So, I said I would publish this sooner rather than later. The revised version of my Fate/Stay Night story Hadrian Kotomine, inspired by (with permission) Satire Swift's take on Shirou in their Fate/Stay Night AU Birth by Fire and a Sekirei crossover sequel called Soul of Fire, inspired by (what else) gabriel blessing's In Flight. I feel that it flows a little better, and because I wanted to avoid retreading the same ground I had already done in Separated at Birth, which was conceived later but published sooner. Hadrian will still be getting Medusa, and wizards from the Potterverse will be gatecrashing the Grail War, but Sakura won't be getting Medea...though she will get Assassin. The opening chapters will be different too.

On another note, I recently managed to obtain a certain popular anime series, at long last, and I wonder how many of you guys will want me to do a fic relating to it, once I've watched enough of it. So, tell me, in your reviews, how many of you want to see me do a fic on Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion.

HADRIAN KOTOMINE (REVISED)

CHAPTER 1:

SCARS WITHIN AND WITHOUT

It had been something of a minor scandal within Fuyuki. The ward of a local Christian priest and the adopted granddaughter of an old family with obscure Russian roots had disappeared. While the official story was that they had disappeared, possibly kidnapped, tongues had wagged, especially considering how close they had been. Many believed that an elopement of sorts had occurred. It had been at a scandalously young age too: they were fifteen, coming on sixteen. And you heard the rumours about the Matou family.

But then, the pair came back. The story they gave was that they were kidnapped by a group of obsessed cultists, and that they had taken this long to escape. Given the bizarre activities that happened in and around Fuyuki, a group of crazed cultists, sadly, was not wholly out of the question, especially in light of the serial killer and terrorist attacks that plagued the city nearly a decade ago.

However, the true story was very different. Ridiculous, unbelievable, but true. Though only a few would learn of that truth. And those few would be drawn into another battle beyond their imagining…

The dark-haired European boy with the scarred face sat down within the confessional booth, and murmured, "Bless me Father, for I have…"

"Sinned, yes," came the deep voice from the other side of the booth, separated by the partition. "I know. You're very good at that(1)."

The teenager rolled his eyes. Burn scars ran down one side of his face, not enough to disfigure it to a massive degree, but enough to mar and mark it. Another, lightning bolt-like scar snaked its way from under his fringe. Emerald eyes glinted sardonically from behind glasses. "With all due respect, I take after you."

"I'm hurt," the deep voice said. "Then again, it says a lot that you wouldn't stay for long after you first got back, Hadrian. You just left me the cover story and told me you would explain later."

"I was too busy catching up with Shirou, and you know it," Hadrian retorted. "Anyway, didn't Zelretch fill you in?"

"Yes. He told me that you tried to fill him full of Black Keys. I would ask whatever did the Wizard Marshall do to deserve your ire, but it is Zelretch we're talking about. The number of people he has known and not annoyed in some way or another is a small number indeed. But I have to say, Hadrian, being kidnapped by wizards from another universe, along with your girlfriend? Going through some banal tournament? It would not reflect well on your reputation with the Burial Agency."

"Funny, that was what Caren told me when I rang her up earlier. Only difference being that I actually laughed at what she said," Hadrian snarked back.

"Disrespect for your father? I thought I raised you to better standards than that."

"You're my guardian, not my father, Kirei," Hadrian retorted. "You never acted like a father, why start now?"

Silence from the other end, though Hadrian knew better than to think he had given offence. Admittedly, Kirei Kotomine had raised Hadrian, once Harry Potter, rather well. But Kirei had a stoic, cold demeanour that hid a sadistic streak, and while he never actually abused Hadrian, Hadrian was also under few illusions as to his guardian. If anything, he suspected worse.

Hadrian would be the first to admit that, like his guardian (despite assuming the man's surname, he'd never call Kirei father), he had become something of a twisted soul. Hadrian had even gained some small notoriety as the Heretic Executor, the Church's answer to the Magus Killer. Ironically, Hadrian was little like the Magus Killer, at least as far as collateral damage was concerned. But he shared Kiritsugu Emiya's more mercenary inclinations, as well as a disdain towards orthodoxy: despite often being retained by the Church to deal with rogue Magi and Dead Apostles (vampires to the average person), he publicly claimed he was an agnostic, even a misotheist. He had even been hired by Clock Tower on occasion: one of his last missions before those damned wizards on the world he left behind was to retrieve artifacts that could be used as catalysts for the next Holy Grail War, as there were already indications it might be starting early.

His lack of any formal affiliation with the Church, in spite of being the ward of Kirei Kotomine, meant that he could potentially be a Master without any trouble. Clock Tower and the Church hadn't managed to close that little loophole yet after Kirei himself participated as the Master of Assassin, which was odd. Then again, Tokiomi Tohsaka was colluding with the Church, and Zelretch seemed to think it entertaining.

Kirei chose that moment to break his silence. "I seemed to notice that you were much closer to Sakura when you came back. I wonder, did you finally bed her?"

"None of your business."

"So, yes. Good to know. While officially, I must point out the Catholic Church's stance on contraception, as your guardian, I hope you used protection. I believe that you two are too young to be parents, after all, and I am certainly too young to be a grandfather."

Hadrian grimaced in embarrassment. Kirei did not need to know this sort of thing, how close he and Sakura really got. Not that they needed to get that close, despite her circumstances. His magic, a different kind to that Magi normally had, had a calming effect on the Crest Worms that Sakura had implanted by that monster of a grandfather of hers, something that normally required sexual activity to enact (something Zouken and Shinji Matou exploited until Hadrian's magic changed matters). But, well, after he pulled Sakura out of a damned near-frozen lake and emotions were running high…

"These wizards, though…did you punish them for their foolishness?" Kirei asked.

"I left a lot of bodies in my wake and frustrated howls," Hadrian said. "Does that count? I mean, a few were nice, but there was this old whiskered wanker who looked like Merlin dressed in eye-searing robes, and this greasy-haired twat who apparently wanted to fuck my mother, not to mention this woman who looked like they turned a toad into a human being. I don't think they took kindly to inviting many of their supposedly upstanding citizens to my Pyroclasm Party."

Which meant fire, fire, and more fire. Very satisfying. Hadrian was loath to admit it, but he was something of a pyromaniac. It came from being more or less born from the Fuyuki Fire, though Shirou Emiya, having lost his memories prior to the fire in that inferno, had more of a claim to being born there anyway. Hadrian did remember something of his childhood prior to that…and had made especially sure to pay the Dursleys a visit.

"Hmm. Well, I think we have a more immediate concern, Hadrian. I'm sure you have noticed your nifty little tattoo on your hand."

Hadrian grimaced, before looking down at the red, tattoo-like marking on his hand. "And here I was thinking the rumours before I was kidnapped weren't true. It's five decades too early."

"True. But it also means you cannot claim residence here, unless you actually lose your Servant," Kirei said. "Then again, you live away from this church, so it's not a problem for once. Not to mention you rarely call me. Such egregious ingratitude from my ward."

"Such blatant psychological manipulation from my guardian," Hadrian retorted. "Anyway, unlike you, I won't claim sanctuary while I still have a Servant. Because I actually have skills."

"Don't make me discipline you, Hadrian," Kirei said facetiously.

"There's a first time for everything."

In his apartment, a little way away from the church, Hadrian stared at the ceiling, unable to sleep. Sakura had insisted on staying at her home tonight, for now. He'd just escaped one deathtrap of a magical tournament, only to be roped into one that was even more lethal.

Hadrian Kotomine wasn't born in this world. On another world, he was born Harry Potter, to James Potter and Lily Evans. They were murdered by a wizarding terrorist, and Harry was sent to live with magic-hating relatives who took every opportunity to abuse him. Nowhere near as bad as poor Sakura had it, but still…it spoke volumes when Kirei Kotomine, a hollow man who had a hidden sadistic streak, was a better guardian than they were. While he showed no actual love towards Harry, he could show pride when Harry achieved things.

Hadrian thought back to when he came to this world. He had been locked in his cupboard, and had wanted to get out. And he was out, but in the middle of a raging inferno. He wandered, alone, burns along his body, until he stumbled across a pair of men. A dark-haired priest, and a naked blonde man with crimson eyes. Ironically, these two turned out to be his saviours, the blonde, calling himself Gilgamesh (when he wasn't declaring himself to be the King of Heroes), noting his magic…of a vastly different kind to this world.

It was ironic, really. Kirei Kotomine and Gilgamesh saved him, while Kirei's enemy, Kiritsugu Emiya, the Magus Killer, had saved Shirou's life. Unlike Shirou, Hadrian didn't lose his memories. But the dark fires of the aftermath of the Fourth Holy Grail War has scoured Shirou clean, a fiery palimpsest.

Hadrian had met Kiritsugu a few times before the infamous assassin passed away. Hadrian had become friends with Shirou, but had aroused suspicion from the Magus Killer. Not without reason: Kiritsugu and Kirei were on opposing sides of the Grail War, though their enmity was particularly strong. However, Kiritsugu soon became satisfied that Hadrian, while every bit as acid-tongued and ruthless as his guardian, was genuine in his desire for friendship.

Hadrian never got to know the man that well, at least personally, but if one thing defined the ex-Magus Killer, it was that he was filled with regrets. Hadrian found himself envying Shirou, for the infamous mercenary and assassin seemed like a better father than Kirei ever acted like. Hell, during his Executor training, Hadrian ended up meeting Kirei's biological daughter, Caren Hortensia. That had been…interesting, to say the least.

He'd started training not long after the Magus Killer died, at eleven years of age. By thirteen, he was, albeit unofficially, an active Executor, though he tended to stay around Fuyuki most of the time, having most of his more mundane schooling here. By fifteen, he had some infamy for his unorthodox nature and his iconoclastic attitude (he was known to have a friendship of sorts with Arcueid Brunestud, a True Ancestor or ultra-powerful vampire descended from the original vampire, Crimson Moon Brunestud, and infamously known as the White Princess of the True Ancestors), and it was at this age he was abducted by that damned Goblet of Fire, while he was sitting on a park bench with Sakura.

And now, here he was, about to be a Master in the Fifth Holy Grail War. He lifted his hand, and looked at the murky Command Seals, the stigmata noting him as being chosen by the Grail. Kiritsugu had been tight-lipped about why he had his Saber Servant destroy the Grail that had manifested the one time Hadrian had asked: he didn't trust the ward of Kirei Kotomine enough, and Kirei, when asked about the subject, merely called Kiritsugu a coward.

The Holy Grail War…a conflict instituted just under two centuries ago by three powerful Magus families: the von Einzberns of Germany, the Makiris of Russia (before moving to Japan and becoming the Matous), and the Tohsakas of Japan. The Grail itself was not the drinking vessel of Jesus, but rather, a specially-engineered magical device that, when primed with enough mana, could work miracles. One of them was a limited form of the Third True Magic the von Einzberns desired to regain, the Heaven's Feel, allowing for Heroic Spirits, the souls of long-dead heroes from myth and history, to be revived as familiars known as Servants.

Each of the seven Servants would be summoned as a particular class. Sabers were swordfighters, masters of melee combat. Lancers were alacritous spearmen. Archers were those who used ranged weaponry from bows to guns, and even more exotic weapons. Riders were known for their mounts and vehicles. Berserkers traded sanity for raw strength and tenacity. Assassins were masters of stealth, killing swiftly and silently from the shadows. And Casters were masters of magic and changing reality around them, physically weak, but formidable within their own territories.

Once six of the seven Servants were slain, the Grail could be used as a means to fulfil any wish it could grant to the remaining Servant and their Magus Master. However, Kirei had stated that, in order to be used to its fullest potential, all seven Servants needed to die. Only then would it become a gateway to Akasha, the Root of All Things. The ultimate noosphere, containing knowledge from the past, present, and even the future.

Hadrian wondered why the Grail chose him. The only wishes he had were those he could achieve himself: to be with Sakura, and to help his friends. If he had another wish, one that would draw him into this conflict, it would be, why did Kiritsugu destroy the Grail? What possessed him to cause that calamity all those years ago by destroying the Grail? And why was his guardian so damned coy about things?

Even before he got abducted, he hadn't been living at the church where Kirei Kotomine resided for some time, using the monies he got from being an Executor to buy a house nearby. Sometimes, Kirei would suggest that Hadrian slept over at Rin's place, but Hadrian much preferred Sakura. Especially now he knew about the Crest Worms. Rin had inherited a little too much of her father's detachment from normal human affection, and Sakura had been ordered by Zouken Matou to act as if she was never a Tohsaka.

No. There was one wish he could use. It was to purge those damned worms from Sakura's body, or at least change them into magic circuits completely. His magic kept them subdued, but it was a temporary fix, not a full one. Sakura felt repulsed at them being within her body, at what they had done to her from a very young age. To males, Crest Worms were bad enough, eating into bone marrow and nerves, but to females, they pretty much raped them. And Sakura had also been psychologically abused by Zouken, and sexually abused by her own adoptive brother.

Well, Hadrian intended for that shit to stop. Sakura was his friend. He'd only (barely) tolerated dealing with the Matous because if he wiped them out, Clock Tower would come down on his head for interfering with Magus affairs unduly (never mind the fact that Zouken made most of the more immoral Magi look like kittens). Though maybe he could get away with some collateral damage during the Grail War.

Then again, he had an issue with Shinji nearly dislocating Sakura's arm for, in his eyes, defying him. And he was going to deal with said issue before very long. Thanks to his time on that other world, he had just the right tools. He had told Sakura what he was planning. Now, people thought that Sakura was a demure, goody-two shoes, but in truth, she had a hidden darker side to her, born from years of abuse, physical, mental, and sexual. And she gave considerable approval to that plan.

Of course, if he gained the right Servant, he also had another avenue to try…

CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Hadrian Kotomine…aka Harry Potter raised by Kirei. Kickarse Executor and maverick…and Sakura's boyfriend. And soon to be Master of the Fifth Holy Grail War.

Keep in mind, time runs a little differently in the Nasuverse compared to the Potterverse, at least for this fic. So Harry is 16 (as is Sakura), but he should have been 14 (well, nearly 15 after going through the TWT).

His relationship with Kirei is…distant but somewhat cordial, even if it is dysfunctional. Hell, Hadrian gets along better with Gilgamesh (and he thinks Gilgamesh is an arrogant fuck with a stick up his arse, while Gilgamesh thinks him an uncouth mongrel, though he thinks Hadrian amusing enough to be a court jester). But it's probably true that Kirei, if he didn't indulge his sadism, would make a better parent than the Dursleys. Sad, but true.

This will involve some bashing, BTW. Hermione, Luna, Remus and Sirius will definitely be Harry's allies, but Dumbledore and Snape will not. They'll make appearances later…

1. I cribbed these lines from Van Helsing, when Van Helsing returns to the Vatican early in the film. Enjoyable movie, despite the cheesiness and the plot holes…