Wrackspurts

• Type: Magical Creature (existence unconfirmed by mainstream Wizarding society)
• Owners: Luna Lovegood and her father, Xenophilius Lovegood, are the primary believers in and proponents of the existence of Wrackspurts.
• Maker: Not applicable; believed by proponents to be a naturally occurring creature.

Wrackspurts are described as invisible to the naked eye. According to Luna Lovegood, they can only be seen with the aid of special devices such as Spectrespecs, which were given away in an issue of The Quibbler. While the books do not provide a direct visual description of Wrackspurts as seen through the Spectrespecs, Luna's use of them implies a visible form. In the film adaptation, they are depicted as small, glowing, bug-like particles of light. Their existence, however, is not accepted by more pragmatic members of the Wizarding World, such as Hermione Granger.

The primary attributed effect of a Wrackspurt infestation is mental confusion. Luna Lovegood claims that they float in through a person's ears and make their brain “go fuzzy.” This can manifest as disorientation, distraction, or a general feeling of being dazed. Luna has demonstrated a method for repelling them, which involves a strange, fluttering dance and a chanted phrase. She performed this near Harry Potter when she believed he was afflicted by them, hoping to clear his head. The effectiveness of this method is, like the creatures themselves, unconfirmed.

Wrackspurts are primarily mentioned in the latter half of the series, always in connection with Luna Lovegood's unique perspective.

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  • On the Hogwarts Express, Luna discovers Harry Potter immobilised under his Invisibility Cloak after being petrified by Draco Malfoy. Wearing her Spectrespecs, she identifies his dazed state as being caused by his head being “full of Wrackspurts,” which is what drew her to his compartment.
  • Later in the school year, Luna finds a frustrated Harry in a corridor and suggests his brain is “fuddled with Wrackspurts,” which is why he cannot think clearly about how to retrieve a memory from Professor Slughorn.
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  • After the escape from Malfoy Manor to Shell Cottage, Luna diagnoses Garrick Ollivander's traumatised and confused state as being due to a head full of Wrackspurts, advising that he needs fresh air to clear them out.

Wrackspurts are a significant element in the characterisation of Luna Lovegood, representing her firm belief in things that lack conventional proof. They symbolise her distinct worldview, shaped by her father and his magazine, The Quibbler. Functionally, Wrackspurts serve as a minor plot device; most notably, Luna's ability to “see” them allows her to rescue Harry from the Hogwarts Express when no one else could find him. Their appearances provide moments of comic relief and highlight the philosophical differences between Luna's faith-based magical understanding and Hermione's logic-based approach. They underscore the theme that there may be more to the magical world than is commonly known or accepted.

• The existence of Wrackspurts is intentionally left ambiguous by J.K. Rowling, similar to other creatures featured in The Quibbler like the Crumple-Horned Snorkack. It is never definitively proven whether they are real or simply a product of the Lovegoods' eccentric beliefs.
• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Wrackspurts are given a visual form. When Luna wears the Spectrespecs, she and the audience can see them as tiny, orange, wiggly specks of light floating around Harry's head. (film)
• In the LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 video game, Wrackspurts appear as invisible collectibles. The player must use a character wearing Spectrespecs (such as Luna) to make them visible and collect them. (video game)