A/N: Aindel got REVIEWS!  Oh my GOD!  I think I'm going to have a heart attack!  …Just kidding.  Thanks, guys…girls…whatever…you get the idea.

DKFairy- soon enough for you?

Becca- I'll try.  Glad you like it.  As of right now, so do I, but I don't know how long that will last.

As of right now, this fic is my baby.  That will change.  Last month, TSS was my baby, and I don't like it anymore.  Well, not entirely, but I'm sort of brain-dead.

Thanks to my reviewers, you don't have to hear me rant.  See you at the end of the chapter.  This one will probably be short.

Chapter 2

~ This chapter is dedicated to Becca because she was my first reviewer~

            The forest was covered in blackness.  There were no city lights nearby, and the trees blocked the light from the stars and moon.  Bugs crawled about in the darkness, scuttling along branches and climbing across leaves.  The wind whistled through the tall oaks and ashes (the tree, not the embers), blowing some leaves that had fallen early across the forest floor.  Owl calls mingled with the rustling and whistling, but other than those, there was no sound in the woods.

            Suddenly, a large shape hurtled from the sky and landed with a crash among the trees.  Birds flew every which way, and insects of all types hurried for cover.  The shape was a dragon, a Peruvian Vipertooth, seventeen feet long, with glittering copper scales.  It folded its wings, extended its neck, and sank its venomous fangs into the sleeping young fawn it had smelled from so far above.  The vipertooth devoured its prey before glancing around at its surroundings.  The dragon recognized the territory.  She was close enough to her goal.  It was in this forest that she would make her home for now.          

            The forest in which the female dragon found herself was toward the southern tip of Wales.  From here, it would be a short flight indeed to her final destination.  A serpentine tongue slithered out of her mouth to lick away the blood that stuck to her fang.  She sniffed the air.  There was other prey about.  She would not go hungry in this place.

            She glanced upward, and saw the moon through the trees of which she had broken off branches in her dive; it was full.  Her reared up, and a dark light shone around her.  She began to shrink, and her wings and tail receded into her body.  When the light was gone, a woman stood where one of the world's most dangerous dragons had been moments before. 

            The woman was dangerously beautiful.  Her flowing black hair was tinted with gold, and her skin was tanned a perfect bronze.  A pair of onyx eyes gleamed in the darkness as her perfect body stepped noiselessly among the leaves and branches.  She walked over to where a large boulder lay in a small clearing and sat on it.  Her eyes closed as she sent a message with her mind.  Come to me; I am here.  She opened her eyes and waited.

            Seven figures appeared in the clearing.  They stared at the woman before them.  "Who are you?" a hard voice demanded from under a cloak.  "Answer me, woman!"

            The woman laughed, but there was no mirth in her voice.  "Do you really want to know?"  Before the voice could respond, the woman flicked her fingers toward him.  He crumpled silently to the ground before his body disappeared.  "Let that be a lesson to any here who would challenge me."  She paused for a moment, and then spoke once more.  "I know who you are, and every detail of your pathetic lives.  You once served the one who called himself the Dark Lord, but he has failed.  You are all that is left of your order at the moment.  You now serve me."  One figure tentatively stepped forward.  The woman turned toward them.  "Was there something you wished to say, Lucius?" she asked, as though tempting him to challenge her.

            "I only wished to know the name of my mistress," replied the man under the cloak, unperturbed by her challenge, "and what your purpose for us shall be."

            "Very well.  You shall know the answers you seek.  My name is Kraestrayn, but to you I am 'Lady' or 'Mistress'.  To speak my name in my presence is forbidden of you.  Your purpose will be any task I command.  I have not decided yet exactly what part you will serve in my plans.  You will come as soon as you are called, as you did tonight.  You will here my voice when I command you.  You will leave me now, all of you but Lucius."

            The other five wizards disapparated.  Lucius Malfoy stood in place, staring at Kraestrayn, waiting to be commanded.  When she said nothing, he spoke.  "What did you wish of me, Lady?"

            "Make sure that Avery's wife does not report him missing,"

            "How shall I do so?"

            Kraestrayn grinned maliciously, revealing her slightly elongated, pointed canines.  "However you wish."

A/N: Yep.  That's it.  I told you it would be short.  That was a pathetic chapter.  I was kind of bored, and decided to introduce the Dark Lady.  By the way, the pronunciation of her name (Kraestrayn) is CRAY(like the fish)-strain(like the bowl with holes in it).  Got it?  Get it?  Good.

            Now then, you had all better review, or there will be a large rant in the next chapter.  The next chapter will probably be VERY short, because the Norns will be in it.  I think.  I'm not sure at the moment.  I might combine two chapters.

            I'm hungry.  I can't wait until supper.  We're having fish and chips.  You really don't care, though, do you?

            I had no idea she was going to be a dragon-lady.  I had no idea she was actually going to be a she.  Let me know what you think of her.  In other words (again), REVIEW!

            If there are a lot of mistakes, it's because I still need a BETA reader.  Let me know if you're interested.  Anyone who leaves me his or her (more likely her) e-mail will be notified when I update.

Toodles.

~§ Aindel §~