Helena Ravenclaw
| Character | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Helena Ravenclaw The Grey Lady The Ghost of Ravenclaw |
| Occupation: | Ghost, (previously) witch, student |
| Relationships: | Rowena Ravenclaw (mother) Bloody Baron (ex-classmate/fellow Hogwarts ghost, murderer) |
| Fandom: | Harry Potter |
| Other: | born after 982, died c. 11th century |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Helena Ravenclaw, also known as the Grey Lady, is a character in the Harry Potter series.
Canon
Helena Ravenclaw is the daughter of Hogwarts founder Rowena Ravenclaw. Helena was envious of her mother, and sometime during her school years stole Rowena's diadem, which was said to enhance the wisdom of the wearer, and ran away with it. Rowena was embarrassed by her daughter's betrayal and didn't go after her until she got sick and sent the Bloody Baron, who was in love with Helena, to look for her. When Helena didn't want to go back with him, he killed her and committed suicide. The diadem was lost for centuries.
After Helena's death, she went to Hogwarts as the ghost of Ravenclaw where she was known as The Gray Lady and barely talked to anyone. Tom Riddle befriended her during his time in Hogwarts. She told him where she hid the diadem without knowing his intentions of turning it into a Horcrux. During the Battle of Hogwarts, Helena told Harry Potter about Voldemort's interest in the diadem.
Nina Young portrayed The Grey Lady in the film adaptations of Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 she is portrayed by Kelly Macdonald.
Fandom
There aren't many Helena-centered fanworks. Fanfiction featuring her often involves some kind of time travel in which one or multiple Harry Potter characters end up in the Founders Era, or sometimes it also goes the other way around. Other stories are usually about Helena's relationship with her mother or the Bloody Baron.
Notable Fanworks
| Examples Wanted: Editors are encouraged to add more examples or a wider variety of examples. |
Fanfiction
- Anguilliform by gmth. Tom Riddle charms the Grey Lady; written for Reversathon (2012)
- A Short Treatise on the Social Lives of Ghosts by dueltastic. Cuthbert Binns woos the Grey Lady; written for the HP Beholder fest (2014)
- For All Time by Defying.Expectations. Thus, when Hogwarts hosts a winter ball, she doesn't think it'll be any different from the countless other balls that have taken place over the years.
- Honey by madeliine. The Baron loved Helena, who loved her mother, who loved intelligence, which loves logic
Fanart
- Helena Ravenclaw by piertotum-locomotor
- Helena... I stole the diadem by liviaalexandra
- Founders dreamcast Helena by etherealemzo, Kristen Stewart fancasted as Helena
- The Grey Lady by saphari
Archives and Communities
- Helena Ravenclaw fanworks at AO3
- The Grey Lady fanworks at AO3
- Helena Ravenclaw fanworks at FFN
External Links
- Helena Ravenclaw fic recs at Coffee and Chocolate
Resources
References