She might have had radishes dangling from her ears and eyes that glazed over as she pondered her father’s latest theory, but Luna Lovegood had far more between her ears than her salad vegetable earrings might suggest.

People called her ‘Loony’ Lovegood due to her eccentricity, but while she might not need to blink quite as often as normal humans, she was most certainly not a lunatic, and her status as a Ravenclaw underscored her off-beat wisdom.

Spectrespecs wearer, side-saddle Thestral-rider, Quidditch commentator – you name it, she did it in her own special way.

We can’t believe that we had to wait until Order of the Phoenix for Luna to enter our lives but we’re certainly glad she featured as prominently as she did, becoming one of Harry’s fiercest supporters and inner circle member of Dumbledore’s Army. She played an important role in finding one of the final Horcruxes during the Battle of Hogwarts.

Hermione might suspect that Luna only believes something when there’s no proof at all, but even the cleverest witch can be proved wrong.

In fact, Luna had a knack for embarrassing honesty and in between repeating the controversial theories her father’s magazine, The Quibbler, published, she showed insight worthy of Dumbledore himself.

Here are some of our favourite Luna moments which proved the sound mind behind the whimsy.

The time she helped Harry produce a Patronus during the Battle of Hogwarts

‘That’s right,’ said Luna encouragingly, as if they were back in the Room of Requirement and this was simply spell practice for the DA. ‘That’s right, Harry ... come on, think of something happy ...’

‘Something happy?’ he said, his voice cracked.

‘We’re all still here,’ she whispered, ‘we’re still fighting. Come on, now ...’

There was a silver spark, then a wavering light, and then, with the greatest effort it had ever cost him, the stag burst from the end of Harry’s wand.

The time she led Harry to one of the Horcruxes

‘Well, there’s her lost diadem. I told you about it, remember, Harry? The lost diadem of Ravenclaw? Daddy’s trying to duplicate it.’

‘Yeah, but the lost diadem,’ said Michael Corner, rolling his eyes, ‘is lost, Luna. That’s sort of the point.’

The time she spoke about grief and loss

‘Yes,’ said Luna simply, ‘my mother. She was a quite extraordinary witch, you know, but she did like to experiment and one of her spells went rather badly wrong one day. I was nine.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Harry mumbled.

‘Yes it was rather horrible,’ said Luna conversationally. ‘I still feel very sad about it sometimes. But I’ve still got Dad. And anyway, it’s not as though I’ll never see Mum again, is it?’

‘Er…isn’t it?’ said Harry uncertainly.

She shook her head in disbelief. ‘You heard them.’

The time she sensed a Wrackspurt

‘Wrackspurt got you?’ asked Luna sympathetically, peering at Harry through her enormous coloured spectacles.

‘I – what?’

‘A Wrackspurt ... they’re invisible, they float in through your ears and make your brain go fuzzy,’ she said. ‘I thought I felt one zooming around in here.’

The time she saw through Polyjuice Potion

‘Hello, Harry!’ she said.

‘Er – my name’s Barny,’ said Harry, flummoxed.

‘Oh, have you changed that too?’ she asked brightly.

‘How did you know –?’

‘Oh, just your expression,’ she said.

The time she explained Ron in one sentence

‘He says very funny things sometimes, doesn’t he?’ said Luna, as they set off down the corridor together. ‘But he can be a bit unkind. I noticed that last year.’

The time she spoke for everyone at Dobby’s funeral

‘Thank you so much, Dobby, for rescuing me from that cellar. It’s so unfair that you had to die, when you were so good and brave. I’ll always remember what you did for us. I hope you’re happy now.’

The time she helped Harry after the Battle of Hogwarts

Harry found himself sitting on a bench beside Luna.

‘I’d want some peace and quiet, if it were me,’ she said.

‘I’d love some,’ he replied.

‘I’ll distract them all,’ she said. ‘Use your Cloak.’

And before he could say a word she had cried, ‘Oooh, look, a Blibbering Humdinger!’ and pointed out of the window.

The time she gave relationship advice after Ron’s Yule Ball date

‘Padma didn’t enjoy it very much,’ Luna informed him. ‘She doesn’t think you treated her very well, because you wouldn’t dance with her. I don’t think I’d have minded,’ she added thoughtfully, ‘I don’t like dancing very much.’

The time she didn’t sweat losing everything

‘How come you’re not at the feast?’ Harry asked.

‘Well, I’ve lost most of my possessions,’ said Luna serenely. ‘People take them and hide them, you know. But as it’s the last night, I really do need them back so I’ve been putting up sign… 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.”

The time she showed she was prepared for anything

‘I’ve never been to this part of the castle. At least not while awake. I sleep walk, you see. That’s why I wear shoes to bed.’