Chapter forty. 'SUP?
The place was filled with fumes and smells, several multi-colored clouds of fog hang over the heads of the customers. It was crowded, so that no individual was to be distinguished, and rambling, so that no conversation was to be overheard.
Sibyl Trelawney made her way towards the only unoccupied table, at the back, beside the wall, stumbling against several tables in the process. She wasn't remarked upon, which felt nice for a change. At last, she fell on the bench and shot a shifty glance around.
It was full of people of various genders who identified as lesbians, bi, pansexuals or anything else that didn't stop at the "opposite" gender attraction and had a sapphic side to it, they were conversing animatedly, drinking, eating, laughing or kissing.
Sibyl took the menu and ordered some rugbeer and cherries in a hoarse low whisper, it appeared before her eyes as soon as she placed required amount of coins on the table which swallowed them and spat the change in her lap and face. Trelawney collected the money, dropping half of it on the floor and proceeded to help herself clumsily to some drink.
Through a haze of mist rang a melodious voice, Trelawney opened her eyes, she obviously dozed off, she felt like in a trance (although she never really remembered anything about her excursions into beyond, she used this comparison a lot) :
- Is this seat vacant?
- What?
- Can I sit there?
- Why would you want to be there of all places?
- I _ there's no places left... - said Renee, a little taken aback.
- Oh, my dear, I understand: it is unfortunate for you... - mumbled Sibyl with a nod.
- So this one is occupied? - she said, pointing on the bench opposite Trelawney.
- I don't think so - she said with a hiccup - at least_it was empty, when I came here...
- And you don't mind me settling there? I won't bother you, I'm not expecting anyone, or anything...
- Ah, of course! I mean, no, I mind not - she said, sinking her chin in the palm of her hand and staring unblinkingly upon a tall figure folding themself to get behind the table.
Renee looked up and saw two enormously magnified eyes fix her.
- What? - she asked.
- You are a wonderful mess_of color - she said dreamily.
The tall woman frowned.
- I seem to remember, that when we first met you weren't wearing those glasses, are you sure you see better in them? I don't want to intrude, it's just...
- Was I? Such mundane thing might've slipped my mind.
And she started to grope around her own face trying and failing to take spectacles off:
- Could you, my dear... - and she pointed at her left eye with a right hand.
A blur of color moved forward and a slightly distorted face with almond shaped eyes emerged out of it. First, those eyes wondered around, presumably, searching for the best way to pull glasses off, then, they looked straight into Trelawney's. The whole world floated and stretched as an endless tunnel, and, suddenly, she saw Renee.
- Re_
- Don't... - flashed the other, stretching her arm in a reflex. - Sorry, - Renee added, seeing Sibyl shudder when her gaze stopped at her short pointed black nails, and quickly retreated - Sibyl, I am glad to see you!
-... and I used my gift to spy on other people around the world, that is why I cannot cast myself into the future. But I witnessed marvelous things, people's greatest sorrows and their the most exquisite joys. - Sibyl said with a far-off look. All the while, Renee was drinking in every word.
- I don't know anything about the world. I've never left. I excelled in Dominion over Living Creatures in Durmstrang, this life suited me well, I sought power and I've found it. Voldemort was someone I was looking up to, until, I' ve realized he was a fool. Now, I am an official second best. He doesn't care whether or not I am mighty, all he wants from us it's to do his bidding. And the more docile you are, the more praised you'll be. Snape is so valuable because they do everything. The funny thing is that they don't give a damn, they switched sides ages ago, pretend with me to despise Dumbledore and all, of course, but I'm not dumb. Voldemort doesn't see any proof of disloyalty in their head and thinks that it is enough, the thought that there are better Occlumenses in the world than he is a Legilimens never crosses his mind.
- But, my dear, it is so sad! What are you going to do?
- Nothing, I presume... If I attempt to kill Voldemort, I would be dead first. As I take him for a fool, I underestimate him, so I am doomed. Snape, for example, knows Voldemort's worth and doesn't even try. If I speak to them or to anybody else, Voldemort will see through me in an instant, I'm nothing in Occlumency.
- But you're telling me!
- Yes, but I said plainly and honestly enough that I won't change anything. If only I start to plot, I 'll try to hide and shift around, act suspicious...
- But you said he was a fool, wouldn't that out...
- Of course, I did, and I stand by that. He is a daft because he doesn't want to be really valued or appreciated by his supporters, we are mere servants. And he knows well enough that we hate and fear him more than anything else, and it is fine by him.
- And you think you're not like that, you would've ran things differently?
- I don't want to run anything, I want as much power as I need and no more.
- How much exactly do you need? Yet. - Sibyl inquired patiently.
- I've got everything already, it's Voldemort who's taking it away from me by limiting, controlling, threatening. I can't do this anymore._ Tell me what you saw, tell me about the world.
And with that Renee placed both hands palms up on the table. Sibyl reached out to them, intertwining her fingers covered in rings and writings with Renee's.
____
- This place holds many secrets, check it out: - said Renee, gesturing to a dead end just around the corner of the bar.
The night had fallen and there was no lights apart from a shining of silver stars overhead. On one side stood high wooden flank of the bar, on the other - a brick wall, the path was paved in stone, covered with ample amount of sand, dust and fluff. In the back stood another wall half the height of the buildings, against it was placed a wooden barrel, several half empty cotton bags, and a wreckage of broken furniture, probably, from the bar.
- Cosy - said Sibyl, following Renee to the barrel.
Zabini was already stripping off her black armored jacket, large metallic bracelets and resistent blocks of cummerbund. Sibyl did the same with her heaviest rings, chokers and necklaces.
- What is it? - she asked, pointing on a strange pang in a file suspended on a dark band that Renee pulled off her neck.
- Poison. - Renee answered calmly.
Renee stood, her back against the wall, her legs in dragon leather bands shoulder width apart. She stretched out her hand, that Sibyl took with both of hers. She felt Sibyl's fingers glide over the silver patterns on her inner arm, followed by lips that she pressed against her wrist. Renee tugged at her arm, making Sibyl step closer. The latter lifted one long glittering shawl from her shoulders and threw it over their heads. It was semi-transparent and sparkling and let through cool night's air, mixing it with a strange perfume of burned ritual wood and tea herbs. They looked into each other's eyes, their faces coming nearer and nearer, before their mouths met, and Sibyl felt Renee's narrow tongue come down between her lips.
- Touch me, if you want. - Renee whispered into Sibyl's ear, bushy brown hair tinkling her face.
Sibyl sensed every muscle in her lover's body contract and relax, but Renee controlled, almost constricted her own breath, held onto the wall, in an attempt to steady herself.
In a while, they were both standing, leaning to the barrel, draped in Trelawney's shawls, picking up stripped items from it and putting them on, smiling from time to time when their eyes met.
- Wait, you have something in your hair - said Sibyl, pointing on the back of her own head.
Renee made her sleek long black hair travel to the side and removed a bit of fluff. Then, with one brisk movement of her head threw it back to the middle of her skull, shaved on the sides and a little on top, where it stayed fixedly in a manner of a dorsal fin.