======Head of Ravenclaw House======
=====Introduction=====
The **Head of Ravenclaw House** is a senior teaching position at [[Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry]], held by a professor who is responsible for the students of [[Ravenclaw House]]. This staff member serves as the primary authority figure, pastoral guardian, and representative for all [[Ravenclaw]] students from their first to their seventh year.
Throughout the events of the [[Harry Potter]] series, the role of Head of [[Ravenclaw House]] was held by [[Professor Filius Flitwick]], the school's [[Charms]] Master.
=====Responsibilities and Duties=====
The Head of [[Ravenclaw House]] shares a common set of responsibilities with the other Heads of House, acting as a crucial link between the students and the school's administration. Key duties include:
  * **Discipline:** Awarding and deducting [[House Points]], as well as assigning [[detention]] and other punishments for rule-breaking.
  * **Student Welfare:** Serving as the main point of contact for students' personal, social, and academic issues. Heads of House conduct career advisory meetings with their fifth-year students to help them choose their [[N.E.W.T.]]-level subjects.
  * **Permissions and Authorisation:** Signing permission slips that allow eligible students to visit the nearby village of [[Hogsmeade]].
  * **Communication:** Relaying important school announcements, schedules, and security information to the students in their [[House]].
  * **Security and Safety:** Enforcing school rules and assisting in maintaining security. [[Professor Flitwick]], along with the other Heads of House, was involved in the castle-wide search for [[Sirius Black]] and later helped erect magical defences for the [[Battle of Hogwarts]].
  * **House Representation:** Representing the interests of [[Ravenclaw House]] at staff meetings and official school functions, such as the Start-of-Term and End-of-Term Feasts in the [[Great Hall]].
=====Known Heads of Ravenclaw House=====
  * **[[Filius Flitwick]]**: The only known Head of [[Ravenclaw House]] mentioned in the original novels. As the [[Charms]] Master, [[Professor Flitwick]] was a diminutive but exceptionally powerful and knowledgeable [[wizard]], said to have been a duelling champion in his youth. He was generally good-natured and fair, taking immense pride in the academic achievements of his students. He remained a loyal defender of [[Hogwarts]] and its students, fighting bravely against [[Lord Voldemort]] and his [[Death Eaters]] during the [[Second Wizarding War]].
=====Selection and Appointment=====
The formal process for selecting a Head of House is not explicitly stated in the books. It is understood that the appointment is made by the current [[Headmaster]] or [[Headmistress]] of [[Hogwarts]]. The position is typically given to a senior professor who is believed to exemplify the core traits of their respective [[House]]. While not a stated rule, it is strongly implied that a Head of House was a member of that same [[House]] during their own time as a student.
=====Behind the Scenes=====
  * In the film adaptations, the physical appearance of [[Filius Flitwick]] changes notably. In //[[Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone]]// and //[[Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets]]//, he is portrayed as a very old, white-haired [[wizard]] with a somewhat [[goblin]]-like stature. In //[[Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban]]// and all subsequent films, he appears as a younger, more human-looking [[wizard]] with dark hair and a moustache, who also conducts the school's [[Frog Choir]]. (film)