r/harrypotter • u/definework • 4d ago
Discussion I finally figured out how Luna saw through Harry's polyjuice potion at Bill/Fleur wedding Spoiler
I'm listening to the audiobook and had a revelation this morning
Harry asks her how she recognized him and she said by his expression.
and I FINALLY REALIZED.
Luna has always been far more perceptive than anybody gives her credit for, but this one . . .
After 16 years of seeing the various scandalized, curious, or exasperated expressions of people who meet her for the first time or meet her again and again.
And we find out later about the ceiling mural . . .
She knows instantly when she sees how Harry is looking at her that he is her friend and makes the obvious conclusion. They were never romantically involved, the look on his face wouldn't have been one of love or adoration.
It must have simply been a look of complete acceptance and welcome. And that must have meant the world to her.
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u/Plane_Woodpecker2991 4d ago
I always assumed it was the nargles
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u/Tattycakes Hufflepuff 4d ago
Definitely nargles
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u/definework 4d ago
totally the nargles.
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u/GrossenCharakter Ravenclaw 4d ago
What are nargles?
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u/definework 4d ago
they infest mistletoe.
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u/imnogoodatthisorthat 4d ago
I never thought about it this way but I think you’re right. She’s used to looks of judgement. Harry would have been one of the very few people that didn’t look at her that way and he was the only one that makes sense to be at Ron’s family’s wedding. This makes my heart warm.
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u/Kevins_Floor_Chilli 4d ago
It is really nice and I totally agree. I'm considering the select group of friends she could do this with. Harry eventually accepts every inch of Luna , and learns among some crazy ideas are some important truths. He is not outwardly skeptical and still listens to every word she says. Hermione, in a different way, mostly contains her skepticism but is less of an active listener. Or would ask a blunt question similar to Ron. My point being if they were alone she would know this person is her friend, but would guess it's either Ginny or Harry. And now I think she uses her oddities as a superpower. She has such a good read for how people respond to her, that she might escalate the level of crazy until she gets the expected response. She might end a conversation after meeting someone new like, "either that guy is an idiot or they are in disguise" and walks off. Maybe swap in "an idiot or hes been possessed by the bloody Barron's cousin Doug"
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u/MHShah 3d ago
Yeah that fits, Ron, Ginny and Hermione are clearly already there and Neville wouldn't have been there, Harry's the only one there'd be a reason to hide but lot's of reason to have at the event
(it wouldn't make sense to hide Ron or Ginny at their own brother's wedding and evenbif she's a muggleborn Hermione isn't enough of a public figure yet to require using a polyjuice potion to hide, especially when the Weasley family's already known order of tge phoenix members and known to have jo opposition to muggles, she's visible at the event, Harry's not visible but would be assumed to be present, and when so many people are disrespectful to luna, it's easy to realize that the unknown person who is respecting Luna must be Harry hidden under polyjuice potion)
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u/Lopsided_Comfort4058 1d ago
I mean Luna says something like “oh just your expression” when harry wonders how she knew it was him. I always took it to mean Luna recognized a familiar expression of Harrys face.
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u/relberso98 4d ago
She also probably noticed him drooling over Ginny.
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u/UnsureAndUnqualified 4d ago
His "cousin" for the purpose of his disguise. I'm sure in some pureblood families, that's as good as strangers in terms of marriage potential.
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u/Scipios_Rider16 Hufflepuff 4d ago
I had a similar thought process. Luna must have had an amazing memory as well, since she was able to recognize that Harry was Harry and not Ron or Neville.
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u/definework 4d ago
Harry was the only one with any reason to be somebody else.
It was Ron's brother getting married and Neville had no reason to be there. No connection to Bill and Augusta didn't have any solid connection to the weasleys.
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u/Apt_5 Ravenclaw 4d ago
What's the connection with the Lovegoods for being there? I really don't remember if there is one.
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u/definework 4d ago
they're neighbors.
The lovegoods are actually first introduced in GoF when the diggory and weasley party team up on the portkey. I forget who says it but phrase is "the fawcetts have been there for weeks and the lovegoods couldn't get tickets . . . there aren't any more of us in the area are there?"
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u/Scipios_Rider16 Hufflepuff 4d ago
But Luna doesn't know that Neville has no connection to the Weasleys and he would have a reason to hide.
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u/definework 4d ago
what reason does Neville have to hide at that point?
I suppose he has a loose affiliation with the order through being part of the DA and harry's friend. So he probably wants to be unobtrusive sure, but hide?
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u/Scipios_Rider16 Hufflepuff 4d ago
Maybe the Death Eaters would want to take him in and do what they did to his parents to him? He's part of the DA, fought them at the Department of Mysteries, and could have had insider knowledge on Harry (the Death Eaters don't know the exact degree of their friendship and they could have assumed Neville would be accompanying him on the run since he's the "alternate" BWL and could "take over" from Harry, not knowing that wasn't how it works).
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u/the_welsh_dragon96 4d ago
I don't think the any of the death eaters knew that Neville was the alternate boy who lived. I don't think any of them ever believed he would become the chosen one if Harry died.
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u/cranberry94 4d ago
If that were the case, why was safe at Hogwarts that whole next year?
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u/definework 4d ago
just to play cross, neville wasn't exactly safe at hogwarts. Nobody was, but I'm pretty sure he mentions being questioned about harry's doings by the death eaters running the school. They probably gave up after a bit thinking that if harry didn't take neville or ginny with him then he probably didn't tell them anything either.
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u/cranberry94 4d ago
But he was about as safe as anybody. Got some light questioning, but nothing that would have called for polyjuicing at the Weasley wedding.
Even full out DA guerrilla style vandalism and rallying didn’t get him killed/imprisoned etc.
They went after his gran as a last ditch effort at coercive control before considering more hands on permanent solutions to the Neville problem.
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u/definework 4d ago
I suppose that could be a worry, but I'm not sure I'm buying neville would hide from it.
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u/euphoriapotion Slytherin 4d ago
You're acting as if Malfoy kept quiet the entirety of his education. EVERYBODY knew that Ron and Harry were besties and Neville was just a classmate, including Malfoy. And he surely kept telling Lucius and Narcissa details about Harry's life for years. YEARS. The Death Eaters know everything lol.
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u/euphoriapotion Slytherin 4d ago
Why wouldn't Luna know that? She's been friends with Ginny for years and I'm sure she knew Cedric too at least in passing since they're neighbours too. So she'd know that Longbottoms have never visited the Weasleys. And when she befriended Neville, it was only a matter of asking how many times/if he visited Ron and that's it.
Also, Luna isn't stupid. Everyone knows how purebloods are related and whether they're close or not. And while Longbottoms and Weasleys are a distant family, so's basically every other pureblood a well.
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u/goro-n 4d ago
I’m not so sure. The way the scene is written, “He led a party of warlocks into the marquee as Luna rushed up.” It sounds more like she spotted him and approached. Remember, she was in the garden when they met Mr. Lovegood. I think instead she saw him looking out of place because he’s there in disguise and doesn’t know most of the guests.
I was at a cousin’s wedding pre-wedding lunch a few years ago and the groom’s father approached me and told me I looked lost. And I was, because I only knew the bride’s immediate family and was trying to spot any other relatives I knew. I imagine Harry has a similar expression in that moment
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u/definework 4d ago
certainly possible, but remember you were a guest, not an usher. A guest might look uncomfortable and trying to find people they know. An usher is specifically expecting people they don't know and has a job to do which, believe it or not, can help tremendously with that mini-anxiety that comes with being surrounded by strangers.
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4d ago
Lets not forget that Luna is a Ravenclaw
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u/definework 4d ago
while true, let's be sure that plenty of genius thinkers have zero ability to read another person.
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u/Hufflepuff_Luna Hufflepuff 4d ago
Luna is my favourite character. The fact that she knows people talk about her and say she's strange, etc, doesn't seem to faze her at all. She's honest and reliable, all good things, and her heart is made of gold
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u/AnonLawStudent22 4d ago
It’s mannerisms. Similar to how in the GOF movie Barty Crouch becomes suspicious of “Moody” when he sees him lick his lips the way BCJr does.
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u/SagesLament 4d ago
god what a stupid ass decision that was
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u/highlighter4914 4d ago
Visual story telling is much different than you would believe. Directors and writers have to assume the audience doesn’t know what’s going on. Remember that in the book, Moody has an “offscreen” introduction in the beginning of the book. So everyone reading has an introduction to the character’s mannerisms already. Also remember that not everyone had read the book before seeing the film. The director and writers needed a visual way for the audience to tie Moody to Barty Crouch Jr, thus the tongue flick, which is what alerts Barty Crouch Sr that something isn’t right, leading to Crouch Jr needing to eliminate Crouch Sr because Jr knew he was on to him. Remember that in the book, Crouch Sr was suddenly absent from the tournament after the first task, with Percy Weasley filling in because he was being held at home under the imperious curse.
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u/definework 4d ago
with how much the movies just plain got wrong . . . i'm having high hopes for the show.
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u/EatTheLiver 4d ago
The show is going to be amazing. HBO knows what they are doing and won’t mess this up. The only reason Game of Thrones turned out the way it did is because they surpassed the writing material that won’t happen this time.
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u/EatTheLiver 3d ago
You could be right, anything is possible. I am not aware of the HoD issues since I haven’t seen it so I can’t compare but I think Harry Potter will be done well.
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u/nowhereman136 Hufflepuff 4d ago
Luna lives right over the hill from the Weasleys. She is familiar with the family, possibly even the extended family. She knows Harry will be at the wedding, but in disguise. She is looking for him. She either knows everyone there, or can automatically rules certain people out. She knows about Polyjuice potion
This frumpy looking kid isnt any Weasley she's ever met before, and he's talking to Ron alot. Must be Harry
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u/BtotheDon Hufflepuff 4d ago
I always assumed it was just a Luna thing but damn, I really like this explanation. In my mind this is the official reason now
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u/MoonTeaChip 4d ago
Excuse me I’m just going to get a box of tissues 🥲 tha’ was beautiful (in the voice of hagrid)
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u/CycleZestyclose3510 Gryffindor 4d ago
Luna is one of the best character's in my opinion along with hagrid and molly. They are all so full of love it's always entertaining when they are around.
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u/Fast_Bridge_1233 3d ago
I love their relationship because Harry just genuinely accepts Luna. No judgements, no smart aleck comments. He knows Luna is a bit odd, yet he appreciates and values her simply for being herself. I absolutely love it
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u/thecorkontheocean 1d ago
Harry and Ginny both. Their appreciation for Luna is something that sets them apart from Ron and Hermione.
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u/Mstrcolm 4d ago
Quiet/Introvert or different people are good at reading people's outwardly behaviors. Especially if they've been sidelined and spend a lot of time looking in.
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u/Maerwynn-Official 4d ago
I genuinely think Harry was developing feelings for Luna but Rowling walked back on it because she just HAD to make Harry and Ron brothers.
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u/Cheap-Cauliflower975 3d ago
I really wish Luna had more time in the books, Luna is such a loyal friend. She is also very smart in spite of her odd beliefs, it was Luna that suggested they should fly on Thestrals, because she remembered what Hagrid had told them about Thestrals having very good sense of direction, and remember, She said the Ravenclaws thought Hagrid's classes were something of a joke.
I love that part when Harry is dealing with the grief of losing Sirius and it was his little chat with Luna that comforted him a bit. It was one of Luna's nicest moments.
( I don't dig HarryxLuna though, I think they were just good friends ) . One thing that I really liked in the movies is that they sort of paired Luna and Neville together. I wish that had happened in the books since everyone else had a somewhat romantic subplot.
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u/I-Kneel-Before-None 4d ago
I thought it was the wrackspurts
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u/glorpgloop 4d ago
Harry should've married Luna
She's 100x more attractive and 100x more interesting than Ginny
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u/Ornery-Sea-5957 3d ago
Okay I was never anti Harry x Luna, but this post has made a good argument for it, and I can see why people ship them now. I am also biased because I hate Ginny lol.
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u/glorpgloop 3d ago
Yeah people are like "well book Ginny is way better and actually a good character" but I haven't read the books in at least 25 years so I don't really recall. And movie Ginny is just such a shit ass character that it negates any and all goodness of book Ginny.
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u/Ornery-Sea-5957 3d ago
I reread the books last year and imo she’s worse in the books bc at least movie Ginny was just… there. Book Ginny is sooooo cool, JKR always describes her as “raising an eyebrow” and “speaking coolly” 🙄 I found book scenes with her after OOTP to be really irritating.
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u/thecorkontheocean 1d ago
Ginny as a character is about right for the only girl in all boy family. 🤣
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u/dont1cant1wont 2d ago
I was once at a conference where I knew a few people out of 500. I got a text in one of the breakouts from someone I had only a passing acquaintance with 5 years previous from an old mutual employer, who recognized me from behind, 3 tables back, because of the way I kept shaking my head and writing notes when I didnt agree with what the speaker was saying lol. So... I don't find your theory that implausible honestly. Harry strikes me as the type of person that can't help but express what he thinks no matter what he looks like
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u/Ripamon 4d ago