The importance of Luna... and the New Trio

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 80135

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Melanie Black
<princessmelabela at y...> wrote:

> 
> My reply (Melanie Black):  
>I loved the character of Luna, I personally believe that Luna is 
> going to be a very pivitol character in future books to come.  
>
> ...edited... 
> 
> There were times when I cried for Luna. Call me a
> dork but it's true. And I wanted to say another
> interesting thing about her...even with all that has
> happened she is the character that to me embodies the
> true essence of innocence and faith. 
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> ... something she says shortly after this: pg. 864 "No I think I'll 
> just go down and have some pudding and wait for it all to turn
> up....It always does in the end." 
> 
> To me Luna is saying to Harry that everything will
> turn out okay in the end. It will all work out for
> the best..she will not just get her things back from
> whereever they are but life itself will get better. 
> You can't dwell on things that are all wrong...you
> just have to keep going. 
> 
> But then again..maybe I have just as extraordinary
> beliefs as Luna. 
> 
> ..edited...
> 
> ~Melanie 


bboy_mn:

In Post 80128 -- Feelings on OoP - Neville, Ginny, and a little Harry,
I made some additional comments about Harry mood and state of mind in
the next book. The extremely short version would be - calm and isolated.

After I pressed the [Send] button, I realized how important Luna, and
probably Neville, will be to helping Harry resolve his withdrawnal
from friendship and love.

Luna has a calmness and emotional detachment to her, I think Harry
picked up on that when he talked to Luna about her missing things near
the end of OoP. Harry felt calm around her, he didn't feel threatened
or challenged, no sign of hero worship, no strong emotional
attachment, no guarding her words because of emotional uncertainty. 

He could talk to her and she could talk to him because of this
apparent emotion detachment Luna displays. Plus, she speaks very
bluntly and honestly. She doesn't get emotional, and she doesn't try
to guard Harry's emotions.

Because of this, in the next book, I see Luna and Harry getting much
closer. She represents a friend that he can talk to and get honest
responses without things getting complicated by emotions. She
represents a safe haven for him. I see Luna as a very old soul, who
has a deep calm wisdom and insight that will help Harry greatly.

To take that one step farther, I could include Neville in the mix.
Neville is also a man of few words, who doesn't react emotionally, or
establish close emotional friendships. Like Luna, he speaks his mind
bluntly, then lets it go. 

Harry and Neville also have a common bond. The prophecy is about the
both of them. They share a common destiny, although fate seems to be
pushing that destiny far more strongly in Harry's direction. None the
less, it give Harry and Neville a bond that others can't understand. 

I could actually see a new Trio forming. Because Neville and Luna have
an emotionally detacted calm, deep wisdom and insight, and would
maintain somewhat distant detached friendships, Harry will feel far
more comfortable around them than he will around Ron and Hermione.
Plus, he loves Ron and Hermione a great deal, and he won't want to be
responsible for anything that might happen to them. So, he will have
strong incentive to distance himself from them. He will still remain
polite and friendly with Ron and Hermione, but on a deeper friendship
level, he will be detached.

I think the book will end with Harry having establish a much deeper
and truer friendship with Neville and Luna, but in the end, once he
has learned the lessons he needs to learn, he will go back to his old
pals Ron and Hermione. This also presents the perfect opportunity for
Ron and Hermione to spend more time together and establish that
relationship that we have all been waiting for, or dreading, as the
case may be.

In some ways, I can see the next book as being a spiritual book. A
book where Harry learns some very deep spiritual lessons from Neville
and Luna, lessons that will be invaluable in establishing his ability
to carry on in the fight against Voldemort. 

I like the Luna character in the current book, but thought she was
pretty much a one trick (one book) pony, but now that I have thought
about it, and read other people's opinions, I think Luna will be one
of the most important characters in the next book. 

Just a few thoughts.

bboy_mn