Harry Potter and the Enchanted Fortress.

Chapter One-The Disappearing Letter

Harry Potter was sitting on top of a large wooden crate, which had suddenly appeared at the Dursley's un-welcoming house in Privet drive. He would have opened it there and then, but a small slightly crumpled note had been carried through the window by Harry's trusted owl, Hedwig.
Harry was no ordinary boy, and his untidy hair and shocking jade green eyes didn't help his aunt and uncle hide his true identity. You see Harry happened to be a wizard, and a pretty good one too. In the wizarding world when Harry was a tiny baby there was a dark lord whom everyone still fears today. He tried to destroy Harry, but he survived marked only with a lightning shaped scar, and the evil wizard vanished without a trace. Harry is so well-known in the wizard world, that he cannot go into the street, without people walking up to him and shaking his hand enthusiastically. His guardians and only living relatives, however, are ashamed of him, and treat him as if he is a cold virus.
Hedwig ruffled her feathers and perched gingerly on the window sill as if she was waiting for Harry to open the small, brown envelope. Harry paused only for a moment to stroke Hedwig gently on the head, before slicing open the letter with the letter opener in the shape of a toothbrush Hermione's parents had bought him the summer before. The letter said:

Dear Mr. Potter,

I am sure you are already aware that your new school year begins on September the first. As usual the Hogwarts express will leave from Kings Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters at 11 o'clock sharp.
Enclosed is a package containing compulsory equipment for starting the new Hogwarts school year. There is also a list of additional books and materials needed.

Yours Sincerely
Professor M. McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress.

Harry longed to be back at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry and not least of the reasons was to see his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Ron belonged to a large family of wizards. His dad worked for the Ministry of magic in the misuse of muggle artefacts office. The ministry is in charge of stopping muggles (non-magical people)from finding out about the strange goings-on in the secret world of magic just beneath their noses. Hermione on the other hand came from a muggle family, and, like Harry had first heard of Hogwarts when a letter of yellowish parchment and green ink had made its way to their houses, when they were eleven years old. Now, at fifteen, Harry was about to begin his fifth year at the school run by Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore's hair and beard were shocking silver and long enough to tuck into his belt. He was also rather old, but this didn't stop the evil witches and wizards being extremely frightened of his tremendous powers.
The crate Harry was sitting on was rather uncomfortable. He was puzzled as to how it had got to be stationed on his bed, but decided not to open it because one of the Dursley's could walk in at any moment and catch him red handed. The Dursley's did not allow Harry to have anything to do with magic in his bedroom, but what they didn't know was that Harry had tip-toed down to the cupboard under the stairs and sneaked his books under a loose floorboard in his bedroom. However, there was no-way that a two foot square crate would fit. Harry pondered for a while, before deciding that the only option was to hide it under his fathers invisibility cloak. He heaved the box onto the floor and draped the shimmering material over it. The surface rippled then vanished.
Harry almost skipped down the staircase with glee, that he could once again fool the Dursley's. The muggle post had arrived. Harry didn't even glance at it as he hurriedly picked up a piece of stone cold toast of the kitchen table, where Dudley sat yelling for more sausages. "Just look in a mirror"Harry muttered to himself as he forced the toast down his dry throat. "You're only allowed one sausage sweetums" aunt Petunia reminded her almost crying son. Ever since the end of the third year, Dudley had been forced on a very strict diet due to the fact that he just wouldn't fit into the the biggest size of Smelting uniform. Harry found this highly amusing, until he was forced into the same regime.
Then something happened to wipe this from Harry's mind. A rather large, tired looking tawny owl swooped down the stairs, dropped yet another envelope onto Harry's head, and soared straight out of the open kitchen window pausing only long enough to let out a loud screech.
Feeling rather shaken Harry looked down at the letter. On the top right-hand corner where you'd expect to see a stamp, there was crest bearing the ministry of magic symbol. Ignoring shouts from Uncle Vernon about reckless behaviour, Harry ran silently up the stairs. When he reached the landing he tore open the letter to reveal the words,

Notification of Expulsion.

A rather large, rather uneven lump began coursing it's way up, towards Harry's throat. Hands trembling, Harry ran into his small bedroom, and without thinking, straight into the invisible box.
The pain was excruciating. It ran up Harry's leg and as he doubled-up in agony, he strained to read more the doom laden letter.

Dear Mr. Potter,
We have discovered evidence that you have ignored, once again, the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Under-age-sorcery section B-12. We therefore have no choice but to.......

Harry quickly shoved the paper and box back under his fathers cloak. Thundering footsteps told him that Uncle Vernon wasn't pleased about something. He was right. No more than a second later Mr. Dursley, purple faced and breathing heavily, appeared the door-way.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"he practically screamed. But before Harry could even think of an answer without mentioning the sickening truth, Vernon had stormed out again rattling the whole house. Harry, almost immediately pulled the cloak off the box, but the letter, it seemed, had really vanished.

*

Harry could only assume that the letter had meant that using the cloak counted as under-age magic. Harry hadn't thought of that. Still shaking he slowly got to his feet, his left leg still throbbing where the corner of the crate had hit it. What did this mean?, he wondered to himself. "Why did it vanish? Am I still expelled?" Harry had so many questions that he had forgotten one important detail. Today was July 31st, Harry's birthday. He flung himself onto he bed and burst into tears.
It was unusual for Harry to cry, and the glistening tears streaming down his cheek didn't suit him. But the thought of never having another feast in the great hall of seeing the ghosts gliding through the dark, stone walls and maybe even, ending up like Hagrid, was too much. Harry sat himself up, reminding himself that he had survived four perilous years at Hogwarts and that he can't be expelled for accidentally using his fathers cloak. After saying this, the idea seemed completely preposterous.
A loud squawk outside made Harry jump. Peering over his window-sill Harry saw another owl, this time it was mottled grey in colour. "What now," Harry wondered irritably. "Has another letter come saying I've got to stand trial?" Harry opened the window and took the letter the owl was holding. Sure enough there was the Ministry of Magic's crest. Harry opened it. Inside there was one single piece of parchment. Harry read it hoping beyond all hope, that he was proved wrong.

Dear Mr. Potter,

I have some disturbing news.

Harry's heart sank.

A mistake has been made on our part. It seems that all students have been letters of expulsion. This is an extremely grievous mistake, and we are truly sorry for any inconvenience caused by our actions.

Yours Regretfully,
Cornelious Fudge
Minister of Magic.

It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off Harry. He put the letter and crate carefully in the bottom of his wardrobe (which, he reminded himself he should have done first), and after making sure that the epistle wouldn't disappear, shut the door. He folded up the glistening cloak and placed it gingerly in the gap under the loose floor-board in his room, with a look of relief on his face.
Harry thought for a moment. If he had got a letter, Ron and Hermione must have got one too. He imagined Hermiones face as had read the word "expulsion". He shuddered. But the silence was broken by a shrill squeal. Errol the Weasley's owl splattered against the window. Harry rose to his feet. He heaved the withered owl into the room and revived it. His first Birthday card of the day slipped out of Errols claws. It said,

Harry,

I hope you are having fun with the Dursley's (if that is at all possible).

Harry smiled.

I'm really sorry that I forgot to write earlier. Happy Birthday for the 31st! Your present is following with pig (Errol would probably collapse). Why don't you come and stay? Dumbledore sent us a letter saying you can. I've asked mum and she smiled for the first time in weeks (dad's been working over-time) send Errol back with your reply.

Ron.
PS:Just in case they lock you up again!

At that precise moment a small excitable owl zoomed through the open window. It was Pigwidgeon, the owl given to Ron by Harry's Godfather Sirius Black at the end of their third year. Pig buzzed over Harry's head. Harry, stuck out his right arm and clenched his fist. The owl, now safely in Harry's grip, was relieved from a small bundle that was evidently weighing it down. Hedwig gave Pig a look of deep disgust, but Pig chirruped merrily at her. The package was about the same proportion as a very tiny broomstick. As he opened it, there was a glint of silver, which grew bigger as more paper was ripped off. When every last shred of paper had been removed, Harry saw what it was. A glistening key lay in the palm of his hand. It looked like just a normal key, but as Harry moved towards Hedwigs cage, it began to shrink. Intrigued, Harry watched as it flew out of his hand and into the padlock on Hedwig's enclosure. There was a click and the padlock fell off Hedwigs already open cage. Harry was astounded. Looking back at the letter, he realised what it had meant by "just in case they lock you up again!" It was apparent that Ron had been in his fathers shed again, (Mr. Weasly loved everything to do with muggles, and was known for bewitching things even if it was illegal). Harry had already got one of these, on a pen-knife Sirius had given him, but he was grateful anyway.
But Harry couldn't dwell on this for long, because Dudley slowly waddled into view. Harry had been staring absent-mindedly out of the window, when Dudley stalked across the garden looking around to see if anyone was watching (Harry ducked). Harry appeared again, ready to bob back down if Dudley looked up. Dudley prowled across to a bush which didn't quite hide him, took something out of one of his jackets many pockets, and a faint glow emerged in his hand. Putting two and two together Harry saw it was evident. Dudley was smoking. Harry sunk onto his bed hardly daring to believe what he had just witnessed. The thought of mummy's boy Dudley doing anything against his parents was quite ludicrous. Harry was sick of being treated badly by Dudley.
"I'll give him some of his own medicine" he thought bitterly. And with a satisfied look on his face he fell asleep.