- "She had straggly, waist-length, dirty blonde hair, very pale eyebrows, and protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. Harry knew at once why Neville had chosen to pass this compartment by. The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness. Perhaps it was the fact that she had stuck her wand behind her left ear for safekeeping, or that she had chosen to wear a necklace of Butterbeer caps, or that she was reading a magazine upside down."
- —Description of Luna Lovegood when Harry Potter first meets her[src]
Luna Scamander (née Lovegood) (born c. 1981) was a witch and daughter of Xenophilius Lovegood and his wife. Her mother accidentally died while experimenting with spells when Luna was nine, and Luna was raised by her father, editor of the magazine The Quibbler, in a rook-like house around the village of Ottery St. Catchpole. Luna attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1992 to 1999 and was sorted into Ravenclaw house. In her fourth year, Luna joined Dumbledore's Army, of which she became an important member.
She participated in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries in 1996 and the Battle of the Astronomy Tower in 1997, and co-led the reconstituted Dumbledore's Army when Hogwarts fell under the control of Lord Voldemort. Because of her father's political dissidence at the time, Luna was abducted by Death Eaters to be held ransom, and imprisoned in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor for months. She was freed by Dobby along with several other prisoners in the spring of 1998, and stayed at Shell Cottage until she returned to Hogwarts to participate in the final battle of the Second Wizarding War. Later in life, Luna became a wizarding naturalist and eventually married Rolf Scamander, with whom she had two sons, Lorcan and Lysander.
Biography
Early life
Luna was the only child of Xenophilius and Mrs. Lovegood. Luna's mother was accidentally killed experimenting with a spell that she created when Luna was nine years old. Thus, Luna was subsequently raised by her father. As she witnessed her mother's death, she was able to see Thestrals from that point onwards.
Education at Hogwarts
Early years
Luna attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from 1992 to 1999 and was sorted into Ravenclaw house. During her years at Hogwarts, she met and became a friend of Ginny Weasley. In the summer of 1994, she went to the Quidditch World Cup with her father.
Fourth year
In Luna's fourth year, she met and befriended Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom. She believed Harry that Lord Voldemort was back. As the year progressed, she was invited to join an underground Defence Against the Dark Arts group called Dumbledore's Army. She eagerly accepted, working hard along with the others and enjoyed the company. In an effort to make people believe Harry's story, Hermione arranged an interview for him with Rita Skeeter at the Three Broomsticks - Luna accompanied them so as to persuade her father to publish the interview in The Quibbler.
Near the end of the year, Harry had a vision that his godfather, Sirius Black was being tortured by Lord Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries. Luna and Ginny stood guard while Harry and Hermione snuck into Professor Umbridge's office to use the fireplace to try to contact Sirius, while Ron attempted to distract Umbridge. However, they were caught, along with Neville Longbottom, by Umbridge and members of the Inquisitorial Squad. They were restrained and gagged, but Luna hardly seemed bothered by this as she was staring, dreamily, through the window as if bored. Harry and Hermione drew Umbridge away into the Forbidden Forest, and Luna, Ginny, Ron, and Neville managed to escape from the Inquisitorial Squad using a variety of hexes and jinxes.
- Luna: "There are ways of flying other than with broomsticks."
- Ron: "I's'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?"
- Luna: "The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly, but they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for."
- — Luna suggests flying Thestrals to the Ministry[src]
When they all met up again in the forest, Harry planned to go to the Ministry of Magic. Luna reminded Harry about the Thestrals and suggested using them to get to the Ministry. She then mounted her Thestral side-saddle, "as though she did this every day." She also helped Ron, Hermione and Ginny mount their Thestrals, as the animals were invisible to them. The six D.A. members flew to the Ministry and entered the Department of Mysteries, where Luna heard voices coming from behind a Veil, just as Harry did. The group was soon ambushed by twelve Death Eaters.
Luna participated in the battle that ensued. She protected Ron, who had been hit with a spell that made him highly confused. Luna also attacked a Death Eater who had seized Ginny's ankle with the Reductor Curse, which destroyed a model of the planet Pluto. The model blew up in the Death Eater's face; however, the impact broke Ginny's ankle. Luna guided both the injured Ginny and the Confunded Ron until they met up with Harry and Neville. Luna was one of the last D.A. members to fall, eventually being stunned by a Death Eater and thrown across the room. She regained focus just before the end of the battle and survived relatively unscathed.
At the end of the school year, Luna spoke to Harry, who was mourning the murder of his godfather and had found no comfort in talking to ghosts. Luna told him about her mother's death and her belief that she would see her again someday, which was a comforting thought to Harry.
That summer, Luna and her father went to Sweden using the money the Daily Prophet paid them to reprint The Quibbler's interview with Harry to see if they could catch a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.[3]
Fifth year
- "I could hear the match commentary from here. I hope Luna always commentates from now on; Loser's Lurgy'"
- —Ron Weasley laughs about Luna's Quidditch commentary[src]
The next year was Luna's O.W.L. year. On her way to Hogwarts in the Hogwarts Express, Luna shared a compartment with Harry again on the train and she was accompanied by Neville Longbottom.
Luna was holding another edition of the Quibbler, which she told Harry was going strong because of his interview. She then put on a brightly coloured pair of free "Spectrespecs" that were from inside the Quibbler. She was very disappointed to find out that the D.A. would not continue that year.
- "I enjoyed the meetings, too. It was like having friends."
- —Luna in 1996[src]
When Romilda Vane asked Harry if he wanted to join her and her friends in another compartment, while treating Luna and Neville with disdain, Harry coldly rebuffed her, stating that they were his friends. Luna correctly observed that people expected Harry to associate with "cooler" people; he replied that she and Neville were cool, and among his closest and most trustworthy friends.
Towards Christmas, Luna comforted Hermione after Ron mocked her in Transfiguration and Hermione ran into the girl's bathroom in tears. Luna had found Hermione crying and Harry was looking for Hermione to return the books she left in Transfiguration class. After Hermione leaves, Harry asks Luna if she would like to go to Professor Slughorn's Christmas party with him, just as friends. Luna wore a set of spangled silver robes that was attracting a certain amount of giggling from the onlookers, but otherwise she looked quite nice. While there, she conversed with multiple people, and took an interest in Sanguini, a vampire guest. She also made Harry laugh so hard that mead came out of his nose when she discussed the Rotfang Conspiracy after Professor Snape sneered at Harry's ambition to become an Auror. She continued the discussion of the Rotfang Conspiracy with Professor Trelawney, who seemed completely interested.
- Harry: "How would you like to come to Slughorn's party with me tonight?"
- Luna: "Slughorn's party? With you?"
- Harry: "Yeah. We're supposed to bring guests, so I thought you might like; I mean, just as friends, you know. But if you don't want to;"
- Luna: "Oh no, I'd love to go with you as friends! Nobody's ever asked me to a party before, as a friend! Is that why you dyed your eyebrow, for the party? Should I dye mine too?"
- — Harry asking Luna to the Slug Club Christmas party[src]
Also that year, Luna would temporarily replace Zacharias Smith as Quidditch commentator for the school. Many found Luna's commentary terrible and annoying, as Luna forgot players' names and went off on tangents such as speculating that Smith was suffering from "Loser's Lurgy," or saying how a cloud was interestingly shaped. She never actually reported the score, and Professor McGonagall had to report it. Coincidently, after Ron heard this commentary, which he found highly amusing, he said "You know, she's grown on me, Luna," previously he found her very strange.
She also once gave Harry a note from Albus Dumbledore telling him to come to his office for a private lesson. At the end of the school year, the castle came under attack by Death Eaters, and Luna was one of the few D.A. members to participate in the ensuing Battle of the Astronomy Tower, along with Neville, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. Harry asked her and Hermione to watch Snape's office, which they did, but Snape told them that Death Eaters were in the castle and that they had to look after Professor Flitwick, whom he claimed had collapsed. After taking Felix Felicis from Harry, the D.A. members were almost untouchable, and all survived the battle unscathed except Neville, who was injured but soon recovered. Luna helped him into his seat when they attended Albus Dumbledore's funeral at the end of the school year.[4]
Sixth year
- Harry: "The Lovegoods are quite unusual. He could have easily picked it up somewhere and think it's a cross section of the head of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack or something; I don't know what they are, but apparently he and his daughter go on holiday looking for them; That's her."
- Viktor Krum: "Vy is she doing that?"
- Harry: "Probably trying to get rid of a Wrackspurt."
- — Harry (disguised as "Barney Weasley") tries to explain Luna to Viktor Krum as she dances by herself.[src]
On 1 August, 1997, Luna and her father attended the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour at the Burrow. Luna was able to recognise Harry, who was disguised as a Weasley cousin by use of Polyjuice Potion, by just his expression. She wore yellow dress robes and had a sunflower in her hair, and sat at the same table as Harry, Hermione, and Ron. At one point, Luna danced happily by herself, twirling on the dance floor with her arms raised, which drew attention from a few onlookers.
That day, the Ministry of Magic was taken over by Voldemort, so it was a Death Eater-controlled Hogwarts that Luna returned to for her [1] sixth year. Severus Snape had been appointed headmaster and Death Eaters Alecto and Amycus Carrow professors. Early in the year, Luna, Ginny, and Neville attempted to steal Godric Gryffindor's Sword from the Headmaster's office. Snape caught them and sent them into the Forbidden Forest with Rubeus Hagrid as punishment. The three of them revived and led Dumbledore's Army, which tried to sabotage the Death Eaters' control of the school and to help Harry, Ron and Hermione — who were off hunting down Voldemort's Horcruxes — in any way they could.
On her way home over the Christmas holidays, Death Eaters captured Luna because her father had been printing stories in support of Harry.[5]
Capture and escape
- Hermione: "Where's Luna? Let's see what she thinks."
- Ron: "Cowardly old wart. Luna's got ten times his guts."
- — Harry, Hermione and Ron visit Xenophilius Lovegood[src]
It was believed that Luna was held captive at Azkaban, though she was actually imprisoned in the basement of Malfoy Manor, along with the famed wandmaker Garrick Ollivander, to whom she proved a great comfort. Her father was so desperate to get her back that he tried to turn Harry, Hermione and Ron over to the Ministry in exchange for her freedom; the trio escaped, but Hermione ensured that the Death Eaters Xenophilius called glimpsed Harry as they left, so that neither he nor Luna would be punished. The Lovegoods' home was largely destroyed when an erumpent horn, which Xenophilius had believed to be a Crumple-Horned Snorkack's, blew up inside.
The prisoners in Malfoy Manor were soon joined by Harry, Ron, Dean Thomas, and Griphook the goblin, while Hermione was tortured for information upstairs by Bellatrix Lestrange. After Luna helped cut the ropes off their new cell-mates, Dobby the house-elf came to free them. He took Luna, Dean and Ollivander to Shell Cottage, the home of Bill and Fleur, and then returned to assist Harry, Hermione, Ron and Griphook in escaping the Manor. He died in rescuing them.
Luna stayed at the cottage for the remainder of the war, up until the Battle of Hogwarts, and when Dobby was buried, she closed the house elf's eyes and provided the eulogy, thanking him for rescuing her. During her stay, she practised using a new wand that Ollivander had made for her. She also seemed to have started a friendship with Dean. It is unknown what Luna did after Harry, Ron and Hermione left Shell Cottage in order to break into Gringotts Wizarding Bank, but she returned to Hogwarts in May when Neville signalled her as to the trio's return. All of Dumbledore's Army was reassembled and prepared to fight.[5]
Battle of Hogwarts
When the trio asked the Ravenclaw D.A. members if they were familiar with an item that had once belonged to their house founder, Luna mentioned the lost diadem. She took Harry to the Ravenclaw common room, answering the riddle, "What came first, the Phoenix or the flame?", with "A circle has no beginning.", in order to gain entrance, in order to show him a replica of the diadem.
There, she stunned Alecto Carrow, who was waiting for them per Voldemort's orders, and witnessed Professors Minerva McGonagall, Filius Flitwick and Pomona Sprout banish Snape, along with Harry. Luna then joined the battle rather than evacuating.
At one point, she, Ernie Macmillan and Seamus Finnigan helped Harry, Ron, and Hermione drive off a group of Dementors that attacked them by casting their Patronuses. Luna encouraged Harry to think of something happy, enabling him to finally summon a Patronus as well. Later, near the end of the battle, she fought against Bellatrix Lestrange next to Hermione and Ginny. When Bellatrix nearly hit Ginny with a Killing Curse, Molly Weasley stepped in and killed her.
- Luna: "I'd want some peace and quiet, if it were me."
- Harry: "I'd love some."
- Luna: "I'll distract them all. Use your cloak. Oooh, look, a Blibbering Humdinger!"
- — Luna creates a diversion for Harry.[src]
Luna witnessed Harry Potter's final defeat of Lord Voldemort and was among the first to congratulate him. A little while later, she created a diversion so that Harry could slip away from the victory celebrations with Ron and Hermione, and have a little break.[5]
Later life
After leaving school, Luna became a famous wizarding naturalist, travelling the world in search of strange creatures.[6][7] She discovered and classified many species that had never been encountered before, but was never able to find the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, and had to come to terms with the fact that there are some things that simply do not exist.[6][7]
Harry and Ginny gave their daughter Lily, born in 2008 or 2009, the middle name Luna, considering Luna to be a "dear friend."[8][9]
Luna married fellow naturalist Rolf Scamander, grandson of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them author Newt Scamander, considerably later in life than Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, who all married and started families in their early-to-mid twenties.[6][8][9] The couple had twin boys, Lorcan and Lysander, born several years after the children of Luna's friends.[8][9]
Physical appearance
In 1997, sixteen-year-old Luna had waist-length, straggly, dirty blonde hair, protuberant grey eyes, which often seemed to be dreamily distracted, and faint eyebrows. She had an aura of "distinct dottiness" about her and was known to put her wand behind her left ear for safekeeping.
Luna had a unique fashion sense that other people usually found bizarre. She often wore odd pieces of jewellery such as a butterbeer cork necklace and dirigible plum (radish) earrings, and in 1996, a pair of Spectrespecs. Luna often didn't wear shoes because students in her house would take her shoes and hide them. At Hogwarts Quidditch matches, Luna supported Gryffindor against every House except Ravenclaw; to show her support for Gryffindor she would wear a hat in the shape of a lion head that roars, and to show support for Ravenclaw she would wear an eagle hat with flapping wings.[3] At Professor Slughorn's Christmas party in 1996, she wore spangled silver robes[4]. At Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding, she wore bright yellow robes because, though she believed that dress robes where more appropriate, she was taught it brought luck to a wedding to wear sun colours and had a sunflower in her hair[5]. She was described as "pretty" on some occasions, despite her odd clothes.
Personality and traits
- "Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure."
- —Luna Lovegood quoting Rowena Ravenclaw[src]
Luna was an extremely quirky girl with a serene disposition and many eccentric beliefs and qualities. She was a complete nonconformist; she lacked self-consciousness and wasn't afraid to show who she truly was. Luna was also highly intelligent and unusually perceptive, having been sorted into Ravenclaw,[3] "where those of wit and learning will always find their kind." Although many thought Luna was bizarre, Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Dean Thomas and Ollivander eventually became very fond of her.[4]
Her demeanour and voice were often distant and dreamy, and she would drift away from a conversation she did not find interesting. She had an uncanny way of making others uncomfortable by being bluntly honest — a "knack for embarrassing honesty" according to Harry. She was completely unflappable and rarely seemed anxious or under stress, even under difficult circumstances such as being a prisoner in Malfoy Manor. Luna was very good at comforting others, such as when she comforted Harry Potter after his godfather's death[3] and Mr. Ollivander while they were imprisoned together.[5]
Luna was often the subject of ridicule and had difficulty making friends. Other students gave her the nickname of "Loony Lovegood" and even stole and hid her things. She was unfazed by this, though, and instead chose to be patient and accepting of the others around her.[3] She once said that she does not like dancing much, though she did do some after the wedding of Bill and Fleur. Luna seems to have enjoyed artistic pursuits in her free time; there were various things in her house that she painted with things such as flowers or insects, and her ceiling bears portraits she did of her friends.[5]
- "She's tough, Luna, much tougher than you'd think. She's probably teaching all the inmates about Wrackspurts and Nargles."
- —Harry Potter on Luna while she was imprisoned[src]
Luna was very loyal to the few friends she had, supporting Harry even when he was outlawed by the Ministry of Magic. She also displayed admirable bravery during the battle of the Department of Mysteries and the battle of Hogwarts.
Luna's beliefs
- "The Aurors are part of the Rotfang Conspiracy, I thought everyone knew that. They're working from within to bring down the Ministry of Magic using a combination of Dark magic and gum disease."
- —Luna after Harry Potter discussed his wish to become an Auror[src]
Luna believed in many things that few others do. Given her inclination towards superstition, she would've probably liked Divination. However, as she grew older she came to accept that some things simply do not exist.
- She seems to believe everything she reads in The Quibbler, becuase her father writes it.
- That Sirius Black is Stubby Boardman
- That Rufus Scrimgeour is a vampire
- That the Aurors are part of the Rotfang Conspiracy to bring down the Ministry of Magic from within using Dark magic and gum disease
- The Tornados (A popular Quidditch team) were top of the league by a combination of bewitched brooms, and torture
- That Cornelius Fudge ordered Goblins to be made into pies, drowned, or assassinated in other various ways, had an army of Heliopaths, and used the Department of Mysteries to develop terrible poisons to feed to anyone who disagreed with him
- Harry's story about Voldemort's return
- She could hear the voices beyond the veil, and believed that there were people behind it, just lurking out of sight
- That Hufflepuff Chaser Zacharias Smith was suffering from Loser's Lurgy.
She also believes in the existence of many creatures that few others do such as:
- Moon Frogs
- Blibbering Humdingers
- Crumple-Horned Snorkacks
- Heliopaths
- Umgubular Slashkilters
- Nargles
- Aquavirius Maggots
- Wrackspurts
- Gulping Plimpies
- Dabberblimps
Magical abilities and skills
Even though Luna was quite young, she had plenty of formidable magical skills.
- Duelling: At fourteen Luna survived the Battle of the Department of Mysteries with no more than a few minor injuries. She also survived the Battle of the Astronomy Tower with no major injuries. During the Battle of Hogwarts she managed to duel against Lord Voldemort's most powerful servant, Bellatrix Lestrange, whom she fought alongside Hermione Granger and Ginny Weasley.
- Creativity: Luna invented a lion-shaped hat that, with a tap of a wand, made a realistic roar. She also made a hat with a flapping eagle.
- Patronus Charm: In her fourth year, Luna learned how to conjure a corporeal Patronus. It took the form of a hare.
- Non-verbal magic: Shortly before the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998, Luna accompanied Harry Potter to Ravenclaw Tower, where she wordlessly Stunned Death Eater Alecto Carrow, although she admitted that that was the first time she had ever used that spell outside of practice.
- Leadership skills: At age sixteen Luna co-led Dumbledore's Army along with Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom.
Relationships
Parents
- "They took my Luna because of what I've been writing. They took my Luna and I don't know where she is, what they've done to her. But they might give her back to me if I-If I help; I must save Luna. I cannot lose Luna. You must not leave."
- —Xenophilius Lovegood to Harry, Ron and Hermione[src]
With the death of her mother when she was nine years old, Luna was raised solely by her father. Because of this, and because Luna was an only child, the two were very close. Xenophilius raised his daughter to share many of his unusual beliefs, and the two enjoyed going on holidays to look for creatures such as Crumple-Horned Snorkacks in Sweden.[3] Luna believed anything her father wrote in The Quibbler magazine, and came to his defence when Hermione Granger claimed the magazine was "rubbish." When Luna was abducted by Death Eaters in 1997 to force Xenophilius to stop opposing the Voldemort-controlled Ministry of Magic in The Quibbler, her father was beside himself. He was desperate to the point of ceasing his public support of Harry Potter and attempting to turn him, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley over to the Death Eaters in exchange for Luna's safety. When he failed to do so, Xenophilius was arrested by Selwyn and Travers.[5]
Harry Potter
- Luna: "People expect you to have cooler friends than us."
- Harry: "You are cool. None of them were at the Ministry. They didn't fight with me."
- Luna: "That's a very nice thing to say."
- — Luna and Harry in 1996[src]
When Harry Potter first met Luna in 1995, he found her rather odd, but was grateful that she was one of the few people to believe his story that Lord Voldemort had returned, and sympathised with the loss of her mother and her status as an outcast. After the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, they discussed the death of Sirius Black and the possibility of an afterlife. Harry "found that the terrible weight in his stomach seemed to have lessened slightly".[3]
At the beginning of the next school year, he reacted angrily when Romilda Vane implied that Luna and Neville Longbottom were not worth spending time with; a contrast to the previous year, when he felt slightly embarrassed that his crush Cho Chang saw him in Luna's company. In 1996, Harry asked Luna to attend Professor Slughorn's Christmas party with him as friends after reflecting on how "he had never met anyone quite like her".[4] Harry was one of the portraits of her friends that Luna painted and hung on her bedroom ceiling.
- Harry: "Sorry I made you miss the carriages, by the way, Luna."
- Luna: "That's all right, it's like being with a friend."
- Harry: "Oh, I am your friend, Luna."
- Luna: "That's nice."
- — Luna and Harry in 1996[src]
When Harry took Polyjuice Potion to look like Barny at the Wedding of William Weasley and Fleur Delacour, she recognised him from the look on his face. Shortly before going to sacrifice himself during the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry noted that Luna was among his closest friends, whom he had hoped to see one last time before his death. After Voldemort's defeat at Harry's hands, Luna sensed that Harry wanted to get away from the victory celebrations, and created a distraction so that he could slip away with Ron and Hermione.[5] Later in life, Harry and Luna would remain close friends; he and Ginny gave their daughter the middle name "Luna" in honour of her.
Hermione Granger
- "Luna has told me all about you, young lady. You are, I gather, not unintelligent, but painfully limited, narrow, close-minded."
- —Xenophilius Lovegood to Hermione[src]
Luna and Hermione Granger did not have an ideal first meeting, as Hermione called The Quibbler "rubbish" without knowing that Luna's father was the editor. She was initially frustrated with Luna's belief in all manner of things without logical grounds or proof. However, she invited Luna to Dumbledore's Army and the two became friends. Hermione's opinion of Luna particularly seemed to improve after Luna proved her loyalty and bravery by participating in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, as she simply accepted that she and Luna had very different world views.[3]
The following school year, Luna comforted Hermione over her fight with Ron Weasley when she ended up crying in the bathroom at one point[4]. At Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding, Hermione tried to kick Ron for teasing Luna, and later defended her again from the insults of the portrait of Phineas Nigellus Black. Hermione was among the portraits Luna painted on her bedroom ceiling, circled by the words "friends". When Luna's father attempted to turn Harry, Ron and Hermione over to Death Eaters in exchange for his daughter's safety in 1998, Hermione engineered their escape so that the Death Eaters saw Harry briefly, thus ensuring that both Luna and her father were not harmed.[5]
Luna and Hermione also fought at the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts, where she, Seamus Finnigan and Ernie Macmillan saved Hermione, Harry and Ron from Dementors. During the final stage of the battle, Luna, Hermione, and Ginny Weasley fought together against Bellatrix Lestrange, Voldemort's most powerful Death Eater. Hermione and Luna both survived the war, and it can be presumed that the pair remained very good friends during adulthood as well. Luna may be one of the best female friends of Hermione (along with Ginny), as she was only seen with these girls during her school-time at Hogwarts
Ron Weasley
At the beginning of their acquaintance, Ron Weasley thought Luna was weird and was not particularly interested in knowing her, even occasionally referring to her as "Loony". Luna, on the other hand, seemed to find Ron very funny but rather insensitive in his relationships at times.
- "You know, she's grown on me, Luna. I know she's insane, but it's in a good way."
- —Ronald Weasley on Luna[src]
Ron eventually grew fonder of Luna, marking her as his good friend, after getting to know her better through Dumbledore's Army and her being one of the only D.A. members to come to the trio's assistance when they tried to save Sirius Black, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.[3] He was particularly amused by her Quidditch commentary in 1996[4] and thought highly of her bravery. When she attended his brother Bill's wedding, Ron was further amused by her behaviour and remarked that she gave "good value". However, Ron was still prone to tease Luna and scoff at her unusual beliefs at times.[5] Ron and Luna also fought at the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts, where she, Seamus Finnigan and Ernie Macmillan saved Ron, Harry and Hermione from Dementors. Ron and Luna both survived the war, and the good friends remained in contact in adulthood.
Ginny Weasley
- "I do like her, she's very nice."
- —Luna Lovegood about Ginny Weasley[src]
Luna and Ginny Weasley were in the same year at Hogwarts, though in different houses; Ginny was in Gryffindor whereas Luna was in Ravenclaw. Ginny seemed to find Luna rather peculiar, as she first referred to Luna as "Loony Lovegood" (though in an affectionate way). The two were very friendly, as Ginny led Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom into her train compartment in 1995, conversing politely with her.[3] Luna became one of Ginny´s best friends through Dumbledore's Army, and Ginny began telling others not to call Luna "Loony", prompting Luna to randomly state during her Quidditch commentary that Ginny was nice and she liked her.[4] Along with Neville, Luna and Ginny led the re-formed Dumbledore's Army while Hogwarts was under Voldemort's control.[5] Ginny was also one of the five portraits — along with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville — that Luna painted and hung from her bedroom ceiling, with the word "friends" joining them together in gold writing.
Ginny and Harry Potter named their daughter after Luna, considering Luna is a "dear friend". Luna may be one of the best female friends of Ginny (along with Hermione), as she was only seen with these girls during her school-time at Hogwarts
Neville Longbottom
Luna and Neville Longbottom, a Gryffindor student, first met on the Hogwarts Express, in 1995. Neville found Luna a bit "odd", as she believed in the existence of strange, mythical creatures, had a tendency to read magazines upside down, and wore earrings that appeared to be made of radishes. Luna, like Harry and Neville, had the ability to see Thestrals, as they had all seen someone die. Neville fought alongside Luna at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, the Battle of the Astronomy Tower and the Battle of Hogwarts. At some point, they became very close friends. During Luna's sixth year at Hogwarts, she, Neville and Ginny, re-formed and co-led Dumbledore's Army in order to oppose the Carrows.
Dumbledore's Army
After they were both rescued from Malfoy Manor in 1998, Luna and Dean Thomas seemed to grow close while staying at Shell Cottage. Dean still seemed rather bemused at some of the odd things Luna said at times, but did not ridicule her and was seen helping her in the Room of Requirement just before the Battle of Hogwarts.[5]
Luna also grew close with many of the other D.A. members, such as Seamus Finnigan and Ernie Macmillan, who she was seen fighting alongside during the Battle of Hogwarts.
Luna had met other members of Dumbledore's Army; there were Padma Patil, Cho Chang, Terry Boot, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner and Marietta Edgecombe from her house (all of them fought at the Battle of Hogwarts, except Marietta), Hannah Abbott, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Susan Bones and Zacharias Smith from Hufflepuff (it is possible that all of them fought at the Battle of Hogwarts, except Zacharias), and Fred and George Weasley, Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, Alicia Spinnet, Lee Jordan, Parvati Patil, Padma's twin sister and Colin and Dennis Creevey from Gryffindor. Fred and Colin were killed at the Battle of Hogwarts.
Other friendships
Luna also liked Dobby the house-elf, who came to rescue her from Malfoy Manor. After Dobby was killed by Bellatrix Lestrange, Luna closed his eyes, to make him "seem like sleeping". She also said a few words to Dobby during his funeral.
Luna had also met Garrick Ollivander, the wandmaker, at the Malfoy Manor, where they were both imprisoned. She comforted Ollivander, and gave him courage. After they both escaped, Ollivander, who had grown quite fond of Luna, gave her a new wand.
She also met Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour, when she stayed for a few days at their house, Shell Cottage. She left Shell Cottage, when she, Dean, Bill and Fleur went to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts.
Luna thought Rubeus Hagrid was a poor teacher, saying that the students in Ravenclaw thought him to be a bit of a joke, and that she preferred Professor Grubbly-Plank. This opinion probably changed later, though, because she regularly attended Hagrid's "Support Harry Potter" parties when the Death Eaters had taken over the school and Harry was on the run.
Husband and sons
Luna would also eventually meet Rolf Scamander, grandson of the famous Newt Scamander and his wife Porpentina. Rolf would become her husband and the union would produce twins, Lorcan and Lysander.
Etymology
Luna means "Moon" in Latin (as well as in Italian, Russian, Spanish, Bulgarian and Romanian). People believed that the moon caused craziness, which may be why she's the way she is. Her nickname, "Loony," also references the moon and its ties with insanity, as it is short for "lunatic."
Lovegood is a real surname and a compound word (Love and Good).
Behind the scenes
- The radish earrings Luna wears in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix were made by Evanna Lynch herself, as was a bracelet she wore (in the shape of Luna's patronus) in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
- Chapter 10 of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the first chapter Luna appears in, is titled "Luna Lovegood".
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, it is Hermione Granger who introduces Luna to her friends, instead of Ginny Weasley, though the books imply that Hermione had never met Luna before.
- Luna was the last person in the books known to commentate a Hogwarts Quidditch match. The commentator of the final match during Harry Potter's sixth year is not mentioned.
- In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Nymphadora Tonks rescues Harry from the Hogwarts Express after Draco Malfoy uses the Full Body-Bind Curse on him. However, in the film version, Luna is the one who rescues Harry by using her spectrespecs to see the Wrackspurt buzzing around his head, alerting her to his presence under the cloak.
- In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Hermione points out that Harry put something in Ron's drink before the Quidditch match, but in the film version, it is Luna who notices, thinking it is a tonic.
- According to the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Luna sleepwalks at night and says because of that she wears shoes to bed.
- It was rumoured that Severus Snape was Luna's father and that Luna and Neville Longbottom were going to end up together at the end of Deathly Hallows. Both these rumours were false. However, in the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Neville confesses to Harry and Ginny that he is crazy for Luna. They are later seen sitting beside each other in the infirmary. However, Matthew Lewis has said that this is merely a "summer fling" before Neville marries Hannah Abbott and Luna marries Rolf Scamander.[10].
- Luna and fellow Dumbledore's Army member, Neville Longbottom both have compound last names. Love and good for Luna, and long and bottom for Neville.
- In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Luna seems to have an intimate friendship with Helena Ravenclaw and know about its history and location of the diadem of Ravenclaw.
- Evanna Lynch , who plays Luna Lovegood in the film series, named her cats after Harry Potter characters: she has a cat named Luna and another named Dumbledore . She also had a cat named Crookshanks, although it is now deceased.
- In a deleted scene from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Luna leaves Shell Cottage to return to Hogwarts. Harry tells her that it is not the same place, to which Luna replies: "Neither am I."[11]
- Scarlett Byrne auditioned to play Luna,[12] as did the famous Irish actress Saoirse Ronan,[13] and The Dark Knight Rises star Juno Temple.[14]
Author's comments
J. K. Rowling has said that the character of Luna took her by surprise, but that she was very fun to write, and contrasted her with Hermione Granger: "She's slightly out of step in many ways but she's the anti-Hermione. Hermione's so logical and inflexible in so many ways and Luna is likely to believe ten impossible things before breakfast."[15] Rowling has named Luna as one of her favourite characters[16]. She was also noted to be very pleased with the casting of Evanna Lynch as Luna as she had had lunch with the actress and said she was "perfect."
Luna in the films
Evanna Lynch plays Luna in the films, and since Evanna is Irish, Luna has a slight touch of an Irish accent. In the films, Harry meets her at the school carriages where she is introduced by Hermione instead of Ginny. Luna's Patronus is revealed to be a Hare, this is later confirmed to be canon in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Luna is seen barefoot throughout the film because students had stolen her shoes. In addition, Luna seems to have a taste for pudding and introduces Harry to the Thestrals; she offers a young Thestral an apple, which was turned down, before offering it a bit of raw meat with an accepting smile. She also skipped around the school. Her butterbeer cork necklace has only one cork, which she says is to repel Nargles. She also wears a beetle ring. During the battle at the Ministry, instead of being knocked unconscious, she was hit in the mouth by a Death Eater before using an unusual verbally-incanted version of Levicorpus to hurl her attacker away. When Ginny disintegrates the prophecy shelves with a Reductor Curse, Luna is so distracted by the light that she does not run away, but Neville saves her. She is then taken hostage along with all of Harry's companions but is rescued by the appearance of the Order of the Phoenix members (Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Kingsley, and Mad Eye).
In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, she states that she often sleep-walks at night and wears her shoes to bed just in case.
Lynch was a huge fan of the series before she was cast. After J.K. Rowling had met with the actress, she told the director one thing: "Perfect."
Luna in the games
Luna's role in the game is much the same as her role in the film, though we do not meet her until Harry goes to find the people who signed up for the D.A. to tell them about the Room of Requirement. The Player has to help Luna feed the Thestrals, and then she will appear in the Room of Requirement. Later in the game, Fred and George Weasley send Luna to tell Harry how to swamp the clock tower courtyard, with one of their Portable Swamps. At the end of the game, the player must help Luna find her missing objects, which are: a sweater, a newspaper, a lion mask, a pair of pink shoes, and her purse. Luna is also a playable character in the HBP game. She is a 2 player duelling character and is unlocked (with Draco Malfoy) by retrieving 2 crests.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Indirectly mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (video game)
- J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- LEGO Harry Potter
- Pottermore (Mentioned only)
Notes and references
- ↑ Luna participated in the Battle of Hogwarts without any notable objections raised about her being under-age, so her seventeenth birthday presumably occurred earlier in her sixth year.
- ↑ Both of Luna's parents were magical, but it is unknown what their blood statuses were.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Bloomsbury Live Chat
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Finished ‘Potter'? Rowling tells what happens next" from MSNBC.com
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "The Unwritten Story of Harry's Friends and Their Children" from the Times Online
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life
- ↑ http://www.snitchseeker.com/harry-potter-news/audio-harry-potter-cast-and-crew-at-deathly-hallows-part-2-nyc-press-conference-82597/
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfsZaXNMLjE
- ↑ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DwCGd-xpd0
- ↑ .http://www.irishcentral.com/ent/Saoirse-Ronan-admits-disappointment-over-Harry-Potter-Luna-Lovegood-role-126725153.html
- ↑ http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/10/juno_temple.html
- ↑ 26 June 2003 J.K. Rowling at the Royal Albert Hall
- ↑ F.A.Q.: Favourite Characters at J.K. Rowling's Official Site
External links
- A replica of Luna's wand (along with a few others) used in the Order of the Phoenix film
- A replica of the jewellery worn by Luna in the Order of the Phoenix film
- Harry Potter Lexicon page
Founders: Harry Potter | Hermione Granger | Ronald Weasley | ||||
Leaders: Harry Potter | Neville Longbottom | Luna Lovegood | Ginny Weasley | ||||
Gryffindors: Katie Bell | Lavender Brown | Colin Creevey | Dennis Creevey | Seamus Finnigan | Angelina Johnson | Lee Jordan | Parvati Patil | Alicia Spinnet | Dean Thomas | Fred Weasley | George Weasley | Nigel Wolpert | ||||
Ravenclaws: Terry Boot | Cho Chang | Michael Corner | Marietta Edgecombe | Anthony Goldstein | Padma Patil | ||||
Hufflepuffs: Hannah Abbott | Susan Bones | Justin Finch-Fletchley | Ernie Macmillan | Zacharias Smith | Unidentified Hufflepuff girl | ||||
Unspecified: Luca Caruso | Alice Tolipan |