DZ2's 'A Friend's Protection' Challenge

Plot: Harry is lost in darkness, alone, no idea where to go or who to trust. Everything he knows is a lie; everyone he trusts ends up stabbing him in the back. What is there left to live for?

Rules: Grey, Dark or Evil Harry DARK BUT NOT EVIL

The story MUST start at a time where people turn on Harry/abandon him

Feeling like there's no way out, save one, Harry chooses to do them all a favour and end it all

How he does this is up to you, but, in typical Harry-fashion, even dying isn't simple/normal

As he's dying, he's found by a friend/classmate/older or younger student who begs him to live

In fear, his rescuer swears a vow to do anything they can to help, which forges a bond between them and Harry, keeping him alive

There MUST be an explanation for the bond that isn't just because they've sworn to help

At first, Harry is angry, even scared that he's still alive, but his rescuer talks him down off the proverbial edge and, from then on, they help him be his own wizard, bettering himself and basically telling all the naysayers and backstabbers they can go screw themselves

Any who try and get back in Harry's good books must either earn it or be told where they can stick their apologies

All pairings are welcome

Guidelines: Crossovers

Super/OP Harry OP

Dark-Lord Harry DENIED- VINDICTIVE AND CRUEL BUT DARK LORD BY NO MEANS

Harry's rescuer becomes his mate/girlfriend/boyfriend ACCEPTED- GF/EVENTUAL WIFE AND MOTHER TO HIS KIDS

Harry's rescuer is from another House and, as a result of what happens, Harry ends up in that House ACCEPTED

Somehow, the bond Harry forges destroys the Horcrux ACCEPTED WITH A TWIST

For a time, Harry tries to find other ways to die, but fails because of the bond/other reasons DENIED

Harry sides with Tom DENIED

As well as bettering himself, Harry's rescuer helps teach him new magic/abilities/powers to help him ACCEPTED

Harry's rescuer is one of twins, which has the other twin bonded with him as well DENIED

Slash MAYBE BUT NOT FOR HARRY

Harems NOT FOR HARRY

Harry/Multi UNDETERMINED- THIS PERSON HE ENDS UP WITH IS ADVENTUROUS AND MAY ASK THE QUESTION TO AT LEAST TRY IT ONCE

A prophecy speaks of Harry's dance with death ACCEPTED BUT IT IS NOT A PROPHECY RECORDED IN BRITAIN OR ENGLISH

The bond actually makes Harry's rescuer his servant/lesser/submissive/pet SORT OF ACCEPTED? THE PERSON THEMSELVES WILL BE NATURALLY OF A MORE SUBMISSIVE TYPE MINDSET TO BEGIN WITH

Harry uses life-debts owed from others to bind them to him just like his rescuer is bound ACCEPTED

Somehow, the bond is connected to Harry's destiny as Master of Death ACCEPTED OF SORTS- THE BOND BECOMES AN ANCHOR TO KEEP HIM FROM BEING CORRUPTED BY THE POWER OF ALL THREE HALLOWS ONCE BROUGHT TOGETHER

Forbidden: Light Harry

Harry accepting things won't change unless he changes them

Harry's near-death experience being instant/normal

Harry successfully dying

Anyone who betrays him being let back in easily

The bond NOT having an explanation that isn't just about the vow sworn

Other than that, it's up to you...

..

A/N: So I have to admit that despite being not a fan of the Fate series, I do love some of the characters/representations of deities or historical figures that get summoned as Servants. While reading this little challenge idea I had a spark of inspiration hit me. Be forewarned that this IS NOT a Fate series crossover by any measure. I am only using a particular character to uh... pull off a very almost PJO-esque feat. This character will not be mentioned a lot beyond throwaway mentions as needed or unless it's pivotal to key points in the plot development.

I hope to see a lot of people read this and leave me their feedback. I won't beg for reviews like some authors will but if you want to leave one cool. If you want to shoot me a PM directly about it, be my guest. Just don't be abusive about it. No one is perfect as a writer or as a person and I know for a fact that I am the farthest from perfect. I will have bad chapters, not just inevitably in this story but all I have or will post, and I accept that as all of you will have to as well.

Trigger warning: SUICIDE ATTEMPTED BY CHARACTER, MENTION OF SELF-HARM

Liar!

Cheat!

Glory hound!

Disgrace to Gryffindor!

Blight to the Potter name!

These were only a few of the things bashing around the inside of Harry's head as he stared out at the Black Lake. Last night at the Halloween Feast they had announced the Tri-Wizard, well now it was Tri-Wizard and a Veela, Tournament champions. Last night had, as he come to expect despite hoping Dumbledore's protections around the cup would be worth something to keep him safe from the danger and spotlight, had gone to hell in a handbasket. The school was hating him, Hufflepuff in particular as they accused him of trying to usurp Cedric's place as the so called 'true Hogwarts champions' and perhaps more devastating was the betrayal of his so called best friends. Ron refused to believe he was innocent, jealous greedy prat he was, and Hermoine kept jabbing him to confess how he cheated into the life or death tournament.

"It's not worth it."

The sentiment was spoken in a hollow, emotionless voice. They all thought the worst of him and no doubt he'd be made a villain by The Daily Prophet, no doubt by Rita Skeeter whose work he remembered was the cause of many notable witch and wizards being damaged beyond repair, once they 'allegedly' receive an interview with him. An absent motion kicked a rock into the lake carelessly while a thought passed his mind he should be in Potions right now. No doubt Snape was hounding on between insults aimed at him, his father, his mother and the name Potter in general with a malicious glee.

Emerald eyes drifted to the sharp knife clutched in his left hand. It would be so easy. Two long vertical slashes, he'd bleed out quickly. It wasn't like two new self-abuse scars would be a shock to him compared to the abuse ones from the Dursley's. "It's probably like falling asleep" he said to himself. The prospect scared him but not enough to drop the knife. Fourteen years he suffered and now he was put into the line of Death's scythe again? He fancied the idea of going out on his own terms rather than the plans of whoever got him in the tournament. Drawing two deep vertical jagged wounds, one up the inside of each forearm, he winced as blood began to gush out. The lightheadedness, presumably hastened by two life threatening wounds instead of one, was near instant as he tried to steady himself. Though some would call him a coward for taking 'the easy way out' he couldn't find it in his dimming mind to care.

The loss of hearing was next, the world going silent as his vision swam to double. His body was shaking badly as a weak laugh escaped his lips as his lifeblood stain his pale skin. Voldemort tried to kill him two times previously at Hogwarts, he'd be infuriated at not being the one to kill him. It was ironic irony, wasn't that an oxymoron, by killing himself he managed to in a way weaken his foe who'd inevitably torture or kill his own subject slaves in his fury.

As his body lost the fight to hold onto the rock and fell into the lake, he thought he saw someone running his way. Blood loss was funny like that was the last thought to cross his mind as water raced down his throat and began filling his lungs. He didn't fight it, he was weak from continuing blood and couldn't think of a reason to live, as he fell to blissful darkness

Luna Lovegood was far from a good mood as she made a circuit around the Black Lake. Her free period was half over and searching for her stuff was getting to the point she was ready to drop the sham she presented to the world about being a typical ditzy blonde. All the creatures she claimed to be real and saw were the manufactured doing of her fathers 'research' into magizoology. Could some of them be real? Sure but the best purpose, in her mind at least, was in labelling people for the ugliness they showed the world. Talk enough nonsense and people begin to write you off as off your rocker. Keep talking like that for a really long time and most people thought you were beyond rational, she would know since the last three years to date had been that way.

The Ravenclaw's dark musings were cut short as she saw a body hit and sink into the Black Lake. She thought it was odd that someone would opt to swim in the lake at this time of year considering the chill in the air. Almost ready to dismiss it as someone doing a dumb dare, dumber things had been done at Hogwarts on a dare before according to her fathers many unhinged rants, she froze seeing a rust red color floating on the film at the top. She wasn't immediately conscious to her body reacting on its own, in this case taking a running start toward the lake and diving in once she hit the shore, til the shock of cold water surrounded her. Fighting the urge to swim to the shore and dry off as fast as possible Luna fought her way through the plant life to the persons unmoving body. Getting a good grip on the body and fighting to the surface was a challenge as her lungs began to burn with a need for air.

One last desperate push broke the surface of the lake. Gulping in greedy amounts of oxygen she pulled the unconscious person to the shore and floundered them onto solid ground. Her full attention focused on the hurt person and upon spotting the black hair in combination with that distinctive lightning bolt shaped scar she felt her blood turn to ice seeing the injuries. Though she did not know Harry Potter well, he was kind to her and treated her like a friend, unlike the rest of the schools student population. Swallowing the bile in her mouth she gripped his arms focusing her magic to heal his wounds. Getting help for Harry, meaning getting Madame Pomfrey, would take too long and without a doubt be fatal for the Gryffindor boy. "You can't die on me Harry. Come on, stay with me! I swear I'll be right here beside you no matter the tide of public opinion or scorn" she promised as her eyes prickled with fearful tears. It was irrational really, pleading and wasting magic like this in an undirected way, but she couldn't sit idly by watching him die."Don't leave me alone please!"

sA goldenphere of magic encompassed the pair as a pair of tears landed on Harry's face, his scar specifically.

Up in the Headmasters office Dumbledore scowled darkly to himself. With Harry in the tournament the boy was in far more danger than he wanted the boy exposed to at the moment. Admittedly the Dementors nearly Kissing the boy last hear during the quidditch match was a lot more danger as well but this?

His concentration was broken as a great wave of magic shook the castle and sent the wards into a frenzy. Springing to his feet he saw the trinkets linked to the monitoring spells on Harry die as the instruments shattered to shrapnel.

The Sorting Hat, observant as it was, watched the chaos unfold with a resigned sigh. 'It has come to pass' the artifact thought as Minerva McGonagall burst into the office all frazzled. "All hail to the King of Heroes, Master of Kings."

Neither adult heard the Sorting Hat speak as they poured over the wards trying to trace the source of the magic that shook the castle.

A/N: So there's the prologue and I think it's a good start. The stage is set for Harry's near death encounter with certain people coming next chapter and forming the bond with Luna.

Despite the posted trigger warning up top I want to apologize if it hit a little too close to home for some people. Suicide is never the answer to any of your problems. Neither is cutting or any other form of self-harm.