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If you read or watched Harry Potter before your 11th birthday, you definitely waited for your Hogwarts letter (I’m still disappointed mine got lost).

But in this case, when a stepdad started planning his stepdaughter’s 11th birthday, he had what he thought was the perfect idea.

Since she had been obsessed with Harry Potter since he met her, he thought this would be a great surprise.

So he arranged for a Hogwarts acceptance letter to be “delivered” during her birthday party.

At first, it looked like the idea was a huge success. Then they realized she thought she was going to Hogwarts. Then they had to tell her.

Read the full story below.

AITA for getting my stepdaughter a Hogwarts letter for her 11th birthday?

I’ve been married for four years, my wife had a daughter from a previous relationship.

My stepdaughter has been obsessed with Harry Potter since before I met her. (She literally asked me if i liked Harry Potter when I met her).

Her 11th birthday was yesterday, and I arranged for a letter to be “delivered” during her birthday party and it was an admittance letter for Hogwarts.

I thought it was a really cute gift idea.

But apparently it went a bit out of hand.

My stepdaughter started freaking out, screaming “it’s real, it’s real!!” and really went nuts.

Some of her friends seemed to join in the excitement, others less so.

Her mother (my wife) held her to calm her down and explained to her that it wasn’t real. It was just a “joke step daddy played on you”.

She started crying screamed that she hated me and ran to her room.

Things escalated.

The other parents seemed to sympathize, one other father said he thought it was a nice idea.

But after we sent everyone home, my wife yelled at me and said what I did was selfish and cruel and she couldn’t believe I would hurt her daughter like that.

Was I wrong to do this? Was it an inappropriate gift for an 11-year-old? I really didn’t mean to mock or hurt my stepdaughter.

I thought it would be fun. It didn’t occur to me my stepdaughter was young enough to think it was real.

AITA?

Yikes, he should cast Obliviate on everyone!

What did Reddit think?

A reader shares their opinion.

His idea was cool.

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Good observation.

Another reader chimes in.

Something to consider.

I don’t want to say she’s “too old” for believing it could be real. People believe way crazier things as adults.

Also, when a child is invested in a fantasy world, they can say they don’t believe it and still secretly believe it or want it to be true anyway.

I think her mom was wrong for interrupting her joy in front of her friends and making her feel silly in front of everyone, though.

Some people were concerned that she was so upset it wasn’t real. I agree she might be a bit more sheltered than ideal.

One thing is for sure: his idea was awesome, and he sounds like a great stepdad.

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Author

Mila Cardozo