In the fifth installment of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, audiences are introduced to one of the most unique characters in the entire film series: Luna Lovegood. When returning to Hogwarts, they officially meet Luna, the charming blonde girl from Ravenclaw.
At that moment, Luna is reading the Quibbler, and then looks up to greet the new arrival, notably Harry Potter. The four of them get on the bus, and this is the moment when Hermione makes a remark that leaves many viewers feeling a bit disappointed.
Hermione introduces Luna to everyone, but instead of using her name, Hermione chooses to call her “Loony.” This is indeed the nickname that Luna frequently gets called by her classmates, where “Loony” implies a sense of being silly or eccentric.
After this slight, the main character of Harry Potter quickly reverts to calling her Luna Lovegood. Although it seemed like a “slip of the tongue,” many viewers felt it was quite sad that those who once adored Hermione now had to feel pity for her. Once an esteemed student, known for her brilliance, Hermione now seemed to struggle to understand that her words could hurt others. However, she still (unintentionally) called Luna by this unkind name, leaving audiences feeling sympathy for Luna instead.
However, this situation does not occur in the books. In J.K. Rowling’s original work, the person who refers to Luna as “Loony” is actually Ginny, who calls her that in a much more friendly and casual manner than Hermione did. Yet, many fans analyzed that Ginny had a very close relationship with Luna, so her nickname felt more like a private joke between them.
Moreover, after that, Hermione feels bad about calling Luna “the creature” when she refers to the Quibbler, not realizing that Luna’s identity is indeed tied to this publication. From that point on, many fans began to question Hermione’s true character in Harry Potter, suggesting that she is not entirely good, as there are many instances of her being somewhat dismissive and causing controversy. Additionally, J.K. Rowling also shared that Luna was intentionally built as a “counterbalance” to Hermione, with Luna possessing a more open-minded and whimsical nature, while Hermione often relied more on logic.
Source: BuzzFeed
