The Defense Against the Dark Arts class saw many teachers come and go during the events in the Harry Potter series, and the oddest one was, by far, Gilderoy Lockhart. Albus Dumbledore’s decision to hire Lockhart has been questioned by fans, but as it turns out, it was all part of a plan. Readers all over the world were introduced to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World in 1997 with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first entry in a book series that came to an end ten years later.
A new way to experience the Wizarding World began in 2001 with the Harry Potter film series, culminating in 2011 with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2. The films introduced a new audience to Harry Potter and company, and one character that left a big impression in viewers was Gilderoy Lockhart, played by Kenneth Branagh. Lockhart was introduced in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and was a very popular author and wizard celebrity who went on to become the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher after what happened to Quirrell in the previous book/film.
Lockhart was loved by a lot of people who bought his books and thought of him as a hero and very skilled wizard, but he wasn’t that popular among teachers (and some students) at Hogwarts. Lockhart’s arrival was a decision that many fans have questioned, as it doesn’t quite fit with Dumbledore’s vision and plans as Hogwarts Headmaster, but he actually had very good reasons to hire him.
Gilderoy Lockhart became a celebrity thanks to his autobiographical books that told his many adventures and battles against all types of creatures. He was very arrogant and narcissistic, and the reason why he agreed to take the job of professor at Hogwarts was because teaching Harry Potter would seal his fame, as suggested by Dumbledore. Lockhart turned out to be a fraud, and the only thing he was good at was casting the Memory Charm, which he used with many wizards and witches in order to steal their memories and truly heroic achievements, which he claimed as his own in his books. Dumbledore knew this, and that’s exactly why he offered him the job.
As explained by Rowling in Wizarding World (formerly Pottermore), Dumbledore knew two of the wizards who had their life’s work stolen by Lockhart, and thought that if he was put back into an ordinary school setting, he would be revealed as a charlatan and a fraud – and that’s exactly what happened. It didn’t take long for Lockhart to show how inept he was at everything he claimed to be an expert at in his books. Because all he had done in years was cast the Memory Charm, the rest of his magical skills were rusty, hence why everything he did didn’t turn out well. Luckily for Ron and Harry, the only spell Lockhart was good at backfired due to Ron’s damaged wand, which resulted in all his past memories being wiped out.
Lockhart ended up in St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries as he never recovered, though he still signed autographs and received fan mail, even if he didn’t know why. Harry felt slightly guilty when he came across with him at the hospital in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but reminded himself that it was Lockhart’s fault. Hiring Lockhart in order to expose him and ridicule him in front of the students at Hogwarts sounds cruel, but when looking at everything Lockhart did to other wizards and witches, it’s understandable that Dumbledore did what he did.
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