Disclaimer: Just the story and Amelia belong to me.
Author's Note: Huzzah! Here is chapter ten and this marks the longest multi-chaptered fanfiction I've written to date. For all of you who are following This Is War, fear not I haven't abandoned the story its just taking me a while to write the next chapter. In the meantime I hope that you enjoy the next instalment of Making Amends. Thank you once again for all the reviews and alerts, they mean a lot.
Amelia stood staring at the lake for a while longer before she turned on the spot and disappeared using apparition, the destination clear in her mind as she re-appeared in a muggle village cemetery. She pulled her cloak around her and shoved her hands deep into her pockets taking the small black box with it as she walked through the familiar headstones until she reached the one she was looking for,
Isabella Rosa Grey
Loving Wife & Mother
Born November 6th 1899
Died September 24th 1960
Amelia smiled as she traced the familiar lettering on the headstone as she sat down in the slightly damp grass, the rain having finally subsided for the evening. She shook her head as she remembered the last time she had spoken with her Mother before her death, from a muggle disease no less that no amount of magic could cure and to this day Amelia felt a little lost without her,
"You were right, I was an idiot perhaps an even bigger idiot now as I tried proposing and she didn't take it so well. Sorry about the Manor, I didn't even realise I was being followed until it was too late but you can berate me for that when I reach King's Cross. I left the Ministry, I know your probably thinking about time but it took a lot of soul searching on my part to realise what it is I now want from life. I know its only taken me forty-three years to figure this out but I always was stubborn, I just needed to let you know that I'm doing fine even if I don't look like I am. He's gaining power and followers but I won't allow him to take her from me nor her beloved students and school, if it means meeting you earlier than planned well, that's a risk I'll have to take. I miss you more than you will ever know, I love you Mum" she smiled softly as the tears fell silently, knowing her words hadn't been coherent but when speaking to the dead it didn't really matter; as she pulled her cloak tighter the heavens above opened soaking her within minutes but still she didn't pull away to return to Hogwarts.
To many this place was unknown not even Minerva McGonagall knew of this place, a quiet muggle village not far from Grey Manor but far enough away to not be noticeable by magic folk. She sat watching the rain coat her Mother's headstone, the droplets pausing in their descent for only a moment before they continued cascading down. A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, as a low rumble of thunder followed it; this storm was going to be quite a sight to behold if you were into that sort of thing. Amelia had loved storms as a child and had scared Minerva more than once when she headed up to the Astronomy Tower to watch them as they came over Hogwarts, and had come back to the Ravenclaw dormitory soaking wet.
She heard the loud pop but still didn't move, she knew that he of all magical creatures would find her here,
"Mistress is worried yous not on school grounds" came Tobias' soft voice, but he didn't move toward Amelia at all,
"I'm not ready to back yet Tobias, tell Minerva I'll be back soon." replied Amelia unmoving from her position in front of her Mother's grave, despite the warning from Minerva to bring her back Tobias obeyed and disappeared back to Hogwarts.
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Tobias reappeared in Professor McGonagall's private chambers, the elder witch looked at him with concerned eyes as he relayed his message,
"Miss says shes not ready to come back, but will return soon" he remained in Minerva's private chambers to see if she required anything more of him, when she stood he stepped back as she summoned a travelling cloak,
"Take me to her Tobias" she asked causing the house-elf to look down,
"Miss said no one was to know of this place, if Is takes you then Is breaks that promise" he replied still looking at the floor. Minerva paused as she fastened the cloak around her neck before looking at the forlorn house-elf,
"Tobias, I know you don't want to break Amelia's trust but I really need to know she's all right. Please take me to her." her voice was so sincere that Tobias felt the need to take her to Amelia, he extended his hand toward Minerva who grasped it tightly as Tobias used apparition to take her to the cemetery.
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Another loud pop resonated around the cemetery slightly louder than the on-coming storm,
"Tobias, I told you I wasn't coming back just yet." came Amelia's voice, filled with annoyance at having been disturbed yet again by the house-elf even though she knew he was only concerned about her. As another loud pop echoed, another voice filtered through the cemetery,
"He is not the one you should be angry at, I am the one that made him come back to this place. Amelia you're going to catch a cold or at worst your death in this rain, why won't you come back to Hogwarts?" Minerva's voice caught her by surprise, she hadn't expected Tobias to bring anyone here after all he had promised her that this place would be a secret between them both. So to have Minerva here was a little unsettling,
"Tobias broke his promise to me by bringing you here, no one knows of this place not even the Ministry and I'd like to keep it that way. However as you are here Minerva, you might as well learn the truth." she pulled her wand from underneath her cloak and uttered the simple spell,
"Lumos" the tip of her wand illuminated revealing the headstone of Isabella Rosa Grey, causing a soft sigh to escape Minerva's lips,
"Your Mother's grave? Amelia I didn't know." the softness of Minerva's voice lessened Amelia's anger,
"I didn't want anyone to know, these people know nothing of magic which my Mother always enjoyed when she came here to get away from the wizarding world. So much so she asked to be buried here and I as her only daughter honoured that wish. I've kept blood wards in place around her gravestone so that only I can use apparition to get here, although it seems as one of my families house elves Tobias can get here too." she sighed deeply turning to face Minerva directly,
"Your quite formidable when you are worried, you must have scared Tobias enough for him to bring you here and whilst I should be angry I'm actually quite grateful." Amelia smiled softly rising from the damp grass and walking toward Minerva her wand still illuminating the darkened cemetery as another clap of thunder echoed over head followed by a flash of lightning, "But you have to promise me that you will not divulge this location, I don't ask this lightly of you Minerva for I trust you with my life and my Mother was always fond of you but I cannot allow anyone to disturb this place." her voice held an old determination, one Minerva hadn't heard since their school days,
"Amelia, I would never betray your trust. This place is sacred to you and I'm glad to share it with you, just because I'm not ready for what you proposed doesn't mean I'm not ready to start over with our relationship. If there is a War coming Amelia then I want to be the one you fight to come back to." her voice faltered slightly as the realisation of how much she had missed Amelia finally dawned on her,
"I'll always come back for you Min, it might take me longer than it should" she chuckled at this, "But you are the other half of me and my life has been miserable without you." she smiled and moved closer to Minerva eliminating the space between them, without a moment's hesitation she leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss to Minerva's lips before pulling away and holding her gaze with the other witch, smiling widely. It took a moment for Minerva to react, she gently ran her hand along Amelia's free arm until it rested under her chin before she pulled the other woman close and returned the kiss in kind; her tongue running across Amelia's bottom lip asking for entrance which Amelia dutifully provided and for a minute time stood still as the two lovers finally reconnected.
When they broke the kiss due to the need for air, Amelia grinned sheepishly before extending her hand to Minerva who took it and held it steady as Amelia used side apparition to return them to Hogwarts.