The Return of the King

Prologue 3 – A Conversation between Past and Present

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of J.K. Rowling. All characters are used with the greatest respect.

The new nightmares started just days after he had led the others on the disastrous expedition to the Ministry. He thought he had dealt with Cedric's death, but with the recent loss of Sirius, that wound was tore wide open once again. His nightmares when he tried to sleep were combinations of the graveyard and the Death Chamber, with his friends, parents, and Sirius dying or blaming him for not being able to save them, or both. In between the nightmares, another dream had intruded. It didn't really seem like a dream or a vision, but a series of memories. They seemed similar to the scene that Harry had seen in Dumbledore's Penseive, but instead of being outside the memory, it was as if they were happening to him. They were of growing up in a harsh land, being taken from his mother, learning to fight, his trail in the wilderness, his return to Sparta, leading his people, constant training, several wars, then the arrival of the Persians, and that final, dreadful, glorious battle. By the time, Harry saw that final battle, he had been at the Dursley's for a month. Several members of the Order had talked to Vernon about treating Harry right while he stayed there, but to little effect. Harry still performed most of the chores around the house, had little to eat, and Dudley still enjoyed a game of 'Harry Hunting' with his friends. Harry had not bothered with sending any of the messages that the Order had asked him to send, and as far as Harry knew none had come by to check on him. He had received a few letters, but they sat unopened next to his bed, as he couldn't bring himself to read what he was sure were letters telling him to get out of his friend's lives before he got them all killed.

That night Harry stole a knife from the kitchen as he cleaned up from dinner, then made his way to his bedroom, before Vernon tasked him some other chore to do. Harry wasn't sure what he intended to do with the knife, but he somehow felt better with it in his possession. Once, in his room, he collapsed on his bed and looked over at his pet, "Hello, Hedwig. Any good hunting tonight?"

Hedwig gave a hoot that Harry figured meant yes, as she flew from her perch to land beside him. Hedwig nudged the hand that still held the knife and gave a concerned sounding hoot.

"What the knife? Don't worry Hedwig, I'm not going to hurt myself. It just felt right to have a blade near me. Maybe, I can talk to Dumbledore about using the Sword again, or I can see about buying one. I'm just so tired. I don't want to sleep, the dreams are horrible. I see everyone dying and blaming me for it. Why didn't I remember the mirror? Why did I convince Cedric to take the Cup with me? Why did Mom and Dad die?" Harry asked as he gave into the bone-deep exhaustion that he had been fighting for days trying to avoid the nightmares.

Suddenly, Harry found himself sitting in front of a campfire, dressed as the man from his dreams. While across the fire from him sat another man, who appeared to be an older version of him.

"While I can't answer your questions, perhaps I can offer some perspective." The man said said with a deep, gravelly voice that gave hints at the horrors the man had seen.

Harry sprang to his feet, holding his sword in front of him. "Who are you? How do you know what I was asking?"

"My name is Leonidas, Harry. I've been watching you for a while, waiting for a moment like this." said the man.

"You've been watching me? Are a part of the Order or do you work for Voldemort?" Harry growled.

"I'm the King of Sparta, boy." Growled Leonidas as he stood and stepped across the fire. With a movement, Harry could barely follow, Leonidas had him disarmed and on his back. "I work for no one, least of all, your so called protectors and enemies. We have much to talk about, Harry, and dawn will be here faster than you think."

"I know you, the dreams. I was you." Harry stammered as he looked up at the man standing over him.

"I knew you where quicker on the uptake then you generally let on. That will make things easier. I'm here to help you, though what help I can give is limited." Leonidas said as he pulled Harry up to his feet.

"How are you here?" asked Harry as he sat back down.

"Ah, the important question? Well, Harry, when I died the goddess Athena offered me a choice of a future life to help and I choose you. You've seen my life and I've seen yours. Now let me ask you a question. If you didn't know about the prophecy, would you face Riddle?" Leonidas asked.

Harry sat in silence for a minute as he thought about the question. When he looked up there was a new spark in his eye along with a look of resolve. "Yes, I would. He has to be stopped like a mad dog has to be put down."

"Good. While I can't tell you why your parent's had to die, I can tell you what they did fight for. They fought so that you could live in a world better than the one they had lived in. As for Cedric, his death is can clearly be laid at Peter's and Riddle's feet. But, tell me, Harry, knowing what you know now, could you have claimed the Tri-wizard Championship for yourself?" Leonidas asked as he looked into Harry's eyes with a piercing gaze.

"Yes," Harry blurted out, then as he looked back at Leonidas's steady gaze. "No, Cedric was the true champion, I only made it there, because Crouch helped me."

"Ah, boy, you're so close but so far. You are more than just a Gryfindor. The founders of your school had a good idea in the traits they wanted for their students, but I guessing some along the way, the teachers at your school, forget to teach each house to appreciate and use the traits of the other houses. You heard the story of the Spartans before you saw my life, what house would you say, I would have been in?"

"Gryfindor, sir. You have to be very brave to face the Persian army with only 300 Spartans." Harry replied quickly.

"While, I have been quite brave, I think I would have been a Hufflepuff, myself. First and foremost, I've been loyal to my friends, my family, my people. But I also value knowledge, one doesn't lead a nation or an army with just strength of arm and expect to succeed. I was also quite cunning and ambitious. I started a few conflicts in my time, to expand Sparta's land, wealth and prestige, and cunning is always a good trait to have in a fight. Remember, this if you remember nothing else, there is no such as a fair fight. Even if you took two people that have been through the same teaching, the fight wouldn't fair. One might be stronger, the other may be quicker. In the end it comes down to who wants the victory more. Tell me Harry what are you willing to do to stop Riddle?"

"Any… " Harry started to say before he trailed off. He sat looking at the fire for a few minutes before he looked back up and said. "I don't know, sir."

"There is no shame in not knowing. You shouldn't have this burden, in my opinion. Grown men shouldn't rely on a half-trained boy to save them, especially when they don't know how you and your family stopped him the first time. Unfortunately, that is the situation we have. Tell me why didn't you use the mirror?"

"The mirror?" Harry paled as he thought about the broken mirror in the bottom of his trunk. "I didn't want to get Sirius in trouble, if I told him about Snape like he asked. I didn't want him to be caught again. My people-saving thing as Hermoine calls it. Then I just forgot I had it, by the time I had the dream."

"So responsible for one so young, You would have made a good senator, definitely a good commander. " Leonidas said with a sad smile. "I know this will be hard for you, Harry, but you are only responsible for yourself. Your actions commend you to the gods, but you must let go of your guilt. You acted the only way you could and still be yourself. You had a friend in danger, and you tried everyway you could to save him. Yes, your friends were hurt when they followed you, but they chose to help you. The only thing you can do now is prepare for the next time. What mistakes did you make that night?"

"I took to long to follow up on the dream. Then I took to long to get there, I mean what was I thinking riding Thestrals to London from Scotland, I should have gone to Honeydukes and flooed from Hogsmeade to Grimmauld Place or to the Leaky Cauldron and gone to the Ministry from there, and been there in an hour at most, instead of 4 to 5 hours. Once we got to the Ministry, we should have realized something was wrong we got in so easily. I mean 4 5th year students and 2 4th years walking into the Department of Mysteries, supposedly the most secure area of the Ministry, as easily as going to Hogsmeade on a Hogsmeade weekend. Once Lucius revealed himself, we shouldn't have split up. Most of us got hurt when we separated from each other. Then once we got back together, we were acting like we were in one on one duels, not a battle with multiple opponents. We would stun one, then another would revive them." Harry expounded as he thought about that night.

"Enough, Harry. I see you have thought long and hard about what you could have done that night. I have two recommendations for you, find someone to teach you how to fight. You've done well so far, but you are quickly reaching a point where you starting to develop some habits that will get you killed in a fight. Second, fight like a Spartan, forget this one on one duel of honor stuff. Fight with someone to watch your flanks and back, and you can watch theirs. If your enemy has one soldier on the field, hit them with at least two. Also don't forget the prophecy says you have to be the one finally stop Riddle, it doesn't say you can't have help along the way. Make yourself an army to face Riddle's, and make the world fear the name of the Spartans once more."

"Thank you, Leonidas. I think I can actually think about what to do next. Will I see you again?" Harry said as the fire burned low and the first rays of light could be seen breaking the eastern horizon.

"Your welcome, Harry. Gods willing, we will meet again. If not remember, once a battle has been joined, a Spartan does not retreat and does not surrender. Now go read your letters, you may be surprised by your friends."

Harry woke feeling like a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders and that he would be able to face the new day without dread that another had fallen because he had failed to act. As he sat up, his hand feel on the handle of the knife he had taken the night before. It felt different, almost alive, Harry looked down and instead of a plain kitchen knife there was a sword forged in the mold of the blades of the Spartan warriors in a scabbard. Harry lifted the sword and pulled it partially out of the scabbard. The blade was heavier than it looked and was forged from a black metal that seem to absorb all the light in the room into it. Harry ran his thumb lightly across the edge of the sword, and was surprised when a drop of blood welled out of his thumb and as absorbed into the blade.

Harry sheathed the sword and set it down on his bed. "Well, Hedwig, shall we see what everyone has written us?"

Hedwig answered with a soft hoot and jumped from her perch to her Master's shoulder as he sat down at the desk and started going through his mail.