When Harry Potter first met Luna Lovegood in “The Order of the Phoenix,” he silently wished that the "distinctly dotty" girl with the wand behind her ear would not sit near him on the train to Hogwarts. From the start Harry did not immediately take to the girl whom classmates had deemed "loony". Their's seemed to be an uneasy acquaintance in the beginning. But during the year Luna proved herself to be a different kind of friend than he had ever had, one that Harry desperately needed, even if he did not realize it.

Harry had "never met anyone like her" before, able to speak "uncomfortable truths", yet seemingly ensconced in her own mystical world, one he was unable to see. Through her whimsy and wild flights of fancy, she brought laughter, hope, and light into his dark existence. She let it be known that Harry was not crazy, and that she too could see the thestrals. Luna was the first of Harrys classmates to profess belief in the truth of his story that Lord Voldemort was indeed back. Through her bold and fearless action she began to slowly turn the tide of doubt and suspicion against him. When her father published the tale of his ordeal in "The Quibbler" she was able to give Harry back his credibility within the wizarding world.

She continued to prove her importance in Harry's life by fighting bravely alongside him and his friends during the battle at the Department of Mysteries. With nothing but pure motives behind her, she risked her life to help Harry, simply because it was the right thing to do.

After the tragic death of Harry's beloved Godfather Sirius, he found that Luna was the only person he felt comfortable opening up to. She helped to ease his pain and despair by relating the untimely death of her own mother. She seemed to fill the spiritual void in his life, tantalizing him with the prospect that our loved ones never truly leave us, they are just waiting for us behind the veil.

With Luna, Harry feels comfortable and at ease. He does not have to worry about being judged or called strange, as both know the pain of being outcasts. Through Luna he is able to feel something other than sadness and grief, thinking of someone other than himself for the first time during the year. He feels pity for those who mistreat Luna, and is amazed at the calmness she has about her situation, the antithesis of Harry and all of his rage. At the end of "The Order of the Phoenix," Harry and Luna cement their bond though shared tragedies and a mutual understanding of one another.

This friendship continues on into the next installment, "The Half-Blood Prince" where she continues to make him laugh and feel at ease while accompanying him to Slughorn's party. Together, with Harry's braveness and loyalty, and Luna's spirituality and selflessness, they make one complete soul. They are ying and yang. But what the future has in store for them is unclear, simply friendship or perhaps true love? Regardless of the outcome we will be left with two amazing characters with a deep connection that moves and inspires us all.

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