by Polaris Black
I first met Gilderoy Lockhart when I worked at Twilfitt and Tatting's before he became a celebrity. He used to love to look at the most stylish and expensive robes even though he couldn’t afford them. He was good looking with a terrific smile and, not surprisingly, I always tried to make myself available whenever he came to window shop. Over time I learned he had considered a career as an Obliviator but now was a writer with big plans. He knew he would be really famous someday, and when he was, he wanted me to create an exclusive line of clothing for him.
His first foray into the world of the published was inspired. He had been interviewing witches for their best housekeeping tips, hoping to sell the idea of a free lance advice column to Barnabas Cuffe, editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet. At the last minute he decided to pitch the idea of a compendium of household remedies to Obscurus Books and the rest is history.
We both became really famous for his robes. I designed the ones he wore for book covers. I made him robes for all occasions in all the colors of the rainbow including forget-me-not blue, lavender, turquoise, mauve, lurid pink, deep plum, jade green, and midnight blue. When he went on tour to promote his books he would return with exotic fabrics in vibrant colors for me to add to his collection. I often made him museum quality dress robes that he allowed me to display in the shop whenever he didn’t have an imminent need for them.
The last time I saw him was just before he went to teach at Hogwarts. He stopped by the shop to bring me a copy of his latest book, Magical Me, which he signed with his famous peacock quill. He told me he was delighted that as Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts he could require each one of his students to purchase seven of his books. I started thinking of new color combinations despite myself.
I kept reading about the terrible year they were having at Hogwarts. It’s hard to believe he sustained such a terrible injury and even harder to believe the nasty rumors that have been circulating. But the hardest thing for me to believe is that Guilderoy Lockhart is living in St. Mungo’s in a pale grey straight-jacket.
His first foray into the world of the published was inspired. He had been interviewing witches for their best housekeeping tips, hoping to sell the idea of a free lance advice column to Barnabas Cuffe, editor-in-chief of the Daily Prophet. At the last minute he decided to pitch the idea of a compendium of household remedies to Obscurus Books and the rest is history.
We both became really famous for his robes. I designed the ones he wore for book covers. I made him robes for all occasions in all the colors of the rainbow including forget-me-not blue, lavender, turquoise, mauve, lurid pink, deep plum, jade green, and midnight blue. When he went on tour to promote his books he would return with exotic fabrics in vibrant colors for me to add to his collection. I often made him museum quality dress robes that he allowed me to display in the shop whenever he didn’t have an imminent need for them.
The last time I saw him was just before he went to teach at Hogwarts. He stopped by the shop to bring me a copy of his latest book, Magical Me, which he signed with his famous peacock quill. He told me he was delighted that as Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts he could require each one of his students to purchase seven of his books. I started thinking of new color combinations despite myself.
I kept reading about the terrible year they were having at Hogwarts. It’s hard to believe he sustained such a terrible injury and even harder to believe the nasty rumors that have been circulating. But the hardest thing for me to believe is that Guilderoy Lockhart is living in St. Mungo’s in a pale grey straight-jacket.