You’re wandering through the Restricted Section or maybe just trying to sneak into the Faculty Tower at night, and suddenly, you see it. A glowing, creepy little statue of a monkey clutching a glass orb. Your character mutters something about "Demiguise statues," and if you’ve spent more than five hours in the game, you’re probably already triggered by the sound of the man behind the moon's Hogwarts Legacy questline.
That man is Gladwin Moon.
He’s the Hogwarts caretaker, a man whose entire existence seems defined by a crippling fear of invisible primates and a very specific, very annoying fetch quest. But there's more to Moon than just being the guy who teaches you Alohomora. Honestly, if you look at the lore tucked away in notes and dialogue, he’s a fascinatingly flawed character who represents a weird bridge between the "polite" wizarding world and its darker, prank-heavy underbelly.
Why Gladwin Moon is Terrified of Statues
Gladwin Moon isn't just quirky. He’s traumatized.
The whole "Man Behind the Moons" thing started because of a childhood incident in Korea. Moon saw a Demiguise, and the experience rattled him so deeply that it manifested into a lifelong phobia. It’s a bit pathetic when you think about it—a grown man, the caretaker of the most famous magic school in Britain, terrified of a statue. But that’s the point. The person who placed these statues, Piers Pemberton, knew exactly how to twist the knife.
Pemberton was a bully from Moon's youth. He didn't just want to pull a prank; he wanted to mentally break the guy. By placing these "Demiguise Moons" all over Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, he effectively turned Moon's workplace into a living nightmare.
You’re essentially acting as Moon’s therapist-via-larceny.
Every time you pick up a moon, you’re clearing a piece of his psychological baggage. It’s a classic RPG trope, sure, but the narrative weight of a man being bullied well into his adult years by a ghost from his past adds a layer of "realness" that Hogwarts Legacy often lacks in its more whimsical moments.
The Mechanics of the Hunt
Let’s be real: the quest is a grind. You need these moons to upgrade Alohomora to Level II and Level III. Without it, half the game remains locked behind wooden doors.
Here is how the progression actually breaks down:
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- Initial Quest: You meet Moon near the Faculty Tower, he's shaking, he shows you the first statue. You learn the basic spell.
- Level II: You need to bring him 9 Moons. This usually involves scouring the base level of Hogsmeade and the easier-to-reach hamlets.
- Level III: This requires 13 more Moons.
Total count? You need 22 for the upgrades, but there are 33 statues in total. Most players stop at 22 because, frankly, finding the rest is just for the trophy/achievement hunters and completionists. The statues only glow at night. This is a crucial detail because if you’re running around during the day, you can see the statues, but you can’t interact with them. You have to open your map and "Wait" to trigger the night cycle.
Where to Find the Most Elusive Moons
If you’re stuck, you’re probably looking in the wrong places. Everyone finds the one in the Prefects' Bathroom or the one in the Hogsmeade back alleys. But the man behind the moon's Hogwarts Legacy secrets are often hidden in the most mundane spots.
Check the Divination Classroom. It’s a pain to climb up there, but there’s one sitting right on Professor Onai’s desk. Another one is tucked away in the Long Gallery, behind a Level II lock—which creates a bit of a "chicken and egg" problem if you haven't done your first set of returns to Moon yet.
Don't ignore the hamlets.
Places like Upper Hogsfield, Aranshire, and Lower Hogsfield each have one. They are almost always inside a locked house. This makes the quest feel like a series of mini-heists. You’re breaking into a villager's home at 2:00 AM to steal a statue for a frightened janitor. When you put it that way, the protagonist is kind of a menace.
The Pemberton Connection
Eventually, you confront the source.
After you’ve collected enough moons, you find out about Piers Pemberton. The interaction is brief, but it reframes the entire quest. It wasn't a dark wizard plot. It wasn't an ancient magic trial. It was just a guy being a jerk.
Pemberton felt that Moon was a "snitch" or simply unworthy of his position. It’s a very human motivation. In a world of dragons and goblins, a story about an old school rivalry being settled with enchanted statues is oddly refreshing. It reminds you that even in the 1890s, wizarding society was full of petty people with too much time on their hands.
Maximizing Your Search Efficiency
Stop wandering aimlessly.
The best way to handle this quest is to wait until you have the high-definition Revelio range upgrade from the Talent tree. This turns the quest from a needle-in-a-haystack nightmare into a "follow the blue glow" simulator.
- Fly over hamlets at night.
- Cast Revelio while on your broom.
- The statues will glow blue through walls.
- Mark the house, land, and enter.
If you’re inside Hogwarts, the "Mutt and Jeff" approach works best. Use the Floo Flames to hit the Great Hall, the Library Annex, and the Astronomy Wing. These three hubs contain the highest density of statues.
Honestly, the reward for finishing the whole thing isn't even the spell—it's the silence. Once the quest is over, Moon stops whining. You get the "Demiguise Dread" trophy, and you finally have the freedom to enter any room in the game.
What This Quest Tells Us About Hogwarts Lore
The presence of Gladwin Moon is a direct nod to the "Caretaker" archetype established by Argus Filch. But unlike Filch, who is bitter because he’s a Squib, Moon is bitter because he’s a coward. It’s a different flavor of pathetic.
It also adds depth to the Demiguise itself. We know from the Fantastic Beasts lore that Demiguise hair is used to make Invisibility Cloaks. The statues aren't just random; they represent a creature that is notoriously hard to catch. Making them hold moons—which only "appear" at night—is a clever bit of symbolic prankery by Pemberton.
Actionable Steps for the Completionist
If you want to wrap this up quickly, follow this specific order. Don't just grab every moon you see.
- Priority 1: Get the 9 moons required for Level II Alohomora immediately. Focus on Hogsmeade. There are 9 statues in Hogsmeade alone. You can literally finish this stage without ever leaving the village.
- Priority 2: Hit the Faculty Tower. Since the quest starts there, you can pick up a couple during the introductory stealth mission.
- Priority 3: Go for the "World Map" statues last. The hamlets are spread out and take the most travel time.
Once you have Level III, the game changes. You can access the best gear chests in the game, many of which are hidden behind those high-level locks in the various towers of Hogwarts.
The man behind the moon's Hogwarts Legacy isn't just a side quest; it's the key to the game's economy and exploration. Grab the statues, ignore Moon's trembling, and get that Level III lockpick as fast as humanly possible.
The most efficient route is to clear Hogsmeade first, then the South Wing of Hogwarts, and finally the Great Hall. By the time you hit the Highlands, you'll already be a master thief. Just remember to keep your internal clock set to nighttime, or you'll be staring at a lot of non-interactive porcelain for nothing.
To wrap this up, head back to Gladwin Moon once you have the final batch. He’ll be standing near the Grand Staircase or his usual spot. The dialogue isn't life-changing, but the sense of relief—both for him and your quest log—is worth it.
Next Steps for Players:
- Check your "Collections" menu under "Appearances" to see how many Demiguise Moons you’ve actually tracked.
- Use the "Wait" function on the Map screen (R3/Right Stick on consoles) to instantly switch to night if you find a statue during the day.
- Focus on the Hogsmeade statues first to unlock Alohomora Level II before exploring the wider world map.