Insight and In Sight

by AnonAndUnknown

Hannah Byron enters Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a 7th year. Her turbulent past isolates her from other students, yet she finds an unlikely bond with Adrian Pucey and Severus Snape. As she navigates her way through the wizarding world, dark secrets and internal conflicts challenge her perception of her own destiny.

32. Chapter 32

Nine years ago, I promised that I would finish this fanfic within twelve years. I intend to uphold that promise.

It has been a while, and I truthfully haven't stopped thinking about this fanfic. If you're returning to this fanfic after years: Welcome back. If you're new: I'm sorry you had to endure some of the most disastrous and dreary writing on this platform to get to this point. I cringed many times as I re-read this fic.

While this story is far from over (and will be far from over for some time), I endeavour to continue to update the story until completion. I have five new chapters ready for upload that will be gradually released.

I bet you've forgotten everything about this fanfiction. Or perhaps, you vaguely remember and want a recap. Look no further. Below I have provided a recap of each chapter, including the main plot and any characters that are introduced within each chapter.

Recap:

Chapter 1: Hannah joined Hogwarts in her 7th year; she is sorted into Slytherin house. She meets Dumbledore and is introduced to Snape, who gives her written instructions to find her way around the castle. Snape appoints Draco as her guide, who Hannah only asked one question before abandoning.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC)

- 17 years old. Short, slim, with short blonde hair; a very introverted character. Intelligent, capable, and ambitious, but suffers from little motivation and commitment. She says no more or less than she needs to. She is independent, not at all interested in making friends, and doesn't like drawing attention to herself. Has bad eyesight.

Albus Dumbledore

Severus Snape

Draco Malfoy

"A girl who looked about 15"

Chapter 2: Hannah uses muggle pencils to create art - specifically a drawing of a black cat. We learn that Dumbledore found Hannah roaming around in London yesterday and immediately flooed her to Hogwarts. Hannah visits Dumbledore's office before classes start in the morning; they're about to go to Diagon Alley to get school supplies.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Hates human contact and being emotive. Enjoys the company of animals. Doesn't have any wizarding money. Prefers people to speak plainly to her.

Chapter 3: Hannah and Dumbledore go to Diagon Alley to get school supplies. Hannah gets a wand: 11 inches, pine with a silver lime handle, dragon heart string core, sturdy. Hannah also purchased a black kitten. The chapter ends with Hannah heading to potions.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Didn't grow up in the wizarding world. Is pure blood. Looks younger than she is. Had never owned a wand before.

Ollivander

Black kitten (OC)

Chapter 4: Hannah has her first lesson: Potions with Gryffindors and Slytherins. Hannah gets detention with the Weasley twins for arriving 5 minutes late. Hannah communicates with Snape through his thoughts.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Can use wandless magic. Can communicate to people via their thoughts

Fred and George Weasley

Chapter 5: Hannah goes to a transfiguration lesson (with Slytherins and Hufflepuffs) where they learn the Avis charm. Hannah also goes to a herbology lesson (with the Slytherins and Ravenclaws) where they learn about venomous tentacula (a poisonous herb). Hannah meets the unpleasant Pansy Parkinson, and notices Adrian Pucey for the first time (he seems to behave quite similarly to her). Hannah also goes to divination and charms – in charms she learned the Aguamenti spell. Hannah then serves detention for Snape with the Weasley twins, where she teaches them wandless magic, and finds herself amused in their presence.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Hated water ever since she was 7. Is scared of saying that wrong thing.

Black kitten (OC) additional info

- Name is Spero, is a male.

Professor Mcgonagall

Cassius Warrington

Adrian Pucey

Pansy Parkinson

Chapter 6: Snape speaks to Hannah about her legilimency abilities for the self-serving purpose of enhancing his own legilimency skills. He disguises his curiosity behind a false concern for the safety of other students. Hannah refuses to talk to Snape about it. Snape does not return Hannah's wand after detention.

Characters introduced:

n/a

Chapter 7: Hannah has defence against the dark arts with the Slytherins and Gryffindors. Angry, Hannah uses her legilimency skills to penetrate Umbridge's mind and make her leave the classroom. Hannah then goes to transfiguration where they learn Multicorfors. Mcgonagall approaches Hannah about her lack of participation; Hannah uses the fact that Snape has her wand as an excuse. Hannah then goes to potions where they brew essence of dittany, where she is partnered with Adrian. Snape gives her wand back. Hannah goes to the library where she reads books on herbology, potion ingredients and offensive spells.

Characters introduced:

Dolores Umbridge

Hermione Granger

Chapter 8: Hannah has another frustrating encounter with Pansy Parkinson. Hannah speaks to Adrian Pucey for the first time after he watches Pansy abuse her. She then attends her classes next to Adrian: in transfiguration, she learns the Piscifors charm; in herbology, she learns where to find a list of herbs; for potions, they brewed a blood replenishing potion. Hannah goes to the library to study spells and herbs; she leaves the library with a list of herbs and spells. She received detention from Snape for being out past curfew.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Had never needed to use offensive or defensive spells before (or recently, anyway). Had already been familiar with transfiguration and cleaning charms. Feels worthless

An older cat, similar to Spero

Chapter 9: Hannah goes to potions where she learns to brew murtlap essence. Hannah then goes to DADA, where she reads information about the forbidden forest from Adrian's Hogwarts, A History book. Hannah gets detention for a week from Umbridge. Hannah serves her detention for Snape, where she reads books from his bookshelf; she learns about the whomping willow. She then takes his advanced potion making book. Pansy Parkinson threatens Hannah and attacks her kitten. Hannah attacks Pansy then leaves the castle. Adrian follows her, then goes back to tell Snape. Hannah goes into the whomping willow, where she brews a poison. She drinks the poison and slashes herself with Sectumsempra. Snape is led to the whomping willow by Spero. Snape finds Hannah in a pool of blood, lifeless.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Left handed. Skilled at potion making. Doesn't want to live.

Chapter 10: Snape uses the Sectumsempra counter-curse on Hannah and brings her to the hospital wing, where he gives her an antidote to the poison. Hannah watches everything unfold from a birds-eye perspective, where she realizes that people cared whether she lived. Snape realizes that he cared about Hannah. As Adrian and Snape sit around Hannah's bed, Hannah's pulse resumes.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Had a habit of self-harming

Chapter 11: Snape shows Dumbledore and Adrian his memory of the recent events. We find out that Dumbledore witnessed something to do with Hannah 10 years ago that may relate to why Hannah has tried to take her own life. Snape stays in the hospital wing with Hannah overnight.

Characters introduced:

n/a

Chapter 12: Snape stays in the hospital wing with exhaustion and Dumbledore covers his classes. Adrian visits Hannah in the morning, to witness Hannah screaming and convulsing. Snape stuns Hannah and gives her a dreamless sleep potion. Hannah awakens at the end of the chapter to Snape whispering her name.

Characters introduced:

Madam Pomfrey

Chapter 13: Hannah and Snape talk. Snape asks why she did what she did. The chapter ends with Hannah asking him to use Legilimens on her.

Characters introduced:

n/a

Chapter 14: Hannah shows Snape memories: she was being abused by her parents as a child whenever she spoke, and her parents would torture animals. When she was 7, Hannah tried to stop her parents torturing a kitten, as a result, her parents tortured and tried to drown her, instead. After her attempted drowning, she woke up to no sign of her parents. When she was 8, she left the house permanently. When she was 10, she would sell portraits for money; she sold a drawing of a cat to an old man by communication via legilimency. When she was 17, Dumbledore found her and made her come to Hogwarts with him. She then showed Snape the memories of Umbridge and Pansy abusing her. After watching all the memories, Snape realized that Hannah's parents had been fellow death eaters.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Tried to stop her parents torturing a kitten when she was 7, as a result, she was tortured and her parents attempted to drown her, after this, she never saw her parents again. Left home at 8. Would sell portraits for money when she was homeless. Learned how to apparate as a young teenager. Hannah did not have a verbal conversation with a single person again until she was 17.

Suzanna (OC)

- Hannah's mother. A death eater.

Brian (OC)

- Hannah's father. A death eater.

Black kitten (OC)

- Male

Chapter 15: Snape tells Hannah that her parents were death eaters, as a results, Hannah concludes that Snape was also a death eater. Dumbledore shows Snape and Hannah his memory from 10 years ago: he watched Hannah being tortured by her parents; he intervened, and in doing so killed her father with a rebounded curse. He pulled Hannah from the pool and resuscitated her and left with the kitten before she woke up. Suzanna was taken to Azkaban by Aurors. After viewing the memories, Dumbledore informs Hannah that the cat that was tortured is in fact the same cat that Adrian has.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Used to live in Godric's Hollow.

Suzanna Leems (OC) additional info

- Specialised in using potion and the cruciatus curse as a torture technique. Used to brew potions alongside Snape. Used to live in Godric's Hollow. Taken to Azkaban after torturing Hannah.

Brian Leems (OC) additional info

- Specialised in using potion and the cruciatus curse as a torture technique. Used to brew potions alongside Snape. Used to live in Godric's Hollow. Killed by Dumbledore.

Black kitten (OC) additional info

- Named Ligo. Now belongs to Adrian Pucey.

Chapter 16: Hannah is offered to move into Snape's spare bedroom in his private quarters for her safety.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Is becoming more comfortable talking

Ligo (OC)

- Was given to Adrian in his first year at Hogwarts, after Dumbledore had him for 3 years.

Chapter 17: Hannah has a long conversation with Adrian about their past. Hannah grows close to Adrian. Hannah moves into Snape's spare room. Snape compliments Hannah's drawing of a moving black cat before they retire for the night.

Characters introduced:

n/a

Chapter 18: Snape sets Hannah a study timetable to catch up to the other students. Snape asks Hannah why her legilimency skills are so good since he's concerned that his occlumency skills are insufficient to protect his mind, to which she suggested that it's about insight rather than skill. Hannah and Adrian converse by the lake.

Characters introduced:

n/a

Chapter 19: Hannah meets Danielle Ingram, a Hufflepuff student who Mcgonagall assigned to tutor Hannah in transfiguration. Hannah meets Harry Potter at detention with Umbridge. Snape notices the cuts from detention on Hannah's hands, and vows to speak to Dumbledore about Umbridge.

Characters introduced:

Danielle Ingram (OC)

- 7th year. Hufflepuff. Tall, with short, brown curly hair. Exceptionally friendly. Talkative.

Harry Potter

Chapter 20: Hannah has a DADA lesson, where Fred and George request her help to spike Umbridge's tea. They also scheme about ways to get the rest of the Slytherins to hate Umbridge. Fred slips a potion into Umbridge's tea in the great hall.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Vegetarian. Getting even more comfortable socializing, especially with Adrian, Dani, Fred, and George.

Chapter 21: Umbridge kisses Pansy in the great hall after being spiked with a love potion. Snape, upset that Hannah would scheme with the Weasley twins, asks Hannah to help him brew an antidote. Snape tells Hannah about the Order of the Pheonix when he asks her to help him brew a wolfsbane potion when Hannah couldn't sleep.

Characters introduced:

n/a

Chapter 22: Hannah has a nightmare that Voldemort tortured Snape for telling Hannah he's a death eater. Fred, George, Hermione, Harry, and Ron discuss Hannah in her absence, after Fred and George brags about her participation in spiking Umbridge's drink. Hermione shows concerns for Hannah's legilimency abilities, but admits she might come in useful. Hannah uses the imperius curse on Umbridge and makes her insult Shinayd Mariana, a Slytherin girl. Snape confronts Hannah about using the imperius curse. Snape discusses occlumency with Hannah after she tells him about her nightmare.

Characters introduced:

Ron Weasley

Shinayd Mariana (OC)

- Slytherin 7th year. Popular.

Chapter 23: Hannah uses legilimency on Shinayd to discover that Shinayd is muggle-born. Hannah uses this information to blackmail Shinayd into getting other Slytherin students to hate Umbridge. Hannah convinces Snape to let Hannah and Adrian spend time together after curfew, with the pretence that Adrian will be teaching her Charms. Hannah and Adrian spend the night flirting, before heading back to Snape's quarters.

Characters introduced:

Shinayd Mariana (OC) additional info

- Muggle born

Chapter 24: Hannah discusses the will to live with Snape. Hannah and Snape work on improving Snape's occlumency skills.

Characters introduced:

n/a

Chapter 25: Hermione approaches Hannah and asks if she wants to join Dumbledore's Army. Hannah asks Adrian to come along with her to the meetings.

Characters introduced:

n/a

Chapter 26: Hannah tells Snape about the DA, who is upset that Hannah is spending time with Gryffindors. They have their first DA meeting, where Hannah, Adrian, Dani, Fred, George, and Angelina partner up. Dani appears to have a crush on Fred. Hermione asks Hannah to convince more Slytherin students to join DA.

Characters introduced:

Angelina Johnson

Danielle Ingram (OC) additional info

- Has a crush on Fred

Chapter 27: Snape convinces Adrian to join the quidditch team again. Adrian overhears the Slytherin 5th years talking about Hannah. They talk about how she hasn't come back to the common room, and that she has been seen going in and out of Snape's office. They also suggest that Hannah is lesbian. Adrian interrupts them and gets defensive. Adrian goes to Snape and asks whether Hannah is straight. Snape assures him that she is indeed straight, and that she talks about Adrian a lot.

Characters introduced:

Hannah Byron (OC) additional info

- Is straight

Vincent Crabbe

Gregory Goyle

Chapter 28: Adrian plays a quidditch game against Gryffindor, where he intentionally let Gryffindor win. Adrian gets assaulted by the Slytherin team, and is allowed to resign from quidditch and stay in Snape's quarters with Hannah. Snape has an argument with Dumbledore about teaching Harry occlumency, portraying his fear about Voldemort penetrating Harry's mind and finding out that Snape is giving him occlumency lessons. Adrian overhears this argument, and gets angry at Snape being a death eater. Snape gives Adrian a memory of him explaining to Hannah that he isn't a death eater, just a spy.

Characters introduced:

Marcus Flint

Chapter 29: Snape is about to ask Hannah a favour after expressing concerns that Voldemort might find out that Hannah is staying in Snape's quarters (and therefore may be a person to torture should Snape upset Voldemort), but is interrupted when Adrian enters the room. Hannah and Adrian continue to be flirtatious.

Characters introduced:

n/a

Chapter 30: Ligo passes away minutes after the new year. Hannah and Adrian fall asleep holding each other.

Characters introduced:

Ligo (OC) additional info

- Passed away 1st Jan 1996

Chapter 31: Snape and Dumbledore meet with Hannah to express their concerns about an inevitable Azkaban break out, where Suzanna is likely to escape. Hannah gives Snape a birthday present: three ingredients from New Zealand that she theorizes could cure hatred.

Characters introduced:

n/a

Now, without any further ado, Chapter 32!

January 13th arrived, as did the start of the school term. The day started off slowly – Hannah was feeling anxious about what Snape and Dumbledore had mentioned, Adrian was still feeling miserable about the loss of Ligo, and Snape looked equally as anxious as Hannah. Hannah couldn't deny the loss of Ligo had an equally big impact on her, but it killed her to show it. She'd never seen Adrian look so down, and she had no idea how she could help.

Hannah and Adrian headed to the Great Hall together the next morning, both not even touching the feast, apart from a sneaky bit of meat Hannah stole for Spero. Neither Hannah nor Adrian spoke at all until mail arrived. An owl landed swiftly in front of the two, holding the Daily Prophet. The words "MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN" were spread all over the first page.
"Shit." Hannah barely voiced.
"Susanna Leems… isn't that your…" Adrian began. He stopped at the sight of Hannah nodding. "That wouldn't affect you at all, would it? Surely she has no reason to want to find you?"
"Of course not." Hannah lied, "Just a bit of a shock, that's all." Adrian placed his hand on top of Hannah's momentarily before standing up and leaving the Great Hall. Hannah took the opportunity to look up at Snape, who had been looking intently at Hannah the whole time. "What do I do" Hannah used legilimency to communicate to Snape.
"Nothing. Not yet, anyway." Snape thought back.

Later that day, Hannah found Shinayd walking alone back to the common room. "Shinayd," Hannah started, "Stop running away from me; you know you owe me." Shinayd turned reluctantly.
"What?" She scolded.
"Have you done what I asked? Have you convinced anyone to hate Umbridge?"
"Hardly." Shinayd admitted, "Pansy did most of the convincing, except now half of Draco's friends are in the inquisitorial squad."
"And what're they trying to achieve exactly?"
"Brownie points mainly, but they're under the impression that Potter and his friends have some secret organisation. Stupid, really."
"Yeah, about that…" Hannah awkwardly began, "Would you like to join that organisation?" Shinayd's jaw dropped momentarily.
"Are you serious? There's actually an organisation? What on earth are you guys trying to achieve?" Shinayd argued.
"It's merely a Defence Against the Dark Arts class that is taught properly. I think you should come along." Shinayd scrunched her face in disgust.
"What makes you think I would want to join a stupid organisation with Potter and his Gryffindor friends?"
"Have you considered..." Hannah pulled Shinayd aside into a deserted alcove and lowered her voice into a whisper, "That making friends with strong, capable, and non-bigoted wizards might be a good idea, given your parentage?" Shinayd's eyes flashed with anger.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Surely you realise, with this Azkaban breakout, you will be in a lot of danger? What's going to become of you when one person discovers your parentage, and your entire bigoted friend group turns on you? Who will be there to protect you?" Shinayd looked at the ground.
"Fine. Fine, you win. I'll join the stupid group." Hannah smirked triumphantly.
"I'll get Hermione to give you a snazzy coin."

Hannah awoke early the next day and checked to see if Adrian had yet woken. She peered around the divider to see Adrian sleeping soundly, with the drawing of Ligo next to him on the bed. With a sad smile, she turned out of the bedroom and walked into Snape's office.
"You're up early", Snape's voice startled Hannah.
"As are you" Hannah watched Snape as he read over parchment on his desk with one hand buried in his hair, "are you alright?" Snape let out a long sigh.
"Teaching Harry occlumency today." Snape barely let the words out of his mouth.
"You'll be fine. Adrian and I can leave the room, and if Voldemort finds out..."
"You should stop using that name", Snape interrupted sharply.
"Voldemort? Seriously?" Hannah questioned.
"You shouldn't get used to saying it" Snape moves his hands over his face as if his head pained, before flicking his wand in the direction of the bedroom door where Adrian slept.
"What are you doing?" Hannah looked at the door.
"I don't want Pucey to listen."
"Are you going to tell me what that favour is?"
"Yes." Snape took a moment to readjust himself in his seat, as if finding any excuse to delay. "I think, should Suzanna find you, you should join the death eaters."
"What? Are you insane?"
"As a spy, like myself", Snape quickly interjected. "I don't see any other way around it. The children of death eaters know you spend a lot of time here, and if you fight against Suzanna, it will not go well for either of us." Snape sighed deeply. "I wouldn't ask, but failing the job I've been assigned will be too consequential for the wizarding world."
"Okay," Hannah said without a moment of thought. "I see no reason why not."
"There are many reasons 'why not'. You will be asked to do terrible things. The people around you will be in danger. You will be in danger..." A bang on the bedroom door caused both Hannah and Snape to snap their heads towards the bedroom. Snape quickly waved his wand at the door.
"Blasted door wouldn't open", Adrian said as he walked into the room rubbing his knuckles. Adrian watched Hannah and Snape for a moment, who both appeared as if they'd been startled. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes." Hannah said a little too quickly. Hannah gave Adrian a shy smile before they left the room together with only a small glance back at Snape.

A/N

I will post new chapters faster if requested to do so, otherwise I'll aim to post the chapters weekly. Thank you for reading!