Chapter 1 – Stabbed in the Back
The Roman Army, under command of Harry Potter, had won again. This time they had defeated the Portuguese. The men were celebrating in their camp, while the Generals celebrated in their marquis, with the finest food and wine. Harry smiled contently. He was on his way down to the soldiers' area. He preferred it down there. He found that the people down there were more like him. Up in the Generals' tent, people only talked about politics, which bored Harry no end, especially as he knew that with his father as emperor, there was no politics – he made all the decisions, irrespective of what the Senate said.
He entered the soldiers' camp and the men cheered loudly. He smiled again. He knew he was popular among the men. They congratulated him on their victory but Harry shook his head
"Congratulate yourselves. You fought like heroes, all of you." The men cheered again, but one man told him
"No sir, it was your idea to attack by stealth during the night. It ensured the victory." Harry waved his hand casually
"It was the obvious thing to do. But let's not talk about that. Let's have a drink." The yells were nearly enough to knock over the Generals' tent, which was at least 500 metres away
"What are we going to do now?" asked one soldier. All the others listened with interest.
"Hopefully, we're going back to Rome," he said, to the delight of the crowd, "but you know that might not be the case. But, I think Dad might want another parade,"
"Sir, if you don't mind me saying, don't you get annoyed that your father takes all the credit for your work?" asked a centurion. Harry looked at him, surprised by such a bold question
"No. That's just what happens when you're emperor. I'm quite happy just doing my job with you guys out here." The men cheered again
"Well sir. I know that we enjoy serving you. You must be the most popular person in the Roman Empire. You are among the army. We've never lost a battle and had fewer deaths since you took charge," The soldier talking was obviously one of the most senior soldiers in this area. He was probably a senior centurion
"Well, that's just me taking credit for your work there, isn't it?" The men clearly disagreed
"No sir. We all truly believe that you're a superb General and we're proud to serve you. Whenever I swear my oath to the emperor, I'm also swearing an oath of loyalty to you in my mind." There were loud murmurs of agreement from the other men. Harry was deeply touched. He stood up on a table and called to the men
"I am in the company of fine men this evening. Men I would be honoured to share a drink with." And they all drank with him. He thought for a second before adding
"And the 4th and 8th centuries may get drunk this evening, as they fought the hardest. Harry settled himself down, chatting to most of the men. They were gathered around him as if he was telling a story to some children. Eventually, someone asked him
"Sir, when was the last time you were in Rome?" Harry thought before replying
"Just under three years." The men were clearly shocked
"Don't you miss it?" one asked
"Of course I do. But I do what my father and what the empire demands,"
"But you'll be glad to get back?"
"Oh yes. I haven't seen my old friends in too long. Fred, George, Hermione, Charlie, Bill, Ginny............," he trailed away slightly when he thought about Ginny. The men were quick to notice this and grinned
"Are you particularly missing Miss Weasly, sir?" asked one, innocently
"Possibly," replied Harry, evasively
"Why's that, sir?"
"Because she's kind, intelligent, funny, a great friend.........," he checked over his shoulder to see if Ron was coming in. He was very protective of Ginny, but since Harry had promoted him to General, he had never come down to visit the soldiers, like Harry did. But Ron was nowhere to be seen, so Harry added,".........and because she's so damn attractive." The men went into fits of laughter
"She is still beautiful, isn't she?" he checked. He raised his voice, "Who was in Rome recently?" Several men stood up
"I was there two weeks ago, sir," cried one
"And who is the most beautiful women in Rome?" Harry asked him
"Why, Ginny Weasly, of course, sir. She's the most beautiful woman in the whole world." Harry smiled
"I can see it now, sir. Emperor Harry Potter, with his wife Ginny. You shall be the most popular emperor in Rome's history. And the Roman Army will conquer the whole world," the senior centurion said, "I would be happy to swear an oath of allegiance to you, sir." Harry looked round proudly at his men. Sighing, he decided he ought to go back up to the Generals' tent
"Well, I think I shall be your General for a good few years before I ever become Emperor. We march in two days time, so enjoy yourselves!" And he left the soldiers, who were cheering madly.
He was making his way through the wood back towards the Generals' tent, when he saw Ron walking towards him
"Alright, mate?" Harry greeted, cheerfully.
Ron didn't reply. Instead, he walked straight up to Harry and punched him straight in the face. Harry fell to the floor. Before he could get up, Ron was on top of him, punching him hard in the face. Harry kicked him off and got up, but then he felt a sword cut across his back. Harry stumbled, but didn't go down. He turned and found Draco Malfoy smirking triumphantly, sword in hand. Harry was about to try and draw his own sword, when he felt a dagger being thrust into his back by Ron. He dropped to his knees, and Malfoy kicked him hard in the face. He crumpled to the floor. Through his blurred vision, he could just make out Ron and Draco, laughing together. They had always been enemies. How could they have become friends?
"Not so high and mighty now, are you, Potter?" asked Malfoy sarcastically
"Brave, great, clever, handsome, strong, heroic Harry Potter, Rome's favourite son. Not anymore," said Ron viciously, as he plunging the sword into Harry's thigh and left it there for a few seconds, before pulling it out painfully slowly. Harry groaned in pain, but no one could have heard him. Ron cut him across his chest
"Now bleed, Potter, bleed!" Ron demanded, smiling a sick, twisted smile.
Malfoy made a few more cuts on Harry's body. Ron then took out his dagger, and cut a scar shaped like a lightening bolt deep into his forehead. They dragged him through the wood and placed him on a cart just outside. They drove for about 10 miles, before throwing his limp body into a ditch, and driving back to the camp.
The Roman Army, under command of Harry Potter, had won again. This time they had defeated the Portuguese. The men were celebrating in their camp, while the Generals celebrated in their marquis, with the finest food and wine. Harry smiled contently. He was on his way down to the soldiers' area. He preferred it down there. He found that the people down there were more like him. Up in the Generals' tent, people only talked about politics, which bored Harry no end, especially as he knew that with his father as emperor, there was no politics – he made all the decisions, irrespective of what the Senate said.
He entered the soldiers' camp and the men cheered loudly. He smiled again. He knew he was popular among the men. They congratulated him on their victory but Harry shook his head
"Congratulate yourselves. You fought like heroes, all of you." The men cheered again, but one man told him
"No sir, it was your idea to attack by stealth during the night. It ensured the victory." Harry waved his hand casually
"It was the obvious thing to do. But let's not talk about that. Let's have a drink." The yells were nearly enough to knock over the Generals' tent, which was at least 500 metres away
"What are we going to do now?" asked one soldier. All the others listened with interest.
"Hopefully, we're going back to Rome," he said, to the delight of the crowd, "but you know that might not be the case. But, I think Dad might want another parade,"
"Sir, if you don't mind me saying, don't you get annoyed that your father takes all the credit for your work?" asked a centurion. Harry looked at him, surprised by such a bold question
"No. That's just what happens when you're emperor. I'm quite happy just doing my job with you guys out here." The men cheered again
"Well sir. I know that we enjoy serving you. You must be the most popular person in the Roman Empire. You are among the army. We've never lost a battle and had fewer deaths since you took charge," The soldier talking was obviously one of the most senior soldiers in this area. He was probably a senior centurion
"Well, that's just me taking credit for your work there, isn't it?" The men clearly disagreed
"No sir. We all truly believe that you're a superb General and we're proud to serve you. Whenever I swear my oath to the emperor, I'm also swearing an oath of loyalty to you in my mind." There were loud murmurs of agreement from the other men. Harry was deeply touched. He stood up on a table and called to the men
"I am in the company of fine men this evening. Men I would be honoured to share a drink with." And they all drank with him. He thought for a second before adding
"And the 4th and 8th centuries may get drunk this evening, as they fought the hardest. Harry settled himself down, chatting to most of the men. They were gathered around him as if he was telling a story to some children. Eventually, someone asked him
"Sir, when was the last time you were in Rome?" Harry thought before replying
"Just under three years." The men were clearly shocked
"Don't you miss it?" one asked
"Of course I do. But I do what my father and what the empire demands,"
"But you'll be glad to get back?"
"Oh yes. I haven't seen my old friends in too long. Fred, George, Hermione, Charlie, Bill, Ginny............," he trailed away slightly when he thought about Ginny. The men were quick to notice this and grinned
"Are you particularly missing Miss Weasly, sir?" asked one, innocently
"Possibly," replied Harry, evasively
"Why's that, sir?"
"Because she's kind, intelligent, funny, a great friend.........," he checked over his shoulder to see if Ron was coming in. He was very protective of Ginny, but since Harry had promoted him to General, he had never come down to visit the soldiers, like Harry did. But Ron was nowhere to be seen, so Harry added,".........and because she's so damn attractive." The men went into fits of laughter
"She is still beautiful, isn't she?" he checked. He raised his voice, "Who was in Rome recently?" Several men stood up
"I was there two weeks ago, sir," cried one
"And who is the most beautiful women in Rome?" Harry asked him
"Why, Ginny Weasly, of course, sir. She's the most beautiful woman in the whole world." Harry smiled
"I can see it now, sir. Emperor Harry Potter, with his wife Ginny. You shall be the most popular emperor in Rome's history. And the Roman Army will conquer the whole world," the senior centurion said, "I would be happy to swear an oath of allegiance to you, sir." Harry looked round proudly at his men. Sighing, he decided he ought to go back up to the Generals' tent
"Well, I think I shall be your General for a good few years before I ever become Emperor. We march in two days time, so enjoy yourselves!" And he left the soldiers, who were cheering madly.
He was making his way through the wood back towards the Generals' tent, when he saw Ron walking towards him
"Alright, mate?" Harry greeted, cheerfully.
Ron didn't reply. Instead, he walked straight up to Harry and punched him straight in the face. Harry fell to the floor. Before he could get up, Ron was on top of him, punching him hard in the face. Harry kicked him off and got up, but then he felt a sword cut across his back. Harry stumbled, but didn't go down. He turned and found Draco Malfoy smirking triumphantly, sword in hand. Harry was about to try and draw his own sword, when he felt a dagger being thrust into his back by Ron. He dropped to his knees, and Malfoy kicked him hard in the face. He crumpled to the floor. Through his blurred vision, he could just make out Ron and Draco, laughing together. They had always been enemies. How could they have become friends?
"Not so high and mighty now, are you, Potter?" asked Malfoy sarcastically
"Brave, great, clever, handsome, strong, heroic Harry Potter, Rome's favourite son. Not anymore," said Ron viciously, as he plunging the sword into Harry's thigh and left it there for a few seconds, before pulling it out painfully slowly. Harry groaned in pain, but no one could have heard him. Ron cut him across his chest
"Now bleed, Potter, bleed!" Ron demanded, smiling a sick, twisted smile.
Malfoy made a few more cuts on Harry's body. Ron then took out his dagger, and cut a scar shaped like a lightening bolt deep into his forehead. They dragged him through the wood and placed him on a cart just outside. They drove for about 10 miles, before throwing his limp body into a ditch, and driving back to the camp.