J. K. Rowling’s Wizarding World may be the modern incarnation of the mega franchise, but for many fans, the stories and characters will always be known as the Harry Potter wizarding world. The stories and characters from those first seven books are still capturing the imaginations of readers of all ages. The characters became so popular that many of them have become modern archetypes. Fans compare new heroes and villains in new fantasy books and movies to their counterparts in the Harry Potter books. At least sort every one into their correct Hogwarts House.
One character that has stuck with some fans the most is Luna Lovegood. One of the most eccentric witches in Harry’s class, Luna grew up mostly solitary. Her mannerisms and outlandish claims lead most students to want nothing to do with her. She quickly found a group of friends in her fourth year at Hogwarts in the members of the Dumbledore’s Army. Luna learned about defense against the dark arts from Harry. By the end of that year, she became one of only five friends of Harry who journeyed to the Department of Mysteries to rescue Sirius Black.
A character like Luna has plenty of backstory, secrets, and developments to uncover. Rowling has written loads more about the story and the characters since the end of the books, including Luna. There are details about her family, her unique possessions and her life after Hogwarts that most fans have never heard. Trivia beyond measure is fans’ greatest treasure, so here are 20 Things Even Hard Core Harry Potter Fans Don’t Know About Luna Lovegood!
LUNA WAS BORN ON FEBRUARY 13TH 1981 IN THE BOOKS
Luna was a year behind Harry, Ron and Hermione at Hogwarts. She was in her fourth year at Hogwarts when she was introduced in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Being born in the middle of February makes Luna’s astrological sign Aquarius. J. K. Rowling draws on so much for inspiration in her books, and she lays heavy symbolism on all her characters. So it’s pretty safe to analyze Luna according to the Aquarius sign.
Aquarius signed people exhibit wild imaginations and enjoy new ideas and conversations. But they can also be shy, quiet, and solitary. While they tend to be independent and eccentric, they lend help to their friends and support good causes with ease. Sounds just like Luna.
SHE MARRIED ROLF SCAMANDER
Rolf Scamander is the grandson of legendary Magizoologist Newt Scamander. The Fantastic Beast movies haven’t yet shown Newt starting a family, but official Harry Potter sources say that Newt eventually marries Porpentina Goldstein. Their grandson Rolf was born sometime before the Battle of Hogwarts.
Luna and Rolf met and married by the events of the 19 year epilogue. The Daily Prophet reported that Luna wore a wedding dress decorated with rainbows and spangles, Also reportedly, Rolf was dumbfounded by his bride’s dress. The two spent the early years of their marriage travelling the world in search of exotic magical creatures. Rolf became the chief consulting magizoologist for the Daily Prophet and wasn’t shy about offering his expertise.
LUNA AND ROLF HAD TWO SONS, LORCAN AND LYSANDER
Luna clearly had fun naming her children. Lorcan and Lysander were twin boys born to Luna Lovegood and Rolf Scamander. They are the great grandchildren of Newt Scamander. Lorcan means “little fierce one” in Gaelic. Lysander’s name means “liberator” in Greek and is also the name of a character from Shakespeare’s play A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Luna and Rolf apparently had their children much later than the other witches and wizards of their generation, such as Harry, Ron, and Hermione. This could help explain why Harry Potter and the Cursed Child doesn’t mention them. Lorcan and Lysander wouldn’t be at Hogwarts at the same time as Albus, Scorpius, or Rose. We don’t know exactly why Luna and Rolf decided to have children when they did.
HER MOTHER WAS NAMED PANDORA LOVEGOOD
Luna’s mother passed away before Luna started attending Hogwarts, sometime in 1990 or 1991. Only her married surname is known. We do not know what her wizarding background may have been or what other magical family she may have come from, if any.
Her first name was Pandora. A fitting name, considering what happened to her. In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman created by the gods. They bestowed a mysterious box upon her and forbade her to open it. When she gave into her curiosity and opened the box anyway, she unleashed all the pain that exists in the world.
Pandora Lovegood lost her life when one of her experimental spells backfired. Luna witnessed her mother’s accident when she was 9 years old.
DID SHE EVER ACTUALLY RIDE A THESTRAL BEFORE?
Witnessing the demise of her mother made Luna capable of seeing thestrals. She was one of the few people in Harry’s class who could see them. Unlike Harry, Luna was used to seeing thestrals all throughout her attendance at Hogwarts.
At the end of Order of the Phoenix, Harry, Luna and their friends fly on thestrals to reach the Ministry of Magic. The book describes Luna as easily mounting her thestral sidesaddle “as if she did this every day”. But did she ever actually? Or was she just quirky enough and open-minded enough to take to it naturally. Luna was apt enough at riding thestrals that she could even help Ron, Hermione and Ginny on to theirs. Despite the fact that none of those three could see them.
LUNA WAS ALREADY FRIENDLY WITH THE RAVENCLAW GHOST
During the Battle of Hogwarts in Deathly Hallows, Luna helps Harry access the Ravenclaw common room in search of Rowena Ravenclaw’s diadem. In the film, Luna herself deduces that one of the ghosts associated with Ravenclaw may know about the diadem.
The Gray Lady, the Ghost of Ravenclaw house was actually the ghost of Helena Ravenclaw, daughter of the Hogwarts founder Rowena Ravenclaw. In the films, it seems as though Luna and the ghost of Helena already have a rapport. Luna tells Harry that Helena is very shy. Helena tells Harry that Luna is kind, unlike the other students. It’s easy to see why Luna and Hellen would bond. They both had relationships with their mother that caused them grief.
LUNA AND HER FATHER TRAVELED TO SWEDEN
Despite the loss of her mother, Luna was very close with her father, Xenophilius Lovegood. Luna’s propensity for believing in outlandish stories and unconfirmed creatures came from him. Xenophilius served as editor of the Quibbler. Even though most witches and wizards considered it rubbish, Luna always had the latest copy on hand. She was quick to defend her father’s work if she ever overhead people criticizing it.
Xenophilius took on several adventures to investigate the more outlandish stories he believed in. He and Lula desperately wanted to prove the existence of the Crumple-Horned Snorcack. In the summer of 1996, the Lovegoods undertook an expedition to Sweden to find the creature. Unfortunately, they had no luck.
IS THERE MORE TO THE ROTFANG CONSPIRACY?
The Rotfang conspiracy is secret plot by the Aurors and other officials in the Ministry of Magic to bring down the government. At least, according to Luna. She told several people about it at Professor Slughorn’s Christmas party when Harry Potter invited her. She claimed that the conspirators are trying to bring down the government through a combination of dark magic and gum disease.
At the time, Harry found the idea so hilarious that he spat out his mead, but perhaps there’s some merit to the Rotfang Conspiracy after all.
When Voldemort staged his coup against the Ministry of Magic in 1997, Pius Thicknesse, the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, played a big role. We don’t know if he used any gum disease.
BUT LOSER’S LURGEY IS DEFINITELY FAKE
In Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Luna becomes the commentator for the Hogwarts Quidditch matches. To say her commentary was unorthodox would be a gross understatement. Instead of the snappy, lively remarks of Lee Jordan, Luna’s commentary was relaxed and meandering. Oddly shaped clouds above the pitch fascinated her more than the score of the match.
She told the audience that Hufflepuff chaser Zacharias Smith must be sick from “Loser’s Lurgy”. He could not keep possession of the quaffle for more than a minute. Luna may believe in “Loser’s Lurgy,” but its name betrays its falseness. “Lurgy” is actually British slang for a fictitious, but highly contagious disease. So Luna might as well have said that Zacharias Smith had Loser’s Cooties.
HER PATRONUS IS A HARE
A Patronus is a powerful spell that conjures a spirit of light that wards off dementors. Patronuses usually take the form on an animal, if the wizard is powerful enough to conjure a corporal patronus instead of a vaporous one. What animal form the patronus takes depends on the witch or wizard. Usually the animal form of a patronus has some personal or symbolic significance.
Luna’s patronus is a hare. We first saw her conjure a patronus in the film of Order of the Phoenix when Dumbledore’s Army was practicing in the Room of Requirement. J. K. Rowling evidently thought a hare was a fitting patronus for Luna. The Deathly Hallows book, which came out after the Order of the Phoenix movie, describes Luna’s patronus as a hare.
OLIVANDER MADE LUNA A NEW WAND
During Deathly Hallows, the Death Eaters captured Luna and imprisoned her at Malfoy Manor. Not long after, Mr. Olivader joined her as another prisoner. Voldemort tortured Olivader to extract any information he might have about the Elder Wand. Despite such harsh abuses, Luna proved to be a great comfort to Olivander in this tribulation.
In gratitude for her kindness Olivander made Luna a new wand after they and their friends escaped the Malfoys. Olivander must have made Luna a new wand very quickly. Luna came to the Battle of Hogwarts fully equipped with a new wand and fought just as fiercely as any of her fellow D.A. members. The wood type, core type, and length of this new wand are unknown.
EVANNA LYNCH ACCESSORIZED LUNA HERSELF FOR THE FILMS
Luna made quite a name for herself at Hogwarts with her eccentric mode of dress and accessories. In Half Blood Prince she appeared on the Hogwarts Express with a pair of spectrespecs. They came as a free giveaway with an Autumn issue of The Quibbler. Even before that Luna frequently wore a necklace of butterbeer corks. She claimed it helped keep pesky Nargles away.
Her most striking article of clothing was undoubtedly her lion head hat. Luna wore it in support of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and enchanted it to roar when she tapped it with her wand. Some of Luna’s accessories in the film came right from Evanna Lynch’s imagination, like the Dirigible plum earrings and her hare bracelet.
SEVERAL OTHER ACTRESSES AUDITIONED FOR THE ROLE OF LUNA
Evanna Lynch became instantly recognizable as Luna Lovegood when she debuted in the film of Order of the Phoenix, but naturally, the producers of the films held an extensive casting process for the fan favorite part.
One of the other Harry Potter actresses to audition for the role was Scarlett Byrne. Instead of portraying Luna, she joined the cast one movie later in Half Blood Prince. Scarlett Byrne ended up playing Pansy Parkinson, the simpering Slytherin fan of Draco Malfoy.
Other non-Harry Potter actors that auditioned for Luna include Saoirse Ronan. Ronan has received plenty of critical acclaim for more recent dramatic roles in Brooklyn and Lady Bird. Juno Temple, known for The Dark Knight Rises and Vinyl, also auditioned for Luna.
THERE’S A DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2 DELETED SCENE WHERE LUNA RETURNS TO HOGWARTS
Luna stays with Harry, Ron, and Hermione at Shell Cottage after they all escape from Malfoy Manor. In the theatrical cut of the film, Luna presumably stays at Shell Cottage until returning to Hogwarts for the final battle. This keeps with the events of the books.
But one of the deleted scenes alters this sequence of events. Before Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave to break into Gringotts, Luna visits Harry at Dobby’s grave to say goodbye. She’s got a trunk backed, ready to head back to Hogwarts. They commiserate once more about their fallen friend, and Harry warns Luna that Hogwarts has changed from the happy home they’ve come to know; it’s not the same.
“Neither am I,” she replies, in her calm, dreamy voice, with a tinge of resolution.
LUNA WENT TO THE 2014 QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP
Luna and her Family went to the 2014 Quidditch World Cup in the Patagonian Desert in Argentina. The final match took place between Bulgaria and Brazil. Viktor Krum rejoined the Bulgarian team for a final attempt at a World Cup win. Many members of the original Dumbledore’s Army and their families attended. And almost all of them got seats in the top box.
Never one to shy away from eccentric dress, Luna came to the World Cup finals in a dress made out of the flags of all 16 qualifying team’s countries. Reporters spotted her husband Rolf holding her hands down in their seats. Some speculated that this was to prevent Luna from donning one of her famously elaborate themed hats.
ROWLING CONSIDERED HAVING NEVILLE AND LUNA END UP TOGETHER
Luna doesn’t find her love and start a family until after the main events of the seven books, but J. K. Rowling says at one point she did consider pairing up Luna with Neville Longbottom. There may have been a draw between the two characters. Many fans have expressed support for this relationship, or shipped Luna and Neville in other words.
But Rowling eventually decided against it. It would have been too neat for all of the main six student heroes to pair off just among themselves. Rowling also said that Neville would be too put off by Luna’s fancier flights to seriously consider her romantically, but that didn’t stop the movie from making Neville head over heels for Luna by the end of Deathly Hallows Part 2.
LUNA’S NAME WAS ORIGINALLY LILY MOON
Rowling is very meticulous with character names. Almost all the character names in Harry Potter have some kind of symbolic or thematic significance. In Luna’s case, the moon is clearly an inspiration for her character’s beliefs and personality. The moon inspired her so directly that J. K. Rowling originally had Luna’s character name as Lily Moon.
This obviously changed in later drafts. It would have confused readers if both Luna’s character and Harry’s Mother had the first name of Lily. Perhaps Harry’s mother also had a different name at this point in Rowling’s drafts. Maybe Lily Potter’s and Luna’s names were even swapped at some point. Also having Luna’s last name simply be Moon would be too simple.
EVANNA LYNCH THINKS OF LUNA AS A VEGETARIAN
The Harry Potter books don’t often tread into discussing characters’ personal beliefs. There are definitely consistent morals that the books advocate like courage, friendship, love and selflessness. But characters’ personal beliefs about lifestyles are seldom discussed.
However, Evanna had some specific ideas about Luna’s beliefs. Even while portraying Luna Lovegood in the films, Evanna imagined the character as a vegetarian. In Evanna’s estimation, Luna would not condone eating an animal that had suffered. This is somewhat at odd with Luna’s presentation in the books at least where they describe her eating from some meat dishes.
Evanna Lynch has personally gone further with this belief for herself. In 2015 she became a Vegan practitioner and advocate.
EVANNA LYNCH HAS CATS NAMES AFTER HARRY POTTER CHARACTERS
Evanna Lynch had already been a massive fan of the Harry Potter books before she auditioned for a part in the films. Luna was her favorite character and she identified with her very strongly. Getting the chance to actually play Luna in the films was a dream come true for her.
Evanna’s obsession with Harry Potter spread into many aspects of her life, including the names of her pets. Evanna and her family have had multiple cats. Many of them have names taken from the most admirable and fitting characters in the series. Evanna used to have a cat named after Dumbledore. She still has cats named after Luna herself and a cat named after Crookshanks.
J. K. ROWLING THINKS EVANNA IS PERFECT AS LUNA
Finding the right actors to play each of the characters in the Harry Potter films preoccupied the producers. It may well have been the most important series of decisions the franchise made. Finding good actors that fit the parts was a challenge. The actors must suit the creators’ vision and meet at least some of the fans’ expectations.
Luna seems to be one of the few characters that almost everyone agrees was perfectly cast. J. K. Rowling herself has said that Evanna Lynch isn’t just perfectly cast as Luna, she is Luna. In fact, Rowling says that even though she never let the films inform her writing of the books, she can’t help but imagine Evanna as Luna and write her in Evanna’s voice.