Hello everyone! :)

I'm back with a new chapter that I really hope you're going to enjoy! This one is a bit longer, to make it up for you for the long wait. I don't want to make any promises, but the updates should be more regular now, so let me know what you think!

Yours KatieGG

Two days didn't pass before Caroline stood with Severus and Minerva in the cabinet of the first mentioned with a vial of Polyjuice Potion in her hands. It was Dolores' duty to patrol the corridors tonight and Caroline's task would be to simply meet her and make a short conversation, and if possible, try to figure something out.

Dumbledore assured her, that he didn't tell the staff her secret and that the involved teachers just accepted the fact, that Caroline would act as a transfiguration teacher and meet with the High Inquisitor.

"Cheers," said Caroline ironically as she swallowed the potion. Almost immediately, she could feel the changes in her. She was definitely taller and of course, older as well. Minerva looked at her approvingly before she waved her wand and transformed Caroline's robe, so it would look just like the one she was wearing.

Caroline spent two hours that afternoon with her former Transfiguration teacher, who explained her some of the things she should probably know while acting as her in the presence of Dolores Umbridge. Now was time to test her abilities again, finally after a long time.

It didn't take her a long time to find the teacher. As she sensed another's mind presence, one she was unfamiliar with, she tried to put on the strict expression and walk as surely as Minerva McGonagall always did.

"Minerva?" started the woman with a surprised voice, "what are you doing here? It's my duty to patrol the corridors tonight."

Caroline could see a lot of different scenarios in the other's woman's mind. A secret staff meeting. Minerva visiting the students and plotting with them. And while she did her best to search her mind without being noticed, she had to focus on her voice as well, so she would sound as the Transfiguration teacher would.

"Pardon me, Dolores," she started, "I'm afraid that I'm not able to just fall asleep tonight."

"Oh, then you could perhaps try to visit Madam Pomfrey, Minerva, I'm sure she would help. We both know how important sleep is," she said, and then she chuckled, "especially at your age."

Caroline became quite offended with the last part. Even though it wasn't truly her, whom the teacher with a resemblance to a toad was insulating, she learned to like professor McGonagall a lot.

She put her chin a little bit higher and make a step towards the other woman. "I assure you, Dolores, that I have as much energy as I had twenty years ago." And with that, she turned on her heels and marched back. Although Caroline was sure she still had enough time left, she didn't want to give the Head Inquisitor more space to confront her and create an argument.

She knew all she needed to know for now, and the other woman had no idea, that Caroline was just reading in her mind like in an open book during their short interaction. The Defence teacher certainly wasn't a Death Eater, although she wasn't on the other side as well. There was only one thing she wanted. Power. And it didn't matter to her what she had to do, or whom she had to support, to gain it.

Caroline was quickly walking back towards dungeons but suddenly stopped. She sensed another's mind presence coming closer and wasn't very happy about it. She wasn't supposed to meet anyone else tonight.

But somehow, this mind seemed familiar, although she couldn't really tell why. She did a few quiet steps towards the wall and focused. It wasn't just one person approaching, there were three of them.

Despite her fear, Caroline took a deep breath and try to put on the expression Minerva usually wore.

She stepped back in the middle of the corridor right at the moment they appeared behind the corner.

There truly were three of them, two older boys and a girl, and they were all staring at her with terror in their eyes. But although they couldn't see it in her face, inside, the grown-up witch was beyond relieved. She at least knew the girl.

The redhead witch before her was one of her former patients. She was possessed if Caroline remembered correctly. And with the resemblance she held with the twins, that were accompanying her, there was no doubt. The Weasley siblings.

She was just about to say something when young Ginevra started. "Professor, please, we can explain."

Caroline just stared at them. They really were terrified to be caught by the Head of their house. She could feel their fear. She remembered only too well, how she herself used to wander the corridors after the curfew. But what would Minerva McGonagall do in this situation? Caroline was sure she wouldn't let them go unpunished.

"You should probably head to your dormitories immediately," she started with a stern voice and watch them, as their expression turned into disbelieving. This was utterly out of character for their teacher. So, Caroline continued. She didn't know how to punish them, but Minerva would.

"Come to my cabinet first thing in the morning, before the breakfast starts. We will discuss your punishment then and I'll be more than happy to hear your explanation, Miss Weasley."

Caroline could feel the fear and the nervousness of the three. But she was sure she couldn't spend more time here with them because the limited hour she was given by the Polyjuice potion was slowly coming to an end. "I believe I told you to go back to your dormitories immediately," she spoke again sternly.

All of them just nodded quietly and then walked quickly passed her with the direction of the Gryffindor tower. But Caroline had one more thing to say as they passed her.

"Professor Umbridge is patrolling the corridors tonight. Try to avoid her, for the sake of your house."

xXx

"And you let them go just like that?" Severus snarled at his friend with anger written on his face.

"Well, believe it or not, I did what I thought was the best, given the circumstances," Caroline snapped at him angrily, while Minerva and Dumbledore, who joined them sometime during the time Caroline was gone, watched them quietly.

Caroline told them about her short encounter with the Defence professor and also about the three students she had run into. Severus and Minerva were both furious, and Caroline could tell that they would face an unpleasant meeting with their Head of the house in the morning.

"You've acted very reasonably, Caroline," the Headmaster told her kindly. Severus just snorted at that. "and I'm very thankful for the information you provided us."

Soon after that, both the Headmaster and his deputy left them with the wish for a good night. Not that it really was. Despite the fact that Caroline emptied her mind before she went to bed, as she usually did, she woke up many times during the night and didn't sleep very well.

When she woke up, Severus was already gone and an unpleasant surprise was awaiting her just beside her bed. Caroline stared at her house elf, quietly standing in the middle of the room with her eyes wide opened and quietly waiting for her mistress to wake up.

Caroline was sure she was hallucinating. She forbade Wixie to visit her unless there was the highest emergency situation.

"Wixie is very sorry for interrupting her mistress, but Wixie was ordered to get out of the house and she didn't know where to go," said the elf with weak voice before she burst into tears.

"Who gave you the order?" asked Caroline with a voice barely louder than a whisper although she already knew the answer to her own question. There was only one person except herself Wixie would listen. Rabastan. And if Rabastan ordered Wixie out of the house, it only meant he was in it.

But Rufus assured her that he put all the possible wards around it, so Rabastan and the others wouldn't be able to enter. Of course, his options were limited. She and Rabastan were married and as that, he was the owner of the house just like she was. And it was impossible to deny entrance to the owner of a magical house with charms.

But with all the wards Rufus put around the house, he assured her that considering the fact he couldn't be noticed, it would take him at least a month of delicate work, to get passed them.

"Master Rabastan did," Wixie managed to answer between the sobs. And with that said, Caroline stood abruptly from the bed she was still sitting in and started to pace around the room. Severus had a lesson now, she couldn't contact him and she couldn't use the Floo to contact Dumbledore, because she was warned that the whole network was being watched.

Caroline looked worriedly at her house elf, who was still sobbing in front of her. She knew her encounter with Rabastan wasn't probably very nice. From the letter, he sent her the previous week, she knew that he summoned their house elf at least once before. But Caroline forbade Wixie to say or provide any information about her whereabouts to anyone except Rufus and was sure that her loyal servant wouldn't betray her mistress trust even despite Rabastan commanding her otherwise. But looking back it seemed like a mistake to leave Wixie in that house. She could have very well come with her.

"Wixie," she tried, "could you visit Headmaster Dumbledore for me and tell him that I need to speak with him urgently?" And Wixie, still a little bit shaking, nodded her head and disappeared.

But unfortunately, she was back almost immediately, claiming that she wasn't able to apparate into the headmaster's office and that he was probably not even in the castle. While Caroline told Wixie to go to her brother, she tried to think. She didn't want to do anything harsh. She was a Slytherin, they always tried to think everything through before acting. She ordered Wixie to stay in the dorm with her and started to think.

If Rabastan got into the house, it meant that Antonin Dolohov or Augustus Rookvood was probably with him. Maybe both of them. These two were one of his closest friends and with Antonin being an enormously skilled curse-breaker and Augustus, who as a former Unspeakable knew more charms that Caroline could even imagine, it only made sense that he got past the wards so quickly.

Severus was unavailable. So was Dumbledore. And except the two of them, there was only one person she would trust in this situation. But could she visit the Head Auror now?

No. Absolutely not. Rufus would kill her if she appeared in his office. She would wait for Severus. She wouldn't do anything stupid.

But the waiting for Severus to come back was unnerving and it seemed like a lifetime for Caroline. When he finally walked through the door, Caroline was sure she walked at least ten miles in that small room.

"What is it?" was the first thing Severus asked when he saw Caroline's face.

"Rabastan got into the house."

Caroline watched Severus's unchanged expression. "Impressive. It didn't take him that long. But why are you here pacing in my quarters like he just got into the castle? You knew it would happen soon or later."

Caroline just gave him a look instead of an answer and Severus gave it back. But after a while of complete silence, he made a few steps towards her and spoke again, while Caroline used all her skills to prevent from bursting out. She didn't feel like that in more than thirteen years.

"Rabastan still cares about you, Caroline." It was a simple sentence, but one that made a huge impact on Caroline.

But Caroline wasn't sure anymore. For the last thirteen years, she actually wasn't sure. How could he? After everything, he had done? But something else crossed her mind and she quickly turned her head to Severus.

"You've seen him?" she asked in a whisper. But her companion wouldn't answer. Caroline then tried to reach to the shields of his mind, tried to find a place where to break them and find the answer for herself but Severus wouldn't show her anything. And that was enough of answer for her.

"You've seen him." Now it wasn't even a question. And not that Severus would change his expression or try to explain himself. But Caroline felt like she was betrayed. She considered Severus a friend. And while she was aware that he was able to guide his thought and memories from her, she thought he would tell her about such things.

"The Dark Lord called for a meeting. I could hardly avoid him," was the first thing he said.

Well of course. The Dark Lord called for a meeting. It could occur to Caroline that something like that would happen earlier or later. But a few moments later, Caroline could feel Severus's mind magic change.

He was actually allowing her to see some of his own memories. As she reached into his mind she could see him standing in a big dark room with some other people, where some of them she even recognized.

She was starting to wonder what was the purpose of him showing her this memory when she finally understood.

As Severus in the memory approached a small group of wizards, Caroline gasped as she recognized them. All of them. Rabastan first, although he changed enormously since the last time she saw him. His hair was longer, but he was thinner and she couldn't see the muscles he used to have before she fled from him so many years ago. And he was older. But despite the changes, she was still able to see that it was still him, although he was far away from the playboy he used to be in his twenties.

Antonin was standing right next to him, but it took Caroline a little bit longer to actually recognize him. His expression was somehow very different from the one she knew. Next to him were Mulciber and Avery and Caroline could only frown at that. These two she really despised even during her school years. And finally, the circle was closed by Rudolphus, standing on the other side of Rabastan.

As Severus approached the group, Avery was the one to notice him first. "Ah, Severus, glad to see you again. I don't think you've had your reunion with our friends here?" he said and pointed his hand on his companions – all of them now wanted criminals who escaped from Azkaban.

Caroline could see that Severus's expression didn't change a bit. "I didn't have the pleasure," was all he said with his usual cold voice. Ironically enough, it was Rabastan, who greeted him first with a nod of his head. "Severus."

"Rabastan."

"We were just discussing that Rabastan's little wife is nowhere to be found," Avery took the word again.

Still, Severus kept his usual expression as he turned his head to Caroline's husband. "Really? I was under the impression that Madame Lestrange worked at St. Mungo's."

"She still does. Avery is just exaggerating. She is just on a holiday."

With the way he said it, Caroline would say he didn't change a bit. The same confidence, the very same arrogance, and pride.

"The hell she is. And that's without question why her beast of brother charmed your house with every charm possible so we couldn't get in and why you're making us work on it every available minute possible," added Antonin ironically.

"I tell him all the time not to worry. She can't run forever, she's just as good as a squib," was the first thing Mulciber said. And although it was something Caroline was used to hearing at school, a long time passed since someone insulted her like that. And it hurt.

Rabastan's face hardened as he heard that. "Careful now, Jonathan. She is still my wife. She's a Lestrange," we said with a hard voice just a little louder than a whisper. "I said she was on holiday."

And with that, Severus pushed her out of his mind and didn't allow her to see any other memory. But it was enough for Caroline. She saw him, after all this time. It didn't matter, that it was just in someone else's mind. She was so distracted, that she didn't even realize that she had put her own mind shields down, which was something Severus was able to notice almost immediately.

"You're starting to get unstable again, Caroline," he said to her, this time with something that could be described as a worry behind his actual cold tone. "Your shields are down. And it's not the first time I've noticed it."

She just nodded and pointed her look into the ground. She could feel it too. The shields that she built to protect her mind all the time didn't come so automatically anymore. Sometimes she even caught herself realizing her mind was left unprotected, especially when she was somehow distracted.

"I assume you still take your potions?" he continued. She nodded. Of course, she did. She even almost tripled the dose over the years. Starting with one dose of Mind-stabilizing potion in the morning and one in the evening, she soon needed to add one in the morning, then one in the evening and now she was on actually three doses in the morning and two in the evening.

"You need to see a Mind-healer," he said quietly.

"I am a bloody Mind-healer!" Caroline burst out. Not even Severus would understand. No one would understand. How could they? They didn't know how it was.

"Caroline, calm down," he told her now more sternly. But the impact was actually very opposite. How dare he?

Before Caroline actually knew what was happening, the magic of her mind burst out and spread around the room until it found Severus, who immediately took his head into his hands and hissed in pain. But even that didn't stop her.

"Caroline, calm down," he hissed again, as he was still holding his head. But that didn't work either. So, while he didn't want to harm the woman in front of him, he used all the strength to focus on the spell he was about to use, while his mind was being under attack from every corner possible, and stunned her.

The pain stopped immediately. Caroline was on the ground and although he was sure that she will recover almost immediately, he couldn't stop himself from worrying.

With his wand, he transported his companion into the armchair and he sat down behind his desk. It took him about five minutes to write down two notes, call for one of the Hogwarts house elves and tell him to bring one to the Head Auror immediately and to leave the other one in Headmaster's office.

Afterward, he stood up, took a deep breath and with a wave of his wand, he brought the witch back to consciousness.

For the first few seconds, she looked really confused, but soon, she managed to notice Severus standing in front of her and asked him what had happened.

"You had a burst-out," Severus said calmly and carefully watched her. Caroline frowned and while she tried to recall what happened, Severus turned around and walked out of the room, just to return almost immediately with two vials in his hands.

She took both of them from him, opened them, smelled, and then drank all the fluid inside.

"I've written to Rufus to let him know what happened," he told her, and she just nodded at that. It wouldn't help to argue with him, not after what just happened anyway.

She was a mind healer. And she was a master level occlumens and legillimens. She knew what just happened.

Being an Occlumens and Legillimens, however useful skills they are is a risk to the mind and brain as well. And while skilled-enough witch or wizard is usually able to protect his mind, sometimes, usually in stressful situations, it can happen, that the person is able to instinctively build shields in his mind – but only in a part of it. That can then, as Caroline had the misfortune not to just witness but to experience herself several times – lead to something that the Mind healers call as "divided brain". A status when part of the brain starts to react instinctively and surrounds itself with strong shields and therefore forbids the rest of the brain to control it. Which then leads to such uncontrollable outbursts as Caroline just went through. Ironically enough, the stronger occlumens the witch or wizard is, the stronger are also the shields during the outbursts. And therefore, the more difficult it is to gain back the control after that outburst.

Severus let Caroline sit in the armchair in peace until a house elf appeared in the room, carrying a note.

Hogwarts is being watched. She can't leave the castle now. I'll settle a meeting with the headmaster in two days, at 10 o'clock, concerning Hogwarts safety. Make sure she gets there unnoticed. RS

Severus understood the note. And although he would prefer to meet the head auror as soon as possible, he understood that his sister couldn't be spotted leaving the castle and the head of auror department couldn't just be seen marching to the castle without an official meeting. But he knew Rufus to be an excellent tactician and just hoped that his friend will manage to control her mind until the reunion with her brother.

He wanted to pass the note to the witch in the chair, but when he turned around, he found her sitting calmly with her legs crossed and eyes closed. As he saw that she was trying to calm her mind down, he decided against interrupting her. He would tell her later.

When Caroline finally opened her eyes, it was already evening, but she felt a little bit better at least. Severus was correcting some essays (something that he would do almost every evening no matter what) and when he noticed his friend now standing and scratching her legs, he put the quill down.

"I'll stay with you for dinner tonight," he told her and watched her give him a grateful look. Caroline knew he preferred to dine in the Great Hall, where he could watch over his snakes (and Potter of course) and she really appreciated it.

When the house elves served their meal, Caroline started to ask questions. I've heard there were only three people in Britain who are able to brew the Wolfsbane Potion. Is it true? And do you have time for your research? Don't you think you give the students too much homework? How is Slytherin doing in the School Cup? And what about Quidditch?

Caroline carefully asked questions she wasn't afraid to hear the answers to and Severus dutifully answered all of them and did his best not to show his irritation with the witch for her urge to talk during the whole time. He knew it helped her.

There are. A little bit more are in Germany and Switzerland, some in Russia. And one in Prague.

Not as much as I would prefer.

Absolutely not. That at least makes some of the dunderheads to open their books.

Just the way the Slytherin usually does. Umbridge is making it easier for us this year.

Not the worst. Malfoy is quite good. We miss young Flint though.

So far, however bad day it was for Caroline, the evening, she enjoyed a lot. She smiled when he gave her the answer about homework. And then she chuckled again when she saw the disgust on his face when he said the word Umbridge.

But she got even more interested in the conversation when her companion mentioned young Draco.

He was her patient once, but she respected the oath she took as a healer and respected her patients' privacy, so she didn't mention that to her friend.

And when she parted Severus to finally go to bed, she gave him a nod and grateful smile. The potion master wasn't a man suited for small talk, he loathed it. Be he knew when she needed it. And Caroline went to bed with a clear mind again after a long time, because although they didn't really keep in touch during the last years, so far it seemed that the fragile friendship they had built before, could be fully restored once again.