Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. The Founders are just my interpretation of them and that's about it. Slash warnings in the future. This goes along with my fic Gifts, but you don't have read it to understand.

Past and Present

Act I: Knowing the Past

Chapter One: The Four Founders and Their Beginnings 

Sixteen year old Harry Potter stared at the new addition to the head master's office, five new additions actually. The sword that he had used to kill the basilisk of Slytherin was hung between two shields, one of gold with a red lion, the other made of silver with a green serpent. Next to the silver shield was a silver swallow with emeralds imbedded where the blades met the shaft. On the right of the red shield was a bow with diamonds in it. Above them was a bronze staff with a large sapphire, about the size of a golf ball, on top.

"Ah, Harry I see you discovered the weapons of the Founders," came Dumbledore's voice from behind him, "As you know the sword belonged to Lord Gryffindor. And I'm sure you guessed that the swallow was Lord Slytherin's, the bow was Lady Hufflepuff's, and the staff was Lady Ravenclaw's." He smiled at Harry, "Now, you're probably wondering why I asked you here, please sit."

Harry sat down in front of Dumbledore's desk as Dumbledore sat behind it. "Now before we begin I want to ask you some questions. First from what you know about the Four Founders what do you think about them?"

Harry blinked. Not really prepared for such a question. "Well, Hufflepuff was an extremely unbiased person. Ravenclaw reminds me of Hermione," Dumbledore chuckled slightly, "Godric was a hero who stood up for what was right and Slytherin was, he reminds me of the Malfoys."

"As many people think. Now do you have that opinion based upon what you heard or actual history?"

"Just what I heard, Professor Binns never really went over the founders."

"There is a reason for that. The Founders may have been the greatest heroes of the wizarding world, but a lot of what they did is kept here, in this office. Something I had only recently discovered.  Harry there is so little about each one of them that it is impossible to really describe what they were like. In fact no one knew their true personalities, or who their descendents were."

"Then what about the Heir of Slytherin?" asked Harry.

"Some managed to find roots to the Founders, Riddle among them, however it was extremely difficult being that the founders never really married. They took an oath to each other that their line of power would end with them."

"What do you mean 'line of power'?"

"I'll explain that later. As I said they swore not have children, however when you are human it is very hard not fall in love, or to give into more base desires."

Dumbledore reached in his desk and brought out an aquamarine crystal ball. Inside wisps of smoke danced like ripples on water. "This is one of the Founder's Treasures, given to Rowena by Helga. All their Treasures were from each other in the first two years they tried to build Hogwarts. Godric gave the weapons to them, Helga gave Godric and Salazar those shields, Salazar made Godric that sword, Helga a magic hand mirror, and Rowena a dowsing pendent. I don't have the gifts Rowena gave them, they are hidden somewhere in the Ravenclaw common room, but they are magic circlets. Godric also gave the others eggs, when those three hatched they become the magical guardians of Hogwarts, a dragon to Helga, a phoenix to Rowena, and a basilisk to Salazar."

"So you're telling me that the basilisk I killed and the sword I killed it with . . ."

"Were gifts from Godric to Salazar and vice versa? Yes, but he was nearing the end of his life anyways and was half mad, it was probably better that you killed him then." He handed Harry the crystal ball. "There is a lot more that you need to know before we continue this. You're a going to fell a sharp pain then you'll black out. You'll wake up in about three seconds. Now relax, one, two, three, Wissen."

Harry felt the pain behind his eyes, collapsed forward and saw the world turn black.

*******************

A seventeen year old boy with bright red hair was whistling as he walked down the road. He was dressed in a simple brown shirt and black trousers along with simple leather boots.

"Godric!"

The boy turned to see a red haired girl around fourteen in red dress robes running after him.  "Ariel," Godric said, "Go home."

"No, you come home!" The girl shouted at him, "You're a fool to think you can run away and live with the muggles or the poorer wizarding families."

"Why, it's better living with them than with Father and the rest of you," Godric said lazily scratching his ear. "I can be myself, go on adventures with my friends, save a couple villages, things that magic should be used for."

"There you go again with that nonsense. Why should we help muggles when they don't help us?"

"There's more to live than trade Ariel. You are such a merchant, just go and leave me alone." He began to walk off again when Ariel put a hand on his shoulder. He yanked it off of him and sprinted as fast as he could to get away from his sister.  He could her screaming in the background, but closed his ears to her voice. I'm my own man now, he thought, yeah that's right, I can be myself now.

********************

Rowena Ravenclaw focused her eyes upon the crystal ball. "I see," she paused, "I see there is a child in your womb my lady."

The woman gasped, "How could you know, I just found out today."

Rowena smiled at the muggle woman, "I am a fortune teller Lady Henderson, I can know what happens anywhere from five minutes from know to the end of the century, further if I so wish."

Outside there was a scream and a man calling, "Lord Patrick's dead! He's been assassinated!"

"Lord Patrick, as in Joseph Patrick?" Lady Henderson asked. Rowena nodded.

"Yes it is him. I told him to be careful, but alas."

Lady Henderson thanked Rowena for the reading and hurried out of the tent. Once she was gone Rowena slumped in her wicker chair.

"Patrick was the head of a powerful wizard family, who would be bold enough to send an assassin after him?"

Her thoughts were disrupted by a boy no older than fourteen dashing into her tent. Rowena stood and pointed her wand at her and he did the same to her. She noticed that he was carrying acupuncture needles. His blond hair was tied back in a pony tail and his green eyes were wide with fright.

"You're the assassin, aren't you?"

**************

Salazar waited for when the wizard was alone, but in place where people would find him shortly, incase he didn't give him a fatal injury he could be saved. Yeah and have Master Lagen's other pupils beat me near an inch of my life, way to think Salazar. When Joseph Patrick was alone Salazar let his needles fly. All three of them went into a fatal spot; one went through his left eye, the one through his throat, and the other through his heart. Salazar sighed, another perfect kill.

He leapt down from the tree he was in and ran as fast as he could from the scene and not be seen. He ducked into a tent and pulled out his wand just incase someone was in there. What he didn't expect was to have a wand pointed at him as well.

"You're the assassin, aren't you?"

Salazar stared at the witch. She had gypsy blood in her, which much was apparent from her Slavic looks. Her dark hair was put into an elegant bun, and her sapphire blue eyes bored into his own. She looked to be nineteen.

"Perhaps I am," he said trying to sound menacing and was sure he sound scared.

"Who are you?"

"Assassins don't give out names unless they're going to kill whoever they give them to."

The witch smiled slightly, "If you weren't so young, and if you were a bit more confident I would be afraid. Did you make your first kill today?" she asked in a way that was both sweet and sneering trying to scare him some more.

"I don't see how that's any of you business."

The witches eyes widened for a moment and Salazar knew she was seeing something.

"Four, there are four!" she half shouted half hissed then went slack. She stared at Salazar for awhile than turned. "You're free to go. I don't know why you killed tonight but the fates tell me you have good reasons, or reasons that will let others forgive you."

Salazar lowered his wand and was about disappear out the tent flap when the woman called him again, "I'm Rowena Ravenclaw by the way, and I'm sure we'll meet under better circumstances next time Salazar Slytherin."

Salazar left and ran quickly away from the tent.

***********

Helga twirled strands of her long brown hair as she waited. Her large amber eyes were locked on the door as she glared at it. The door opened and her fiancé walked in. He was a handsome man, beautiful actually, from a powerful wizarding family, and was very kind, but there was one problem, well two, but one that really affected her: the whole thing was being forced upon them and he was gay.

"Hallo Helga," Ulrich Troger said, "How are you today?"

"Pissy," she said in her most bitchy voice. She let a sigh and then smiled, "Sorry, things have been hellish lately. So did you bring Luc with you?"

Ulrich smiled, "Yes I did, and he is very excited to meet you. He's in the garden now, shall we go?"

Helga nodded. As they walked they talked about how life was, Helga had been able to drive her potions master into retirement by surpassing him in making several complex potions in a row. "I've said before and I'll say it again I put the Hell into Helga." Ulrich chuckled as the entered the garden.  "So where is your lover boy?"

"In the back, probably admiring the violets. You have excellent gardening skills."

In the back they did find a boy, about Helga's age around fifteen, though he looked younger with huge doe like eyes and a face that hadn't lost all of its baby fat yet. Helga let out a squeal and hugged him, "Aw! He's so cute! Like an angel!" She ran a hand through his dark hair, "And his hair is so soft! Uli he's perfect for you!"

"Helga you're chocking him."

Helga let go and stepped back, "Sorry."

Luc smiled and bowed his head.

"So how are you?"

There was a moment of silence as Helga and Luc just looked at each other, then both turned to Ulrich.

"What? Oh!" Ulrich coughed, "Helga I forgot to tell you, Luc's a mute."

"Oh I'm sorry."

Luc smiled and waved his hand as if to say he wasn't offended. Ulrich walked forward and hugged the smaller boy from behind and gave kissed the top of his head, "Luc meet Lady Helga Hufflepuff, Helga this is Luc, my lover."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Helga curtsied then giggled, "Aw, you two are so cute."

Ulrich smiled and Luc blushed.

"So is he a wizard?"

"Yes, he mostly does herbology and potions; he's an excellent potions master. He can do the spells that require incantations but they aren't as potent."

Helga smiled and then clapped her hands, "I have an idea!" she said happily. "Let's all run away!"

"Run away?"

"Sure, I mean what do we got here and if we leave you two can be together without interference." She smiled and then screwed up her face. Her face became rounder and softer, her hair became the color of straw, and a patch of freckles was sprinkled across the bridge of her nose. Her breasts grew slightly, her hips became more slender. When she was done she looked up at the two boys and smiled. "Shall we go?"