I'd rather sow fresh helleborus seeds immediately, but what do you have to lose? You couldn't buy a plant for $3 if even one were to germinate. Why don't you put them in a baggie with a little moist sterile sand or vermiculite and leave at room temp for approx 45 days, than sow in regular potting soil and place outdoors or refrigerate. You may know in Spring if any were viable, or it could even be one year from Spring so don't toss the contents of the seed pots.

In this milder zone at least, they do not take 4 years to bloom.

Give them a good soak for 24 hours and plant them up, or put in a bag as above. There's lots of comment on the archives here, have a browse.

You'll get some germinating, I've sown seed over a year old and had germination of 20% or so, compared with near 100% for fresh seed.

Cheers Greenmanplants