Hannah Abbott

Hannah Longbottom (née Abbott) is a half-blood witch who was in the same year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as Harry Potter. She was Sorted into Hufflepuff House in 1991, and later became both a Prefect and a member of Dumbledore's Army. In 1996, Hannah was pulled out of school after her mother was murdered by Lord Voldemort, but she returned the following year and was again a member of the D.A. and fought in the Battle of Hogwarts in 1998. Later in life, Hannah married Neville Longbottom and became landlady of the Leaky Cauldron, which the couple lived above.

First year
Hannah began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on September 1st, 1991. Since her surname was first alphabetically, she was the first new student to be Sorted during the Welcoming Feast, being placed into Hufflepuff.

Second and Third Years
In 1992, Hannah was one of the students who believed that Harry Potter was the Heir of Slytherin after it became known that he was a Parselmouth. She was initially skeptical, saying that Harry "always seemed so nice", but was eventually convinced by her friend Ernie Macmillan that Harry was the one that had attacked Muggle-born students around Hogwarts, including her housemate and friend Justin Finch-Fletchley.

In her third year, Hannah held the belief that Sirius Black could transform into a flowering shrub to avoid detection, and would tell anyone who listened to her.

Supporting Cedric
Hannah was one of the many who had ill wishes for Harry when he became the second Hogwarts champion during the Triwizard Tournament. This was because Hufflepuff never received much attention, and she, along with many others, felt Harry was taking the glory away from the other Hogwarts champion, Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory. To show her support, she wore a Support CEDRIC DIGGORY - the REAL Hogwarts Champion! that was able to change to read POTTER STINKS.



Dumbledore's Army
In 1995, Hannah was made a Prefect for Hufflepuff House, along with Ernie. Shortly after the beginning of term, she joined Dumbledore's Army, a secret Defence Against the Dark Arts group started by Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. She was also one of the minority who believed that Lord Voldemort was back. However, prior to the first meeting of the D.A., she was worried about getting caught. Harry found a secret passage leading to the Seventh Floor that allowed Hannah to get the Room of Requirement unseen.

The pressure of studying for her O.W.L.s got to Hannah, and she broke down crying during a Herbology class after claiming to be too stupid to take her exams. She was taken to the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomfrey treated her with a Calming Draught. During her Transfiguration practical exam, she accidentally multiplied a ferret into a flock of flamingos.

Despite this, Hannah was one of the members of Dumbledore's Army who helped Harry when Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe attacked him on the way back from Hogwarts at the end of their fifth year.

Tragedy
In 1996, Hannah's mother, Mrs. Abbott, was killed by Death Eaters and she was pulled out of Hogwarts.

The Battle of Hogwarts
Hannah returned to Hogwarts in 1997, as Lord Voldemort had taken over the Ministry of Magic and attendance became mandatory. She was once again a member of Dumbledore's Army, and fought in the Battle of Hogwarts at the end of the school year. Initially, she was part of the group of students led by Fred and George Weasley who were charged with defending the secret passages into Hogwarts. When the second stage of the fighting began, Harry saved her and Seamus Finnigan with a Shield Charm when Lord Voldemort sent a curse their way. She survived the battle.

Later life
Sometime after the Second Wizarding War, Hannah married former classmate Neville Longbottom. She became the landlady at the Leaky Cauldron, replacing Tom, and the couple lived above the pub. Neville's students considered the fact they lived above the pub "cool". It is unknown if they had any children.

Physical description
Hannah is described as a pink-faced girl with blonde hair. She frequently wore them in pigtails when she was younger.

Personality and traits
Hannah appeared to have a naive streak, since she was easily convinced by Ernie that Harry might be the Heir of Slytherin despite always considering him to be nice. She also believed that Sirius Black could turn into a flowering shrub (although, given that he was, in fact, an Animagus, the belief wasn't too far from the truth).

Hannah was easily flustered, and appeared to lack self-confidence, as was evidenced by her breakdown in Herbology and her claims of being stupid. It seemed that, when under pressure, she was prone to making mistakes. Despite this, Hannah was a loyal friend, and showed her bravery firstly by joining Dumbledore's Army, and then fighting in the defence of Hogwarts.

Ernie Macmillan
Hannah and Ernie Macmillan were close friends during their time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They discussed the possibility of Harry being the Heir of Slytherin together during their second year, and shared the hobby of collecting Chocolate Frog cards. They supported Cedric Diggory as the School Champion during the Triwizard Tournament together, as many Hufflepuffs did. In 1995, they both became the Hufflepuff Prefects and joined Dumbledore's Army.

Neville Longbottom
Although it appeared that Hannah and Neville Longbottom were rarely ever together during their school days, the friendship probably evolved from their time in Dumbledore's Army together, and during the student rebellion during their seventh year.

Following the Second Wizarding War, Hannah and Neville became involved and eventually married. He became Professor of Herbology at Hogwarts, while she became the new landlady of the Leaky Cauldron. The couple lived together above the pub, a fact that Neville's students thought was "cool".

Behind the scenes

 * Hannah Abbott was portrayed by Charlotte Skeoch in the film versions of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, as well as voicing the character for the game Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
 * From early production notes viewed in the television special, Harry Potter and Me, Hannah was supposed to be a Muggle-born witch. However, J.K. Rowling stated in an interview that she always considered Hannah to be a pure-blood.  To compromise, she was officially made a half-blood.
 * Harry Potter and Hermione Granger saw the grave of someone named "Abbott" when they visited Godric's Hollow in 1997. This may have been the grave of a relative of Hannah's, perhaps indicating that her family, like the Potters, comes from Godric's Hollow.
 * Hannah Abbott was the first Hufflepuff introduced in the series. Not only that, but alongside Professor Sprout, she is of two Hufflepuffs to appear and/or be mentioned in each of the seven Harry Potter novels. Thus making her the only Hufflepuff student to appear (and/or be mentioned) in all seven books.

Appearances

 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
 * Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
 * Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (film)
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
 * Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game)
 * Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
 * Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Notes and references
Hannah Abbott