To Survive

by Magical Narwhal

Harry is struck by a spell as he escapes during Voldemort's return. Unconscious upon his return to Hogwarts, none of the staff know what is wrong with him. Draco doesn't want to be a Death Eater, but he's too scared to stand up to his father. Once he finds out about what has been done to him in the past, he'll do anything to escape serving the Dark Lord.

1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer for All Chapters:

The characters, setting, and pretty much the entire world belong to J.K. Rowling and her affiliates. I gain no profit from this story, just enjoyment. Since I am fairly certain this plot idea is original, I am asking that anyone who hopes to use it or adapt it lets me know, if only so that I can read their story.

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Author's Note:

This should become fairly obvious once you start reading, but this isn't canon. Everything that occurs before the point where this story begins, as well as what happens in the longer time periods I will skip, however, is as it was written in the books.

This chapter is much shorter than the other chapters will be, as it sets up the story more than anything.

With that said, let the story begin!

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To Survive

Chapter 1

Harry turned and ran, grabbing Cedric's body on his way. A Death Eater's curse hit Harry as he closed his hand around the cup that would take him back to Hogwarts, breaking through the barrier that the forms of Voldemort's past victims had built around him. Harry struggled to breathe as pain enveloped him during the Portkey trip. Once he fell on hard ground, he stopped feeling the pain.

Harry Potter had passed out on the Quidditch Field, the Tournament Cup held in one hand and Cedric Diggory's corpse in the other, as soon as he had arrived.

Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey ran towards the unconscious boy, as did everyone else. Casting a Sonorus charm, Dumbledore addressed the advancing crowd. "We ask that everyone except the necessary staff members stay away from the Tournament competitors. Those who do not comply will be stunned without warning." The mob halted, creating an uproar as everyone tried to make sense of what had happened to Hogwarts' beloved champions, shouting to one another in desperation.

Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey knelt beside the two boys, running scans of their vitals. Dumbledore looked up, the Sonorus charm still active. "Could Cedric Diggory's family please join us?" Dumbledore cast Quietus as he turned his attention to the school's resident mediwitch. "Is Harry all right?"

Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "No, we need to move Mr. Potter to the Infirmary as soon as possible. He's unconscious, and I don't know what happened to him. Hopefully it will be easier to identify it inside where I will have the proper equipment and potions, and there won't be all of these prying eyes. How is Mr. Diggory?"

Cedric's parents reached the two staff members kneeling on the field. "What happened to him?" "Is our boy going to be okay?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Mr. and Mrs. Diggory. I regret to inform you that your son is dead. We'll move him inside to an empty room to afford you some more privacy."

Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey stood up, levitating both of the boys into the building. The crowd parted to make way to the entrance for them, everyone leaning right and left to catch a glimpse of the fallen students.