Hannah Abbott is a Hufflepuff student in Harry’s year at Hogwarts. A pink-faced blonde girl who wears her hair in pigtails (PS7), Hannah is a close friend of Ernie Macmillan (CS11, CS15), who shares her hobby of collecting chocolate frog cards (GF19). Both Hannah and Ernie became prefects in August of 1995 (OP10) and joined Dumbledore’s Army that October (OP16).
Hannah had the unhappy distinction of being the first of Harry’s year to crack under the strain of O.W.L. study, requiring a Calming Draught from Madam Pomfrey after she broke down crying in Herbology, saying she was too stupid to take her exams (OP27). She accidentally multiplied a ferret into a flock of flamingos during the Transfiguration practical (OP31), but acquitted herself well in the confrontation with Malfoy on the Hogwarts Express (OP38).
Hannah was prominent among the Hufflepuffs who initially believed Harry to be the Heir of Slytherin in their second year (CS11). At one point in their third year, Hannah was convinced that Sirius Black could turn into a flowering shrub (PA9), which in hindsight is less silly than it might sound at first. House loyalty had her wearing a Support Cedric Diggory! badge early in the Triwizard Tournament (GF19). Despite occasional incidents like this, she and Ernie are on friendly terms with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
Sadly, Hannah’s mother was killed by Death Eaters (HBP11) during her sixth year at Hogwarts and Hannah left school. She returned in May of 1998 to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts (DH36).
Hannah eventually became the landlady at The Leaky Cauldron and married Neville Longbottom (JKR).
In 2014, Rita Skeeter wrote a rumor in the Daily Prophet that Hannah was applying for the position of Matron at Hogwarts, and that she and Neville were drinking “a little more Ogden’s Firewhisky than most would expect from custodians of our children” (Pm).
Family
The Abbotts are an old pure-blood Wizarding family, one of the so-called "sacred twenty-eight." They have roots in Godric's Hollow, judging by the fact that Harry noticed gravestones in the graveyard there with that name on them. It is possible that the famous American magical historian Theophilus Abbot (Pm) (note the variation in spelling) is related to this British family.
Commentary
Etymology
Hannah is a Hebrew name meaning "favor" or "grace." Abbott is an English and Scottish occupational surname, for someone who works in the household or lands of a nun or priest.
Notes
In a 2001 BBC interview, Rowling flashed a notebook that showed her notes on the students in Harry Potter's year and Hannah is noted as being a Muggleborn in Hufflepuff House. However, in 2007, Rowling said that she had always thought Hannah was pureblood and decided to compromise, stating for the record that Hannah was Half-blood (JKR) (PC/JKR1).
Hannah Abbott appeared in the film versions of Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire played by Charlotte Skeoch.
In CS/f, she had a particularly large part in one of the deleted scenes found on the DVD, where she talks with Ernie Macmillan about Harry opening the Chamber of Secrets. Hannah says that she always thought Harry seemed so nice. (CS/f)
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