Past Expectations

Summary: The war against Voldermort is intensifying, and a desperate order performs an ancient spell to retrieve a man who can help: Salazar Slytherin. Of course, Salazar has his own plans concerning his future and an intriguing young woman.

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J. K. Rowling. All song lyrics belong to John Cameron Mitchell and the investors of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Chapter One: A Desperate Plot

And there's no mystical design

No cosmic lover pre-assigned

There's nothing you can find

that cannot be found

Hogwarts

"It's a bad idea Albus," Remus Lupin pounded his fist onto the wooden table the Order of the Phoenix had gathered around and looked at the others in the room for more support. "What possible benefits could there be to resurrecting the very man whose prejudices and ideals are the very fuel feeding the other side? Salazar Slytherin is the one responsible for inequality of the present!"

Albus Dumbledore observed the livid werewolf from behind his characteristic half-moon glasses. "I do understand your concerns Remus, but I have thoroughly thought about the consequences of the spell. I truly believe that if we are to win this war, we must understand the enemy. We do not know many details of Salazar's life, but according to the spell, Salazar is needed to defeat Tom and his Death Eaters. In addition, I encourage you to look beyond the rumors surrounding Salazar. He was a very powerful wizard and could greatly help our cause. Also, keep in mind, the past can be held responsible for the present, but it is the hearts and minds of those in the present that shape the future."

"Kindly explain how this will help our cause Albus. Because right now, I can't see any positive outcomes." Remus returned to his seat as the rest of the order leaned forward to hear the Headmaster's reasoning for wanting to revive one of the most hated men of the time.

"As you know, for the past week I have been scouring many of the old books retrieved from Malfoy manor retrieved after Lucius Malfoy's arrest." The Order nodded their heads in understanding. After the incident at the Department of Mysteries two months ago, the elder Malfoy had been placed in Azkaban and his properties seized by the Ministry. Of course, the remaining members of the Malfoy family had protested, but the government had confiscated many dark objects and old, rare spell books. "While reading one book in particular, I found an ancient spell appropriately named Auxiliar or translated from the original Spanish 'to help'."

"Spanish?" interjected Mr. Weasley, "Where exactly is this book from?"

"The text is written entirely in Spanish and is most likely from Central America. Looking at the dates, we can determine that the book is at least five hundred years old and was most likely written shortly after Spain invaded the New World. The Spanish invaders purged the magical people in the area and destroyed most of the native magical knowledge. I believe this book was written and hidden to preserve the most powerful and ancient spells of a persecuted culture. Somehow, Mr. Malfoy gained procession of the book and keep it in his personal library."

"That is all very fascinating Albus," Remus ran a hand through his graying hair, "But, how does that relate to the resurrection of Salazar Slytherin?"

"Patience Mr. Lupin. The spell actually reveals who can be of the most help in a situation. The caster must write his situation on a sheet of parchment and recite the incitation while burning the paper. The scorch marks will reveal the name of the one who can resolve the issue. Intrigued, I tried the spell, and here are my results." Dumbledore pulled a piece of parchment from his inner robes. There, in plain sight, was the burned name of Salazar Slytherin.

Dumbledore passed the parchment around the room. Many began to look hopeful at this newfound hope. The past two months had been marked with an uprising of raids on both the magical and muggle worlds. Voldermort was back and busier than ever; however, many in the room still had their doubts. Mad-eye Moody voiced his concerns, "How do you know this book wasn't planted in Malfoy's library to goad us into bringing back a mad man? This entire plan could be a setup. I don't trust anything I would find in a death eater's home." Several others nodded in agreement.

"I understand your concern Moody, but I have extensively researched this spell. It is by very design tamper proof. I assure you that the spell is correct, and I preformed it several times to avoid a fluke answer. Even when I phrased the problem in different ways, the same name came up every time. It is undoubtedly true that Salazar Slytherin would help us immensely in the upcoming war."

"What about Harry?" asked Lupin.

"Harry is still the central figure in the destruction of Voldermort. Only he can actually defeat Tom, but Harry is still only a young man. Perhaps Salazar is meant to inspire Harry or help with the planning of Tom's death. Regardless of his role, I am convinced Salazar is a necessity."

Remus interjected with an objection again, "If we needed him, why didn't the prophesy mention him? Harry could still defeat Tom without him."

"Yes, Harry could defeat Tom without any help, but I believe the task could be made easier with all the help we can get. The sooner we rid of the world of Tom Riddle, the more innocent lives we can save, and the more time Harry has to live his own life free from this responsibility." Albus knew he had hit a cord with that last statement as Lupin leaned back in his chair- a look of acceptance on his face.

"I am still apprehensive Albus, but I trust your judgment. I will, however, keep my eyes on Salazar once he arrives." The rest of the Order nodded their heads in agreement with Remus.

"I don't mean to get technical here," announced Tonks, "but how exactly are we supposed to resurrect a man who has been dead for over a thousand years?"

"Ever the logical one Miss Tonks." Albus smiled at his former student as his characteristic twinkle appeared in his blue eyes. "In this same book, I found a spell used for the resurrection of a lost loved one. The book warns that the spell is extremely difficult and power draining, but I believe it sill suits our purposes: Desempolvar los muertos: Salazar Slytherin. The spell involves a ring of people reciting the spell; the one being brought back will appear within the circle if done correctly."

"What about the possible disturbances to the original timeline?" Every head turned to watch Snape as he continued. "If Salazar knows too much, he might not even be a part of Hogwarts at all. We could be seriously jeopardizing the present."

"A valid concern Severus. We will not actually be bringing Salazar from the past. All of his memories, experiences, and personal attributes will be placed into a being we will actually create. That is why the spell is so difficult; we will actually be creating a new being. Anything this Salazar does will not affect the timeline. This being will be for all practical purposes Salazar Slytherin, but we are not endangering our existence."

Snape snorted, "Isn't that a lot like playing God Albus? Not to mention the kind of ramifications this would have on whatever we actually bring back. What if Salazar does not want to help us? What if he resents us for what we have done?"

"That is something we will have to deal with when we actually perform the spell. As for playing God, sometimes, drastic measures are required for the good of the masses."

"When are do you propose we bring him back?" Kingsley looked at the headmaster as the aging man stood.

"I propose we do this right now."

At No. 4 Privet Dr.

Harry James Potter was bored. Really, he was beyond bored. It was well past midnight, and he was still wide-awake. His emerald eyes scanned the dark walls of Dudley's second bedroom. He wanted to go to sleep, but he knew as soon as he closed his eyes, the nightmares would return. He would choose utter boredom over emotionally scarring nightmares any night of the week. Harry hadn't gotten much sleep the past two months; ever since Sirius died, Harry had been obsessed with keeping busy. He had already finished his summer homework assignments; in fact, he had even completed Professor Snape's essay on the properties of florears in medicinal potions.

Now, he was sitting on his bed trying to keep his mind of his Godfather's death. He knew Sirius would not want him to blame himself for what happened that night, and for that one reason, Harry tired not to let the guilt consume him. Was it his fault Sirius died? No, and he knew who's fault it was: Voldermort. Instead of allowing himself to fall into a deep depression, he channeled his grief into one of his most productive summers ever. He had finished his assignments, and he had successfully worked though his grief. The nightmares, however, still came every night. The acceptance of the death of a loved one never makes the pain go away.

The issue that really motivated him was what to do about the prophesy. He had always suspected that there was something Dumbledore wasn't telling him about the night his parents died, but he had been too young to figure out the secret. Now that he knew his destiny, he was determined to defeat the monster that ruined his life. The only problem was that he had no idea how to do it.

At the Burrow

Molly Weasley was rushing around her home trying to keep her mind off where her husband was. She herself would have gone to the meeting, but she did not want to leave Ron and Ginny alone in the house. With all of Voldermort's recent raids on light-sided families, she did not want to leave two under-aged children alone in the country. She sighed as she sat at the wooden table in her dining room. Albus had flooed earlier in the day and announced he had discovered a new weapon to use in the war. He had been evasive when questioned and had only responded with an elusive, "We will discuss the issue later."

Molly glanced at the stairs leading to her only daughter's room. She was worried about Ginny. She had been withdrawn and aloof lately, and acted nothing like the carefree girl she had been as a child. The incident in her first year concerning the Chamber of Secrets had deeply affected her. Before this summer, she had tried to cover up her feelings with a cheerful smile, but now, everyone could notice the changes. She kept to herself, and her grades were slowly dropping. She didn't have any friends; sure, she did spend time with Harry and Hermione, but those were Ron's best friends. Ginny's juvenile crush on Harry had finally disappeared after Harry's fifth year. Molly supposed Harry's ill-fated relationship with Cho Chang made her daughter realize a relationship with Harry was unrealistic. Ginny really needed someone that was just hers. Molly's only worry was whom that someone would turn out to be.

Molly tapped her cold tea with her wand while uttering a simple warning spell. She worried about Harry too. He was like another son to her, and she only wanted what was best for him. She sincerely hoped that whatever Albus had planned would help Harry as well as the rest of them.

Back at Order Head Quarters

The members of the Order of the Phoenix nervously watched the dark figure in the middle of the room. He was not moving, but none dared to make an effort to rouse him. Finally, Dumbledore stepped forward, but before he could get close, a deep, dangerous voice called out, "Do not come near me if you wish to remain unharmed." Eyes of a deep, forest green turned to face the headmaster, "Who are you, and why am I here?

Salazar Slytherin looked nothing as everyone expected. First, he was young, very young. The spell never really indicated how old this person would be the Order was retrieving, but everyone had expected a middle-aged Salazar. Salazar looked to be about eighteen years old; he had dark, black hair that framed his face perfectly. He was of average build and height, but his eyes were extraordinary. Eyes that were so green they were almost black stared out of an aristocratic face with a defined jaw line. Most noticeably, his eyes revealed the traces of fear any eighteen-year-old would feel when facing a room of older wizards.

"He's just a kid Albus! How is he supposed to help us?" Arthur Weasley looked to the ageing headmaster with disbelief in his eyes. "Maybe the spell didn't work."

"Arthur, the spell most definitely worked; however, I too did not expect such a young man."

Salazar stood and brushed off his dark robes. He surveyed the room as his confidence returned; these people knew about as much as he did. He did not, however, release his hold on his midnight black wand. "If you wouldn't mind, please stop talking about me as if I were not here. You never did answer my questions: who are you and why am I here?" Salazar looked around the room and took in the people surrounding him. Never in his life had he ever seen such strange people; even the room he was in surprised him. He was quite familiar with quills, parchment, and even the sturdy, oak table in the middle of the room, but the massive amount of books lining the walls astounded him. Books were expensive, and the monks copying the transcripts could only work so fast. How these people could afford so many books was a mystery to him.

Albus intervened to answer the young man's questions, "I am Albus Dumbledore and this is the Order of the Phoenix. We have brought you here to ask for your help."

"Why would you need my help?"

Albus quickly explained the two spells and how they worked. Salazar was speechless for the first time in his life. He was dead? These people resurrected him so he could help defeat one of the most feared dark lords of the new age? What about his family and friends? He shook his head as he became aware of the many pairs of eyes watching him for his reaction. "You must be playing some kind of trick on me. Did Godric put you up to this? He always was such an immature person. Who are you people really?

Salazar did notice the look of shock that went around the room when he mentioned his best friend. That alone convinced him that Godric Gryffindor did not plan this. "You are not kidding." He swept across the room rubbing his head, "What were you people thinking? You cannot just bring back a person from the past; did you even think of the effects this could have on the timeline?"

"Actually…" began Remus, but Dumbledore interrupted him before he could finish.

"We did, but we determined that the need outweighed the consequences." Remus looked at the headmaster with confusion, and Albus gave him a look that clearly said they would discuss the issue later.

"The spell indicated that you would be of help to us. The only question we have for you is will you help us or not."

Salazar turned to face the crowd, "I don't know; I have a feeling that there is something that you are not telling me. What are you keeping from me? I'll not give an answer until you tell me what you know."

Albus sighed before answering, "You turn out to be quite an important figure in our time; we do not want to tell you too much too soon. I believe that it is best if you find out certain facts about your life for yourself."

Salazar considered his options. He was curious, and he was determined to find out what these people were keeping from him. In addition, he was Salazar Slytherin; he would find some way to turn this crusade against evil into a way to help himself. He was also intrigued by everyone's reaction when he mentioned Godric. He wondered if he would receive similar reactions if he mentioned Rowena and Helga as the four of them had been inseparable since they were about ten years old. "Fine, what can I do?"

"Wonderful, I do believe we have a great deal to discuss." Albus lead Salazar out of the room and though Hogwart's halls to his office.

Once Albus and Salazar had left the room, Snape looked around and sarcastically remarked, "Well, I believe that went as well as can be expected." The remaining Order members could not do anything but agree with him.

Dumbledore's Office

For the second time in his life, Salazar could not think of anything to say. Evidently, he and his best friends had started a school for magic. Rowena was always talking about how wonderful it would be if all magical children could come together to learn; she always was the one who wanted to know everything. She must have convinced the three of them to help her. Salazar frowned as his thoughts turned to his eventual heir. Once he got over the initial realization that he would in fact procreate, he could not believe what kind of person Tom Riddle would become. Raids, random murders, and unjustified actions were not acceptable behavior for an heir of Slytherin. Not that Salazar felt any love for non-magical people and witches and wizards with non-magical parents; personally, he did not give them any thought at all. If such people bothered you, it was best to ignore their existence-as they ignored the existence of magic. Such an obvious stain on his family name could not be allowed to live.

"Do you have any questions you wish me to answer?"

Salazar looked up from his musings to answer Albus, "Not really, I suppose I will discover the details of my life and this time over time. Rest assured I will help you defeat this Tom Riddle character as I cannot have such a man claim to be my heir."

"Excellent, you will of course be staying here at Hogwarts. The fall term begins in two weeks, and we must find an appropriate cover for your presence. According to history, you were quite good at potions. Is this correct?"

"Yes, potions have always been my passion."

"Our potions master is missing more and more class time due to his spying duties concerning Voldermort."

"The black-haired man correct?"

"Yes, Severus Snape is our resident potions professor as well as a spy for the Order. I believe it would be best if you were to act as his assistant professor. You could cover some of his classes as well as complete any research you yourself would be interested in. You would also be close to other members of the Order if you should need anything. I also believe a change in name will be necessary. "

"What did you have in mind?"

"I considered using the name Sal Slade. The first name is close enough to your real name as to avoid confusion, and Slade is a very old wizarding name."

Salazar eyed the Headmaster before nodding his head in agreement, "You have got yourself a deal Dumbledore. I look forward to completing this task and returning to my own time."

"Very well, let me show you to your rooms."

Teachers Lounge at Hogwarts

"Why do you suppose Albus did not tell Salazar he was not really Salazar?" asked Tonks to no one in particular.

"I suppose he was worried about the boy's reaction. How would you react if you were told that you were not who you thought you were. Hell, what if someone told you that you weren't even a person, just a creature created to imitate another?" Lupin relaxed in a red chair in front of the fire. "If I were a philosophical man, this would create many moral problems for me to consider."

"But you are a philosophical man Remus. What do you think he will do when he finds out?" Tonks crossed the room to sit next to him. She reached for his hand before asking, "Do you think he'll be angry?"

Lupin looked at their interlocked fingers before answering, "I do, but I worry about Harry's reaction. He just lost Sirius, and I worry how he has handled it."

"You worry about Harry alot don't you Remus? During the meeting, you seemed most concerned about Harry's welfare."

"I made a promise to Sirius to look after Harry. Sirius couldn't be there for Harry like he wanted to, so he asked me to look out for him. I feel responsible for him. I only want what's best for him; I fell like I owe that much to James, Lily, and Sirius."

"Harry too?" asked Tonks before leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Harry too." answered Remus as the two stared at the blazing fire, wondering what the night's actions would mean for the wizarding world.

The Burrow

Arthur shook off his robes as he stepped out of the fireplace in his living room. He stopped to check the clock before heading to the kitchen to answer his wife's inevitable questions. Everyone's hand was where it was supposed to be; as long as no hand ever pointed to 'mortal danger' Arthur was happy.

"What happened?" asked Molly as soon as she saw her husband.

"Much." answered Arthur as he sat to explain the night to Molly.

Ron Weasley and his sister, Ginny Weasley, crept down the stairs to listen in on their parent's conversation. Ron still had a couple of his brother's extendable ears, and he planned to find out exactly what had his parents so upset. Ginny, of course, had followed him.

"Will you be quiet? I'm trying to hear what's going on!"

"Well," answered the red-haired female, "If you would get off my foot, I could be quiet Ronald!"

"Sorry."

"Salazar Slytherin! You brought back Salazar Slytherin. Are you out of your mind?" Molly's frantic whispers carried easily up the stairs.

"Albus believes he will help our cause."

"Sounds like Dumbledore has gone completely mental!" whispered Ron.

"Shh, Dad's still talking."

"Salazar looks nothing like I expected. He is a young man, and he will be posing as the potions assistant at Hogwarts this year. I know it sounds crazy Molly, but I think Dumbledore knows what he is doing. "

"It's late Arthur; we'll talk more about this tomorrow."

Ron and Ginny crept back up to Ron's room to discuss what they just overheard. Ron sat on his bed and leaned against the wall. Salazar Slytherin, the father of all Slytherins, would be at Hogwarts this fall. How would this affect the war, his family, and his best mate? He jerked up and said, "Harry."

"What about him?" asked Ginny. Ginny had taken residence on the windowpane; she too did not know what to expect this fall. She had been affected too much by this war, and she was not ready for this. "Well, what about Harry?"

"Should we tell him about this?"

"Probably, you know how upset he gets when he thinks someone is hiding things from him. Although, I don't know how he will react. Actually, I can't figure out exactly how I feel right now."

"What do you mean? The Order has just revived one of the most evil men of all time. Gin, Salazar is the reason the world is the way it is. It's all his fault."

"I'm confused because I'm worried and hopeful. It sounds like they brought back a young Salazar. Maybe we can convince him to change his ways, and when he goes back, he can choose a different path. Maybe that's the master plan."

"You can't change stripes into dots Gin. Salazar is as evil as they come. I don't know what the order was thinking."

"We should trust Dumbledore Ron; he's the best we've got right now. He has plan. We might not understand it, but I believe he has a good reason. As for me, I'll do everything I can to bring down You-Know-Who. Even if it means trying to convert a hopeless man to our side."

"You really feel strongly about his don't you? Do you really think we could do any good?"

"Of course we can Ron; everyone matters in this war because we are fighting a war of ideals. To change the world we must change hearts and minds. Even if we kill You-Know-Who, his followers will still be around. Someone else with the same morals will rise to become the next dark lord. Maybe if we can change Salazar's mind, we can change the past and the present."

"When did you get so smart Gin?"

"When I saw what hate could do."

An awkward silence filled the room and Ron tried to come up with something to say. The Weasley family had never really talked about what had happened to Ginny her first year. Of course, they were all very happy she was safe, but the topic had become taboo. No one discussed it. Ron changed the topic. "Is it such a good idea to mess around with the time line? You know what they say about wizards and witches who play with time."

"That's why we need a plan. You should owl Harry and see what he says."

"No need, he's coming here for a few days, and then we're all going to Order Headquarters until we leave for the train."

"We'll tell him then- Hermione too. Do you think Salazar will be there?"

"I have no idea, but we'll find out soon enough."

The Next Morning at the Burrow

Harry stumbled out of the fireplace and into one of his favorite places on earth. He always felt so safe at the Burrow, and he considered the Weasley house his true home. Of course, after a stressful morning convincing the Dursley's the fireplace would return to normal after he left, he really needed to see some friendly faces. "Where is everybody?" said Harry. Usually when he arrived, Molly greeted him at the door taking his luggage and dragging him to the kitchen commenting on how thin he was. Today, he had walked into an empty room. Harry had just begun to worry that something had happened to the family when Ron stuck his head around the corner.

"Harry, come here. We'll take your stuff up to my room."

"What's going on Ron? Where is everybody?"

"Mom and Dad are still asleep. There was an Order meeting last night, and both were up pretty late. I don't think they can handle staying up till' two in the morning like we can."

Harry smiled as he remembered his and Ron's last night at Hogwarts. Ron had been looking for any way to take Harry's mind off Sirius' death, and he figured a night away from Hermione's mothering questions and the stares of the others would be the best way. The two had gone off to the kitchen for some food and had drunk too many butter beers and a couple of shots of fire-whiskey; the house elves were surprisingly accommodating. They had stumbled into the Gryffindor common room at about two A.M., but they had still managed to get to the train on time. Harry's mind snapped back to the present when he realized what Ron had said. "An Order meeting? Was it important?"

"Definitely, I've got lots I need to tell you." Ron grabbed Harry's trunk, and the two of them made their way up to Ron's bright orange room at the top of the stairs.

"Did something big happen?"

"Yep, Ginny and I listened in on a conversation last night, so no one knows that we have any clue."

"They're keeping things from me again." Harry sighed as he pushed his trunk under the spare bed in Ron's room. "I think they believe I'm just a child that cannot be trusted with anything. I'm sixteen for Merlin's sake; you'd think they would trust me by now."

"They could be waiting to tell you at the right moment Harry. It is pretty drastic."

'Well..?"

"Well what?"

"Are you going to tell me this big, drastic news that the Order thinks will possibly scar me for the rest of my natural life, or are you going to keep tip-toeing around it?"

"Oh, brace yourself Harry; the order revived Salazar Slytherin last night." Ron cringed and looked at the floor as he waited for Harry's reaction.

"What?" Harry sank onto the bed with a look of complete disbelieve on his face. "They resurrected the ultimate snake? What were they thinking?"

"Ginny thinks the Order wants to change his mind, turn him to the light side, and save the present by saving the past."

"Wouldn't that completely change the time line?"

"That's what I thought, but evidently the Order thought that wouldn't be a problem. Ginny says we should trust Dumbledore."

If there was one thing Harry would have problems with this year, it would be to put all his trust in the old Headmaster. Harry understood why Dumbledore had never told him of the prophesy before that night, but he could never be sure of what the old man was keeping from him. What he never intended to tell him about Salazar? "I don't know if I can do that anymore Ron."

"What are you talking about Harry?"

"Nothing." Harry was not ready to tell his friends about the prophesy yet. He wanted a few more months of relative normalcy before everyone knew the fate of the wizarding world was in his hands again. "We probably need a plan."

"That's what we thought." Ron and Harry spent the next hour in Ron's room plotting out exactly how they would deal with Salazar this fall. By the time they headed downstairs for a late breakfast, both felt confident that Ginny and Hermione would approve when they told them later.