Hi, everyone!
this is a translation of the great German story "Das sechste Element" by Bint-Anath. I hope you'll enjoy the read and tell me what you think about it!
Have fun!
Chapter 01 – Antistress-bath
Hermione read the label on the glass bottle filled with blue liquor: "Antistress – simply feel good." She uncorked it and sniffed, wrinkling her nose skeptically. After short consideration she decided to give it a try. She opened the water- tap and poured some liquor, strictly speaking as little as possible, into the bath tub. It wasn't that she didn't like something like that, but she was always a little skeptic towards Muggle products. Hermione sat on the edge of the bath tub und watched, as the water rose and foam formed on the surface.
She had been at home only a week. Hermione had tried to enjoy this period and to simply relax. But her parents noticed very quickly that she wasn't feeling well. At the beginning she couldn't contain her tears. In her mother's arms she had cried silently and asked herself, how it could have happened. In the meantime her tears had run dry and many more questions had arisen, which plagued her night after night and kept her from sleeping.
Hermione closed the water- tap, took off her bathrobe und climbed into the tub. She slipped into the hot water und closed her eyes. Yes, that would do her good. She took a deep breath and tried not to think anything.
Free your mind…
But it didn't work. It was as always, when she was alone. Pictures buzzed through her head, pictures of that horrible night at Hogwarts.
Now everything had changed.
Without Dumbledore the hope of the people had faded, while the boldness and the will of Voldemort and the Death Eaters grew.
In front of Harry and Ron Hermione had tried to be as optimistic as possible. She had said that they at least knew what to do. They had to find the Horcruxes. They had to concentrate on that, even if it meant that they couldn't spend the whole year in Hogwarts.
Harry, Ron and Hermione planned to meet at Grimmauldplace on the weekend to put their heads together. Harry hadn't liked the idea of going there of all places, but Hermione hoped to find a few useful books there. Whether with or without books, figuring out, where the Horcruxes were, what they were und who R.A.B. was, would prove to be very hard. Hermione wished for at least a hint on how to destroy a Horcrux.
Anyway, the Trio had their hands full and they hadn't told anyone about the Horcurxes. Not only was it better, if as few people as possible knew of them, but the order was also fully occupied. After the battle in Hogwarts some were tattered, worst of all Bill, whose face was still, and possibly forever, marked by Fenrir Greyback's attack. But it didn't seem to bother him at the moment, he was over the moon – his wedding with Fleur was coming up.
Some people in the Order tried to recruit new trustworthy members, since the number of the Death Eaters and hence the frequency of attacks was growing too. Three days ago there had been an assault on a Muggle family, however only the grandmother had been at home. No one knew exactly, which pain she had been put through, before the Death Eaters ended her life…
Now it was harder than ever for the Order to protect the people from attacks or to thwart Voldemort's plans, for Snape had betrayed them. They had no one in Voldemort's ranks, no one to spy –
Hermione snapped her eyes open. A thought had occurred to her. A crazy idea. It was… impossible. She shook her head. There was no way… or was there? She considered the idea. After everything Harry had told her, maybe there was the possibility that… She had to talk to Harry und Ron! Now! Well, after she got dressed. She would Apparate to the Burrow und then with Ron to Private Drive and…
Suddenly Hermione was filled with doubt. She knew her friends well. Harry and Ron would probably declare her crazy, if she showed up with this idea. There was no way that they would participate, even if Hermione pointed out her arguments over and over again. No, if she really wanted to put her plan into action, she had to do it by herself. Alone.
Alone!
Hermione shivered. Well, that's going to be fun… perhaps it wasn't such a good idea after all?
Suddenly, before she could follow her thoughts, something came to her mind that Dumbledore had once said to her.
More than our abilities it is our decisions, which show, who we really are.
Hermione had no idea, how these words came into her head all of a sudden, but now she was pondering on them. Was it an ability to kill? Or do you have to decide on or against it? According to Harrys narrations Hermione had the impression, that he was unable… That meant, he lacked the ability, but he chose it… so that would mean, that he was, what she hoped he wasn't. He decided on it, but was unable. Or… wasn't it possible that he was able, but would have decided against it? If that were true, Dumbledore's words would speak for him. Even though everything Hermione knew suggested the contrary.
In this moment she was extremely glad not to have to share these confused thoughts with Harry und Ron.
Lost in thoughts, she ran her hand over the foam. Could she really risk it? If she was completely wrong, the aftermath would be fatal, if not deadly for her. But on the other hand Hermione was convinced that they mustn't bury their heads in the sand! They all had to risk more. They were already living on dangerous grounds anyway. Besides it was probably their only chance to get to useful information…
Decidedly Hermione pulled the plug out of the drain.
Mrs. Granger cleared away the pots from the table after lunch, while Hermione carried the dishes into the kitchen.
"Mum?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
„I, uh, just wanted to say that I have to stop by at Diagon Alley… get something", Hermione explained.
"What do you need that's so important?" her mother asked surprised.
"It's, uh… nothing."
Mrs. Granger quirked her eyebrows skeptically.
„It's just… we have this homework in Potions and… you know me. I'd like to finish them as quickly as possible, but for that I need something from Diagon Alley… dragon blood and rat saliva, to watch the effect of coldness on liquors," Hermione lied hastily.
She hadn't told her parents that she would probably go hunting Horcruxes with Ron and Harry during school time. Her parents also didn't know that for the first time in her life Hermione wasn't thinking about school in her holidays. To be honest, the only thing Mr. and Mrs. Granger knew was that Voldemort had done something horrible.
"All right. But please hurry," Mrs. Granger said with slight anxiety in her voice.
"Sure, Mum. See you later!"
Hermione Disapparated and found herself standing in the middle of London in front of the dirty door of the Leaking Cauldron.
Since she was going to an unknown destination, she could not Apparate and had decided to use the fireplace of the Leaking Cauldron hoping that her destination was connected to the floo network. She had determined to come after noon, because it was the middle of the day and perhaps the safest time.
Hermione opened the door and tried to get to the fireplace as inconspicuously as possible, which was not exactly easy. There were only two guests plus the landlord in the pub. All three looked at her surprised, for visitors had become rare lately, and young girls, all alone by themselves, were an astonishing sight.
Hermione looked at them nervously. When she finally got to the fireplace, she took some floo pulver and stepped in.
AN: Well, what do you think so far? Please tell me! I'm dying to know!
This is my first attempt at translating from German to English. Up to now I've only done it the other way round. So please be patient with me :D
