If the fraud was a hero?

Myrrdin Emrys · May 21, 2016

Like AlbusxDoge? Eugh.

Atram Noctem · May 22, 2016

I didn't mean to say that the grand tour was fanon, but that the "it fell out of fashion" part is just some anecdote which I'm pretty sure I've read in HP and the Boy Who Lived, but was never in canon.

Ninclow · May 22, 2016

CheddarTrek said: ↑

Basically I'd never intended to write any 'long' fanfiction, just a couple of shorts or maybe something edging into the 20k range. While a lot of my ideas struck me as new and/or interesting, nothing made me want to devote that much time to writing fanfiction instead of original fiction.

One thing I'm fond of is Harry having a mentor of some kind. The old adage being "write what you want to read" meant that any lengthy fanfiction of mine would therefore include a mentor.

Common choices include: Dumbledore, Sirius, Lupin, & Snape.

The common choices have been done to death, and my ideas would be mostly regurgitating ideas. I had some interesting ideas for other less common people like Flitwick being a mentor, but it never quite fit for me.

Then it hit me. Lockhart is freaking perfect if he doesn't suck at everything.

The most common choices all bring up uncomfortable questions and carry some form of emotional baggage. At some point Harry would have to ask "Why didn't you tell me X?" There's a lot of history with those characters.

Lockhart probably didn't know James and Lily. He wasn't part of the Order. He didn't know about the prophecy or have any reason to question Sirius's conviction. In my mind he specialized in magical creatures/beings and probably fucked off out of England during Voldemort's reign. He has a clean slate with Harry and has no reason not to be honest with him.

"Professor Lockhart?"
"Hm?"
"Who is Sirius Black?"
Gilderoy looked up and met Harry's eyes, then set his papers down. "Ah," he said. "Been reading old newspapers have you?"
Harry crossed his arms but didn't say anything else.
"Your father's best friend, from what I heard. Your father trusted him with a secret, but Black betrayed him. I remember them, barely, at Hogwarts. They started in my final year."

My point is... that unlike almost every other adult in the series, Lockhart doesn't already know a shit ton of secrets. He doesn't know about the prophecy. He doesn't have any reason to suspect that Sirius isn't a Death Eater.

And if he's half the badass he pretended to be in the books, he could potentially have a lot to teach or pass on to Harry. Plus he could influence Harry to utilize his fame, teach him to benefit from it instead of hide from it. Sway public opinions. Etc.

...etc. Yeah, sounds corny. But it was the start of an idea, and I've only read two decent Lockhart fics. And one of them was humor.
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Actually, Lockhart began at Hogwarts when James, Lily, Sirius, Peter and Snape was in their fourth year, so he might very well know James and Lily, but remember them as he saw them in the form of popular older students rather than friends...

I liked your post very much, though. :-D

Corvus Black · May 22, 2016

CheddarTrek said: ↑

Lockhart probably didn't know James and Lily. He wasn't part of the Order. He didn't know about the prophecy or have any reason to question Sirius's conviction. In my mind he specialized in magical creatures/beings and probably fucked off out of England during Voldemort's reign. He has a clean slate with Harry and has no reason not to be honest with him.

"Professor Lockhart?"
"Hm?"
"Who is Sirius Black?"
Gilderoy looked up and met Harry's eyes, then set his papers down. "Ah," he said. "Been reading old newspapers have you?"
Harry crossed his arms but didn't say anything else.
"Your father's best friend, from what I heard. Your father trusted him with a secret, but Black betrayed him. I remember them, barely, at Hogwarts. They started in my final year."

My point is... that unlike almost every other adult in the series, Lockhart doesn't already know a shit ton of secrets. He doesn't know about the prophecy. He doesn't have any reason to suspect that Sirius isn't a Death Eater.
Click to expand...

Just a reminder that Gilderoy is 4 years younger than James, Sirius, Lily and Snape. They were born in 1960 and started Hogwarts in 1971, he was born in 1964 and started Hogwarts in 1975. They would have been in their Fifth Year when Gilderoy entered Hogwarts.

He would most certainly have seen how close James and Sirius were, and Sirius' attitude towards Slytherin House, Snape and "mini Death Eaters".

Ched · May 22, 2016

Eh, @Corvus Black & @Ninclow - I was explaining my AU when specifically asked to do so. I never claimed to be making an attempt to fit things into canon (though since I didn't specifically say otherwise, perhaps it was inferred), and have no intention of doing so except where convenient. Most of my favorite fics are AUs, so that's what I'm going for.

Also this type of thing is why I don't like discussing my story ideas in random, public threads.

Myrrdin Emrys · May 23, 2016

CheddarTrek.

The motivation for writing the story has gone, hasn't it?

If there was any in the beginning, that is. :facepalm

Ched · May 23, 2016

Myrrdin Emrys said: ↑

@CheddarTrek.

The motivation for writing the story has gone, hasn't it?

If there was any in the beginning, that is.
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The fuck does this mean? I said in an earlier response, to YOU no less, that...

CheddarTrek said: ↑

I never left anything - I'm busy, it would be a very long story, and I've always intended to finish a draft before posting it piecemeal in WbA. Not to mention that I was unwilling to drop my original projects completely.

Patience, grasshopper. Mwahaha. I'm still quite excited about it.
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See bolded parts.

I genuinely appreciate your comments on my OW thread in WbA. Thank you. But I swear it's like you are trying to push my buttons.

Myrrdin Emrys · May 23, 2016

My apologies. It seems that I misunderstood your post, CheddarTrek:

Also this type of thing is why I don't like discussing my story ideas in random, public threads.
Click to expand...

People have said that I'm an aggravating little shit before.

Ninclow · May 24, 2016

CheddarTrek said: ↑

Eh, @Corvus Black & @Ninclow - I was explaining my AU when specifically asked to do so. I never claimed to be making an attempt to fit things into canon (though since I didn't specifically say otherwise, perhaps it was inferred), and have no intention of doing so except where convenient. Most of my favorite fics are AUs, so that's what I'm going for.

Also this type of thing is why I don't like discussing my story ideas in random, public threads.
Click to expand...

Ah, I'm afraid that slipped by attention. My mistake. ^^'

Dicra · May 24, 2016

I'd think he'd be exactly like the Lockhart we see in here

Despite the fact that this isn't actually Lockhart, it is how I'd think a competent Lockhart would be

:
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11191235/50/Harry-Potter-and-the-Prince-of-Slytherin
(Yes, I like that story and I like to advertise it.)

He'd try to use his time to acquire new knowledge, he'd try to genuinely help the students and in general, I now almost think I'd have liked a competent Lockhart better, because it's just so much more interesting.

DLP Flash Christmas Competition + Writing Marathon 2024!

Hi there, Guest

If the fraud was a hero?

Myrrdin Emrys Disappeared

Atram Noctem Auror

Ninclow Fifth Year

Corvus Black Professor

Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

Myrrdin Emrys Disappeared

Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

Myrrdin Emrys Disappeared

Ninclow Fifth Year

Dicra Groundskeeper ⭐

Is Harry actually the Hero of the series?

Kids hero is Voldemort.

DLP Flash Christmas Competition + Writing Marathon 2024!

Hi there, Guest

If the fraud was a hero?

Myrrdin Emrys Disappeared

Atram Noctem Auror

Ninclow Fifth Year

Corvus Black Professor

Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

Myrrdin Emrys Disappeared

Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

Myrrdin Emrys Disappeared

Ninclow Fifth Year

Dicra Groundskeeper ⭐

Is Harry actually the Hero of the series?

Kids hero is Voldemort.

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