======The Diadem of Ravenclaw======
=====Object Information=====
  * **Type:** [[Horcrux]], Magical Artefact
  * **Owners:** [[Rowena Ravenclaw]], [[Helena Ravenclaw]], [[Tom Riddle]] (Lord Voldemort), [[Harry Potter]] (briefly)
  * **Maker:** [[Rowena Ravenclaw]]
=====Description and Appearance=====
The Diadem of Ravenclaw was a beautiful, ancient-looking piece of jewellery described as a delicate, silvery [[tiara]]. It was tarnished with age when [[Harry Potter]] first encountered it. The [[diadem]] was set with a large, oval, faded-blue sapphire. Engraved upon its surface was the famous motto of [[Ravenclaw]] house: //"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."//
Despite its tarnished appearance in the [[Room of Requirement]], its original beauty was legendary, and its ethereal quality was recalled by the ghost of [[Helena Ravenclaw]].
=====Magical Properties and Usage=====
The [[diadem]] was originally imbued with magic by its creator, [[Rowena Ravenclaw]], to enhance the wisdom of its wearer. This was its primary and intended purpose, making it a highly coveted object for those seeking intellectual prowess.
However, its nature was corrupted when [[Lord Voldemort]] turned it into one of his [[Horcruxes]]. By performing a murder and using powerful [[Dark Magic]], he placed a fragment of his [[soul]] within the [[diadem]]. This act defiled the object and cursed it, while also granting it the extreme magical protection afforded to all [[Horcruxes]]. As a [[Horcrux]], it could not be destroyed by conventional magical means and required a substance of immense destructive power, such as [[Basilisk]] venom or [[Fiendfyre]], to annihilate the piece of [[soul]] it contained.
=====History=====
The [[diadem]] was created centuries ago by [[Rowena Ravenclaw]], a founder of [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]]. Her daughter, [[Helena Ravenclaw]], grew envious of her mother's intellect and status. Believing the [[diadem]] was the source of this wisdom, she stole it and fled to a forest in [[Albania]].
On her deathbed, a heartbroken [[Rowena Ravenclaw]] sent a man who loved Helena, the [[Baron]], to find her and bring her home. The [[Baron]] tracked Helena to her hiding place in [[Albania]], but when she refused to return, he killed her in a fit of rage. Overcome with remorse, the [[Baron]] then took his own life. The ghosts of Helena and the [[Baron]] returned to [[Hogwarts]] as the [[Grey Lady]] and the [[Bloody Baron]], respectively. Before her death, Helena had hidden the [[diadem]] in the hollow of a tree.
Centuries later, a young and charismatic [[Tom Riddle]] charmed the story of the [[diadem]]'s location from the ghost of the [[Grey Lady]]. After leaving [[Hogwarts]], he traveled to [[Albania]], located the [[diadem]], and turned it into a [[Horcrux]] by murdering an Albanian peasant. Believing he was the only one to have discovered the [[Room of Requirement]]'s "room of hidden things" configuration, he later hid the [[diadem]] inside [[Hogwarts]] during a visit under the pretence of applying for the [[Defence Against the Dark Arts]] post.
The [[diadem]] remained hidden for decades. [[Harry Potter]] unknowingly saw it in his sixth year while hiding his copy of //Advanced Potion-Making//, placing it on the head of a stone bust to mark the spot. During the [[Battle of Hogwarts]], Harry, having learned of the [[diadem]]'s nature as a [[Horcrux]] from the [[Grey Lady]], realized what he had seen. He, [[Ron Weasley]], and [[Hermione Granger]] went to the [[Room of Requirement]] to retrieve it. They were ambushed by [[Draco Malfoy]], [[Vincent Crabbe]], and [[Gregory Goyle]]. In the ensuing fight, [[Crabbe]] unleashed the uncontrollable cursed fire, [[Fiendfyre]]. The [[diadem]] was consumed by the magical flames, and the fragment of Voldemort's [[soul]] within was destroyed.
=====Role in the Story=====
The Diadem of Ravenclaw served as one of [[Lord Voldemort]]'s seven [[Horcruxes]], making its discovery and destruction essential to his ultimate defeat. Its backstory provided a tragic history for the [[Ravenclaw]] house ghost, the [[Grey Lady]], and the [[Slytherin]] house ghost, the [[Bloody Baron]]. The search for the [[diadem]] was a critical part of the final book, leading to a direct confrontation within [[Hogwarts]] during the climactic [[Battle of Hogwarts]]. Its hiding place in the [[Room of Requirement]] served to underscore Voldemort's immense arrogance, as he believed his knowledge of [[Hogwarts]]'s secrets was unparalleled, yet [[Harry Potter]] had used the same room for his own purposes for years.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptation of //Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince//, the [[diadem]] is briefly shown when Harry hides his textbook in the [[Room of Requirement]]. (film)
  * The method of the [[diadem]]'s destruction is significantly different in the film //Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2//. After escaping the [[Fiendfyre]], [[Hermione Granger]] stabs the [[diadem]] with a [[Basilisk fang]] obtained from the [[Chamber of Secrets]], and [[Ron Weasley]] then kicks it into the receding flames. In the novel, the [[Fiendfyre]] alone is sufficient to destroy the [[Horcrux]]. (film)
  * The [[diadem]] has appeared as a collectible item in various video games, including //LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7//. (video game)