Pretending the entire mess had nothing whatsoever to do with her, Oleandra slipped across the street and melted into the throng of curious onlookers watching the raid unfold. For the inhabitants and shoppers of Diagon Alley, it made a refreshing change not to be the targets of a Death Eater raid. Despite living alongside the Goblins all their lives, few Wizards truly thought of them as part of their close‑knit community.
Oleandra checked her watch as she wormed her way through the crowd. Astoria would be worried sick by now; her visit to the bank had eaten a dozen minutes into her half‑hour allowance, and she was running late. Murmuring apologies as she elbowed her way free on the other side, she soon caught sight of Cassiopeia's platinum hair glinting in the sunlight. She was waiting by the brick wall that opened onto the Leaky Cauldron.
"I'm here!" Oleandra called, waving to her as she hurried closer. "Have you found anything?"
Having changed guises from Bellatrix to Tonks, it took Cassiopeia a few seconds to recognise her.
"I've been waiting for ten minutes," Cassiopeia said, sounding thoroughly put out. "You sisters have the worst sense of time. Do you not own a watch, Oleandra?"
A heavy weight settled in the pit of Oleandra's stomach.
"Astoria's not here?" Oleandra said in a small voice.
"Obviously," Cassiopeia replied, visibly irritated.
Oleandra brushed past her, slipped through the gap in the brick wall, and stepped into the courtyard behind the Leaky Cauldron. Her heart sank as she took in the scene— there were a few scorch marks streaking the walls and the ground, unmistakeable traces of a magical duel.
She looked to the Leaky Cauldron, eyes narrowing.
"I'm looking for someone," Oleandra called as she strode through the pub's back door and walked up to the bar. Cassiopeia joined her at the counter. "She would have passed through here about thirty minutes ago." Reaching into her pouch, she drew out a fistful of gold Galleons she had stolen from the Lestrange vault and let them spill through her fingers onto the bar counter. The coins landed with a series of bright, ringing clinks that were very pleasing to the ear. "Thirty Galleons to the first person who can help me find her."
Oleandra's gaze swept the bar, inspecting each patron attentively. Thirty Galleons represented an enormous sum for any Witch or Wizard down on their luck in this economy, and yet curiously enough, the few drinkers at the counter and diners at the tables reacted only by lowering their heads and staring into their glasses or plates, as if that was where they would find their fortunes.
"Madam Tonks!" Tom the barman said with a nervous laugh, and Oleandra turned around to face him again. He mopped his sweaty forehead with the same towel he'd been using to polish his Butterbeer mugs, and she made a mental note never to drink here again. "It has certainly been a while… your husband's dropped by a few times, he's worried about you... If you were to rent a room, I could make sure he finds you here within a few days…"
Glancing over Tom's shoulder, Oleandra saw that the wall behind the counter was covered in wanted posters, including but not limited to Nymphadora Tonks's and Remus Lupin's. And in the reflection of the pewter mug in Tom's hand, she saw two Snatchers creeping up on her.
When exactly was he planning on warning her…? Oh, to Hel with it.
"Stupefy!" Oleandra shouted, whirling around on the spot. "Stupefy!"
The two crimson rays hit their marks in quick succession, and Oleandra looked back at Tom, who was now sweating even more profusely.
"That was close," Cassiopeia said, wide-eyed. "Why didn't Naudhiz warn me…?"
"Thanks for the warning," Oleandra said sweetly, before turning her wand on Tom. "Legilimens!"
The barman howled, his hands pressed to his temples. Though there were no mental barriers to smash or worm through, Oleandra began rooting quite painfully through his memories of the past half-hour, even as he offered no resistance.
"Jemima Abbott," Oleandra said clearly.
The moment Tom heard the name, an image of Astoria's disguised self bubbled up unbidden in his mind. He tried desperately to push it back down, but Oleandra had already caught hold of his chain of thought and had begun examining it.
Through Tom's eyes, she saw Astoria flitting about the Leaky Cauldron as she sniffed around. Following Tracey's scent, she'd gone upstairs first, before returning to ask him about a certain room. He'd told her to wait in the courtyard behind the bar, muttering that one couldn't be too careful these days…
However, it was not eavesdroppers Astoria should have been worrying about; the moment her back was turned, Tom had summoned the Death Eaters, and when they realised her disguise was that of a Witch they themselves had killed, they'd fought her and taken her away, all while Tom stood by and watched.
Delving deeper into Tom's memories, Oleandra saw Tracey. She sifted carefully through the next images, focusing on her face. The moment the new wanted posters arrived, with Tracey Davis's name rising to number eight among the Undesirables, Tom had gone straight to the Death Eaters and told them she was living upstairs!
"I'm… sorry…!" Tom gasped. "They threatened my family…! I had… no choice!"
"Any idea where they might have taken them?" Oleandra asked quietly.
The barman shook his head in terror.
"Wrong answer," Oleandra snarled, raising her wand.
"Hang on," Cassiopeia interjected. "Do you know who captured them?"
This time, Tom nodded. "Bellatrix Lestrange," he whimpered.
Cassiopeia looked at Oleandra. "Then they'll have taken them to Malfoy Manor," she said grimly. "Aunt Bella isn't the type to let others do her work for her… even though she's made herself quite at home in my house."
"You live to see another day, Mr Tom," Oleandra said coldly, lowering her wand. "But if I were you, I'd pack my trunk and be ready to run, because when You‑Know‑Who's regime falls, I'll be sure to remember you."