[HPforGrownups] Re: Dumbledore's employment policy (WAS: Characters You Hate)

[Irene Mikhlin]

No: HPFGUIDX 51183



Grey Wolf wrote:

 > I don't think that Dumbledore would've been
> aquainted with Lockhart before he hired him, and thus there is no way 
> Dumbledore could've known that Lockhart hadn't done all those things. 
> And, since those things *were* done, they probably would be believable 
> enough to think that Lockhart, beyond his showmanship, really knew 
> about DADA.
> 
> Dumbledore would've surely known that Lockhart was full of himself, of 
> course (how could anyone not know?), but that is no reason *not* to 
> hire someone. And no-one suspected of him before getting to know him. 

Actually my theory is just the opposite. Lockhart boasts to be a member 
of the Dark Force Defence League, and I always imagined Dumbledore was a 
member too. If Lockhart hijacks any conversation during the league 
meetings the way he does with Hogwarts teachers, all the real activity 
of this useful league must be paralysed. Dumbledore does not act very 
surprised when he learns what happened to Lockhart. "Impaled upon your 
own sword, Gilderoy?" indicates Dumbledore is quite familiar with 
Lockhart's methods. Probably he wanted to get Lockhart as a teacher in 
Hogwarts to expose him to the wizarding world and to get rid of him in 
the Defence League.

Irene