Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor am I attempting to make any personal gain from this story.

Author's Note: This is Harry's second year at Hogwarts. Before reading this story I suggest you read about Harry's first year in: Second Time Around.

Second Time Around: Year 2: Chapter 1: Harry's Birthday

The return to Privet Drive was as Harry had expected. Boring. Admittedly Dudley was scared of Harry and tried to avoid him whenever possible, a distinct improvement over previous years, but there was little for Harry to be happy about. He no longer had Sam, his pet snake, as she was preparing to raise a family at Hogwarts. He still had all the chores to do, not that he minded this so much as it gave him something to do. He also had homework to do but since it was fairly straightforward it didn't really pose too much of challenge.

The real problem was that he hadn't received any mail from anyone. Even though he had been allowed to let Hedwig out, the Dursleys refused to allow him to keep her in the house. He had decided to send her to Sirius for the holidays. Before leaving the train he had told Ron and Hermione that he'd had a vision about someone stealing his mail. That vision had now come true and he was unhappy. A week after the beginning of the holidays Harry heard a voice inside his pocket. It was Sirius calling him via the two way mirror.

"Hello Sirius," Harry said into the mirror.

"Hello, Harry. Arthur Weasley spoke to me earlier saying you have not replied to a letter his son Ron sent you. What's happening?" Sirius said.

"I haven't received any mail. It does fulfil another vision, though."

"You saw this would happen? Right, I'm starting an investigation. Interfering with someone else's mail is a serious crime, unless, of course, you have a permit to do so."

"Aurors can get these permits?"

"Only when the head of the DMLE says we can. It is obviously strictly regulated. An enquiry into mail tampering is relatively straight-forward, however. All going well we will identify and charge the thief in a week or two. I'll keep you informed."

"Thank you, Sirius. How are you, anyway?"

"I'm good. Kreacher was asking when he can see you again. You should summon him and give him something to do."

"A house elf in a muggle house. Probably not a good idea, although it would scare the Dursleys."

"How are they treating you?"

"Better than usual. I think you scared them at King's Cross."

"Only too willing to help you out, Harry. Well, bye for now. I'll speak to you as soon as I know something," said Sirius.

"Bye," Harry said as the mirror went blank.

Two days later Sirius again called Harry.

"Hello Sirius. What's up?" Harry asked.

"We found out who was stealing your mail. Turns out it a house elf named Dobby. He works for the Malfoys," replied Sirius.

"So the Malfoys ordered their elf to steal my mail," Harry pretended to be angry.

"That's what we thought but it turns out Lucius and Narcissa didn't know Dobby was doing it. Draco was surprisingly angry. Harry, I didn't know you and Draco were friends?"

"I didn't know that either," Harry replied honestly. "We shook hands when we first met but other than that we've hardly spoken all year."

"Huh? Well, the Malfoys are going to punish the elf themselves and will forward all the mail tomorrow, along with an apology. Looks like they're not so bad after all. Keep in touch, Harry."

"Sirius, is there any way to ensure Dobby isn't punished too harshly? I daresay he did what he thought was best."

"I really cannot say. I could suggest they go easy on him but I doubt it'll make any difference."

"At least try, anyway. Bye Sirius."

"Bye, Harry," and the mirror went blank.

The remainder of July passed quietly. Things settled down into a routine that, although depressing at times, was at least familiar. On the morning of Harry's birthday, which as usual the Dursleys ignored, he went down to the kitchen intending to remind them Sirius would be picking him up later that day.

"Start breakfast," snapped Petunia before he could speak. "Your uncle and I are hosting an important dinner this evening so you need to finish your chores early."

"Actually today is my birthday and, therefore, Sirius will be arriving shortly to collect me. Once everyone has had breakfast I will be returning to my room to tidy up then I will be leaving. I guess Dudley will have to do all the chores today," Harry said before starting breakfast.

"He's coming today?" Petunia asked.

"Yep, he told me he would be here about 11 o'clock." Sirius had contacted Harry via the two way mirror the day before to confirm the time.

Petunia stood glaring at him before finally saying, "Get breakfast ready then. And get rid of all your rubbish. Anything left in that room goes to the dump."

After breakfast Harry cleaned the room. He put everything he owned into his trunk so he could take it all to Grimmauld Place with him. From now on, even though he still had to live with the Dursley's, he would consider Grimmauld Place to be his home.

Harry heard the growl of Sirius' motorbike just before 11 o'clock. Immediately he began dragging his trunk down the stairs. Sirius rang the doorbell but nobody else bothered to open it so Harry had to do it himself.

"Come in, Sirius," He said.

"All set to go, Harry?" Sirius asked.

"Yep. I'll say goodbye and we can leave. Uncle Vernon, aunt Petunia," Harry called.

"What?" growled uncle Vernon.

"Sirius is here so I'll be off then."

"Fine, go," Vernon said.

With that Sirius helped Harry load his trunk into side car before Harry climbed in and donned his helmet. They headed straight to a diner on the outskirts of Little Whinging where they had a light lunch before setting of for 12 Grimmauld Place, arriving mid-afternoon.

"You go unpack," Sirius said when they arrived, "I've got a quick job to do then, in about an hour's time, I will come get you. If you need anything ask Kreacher. I know he'll be eager to see you again."

"Right, see you in an hour's time," Harry said as he went up to his room.

One hour later Sirius knocked on Harry's bedroom door. "Everything's set. Time to go," he said.

"Go where?" asked Harry.

"You'll see," was all Sirius would say.

Curious, Harry followed Sirius down. Instead of going to the kitchen they went out the front door where Sirius took Harry's arm and disapparated. A moment later they arrived outside a strange looking house set in a small clearing. The house was several stories high and looked somewhat lopsided. On the roof were numerous chimneys. Harry recognised it straight away; it was the Burrow, the Weasleys' house. He followed Sirius up to the door.

"We decided that, instead of a small party at Grimmauld Place, we would have a larger party here at the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley insisted we come here."

"So this must be the Weasley's house, then?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer.

Sirius smiled. "We're here, Molly. Is everything ready?"

"Come in Sirius," Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen.

They entered the house. Mr. Weasley stood to welcome them while Mrs. Weasley set table for 9 people. Once the rest of the family joined them Mr. Weasley spoke. "Well, it's good to see you all here particularly our guests Sirius Black and Harry Potter. The reason we are here is because it's Harry's birthday. Happy twelfth birthday, Harry."

"Happy birthday," several people added.

Harry noticed the Weasley's only daughter, Ginny, seemed to be watching him. When she saw him watching her, however, she went bright red and looked away.

"Harry?" Sirius asked. "Do you want to open your presents now or after we get back to Grimmauld Place?"

"I'll open the ones from the Weasleys' now, I think," Harry replied.

His presents from the Weasleys' were mainly small, chocolate frogs, birthday cards including one Harry guessed must be from Ginny and some fudge. After eating Harry and Sirius prepared to leave, but not before inviting the Weasleys to come with them. Fred, George and Ron agreed to come, Ginny was told she had to stay while Percy said he was too busy. Harry knew "busy" meant writing to Penelope Clearwater but he decided not to mention it.

Fred, George and Ron used floo to get to Sirius' house while Harry and Sirius apparated there. Once inside Sirius told Kreacher to set the table for 8, saying there were three more guests still to come. Ron asked who else was coming and was told Hermione would be joining them. Sirius was going to bring her by side along apparation. The other two guests were to be Lupin and Tonks.

The reason Hermione would be coming was a personal matter. Harry, Sirius and Kreacher were going to explain to her about house elves. They hoped this would make her realise some important facts about their nature.

Tonks arrived soon after, announcing her arrival by tripping over an umbrella stand which set off Mrs. Blacks' portrait. The Weasleys were shocked to such language from a portrait or, indeed, from a lady as Tonks herself said a few choice words mainly over the fact she had gashed her shin. After a couple healing spells for Tonks and a stunning charm for the portrait things settled down as Sirius explained the reason for these events.

Sirius left to get Hermione just after Remus Lupin arrived. When he returned everybody went into the kitchen to eat. Harry had already given the Weasleys a quick tour of the house in Sirius' absence and they had generally been impressed with it, particularly after Harry called Kreacher whom the twins hadn't met before. Harry explained to them Kreacher was the reason why Hermione was coming. He, Sirius, Tonks and Lupin were going to try to explain why house elves worked for humans without pay.

In the kitchen everybody sat down to eat. After the meal Harry received some more presents and cards, which he thanked Sirius and Lupin for, before drinks, Butterbeer and tea for the children, fire whiskey and mead for the adults. After drinks the group sat in the kitchen talking, filling in time before the Weasleys had to return home. Hermione would be spending the night as her parents were out of town for the evening.

"Mr Lupin?" Harry asked. "What do you do for a living?"

"I'm an odd jobs man," Lupin replied. "If a job comes up I do it, otherwise I read books. And, please, call me Remus."

"You could call him Moony, you know. That's what we called him at school," Sirius added. Harry noticed when Sirius said Moony both Fred and George stiffened slightly, as if in surprise.

"If you're going to call me Moony we should call you Padfoot, Sirius. It's only fair," Remus said.

This time Harry wasn't the only one to notice the twins' reaction. Sirius saw it too.

"Fred, George?" Sirius asked. "Can I speak to you for a moment, please? Remus can you come, too?"

The group left the room leaving Tonks and the trio alone. Harry asked, "Tonks, how are you able to change your hair colour? Could you show Ron and Hermione?"

Tonks changed not only her hair but her face as well, turning into an older, grey haired woman before changing back to her usual appearance. "I am a Metamorph Magus," she explained. It is a natural talent that cannot be learned, you have to be born with it."

When the others returned Ron, in particular, was curious over what had happened. All the twins said was they had met two of their heroes and they had agreed to do something in return. Ron was still annoyed when he and the twins left for the burrow.