The news that Kit Harington is set to play Lockhart in the HBO series is a brilliant pivot. If you’re used to seeing him as the brooding, honorable Jon Snow, this is the ultimate subversion. Based on the casting shifts—moving from the rumored Nicholas Hoult to Harington—the production seems to be leaning into a "sad-boy-hero" energy that makes the eventual reveal of Lockhart's fraud even more effective.

Harington will likely play Lockhart as the guy everyone wants to believe. In the books and the original Chamber of Secrets movie, Lockhart is a five-time winner of Witch Weekly’s Most-Charming-Smile Award. He’s the quintessential celebrity who is famous for being famous. For a kid today, he looks exactly like the high-production-value YouTuber who spends more time on their thumbnail than their actual content.

Lockhart’s specific brand of villainy is uniquely modern. He doesn't want to rule the world; he just wants to be the most liked person in it. In the Harry Potter universe, he achieves this through Memory Charms. He finds people who actually did brave things—battling banshees, wrestling ghouls—and wipes their memories so he can write books claiming he did it himself.

This is the wizarding equivalent of the "lifestyle" influencer who fakes a private jet photo or the "alpha" podcaster who steals advice from actual psychologists and repackages it as their own genius. Lockhart is a master of the edit. He knows that if you tell a story well enough and put your face on the cover, most people won't check the sources.

When your kid sees Lockhart on screen or in the pages of Chamber of Secrets, they're seeing the dangers of outsourced thinking. Lockhart is what happens when you prioritize the brand over the soul.

The reason Lockhart works as a conversation starter is that he’s so obviously ridiculous to us, but so convincing to the characters in the story (at least at first). Use that gap to talk about how kids evaluate the people they follow on YouTube or Roblox.

Lockhart’s red flags are universal:

If your kid is into "stunt" creators or influencers who seem too perfect, Lockhart is the mirror. Ask them: "If this person lost their camera/wand tomorrow, what would they actually be good at?" It’s a simple question that cuts through the clout.

Lockhart is a punchline, but he’s also a warning about the cost of validation. He ends up in St. Mungo’s Hospital with no memory of who he is because his own fraud blew up in his face. It’s a literal representation of losing yourself in your own "personal brand."

If your kid is reading the series for the first time, pay attention to how Hermione (the smartest kid in the room) is the one most blinded by his celebrity. It’s a great way to show that even smart people can get caught up in the hype if it’s packaged correctly.

For more on how to navigate the darker turns of the series, check out our Harry Potter pillar or see where the books land on our best books for kids list.

Q: What age is Gilderoy Lockhart’s story appropriate for?

The character appears primarily in the second book/movie, which is the sweet spot for ages 8-10. The "scary" parts of his arc involve his attempt to wipe Harry and Ron’s memories, but he’s mostly played for laughs until the very end.

Q: Is Gilderoy Lockhart a "villain"?

He’s a secondary antagonist. He isn't evil in the way Voldemort is, but he is dangerous because his incompetence and selfishness put children's lives at risk. He’s a "small" villain—the kind kids are more likely to meet in real life.

Q: How does the HBO show change Lockhart?

We'll have to wait for the release to be sure, but the casting of Kit Harington suggests a more grounded, perhaps more "believable" version of the character than Kenneth Branagh’s flamboyant (and excellent) take in the 2002 film.

Gilderoy Lockhart is the perfect tool for teaching digital discernment. He’s the ultimate reminder that having the most followers doesn't mean you know how to cast a Shield Charm. When the HBO series drops, use Harington’s performance to talk about why we should admire people for what they do, not just how they look doing it.