Disclaimers: As always, disclaimers are in the first few chapters.

Thanks to my rogue's gallery of reviewers…

Mercury Gray… Welcome back!

Angoliel… It is all about the cliff-hanger, my friend!

Evenstar Elanor… You know I couldn't keep Oliver away! I'm glad you liked the last chapter so much!

Mark Darcy… Leave you hanging? Me? Well, maybe a little… Actually, if you ask Merc, Angoliel and Evenstar, they'll tell you that I do it quite often, really.

Chapter 28: First Blood

Serena's Patronus padded around her, growling softly. A few people nearby glanced at each other warily. They'd never heard a Patronus make noise before. It must be this insane, archaic spell of Serena's the reasoned.

From her restrained position, Serena glared at the part of the gallery where the Malfoys waited. "Malificus Malfoy!" she shouted. "I name you black liar and fell scoundrel. You seek to destroy through treachery, but that treachery will be your own undoing! You have this one chance to recant else the spell is set, and if the spell should be set, the blood of the guilty party will be the only acceptable payment."

Malificus looked back over his shoulder at Lucius. You bastard, he thought. I cannot recant… not with your spell binding me. You send me to a fight I cannot win… You are sending me to my death!

Lucius leaned forward. "I'd rather planed a different demise for you, but this will work nicely," he whispered so no one else could hear. "The Dark Lord is back and you're useless now. You've played your role as a distraction quite nicely. I hope your little tumble with my wife was worth it. Defend yourself as best you can but you are forbidden to ever mention my role in this little affair."

As Lucius whispered to his brother, Tonks walked forward confidently and stood next to the silver panther. She pointed her wand at the Dementors which had been slowly moving towards Severus again, now that Serena was restrained.

"What are you doing, Nymphadora?" barked Umbridge. "Stand aside!"

"I can't, Madame Umbridge; not until this is finished."

Jeremy Thorne spoke up then. He projected his voice so the entire room could hear him. "She's right. The Veritas Sanguinae spell is part of our legal system. Granted, I don't think anyone has invoked it in centuries, but it is still a legal, legitimate, and binding defense. It is totally appropriate for an Auror to guard the accused until such time as his guilt or innocence is proven… I know the Minister and the Judges would never do something as heinous as interfere with the course of justice."

Umbridge fumed. Even with the glaring insult from Jeremy, she knew she had to let this run its course or else expose – more than she already had – her blatant desire to make a name for herself at any cost.

Malificus stood up from his table with remarkable poise and walked regally towards Serena. Severus strained within his confines, not wanting to let Malificus come anywhere close to his wife. The younger Malfoy brother drew out his wand.

"I cannot recant," he said, and for a moment Serena thought she actually detected a trace of sadness in his voice. "Expecto Patronum!" Silvery light shot out from his wand and coalesced on the ground, taking the form of a large jackal. The beast snarled at Serena's panther and the two creatures began to circle each other warily. As they did, another set of decayed hands with pointed yellow nails exploded up out of the ground. The hands grasped at Malificus, binding him the same way Serena was imprisoned. In the gallery, most of the remaining Wizards and Witches fell silent as they watched. Oliver Wood pushed up to the railing.

"Professor…" he said softly. His unrelenting crush on Serena during his last year at Hogwarts had lessened but had not disappeared entirely.

"If her husband is innocent, she'll be fine," said a woman's voice with a distinctly Irish accent. Oliver looked to his right and blinked. The young woman talking to him smiled. She had thick dark hair, blue-grey eyes, and dimples when she smiled.

"How… how do you know that? How can you be sure?" he asked once he found his voice again.

"'Tis the nature of the spell, boyo," she laughed. "Severus' innocence will give her Patronus additional power and stamina, enough to overcome the other one. But it will be painful… for her and for Malfoy. Each blow will not register on the Patronus, but on the person who summoned it."

In front of them, the jackal's cackling bark was met by a hiss from the panther, and the Irish girl's face sobered significantly. She slid her arm through Oliver's, much to his surprise.

"I know my Aunt Serena will win, but I'm still scared," she admitted.

"Aunt?"

"I'm Fiona."

Without thinking, Oliver covered Fiona's hand with his. "I'm Oliver…"

"I know. You're Oliver Wood. You play Quidditch for Puddlemere," she said. "Serena used to talk about what a good player you were at Hogwarts. I've watched a few of your games…"

They were interrupted by a pained yelp from the jackal. The panther had struck out with a paw, catching the silver canine on the shoulder. From where he stood, Malificus closed his eyes and grimaced as the shoulder of his shirt ripped away, exposing fresh and bloody claw marks.

Serena had drawn first blood.

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