Gilderoy Lockhart
Template:HP Character Gilderoy Lockhart (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) is a fictional character in the Harry Potter series of books. He is a famous wizarding celebrity, having written many books on Dark Creatures and his encounters with them. He has blond, wavy hair and particularly straight and shiny teeth. He is narcissistic, highly self-obsessed, and something of a buffoon. Despite his celebrity status amongst the wizarding community, his fan base consists mostly of middle-aged women and teenage girls (who find him especially attractive). His house is unknown.
Gilderoy Lockhart, in the school year of 1992-1993, was appointed to the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In his first lesson, he gave his second-year class a test which had nothing to do with the subject but instead concerned his biography. He was not popular amongst his fellow staff members and was particularly disliked by Professor Severus Snape, who sought the position Gilderoy held. However, teachers and students alike grew to tolerate him, and Hermione Granger developed a crush on him, much to the disgust of Harry and Ron. He was disliked by Harry Potter, partly because Gilderoy thought Harry had flown a car to Hogwarts with Ron Weasley because he was trying to make himself more famous. Gilderoy thought that when he had appeared in the Daily Prophet with Harry, it had put ideas into his head. He later thought that Harry was handing out signed photos because of him.
In the film version of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Lockhart was played by Kenneth Branagh. It is not yet known whether Branagh will return for the character's only other appearance thus far, in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Gilderoy Lockhart was exposed as a fraud when, trying to avoid travelling into the Chamber of Secrets, he revealed that he had not in fact performed all the amazing feats described in his books — instead, he had been stealing others' stories, placing memory charms on those people and taking credit for their accomplishments. When he tried to modify Harry Potter's and Ronald Weasley's memories so they would be unaware of this fraud, the spell backfired on him due to Ron's broken wand. Consequently, Gilderoy lost his memory, and was sent to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. On Christmas in 1995, Harry Potter saw Gilderoy in the hospital, slowly regaining his memory and saying he was so advanced that he could write joined-up letters. Lockhart still receives fan mail, though he no longer has any idea why.
Lockhart's Past
Nothing has been revealed about Lockhart's origins. Considering Lockhart's dishonesty, everything he says must be taken with a grain of salt. Lockhart claims he was once a nobody and, apparently, tried to get himself noticed as a child, but failed. It is worth noting that the Healer in charge of Lockhart at St. Mungo's said he never got visitors, suggesting that his family is dead, does not care for him, or consists of Muggles.
Trivia
According to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, although some characteristics of various characters come from people she knows, Gilderoy Lockhart is the only character she has ever specifically modelled after a real person. However, she refuses to name the person, only fiercely denying rumors that her first husband was the inspiration. She claims on her website that the real basis of Lockhart has such a big head he would never figure out it was him, and is probably going around claiming to be the inspiration for Dumbledore, or that he wrote the books but let her take the credit out of kindness.
Name meaning
JK Rowling stated in an interview with Stephen Fry that Gilderoy Lockhart's first name was derived from a handsome highwayman from British fable. His last name, like many of Rowling's last names, is Scottish and was taken from a war memorial.
