One motivation could be Snape's sense of duty as a teacher. Despite his dislike for Harry in some ways, he still has an obligation to protect the students. So, when he sees Lockhart endangering Harry, he steps in.
Another possibility is that Snape uses his position as a teacher. He might threaten Lockhart with the consequences of harming a student. Given Snape's intimidating presence and his own power within the school, Lockhart would be afraid to cross him. Snape could also call for other teachers to help, making it clear that he won't let Lockhart get away with any harm to Harry.
Another theme is the clash of personalities. Lockhart is flamboyant and self - centered while Snape is brooding and often secretive. Fanfics often play on this contrast, creating interesting situations and dialogues between them.
One way is to make touch a form of magical communication. Harry could touch Snape's hand and suddenly be able to understand Snape's thoughts about protecting him all along. And when he touches Lockhart, he realizes Lockhart's false bravado. Another way is to have touch be a trigger for magical events. Maybe when Harry touches both Snape and Lockhart at the same time, it opens a portal to a new magical realm.
Well, it could be a story exploring different relationships. Maybe it's about how Harry's interactions with Snape and Lockhart, especially in terms of touch, could signify different things. For example, a touch from Snape might be full of hidden meanings and complex emotions due to their strained relationship in the original series. And Lockhart's touch could be more of a self - centered or showy gesture. It could also be a fanfic that delves into a completely new adventure where touch plays a crucial role in magic spells or character development.
One great Harry Lockhart Snape fanfic is 'The Unlikely Bond' which explores an interesting friendship between them in a post - Hogwarts world. It delves into how their different personalities interact and grow together.
One great Snape vs Voldemort fanfiction is 'The Dark Mark's Secret'. It delves into Snape's complex relationship with Voldemort. Snape is constantly in a precarious position, having to play the double agent. The story shows how he uses his wits against Voldemort's brute power. Another one is 'Snape's Hidden Alliances'. It focuses on how Snape manages to outmaneuver Voldemort in some crucial situations. The characterizations are really well - done in both of these, making them engaging reads.
Another theme is loyalty. They both have deep loyalty to Hogwarts but express it in different ways. Snape's loyalty is complex and often misunderstood, while McGonagall's is more straightforward. Fanfictions explore how these different loyalties can cause friction between them. In a lot of these stories, their loyalty also brings them together in times of crisis. For instance, when Voldemort's forces threaten the school, they have to find a way to cooperate despite their differences. This exploration of loyalty makes the fanfictions really engaging.
In some fanfictions, their rivalry might be explored in the context of the Hogwarts Houses. For example, McGonagall being a proud Gryffindor and Snape a Slytherin. There could be a story where they have to resolve a conflict between the two Houses, and their different approaches to the situation create a lot of tension and drama.
The main thing that makes Snape vs Voldemort fanfiction interesting is the contrast between the two characters. Snape is complex, with his own motives and a hidden side. Voldemort is pure evil. So when they interact, there are always mind games and power plays. For example, Snape has to constantly deceive Voldemort, and the tension this creates is exciting.