The Grey Lady is one of the most fascinating characters of the Harry Potter universe. Born Helena Ravenclaw, she was a witch and daughter of one of Hogwarts' founders, Rowena Ravenclaw. Helena turned into the ghost known as the Grey Lady after she was brutally murdered by the Bloody Baron.
The character was portrayed by actress Kelly MacDonald in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. Overall, the Grey Lady has appeared 17 times in the Harry Potter universe, including books and video games, yet there are some facts about the ghost that fans of the Hogwarts world might not be aware of.
Different Characteristics
The other ghosts in the movies and books have similar characteristics to one another. However, the Grey Lady has proven to be quite different. While other ghosts are unable to turn into whispy balls of light, Helena can do so easily.
She is also grey, whereas other ghosts are either blue or white. It is possible for shadows to be cast on Helena too. This doesn't often apply to other ghosts. Most of the other ghosts have a preference for moving by air, but Helena seems to prefer being on the ground rather than defying gravity.
She Doesn't Like The "Grey Lady" Name
More often than not, people are given nicknames that they don't actually like but have to live with. Unless you are a rapper, you don't really have the luxury of giving yourself a stage name/nickname and ordering other people to stick to it.
When Harry addresses Helena as the Grey Lady for the first time, she fires back and states that she doesn't pay attention to that name. This suggests that she isn't too fond of the name. In the books, Robert Hillard and Nicholas de Mimsy refer to her as the Grey Lady when she is not present.
Chamber Of Secrets Deleted Scene
The Chamber of Secrets DVD release includes a number of deleted scenes. In one, the Grey Lady makes an appearance. This happens when Harry is trying to find details about Riddle's Diary.
Harry notices her presence and asks her to leave because he needs privacy in order to focus. What's odd about the scene is that a Ravenclaw ghost has entered Gryffindor Tower. Normally, this is forbidden, but since Helena is a ghost that goes un1noticed, there is a probability that she came without anyone noticing.
Friendship With Luna Lovegood
Helena is mostly quiet and prefers to roam alone, but there are a couple of characters she has been seen warming up to. She appears to be very close to the witch Luna Lovegood in the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Their friendship is also emphasized in LEGO Harry Potter.
Author J. K. Rowling never mentions their friendship anywhere in the books. It thus makes sense to assume that this was entirely the idea of the screenwriters.
She Had A Different Name
Instead of Helena being referred to as The Grey Lady, she could have had a different name. While working on the first Harry Potter book drafts, J.K. Rowling had named her "The Whispering Lady." This was due to her reserved nature and the air of mystery that she often radiates.
That wouldn't have been a bad name either. It would have been even better to have another ghost with that particular name. Another character that had a different name was Myrtle. Rowling had initially named the character "Wailing Wanda."
Different Actresses Have Portrayed Her
While actors like Daniel Radcliffe can boast of owning their roles, Kelly MacDonald can't say the same because another actress has also portrayed the character in the film series.
Nina Young portrayed The Grey Lady in Chamber of Secrets, as well as Philosopher's Stone. Kelly Macdonald took over in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. Apparently, Kate Winslet was also offered the role several times, but she turned it down due to her involvement in other projects.
She Still Attended Classes
Despite being dead for over 1,000 years, Helena's thirst for knowledge remains. She has been spotted attending classes and taking notes. She likes Professor McGonagall’s Transfiguration classes the most.
This is unlike her because she has always preferred to distance herself from the proceedings at Hogwarts. It's also unclear why she would need to attend classes yet she is a ghost. One would assume that she should have the power to get all the knowledge she needs without all the trouble.
Appearances In Video Games
Even though the Grey Lady isn't a playable character in any Harry Potter video games, she makes appearances in two of them. In the PC version of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Helena can be seen on the Clock Tower.
In the PlayStation version of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Helena ghosts through the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom while Quirinus Quirrell's Knockback Jinx lesson is going on. This further highlights her thirst for knowledge as witnessed in the movies and books.
The Only House Ghost Whose Name Isn't Alliterative
House ghosts in the Harry Potter universe have been known to have alliterative names such as the Fat Friar, Bloody Baron, and Moaning Myrtle. But this doesn't apply to the Grey Lady.
The majority of Ravenclaw members also have alliterative names. This includes Luna Lovegood, Filius Flitwick, Quirinus Quirrell, Cho Chang, Rowena Ravenclaw, and several others. Perhaps this was all coincidental and the author never intended for it to be that way, which is why there are exceptions like Helena.
Her Year Of Birth
Helena's year of birth isn't outrightly mentioned in the books or the films, but it's possible to come up with an accurate guess by examining other facts. Hogwarts was founded around the year 993 A.D. and Helena happened to a student at the school during her mother's Rowena Ravenclaw's lifetime.
When the school was formed, she was 11-years-old. This means that she was possibly born around the year 982 A.D. She is also reported to have died sometime between the years 996 and 1000 A.D.