(Author note: Well, here's a chapter. Heehee, I like.. haven't updated in a long time, but anyway. -blush- This is a rather touching chapter about her foster parents. Hope you like)
Chapter 17: The Past, The Present, and The Future
The wing shipped through the long brown hair of Maya Tanner. She gave a gentle sigh as she watched the ripples in the lakes water slowly come to a stop. It was strange for the Hogwarts lake to be this calm; but then again the seasons were changed. Summer had swifted into fall; a wondrous and beautiful season with it's golden leaves. Maya turned on her heel and walked towards the school again. The Halloween dance was soon and she had yet to get a costume. She laughed quietly as she remembered last years trick-or-treating adventure. Her and three other girls had gone with Maya's foster parents. They had laughed all night long and had, had a blast.
"What's wrong with me?" She wondered out loud.
"Nothing dear," replied Minerva. She had come outside to get her daughter for supper, when she had heard what her daughter had said.
Maya jumped in surprise when she heard her mother's voice. "O.. Hello mum."
"What's wrong?" Minerva asked quietly.
"I was just thinking.." She admitted.
"About what?"
"Halloween last year..." Maya said slowly.
"O.. Well ok. Sorry I disturbed you." Minerva said quickly. She didn't want to upset her daughter, but maybe it was time she told her where her foster parents were buried. She never really had completely dealt with her parents' death and Minerva knew that. "Honey, can I ask you something?"
Maya looked a tad bit surprised, but she nodded. "Sure mum."
Minerva took a deep breath. "Would you like to see your foster parents graves?"
Maya's face went pale and she watched her mother. Finally, after what seemed like hours, she nodded. "I would like that very much." She whispered as her eyes brimmed with tears.
Minerva smiled sadly and hugged her daughter close. "I'm sorry I made you cry."
Maya shook her head and wiped at her tears. "It wasn't you, mum."
"I'm glad." Minerva whispered. "You've wasted enough tears on my account, I'm sure."
Maya gave a small shrug. "No. I don't usually cry real tears for you.. I haven't really had a reason yet."
"I'm glad." Minerva eloped her into a tight hug and smiled.
"Are you ready to go? I really need this, I think.."
"Probably…" Minerva replied. "Let's go."
The two walked towards the school together. The crisp leaves crunched softly as their footsteps fell.
A few moments later they were entering Minerva's chambers. Maya disappeared into her room to pull on a cloak.
"Ready to go?" Called Minerva.
With a glance at the picture on her end table, she walked out of her room, "yes," she whispered.
Minerva nodded and they both flooed to the Leaky Cauldron. From there they got a taxi and went to the train station.
"That'll be pounds." The taxi driver said turning to Minerva.
"O, ermm… That's in muggle money, right?" She mumbled under her breath.
The taxi driver gave them both a weird look, as Maya took the money, and counted it out. "There you are." Maya smiled and handed over the right change.
"Thank you." The driver put it into his bag and look back ahead of her as mother and daughter got out of the cab.
Soon, they were on the train. Maya had her head leaned against the window. She could now believer that soon she would be at her parents' final resting-place.
Minerva shook her daughter a little while later. "Maya, wake up."
Maya's eyes shot open and she looked around. Her gaze landed on her mother, as she stretched slightly. "We are there?"
Yes. Now it's just a short ride in one of those cars.""What's the graveyard name?" Maya asked, as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.
"Green Wood, I believe." Minerva checked a little address book she had taken out of her pocket. "Yes, that's right."
"Then let's go. I'm ready."
Minerva nodded her understandment. "I can see that."
When they had gotten to the train station entrance, they found a cab and go inside. "Green Wood cemetery, please." Maya whispered.
"Yes, ma'am." The cabbie smiled kindly and drove to towards the requested place.
Minerva wrapped an arm around Maya's shoulders and held her close. "I'm very proud of you for doing this." Minerva whispered in her daughter's ear.
"Thanks." Maya mumbled in reply.
The rest of the ride past in complete silence. Soon they were pulling up to the small graveyard. Maya got out and pulled her cloak tighter around her small frame. She didn't wait for her mother, before starting to walk through the graveyard, looking for headstones bearing the name 'Tanner'.
It was then that she saw them. Two headstones standing side bye side very much like their owners had stood together in life. Maya rushed over and kneeled between the two white marble headstones and started to cry quietly. "I'm so sorry." She cried, "I-I didn't come to your funerals because I--couldn't bear it."
Minerva stood at a distance watching her daughter mourn and cry for the people that had raised her. "Thank you." She whispered to the headstones. "Thank you for raising her right.."
"I swear I'll fine out who did this to you," Maya said quietly through her tears, "I don't care if it takes me the rest of my life." She looked at the two headstones before searching for a third one. "Hmm.." She gasped quietly, "Tori.. can't be dead.."
