I don'y own Harry Potter. I do, however, own an adorible dog nemed Miri :)

Dear Harry,

You're probably not expecting this. Who, after all, would expect a letter from their hateful aunt, the one that was cruel and denied you're existence? I have to write this, though, and explain. There will no doubt be some moments of surprise for you, but please read the entire letter. After that you can burn it if you want to. Enough rambling, I'll start the actual letter know.

I loved magic. You may not believe it, but it's true. Before Lily turned eleven, and went to that school, sorry, Hogwarts (Old habits die hard.) our mother used to read us Fairy tales all the time. Either that or I'd read them to Lily. Every birthday Lily wished that she could be a witch. Every birthday I wished for other things. I probably would have wished to be a witch too, but when I was five I figured out that Dad gave out our presents, not Father Christmas. It shaked my belief, I guess.

When Lily got her letter I was extremely exited for her. What big sister wouldn't be? She finally got what she wanted. For practically years after that, though, I was kicking myself for not wishing like she did. It didn't mater much, though. Sure I missed her, but life at school was good too. I know how hard for you it must be to take this in, but take in a little more. When I was a teenager, I was beautiful. My beauty didn't leave until I became the aunt you know today. Cruel and bitter.

You probably want to know what changed my opinion of magic, caused me to hate it, as well as my own beloved sister. When you were one, you defeated that evil wizard, the one called Voldemort, or something like that. What you probably never knew was the fact that your parents aren't the only ones who didn't die in a car crash. Your grandparents were killed by that man too, for being, what's the word he used, muggles with a mudblood. The only reason I wasn't dead was that I had been at a friends house when they attacked.

After that, nothing was the same. I blamed magic for their death, and this turned into blaming Lily, as well. Stupid, I know, but I believed that if she hadn't been a witch, they would be alive. It's probably true, but I didn't blame her anymore. It wasn't her fault. Anyway, after that I tried to believe that I hated anything out of the ordinary. This as when I met Vernon. He was perfect, not a different bone in his body, a hate for anyone out of the ordinary. I would have despised him before, Now I convinced myself I loved him.

Lily tried to talk me out of it, but as I wasn't speaking to her it didn't help. What also didn't help was the fact that she was dating James Potter, whom she had spent the last six Summers despising. When I wasn't calling her a murderer, I called her a hypocrite.

So I married Vernon, the worst man in the universe, and had Dudley, whom I turned into the worst boy. Then she died. Another attack of that Volde-wizard.

Outwardly, I was cruel and told Vernon she deserved it. Inwardly, I cried for months. I know that won't make up for being cruel to your mother in her death, but please didn't rip up the paper just yet.

Then you came. I never expected it, I mean, I knew I was her last relative and all, but I figured that she'd give you to some one who actually liked her. Someone magical, so you'd grow up normal for your kind. I figured that your father would give you to his best man, the serial killer. (Yes, I know he's innocent, the head master of your school told me.) I never went to the wedding, but she tried to introduce me to everyone anyway, so that's how I knew him.

Then we come to the part when we raised you, Vernon and I. We messed up big time, I guess, but not as big as we did with Dudley. It's actually pathetic, if you think about it, we did worse on the one we wanted perfect then the one we wanted messed up. I'm very sorry for the way I treated you, Harry. I guess that's what this whole letter is. An apology, and an explanation. I'm not trying to lessen your anger, I deserve it. I'm just telling you why, for I think you have a right to know.

The day you got your letter, I was so afraid. Vernon simply didn't want a 'weird one' as he put it, in the family, but I was shaking in my shoes. Back then I believed all those who came in contact with magic died. You can't blame me, both my sister and my parents, on separate occasions... Never mind, all you need to know was that at that moment I was sure we were all going to die. You, me, Vernon, Dudley. Maybe ever our neighbours, too.

Now your seventeen, and about to face the wizard who killed your parents. I just wanted you to know that I've seen the error in my ways, and am sorry, from the bottom of my heart. If it's any consolation (though I suppose it won't be.) I've divorced my husband, and my new flat is open to you and your friends whenever you need it. Anything else I can do to repay my cruelty, just write- err, owl, I guess-, me.

- Aunt Petunia