The next few days were spent composing a letter to his aunt Petunia and realizing he knew very little about the Evans family.  Petunia had not been very forthcoming in the past and he hoped since he was asking she might give something this time.  He was aware that Dudley had a genealogy/family tree project in school a few years before and she'd helped him then.  So he hoped she would come through for him now.  He'd told Hermione and Ron about the project and the reactions had been mixed.  Hermione seemed to understand and wished him well.  Ron had been confused, after all who wanted to know a lot about a bunch of muggles.  Snape wouldn't go any further than to say that the Evans family probably had more ties to the wizarding world than what was suspected.  He also stated that every wizard should know his family history.

            So Harry wrote the letter and sent it off warning Hedwig to come to his aunt when Vernon was at work.  He did not want to cause her any trouble and he'd noticed she was much nicer to him when she was alone.  His letter was short but courteous and he expected nothing in return. 

Dear Aunt Petunia,

I am writing to you for help.  I have a project in school, researching my family tree.  I know Mum's family is not magical but I can find very little on my father's and since many students are not magical born, using our family would not be unacceptable.  I am curious about Mum and her family as I know very little and most of what I have been told in the past is vague.  I also remember Dudley had a project on it.  If his project is still around could you send it on?  And any stories, family stories concerning your family?  Anything you wish to do I would be most grateful.   If you have stories of family life I would love to hear them.  From everything I gather, you, Dudley and me are the last of the Evans family and I think we shouldn't let them die.  If you can't help I will understand and thank you in advance if you do decide to help.  I have told my owl to deliver this when you are alone since Uncle Vernon has a real problem with magic, and I don't want to cause trouble for you. Thank you,

Harry

            Petunia was startled 3 days later when she opened the window to Harry's owl.  Hedwig had indeed waited till Vernon had left for work.  She took the letter and read it surprised at what her nephew had asked.  So he wants to know about us? She asked herself.  Well she knew someone had to know about their family and he was right, they were the last of the Evans family.  She got up from the kitchen table after asking Hedwig to stay and went into the attic.  All of her mother's things were there along with some of Lily's things that had come to her after her sister's death so many years ago.  She grabbed a box and packed the diaries of her mother and some of the other things in it, she grabbed a pen and some paper and wrote a letter back to Harry. 

Dear Harry,

            I was surprised to hear from you, especially with that request.  I remember Lily telling me there is much prejudice against the nonmagical born.  I suspect even if it has lessened it hasn't gone away.  Dudley's school project was about his father's family so that will do you no good. I am sending diaries of my mother that I went and photocopied for you, the originals are here.  I trust your owl but would prefer to keep Mother's diaries myself.  There are a few other things, some pictures of Lily and I as children, pictures of our parents. Please take care of those; they are all I have left of them.  I have more things at the house but I don't want to overburden your owl.  She has been very polite and quiet here.  She did follow your instructions and I am cooking her some bacon as a reward.  Yes Vernon dislikes magic very much.  He did not grow up with it.  So he fears it.  He has passed the fear onto Dudley as you know.  He is quite unaware that Lily was NOT the only witch in the family.  Our mother also went to Hogwarts years ago.  Her diaries will explain why she left the wizarding world.   This is all information I didn't know, as a child, and I doubt Lily ever knew any of it.  They died within weeks of each other.  I didn't read the diaries until AFTER you started at Hogwarts.  For years they sat in the attic along with Lily's things.  I read them in your first year and vowed that if you asked you would get them.  You have asked so I am sending them.  When you return for the summer I will let you see and read the originals.  I made these copies two years ago for you.  I doubt seriously that I will ever show them to Dudley.  My mother, your Grandmother was called the neighborhood witch.  We never knew how true that was.  Mother was different from most every one else's Mums.  She never cared much what the neighbors thought of us.  Neither did Dad for that matter.  We were always conscious of her foreignness.  She was Irish from Ireland and never lost that or the accent.  She loved both your mother and me fiercely and didn't tolerate bullies well at all.  She was not crazy about your father or his friends because she thought they were a bit bullyish.  She hated Vernon for that reason, and she told me on more than one occasion I could and should do better for a spouse.  Her diaries cover many years and I suspect you will have questions about them.  Mother came from Ireland and a very large family there.  I haven't met many of them since we never went to Ireland and most of them did not come here.  I do know that three of her sisters attended Hogwarts since one of the diaries covers her years there.  There were 13 children in her generation so I assume there were many cousins we never met.  Dad was an only child and his family was not magical at all to my knowledge.  I suspect that we had cousins at Hogwarts during Lily's time there and you may have some you don't know there now.  Mum never spoke much about her family to us.  And having checked into some of the immigrant history and experience I understand that to be normal.  She wanted us to fit in here so she left a lot of her past in the past.  I am also sending a family tree but it only goes back to my grandparents.  Neither one of my parents every spoke much about the past and I suspect they had their reasons.  Harry I am glad you asked for this information.  It needs to be shared and out there and I realize as I write this I wanted to share it with you.  With that monster back and yes I do know who and what he is, you need all the information you can get.  Take good care and be SAFE.

Petunia

            Hedwig delivered Petunia's letter and package to Harry in the dorm a week after she'd been sent.  Petunia had been careful not to overload her and Harry was grateful for that.  He was also surprised by what she sent, his grandmother's diaries?   The pictures of the little girls his mother and aunt were beautiful and he wasted no time duplicating them, along with the pictures of their parents, his grandparents.  There were some other things there along with the pictures and the diaries. His mother's wand, a lock of her hair tied in a ribbon, a claddagh ring that belonged to her. A Gryffindor pin that looked older than his mother was also there.  Could his Grandmother have been in Gryffindor?  Petunia had indeed come through for Harry.  Harry wanted to do something nice for her but wasn't sure what to do. He did not want to send Hedwig there if Vernon was around.  Petunia was right, he feared magic and he didn't understand it.  But he wanted to do something nice for her, since she had shared the information so freely.  He suspected he would learn much more next summer. 

            He decided to take the lot down to Snape's office the next time they met.  In the meantime there were diaries to read.   He also decided to put the pictures into an album for his aunt.  He knew it would be something she could appreciate.   He'd already framed two of them for himself. 

            Hermione and Ron found him in the dorm with the pictures and mementos and were surprised as he showed them that his aunt had sent them on to him.  Both promised to help him organize the photos into an album for his aunt.  Since he wasn't allowed to go to Hogsmeade this year, Hermione promised to pick up an album for him.  Ron was shocked at the old Gryffindor pin.  He told Harry that it was one that hadn't been worn at the school in over 50 yrs and his aunt had one just like it.  It had been given to the graduating class of Gryffindors the last year Dumbledore was their Head of House. 

            The three friends wondered what else was there, the diaries would probably tell them more.  And Harry definitely looked forward to reading those.  Things had changed between the three of them as the year had gone by.  Part of it was Hermione and Ron being a couple, part of it was the lessons with Snape and Dumbledore.  Another part was his quitting quidditch.  Ron and Harry had made up but it was something they didn't share anymore.  Ron was still keeper for the team and Harry wasn't on it anymore.  Hermione was still ever the bookworm but it wasn't the same and it wouldn't be.  They were changing and growing up and their interests were changing.

 Neither one of them could understand the strange sympathy he felt for Draco Malfoy but they left him alone at Harry's request.  Malfoy was less likely to start anything now than he had been in the past.  Harry felt and told them that he was going through enough losing his father to Azkaban without being harassed about it.  So they left him alone and didn't start anything or laugh at him for it. And since Malfoy no longer started trouble things were quieter.  Several times he and Malfoy had partnered in potions together and managed to do the work without fighting.  Malfoy had expected Harry to rag him about his father and was surprised when Harry didn't.  He couldn't understand it, and Harry never bothered to explain that he wouldn't.  Harry wouldn't because he knew Draco loved his father and missed him.  He already had pain there; Harry didn't want to increase it.  He may have despised Lucius but Draco didn't.  So he left Draco alone and hoped he would be okay.   He never bothered explaining himself to the blonde because he knew he wouldn't be believed.  He'd done lots of thinking about the so-called rivalry and decided he didn't have time for it, so if Draco didn't start anything neither would he.  With that decided the year was going much more quietly than the past years.  No one else seemed to want to step into what had been Draco's place in the rivalry and Harry was glad of it.

A/N  A quick note here. This chapter basically wrote itself.  Came straight out of Snape's suggestion that he contact Petunia for more info on his family.  Snape that sly man just had to go and suggest that.  I was like after writing and posting that … what the hell did I just do???  JKR has only ever said that Lily was muggle born.  She has never given her a family history.  I know this will be AU since I don't doubt she has created one.  We the readers may never see it, but she has one. Bluntly I think she has one for all of the major players in the Potterverse.  She isn't showing it except in dribs and drabs … i.e. the pensieve scenes in books 4 and 5.  I think she is playing the past very close to the vest and the next two books will reveal a whole lot more. Because the past has a hell of an impact on the story she is telling.  I think most fans are wanting that past.  My version is probably going to be different.  The comment Petunia makes about the immigrant experience, well I can state as a first generation American that while my family household was a mix of American and European we were encouraged to BE Americans.  This seems to be a common experience in immigrant homes, it is magnified of course in the Evans family by the laws of the wizarding world of separation from the muggle world.  So Mrs. Evans wouldn't have discussed her magic with her children.  She left that world for a reason that will be explained.  Once again thanks to everyone who is reading this story.