- "The most eccentric-looking wizard... Slightly cross-eyed, with shoulder-length white hair the texture of candyfloss, he wore a white cap whose tassel dangled in front of his nose and robes of an eye-watering shade of egg-yolk yellow. An odd symbol, rather like a triangular eye, glistened from a golden chain around his neck"
- — Xenophilius Lovegood's bizarre appearance [src]
Xenophilius "Xeno" Lovegood was a British wizard who was the editor of The Quibbler magazine, the husband of Pandora, and the father of Luna Lovegood. His wife died when their only child was nine years old, and he raised his daughter by himself. He was likely the source of his daughter’s eccentric beliefs, although he was often correct in his assumptions. He believed in the existence of the Deathly Hallows and supported Harry in The Quibbler when few others would.
Xenophilius and Luna lived in a house shaped like a rook chess piece near the village of Ottery St Catchpole and were friends with the Weasleys. In the summer of 1997, Xenophilius and Luna attended Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding at the Burrow. In 1998, Luna was kidnapped by Death Eaters. To save her, Xenophilius betrayed Harry Potter to Death Eaters; but Harry, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley managed to escape. He was temporarily imprisoned in Azkaban by the Death Eaters.
After the Second Wizarding War, he left the prison and continued editing The Quibbler. When Luna married Rolf Scamander, Xenophilius had two grandsons, Lorcan and Lysander.
Biography
Early life
Xeno standing inside his unusual home
Xenophilius was born into the Lovegood family and attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he was sorted into Ravenclaw. At an unknown time, he married Pandora Lovegood with whom he had a daughter, Luna Lovegood. He raised Luna himself after Pandora died when her magical experiment went wrong.
Xenophilius created a magazine called The Quibbler, in which he wrote about his obscure beliefs, including the Crumple-Horned Snorkack.
At some point during his life, Xenophilius attended one of Eldred Worple's book signings. It is likely that he shared his ridiculous beliefs with Worple, as the latter remembered him as a "seriously unbalanced man".[7]
Quidditch World Cup
In 1994, Xenophilius and Luna watched the final of the Quidditch World Cup; Ireland vs Bulgaria.
The Quibbler
In 1996, Xenophilius published Harry Potter's story about the night he saw Lord Voldemort return and sent Harry a free copy. This was the fastest-selling edition of The Quibbler, even being reprinted at least once before Mr Lovegood sold the story to the Daily Prophet. The Lovegoods used the money received from selling the story to the Prophet to travel to Sweden over the summer to search for a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.
When Rufus Scrimgeour became Minister for Magic, Xenophilius planned to print a story in The Quibbler stating that Scrimgeour was in fact a vampire. However the Ministry stepped in and prevented him from printing the story; Xenophilius believed that this was because the Ministry did not want the truth to get out.
Second Wizarding War
Bill and Fleur's wedding
Xeno and Luna talking with Harry Potter
In the summer of 1997, Xenophilius and Luna Lovegood attended Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding at the Burrow. There, Xenophilius got into an argument with Viktor Krum over the necklace he was wearing; Viktor identified it as the mark of the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald.[8]
After the Ministry of Magic fell under the control of Lord Voldemort, the Daily Prophet fell under the control of the Death Eaters as well. The Quibbler, however, continued to print the truth and Xenophilius made his support of Harry Potter very clear.
Daughter's ransom
- "They took my Luna because of what I've been writing. They took my Luna and I don't know where she is, what they've done to her. But they might give her back to me if I — If I... I must save Luna. I cannot lose Luna. You must not leave."
- — Luna was kidnapped by Death Eaters as a bargaining chip[src]
Xenophilius's public support of Harry Potter eventually got him in trouble with Death Eaters, many speculated why the Death Eaters had let him get away with it for so long. They kidnapped his daughter and held her hostage at Malfoy Manor. Xenophilius intended to do whatever it took to get her back. He agreed to publish anti-Potter articles in the Quibbler, following the line of the Voldemort-dominated Ministry. With Harry being depicted as Undesirable No. 1 on the front page of his magazine.
Xeno discussing the Deathly Hallows with the trio
When he was visited by the Harry, Ron, and Hermione later in the year, Xenophilius alerted Death Eaters, hoping they would return Luna in exchange. While waiting for the Death Eaters' arrival, Xenophilius told the trio about the Deathly Hallows. He explained that the symbol was worn by believers and seekers of the Hallows to identify themselves to one another. When Harry grew suspicious of him after realising that Luna had not been home in some time, Xenophilius attempted to stun Harry and his friends. Harry pushed Hermione and Ron out of the way, causing him to miss. Instead hitting an erumpent horn, which caused it the fluid inside it to explode, causing his house to collapse inward.[9]
Xeno attempting to hand Harry Potter over to the Death Eaters
The Death Eaters Travers and Selwyn arrived and briefly tortured Xenophilius, believing that he was trying to trick them about Harry being at his home. After the Human-presence-revealing spell revealed that there were others in the house, the Death Eaters sent Xenophilius up the stairs. Hermione rapidly wiped his memory of what they had discussed with him, and then blasted a hole through the floor to facilitate the trio's escape, engineering it so that the Death Eaters saw that Harry was indeed there, thus ensuring that neither Xenophilius nor Luna were punished for lying, and so that neither saw Ron, who was supposed to be at home sick with spattergroit.
Imprisonment and release
After the trio’s escape, Xenophilius was arrested and sent to Azkaban. His attempted betrayal was unknown, with the anti-Potter issue of the Quibbler buried under the debris of his home and never distributed. He was released after Voldemort’s death defeat on the 2 May of 1998. Luna, in the meantime, was rescued by the house-elf Dobby from Malfoy Manor, meaning they both survived the war. Harry, Ron and Hermione preserved Xenophilius’ reputation and never revealed the truth, as his attempted betrayal had been motivated solely by concern for his daughter.
Later life
As an adult, Luna would soon come to realise the truth about her father, and accepted that some of his creatures did not exist. She married Rolf Scamander, grandson of the famous Newt Scamander, and the couple had twins, Lorcan and Lysander, thus making Xenophilius a grandfather.
It is not known what happened to Xenophilius beyond this, except that when his daughter travelled to the Patagonian Desert, in Argentina, to attend the final of the 427th Quidditch World Cup, in July 2014, Lorcan and Lysander were left at home "with grandpa", which may have meant Xenophilius or the twins' paternal grandfather (Newton Scamander's son or son-in-law).
Physical appearance
Xenophilius was an eccentric-looking wizard, who looked slightly cross-eyed and had shoulder length hair that was the texture of candyfloss.
At Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour’s wedding, he wore a cap with a tassel that dangled in front of his nose, and wore a golden chain around his neck, that bore the sign of the Deathly Hallows, sometimes mistaken as the mark of Gellert Grindelwald. He also wore robes of an eye-watering shade of egg-yolk yellow, which Muriel said made him look like an omelette.
Personality and traits
- Hermione Granger: "I mean, you could claim that anything's real if the only basis for believing in it is that nobody's proved it doesn't exist!"
- Xenophilius Lovegood: "Yes, you could. I am glad to see that you are opening your mind a little."
- — Xenophilius speaking to a frustrated Hermione Granger about the Deathly Hallows[src]
Xenophilius dancing with Luna at the Wedding
Xenophilius cared a great deal about his daughter Luna, and shared her strange beliefs; he was likely the cause of them. He thought the Daily Prophet was an awful paper, and only published stories that he thought were important and needed to be known by the public. He was extremely firm in his bizarre beliefs and felt those who disbelieve in them are "painfully limited", "narrow" and "close-minded ". Every time a sceptic demands the evidences for his beliefs, he in turn asks them to prove them untrue themselves.
Due to his bizarre views, many in the wizarding world thought he was senile. Elfred Worple even remembered him as a "seriously unbalanced man" after meeting him at one of his book signings. According to Luna, her father did not care about making money and did not pay people to write for The Quibbler; she claims they did so because it was an honour to see their name in print. Luna also said that her father was supportive of any anti-Ministry action. Mr Lovegood fully supported Harry Potter and encouraged others to do so as well, until his daughter was kidnapped by Death Eaters. Xenophilius cared about Luna so much that he was willing to hand Harry, Ron and Hermione over to the Death Eaters in exchange for his daughter.
Xenophilius believed in the Deathly Hallows, (which actually proved to be real), as well as numerous magical cryptids such as Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. He also believed that gnomes had powerful magic, and that the dirigible plum would enhance one's ability to accept the extraordinary. Although he sought the Deathly Hallows, given his personality, he was likely interested in them more as a matter of curiosity about such unusual objects, rather than a desire to actually possess or use them.
Given his tendency to believe in anything dubious and ridiculous, Xenophilius sometimes becomes the subject of pranks, such as when a young wizard gave him an Erumpent horn and claimed that it belonged to a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. Unbeknownst to Lovegood, the Erumpent horn will explode if given even the slightest touch. This also shows that he is ignorant about some magical creatures, as he was unable to identify the horn at first glance.
Magical abilities and skills
- Love: Xenophilius loved his daughter Luna and cared about her safety and welfare immensely, as he was distraught when the Death Eaters kidnapped her for ransom in 1998. He was even willing to betray Harry Potter to them, in the hopes of them releasing Luna and being reunited with her. This shows what drastic and desperate lengths Xenophilius was willing to go to keep his daughter safe from harm, by going as far as betraying his own beliefs and cause. He was also likely heart-broken following the tragic death of his wife Pandora, showing him to have been an incredibly loving and caring father and husband indeed.
- Duelling: Xenophilius was capable of casting a particularly powerful Stunning Spell, showing him to have had some skill in martial magic, which also implies he was a reasonably skilled duellist as well.
- Herbology: Xenophilius grew various magical plants in his garden, such as Dirigible plums and Snargaluffs, implying Xenophilius was skilled in and knowledgeable of this field.
- Charms: Xenophilius could cast a non-corporeal Patronus Charm,[5] which is a mark of superior magical ability and talent, given the immense difficulty of casting the charm, implying he was highly proficient in charm-work.
- Study of Ancient Runes: In the July or August edition in 1995, the Quibbler published a segment written in ancient Runes, implying he was capable of understanding and translating such runes himself, and that he may have even studied the subject at Hogwarts.[10]
- Journalism: Xenophilius was the editor of the Quibbler, and in the tabloid he published various bizarre and often unproven conspiracy theories. Despite the often ridiculous nature of the Quibbler's content, he was still implied to be a skilled journalist and writer nonetheless, as they were those who truly believed his wild tales and theories.
Possessions
Xenophilius' wand
- Wand: Xenophilius's was of an unknown length, wood and core materials. He or his parents purchased it prior to his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
- Dress robes: Xenophilius Lovegood wore brightly-coloured dress robes to the wedding of William Weasley and Fleur Delacour, along with the symbol of the Deathly Hallows. He explained that wearing sun colours to a wedding was believed to be good luck. His daughter, Luna, wore the same colours to the wedding.
- Necklace: This was an ornament that he wore to Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding. Some, like Viktor Krum suspected him of being a Dark Wizard, but actually the necklace simply bears the symbol of the Deathly Hallows.
- House: The Lovegood House is a black-coloured cylindrical house on top of a hill with a stream at the base of it, located near the village of Ottery St Catchpole. It is the home of Xenophilius and and his daughter Luna during Luna's childhood.
- Erumpent horn: Xenophilius owned an Erumpent horn that he claimed to be the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack. He proudly displayed it and accidentally blew it up, which resulted in his home being torn apart.
- Bust of Rowena Ravenclaw: This bust of Rowena Ravenclaw was created by Xenophilius Lovegood, who was trying to recreate the magical properties of her diadem.
Etymology
Xenophilius' name comes from two Greek words: Xenos "strange" and -Phile "love". As opposed to xenophobe, one who fears the strange, his name means "one who loves the strange."
Xenophilius' name bears a similarity to the X-Files, and like X-Files main character Fox Mulder, he describes himself as a "believer." Both characters investigate and believe in numerous conspiracy theories which are not accepted by their mainstream culture.
Behind the scenes
- In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Xenophilius is played by Welsh actor Rhys Ifans.
- In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Xenophilius triggers the Taboo, which leads to the capture of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, which differs from the book, where Harry triggers the Taboo.
- It is possible that Xenophilius and Luna fought the Death Eaters at the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour after it was attacked.
Appearances
Xenophilius Lovegood in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
Xenophilius Lovegood as a LEGO minifigure
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Mentioned only, not by name)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Mentioned as "dad")
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (Appears in deleted scene(s)) (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Harry Potter (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- Harry Potter: The Character Vault
- Harry Potter: The Creature Vault (Mentioned only)
Notes and references
- ↑ Assuming he had already graduated from Hogwarts when his daughter was born.
- ↑ Xenophilius was not forced to go on the run when Snatchers began scouring across Great Britain, thus he could not have been Muggle-born.
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 8 (The Wedding) - "Slightly cross-eyed, with shoulder-length white hair the texture of candyfloss"
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 21 (The Tale of the Three Brothers) - "Xenophilius’s paper-white face appeared over the top of the sideboard."
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7
- ↑ In Harry Potter: The Artifact Vault, an officially licenced book, Xenophillius, in the chapter about Ravenclaw's diadem, is described as being a Ravenclaw like his daughter. Details in the book are considered canon unless contradicted by higher sources.
- ↑ Mentioned on the Half-Blood Prince script released on the Warner Bros. Awards website
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 8 (The Wedding)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 21 (The Tale of the Three Brothers)
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Chapter 10 (Luna Lovegood)
