OOP: Someone I'm reminded of

[Eric Oppen]

No: HPFGUIDX 65817

I
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he
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excursions:

Luna Lovegood puts me very strongly in mind of a character we've seen since
the beginning of the series.  One who is extremely powerful, does his own
thing and doesn't mind looking silly, and often gives people an impression
that he's a few Knuts short of a Galleon.

Professor Dumbledore.

Remember Professor Dumbledore's big speech in PS/SS---the one that ended
"Nitwit!  Blubber!  Oddment!  Tweak?"  Or the Christmas get-together (the
one with Professor Trelawney in attendance, disremember just which book it's
in offhand) where, unlike Professor Snape, D'dore gets fully into the spirit
of things and even puts on a funny hat?  Who _else_ in these books ever is
described as wearing an odd hat?  (Well, there's Grandmother
Longbottom...could there be a connection there?)

Not only that, but where D'dore is unable to comfort Harry after the Big
Fight, he finds himself feeling a little better after talking with Luna and
finding out that she's also known the loss of a parent she had had in her
life.  This is something where the Trio's no use...both Hermione's and Ron's
parents are alive and well, thank the gods.  Luna, OTOH, has Been And Done
on the losing-a-parent thing, and has some idea of where Harry's coming
from, and, unlike the Big D, is close to him in age and more able to relate
to him, as well as not being an authority figure who Harry feels has let him
down.  They're veterans and comrades-in-arms, and have things they can share
that I _hope_ Ron and Hermione don't have for a long long time yet.

Luna's a Ravenclaw, so we _know_ she's bright.  I think she comes across as
"dreamy" mostly because she's more interested in what's going on inside her
own head than what's going on around her; during the Big Fight, ISTR she's
on deck and fully alert.  I know a lot of very bright people (myself
included) who, at her age, came across to others as being slightly out of it
just because what we were thinking about at the time was more interesting
than the mindless grunting of our peers.  I think that once she's got all
her training down, she's going to be a very powerful witch---and once she
decides to start noticing boys, _look out, Hogwarts!_

It would be very interesting if Luna turns out to be Dumbledore's
great-(however-many) grandchild.  Of course, it would make dating her a
little...fraught...wouldn't it?  I had enough trouble with the parents of
girls I liked without worrying that they could first turn me into a slug and
salt me, and then throw me out of school.  (Dumbledore as a Possessive
Papa...frightening thought!_

Awaiting the usual Howlers,

Eric