Why did Dumbledore hire Lockhart?

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Gilderoy Lockhart is a notoriously incompetent Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Why did Dumbledore, one of the greatest wizards of all and a very perceptive man, hire him for such an important position? We enlisted several of Lockhart’s colleagues at Hogwarts to help answer this vexing question.

The Verdict: Albus Dumbledore always had a knack for seeing potential in people that others did not. He hired Lockhart because he believed that even with his shortcomings, his students would learn something from him.

PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL: "I remember when Gilderoy Lockhart was first hired as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Many of us were quite surprised, as his credentials and reputation as a wizard seemed quite questionable. But Albus Dumbledore had always had a knack for seeing potential in people that others did not. So, we all waited with bated breath to see what he would bring to the position."

PROFESSOR SNAPE: "Potential? More like delusions of grandeur. It was clear from the start that Lockhart had no real knowledge or skill in defensive magic. He relied solely on his charm and good looks to win over the students and staff."

HAGRID: "I don't know about all that, but I do know he was never one for gettin' his hands dirty. Never wanted to go on a real creature hunt with the students, always used pictures from his books instead."

SNAPE: "I always told Dumbledore his habit of tolerating fools would come to no good. But

he seemed to have some sort of personal connection with Lockhart. I always suspected that perhaps he had helped Dumbledore in some way in the past, and that was why he was given the position."

PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL: "That could be true. Albus was always one to repay a debt, and he had a great sense of loyalty to those who had helped him. But whatever his reasons for hiring Lockhart, it became quite clear that he was not suited for the job. He was removed from the position after only one year, and the students and staff were all quite relieved."

HAGRID: "Aye, it was for the best. The students deserved a proper professor who could actually teach them how to defend themselves against the dark arts."

PROFESSOR SNAPE: "I remember when I heard that he got the job. Of course, I applied that year, and I knew I would have been a much better fit for the position. Dumbledore called me into his office and said:

"Severus, I know you have the knowledge and skill to teach defensive magic, but I need someone with a different approach this year. Gilderoy has a way of connecting with the students that I believe will be beneficial for the school."

I thought that was ridiculous and told him so, but he was adamant that Lockhart was the right choice.”

PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL: "Well, the first time I met Lockhart, he was strutting around the castle like a peacock, preening for the students and staff. He had an air of false confidence that was almost comical. But it quickly became clear that he was not the wizard he claimed to be. He struggled to keep the students engaged in his lessons and often had to rely on his books and past accomplishments to impress them."

HAGRID: "And even then, it was all lies. He had never really done any of the things he claimed to have done in his books. He just made them up to make himself look good."

PROFESSOR SNAPE: "It was a farce. The students were not learning anything useful and were becoming increasingly disillusioned with the subject. I remember one particularly embarrassing incident where he attempted to demonstrate a spell and ended up blasting himself in the face with it."

PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL: "Yes, that was quite a spectacle. The students couldn't stop laughing and Gilderoy was left with a temporary case of memory loss. It was quite clear at that point that he was not fit to continue as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor."

HAGRID: “I remember one incident where he took a group of students into the Forbidden Forest to catch a werewolf, and he ended up getting them all lost and nearly attacked. It was a miracle they made it back safely."

PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL: "Dumbledore eventually had to remove him from the position, and the school breathed a sigh of relief. It was a difficult lesson for us all, but we learned that even the most charming and charismatic wizard can still be a terrible teacher."