they often care about learning for its own sake. While people in other houses can also be really smart, they often use learning as a means to an end, while a Ravenclaw will take great joy in learning for the sake of it.

Ravenclaws Are Intuitive

Ravenclaws are known for their knowledge and smarts, but intuition is also one of the great Ravenclaw traits. They may love to study, but their learning isn't just by rote or from books — they are also some of the most intuitive students at Hogwarts, with a deep understanding of how things work. After all, Hogwarts was located and named based on a dream that Hogwarts founder Rowena Ravenclaw had in which a warty hog led her to the Black Lake.

They are driven by their logic and so can simply read situations or infer things through experiences and circumstances. Luna, for instance, is very emotionally intuitive. She knows when Harry needs company, and she senses when he needs space.

RELATED: 5 Reasons Harry Potter's Luna Should Have Been In Gryffindor (& 5 She Was Rightfully Placed In Ravenclaw)

Ravenclaws Are Quick-Thinking

One of the best Harry Potter Ravenclaw traits is how quick they are on their feet. In a tight situation, they are likely to be the first to think their way out of it. This could be very advantageous in a Wizarding Duel, especially since Ravenclaws know so many spells. This was evidenced by Luna Lovegood, who held her own as a fourth year in a duel against the Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries during Order of the Phoenix.

Their love of knowledge also makes them more likely to be aware of the etymology of spellcasting, and able to create new spells or adapt them almost intuitively. People can always count on an intelligent Ravenclaw if they're pressed for time, but only if that Ravenclaw is willing to help.

Ravenclaws Are Independent

As one might expect of their creative natures, the Harry Potter Ravenclaw traits show they are also original and independent. This independence is the more positive side of their tendency to be aloof. Because of this, they tend to stay out of trouble and do their own thing.

They can also be introverted sometimes, and this can inspire them to be creative and original. Luna is a good example of this, and it’s a shame that other characters who are in Ravenclaw aren’t explored more. In some ways, this makes them more like Gryffindors than other houses — and they are also willing to bend the rules, as they will come up with creative explanations of how they are technically not doing anything wrong.

Ravenclaws Don't Follow The Crowd

This is another one of the positive Ravenclaw traits that manifests in many ways. The most obvious example of this is in the best traits of Luna Lovegood as she tends to be very individualistic in how she looks and expresses herself. Ravenclaws don't particularly care what other people think of them, and this allows them to comfortably express themselves in unique and interesting ways.

However, many other Ravenclaws, such as Cho Chang, also display their individualism. It’s hard to identify Ravenclaws as a collective because they are all more likely to be individual and inward-focused. It's not immediately obvious that varied characters like Lockhart, Cho, and Luna, all belong to the same house, after all.

Related: 5 Things That Prove Harry Potter's Ravenclaw Is The Best House (& 5 That Prove It’s The Worst)

Ravenclaws Are Creative

While Ravenclaws can be really intelligent when it comes to things like books and facts, they aren’t inflexible about learning and the application of knowledge. Ravenclaws are also known for being rather creative and ingenious. The intelligence of a Ravenclaw can manifest in many ways, and for some people in this house, creativity is a big part of how they see themselves and express themselves in the world.

They can have phenomenal leaps of creative thought, and put things together more quickly than others, because of how flexible their thinking is. Take someone like Garick Ollivander, for example. His entire profession is based on combining magical elements in a piece of wood that then reacts to the wizard it's most compatible with. That takes a level of creativity not many wizards would possess, and he graduated from Hogwarts as a Ravenclaw.

Ravenclaws Are Wise

Intelligence can mean a lot of different things, but surface-level intelligence can sometimes only go so far. One of the best Ravenclaw traits is that many of them also have a good deal of wisdom. While Luna Lovegood says some downright outlandish things, she also has the capability of being incredibly wise. After all, it was she who said, "Things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end. If not always in the way we expect."

Their insight is what allows them to understand things like riddles, which is required for getting past the Ravenclaw common room door. They aren’t as likely to get involved with house rivalries and get along pretty well with the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs even if they do stay somewhat aloof.

The Worst Ravenclaw Traits In Harry Potter

Ravenclaws Are Oblivious

Interestingly, despite their intelligence, one of the worst Ravenclaw traits is that Ravenclaws can sometimes be oblivious — like Lockhart and Luna. In Lockhart's case, he's so self-obsessed that he doesn't even notice anything else going on around him, like the fact that Hogwarts is in danger and Harry can hear snakes in detention.

Luna Lovegood, on the other hand, is simply a carefree soul who doesn't care what others think of her. She's so dedicated to expanding her knowledge of the lesser-known magics that she doesn't even notice that she doesn't fit in. This kind of hyper-focused obliviousness is definitely a Ravenclaw trait.

Ravenclaws Are Calculating

While Ravenclaws seem to have endless reserves of knowledge and wit, they can use this to their advantage in a bad way. Professor Lockhart is the best - or rather, worst - example of these bad Ravenclaw traits.

He has spent his entire career using magic to take advantage of other people, and thus, take credit for their knowledge. He may not be clever or brave in the way everyone thinks he is, but he's not dumb when it comes to business and public image. Of course, some would argue that this is more of a Slytherin trait, but it can definitely be found in Ravenclaws, too, as their intelligence can lead to pride and ambition.

Related: The 10 Most Evil Ravenclaw Characters In Harry Potter

Ravenclaws Are Egotistical

Unfortunately, one of the lesser Ravenclaw traits is they can come off as self-important. Ravenclaws can come across as a bit stuck-up and full of themselves — because they often know just how smart they are. Of course, Ravenclaw isn't the only house that can be seen as arrogant, as both Gryffindors and Slytherins show this side of themselves as well – only the Hufflepuffs are known for being humble.

However, Ravenclaws tend to be a bit more arrogant about their intelligence and logic. This doesn’t mean that all Ravenclaws are self-important, but some of them are, like Professor Lockhart who es off the adventures of others as his own to keep his reputation. There's also Michael Corner, Ginny Weasely's first-named boyfriend in the novels. He and Ginny break up when she proves herself a better Quidditch player than him and his ego is bruised.

Ravenclaws Are Perfectionists

Because Ravenclaw is all about the intellect, it’s not surprising that this can lend itself to one of the worst Harry Potter Ravenclaw traits, perfectionism. Ravenclaws can be a bit fussy and nitpicky. Helena Ravenclaw, for example, stole her mother's diadem to bring perfection to her intellect and outperform her own mother.

They seem the most likely to care about aesthetics as well as doing things the right or "perfect" way. While other houses such as Slytherin and Gryffindor might be more willing to cut corners, Ravenclaws are more on the perfectionist side. This can also connect to the tendency to be a bit stuck-up, or at least, perceived as such. They can often expect others to have the same high standards that they do.

Ravenclaws Are Cold

One of the big flaws with the Harry Potter house system at Hogwarts is how it separates the students from each other. It creates a rivalry where students from other houses don’t interact much. Therefore, one of the less savory Ravenclaw traits is they can come across as cold. While all the Hogwarts houses can stick to their own (though Hufflepuffs are especially guilty of this) and be a bit judgmental, Ravenclaws do so in a way that is a bit colder and removed.

They tend to stick to themselves and be a bit distant from some of the dramas and issues that the rest of the school tends to have. This can make them come across as cool and a bit uncaring. A perfect example of this is when Harry and Ron are disguised as Crabbe and Goyle, and ask someone where the common room is. They mistakenly ask a Ravenclaw, who 'sniffs' at them for even suggesting they are in the same house.

Related: The 10 Richest Ravenclaw Characters In Harry Potter

Ravenclaws Are Distant

Because Ravenclaw focuses on intellect and learning, one of the worst Ravenclaw traits is that they tend to be a bit more distant and have their heads in the clouds. These students aren't often concerned about the day-to-day details and can be a bit forgetful because of it.

Ravenclaws are more likely to be distracted by whatever big idea they are thinking about, and this can make them harder to connect to, at times. Cho Chang only warmed up to Harry after Cedric Diggory's death, and while Luna Lovegood was emotionally intelligent, her oddities created distance between her and the majority of the student body.

Ravenclaws Are Judgmental

While there are plenty of positive Ravenclaw traits, such as their intelligence and creativity, their introverted nature and perfectionism can also make them more judgmental. They definitely think they are smarter and more put together than students from other houses. Helena Ravenclaw's ghost was quick to judge Harry's intentions for finding the lost diadem, costing Harry precious time when it came down to finding the Horcrux.

They aren’t as self-righteous as Gryffindors or as prideful as Slytherins, but Ravenclaws also have a judgmental side to them. They just tend to be judgmental of different things — and are often less concerned about expressing that, too. It's not a great idea to get on the bad side of a Ravenclaw.

Ravenclaws Are Secretive

One of the worst Harry Potter Ravenclaw traits is that of the house can be very secretive. While a Ravenclaw dedicates their life to studying the most elusive secrets of the wizarding world, they aren't keen to share their most precious knowledge all the time. This can either lead to infuriating one-sided conversations filled with riddles to lead someone else to the answer they seek, or just outright withholding knowledge.

The best examples of these negative Ravenclaw traits come from Moaning Myrtle, Ollivander, and Helena Ravenclaw. Getting information out of Moaning Myrtle was always an ordeal throughout the Harry Potter story. Ollivander was no different, as he was rarely keen to divulge wand lore during The Deathly Hallows. Finally, Helena Ravenclaw would've done anything in her power to keep the lost diadem a secret from Harry, something that could've cost them the Second Wizarding War.

As is true with any of the Hogwarts houses in the Harry Potter franchise, Ravenclaws can have traits that exemplify both the positive and negative aspects of the house. Harry Potter's Ravenclaw traits can be found in all the prominent Ravenclaw characters in the franchise.