- "Let me introduce you to your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher... me!"
- — Gilderoy Lockhart[src]
Gilderoy Lockhart was a famous Wizarding celebrity who authored many books on dark creatures and his encounters with them. He was Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for the 1992-1993 school year. He has received many prestigious awards, such as Order of Merlin, Third Class; Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League; and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award. He never actually did any of the heroic acts he talked about, but instead used his considerable talent in Memory Charms to force the actual people who had done them into forgetting what they did.
Biography
Early Life
Little is known of Lockhart's early life, and considering his dishonesty, everything he says must be taken with a grain of salt. He claimed that he was once a nobody and, apparently, tried to get himself noticed as a child, but failed, although he developed a precocious talent for Memory Charms. Lockhart also claimed that he was once a Seeker, suggesting that he played Quidditch and offered to give Harry Potter private Quidditch lessons. He also claimed that he had been asked to try out for the National Squad but turned the offer down, instead dedicating his life to, in his words, "eradicating dark forces". Which is unlikely considering him being a fraud.
Lockhart in Flourish and Blotts
Career
Gilderoy Lockhart became an accomplished author. His books were very popular and he reserved a special quill of peacock feather just for book signings. As a publicity stunt, Lockhart gifted Harry Potter with an entire, brand-new set of all his books, which were on the required list for Hogwarts students. Harry gave them to Ginny Weasley, both because he could afford his own set and also because he didn't particularly cherish his interaction with Lockhart. Nine of Lockhart's books about eradicating dark forces were published before his stint as a Hogwarts professor. The tenth book was published after he left the position there.
Published Works
Lockhart and his books.
- Break with a Banshee
- Gadding with Ghouls
- Gilderoy Lockhart's Guide to Household Pests
- Holidays with Hags
- Magical Me
- Travels with Trolls
- Voyages with Vampires
- Wanderings with Werewolves
- Who Am I?
- Year with the Yeti
Hogwarts Professor
Gilderoy Lockhart became Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry during the 1992-93 school year. His classroom and office at Hogwarts were decorated with pictures and portraits of himself which moved and smiled. He also decorated the office with copies of his publications.
"Second Year Essential Knowledge Test"
For his first lesson, he gave his second-year class a test which had nothing to do with Defence, but instead concerned his autobiography, Magical Me and the parts of his books just referring to him. He then proceded to release a cageful of Cornish Pixies into the classroom, causing a large amount of pandemonium. He was not popular among his fellow Hogwarts staff members, and constantly gave them unsolicited pointers on their specialties. They found him extremely obnoxious and could not take him seriously as a professor.
After the pixie chaos, Lockhart didn't bring any more live creatures into class, but instead read from his books and re-enacted several portions of his "achievements", sometimes dragging Harry to help him with it. As such, the class didn't learn anything about true Defence, and Ron claimed that he only learned not to set pixies loose.
Harry helping Lockhart answer his fan mail.
After a Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, in which the Gryffindor seeker Harry Potter had his arm broken by a rogue bludger, Lockhart offered to help repair his arm, but ended up removing all the bones in Harry's arm. Lockhart founded a short-lived dueling club for students. He made a fool of himself at the very first meeting by being disarmed by Severus Snape, and saying that he allowed Snape to do so.
Lockhart was exposed as a fraud when, trying to avoid traveling into the Chamber of Secrets, he revealed to Harry Potter and Ron Weasley that he had not actually performed any of the amazing feats described in his books. Rather, he had been stealing stories and experiences from accomplished wizards and placing Memory Charms on them to take credit for their accomplishments. He tried to modify the students' memories to take credit for braving the Chamber of Secrets (though his plan included allowing Ginny Weasley to perish inside and for the two boys to "go mad") but the spell backfired when he tried to use Ron's broken wand. Consequently, Gilderoy damaged his own memory beyond repair, and was admitted to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries as a permanent resident.
Later Life
Gilderoy Lockhart after the Chamber of Secrets incident.
On Christmas, 1995, Harry Potter saw Lockhart at St. Mungo's. He had regained his memory to the extent that he could write joined-up letters.
The Healer who looked after Lockhart stated he never got visitors, suggesting that his family was either dead or didn't care for him, or consists of only Muggles. However, Lockhart still gets fan mail, though he has no idea why.
Though his memories were recovering at a slow but steady rate, he never fully recovered.
Physical Description and Traits
Gilderoy Lockhart holding up his Magical Me book.
- "To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award."
- — Lockhart's 'Get Well' card to Hermione Granger[src]
Gilderoy Lockhart is a male wizard with wavy blonde hair and particularly straight and shiny teeth. He is known for wearing flamboyant and flashy robes in a wide assortment of colors. Housewives such as Molly Weasley and teenage girls such as Hermione Granger and Susan Bones found him especially attractive.
Gilderoy Lockhart is extremely vain and highly self-obsessed. He claimed to have done many great deeds, though in actuality he was a fraud and merely took credit for what other wizards had done. He was, however, quite skilled with Memory Charms.
Behind the scenes
- J. K. Rowling has made it known that Gilderoy Lockhart is the only character in the series to be based upon a real person, and claims that she "barely exaggerated" the personality. She has refused, however, to specify who that is.
- A rumor circulated that the character of Gilderoy Lockhart was based on J. K. Rowling's ex-husband, but this was roundly refuted on her website. She termed the rumor "toxic", "hurtful," and "damaging."
- Hugh Grant was going to play the part of Professor Lockhart at first, but due to scheduling problems he was replaced by Kenneth Branagh
- Lockhart was in an early draft of the Order of the Phoenix film, but written out in the final version. Had he remained, it would have been the first time Kenneth Branagh and ex-wife Emma Thompson were in the same film together since their divorce in 1995.
Etymology
Gilderoy is defined as a highwayman known for being handsome. May also come from the word "gilded," which is defined as having a "pleasing, showy appearance, which covers something of little worth." This is very fitting considering Gilderoy's supposed good looks covered up the truth about his inability to function as a powerful wizard. The name "Roy" is Old French for "regal one" or "king."
J.K. Rowling stated in a radio interview with BBC 4 that she found the name Lockhart on a war memorial. Lockhart is a world renowned psychologist whose particular interest is in the study of memory and levels of processing. She did a lot of research in this area in the late 1970s. Lockhart is also a town in Australia near Wagga Wagga, which could be a reference to him having supposedly defeated the Wagga Wagga Werewolf in his book Wanderings with Werewolves. 'Lockhart' could also be possible play on words as he seems to have so many women's "heart locked" on him.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First appearance)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (video game)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (Appears on a portrait)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)