Did/Will Lockhart ever recover from his malady?

In The Half-Blood Prince we are reintroduced to Professor Lockhart, while visiting St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies. He is still quite befuddled, but seems to have made some progress. Some of the old narcissism seems to have come out for a bit of air, leading me to believe there is a chance of recovery.

So, the questions to discuss are:

1. Did/Will he ever fully recover?

2. If he does recover, what kind of person will he be? Just as much full of himself, something different?

3. Will he ever recall his old life? Harry, Ron, the Chamber of Secrets?

4. Will any of his limited abilities ever return? Can he learn magic all over again?

5. If he does recover, will he be accountable for his fraudulence, plagurism, and assault upon those he harmed to gain his fame?

1. Did/Will he ever fully recover?

I don't think he will fully recover. Just regain most of his memories.

2. If he does recover, what kind of person will he be? Just as much full of himself, something different?

I think he will still have some of the arrogane. Bt I think he weill know not be exactly the same.

3. Will he ever recall his old life? Harry, Ron, the Chamber of Secrets?

I don't think he will remeber the chamber. I think his memory will block that out on peropise.

4. Will any of his limited abilities ever return? Can he learn magic all over again?

I think it will be limited abilitys. And I would like to think that he culdent mondify anyones memorys again... :D

5. If he does recover, will he be accountable for his fraudulence, plagurism, and assault upon those he harmed to gain his fame?

No becuse I think he well spend the rest of his life in Mungo's becuse it will never all come back to him.

JK Rowling Transcript: http://www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter/content.asp?sec=3&sec2=1

Jessie: Will Lockhart ever recover?

J.K. Rowling: No. Nor would I want him to. He’s happy where he is, and I’m happier without him!

I think that if there was an off-chance he would somehow get his memory back, then he should be held responsible for what he had done. I also think he would learn from his mistakes and change his ways.

I think his member will come back bit by bit very slowley, but it will come back that I'm sure of. Even though I think I perfer him with his memory wiped.

As JKR said... He's not getting out as in EVER... And I'm inclined to agree... If he gets out, Harry is in trouble again... Now whats the chance of him being the next darklord?

JKR once said she based Lockhart of an actual human being... I really wonder who that is... Thing is... She aint telling...

Which begs to wonder...
What house did he come from? Maybe Slytherin... Vain as he is... He could be an exchange student from Beauxbaton!

I was hoping for a Lockhart return but it was not to be. He was pretty awful so I guess it's best his memory stays lost forever.

Apart from the fact that he was played masterfully well by Kenneth Branagh, hamming it up to the hilt, there isn't much about Lockhart to recommend him to me. Let him stay in St. Mungo's! :evil:

Besides, he's happier as he is, signing his autographs and blissfully unaware of the outside world. Since now everyone knows he's a fraud, he wouldn't be well received back in the fold should he recover. At least I don't think so. :)

JK Rowling Transcript: http://www.bloomsbury.com/harrypotter/content.asp?sec=3&sec2=1

Jessie: Will Lockhart ever recover?

J.K. Rowling: No. Nor would I want him to. He’s happy where he is, and I’m happier without him!

I missed that transcript. Thanks for providing it.


This answers the question from JKR's point of view. It could still be a story of Fan Fiction, though not likely with JKR's blessing, unless he ends up right back where he is now.

I think his member will come back bit by bit very slowley

:blush: Are you SURE? ;)


Sorry, I couldn't help it....




Anyway - great to see the transcript - I am nt sure whether I had seen this before.

In any case, I wanted to come in to say that I didn't think he'd recover - and I don't think I'd want him to, either....

Poor Lockhart. What he did was horrible, and so in a way I think he deserved what he got. But then again, I'd like to think that he got a second chance at being himself - although, I think that if he did get his memory back he'd be exactly the same big-headed, egotistical man he had been previously. I think it's perhaps better for the general public that he stays in the confines of St Mungos.

1. Did/Will he ever fully recover?
I say yes. He was almost himself in OotP.

2. If he does recover, what kind of person will he be? Just as much full of himself, something different?
Both ! I think he would still be handsome wizard idol, but not a book writer. He could probably make it as a model or something ^^

3. Will he ever recall his old life? Harry, Ron, the Chamber of Secrets?
Umm ... Probably parts of it. Like some people who lose their memorys only ever recover bits of it, and slowly.

4. Will any of his limited abilities ever return? Can he learn magic all over again?
Yup I think so. Unless the memory charm modified his abilities, seeing as young wizards who aren't even aware they are magical can do uncontroled magic.

5. If he does recover, will he be accountable for his fraudulence, plagurism, and assault upon those he harmed to gain his fame?
Huh ?

1. Did/Will he ever fully recover?I don't think that he would ever fully recover. Since he was hit by a malfunctioning wands spell, I tend to think that the spell itself did quite a bit of damage to his memory.

2. If he does recover, what kind of person will he be? Just as much full of himself, something different?The same as he ever was, only with parts of his memory missing. He would still be as full of himself and arrogant as he was beforehand.

3. Will he ever recall his old life? Harry, Ron, the Chamber of Secrets?Most likely not. I doubt that he would, since the spell seemed to really affect his overall memory.

4. Will any of his limited abilities ever return? Can he learn magic all over again?Not sure on that one, but I tend to doubt it.

5. If he does recover, will he be accountable for his fraudulence, plagurism, and assault upon those he harmed to gain his fame?Possibly, since he was the one at fault for it. But most likely he won't be due to the memory charm that erased his memory.

Well,IMO,he wont ever be the same.Now Harry has all the glory ,so even if he did recover ,he wouldn't be as admired any more ,because Harry has gone and done much more greater things,and he is not boasting about them .
He could not even dream of obviating Harry ,because everyone knows It was him who defeated the dark lord.(with a lot of help of the Ron,Hermione,DD nd Snape if you ask me)
And then,would he even like being second best to Harry?
No...hes is better in ST.Mungos,for his own good,he better stay there.

I think he'd be better off not remembering, if he did, and was still the same full of himself type, then he'd get a bit of a shock when nobody cared anymore.

He was very funny in CoS, but still annoying!

I don't think that he would ever fully recover. Since he was hit by a malfunctioning wands spell, I tend to think that the spell itself did quite a bit of damage to his memory.

I quite agree. I mean he didn't even know who he was at the time. Plus - I don't recall it ever being mentioned that "everyone" knew he was a fraud. I thought only Harry and Ron did.

I don't recall it ever being mentioned that "everyone" knew he was a fraud. I thought only Harry and Ron did.
I think so.

I think so.

You think so what? That everyone knew or just Harry & Ron?

That everyone knew or just Harry & Ron?
sorry wasn´t clear.Only Harry and Ron.

In The Half-Blood Prince we are reintroduced to Professor Lockhart, while visiting St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies.
Forgive me, but wasn't it in OotP and not in HBP, that the Trio visited St. Mungo's after Arthur Weasley was attacked by Nagini?

Re: his being a fraud, methinks if he did recover, Harry and Ron would come out and say something, wouldn't let him go on having people think he did all those things. Also, shouldn't his victims be "rescued", their memories restored and credit given them for the exploits he claimed as his own?

This being said, I agree with the person who thought he's much better off where he is now than back in the real world with his lies and false claims exposed.

1. Did/Will he ever fully recover?
I say yes. He was almost himself in OotP.
We know that he will never fully recover, but JKR never specified to what extent he would recover. Did he progress past his condition in OotP, or did he hit a standstill at that point? I believe he may have improved some, but it would be minimal progression. Since he was regaining much of his "old self," I do not believe he was incredibly far from becoming what he used to be. However, for JKR to say he never recovers means, to me, that he does not wholly get past the most recent condition we saw him in.

I do not believe Ron and Harry proclaimed to the entire Wizarding population that Lockhart was a fraud, but the rumor obviously "got around." The Healer who was in charge of Lockhart's ward said that he was famous a couple of years back, which (as I take it) means that the Wizarding World discovered that he was a fake. Of course, his prolonged absence from the spotlight may have just caused the population to forget about him. However, Dumbledore told the entire school (at the end of term feast) that Lockhart would have to leave the DADA position to find himself. Most could gather from that statement that Lockhart had literally lost his mind (to which someone would try to find the reason as to why - most likely Rita Skeeter).
This being said, I agree with the person who thought he's much better off where he is now than back in the real world with his lies and false claims exposed.
I agree with J.K. Rowling as well. ;)

I think Lockhart was the victim of divine retribution, lol. Think of it, he erased the memories of how many people? He shouldn't recover.

Yet, I still don't think he suffered enough. You know what would really teach him his lesson? If when the wand exploded, all of his teeth got knocked out! :D

I think he will recover and then go on being just like he was before his illness. And all the women witches will swoon over him again, ignoring those who try to tell the "real story". Wizards seem to like heroes in their midst and he might be a fraud, but since he was supposed to be witty, charming and handsome, they would want their idol back in place to have another person to clamour over. Especially since people like Harry, Kingsley and others who did really heroic things did not want alcolades for it and so stayed out of the spotlight.

i think he will... after all when mr. weasley was confined in st. mungo's and when harry, ron and hermy saw him, he's still doing the signing of autograph he used to do way back in chamber of secrets.. that's a good sign that he's rcovering, wasnt it?

Forgive me, but wasn't it in OotP and not in HBP, that the Trio visited St. Mungo's after Arthur Weasley was attacked by Nagini?

Re: his being a fraud, methinks if he did recover, Harry and Ron would come out and say something, wouldn't let him go on having people think he did all those things. Also, shouldn't his victims be "rescued", their memories restored and credit given them for the exploits he claimed as his own?

This being said, I agree with the person who thought he's much better off where he is now than back in the real world with his lies and false claims exposed.

Yes, I beg your pardon for the transgression. It was indeed OoTP...

I think the notations of his ego showing through his loss of memory demonstrates that a leopard cannot change his spots...many personality traits are in fact ingrained and not learned.

I think he will recover and then go on being just like he was before his illness. And all the women witches will swoon over him again, ignoring those who try to tell the "real story". Wizards seem to like heroes in their midst and he might be a fraud, but since he was supposed to be witty, charming and handsome, they would want their idol back in place to have another person to clamour over. Especially since people like Harry, Kingsley and others who did really heroic things did not want alcolades for it and so stayed out of the spotlight.
I don't think it will be as bad as before. Hermione is definitely "off" him, and I don't see Mrs. Weasley still "fancying" him after he left her daughter and her son to the tender mercies of the Basilisk and Tom Riddle to save his own skin.

Besides, everyone knows he was nowhere near the battles of Hogwarts, still being in his ward at St. Mungo's. There's not much he can boast about now, even if Harry, Kingsley and company don't want the limelight, he won't be the one to benefit. IMO.

I don't think Lockhart would be completely alright. His very powerful memory charm was what got him. He may get better and want to sign a lot of autographs and talk of the *good old days*, though. :lol:

I don't think it will be as bad as before. Hermione is definitely "off" him, and I don't see Mrs. Weasley still "fancying" him after he left her daughter and her son to the tender mercies of the Basilisk and Tom Riddle to save his own skin.

Besides, everyone knows he was nowhere near the battles of Hogwarts, still being in his ward at St. Mungo's. There's not much he can boast about now, even if Harry, Kingsley and company don't want the limelight, he won't be the one to benefit. IMO.

Well said!:tu::tu:

I don't think Lockhart would be completely alright. His very powerful memory charm was what got him. He may get better and want to sign a lot of autographs and talk of the *good old days*, though. :lol:
I agree with you in part, but not with the poster who said he was "almost himself" in OotP. He was still vain and self-centered, but he had no memory of who he had been. He was surprised when Harry called him "Professor". Yes, he'd happily sign autographs, but he doesn't have any idea of what the "good old days" were, I don't think.

Well said!:tu::tu:
Thank you! :D

he can go straight to azkaban IF ever he gets his memory back.. hehe

I think he will get better, but not ever completly right in the head. I can see JKR putting him in future novels as a little off.

he can go straight to azkaban IF ever he gets his memory back.. hehe
Hey I didn't think of that, but he IS a criminal, isn't he? Obliviating all those people's memories and stealing the fame for their deeds? Fraud is a crime, as is theft, and using magic against other people for personal gain.

He can go on signing autographs in Azkaban! :elaugh:

Good catch, GracePotter! :tu:

I think that Lockhart will remain the way he was when Harry saw him in OotP. He'll continue signing autographs, thinking he's the 'Big Cheese". I don't think he'll ever remember why he is signing autographs. When he talks, it may not make sense. He loved being the center of attention, he really didn't care about being a teacher, so he's not going to remember that. With always wanting to be the center of attention, and loving that so much in his life, he'll probably remember people pawning after him, women falling for him, but never really understanding why. Those were the biggest things in his life, so he'll probably hold on to those memories.

I think that Lockhart will remain the way he was when Harry saw him in OotP. He'll continue signing autographs, thinking he's the 'Big Cheese". I don't think he'll ever remember why he is signing autographs. When he talks, it may not make sense. He loved being the center of attention, he really didn't care about being a teacher, so he's not going to remember that. With always wanting to be the center of attention, and loving that so much in his life, he'll probably remember people pawning after him, women falling for him, but never really understanding why. Those were the biggest things in his life, so he'll probably hold on to those memories.
Then he'll be happy, which is more than he deserves.

He's far from as bad as Umbridge, but he's bad enough in his way. I hope he recovers at some point and realizes how far down he's fallen. :evil:

I considered this...but I think since Umbridge recovered from her malady then Lockhart might as well...although his was caused by a magic spell where as hers was just...traumatization?

I considered this...but I think since Umbridge recovered from her malady then Lockhart might as well...although his was caused by a magic spell where as hers was just...traumatization?
Umm, sorry but what malady did Umbridge recover from? Apart from her fear of Centaurs, which didn't really incapacitate her, she didn't have a "malady", did she? Just a huge scare, that served her right. And she went right on after that being an unpleasant person and a bigot in her hunt for Muggleborns and Half-Breeds. The two "maladies" are not on the same level, Umbridge never had to be interned in St. Mungo's, more's the pity.

As for Lockhart. He probably won't recover, but it would be justice if he did, and had to face what he had done. Ah yes, Azkaban for him! :evil:

I considered this...but I think since Umbridge recovered from her malady then Lockhart might as well...although his was caused by a magic spell where as hers was just...traumatization?
MulanatHogwarts has it right, Umbridge never lost her mind and memory the way Lockhart did. She went on working for the Ministry of Magic for another year (the DH year) - or part of it. Why Scrimgeour kept her on is another matter.

Lockhart, on the other hand, is so impaired that he has to be kept in a ward at St. Mungo's. He's made a bit of progress towards recovery, in OotP, but I disagree that he's "almost his former self". He's just there, in a self-centered fog of his own. It's too light a punishment for all the bad things he's done, IMO. We can all fantasize, however, what we want to happen to him, just like we do for Umbridge in her own threads. :evil:

I don't think Lockhart did and wil not recover. We saw him in OOTP briefly in the book and there was no recovery there, at least three years on, you would have thought something would have imporved, all they did was teach him to write and stuff, just teaching him everything he already knew again, i don't think he'll ever get him memory back.

I don't think that they will be able to recover Lockharts old memory, although they will teach him about the things he apparently did. If they cannot re-gain his memory, they'll re-build another one, maybe similar to his previous one.

I think he WILL recover. I mean look in OotP... He's already gettiing some ego back. It might take a hwile but will proably come back.

Maybe it's better if he doesn't. The wizarding world is better off without all his lies and him removing peoples memories.

And he annoyed me :lol:

I do not think JKR will write Lockhart as COMPLETLEY recovered/normal/modest. Let's face it, we like his I am the center of the universe...ness.

I think he'll stay nuts for the rest of his days.

I'll ask a quesion out of topic,
Anybody hazard a guess, about his education?
He strikes me not coming from Hogwarts since he doesnt easily fit any of the four houses.
Not Brave for Gryfindor
Not Smart enought for Ravenclaw
Not Fair minded and Hardworking for Hufflepuff
To well liked to be in Slytherin.

Why do I get the feeling he came from Bauxbaton?
Next time someone gets to ask JKR, maybe she would be more than happy to tell us about this little asked question

nice question skull angel... possibly...

haha.. he might have never recovered after all... he didn't received a kiss from the dementors but he did receive a blast of memory charm with his own foolishness..

I think it would be a little just for him to recover a bit so he can see a bit of what he did to the other people he memory eresed.

1. Did/Will he ever fully recover?
I highly doubt it. Lockhart will recover some of his memories but never fully.

2. If he does recover, what kind of person will he be? Just as much full of himself, something different?
I bet he will be just as full of himself. Seeing him in Mungos makes me think that his arrogance and personality is the same, just that he doesn't have the same lies.

3. Will he ever recall his old life? Harry, Ron, the Chamber of Secrets?
He may recall glimpses, but i doubt he'll remember anything fully.

4. Will any of his limited abilities ever return? Can he learn magic all over again?
Maybe he could use some of the very simple stuff, but i highly doubt it. he wasn't good at magic in the first place, and a memory charm is too tough for him at his state.

5. If he does recover, will he be accountable for his fraudulence, plagurism, and assault upon those he harmed to gain his fame?
he should be, but i think that him being stuck in st mungos with no memory is punishment enough. :lol:

the healer at St.Mungos thought he was improving well. I think he will heal a little, if not fully, and feel remorse for what he did, but never admit it for fear or punnishm,ent. SO I think he will "heal" enough to get out of there, but be truly better than that. SO maybe we will get a scene with Alby and Scorpius in Hogsmead or Diagon Alley bumping into this guy who is full of himself, and reveals his game on accident.

Maybe it's better if he doesn't. The wizarding world is better off without all his lies and him removing peoples memories. :D

And he annoyed me :lol:

I think he's much better this way! :lol:

A bit heartless, I know but allow me to cite Ron- "Who cares?"

:lol:

1. Did/Will he ever fully recover?
I don't think he recovered all the way. He might have just regained a few of his old memories.

2. If he does recover, what kind of person will he be? Just as much full of himself, something different?

He will probably be just as arrogant and selfish as before.

3. Will he ever recall his old life? Harry, Ron, the Chamber of Secrets?

Maybe bits and pieces but he wont recall everything.

4. Will any of his limited abilities ever return? Can he learn magic all over again?

I pretty sure he can but it might take a while because he might get memory blanks and will probably forget spells easily.

5. If he does recover, will he be accountable for his fraudulence, plagurism, and assault upon those he harmed to gain his fame?

Well now that everyone knows, the Ministry will most likely do something about it.

JKR has said that Lockhart will never recover. Here's the quote:


Jessie: Will lockhart ever recover?

J.K. Rowling: No. Nor would I want him to. He's happy where he is, and I'm happier without him!

Yeah eventuantly but it will take a very very very very very very long time.

I hope he doesn't. He drove me nuts. More than anyone else, next to Umbridge.

How could Lockhart really recover? he didn't know much in the first place.

Considering that how you are raised, and your past are the main things that shape who you will be in the future, there is a very good chance that Lockhart will never be the same. Unless, of course, his memories return to him.

1. Did/Will he ever fully recover?

No, because he doesn't really seem to be having any clue of who he is after 3 years of having his memory wiped clean. He said he has been told he was famous, but didn't know that himself, and didn't know what for. I think if there isn't any recovery of memory like this after 3 years, there won't be.

2. If he does recover, what kind of person will he be? Just as much full of himself, something different?

I think Lockhart is a lost cause as far as modesty is concerned. Even as a memoryless patient in the hospital he has dozens of his pictures plastered to his hospital wall, so even without knowing why he is famous, he is still full of himself for it. I don't see that changing.

3. Will he ever recall his old life? Harry, Ron, the Chamber of Secrets?

Nope.

4. Will any of his limited abilities ever return? Can he learn magic all over again?

This may be possible. Actually, isn't he already employing magic at the hospital, able to sign many autographs at once?

5. If he does recover, will he be accountable for his fraudulence, plagurism, and assault upon those he harmed to gain his fame?

Yes, but again, I don't think there will be a recovery.

I don't think he will ever fully recover

1. Did/Will he ever fully recover?

Erm I don't think so. He was in some kind of permanent ward in St. Mungos, and we see him 3 years later in OoTP and there is no change since CoS. So i seriously doubt it...

2. If he does recover, what kind of person will he be? Just as much full of himself, something different?

I doubt he'll ever be modest... If there are people who are unaware of his fraud when he regained his memory, he would still be boastful. However, i think he would probably lay low for a little while to avoid some of the flak that would come at him for being a cowardly fraud...

3. Will he ever recall his old life? Harry, Ron, the Chamber of Secrets?

I have some serious doubts about this... His memories of Harry, ron, and the CoS are hardly strong enough to spark some recognition if they were mentioned to him.

4. Will any of his limited abilities ever return? Can he learn magic all over again?

Well i would assume that a loss in memory shouldn't necessarily result in a loss of magical power.

5. If he does recover, will he be accountable for his fraudulence, plagurism, and assault upon those he harmed to gain his fame?

Absolutely. He took his fraud so far that he was even boasting about his fake abilities when there were lives at stake! He was completely obsessed with himself, and he couldn't even give up his image to save the life of a young girl. he would definitely be held accountable.

To be honest, I think he was an idiot in the first place for doing such a thing, and throroughly deserved what was coming to him. I mean, what with him being a fraud, taking Ron's wand and it suddenly backfiring. I don't think that he will be able to be nursed back to health, because I presume the people that he placed a Memory Charm on have met the same fate. Even if he does come back to health, I'm sure that Harry and Ron will come forward and expose who he really is. Probably place another Memory Charm on him as well, so that he can go back to where he belongs! Lol. xD

I don't think he deserves recovering.. Better off him being in St. Mungo's, or whereever he ended up, for the rest of his life, rather than trying to steal other people's stuff, maybe even Harry's glory of killing Voldemort, Dx