Disclaimer: I love this show

Chapter 21

Draco began to regain consciousness as the last of the dark beach slipped behind them. He blinked his eyes trying to help them assimilate to the light and color. As far as he could tell they were flying low and very fast over a dark green forest. The landscape blurred into itself until it made him dizzy.

'Maybe I will just concentrate on what is holding me.' Draco started to inspect the enormous talon that curved around his waist when he realized that Harry was being held in the other set of claws.

"Harry?" No response from the raven haired boy. The dragon, however, craned its head down and looked at Draco for a second before snapping out of its glide and shooting up towards the clouds. It stopped right before the first layer and plunged downwards aiming for a small clearing that broke the uneven treetops.

Draco closed his eyes as he prepared for the impact. Seconds before crashing onto the forest floor the wings stiffened and brought the trio to an unexpectedly easy landing. The dragon gently set Draco and Harry down before curling up into a large catlike pose around the boys.

"What are you going to do with us?" Draco demanded. The dragon opened one eye halfway and let it fall. Draco struggled trying to get out from under the dragon's heavy claws. He stopped when he heard moaning from beside him. Groggily Harry sat up blinking away his distortion.

"Harry we have to leave. I don't know what this...thing is planning on doing with us, but we have to find a way back to the beach."

"Calm down Draco. The dragon is Viper."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Nope. She can change into just about anything she wants." Both boys froze when they heard a rustle of leaves coming from their left. Before either of them had a chance to react a small person came tumbling through the last bush.

It straightened up and gazed at the dragon in wonder. The little woman fell to her knees mumbling something the boys could not understand.

"Melih gurnela vmeinsd!" The dragon sat up like a sphinx resting on its forearms. The tiny woman crawled forward completely ignoring the boys and reached her hands towards the reptile.

The dragon lowered its head and allowed the woman to stroke its nose. A shimmer of light and the dragon disappeared and in its stead was Viper. She was kneeling in front of the little woman staring into her eyes as if they had a mental conversation in their own world.

Harry's brow furrowed in concentration. Viper looked different. Her hair was glossy and pulled back simply, the absolute black joined by blood red. Her scars were fresh looking, painful almost, and the Dark Mark had vanished. She was wearing the outfit that Harry had first seen her in. Draco cleared his throat.

"Viper?" She turned to face them rising as she did so. She walked over to them the woman following her in absolute adoration. Viper placed her hands on Draco's left ear and Harry's right. Suddenly everything the woman was jabbering made sense.

"Hienf ehwoufn sliefh a sacrifice? I have no shrine but I am sure the men would love to build one! I have a daughter that would be the perfect size!" Viper cocked her head and raised her eyebrow at the woman.

"Jess, darling, I do not require a sacrifice for this visit." The tiny brown woman fell silent. She lifted her bark colored eyes to Viper's face.

"Yes Mistress. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"Actually there is. These men are in need of proper clothing." Draco looked down at his torn and dirty shirt and noticed that Harry was not in much better condition.

"Of course!" The minuscule woman lead the way through the forest chattering on about how some High Deagron character was not being fair towards the wood folk.

Viper was obviously in pain by the time they reached the small huddle of huts that made up the village of Nartoh. Harry looked at her with sympathy and Draco in confusion. The diminutive people of Nartoh scurried everywhere trying to find enough cloth to make clothes for the boys, who were at least three times their height.

Viper sat down and rubbed her forehead as if that was going to convince the pain to leave. 'Damn wards.' She was finding it very hard to concentrate on the counter spell when a very welcome sight met her eyes.

"Justin." She sighed in relief. "Tell me you have the salve and I will let you live." The rather beautiful boy strode gracefully over to her and handed Viper a small pouch.

"Good you can live. For now." The boy shrugged as if he was used to the threats and walked back into the woods never speaking a word. Viper untied the bag and dipped her fingers into a thick dark blue substance.

She grimaced and drew a streak across her forehead and immediately her face lost the stressful look that pain brings. A child stood by her with a damp cloth. The little one was shaking in terror, but there was also pride at being chosen to assist the Sadist.

She took the rag and patted the child on the back gently shoving it back to the house it emerged from. As Viper cleaned herself Harry finally got the courage to speak.

"Where are we?"

"Right now...Nartoh." Harry glared at her and she grinned. "We are in my world. I had Max pull you in before the explosion."

"What explosion?"

"The one that blew away Gryffindor tower." Viper paused when she saw the look of horror on Harry's face." "Don't worry. No one was killed. Except everyone thinks you were."

A/N: I am so having fun. And as a side note, Viper kept annoying me to let her talk to anyone who reads this story so I created an SN for her on both AIM Viper the Sadist. Please talk to her so she will leave me alone!