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 Abbott was born into a family with a witch for a mother and a muggle for a father, making her a half-blood. Hannah began attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on September 1st, 1991, along with the famous Harry Potter. Since Hannah's surname, Abbott, was the first alphabetically, she was the first new student of those to arrive at Hogwarts to be sorted into her house during the Welcoming Feast, being placed into Hufflepuff, along with other new students Ernie Macmillan, Susan Bones and Zacharias Smith.

Second and Third Years
In 1992, Hannah's second year when the Chamber of Secrets had been reopened, Hannah was one of the many students who believed that Harry Potter was the Heir of Slytherin after it became known that he was a Parselmouth. She was initially sceptical, 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, which did go well with Hannah, unsettling her. When Hermione was attacked by the Basilisk, Ernie and Hannah apologized, knowing Harry would never harm her. Hannah Abbott was not one of the students to have been attacked by the Basilisk due to her being a half-blood.

In her third year, when news got out that Sirius Black had escaped Azkaban, Hannah held the belief that Sirius Black could transform into a flowering shrub to avoid detection, and would tell anyone who listened to her on her theory that she had created about Sirius Black.

Fourth Year
During Hannah's fourth year, Hogwarts held the Triwizard Tournament. Fellow Hufflepuff, Cedric Diggory was one of the Triwizard Finalists and Hannah fully supported him during the tournaments tasks. 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. Whom both she and friend Ernie Macmillan decided to support throughout the tournament and show lack of support in Harry.

"Hey listen, about the badges, I've uh asked them not to wear them"

- Cedric Diggory to Harry regarding Hufflepuff's wearing "POTTER STINKS" badges

To show her support, she wore a Support CEDRIC DIGGORY - the REAL Hogwarts Champion! that was able to change to read POTTER STINKS. Later during this year her fears had come true and Cedric Diggory was murdered by Lord Voldemort, Harry had won the Triwizard Tournament, but this did not bother Hannah as Cedric had been killed and who won was irrelevant. Hannah now was presumably amongst the students that believed Harry Potter's claims that Lord Voldemort had indeed returned after the tragedy that occurred to Cedric Diggory of Hufflepuff and that the Second Wizarding War had really broke out.

Fifth Year
In 1995, Hannah was made a Prefect for Hufflepuff House, along with Ernie Macmillan. Shortly after the beginning of term, it became apparent that Dolores Umbridge was not going to be teaching practical means of Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Hannah decided to join 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, likely due to the fact that Cedric Diggory, of her house was claimed by Harry Potter to have been murdered by him in the previous year.

However, prior to the first meeting of the D.A., she was worried about getting caught by Umbridge and getting into trouble. Harry found a secret passage from the Dungeons leading to the Seventh Floor that allowed Hannah to get the Room of Requirement unseen.

"Whereas poor Hannah Abbott lost her head completely at the next table and somehow managed to multiply her ferret into a flock of flamingos, causing the examination to be halted for ten minutes while the birds were captured and carried out of the Hall."

- Hannah Abbott during her Charms exam

The pressure of studying for her O.W.L.s had definitely got to Hannah, and she broke down crying excessively during a Herbology class after claiming to be too stupid to take her exams. She was later then taken to the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomfrey treated her with a Calming Draught. Despite being treated Hannah still managed to let pressure get the better of her and during her Transfiguration practical exam, she accidentally multiplied a ferret into a flock of flamingos. Hannah made it through the rest of her exams and come the end of the year Hannah was one of the members of Dumbledore's Army who aided Harry when Draco Malfoy, Gregory Goyle and Vincent Crabbe attacked him at the end of their fifth year. Proving her loyalty and friendship still to Dumbledore's Army, even after its initial purpose had dissolved.

Sixth Year
Hannah returned to Hogwarts to take her sixth year in 1996. Early on during her sixth year in education, Hannah was told during a Herbology lesson that her mother, Mrs. Abbott, had been killed earlier in the day by Death Eaters in her family home. It was suspected that her mother was killed by the Death Eaters, for being married to a muggle. As a result of this, Hannah was subsequently pulled out of Hogwarts for the rest of the year.

Battle of Hogwarts
Hannah was required to return to Hogwarts in 1997, as Lord Voldemort had taken over the Ministry of Magic and attendance to Hogwarts had become mandatory for all Pure or Half-blood students, muggle-borns had to go through a Muggle-Born Registration Commission before being omitted access to Hogwarts. Whilst back at Hogwarts Hannah became a member of the revised Dumbledore's Army, acting under the leadership of Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley in the absence of Harry, Ron and Hermione.

When Harry Potter returned to Hogwarts in 1998 Hannah stayed at Hogwarts and fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, fighting against Death Eaters and Voldemort 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, both having been sorted into the house of Hufflepuff during their first year. During their second year they both discussed the possibility of Harry being the Heir of Slytherin after the Chamber of Secrets had been declared open, Hannah had her doubts as she thought Harry was nice, but Ernie easily was able to influence her opinion otherwise.

Both Hannah and Ernie shared the hobby of collecting Chocolate Frog cards. They also both supported Cedric Diggory as the School Champion during the Triwizard Tournament together, as many Hufflepuffs did and both shared ill wishes against Harry Potter, the other champion. In 1995, they both became the Hufflepuff Prefects and joined Dumbledore's Army, Ernie was able to keep his cool during his O.W.L's but Hannah however didn't.

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. It is possible that Hannah and Neville both found comfort in each other during their seventh year, in the previous year Hannah's mother had been killed by Death Eaters and Neville would understand how she would be feeling as Death Eaters tortured his parents into insanity. Hannah joined Dumbledore's Army under the leadership of Neville in the absence of Harry and proved her loyalty to him throughout the Battle of Hogwarts.

Following the Second Wizarding War, Hannah and Neville became closer and eventually married. Neville became the new Professor of Herbology at Hogwarts, taking over from Professor Sprout, whilst Hannah became the new landlady of the Leaky Cauldron taking over from Tom. 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.
 * During the OWLS in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Hannah Abbott was doing her Transfiguration practical at the same time as Harry Potter. This is odd as the examinations are done by surname, meaning that Hannah should have finished a while ago.
 * 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.
 * On the credits of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Film, she is listed as Hannah Hufflepuff

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 Hannah Abbot