You're sneaking through the restricted section of the library or maybe creeping into a professor's private bedroom at midnight, and there it is. A small, shimmering silver statue of a cross-legged creature clutching a glowing orb. You try to grab it. Nothing happens. Your character says something about "mine now, Demiguise," but the prompt doesn't appear. It’s annoying. Honestly, Hogwarts Legacy Demiguise Moons are probably the most polarizing collectible in the entire game because they’re tied directly to your ability to actually explore the world. If you want to open Level II or Level III locks, you have to find these things. There is no way around it.
The catch? They only "activate" at night.
Gladwin Moon, the jittery caretaker with a crippling fear of these statues, is the one who sets you on this path. He’s convinced his peers are pranking him. He might be right. But for you, the player, these statues are the literal keys to the kingdom. Without them, you're stuck staring at locked doors in the Faculty Wing or missing out on high-end gear chests hidden in the Highlands.
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Why Everyone Struggles With the Demiguise Search
Most people think they can just fly around and Revelio their way to a platinum trophy. It doesn't work like that. The range on Revelio, even when upgraded through the Talent tree, is somewhat finicky when it comes to interior spaces. You can be standing right outside a cottage in Pitt-upon-Ford and miss the blue highlight because the statue is tucked behind a folding screen on the second floor.
It gets worse.
Because you can only pick them up at night, you’ll often find yourself standing in front of one during the day, waiting. Pro tip: you don't actually have to stand there and wait for the sun to go down naturally. Open your map and look at the bottom of the screen. There’s a "Wait" prompt (usually the R3 button on controllers). Use it. It fast-forwards time instantly. If you find a moon during the day, hit wait, grab the moon, and keep moving.
The Alohomora Wall
You need nine moons to upgrade to Alohomora Level II. You need another thirteen to hit Level III. That’s twenty-two statues in total beyond the initial ones Gladwin shows you. While there are thirty-three statues in the game, you don’t technically need all of them to max out your lockpicking skills, but if you're a completionist, you’re going to be hunting for a while.
The game layout is sneaky. You’ll find ten statues inside Hogwarts itself, nine scattered across Hogsmeade, and the remaining fourteen are tucked away in small hamlets throughout the Highlands. The Highlands ones are actually the easiest to find because most hamlets only have one. If you see a "1/1" on your map legend for a specific village, you know you’re done there.
Hunting in the Castle: A Massive Headache
Hogwarts is a vertical labyrinth. Trying to find the Hogwarts Legacy Demiguise Moons inside the school is way harder than finding them in the open world.
Think about the Defense Against the Dark Arts tower. There’s one sitting in an office that requires you to walk through a specific set of stairs that don't even feel like they lead anywhere. Then there’s the one in the Muggle Studies classroom. Most players walk right past the entrance to that room because it’s tucked behind a dragon statue in a corridor that looks like a dead end.
The Great Hall and Library Annex
The Great Hall moon is tucked behind a Level I lock in a small room. It’s almost a gift. But the ones in the Library Annex? They’re cruel. You’ll find one in the Restricted Section—which you’ve already visited during a main quest—but you probably couldn't grab it then because it wasn't night or you didn't have the quest active yet. Going back down there feels like a chore, but it’s necessary.
Another one sits in the Divination classroom. You have to climb that long, spiraling ladder. It’s tedious. You’ll find the moon on Professor Onai’s desk. Honestly, the scale of Hogwarts is its own worst enemy here. You spend more time running through hallways than actually "finding" anything.
Hogsmeade is Actually Easier
Hogsmeade is compact. If you’re struggling to find the nine moons here, just start at the south entrance and work your way north in a literal zigzag.
- Tommes and Scrolls: Look in the back room behind the counter.
- Hog’s Head: It’s in the back room. The vibe in there is sketchy, but the moon is easy to spot.
- Gladrags Wizardwear: Right there on the counter.
- The Three Broomsticks: Go to the top floor. You’ll need to pick a lock, but it’s a straightforward grab.
There are also a few in private residences. Look for the houses with Level I locks. If a house has a lock on it in Hogsmeade, there is a 90% chance there’s either a collection chest or a Demiguise Moon inside.
The Highland Hamlets: The Fast Track to Upgrades
If you just want to get to Alohomora Level III as fast as possible, leave the castle. Seriously. Fly your broom to the small villages like Lower Hogsfield, Aranshire, and Upper Hogsfield.
Each of these tiny settlements usually has exactly one statue. They are almost always inside the house of the most prominent NPC in town. Or, occasionally, in a random hut on the outskirts. Because these areas are small, your Revelio ping will almost always catch the blue outline of the statue from the center of town.
Upper Hogsfield is a prime example. The statue is just sitting in a house. No complex puzzles. No shifting staircases. Just walk in and take it.
A Quick List of Easy Highland Moons
- Lower Hogsfield: In a house near the Floo Flame.
- Aranshire: On the upper floor of a cottage.
- Brocburrow: Tucked away in a quiet residence.
- Keenbridge: Look for the house with the gardens.
- Feldcroft: This one is in a house in the middle of the village.
The Frustration of the Night Cycle
The most common complaint is the lighting. At night, everything looks different. Shadows are longer. The blue glow of Revelio is brighter, sure, but it also reflects off every single spoon, kettle, and gold pouch in the room. This creates a lot of "visual noise."
You’ll find yourself chasing a blue glow only to realize it’s a bag of 12 Galleons.
To mitigate this, try turning up your brightness slightly in the settings specifically for this hunt. Or, better yet, use the "High Contrast" mode in the accessibility settings if you're really struggling to see the statues. It turns the statues a bright, neon color that is impossible to miss. It feels a bit like cheating, but considering how many hours you can lose looking for a single silver monkey, it's a valid strategy.
Common Misconceptions About the Moons
A lot of people think you need to find all thirty-three to get the best gear. You don't. The gear you find behind Level III locks is RNG-based (Random Number Generation). You might pick a Level III lock and find a pair of legendary glasses that are worse than the ones you bought at Gladrags.
The real value of the Hogwarts Legacy Demiguise Moons is the Field Guide completion and the ease of access. Being able to walk into any room in the game without seeing "Level III Lock" is a psychological relief.
Another misconception: that the statues move. They don't. They are static. If a guide tells you a statue is in a certain house in Marunweem, it’s there. If you don't see it, you're either there during the day or you've already picked it up. Check your map legend! Hover over the region or the town, and it will tell you exactly how many you’ve collected in that specific area. This is the only way to stay sane.
The Lore Behind the Statues
Why Demiguises? In the wizarding world, Demiguise hair is used to make Invisibility Cloaks. This is why the statues are so hard to find—they represent the "unseen." Gladwin Moon’s fear of them is played for laughs, but it’s actually a pretty clever bit of world-building. These statues are basically a 19th-century version of a "kick me" sign taped to his back. Someone went to a massive amount of effort to place these across the entire Scottish Highlands just to mess with one man.
That’s a level of petty I can respect.
Strategic Path to Level III
Don't just wander aimlessly. If you want to be efficient, follow this order:
First, finish the "The Man Behind the Moons" quest introduction. This gives you Level I.
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Immediately head to Hogsmeade. Clear out all nine moons there. They are close together and don't require much travel time. Then, hit the nearby hamlets like Lower Hogsfield and Aranshire. You will have nine moons in under thirty minutes.
Go back to Gladwin. Turn them in. Now you have Level II.
Now, you have access to almost every house in the Highlands. Fly south. Hit the hamlets in the southern regions. By the time you finish the circuit of villages, you’ll have the thirteen moons needed for Level III.
You don't even need to touch the ones inside Hogwarts to reach max level. This is the biggest "secret" to the grind. The castle is a time-sink. The Highlands are a goldmine.
Actionable Next Steps
To wrap this up and get your locks picked, here is your immediate game plan:
- Check your map: Hover over Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and each Highland region. Identify where you are missing moons.
- Switch to Night: If it’s day, open the map and hit the "Wait" button. You cannot interact with the statues in the sunlight.
- Focus on Hamlets: If you need moons for the Level III upgrade, ignore the castle. Fly to the small villages. They are faster to search and the statues are less hidden.
- Turn them in early: Don't wait until you have twenty-two. Turn in the first nine as soon as you have them so you can start opening Level II locks while you hunt for the rest.
- Listen for the chime: When you are near a Demiguise Moon, your character will often whisper something about it. More importantly, there is a slight magical chiming sound. If you hear it, stop moving and start spinning your camera.
Once you hit Level III, the game changes. You stop being a student restricted by rules and start being the person who can go anywhere. It’s a lot of work for a lockpicking spell, but in a game built on the joy of discovery, it’s the most important upgrade you’ll get.