Dumbledore and Lockhart

[lea.macleod at gmx.net]

No: HPFGUIDX 16233

Good thinking, Meckelburg (if that is your name...)!

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., meckelburg at f... wrote:

> I think Dumbledore knows Lockhart is a fake from the beginning 

Yes, the phrase "impaled upon your own sword" reveals that (when 
Dumbledore learns Lockhart has been hit by his own memory charm).

> Even Dumbledore could not know he would need a "real"DADA- Wizard. 

Could he not, with Voldemort in person having been present at Hogwarts  
for a whole year (inside Quirrel)? I think it was rather that he just 
couldn´t find anyone (NO, Snape does NOT want the job!!!). So he 
decided he´s make the best of the situation and

> let the 
> children find out by themselves, that "not everything that glows is 
> gold". 

I would like to extend this theory to Prof. Trelawny. I think 
Dumbledore lets the kids study Divination in order to make them see 
that prediciting the future is really, as Prof. McGonagall puts it, "a 
very imprecise branch of magic". Or in order to find the occasional 
"true seer" (everybody looking forward to Lavender and Parvati doing 
the astrological column in Witch Weekly after leaving Hogwarts?).

But I agree with Hermione that it doesn´t take long to realise 
Divination is crap, so it´s really a waste of time to let the kids 
study it for YEARS. They could really "be doing something 
useful instead".

Meckelburg continues:

> I believe, Lockhart and Lupin belong *together* to show the Hogwarts 
> pupils, and the Readers, "Don't judge a book by its cover ". :)
> Lockhart seems all "shiny". His appearance and his books tell 
> everybody what a great Teacher he would be . Lupin in comparison is 
> ragged and does not want attention. He "seems" to not have much to 
> say. After those two years however, we know it is the other way 
> round. Lupin really has informatio to give, AND knows how to give 
it 
> too, and Lockhart is just a neat poster.


That´s very well put, too.

Lockhart is the personified "all that glitters is not gold" 
(Shakespeare), while Lupin stands for "all that is gold does not 
glitter" (Tolkien).