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There were many reasons why most of the residents at Hogwarts hated Lockhart.
Snape shared the general population’s dislike of his lordly personality, his “oh-I’ll-just-smile-and-you’ll-do-whatever-I-want” attitude, and the countless times he slipped one of his accomplishments into a conversation. Being a cold, unfeeling person, Snape also had one reason that he kept secret, if only for the reason of not knowing exactly what it was that caused him to be unable to tolerate the always-grinning blonde idiot.
He figured it out at the dueling match, when Lockhart called Potter and Weasley up to demonstrate for the students. He shot down the idea of Weasley dueling, claiming Potter would end up in the hospital wing as a matchbox and suggesting one of his students instead. As he turned to gesture Malfoy up on the stage, he caught sight of Potter standing next to Lockhart, and he almost proceeded to trip over his feet.
He had finally figured out his own reason for hating Lockhart. And he would give anything to erase it from his mind.
Gilderoy Lockhart was exactly a blonde James Potter.
Snape made it to the end of the platform and slowly turned to face the famous pair. Potter’s eyes glanced toward him and as usual, he felt the familiar stab of pain run through his chest when he looked at Lily’s eyes. Watching Lockhart stand there and give advice to Potter made his blood run cold. Lockhart had the personality, he had the supposed charm about him, and most importantly, at this moment he had Potter standing next to him. A fleeting image of Potter looking much like a younger Severus, standing next to him with Lily’s eyes as he gave the child advice crossed his mind and Snape stared hard at the pair, expressionless, as Potter turned away from his gaze to pivot just closer to Lockhart, and it was all he could do to not just turn around, blast the students from his path, and run.
But as Potter glances at him one more time as he moves into position, he stays. He does not turn and run from the Hall.
He stays because in a world of double crossing and murder, here at this school he can see the eyes of the one he will always love most, and that is worth the reincarnation of the man that took him from her.