Dear Witches, Wizards Muggles and Squibs,

Petunia Dursley, you recently sumitted a letter to the Daily Prophet in which you complained bitterly about having to take in Harry Potter. It was an attempt to justify your and your husband's abuse of Harry. I was shocked at your justification for the terrible treatment Harry received at your hands. Not ovly did you and your husband abuse Harry but you taught your son, Dudley Dursley, to do the same.

Every year when Harry came back from your "care", Petunia, he was undernourished and lacked confidence. His body was sore.

Dudley feels very bad about this. He still loves you and Vernon. He also wants to be reconciled with Harry Potter.

There is absolutly nothing that justifies what you did. Your quarrel, if you had one, was with Albus Dubledore. I have two parents that were kind and never hit me. I always had food and a plesant bedroom. One time my accidental magic blew up the whole house. I was scared and shaking. My parents comforted me. The Ministry set our house right and modified a few memories.

When I came to Hogwarts, Harry was like a brother to me. I'd never had any brothers. Mum was only able to have one child. My parents accepted me for what I am, a witch. They encouraged me in my schooling and were very supportive of me. They not only worried about me but also Harry. I told them a great deal about Harry. I begged them to take Harry in and they and the Weasleys both pleaded to take Harry. Professor Dumbledore said no and refused to explain. This happened several times. After Harry's fifth year we made our demand an ultimatum. We threatened to appeal to the Muggle Prime Minister. He finally explained to us, the Weasleys and Harry Potter.

Wizards greeted you Dursleys and told you on no uncertain terms that if you were horrible to Harry in any way there would be consequences. For the next two summers you were reasonably civil to Harry.

Harry had a very strong protection but for it to work he needed with a blood relative. Petunia, you were his only blood relative. Not only was Harry protected, so were you. So were Dudley and Vernon. You were "loose ends". The Death Eaters had you marked for death as well as Vernon and Dudley. They even had Vernon's sister, Marge, marked for death.

Petunia, recently Professor Dumbledore's brother, Aberforth, discovered something in Professor Dumbledore's papers. He valued all human life. He was worried about you, Vernon and Dudley. That is the second reason Harry was placed with you. Had he been taken away Death Eaters would have come to your home and tortured you. They would have extracted any information they could get and left you insane or dead. I know of a couple that were visited by Death Eaters. They were left insane. Their son, Harry's age, had his magic damaged. Fortunately he has recovered. The parents are still in St Mungo's, our wizarding hospital.

I'm sorry our people did not better explain how to care for Harry. I am going to make sure that if it is necessary for a wizarding child to grow up in a Muggle home that the parents know how to take care of the child and can call for help if they need it because of accidental magic or whatever. I'm going to see to it that House Elves do not come into Muggle homes. I've already told our new Minister of Magic I will be workong for the Ministry when my schooling is finished. I could have helped you even as a child. Had I known, we could have talked. If I didn't know an aswer I could have gotten it from a wizrd. I could have arranged to communicate with you any time. I just didn't know you needed help.

Hermione Granger.

A\N originally this was posted as a one-shot but I decided to explain Petunia's letter. This became Chapter 1. Hermione's response became chapter 2. If you are using Fanfiction Reader set the update for the ENTIRE STORY. I'm still using my Android to write and update on this.